When:
Saturday, Aug 19, 2023 12:00p -
Thursday, Nov 16, 2023 8:00p

Where:
Boston
Surrounding areas
Boston, MA

EventScheduled OfflineEventAttendanceMode

Admission:
$Varies

Categories:
Art, Date Idea, Drinks, Festivals & Fairs, Food, Games, Good for Groups, History, Innovation, Kid Friendly, Music, Outside, Party, Pet Friendly, Seasonal, Shows, Social Good

Event website:
https://www.thebostoncalendar.com/

Fall is fast approaching! As the sweaters come out and the pumpkin spice lattes waft across the Boston Common, put a few of these fall festivals into your calendar. From dynamic film festivals to classic New England farm festivals, these events will help you settle comfortably into the cozy season. 


by Celina Colby

Events are listed chronologically. 


Somerville Greek Food Festival

When: Friday 9/8 to Sunday 9/10

Where: Somerville

Cost: Free

Info: Fuel up on authentic Greek food, wines, and pastry, then head to the dance party under the big tent featuring live, local music. 


Greek Festival at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral

When: Friday 9/8 to Sunday 9/10

Where: Brookline

Cost: Free

Info: If you’re not based near Somerville, never fear. There’s another Greek festival in Brookline the same weekend. Savor Greek cuisine, watch traditional performances, and search for a treasure at antique vendors. 


NOVA's 11th Annual Trung Thu Festival

When: Saturday 9/9

Where: Dorchester

Cost: Free

Info: This festival and night market celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival with a spectrum of live entertainment, tons of local food vendors, and engaging family-friendly activities including food contests, lantern making, and much more.


The Boston Arts Festival

When: Saturday 9/9 to Sunday 9/10

Where: North End

Cost: Free

Info: Watch live performances, take in visual art displays, and experience the work of more than 70 artists and craftspeople during this weekend-long celebration of the arts.


JP Music Festival

When: Saturday 9/9

Where: Jamaica Plain

Cost: Free

Info: Celebrate the musical talent of Boston, and more specifically JP, at this all-day music festival featuring local and neighborhood artists. In addition to grooving to the music, grab a bite from local food trucks and engage kids in family-friendly activities.


Gilman Square Arts & Music Festival

When: Saturday 9/9

Where: Somerville

Cost: Free

Info: Listen to live music in a variety of genres (including kids’ tunes!) and peruse work by local artists at this vibrant local festival. Snag refreshments from delicious local vendors, including Winter Hill Brewing, Daddy Jones Restaurant and others.


Boston Taiwan Music Festival

When: Saturday 9/9

Where: Newton 

Cost: Free

Info: Jam out to the music of local Taiwanese bands as well as sets by Berklee College of Music students honoring Taiwanese music. Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, and picnics to make a day of it.


Boston Seafood Festival 

When: Sunday 9/10

Where: Seaport

Cost: $20

Info: Take full advantage of Boston’s position on the water and enjoy an endless array of fresh, local seafood at this crowd-favorite festival. While you’re snacking, savor a lineup of local, family-friendly entertainment as well.


29th Cambridge Carnival

When: Sunday 9/10

Where: Cambridge

Cost: Free

Info: The Cambridge Carnival is a city-wide celebration of the African diaspora featuring a grand costume parade, musical performances, traditional foods, dancing in the streets, and much more.


Assembly Row Riverfest

When: Saturday 9/16

Where: Somerville

Cost: Free

Info: Watch an extensive lineup of live local music, engage in free children’s activities for the whole family, shop at a vendor marketplace run by the Boston Women’s Market, and enjoy a spectacular fireworks show.


Revere Beach Arts Festival

When: Saturday 9/16

Where: Revere

Cost: Free

Info: Watch an action-packed live art-making competition as local creatives work to create a piece that captures the beauty of Revere Beach in a limited amount of time. During the festivities enjoy a series of arts activities and fare from food trucks.


Caribbean Rum & Food Festival

When: Saturday 9/16

Where: Roxbury

Cost: $25-$65

Info: Get a taste of the Caribbean without the airfare at this festival showcasing Caribbean foods, products, rum, and cocktails. You can even plan your next trip by learning about Caribbean destinations. 


KickBack Boston Presents: One Day Only Fest 2023

When: Saturday 9/16

Where: Downtown

Cost: Free

Info: Six sets by live, local DJs will be the baseline for this joyful festival celebrating emerging artists and BIPOC joy. Food and drinks (alcoholic and nonalcoholic) will also be available for purchase.


South Boston Street Fest

When: Saturday 9/16

Where: South Boston

Cost: Free

Info: More than 5,000 guests come to revel at the South Boston Street Fest every year, a mammoth festival featuring two entertainment stages, food, drinks, children’s activities, and a huge market of local vendors.


Boston Local Food Festival

When: Sunday 9/17

Where: Downtown 

Cost: Free

Info: This massive local food festival celebrates cuisine and the people who cultivate it. Watch cooking competitions and demonstrations, tour the New England Village, participate in family-friendly activities and, of course, enjoy some great food.


Faire on the Square

When: Saturday 9/23

Where: Watertown

Cost: Free

Info: Jam out to live entertainment, test out your baking skills during Marsha’s apple pie bake off, sip a brew at the beer garden, bring the family to the Kids Zone, and more at this Watertown festival.


