HONK! in a presidential election year! Has a particular ring to it. A raucous reverberating resounding rambunctious ring, that this year will be mightier than ever in waking up the drowsy and encouraging them to romp and stomp! Newly invigorated by a successful Kickstarter campaign, HONK! is ready to kick out some serious activist street jams.
HONK! - national in scope, with annual HONK!s also being held throughout the year in Austin, Seattle, Providence, Brooklyn - has its roots right here, specifically in Davis Square, Somerville. Seven years ago, 12 activist street bands got together to experiment in a new way of raising awareness about all sorts of socio-political issues that seemed to be clamoring for attention. As of last count, there are 34 bands coming this year from as close by as Somerville to as far flung as Italy. Almost three times as many bands to exert more than thrice the HONK! muscle! Hitting the streets to prove that having a HONK!ing good time can indeed be a driving force for positive change in the world.
From October 4th through 8th, there will be many mostly free opportunities to experience the HONK! craze, with outdoor concerts, a massive parade and smaller processions, affordably priced indoor concerts, and a symposium, all taking place in Somerville and Cambridge neighborhoods. There will also be plenty of chances for folks to jump in at the last minute, to cross that invisible line from audience to participant, and be actively involved in the fun-making. For example, individual musicians, not connected to any particular HONK! band, are invited to participate on Sunday, October 7th, in the impromptu "community band" which will be part of the gigantic HONK! Parade to Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes and Feet.
Festival updates can be found at www.honkfest.org, http://twitter.com/honkfest, and www.facebook.com/honkfestival or by calling 617-383-HONK (4665).