Get ready to boogie this weekend as the Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival returns for another full day of fall fun. Billed as Boston’s biggest block party, the festivities feature an amazing lineup of musicians, plus all sorts of activities to entertain the whole family. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2018 Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival.
What is the Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival?
If you haven’t checked out the fest before, it’s an all-day affair that draws thousands of music fans to the streets of Boston each year. The free, outdoor concert takes place on three stages, featuring world-renowned jazz performers and other musical acts from the styles of blues, funk, groove and more.
The massive block party is much more than just a concert, though, as all sorts of food and drink vendors are on hand, as well as arts and crafts, plus other activities that the entire family can enjoy. Faculty and students from Berklee will be there to conduct the KidsJam, an array of musical education activities geared towards getting the young ones interested in music. An “instrument petting zoo” will be there as well so kids (and adults) can some hands on experiences with all the different instruments.
When is the 2018 Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival?
This year’s fest will take over Columbus Avenue on Sept. 29, from noon to 6 p.m.
2018 Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival Lineup
A number of amazing performers will take the stage at this year’s Beantown Jazz Festival, including Tia Fuller, the Marco Pignataro Almas Antiguas Quartet and Grammy winner Catherine Russell. Other musicians who’re scheduled to perform are Darcel Wilson, Diego Joaquin Ramirez and SULA, Debbie and Friends, Jason Palmer, Philipp Gerschlauer and David Fiuczynski, Aggregate Prime and the Gregory Lewis Organ Monk Trio.
2018 Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival route, street closures
The Beantown Jazz Festival is a pretty big affair, so it will take over Columbus Avenue, west of Massachusetts Avenue, for six blocks up to Burke Street. Expect those areas to be closed to traffic or significantly affected due to the festivities. For those taking public transportation to the fest, the Massachusetts Avenue stop on the Orange Line and the Symphony stop on the Green Line are just short walks to all the action.