Mystic River Celebration

When: Saturday 9/23

Where: Medford

Cost: Free

Info: In a scenic spot along the Mystic River in Medford, watch live music performances, browse works by local artists, eat food, play games, and engage in kids activities for the whole family.


Roslindale Porch Fest

When: Saturday 9/23

Where: Roslindale

Cost: Free

Info: Enjoy a free, neighborhood-wide concert where you can watch musicians in a huge variety of genres perform on porches, lawns, and parks across Roslindale. 


What the Fluff? Festival 2023

When: Saturday 9/23

Where: Somerville 

Cost: Free

Info: In celebration of the invention of fluff in Somerville, the What the Fluff? festival offers fluff games, fluff competitions, and more fluff recipes for sampling than you ever thought possible.


Taiwan Film Festival of Boston

When: Saturday, 9/23 to Sunday, 9/24

Where: Downtown Boston

Cost: $18

Info: The Taiwan Film Festival of Boston will showcase short and feature-length films around this year’s theme of “Faces of Life.” Eight films related to this concept will be screened at the AMC Boston Common.


Cambridge Science Festival

When: Monday, 9/25 to Sunday, 10/1

Where: Cambridge

Cost: Free

Info: This week-long festival celebrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) with a series of fun and interactive activities, demonstrations, workshops, and performances. The festival also heralds the official opening to the public of the Broad Discovery Center, run by MIT and Harvard.


Central Square Dumpling Festival

When: Saturday 9/30 

Where: MIT Area

Cost: Free

Info: Celebrate this beloved food by sampling dumplings from more than 30 local restaurants and food trucks. Then try to pick a favorite, a tough choice between traditional classics and avant-garde innovations.


The Great Northeast Jug Band Festival

When: Saturday, 9/30

Where: Arlington

Cost: Free

Info: Celebrating “good time” music from the 1920s and ‘30s through the present day, The Great Northeast Jug Band Festival will have danceable live music outdoors all day long.


MassRobotics 6th Annual Robot Block Party

When: Saturday, 9/30

Where: Seaport

Cost: Free

Info: Join more than 40 companies as they come together to show off their latest robotic technology in the Seaport. Watch robotic demonstrations, play games, and interact with the robots in a hands-on environment.


11th Annual Ignite! Global Street Food and Fire Festival

When: Saturday, 9/30

Where: Somerville

Cost: Free

Info: Sample global street food from a wide array of local restaurants, watch unique cultural performances by area artists, and enjoy vivid light installations at this annual festival.


Smoke This Rib Fest

When: Sunday, 10/1 

Where: East Cambridge

Cost: $27.50

Info: Local pitmasters face off at this festival for the title of best ribs in town. Enjoy piled-high plates of barbecue, live music, games, and more. Bring your best Gordon Ramsey face to judge between dishes.


CollegeFest at Fenway

When: Sunday, 10/1

Where: Fenway

Cost: Free

Info: College students with a valid student ID are welcomed to Boston with the ultimate moving-in experience: a free festival in Fenway Park. Listen to live music and collect swag from beloved brands while you meet other local students.


Boston Veg Food Fest

When: Saturday, 10/15 to Sunday, 10/16

Where: Roxbury

Cost: Free

Info: Embrace a plant-based lifestyle, or just learn about one, at this comprehensive festival. Sample foods, listen to chef and lifestyle speakers, and shop a marketplace of products geared towards a more sustainable food industry. 


HONK! Festival

When: Friday, 10/6 to Sunday, 10/8

Where: Somerville

Cost: Free

Info: The HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands in Somerville is a raucous weekend of music, performances, and over-the-top spectacle. Listen to music, participate in art making, march in the parade, and stand up for social justice all in one place.


Boston Public Market Harvest Party

When: Thursday, 10/12

Where: North End

Cost: $50+

Info: Boston Public Market’s annual Harvest Party is not to be missed. Enjoy an open bar (for the first part of the night), bites from the food vendors around the market, live music, dancing, raffles, and more. Best of all, the ticket proceeds go towards field trips for Boston Public School students.


Boston Book Festival

When: Saturday, 10/14

Where: Back Bay

Cost: Free

Info: Celebrate the power of words at this all-day festival featuring lectures, workshops, author talks, live music, food trucks, and many other events centered on books and reading. There’s no better time to find your next read or work up the courage to ask for an autograph from your favorite author. 


Fall Fest at Kendall/MIT Open Space

When: Saturday, 10/28

Where: Kendall Square

Cost: Free

Info: On a rooftop in Kendall Square celebrate the fall season with food, drinks, lawn games, live music, and family-friendly fun for all.


Boston Jewish Film Festival

When: Wednesday, 11/1 to Sunday, 11/15

Where: Around Boston

Cost: $15+

Info: The Boston Jewish Film Festival is the largest film-based organization in New England, welcoming 15,000 guests annually to view films by Jewish filmmakers and about Jewish life. Watch screenings around the city and participate in associated events during the festival.


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08/19/2023 12:00:00 11/16/2023 20:00:00 America/New_York 33 Fall Festivals around Boston in 2023 <p>Fall is fast approaching! As the sweaters come out and the pumpkin spice lattes waft across the Boston Common, put a few of these fall festivals into your calendar. From dynamic film festivals t... Boston, Boston, MA false MM/DD/YYYY