HONK! Festival 2025: 20th Annual Celebration of Activist Street Bands
The streets of Greater Boston are about to come alive with brass, drums, costumes, and activism. The 20th Annual HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands takes place October 9–12, 2025, filling Somerville, Cambridge, Medford, and Boston neighborhoods with four days of free music, parades, workshops, and grassroots energy.
What began in 2006 in Somerville’s Davis Square has grown into a global phenomenon of music and movement. This year’s milestone edition welcomes 32 street bands from across the United States, plus virtual performances from international groups streaming in from Brazil, Chile, Italy, England, Germany, and Canada.
A Grassroots Musical Movement
HONK! is more than a festival—it’s a movement. The event unites musicians, activists, and communities around the idea that joyful music in public space can create social change. Every October, the founding Good Trouble Brass Band (formerly the Second Line Social Aid & Pleasure Society Brass Band) hosts like-minded ensembles from across the country, transforming city blocks into stages and streets into dance floors.
“At full power, these bands create an irresistible spectacle of creative movement and sonic self-expression directed at making the world a better place. This is the movement we call HONK!” (honkfest.org/about)
2025 Festival Highlights
Thursday, October 9 – HONK! U at Tufts University (Medford): An all-day conference hosted by Tufts Department of Music, featuring panels, workshops, and presentations on the power of street music activism. Free and open to all with advance registration.
Friday & Saturday, October 10–11 – Davis Square (Somerville): Street-level concerts, parades, lantern processions, and neighborhood workshops featuring dozens of activist brass bands.
Sunday, October 12 – The Reclaim the Streets Parade: A massive parade of horns, drums, bikes, dancers, and costumes travels from Davis Square to Harvard Square in Cambridge, joining the 46th annual Oktoberfest celebration.
Bands Bringing the Noise in 2025
This year’s roster features 32 bands, including:
Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band (Somerville, MA)
Dirty Water Brass Band (Boston, MA)
All For One Brass Band (New Orleans, LA)
Black Sheep Ensemble (Atlanta, GA)
Brass Liberation Orchestra (San Francisco, CA)
Extraordinary Rendition Band (Providence, RI)
Rude Mechanical Orchestra (New York, NY)
Yes Ma’am Brass Band (Austin, TX)
Plus many more from across the U.S.
See the full band list at honkfest.org/2025-festival/bands-2025.
Essential Info
Dates: October 9–12, 2025 (rain or shine)
Locations: Tufts University (Medford), Davis Square (Somerville), Harvard Square (Cambridge), and select Boston neighborhoods
Cost: Free and open to all
Volunteer: Sign up at honkfest.org/help
More Info: honkfest.org, @honkfest on social
Why You Can’t Miss HONK!
HONK! is one of Boston’s most unique cultural events—a mix of music festival, parade, and activist gathering rolled into one. From brass-driven anthems echoing through Davis Square to the giant Sunday parade into Harvard Square Oktoberfest, the festival embodies community, joy, and resistance.
Whether you’re there to dance in the streets, support grassroots activism, or experience one of the best free things to do in Boston, HONK! 2025 will leave you inspired.
