Summer is an exciting time, with warm weather, sunny days, and plenty of places to explore! Massachusetts and Rhode Island come alive with numerous festivals throughout the summer season, featuring a range of beautiful cultural celebrations and dynamic music festivals. With help from the Commuter Rail, get to these seven major festivals easily without dealing with traffic or Boston parking. Since many of these events take place over the weekend, you can take advantage of the $10 Weekend Pass, which lets you get on and off as many stops as you’d like!
St. Peter’s Fiesta
The annual celebration in Gloucester, MA, takes place from June 25 to June 29. A 1-hour ride from North Station and a 0.50-mile walk from Gloucester Station, this vibrant 5-day Italian festival honors St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. Enjoy Italian specialty foods, live music, Seine Boat Races, and the famous Greasy Pole Contest.
In Seine Boat Racing, three boats (the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria) are manned by 12-member crews and must row out a half mile from Pavillon Beach and return; whoever comes back first is the winner.
The Greasy Pole contest features a forty-five-foot telephone pole attached to a platform that extends out over the water. A red flag is nailed to the stick at the end of the pole, which is heavily greased, and one by one, contestants will take their turn trying to tear off the makeshift flag pole before slipping and falling into the water.
Boston Harborfest
Boston Harborfest is held every year around July 4th to honor America’s Independence Day in Downtown Crossing and Christopher Columbus Park. With events spanning from July 2 to July 4, some key highlights include the kickoff ceremony, Freedom Trail tours, historical reenactments, the July 4th parade, and the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.
Skip the traffic and parking costs in Boston garages and take the train to South Station, a 0.3-mile walk to Downtown Crossing, and a 0.6-mile walk to Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. For those coming from North Station, Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park is also a 0.6-mile walk away, while Downtown Crossing is a 0.8-mile walk or 3 stops away on the Orange Line outbound to Forest Hills.
Lowell Folk Festival
From July 25 to July 27, join the city of Lowell for its Folk Festival. As one of the longest-running and second-largest festivals in the United States, this three-day festival features a fun mix of music, dance, food, and cultural showcases at 246 Market Street and throughout downtown Lowell. The lineup for this year’s festival includes:
- Beausoleil Avec Michael Doucet
- The Bullock Brothers
- Cécilia
- Crooked Road Revival
- Dynasty Productions Carnival Parade
- Edwin Perez Y Su Orquesta
- Gene Tagaban
- Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials
- Los Ricos Featuring Sonia & Ismael
- Martha Spencer & The Wonderland Country Band
- Oghlan Bakhshi
- Pan Franek, Zosia & The Polka Towners
- Red Baraat
Ricardo Parreira Feat. Alison DaSilva, Pedro Botas, & Viriato Ferreira - Solas
- Vasilis Kostas Ensemble
- Yeison Landero
Lowell Station is about a 0.2-mile walk from 246 Market Street. Shuttle services will also be provided from the LRTA Kennedy Center/Gallagher Terminal, where the Lowell MBTA is located, to the Folk Festival Area at specific hours. Learn more about the schedule.
Lowell Summer Concert Series
Check out the Lowell Concert Series, running from June 20 to September 14 at Lowell National Historical Park, an 0.8-mile walk from Lowell Station. With world-class artists and a tree-lined venue, this concert series is meant to enrich the Lowell community. This year’s performers include Gaelic Storm, Los Lobos, Grace Potter, Darlene Love, and KALEO.
Saint Anthony’s Feast
Each year, the North End community invites people from all over to celebrate the patron Saint Anthony and Saint Lucy. This festival features colorful parades, religious services, live music and entertainment, and delicious Italian food, including a Stella Cheese Culinary Pavilion. This year, the celebration takes place from August 28 to August 31. The feast is located in the North End, about a 0.5 walk from North Station. The festival is also a walkable distance for those coming from South Station (1 mile).
WaterFire Providence
WaterFire Providence returns to the capital of Rhode Island beginning on June 19 and running until November/December. Operating as a captivating art installation, WaterFire transforms Providence into a blazing experience, with 100 bonfires floating on the rivers. This year, the festival coincides with various Providence events, including Independence Day. WaterFire is located downtown, along Memorial Boulevard and the Providence and Woonasquatucket Rivers, and a 0.2-mile walk from Providence Station.
New Bedford Feast of the Blessed Sacrament
As the largest Portuguese Festival in New England, the New Bedford Fest of the Blessed Sacrament is a four-day celebration from July 31 to Aug 3. This festival combines Portuguese tradition and the lively New Bedford community together with parades, family-friendly activities, food and drink, and a carnival.
Head to the festival with help from Keolis massAdventures, offering a special event shuttle from Boston to the festival and a $20 food voucher. Plus, you don’t have to take the train from South Station; you can hop on at any station on a line that works best for you.
Gloucester Waterfront Festival
Immerse yourself for a weekend of art, flavor, and seaside charm at the Gloucester Waterfront Festival at Stage Fort Park on August 16 and 17. Explore art from 175 juried booths that include American-made crafts, specialty foods, and more. Enjoy live music and say hello to roaming pirates, costumed performers who interact with festival-goers and add a touch of fun and adventure. As the festival is a little over a mile walk from Gloucester Station, you can travel by foot, take a rideshare, have friends and family in the area pick you up, or take advantage of the Stage Fort Park Shuttle— a seasonal trolley running between Gloucester Station and the park’s visitor center from June 21 through Labor Day, 2025.
Hop on the train and immerse yourself in the local and global cultures of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with summer festivals and events along the Commuter Rail.