More than 50 acts ranging from brass bands and hip-hop performers to folk singers and indie rock groups will turn the Ashmont-Adams neighborhood into a giant outdoor stage when Dorchfest returns on Sat., June 6.
The fifth annual music festival, organized by Greater Ashmont Main Street, runs from 1 to 6 p.m. and continues to grow as one of Boston’s most eclectic neighborhood music celebrations.
WATCH: Video from the 2024 Dorchester
The festival will once again spread across dozens of front porches, patios, driveways, parks, and business locations throughout the Ashmont-Adams neighborhood, with a heavy concentration of stages along Beaumont, Carruth, Van Winkle, and Adams streets.
Ray Liriano of the Ray Liriano Experience is a festival fave. Seth Daniel photo
This year’s lineup reflects the diversity that has become Dorchfest’s signature. Fans of roots and Americana music can catch sets from The Savin Hillbillies, Phil and the Flying Leap, Cooper Smithson, Royer’s One Man Band, and Red Loves Blue. Irish influences will also be prominent with performances by The Black Velvet Band and Irish Whispa.
Rock music will have a strong showing throughout the afternoon. Local acts including Superpink, Richie Parsons, Tsunami of Sound, Woundikin, Sunburned Sharks, Chocoleles, and Robert Thackery are among the performers bringing everything from classic rock and surf rock to indie and alternative sounds to neighborhood porches and patios.
Hip-hop and R&B are equally well represented. Artists such as Daniel Laurent (above) and Jeff 2X, DJ Beas, Hakim Hakim, Paul Willis, Dior Stacks, Laroy Streat, and Melo Green are scheduled to perform, underscoring the festival’s commitment to showcasing contemporary local talent alongside traditional genres.
World music once again plays a major role in the festival. Dorchfest audiences can expect performances from HAWA Collective, Sidy Maiga & Afrimanding, Los Mambiseros, Los Gallos Locos, Magalí Benítez Trio, Fauxmenco, and Atlas Soul, whose genre-bending sound blends African rhythms, funk, jazz, soul, and hip-hop influences. Latin, reggae, samba, and Arabic musical traditions will all be featured across the neighborhood.
Organizers say Dorchfest was founded to celebrate both music and community while supporting musicians directly by paying performers — a feature that distinguishes it from many other porchfest-style events.
Jazz fans can check out acts including The Fred Woodard Collective, The MastaDonis Project, Reese Pike Trio, Tokyo Tramps, and The Beat Explorers. Brass and percussion groups are also expected to draw large crowds, with Fly By Brass Band, Dirty Water Brass Band, and SambaViva and Grooversity bringing high-energy street-festival sounds to the daylong event.
Organizers have designated 30 separate performance sites this year, including Dorchester Avenue’s Droser Plaza, All Saints Church on Ashmont Street, Rundel Park, the Boston Public Library’s Adams Street branch, and Blasi’s Kitchen & Bar. Beaumont Street — the heart of the festival — will be closed to vehicle traffic between Carruth and Adams streets from noon to 6 p.m. to create a pedestrian-friendly corridor for music fans moving between stages. Festivalgoers are encouraged to walk, bike, or use public transit.
A complete schedule and interactive performance map are available at Dorchfest.com.
