MIDDLETOWN — Inspired by the success of Newport’s Broadway Street Fair, town officials confirmed this week that Middletown will host its own street fair in the summer of 2026, an event leaders say will highlight the unique culture the town is known for.
The fair will take place at the intersection of West Main Road and Coddington Highway, a location selected for its accessibility and proximity to the seldom-used Burger King parking lot, which will host vendors, staging, and overflow parking.
The fair will feature booths from local businesses, including Jiffy Lube, Chipotle, FedEx Office, and BJ’s Wholesale Club, along with food vendors, activities, and live music from a Third Eye Blind cover band.
“These are places people already go,” said Elaine Rizzo-Bustamante, chair of the town’s Commercial Vitality & Opportunity Subcommittee. “We’re meeting residents where they are.”
Officials also expect incidental attendance from Newport residents already in Middletown running errands. “If people are here anyway and stop by, that’s ideal,” Rizzo-Bustamante said.
In addition to a Best Pickup Truck competition and a Contractor Skills Challenge, organizers said the fair’s featured event will be a School Regionalization Tug-of-War, pitting pro- and anti-regionalization teams against one another.
“This is a topic people feel strongly about,” a town councilor said. “This gives them a way to express that energy in a festive setting.”
Officials stressed the contest will be symbolic only and will not influence policy decisions. Middletown police will stand by to intervene, if necessary.
Additional details, including a final date, will be announced in early 2026.