summer festivals - Boston Moms Blog

From music to crafts and everything in between, summer festivals abound in the Boston area! Find something for everyone to enjoy, and be sure to let us know how much fun you had in the comments!

July 12 :: Levitate Music and Arts Festival :: Marshfield

Levitate is a three-day homegrown music and arts event at the historic Marshfield Fairgrounds. This year’s lineup includes groups like Tedeschi Trucks Band, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stick Figure, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Sublime With Rome, Michael Franti and Spearhead, SOJA, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, and Ripe.

July 20 :: BeanStock Music Festival :: Braintree

The 4th annual BeanStock Music Festival hosts tons of fantastic bands, including The Amy Incident, The Spins, Lily Black, Houston Bernard Band, and Carrisa Johnson & the Cure-Alls! Participants are invited to join in the $1,000 frisbee toss and the Kan Jam tournament, then enjoy food trucks, raffles, a bounce obstacle course, graffiti art, and community resources and activities with the Braintree Community Art Center.

This sober music festival benefits the Sun Will Rise Foundation, a group for those who have lost a loved one to overdose or a substance abuse disorder.

July 28 :: Cambridge Jazz Festival :: Cambridge

The amazing lineup for the Cambridge Jazz Festival includes famed pianist and Grammy winner Yoko Miwa, Eugie Castrillo, The Ron Savage Trio, Carla Cook, and the headliner, saxophonist Elan Trotman. There will be a kids area, merchandise mart, food trucks, and the newly installed jazz museum.

July 13–14 :: Boston Pizza Festival :: Boston

Enjoy live music, entertainment, games, activities, beer and wine, and PIZZA at this delicious and family-friendly summer festival! Kids ages 5 and under are free.

July 20 :: Cider Hill Farm Blueberry Festival :: Amesbury

Nothing says summer like blueberry picking! Pick some fresh blueberries and enjoy live music, lawn games, family-friendly activities, hayrides, bakery specials, and hard cider tastings! Admission to all festival activities is free with purchase of $8 picking container. Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

July 28 :: Boston Donut Fest :: Boston

This is the ultimate diet cheat day! Taste delicious creations from your favorite local donut shops, sip iced coffee, and visit some food and ice cream trucks! The festival also includes entertainment for the kiddos and many picture-worthy backdrops to document your experience.

August 4 :: Taste of the Caribbean Food Festival :: Roxbury

Bring the whole family for some Caribbean flavor! In addition to delicious food, attendees will be treated to cultural dance performances and Caribbean hit music being spun by a DJ!

August 4 :: Boston Seafood Festival :: Boston

Come taste food from amazing seafood vendors and food trucks (non-seafood items are also available!). There will also be celebrity chef demonstrations, contests, activities for children, live entertainment, an all-day lobster bake tent, a Harpoon beer garden, and a blessing of the fleet.

August 24 :: Clustertruck Food Festival :: Lancaster

Nosh on food from over 30 food trucks and enjoy an ice cold beer from Wachusett Brewery while you listen to live music and enjoy products from local artisans!

July 27 :: Tri-Town Tape Art Festival :: West Newbury

Yes, this summer festival is about tape! Celebrate the history of the tri-town Pentucket Region by creating a collaborative life-sized mural using only colored tape. Internationally acclaimed Tape Art of Rhode Island visits the community to lead this unique public art project!

August 11 :: Plymouth Arts and Crafts Festival :: Plymouth

This festival will feature art of many kinds, including canvas art, mixed media, woodworking, custom jewelry, pottery, and photography.

July 13 :: WGBH’s Craft Beer Festival Fundraiser :: Brighton

Spend an evening outdoors playing lawn games, listening to live music, and tasting craft beer and cider from many vendors. Funds raised from ticket sales go toward keeping WGBH’s public media alive and well!

July 14 :: Crush Wine Festival :: Randolph

Award-winning wineries from across the state will be pouring samples of over 75 delicious local wines and meads at this event. Bottles of wine will also be available to purchase to take home!

