46th Annual Harvard Square Oktoberfest

When:
Sunday, Oct 12, 2025 11:00a -
6:00p

Where:
Harvard Square
Cambridge
Cambridge, MA

EventScheduled OfflineEventAttendanceMode

Admission:
FREE

Categories:
Festivals & Fairs, Food, Kid Friendly, Music, Party, Social Good, University

Event website:
https://www.harvardsquare.com/46th-annual-oktoberfest-applications-now-available/

Harvard Square’s flagship event will hit the streets in the heart of the Square on Sunday, October 12th.


Live music on multiple stages, countless international food vendors, crafts and of course, festive beer gardens located throughout the Square. Come be a part of a legendary tradition – it will be Wunderbar to see you again!


Joining again this year: The Filipino American Festival – a celebration of Filipino music, food and culture! 


Harvard Square Oktoberfest will once again partner with HONK! Festival 2025, a four-day celebration of activist street bands held October 9–12. The festival culminates on Sunday with HONK!’s famous “Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes, and Feet” Parade, which will march from Davis Square into Harvard Square to merge with Oktoberfest, filling the streets with brass, drums, and joyful community spirit.


Entertainment Schedule


Main Stage

(located directly in front of the Harvard Square Kiosk)


11am Chica Fuego and The Gringos Chica Fuego and The Gringos are delighted to be returning to the main stage at Oktoberfest with their signature blend of Latino-Americana music, *en Ingles y Espanol!* Come groove with us as we share songs of love, resistance, compassion, and the seasons of Halloween & Dia de Muertos. Vamos todos! 


12pm Corduroy What started out as a weekly jam amongst friends has developed into something more. Corduroy will take you back to a simpler time, when lush, smooth sounds filled the airwaves. With a repertoire loosely based in the “Yacht Rock” genre, Corduroy covers a wide range of artists from the 60’s through today with the main focus on the 70’s. Artists from Christopher Cross to Sade and everything in between. 


1:00p HONK! Parade

2:00p      Boston Music Project

2:08p      Clamor & Lace Noise Brigade

2:16p      Extraordinary Rendition Band

2:24p      Forward! Marching Band

2:32p      Bread & Puppet Circus Band

2:40p      The Party Band

2:48p      May Day Marching Band

2:56p      Rude Mechanical Orchestra

3:04p      The Brass Balagan

3:12p      Good Trouble Brass Band

3:20p      Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band

3:28p      Brasscals

3:36p      Hartford Hot Several

3:44p      Kandjanwou Rara

3:52p      The J.P. HONK Band

4:00p      Leftist Marching Band

4:08p      Black Sheep Ensemble

4:16p      Expandable Brass Band

4:24p      Yes Ma’am Brass Band

4:32p      Greenbelt HONK! Situation

4:40p      DC Activist Street Band

4:48p      Brass Liberation Orchestra

4:56p      Undertow Brass Band

5:04p      Dirty Water Brass Band

5:12p      HONK! Family Band

5:20p      Brass Solidarity

5:30p      All for One Brass Band

5:40p      School of HONK


Eliot Triangle Stage


2:00 The Brass Balagan 

2:30 Yes Ma’am Brass Band  

3:00 Fly By Brass Band  

3:30 Bread & Puppet Circus Band  

4:00 Brass Solidarity      

4:30 Hartford Hot Several       

5:00 Black Sheep Ensemble  

5:30 Extraordinary Rendition Band


Charlie’s Kitchen Stage

(10 Eliot Street)


2:00 L Train Brass Band 

2:30  School of HONK    

3:00 The J.P. HONK Band     

3:30 HONK! Family Band       

4:00 Brasscals

4:30 May Day Marching Band

5:00 Expandable Brass Band 5:30 Brass Liberation Orchestra


Church Street Stage

(at the intersection of Church Street and Massachusetts Avenue)


2:00 Band Together Pickup Band   

2:30 Rude Mechanical Orchestra   

3:00 Dirty Water Brass Band  

3:30 Clamor & Lace Noise Brigade

4:00 Undertow Brass Band    

4:30 Good Trouble Brass Band      

5:00 Leftist Marching Band     

5:30 Forward! Marching Band


Palmer Street Stage


2:00 Ideal Maine Social Aid and Sanctuary Band

2:30 Kandjanwou Rara

3:00 Greenbelt HONK! Situation, DC Activist Street Band

3:30 All for One Brass Band

4:00 Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band

4:30 Rude Mechanical Orchestra

5:00 Conical Cacophony

5:30 The Party Band


Rachael Solem Memorial Stage

Sponsored by Irving House

Curated by Passim

(at the intersection of Brattle & Church Streets)


12:00 Nora Meier

1:00   Elizabeth Burke

2:00   Borus

3:00   Mercedes Escobar

4:00   Eva James

5:00   Nicolas Emden


Mount Auburn Street Stage

(By Winthrop Park at the corner of Mt. Auburn and JFK Streets)


11am -Pilates. Redef1ned at Oktoberfest! 

