HONK! Festival

Do you have a horn or drum you're eager to play this weekend, but don't have a band? No problem! Come join our pick-up band rehearsal for the Honk! festival, 4:00-5:00 pm on Saturday, in the Bank of America parking lot in Davis Square at 406 Highland Street.

With direction from Ron Kelley of Bread & Puppet Circus Band..., we'll be practicing several easy-to-learn songs, and will then perform in the Sunday parade. We have some sheet music and mp3s here: http://honkfest.org/book/ See you there!Read More

Nearly thirty activist street bands from around the nation and beyond will convene for the HONK! Festival in Davis Square on Columbus Day weekend, October 9–11, 2009.

This, the fourth ever HONK!, includes performances in many of Boston's neighborhoods on Friday, and a Sunday blowout at the Somerville Theater! Visit htt...p://www.honkfest.org/ for schedule and ticket info!

HONK! is a huge street spectacle, completely free and open to the public. HONK! bands are joyous community bands who blend traditions of second line and klezmer, funk and bollywood, mardi gras and carnival. These bands honk their horns, beat their drums, and wave their flags in the streets to reclaim public space for the purpose of revelry. All over the world they provide the people’s soundtrack for community gardens, public school yards, puppet shows, pride parades, worker rallies, peace marches, and neighborhood fundraisers.

HONK! bands attending the festival represent nearly every region of the United States, as well as some parts of Canada and Europe. We hope you'll join us!

This year we are extraordinarily pleased that these bands will be joining us for HONK!:

* AfroBrazil
* The Bahamas Junkanoo Jumpers
* Banda Roncati
* The Barrage Band Orchestra
* The Bread & Puppet Circus Band
* Black Bear Combo
* Brass Messengers
* Caka!ak Thunder
* The Carnival Band
* Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
* Environmental Encroachment
* Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band
* Extraordinary Rendition Band
* Himalayas
* Hungry March Band
* Leftist Marching Band
* Loyd Family Players
* Minor Mishap Marching Band
* Orkestar Zirkonium
* Pinettes Brass Band
* Pink Puffers
* Rude Mechanical Orchestra
* Samba Tremeterra
* The Scene Of The Crime Rovers
* Second Line Social Aid & Pleasure Society Brass Band
* Seed & Feed Marching Abominable
* The Springville All Star Marching Band
* What Cheer? Brigade
* Yellow Hat BandRead More

We would like to invite you to an organizational and brainstorming meeting about the HONK! Festival Parade, whose theme is Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes, and Feet!

Who is this for? --
a) for groups and individuals already planning to be part of the HONK! Parade (October 11 from noon to 2 p.m. from Davis Square to ...Harvard Square);
b) for groups and individuals who would like to be part of this parade but haven't yet committed;
c) anyone who would like to help or learn more

What we'll talk about --
a) brainstorming ideas about how to make spectacular, fabulous, colorful, and compelling visual elements for our giant traveling processional spectacle, "Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes, and Feet," with cheap accessible materials and a plethora of inspired ideas.
b) parade logistics, including times and places for set up and striking, parade route, and other details.
c) signing up for parade marshaling and other organizational tasks.

(Special Note: We have room for more groups and individuals who would like to be part of the Honk Parade--please help us spread the word!)Read More