Across the country and around the world, a new type of street band is emerging. Acoustic and mobile, borrowing repertoire and inspiration from a diverse set of folk music traditions – New Orleans second line brass bands, European Klezmer, Balkan and Romani (Gypsy) music, Brazilian Afro Bloc and Frevo traditions, as well as the passion and spirit of Mardi Gras and Carnivale – these “honkers” all share a commitment to several core principles. Metaphorically speaking, they honk their horns for the same reasons motorists honk theirs: to arouse fellow travelers, to warn of danger, to celebrate milestones, and to just plain have fun.

First and foremost, they honk their horns – or beat their drums, or wave their flags – to enliven and embolden their audience. Members vary widely in age, class, ethnicity and background, and although they often wear some kind of uniform, there is also always an emphasis on individuality and a “DIY” (do-it-yourself) sensibility to their instrumentation and attire. These bands play music that is by, for, and of “the people.” The distinction between performer and audience, just like the distinctions between different musical genres, is just one more arbitrary social boundary they aspire to overcome. Spectators often think “Hey, I could do that!” and, indeed, these bands often recruit new members right off the street.

Just as important, they honk their horns because it’s the best way they know to protest a world of violence and oppression. Many of these bands are less than a decade old, and many were born in reaction to the fatalism and indifference that has gripped the advanced industrialized democracies. In response, honkers have been providing a heartfelt musical antidote, a soundtrack for anti-war rallies, political mobilizations, pride parades and joyous reclamations of public space. Every one of these bands has a unique sense of humor to complement their sound, as they mock and discredit the roots of hatred and injustice through the whimsical act of making music together. The result is a spectacle that is radical and subversive without being militant or sanctimonious.

As often as they honk in protest, however, they also perform to celebrate the causes and institutions they support: multicultural festivals, peace conferences, social forums, artists collectives, community gardens, children's workshops, neighborhood fundraisers, block parties, relief benefits and homeless shelters. In these cases, as in every case, the honkers’ ultimate goal is to have fun, to relish the art of making fun as a form of individual and collective transcendence, and to encourage others to see and do the same.

This year's third annual HONK! Festival will once again endeavor to create an exuberant street party, and imagine a world where everyone is free and anything can happen. On Friday, October 10, Tufts University will host a HONK! Education Day, including a symposium on “Politics and Festival,” as well as several hands-on workshops focussing on the challenges faced by honk bands, including democratic organizing, varying levels of musicianship, tools of effective protest, and honk band self-definition and -preservation. Anyone considering starting his or her own honk band is encouraged to attend. On Saturday, October 11, after the opening ceremonies at noon in Seven Hills Park, bands will disperse to different locations around the square, playing free, outdoor performances all afternoon: don’t be surprised if you suddenly find a brass band, complete with stilt walkers, twirlers, and hula-hooping bunny-rabbits, parading around a familiar street corner! Saturday evening, a cabaret-style performance of all of the bands will take place at Outside The Lines, a community art space at 70 Colby Street in Medford. This performance is also open to the public, for a suggested donation of $10. Then, on Sunday, October 12, the street spectacle will explode onto Mass Ave and merge with Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. A street parade to “Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes, and Feet!” will feature all participating honk bands as well as several community organizations, includuding Bread and Puppet Theater, Derby Dames, Bikes Not Bombs, Somerville siaAbilities, Open Air Circus, Livable Streets Alliance, and many others. All are welcome to spectate, and anyone interested in participating in the parade should arrive at the set-up location one hour prior to the starting time.

The HONK! Festival is a grassroots, non-profit event made possible by the financial and in-kind support of a thousand local residents and businesses. For the duration of the Festival, more than 250 musicians will be housed by generous neighbors and friends and many local restaurants will generously provide food for the performers and volunteers. Scores of community members have donated hours of labor to make HONK! possible. Most significantly, none of the bands will be earning any money for the festival, and most will have only some of their travel expenses covered. The bands are inspired to travel great distances, at great personal expense, to joyously celebrate our hard work to reclaim public space—the world over—for all people. The bands long to connect in honor of our struggles for justice. We hope you will come, to connect and celebrate with us, and further the cause of freedom, justice and collective emancipation.