Harvest a New Way of Moving this season with an outdoor Pilates debut you won’t forget! Led by Eloise Davis — certified Pilates instructor, runner, marathoner, yogi, and bodybuilder — this class blends strength, energy, and mindful movement with great vibes, inspiring beats, and the power of your breath. Feel strong. Get energized. Move to the beat. Flow with your breath. All levels, all abilities welcome.  Bring your mat, bring a friend, and let’s move to the beat and breath. And if you love the flow? Continue your journey at my home studio in the heart of Harvard Square inside the iconic Central Rock Gym. -Pilates. Redef1ned. Where community meets movement. @Flowithelo


12pm School of Rock Watertown

School of Rock Watertown’s House Band is an audition-based program for the advanced students at the school. The program provides professional development with performance opportunities locally, nationally and internationally, including guest spots at Summerfest (Milwaukee, WI) and Rock in Rio Lisboa (Lisbon, Portugal). Their shows feature a mix of your favorite songs from classic rock and metal to Motown, soul and pop.


3:00pm – 5:00pm The Ultimate Jam Session with Boston Music Project & HONK!

Join us in Winthrop Square for a high-energy, hands-on music-making jam! Families and young people are invited to grab some sticks, percussion instruments, or even bring your horn and join in alongside special guest musicians from the HONK! Festival and Boston Music Project. No experience needed—just bring your energy and get ready to make some joyful noise together!


4th Annual Filipino American Festival

(in the Church Street Parking Lot)


Harvard Square Filipino American Festival Returns with Music, Food, and Family Fun! 


The Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA) is thrilled to present the 4th Annual Filipino American Festival. This FREE celebration of Philippine History Month is bursting with flavor, rhythm, and community joy—and everyone’s invited! Whether you’re Filipino or just Filipino-at-heart, this is your chance to experience the warmth, flavor, and fun of the Philippines—right in Cambridge. Come hungry, come curious, and come ready to celebrate!


This year’s festival is going BIG with a full day of music, games, and cultural pride. Headlining the main stage is none other than the Philippines’ King of R&B, Jay R, performing live in a show that’s sure to get the crowd dancing! Thanks to our partners at ABS-CBN and MYX Global, this is a rare U.S. appearance you won’t want to miss. Fans can grab exclusive Jay R merch after the show!


We’re also honored to welcome Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros as a special guest, joining the festivities and celebrating with the community.


Festival Highlights – Fun for All Ages!


Oktoberfest is for Families & Fun at First Parish in Cambridge


First Parish in Cambridge welcomes our Harvard Square neighbors to learn about our community services and invites children to participate in a fun, fall project – decorating your own mini-pumpkin! Volunteers will greet Oktoberfest visitors in our courtyard, located at the corner of Church Street and Massachusetts Avenue. From 12pm – 2pm, there will be tables and workspaces for each child to choose colorful markers and make their own pumpkin. Information on the church’s history and its many social justice and community activities, along with religious education programs will be available.


Grendel’s Den Oktoberfest After Party

Grendel’s Den Restaurant & Bar celebrates Oktoberfest again! Lederhosen, busty dresses, German beer, food and music all day on Sunday, October 12th. After the Harvard Square Oktoberfest at 6pm (ish) we will tap a ceremonial keg of Weihenstephaner Festbier and hold our twenty-third annual toast. Come find out who’s wearing the short, suede pants this year! First come, first served. No reservations.


Oktoberfest Trivia at Noir Partake in Noir’s Oktoberfest Trivia hosted by Phrenology Trivia, starting at 6pm. It’s free to join. Walk-ins are welcome and reservations can be made here.

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10/12/2025 11:00:00 10/12/2025 18:00:00 America/New_York 46th Annual Harvard Square Oktoberfest <p>Harvard Square’s flagship event will hit the streets in the heart of the Square on Sunday, October 12th.</p><p><br></p><p>Live music on multiple stages, countless international food vendors, cra...

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