Strike Up the Bands @ SomerStreets will be rocking Somerville this coming Sunday.

Join the City of Somerville on Sunday, September 17, for “Strike Up the Bands,” the September installment of the City’s SomerStreets festival. From 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., between School St. and Lowell St. on Highland Ave., enjoy live entertainment, games and activities, food, beer gardens, crafts, and much more.

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 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 Ave. will include:
Live music on two stages including:
• ONCE stage: Weather Weapon; Hambone Skinny; Flight of Fire; and Kangaroo Rat.
• Armory Stage: The Spots; Gun Mother; Grace Givertz, Special appearance by Keytar Bear.
• Aerial arts performance by Esh Circus Art
• Interactive activities with Buzzroar Interactive for all ages including paint-balloon toss mural
• Beer garden and taco stand with Cuisine en Locale
• Hockey, interactive activities, preschool games and other fun with Somerville Recreation
• Parkour with Parkour Generations Boston
• Bouncy House
• Learn to walk on stilts with Open Air Circus
• Large-format chalk drawing and photobooth with Somerville Open Studios
• Flea and artisan craft market by Somerville Flea
• Storytelling project with Somerville Media Center and the City of Somerville on the MUSCRAT bus
• Martial arts performance and demonstration class with Villari martial arts
• Explore a fire truck or ambulance
• Community vendors and local restaurants and businesses
• Facepainting with Tara Perrone and henna painting with Cool Henna Designs
• And more!

To ensure public safety at the event, the following road closures and parking bans will be in effect:
• Highland Ave. (School St. to Lowell St.): Closed to all vehicular traffic 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.; no parking 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Belmont St. (Summer St. to Highland Ave.), Spring Hill Terr., and Sycamore St. (Highland Ave. to Madison St.) will become two way streets from 12 pm to 8 p.m. to allow access for abutters.
• MBTA buses 88 and 90 will be rerouted from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. For locations of rerouted bus stops, visit MBTA.com.

All SomerStreets events will run from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., rain or shine.
For more information, visit www.somervillema.gov, or www.somervilleartscouncil.org.
For questions about the festival or press inquiries, please contact Special Events Manager, Nina Eichner at 617-625-6600 ext. 2998.