Misquamicut Beach, Westerly, RI
Once a year, Fall Fest brings carnival rides, food trucks, small business pop-up tents, a petting zoo, and live music to Westerly's beach. The entrance fee ($7) has increased from past years, likely due to Hurricane Sandy and the devastation the storm brought to the area. The Bring Back the Beach initiatives including the money collected at the festivals, however, have helped make it possible for the town to remove debris from the sand, replace fences and buildings, and bring life back to the area.
For years both the Fall and Spring Fests have seen the same layout of the festival grounds; however, this year rides and tents were moved from their usual locations. While this may have caused some confusion for the locals, the change gave people the opportunity to see parts of the festival they otherwise don't frequent and therefore never see.
With performances of musicians, magicians, and mimes, and a car show and beer garden with live bands, the entertainment has something for everyone. Between the children's stage and the more adult activities are always placed the petting zoo, which for the first time this fall included exotic birds in addition to the camel, ponies, goats, llamas, and sheep.
Cross over the dunes to find the beach, which by September has warm sands and cool breezes, and has been virtually abandoned by summer vacationers. While some people still enjoy the fall's bracing waters, most simply stroll the beach, or sit watching the waves. But best of all, the chill in the air often leads to clear night skies, making stargazing from the beach possible nearly nightly.
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