July 20 :: Wizards and Witches Beer Festival :: Boston

The Potterheads Beer Festival transforms the Royale in Downtown Boston into the wizarding world that Harry Potter fans have been waiting for! Taste over 20 different magical ales, explore the lair of secret cider potions, and enjoy some adult butterscotch beer as you partake in magical photo ops and jive to live music from the Sorceress Sisters, Red Head Party Band, and DJ DumbleD. This event is for Potterheads aged 21+.

August 10 :: Cornhole Tournament & Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival :: Falmouth

Play cornhole in either a social or advanced bracket during this fun summer festival! Tournament goers have the chance to win cash, and everyone will enjoy the delicious foods and craft beers!

August 10 :: Brewing A Cure 4 ALS, Beer and Wine Festival :: Cambridge

All funds raised from Brewing A Cure 4 ALS Beer and Wine Festival will go directly to ALS TDI to further their research in finding a cure.

July 6 :: Allo Kids Fest :: Charlestown

At this fun, kid-centered festival, kids will get to visit with a variety of animals from the petting zoo, play at Allo Playscape for the day, get their faces painted, participate in arts and crafts and a silly singalong, and try out some outdoor games!

July 13 :: WGBH Fun Fest :: Brighton

The kids will have a blast at this fun-filled event! Activities include all-you-can-eat ice cream, inflatable childhood favorite activities, face painting, carnival games, and visits from your favorite PBS characters. Live entertainment will be on the stage all day!

August 2–4 :: Central Mass 10 Skate Festival :: Harvard

The three-day festival features a mini ramp jam, street course, downhill race, slide jam, downhill skatepark, and longest slide and biggest air competitions in beautiful, historic Harvard, MA. All skate disciplines, ages, skill levels, and genders are warmly welcomed.

September 14 :: The Dance Mile :: Boston

This free festival is a part of the Boston Social Fitness Festival. Dance down one of the most iconic areas in Boston! Participants will get to do a ZUMBA warm up and see professional dance acts perform. Also, there is a bedazzling station available.

July 1–7 :: Boston Harborfest :: Boston

This family-friendly event is the largest Fourth of July event in the country! Hundreds of activities take place over Independence Day weekend at Boston’s best landmarks, including the annual opening ceremony at Faneuil Hall, historical reenactments, Chowderfest, Freedom Trail walks, boat tours, live entertainment, fireworks, and much more!

July 13 :: Sidewalk Sale & Street Festival :: Chestnut Hill/Newton

The Street’s annual Sidewalk Sale & Street Festival takes place from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Participating merchants will offer exclusive discounts on select merchandise, plus fun treats, including face painting, balloon animals, and cotton candy and music on The Green.

July 20 :: Neponset RiverFest :: Dorchester 

Come celebrate the Neponset River at this free, family-friendly event! Enjoy a fun summer day with free boating, music, food, crafts, and kids activities. The festival runs from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

July 20 :: Marine and Maritime Festival :: East Boston

See everything from Coast Guard patrol boats to pirates at the second annual Marine and Maritime Festival! Enjoy delicious food, meet National Park rangers, and hear maritime stories and local cultural music at this unforgettable event!

July 26–28 :: Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival :: Revere Beach

The International Sand Sculpting Festival features a master sand-sculpting competition, a food truck festival, a fireworks extravaganza, live entertainment, children’s sand sculpting lessons, and more!

July 28 :: Kite Flying Festival by Vibha Boston :: Acton

This fun event will feature henna painting, Bollywood Dancing, a kite making workshop, food vendors, and much more! Come enjoy the peacefulness of flying a kite!

August 18 :: Fort Point Festival :: Boston

Celebrate with a beer garden, food selections from 15 restaurants, an artists village, a children’s activity garden (including a touch tank, touch-a-truck, and a petting zoo!) and live outdoor music all day long. The party will take place rain or shine!

