HONK! Festival 2023 festivities kick off this Thursday, October 5, with the Pre-HONK! Brass Band Blowout in Union Square.

HONK! Festival 2023 gets underway this week, with this year’s participants hailing from all across the United States.

HONK! is a very unique musical movement that first began right here in Somerville back in 2006. Out of those humble beginnings, HONK! has become a recognizable worldwide phenomenon.

Held in Somerville, Cambridge, and Boston neighborhoods, these bands create an irresistible spectacle of creative movement and sonic self-expression directed at making the world a better place.

The annual 3-day free festival brings brass bands from all over the United States and the world to the local region for a celebration of music, community and activism.

Schedule of events:

Thursday, October 5

Pre-HONK! Brass Band Blowout in Union Square, Somerville

7:00 – 10:00 p.m. outdoors in Union Square Plaza and 8:00 – 12:00 a.m at The Jungle.

The semi-official Pre-HONK performances return to Union Square! 

Friday, October 6

Hoot Pick-Up Band rehearsal, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., Dilboy VFW.

Lantern-making workshops, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., Hodgkins-Curtin Park, Holland Street between Paulina St. and Simpson Ave. in Somerville. Free and open to the public. People of all ages will join Puppeteers Coop, Spontaneous Celebrations, and Extinction Rebellion to make their own lanterns, and then meet us in the park before parades step off at 6:30 p.m.

Lantern parades: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., stepping off from and returning to Hodgkins-Curtin Park, Somerville.

These nighttime parades are small-scale processions, leaving from and returning to Hodgkins-Curtin Park and traversing the surrounding neighborhoods. We are inviting local artists and families to bring their own illuminations, and we also invite musicians to build lanterns, wear bike lights, glow sticks, any kind of blinking-glittering-glowing ornaments you like.

Friday Night in Union Square: HONK! bands play at multiple locations in Union Square, both within walking distance.

7:00 – 10:00 p.m., Aeronaut Brewery at 14 Tyler Street, Somerville. This venue is indoors and outdoors.

7:00 – 7:45 p.m.: Yes Ma’am Brass Band

7:50 – 8:35 p.m.: Clamor & Lace Noise Brigade

8:40 – 9:25 p.m.: Undertow Brass Band

7:00 – 9:00 p.m., Bow Market at 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville. This venue is outdoors, open to the public and has free admission.

7:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band

8:00 – 9:00 p.m.: Young Fellaz Brass Band

Saturday, Oct 7

HONK! in Davis Square: Opening ceremonies at noon in Seven Hills Park. Bands play all afternoon from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. in locations around Davis Square.

Elm Street Interactive Area: 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Elm St. will be closed to cars and turned  into a dynamic arena for interactive art making and activism. Please join in, work with the amazing HONK! artists to create something for yourself or for the Sunday Parade. Learn about some urgent issues with the grass roots volunteers and organizers working on community issues. Help amplify messages for positive change and activist causes with art.

Sunday, Oct 8

The HONK! Parade: 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. down Mass. Ave. from Davis Square to Harvard Square.

Sunday in Harvard Square: Performances on the Main Stage and other performance venues at Oktoberfest 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

2:30-5:30 p.m Social Movement Songwriting Workshop

The HONK! Festival will host a movement songwriting workshop on Sunday October 8th in Winthrop Park.

Street Theater: We know that folks will need to come late/leave early as other commitments (playing a set with your band, etc.) happen. This workshop is designed such that folks can come and go, so drop by any time.

For a detailed schedule of events, go to: https://honkfest.org/2023-festival/schedule-2023/. For complete information and continuous updates on this year’s HONK! Festival, visit honkfest.org, facebook.com/honkfestival, and twitter.com/honkfest.