2026 Fantastic Festivals in Massachusetts
Massachusetts comes alive each summer with outdoor festivals and festivities. We’ve compiled these top festivals throughout the Bay State – including these four with a distinctly rish/Celtic flavor. Enjoy!
July 18
GLASGOW LANDS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL
Look Park, Florence, Northampton
The 31st Annual Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival on July 18 attracts local residents and visitors from everywhere! Nestled in the lovely village of Florence in the City of Northampton in Western Massachusetts, the festival is a pure celebration of Scottish and Celtic music, and dance, culture and sports, as well as Scottish cuisine and whisky!
Festival organizer Peter Langmore curates a rich scale of Scottish activities, from clan gatherings, dancing competitions and sheep herding to athletic contests of strength and skill and other traditional pastimes. And throughout the festival, there is a sense of camaraderie and enthusiasm for all things Scottish.
This year, three of the best Scottish bands are performing – Albannach, Seven Nations and Haggis X-1 on the main stage. Enjoy dancing from The Black Rose Academy of Irish Dance and Cassin Academy of Irish Dance, and don’t miss the grand finale, when a breathtaking array of 38 bagpipe bands converge to play Amazing Grace.
Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to giving back. Proceeds from the festival benefit River Valley Counseling Center, which provides mental health services to children and adults in Hampden County and Forum House (Viability, Inc.), which helps disabled and disadvantaged adults in Western Massachusetts.
September 10-13
ROCKPORT CELTIC FESTIVAL
Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport
The Annual Rockport Celtic Festival is now a mainstay event North of Boston that welcomes Celtic culture lovers from throughout New England and the Canadian Maritimes. A continuation of the festival first created by the late radio host Brian O’Donovan, it celebrates the musical traditions of Ireland, Scotland and Celtic nations, as well as New England, Cape Breton and Appalachia. The Festival blends these various roots and branches along with Breton, Quebecois traditions, for a stunning presentation of music that is at once traditional, contemporary and ingenious.
Artistic Director Maeve Gilchrist has assembled a veritable all-star cast of musicians from every corner of the Celtic world and beyond. This year’s artists include: Maeve Gilchrist, artistic director & harp | The Louise Bichan Band | Logan Coale, bass | David Coffin, vocals | Copley Street | Seamus Egan, multi-instrumentalist | Edwin Huizinga & William Coulter (Fire & Grace) | Nuala Kennedy, vocals/flute | Oisín McAuley, fiddle | Alan Murray, guitar, bouzouki & vocals | Lindsay O’Donovan, piano/vocals | Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, uilleann pipes, glute, guitar, bouzouki, vocals | Sam Reider & The Human Hands | Madeleine Rogers, vocals | The Fretless | Trio Oko
September 12
LOWELL IRISH FESTIVAL
Lowell Memorial Auditorium
Lowell has had a thriving Irish population since the 1830s, when immigrants walked 32 miles from Boston to build this new industrial city of factories and mills. Today Lowell is a reimagined city of culture, history, education and ethnic richness, and the Irish continue to make a positive contribution to the city.
The annual Lowell Irish Festival on September 12 is an occasion for the Merrimack Valley’s Irish-American community to celebrate its culture and heritage with pride, and to invite the city’s many other communities to join them.
The festival is spread out across the main Lowell Auditorium stage and two outdoor stages, with plenty of room to stroll and take in the activities. The family-fun festival features top Irish bands and individual performers, along with some of the best step dancing troupes in New England.
A number of local organizations such as the Lowell Irish Association presents cultural displays and workshops about the city’s rich Irish history and heritage, while area artisans and gift shops offer authentic Irish clothing, jewelry and gifts. Guinness is a festival sponsor, so there’s a nice beer garden with plenty of local and Irish brews on tap.
October 3
BOSTON IRISH BEER FESTIVAL
Irish Cultural Centre, Canton
The 7th Annual Boston Irish Beer Festival is a great family day held outdoors at the beautiful campus of the Irish Cultural Centre. Two Live Irish music stages feature local bands all day long, alongside family friendly kids activities including face painting, petting zoo, kids singalong and arts & crafts. Other activities include Tug-O-War contests and archery displays, and a thrilling reenactment of ancient Vikings who once roamed Ireland. Also, meet the mascots representing New England Revolution and The Battalion.
Libations include Ireland’s leading beers, stouts & ciders such as Guinness, Magners & plenty of craft beer, as well as Irish whiskey & liqueur samplings! Favorite Irish foods are available outdoors and in the new Irish Heritage Pub indoors which opened in spring with a brand new menu. Vendors include Mulligan Gear, JTC Jewelry, Kendra Scott & more.
Since opening in 1989, the Centre has been a multi-purpose gathering place for year-round music and dance, education, seasonal events, sports and socializing. Situated on 61 acres of land, the Centre has state-of-the-art playing fields for Gaelic games, a children’s playground, an authentic Irish cottage, walking and hiking trails, and plenty of parking space for visitors.
MORE MASSACHUSETTS FESTIVALS
June 13
Flag Day
Pageant Field, Quincy
discoverquincycom
June 20-21
Milton Music Festival
Governor Hutchinson’s Field
Adams St., Milton
wearemilton.org
June 20
KidsFest
Hancock Adams Common
Quincy
discoverquincy.com
June 21
South Shore Arts Festival
Cohasset
seeplymouth.com
July 2-4
Boston Harborfest
Rose Kennedy Greenway
Boston
meetboston.com
July 2
Quincy Patriotic Celebration
discoverquincy.com/events/patrioticcelebration/
July 4
Fourth of July Parade & Fireworks
Town of Plymouth
seeplymouth.com
July 11-15
Sail Boston Festival
Downtown Boston
sailboston.com
July 18
Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival
Look Park Florence (Northampton)
glasgowlands.org
July 18
Betances Puerto Rican Festival
South End, Boston
ibaboston.org/events
July 24-26
Lowell Folk Festival
lowellfolkfestival.org
August 8-9
Plymouth Arts & Crafts Festival
Public Library Lawn
seeplymouth.com
August 29
Plymouth Waterfront Festival
plymouthwaterfrontfestival.com
August 28-29
Boston Jazz Festival
Maritime Park, South Boston
meetboston.com
September 10-13
Rockport Celtic Festival
Shalin Liu Center, Rockport
rockportmusic.org
September 12
Lowell Summer Music Series
Banjo and Fiddle Contest
Boarding House Park, Lowell
lowellsummermusic.org
September 13
Lowell Irish Festival
Lowell Auditorium
spectaclelive.com
September 19
Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race
Downtown Lowell
lowellkinetic.com
September 26
Central Mass Irish Festival
Winchendon Amphitheatre, Winchendon
centralmassirishfestival.com
October 3
Boston Irish Beer Festival
Irish Cultural Centre
Canton
irishculture.org
October 3
Food Truck & Music Fest
Coddington Street, Quincy
discoverquincy.com
October 3
Worcester Irish Cultural Festival
Polar Park, Worcester
polarpark.com/irish
October 8-12
Lowell Celebrates Jack Kerouac
Downtown Lowell
lowellcelebrateskerouac.org
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