Ongoing
The Strand Theatre
A 1,400 seat house in Dorchester, the Strand hosts a wide variety of entertainment from Gospel to Shakespeare. Learn more about The Strand Theatre.July & August
Arts on the Arcade
Running every Wednesday, July 11th - August 29th, from 11- 3pm. A free lunchtime performance program runs from noon - 2pm in conjunction with the Farmers' Market on City Hall Plaza.
GospelFest
One of New England's most popular Gospel celebrations, this free gospel showcase features local and national talent. Past performers include Dottie Peoples, Kirk Franklin and Karen Clark Sheard. Gospelfest is in its 12th year and will be returning to City Hall Plaza Sunday, July 15th from 5pm-8pm. The 2012 headliner is Kim Burrell.
Caliente: A Celebration of Latin Music
This free event celebrates the Latin arts in Boston. The 2012 concert is Saturday, July 21st from 7-9pm at City Hall Plaza. The 2012 headliner is Willie Colon.Jerry Rivera was the headliner for the 2010 concert and attracted over 25,000 people to City Hall Plaza. Watch Event Video.
Waterfront Performing Arts Series
Featuring a blend of the emerging and established performing artists from the Boston arts community. This free series in the past has included Boston Ballet, Boston Lyric Opera, Riverside Theatre Works and the Boston Pops Ensemble. The concerts take place at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park on select Tuesday evenings from 6-8pm in August. The 2012 schedule will be announced shortly. Highlights from last season included performances by Opera Boston, the Chu Lin Dance Company, and Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged).
Boston Urban Music Festival
Expanding on the Peace Hip Hop Concert, with its message of "peace," local and national performers will gather together to celebrate this new show that will showcase the very best in urban music. This free event takes place on City Hall Plaza on a Saturday evening in August. Past performers include Slick Rick, CL Smooth and Rakim. The 2010 concert featured the music of Wiz Khalifa, Ryan Leslie, M-Dot and Bad Rabbits & the Riot, which also drew over 25,000 people to City Hall Plaza. The 3rd annual Boston Urban Music Festival will be Saturday, August 4th from 5pm-8pm. The 2012 headliner is Outasight.
September
(ahts): The Boston Arts Festival
The Boston Arts Festival takes place at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park right by Boston's scenic waterfront. This free arts extravaganza features a specially built artists' village housing over 60 juried visual artists exhibiting and selling their works of art. There are two stages that provide entertainment from Boston's many arts organizations. Past performances include Boston Ballet, Boston Children's Museum, Opera Boston, Jazz Hip Hop Orchestra, Maeve Gilchrist and OrigiNation. There are also many interactive family friendly activities throughout the park. The 2012 festival will kick off Friday night, September 7th with a special opening performance by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, from 6pm-9pm.
Festival hours: Friday, September 7th from 6pm-9pm, Saturday and Sunday, September 8th and 9th from noon - 6pm.
For more information, visit ahts: The Boston Arts Festival. See the 2010 Boston Arts Festival Program.
January
A Day of Service and Celebration in Honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events, the Museum of African American History and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO) present a free tribute concert in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Faneuil Hall. The program features a moving selection of classical music, spirituals and freedom songs performed by the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras’ Intensive Community Program, conducted by Marta Zurad. Local author, psychiatrist, educator, and respected social critic, Dr. Alvin Poussaint delivered the keynote speech. In addition to the keynote speaker, a distinguished roster of leaders read from Dr. King's most memorable writings and speeches. Take a look at this year's photos from the celebration.
Past keynote speakers include Nikki Giovanni and past performances include Jennifer Holliday and Patte LaBelle. Watch a video of Patti LaBelle's MLK Jr. tribute.