August 3 :: Carolyn’s Garden Sunflower Festival :: Grafton

Enjoy the beautiful sunflowers as well as crafts for the kids, ice cream, lawn games, and food trucks. Bring home some of the beauty — five stems are included in the price of tickets at this summer festival.

August 31 :: Onset Beach Kite Festival :: Onset

The 5th Annual Onset Beach Kite Festival takes place from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Families can bring their own kites, or kids are invited to build a kite for $3. This festival is free to attend, but donations are always welcome. Pay parking is available at the pier and on street. Free parking is at Hynes Field next to Chuck’s Auto.

August 31–October 20 :: King Richard’s Faire :: Carver

Entertainment, exciting rides, and skilled games await at King Richard’s Faire. Hundreds of talented entertainers perform non-stop throughout the day on eight stages. Be amazed by acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, minstrels, comedy acts, fire eaters, puppeteers, and exotic tigers.

July 14 :: Lakota Youthstay Tipi Raising Day :: West Medford

This fun, creative, and informative community festival honors and celebrates Native people and the tipi. A beautiful 18-foot Lakota tipi will be raised at the park! The Wampanoag Eastern Suns drum group and dancers will perform, and there will be children’s games and Native storytelling in the tipi. Food, drinks, ice cream, and Native crafts will be available for purchase!

July 26–28 :: Puerto Rico Festival of Massachusetts :: Boston

The summer festival celebrating Puerto Rican heritage includes kiosks featuring a health fair, face painting for kids, storytelling of Puerto Rican traditional stories and legends, presentations of eco-friendly gardening and cooking techniques, and teaching of Puerto Rican musical percussion. The festival culminates with the Puerto Rican parade, where the community showcases its culture through wonderful floats, colorful dance troupes, singers, dancers, and appearances by distinguished honorees.

July 27–28 :: Latino Festival :: Lynn

Bring the family and enjoy this fun, free summer festival! This year the festival will include stands from local businesses, games for children, the Mexican Spanish Dancing Horses Show, folk music, Central American dances, delicious Caribbean food, the Sheriff’s Essex Office K9 training grounds presentation, and Marimba players from Guatemala.

August 4 :: Boston Latino Family Festival :: Boston

Enjoy perusing more than 70 exhibitors, playing interactive games, participating in family activities and seeing a concert performed by top-notch recording artists at this fun event! It is the largest event of its kind in the New England area and promises to be a fantastic time!

August 13–16 :: Playwright Festival :: Barnstable

Come see the works of local playwrights live on stage in this innovative festival! Audiences will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the works, and selected plays may be produced on stage in the future!

August 16–19 :: Boston Salsa Festival :: Waltham

Dance the night away at the Boston Salsa Festival! This energetic summer festival features workshops and performances by world-class dancers and instructors, not to mention local salsa, bachata, and kizomba companies.

July 27 :: Cape Dance Festival :: Provincetown

This amazing program will include beautiful choreography and performances by gorgeous dancers and charismatic dance companies. 

August 24–25 :: Union Improv Festival :: ONCE Ballroom, Somerville

Come laugh along with the best comedians in Boston, alongside teams from LA, NYC, and Chicago. The all-day back-to-back performances from amazing comedy teams will have you in stitches at this jam-packed festival.

Deanna Greenstein
Deanna is a mom of five (yes, five) children, who lives in Brockton with her small circus of kids, her husband, their dog Penny, and a few cats. Her life is loud, energetic, mostly fun, often gross (did she mention four of those kids are boys?), and she wouldn't have it any other way. In between carting kids to school, baseball, gymnastics, guitar, dance, track and field and every other kid activity known to mankind, she works as a school bus driver for the city of Brockton, and is the Director of Religious Education at the Unity Church of North Easton, a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Deanna also holds degrees in Elementary Physical Education and Dance Education, which she plans to put back into use one day. At parties, Deanna can often be found hanging out with family pets. She follows her children around with a camera like the paparazzi, is pretty sure that 97% of her blood stream is made of coffee, and her laundry is never done. You can also find her blogging at https://eighteenmoreyearsofburpsandfarts.wordpress.com