Enjoy live music and family-friendly activities while the street is closed to cars but open to people

Come sing along at “Strike Up the Bands,” the September installment of Somerville’s SomerStreets festival, on Sunday, September 19, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Highland Avenue between Central Street and Lowell Street. SomerStreets is the city’s take on the internationally renowned Open Streets concept, closing busy city streets to vehicles and opening them up for cycling, walking, dancing, running, and other modes of activity.

Through SomerStreets, the city and its community partners aim to promote and encourage easy access to physical activity, fresh foods, and reconnecting with neighborhoods and businesses and their unique cultural elements in a thriving urban environment. 

Activities along Highland Avenue will include:

• Live music on two stages, curated by Arts at the Armory and ONCE 

• Vintage and artisan market by local craft vendors

• Aerial performances by Esh Circus Arts

• Parkour with Parkour Generations Boston

• Activities and games with Somerville Recreation

• Community chalk art activity

• Explore a fire truck and ambulance

• Community vendors and local businesses

• And more

To ensure public safety at the event, the following road closures and parking bans will be in effect:

• Highland Avenue (Central Street to Lowell Street): Closed to all vehicular traffic noon – 7:00 p.m.; no parking 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

• Belmont Street (Summer Street to Highland Avenue) and Spring Hill Terrace will become two-way streets from noon to 8:00 p.m. to allow access for abutters.

• MBTA buses 88 and 90 will be rerouted from noon to 7:00 p.m. For details about service changes, visit MBTA.com.

The final SomerStreets event of the year is planned for Sunday, October 31. “Monster Mashed-Up” will be on Somerville Avenue (from Hawkins Street to Park Street).

Both SomerStreets events will run from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., rain or shine. 

For more information, visit somervilleartscouncil.org/somerstreets or contact Events Coordinator Iaritza Menjivar at imenjivar@somervillema.gov or 617-625-6600 ext. 2998.