Somerville is invited to get their dancing shoes on as the 2024 SomerStreets: Carnaval returns Sunday, June 2, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. (rain date Sunday, June 9) to kick off the 2024 SomerStreets season, which will include a series of four neighborhood street festivals across Somerville. 

SomerStreets: Carnaval celebrates the East Broadway Business District and community with food, music, and activities from around the world. Programming will extend along East Broadway from Kensington Avenue to Pennsylvania Ave. 

The event will kick off at 2:00 p.m. with a parade starting at Garfield and Broadway. Attendees can shop more than 30 artisan vendors, view performances from Grooversity and Sinha Capoeira, enjoy food from 18 neighborhood restaurants and join an interactive dance class with Samba Viva! There will also be plenty of family friendly fun including Somerville’s Let’s Get Truckin’, Parkour, and other activities. 

SomerStreets: Carnaval is organized by East Somerville Main Streets in collaboration with the Somerville Arts Council. SomerStreets is the City of Somerville’s take on the Open Streets concept, closing busy city streets to vehicles, and opening them up for walking, dancing, and other activities. 

Mark your calendar for the next three SomerStreets festivals as well:

Sunday, August 4: SomerStreets: Strike up the Band along Highland Avenue

Saturday, September 4: SomerStreets: Gilman Arts and Music Festival 

Sunday, October 20: SomerStreets: Monster Mash along Somerville Avenue

Road Closures and Bus Detours for Somerstreets: Carnaval: 

To ensure public safety at the event, several road closures and parking bans will be in effect on Broadway between McGrath Highway and Pennsylvania Avenue: For more information about road closures contact 311 (617-666-3311). 

Broadway between McGrath Highway and Pennsylvania Avenue closed to all vehicular traffic.

No parking on either side of the street from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Residents who live on the west side of Broadway will be detoured onto Broadway at Pennsylvania Ave. Residents who live on the east side of Broadway will be detoured onto Pearl St.

MBTA buses will be rerouted from 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. For full detour information, visit mbta.com. 

For information on how to participate in any of the SomerStreets events, go to somervilleartscouncil.org/somerstreets or contact Iaritza Menjivar, Events Coordinator, at (617) 625-6600 ext. 2998 or imenjivar@somervillema.gov.