Live Music

Franklin Park’s free Tuesday-night concert tradition continues with Angelena and the Unit performing from 6 p.m. to dusk at the playhouse founded by cultural icon Elma Lewis in the 1960s. Pack a picnic supper and lawn chairs; food trucks are on site during evening concerts.

NEMPAC’s free Thursday-evening jazz series wraps its 2026 season on the Greenway’s North End Parks with a performance by Triad+. Bring a blanket and enjoy contemporary jazz under the open sky where the North End meets downtown.

Berklee College of Music and community partners present a free open-air jazz concert at Roxbury’s historic Fort Hill. Pianist George W. Russell Jr., chair of Berklee’s Harmony and Jazz Composition Department and an award-winning educator, leads his ensemble for this beloved neighborhood tradition.

Two full days of free jazz return to Danehy Park with a lineup spanning the Tia Fuller Quartet, the Berklee Global Jazz Quartet, Eguie Castrillo y Su Orquesta, Kavita Shah, and the Ron Savage Quintet with Antonio Hart. Hosted by Karen Bell, the festival pairs world-class performances with food and artisan vendors in Cambridge’s largest…

The Franklin Park Coalition’s free Tuesday-night concert series honors the legacy of arts icon Elma Lewis with music from 6 p.m. to dusk. This week the Soul of Boston takes the stage; bring a picnic supper, lawn chairs, and friends, with food trucks on site.

NEMPAC’s free summer jazz series returns to the Greenway’s North End Parks with live jazz under the open sky. This week the Kristi Scaccia Sextet performs as part of a Thursday-evening lineup curated by artistic director Stefano Marchese, blending cultures from around the world through contemporary jazz.

Berklee College of Music and the Boston Parks Department’s ParkARTS program team up for a free evening of jazz in the Fenway’s leafy Ramler Park. The JGJ All-Stars bring swing standards to this hidden neighborhood gem, and picnics and folding chairs are encouraged.

The Boston Jazz Foundation’s 6th annual festival brings a free all-day lineup to the Hatch Shell, headlined by Ghost-Note with Tyreek McDole, Zahili Zamora, BT ALC Big Band, and more. Local art and food vendors line the Esplanade, and a beer garden pours for VIP guests along the Charles River.

Malden’s 96th annual Saint Rocco’s Feast fills Pearl Street with live entertainment, Italian food vendors, games, and community celebration in one of Greater Boston’s oldest Italian-American traditions. The weekend features nightly music and the traditional procession honoring Saint Rocco.

One of the North End’s grandest feasts honors Saint Agrippina with four days of live bands, DJ sets, Italian street food, and nightly celebration at the corner of Hanover and Battery Streets. The weekend closes with the famous grand procession, as the saint’s statue is carried through the neighborhood accompanied by music and confetti.