Started in 1969, the Kite and Bike Festival is a Boston tradition that gathers more than 1,000 people at Franklin Park each May to enjoy picnicking, kite flying, bicycles, and music.

One resident describes the Kite and Bike Festival as, “My favorite day ever in the 20 years I’ve lived in Boston!” Picture endless blue skies dotted with colorful kites and children and families running and laughing across bright green fields. This event is not to be missed.

(Rain date: Sunday, May 19, from 1 - 5 p.m.)

The annual Wake Up the Earth Festival (WUTE) takes place each year on the first Saturday in May and is currently attended by well over 10,000 individuals of all ages. The festival began as, and still is, a celebration of what can be accomplished when people of all traditions, cultures, ages, and beliefs come together. The event features four stages that include:

• music and dance performances
• popular theater
• the Youth Stage, and
• story telling for all ages.

In addition to performances, the festival features more than 50 craft, nonprofit, and food vendors. The festival is anchored by a massive parade (with branches that start in Jamaica Plain Center and Roxbury) with several thousand people marching. A great many individuals, local artists, community groups, and schools join forces every year to create this unique community collaboration.

Boston Social Fitness Festival is a free, day-long celebration of getting Boston moving, featuring fun activities for all ages and fitness levels!

Now in its 19th year, this gospel festival blends contemporary and traditional gospel melodies. GospelFest showcases national and local gospel talent. This event features Todd Dulaney, with performances by Tamar St. Julien and Phil Thompson.

Join the BCYF Division of Youth Engagement & Employment for a youth job and resource fair featuring:

• Over 100 Employers and Resource Tables
• Games
• Raffles
• Free food
• Music

Open to all Boston youth ages 15-18. Pre-registration is encouraged. The first 200 youth to sign up will receive a goodie bag! Sign up here or on EventBrite.

Download the flier

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department will be bringing the annual Children’s Winter Festival to Boston Common in partnership with the Highland Street Foundation during school vacation week on Wednesday, February 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

“The Children’s Winter Festival on Boston Common is a well-loved tradition in Boston, and we are pleased to bring it back again in 2018,” said Mayor Walsh. “We invite all children and families to come on down to the festival for a day filled with fun activities.”

Among the attractions will the 45-foot-long Toboggan Tunnel mountainous adventure with twin roller lanes, the 30-foot-high inflatable Everest Climb N Slide, and the Snow Mazing maze.  In addition, the Highland Street Foundation is sponsoring a week-long Winter Camp at the Boston Common Frog Pond with free skating and rentals for all ages from Monday, February 19, through Friday, February 23.  For more information on the Winter Camp skating, please visit www.highlandstreet.org.

The festival will also feature a DJ from Magic 106.7, an appearance by the L.L.Bean Bootmobile with their popular Boot Toss game, giveaways from “DreamWorks Animation Trolls: The Beat Goes On!” now airing on Netflix, and refreshments from Sparkling Ice beverages and Power Crunch protein energy bars.  In addition, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Outdoors Rx program will present activities including scavenger hunts and nature walks.

Additional support is being provided by the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center and Cricket Wireless.  For more information, please contact the Boston Parks and Recreation Department at 617-635-4505 or go visit the Parks Facebook page.

"Boston Winter" will feature a mix of winter activities. This includes an outdoor skating path and an expanded holiday shopping market. The Millennial Entertainment Group will also be producing hospitality experiences and attractions. The event will run seven days a week. For exact hours of operation, check the bottom of this page.

Berkshire Bank is the official community partner of "Boston Winter." The bank has helped bring to life year-round programming to City Hall Plaza. As part of that effort, the "Berkshire Community Stage" will return this year. Local artists and community groups will get a chance to showcase their talent.

The free event will feature appearances by Mayor Walsh, NECN’s Jenny Johnson, Santa Claus, and Rudolph along with musical performances by the Boston Children’s Chorus, the Boston Pops Brass Quintet, and Berklee College of Music students Britani Washington and Sam Robbins.  

The Old South Church bell will toll when the tree is illuminated.  Light refreshments will be provided by local businesses New England Coffee, DAVIDsTEA, and HP Hood LLC. The Fairmont Copley Plaza will host a family reception immediately following for all in attendance.  The reception will include cookie decorating, photos with Santa, and treats from the Fairmont Copley Plaza.

Even more festivities will take place in and around Copley Square on November 27. The Boston Public Library and The Catered Affair will host a Storytime and Candy Cane Tea at the library from 3:30 - 5 p.m.  The tea is free but reservations are required by calling 617-859-2272. 

For additional information please call the Boston Parks and Recreation Department at 617-635-4505.  To learn more about The Friends of Copley Square, please visit www.friendsofcopleysquare.org.

The 17th Annual Gospelfest will take place on Sunday, August 6, from 5 - 8 p.m. on City Hall Plaza. Gospelfest is New England’s largest Gospel music celebration.

The 17th Annual Gospelfest will feature:

• an opening performance by Donovan McLean, Jr. and The Kingdom Builders
• an opening performance by Margaret Holmes & the Gospel T’s
• an opening performance by the Mayor Walsh’s Community Gospel Choir, and
• a headlining performance by Anthony Brown & group therAPy.

Anthony Brown, a prodigy who began playing piano at age 3, reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts for his song, “It Ain’t Over.” His music career took off in 2012 with the release of his debut studio album, "Anthony Brown & group therAPy." He released his sophomore album, "Everyday Jesus," three years later in 2015. Brown, who is also the Assistant Minister of Music at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in his home state of Maryland, has had an undeniable and profound impact on the genre of gospel music.

Under the direction of Donovan McLean Jr., The Kingdom Builders released their debut project, "For Your Glory," in August 2015. Since then, they have performed at various venues, preaching about the transformative power of God through their music.

Margaret Holmes & The Gospel T’s, a family-based group from Boston, will also be performing. Siblings Treva, Timmealya, and Tyricky, along with grandmother Margaret Holmes have been singing together for sixteen years. The group recently released their EP, "Saved." Margaret Holmes has also been given an Award of Achievement on behalf of the City due to her “gracious heart and commitment to the City of Boston.”

Plus, for the second year in a row, the Mayor’s Community Gospel Choir will wow with their vocals. This sixteen-person group is organized by the Mayor’s Office’s own Edna Wilkie.