Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Arts Council invite the Somerville community to shake off the winter and join the SomerStreets: Carnaval street festival in East Somerville, rescheduled to Sunday, June 11, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Returning for the 13th year, the Carnaval celebration will kick off the 2023 SomerStreets season, which includes a series of three neighborhood street festivals across the city.

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 Franklin Street. Shop more than 30 artisan vendors and view performances from Esh Circus, Grooversity, Capoeira, and more! Bring the family for Somerville’s Let’s Get Truckin’, Somerville Youth Soccer, and other activities. Get to know the City of Somerville and area nonprofits while enjoying food from Broadway restaurants.

SomerStreets: Carnaval is organized by the City of Somerville Arts Council and East Somerville Main Streets. SomerStreets is the City of Somerville’s take on the internationally renowned Open Streets concept, closing busy city streets to vehicles, and opening them up for walking, dancing, and other activities. Through SomerStreets, the city and its community partners aim to promote and encourage easy access to physical activity and reconnecting with neighborhoods and businesses and their unique cultural elements in a thriving urban environment. 

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

• SomerStreets: Strike up the Band Sunday, September 17, along Highland Avenue

• SomerStreets: Monster Mash Sunday, October 22, 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 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 www.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.