Excitement is rising for this years Rhythm & Roots Festival held at Ninigret Park in Charlestown RI over Labor Day weekend – September 1st – 3rd. What better way is there to celebrate the end of the summer by participating in the Rhythm & Roots Festival? As always, the line up is fantastic!

Think about it. Ninigret Park is located in Charlestown RI right on Rhode Island's incredibly beautiful coast line. While attending the festival, you have easy access to the beaches and a swimming pond right inside the park to help you beat the heat. Nearby you will also find a kid's playground, tennis courts, walking trails, planetarium and nature center. How could you not enjoy yourself in such beautiful surroundings?

The camping experience is one of the best with flat grounds on which to pitch your tent. Renowned for its all night parties, you won't get much sleep as the jamming sessions often go on through the night. If you prefer quiet camping, Rhythm & Roots can accommodate you with that as well. There are also several motel options nearby for your comfort but you must book early to be assured a room in close proximity.

Dancers from all over the world gather at Rhythm and Roots for its line up of Cajun and Zydeco artists. The festival carries on the legacy left behind when the long running Cajun fest at Escoheag, RI ended. The dance tent is dedicated to the wonderful line up of Cajun and Zydeco bands that play continually throughout the entire festival. The energy generated in that tent could probably light up NYC if it were captured. It doesn't matter how hot it gets, the dancers enthusiastically crowd the dance floor band after band, song after song. It's amazing how tirelessly the dance community holds up after about 30 hours of dancing.

The main stage offers continuous folk, rockabilly, bluegrass and other traditional music. It too features a dance tent off to the side of the main seating area. So if you find your feet tapping and you can't keep still, get up on that dance floor and find your groove. The large grassy area in front of the main stage is filled with people who prefer to sit and relax into the music. Toward the back of the seating, you will see people lounging on blankets, picnicking, playing outdoor games, and flying kites. The whole area becomes a kaleidoscope of bright color and movement.

The workshop stage offers festival goers a closer look at the musicians and their music. The music workshops feature collaborative performances from some of the top artists in an intimate setting. Workshops are spontaneous and unplanned which make them a once in a lifetime experience.

There is also plenty for the kids to do with a family tent dedicated to children activities. Throughout the weekend, a variety of family band concerts, movies, mask making crafts and parades are scheduled. The Cajun Academy of Music for the kids continues on under the tutelage of Michelle Kaminsky (fiddle player from RI's own Cajun Band, Magnolia). The academy will perform in concert on Sunday. Quite a powerful way to get the kids involved in music and dance.

R&R cannot run without its volunteers who work tirelessly through out the weekend to keep everything running smoothly. The festival also provides round the clock security patrols and first aid services. The food court features ethnic and regional foods, and beer and wine is sold on the site. Vendors will offer jewelry, clothes, art and music. And who can ever forget the cry of the IceMan heard all weekend throughout the camping area!

This year's line up for Rhythm and Roots is impressive, featuring an eclectic selection of root music at its best. Steeped in Cajun tradition, the Savoy Family Cajun Band are your hosts for the weekend. Team them up with Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, a persistent favorite Cajun band, the energy of The Red Stick Ramblers, the tradition of RI's own Magnolia, and you have a powerful mix of Cajun spices to light a fire under your dancing feet. To keep you on your feet, the Zydeco favorites include Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys, Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble, L'il Anne and Hot Cayenne, and Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas. Better get yourself a new pair of dancing shoes for this lineup.

Marcia Ball returns to the R&R stage this year with her honky tonk New Orleans style of jazz. Also on the main stage you have a duel selection of major Bluegrass artists including David Bromberg and Angel Band and Tim O'Brien & Cornbread Nation (2006 Grammy Winner). Rounding out the amazing line up of talent are: Dr. John, Los Lobos, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, John Jorgenson Quintet, The Horseflies, James Hunter, Jeremy Lyons & the Deltabilly Boys, James Hand, Girl Howdy and Hot Tamale Brass Band.

All this talent concentrated over a three day weekend and three stages makes it hard to choose but it promises to be a wonderful party to close out the summer season with a bang. Whether music is the center of your life or you simply want to enjoy a late summer outing, come to Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI over Labor Day Weekend for the Rhythm and Roots festival.