SomerStreets Festival

Celebrate the season at “Strike Up The Bands,” the September installment of the City’s SomerStreets festival, on Sunday, Sept 18, from 2 to 6 p.m. between School St. and Lowell St. on Highland Ave. 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:

• Two stages of live music by 8 all-female bands including: Shepardess, Thrust Club, Puppy Problems, Viva Gina, Ukelele Club, American Echos, Lady Pills & Grace Givertz
• Wrestling matches by the Boston League of Women Wrestlers
• Aerial performance by Esh Circus Arts
• Cheesecake eating competition with 7ate9 Bakery
• Parkour with Parkour Generations
• Learn to walk on stilts with Open Air Circus
• Bouncy house, face painting and henna painting
• Large-format chalk drawing with Somerville Open Studios
• Craft activities on the MUSCRAT bus with the Beautiful Stuff Project;
• Explore a fire truck and ambulance;
• Hockey, football, and other kids’ activities with the Somerville Recreation Department;
• Craft vendors, community vendors, and local businesses;
• Local restaurants and food vendors!

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 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to allow access for abutters.
• MBTA buses 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 to 6 p.m., rain or shine.

The last 2016 SomerStreets on the season is:
Monster Mashed-Up @ SomerStreets: Sun., Oct. 23, Somerville Ave.

For more information, visit www.somervillema.gov, or www.somervilleartscouncil.org.

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Betsy Allen, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or BAllen@somervillema.gov.