Boston Kids Really Rock: Top 5 Reasons to Take Your Kids to the Music and Arts Festival of the Year

10/1/14 - By Tara D

If you went to the One Family Music Festival last year, you have a pretty good idea of how rockin’ the Boston Kids Really Rock music and arts festival will be.  Conceived of and organized by the very same visionary, Karen Kalafatas of Karen K and the Jitterbugs, the festival will feature many of the same wonderful bands and community-building activities for families. What you may not know is that Boston Kids Really Rock will take it up a level with Dan Zanes as headliner and special guest Father Goose. The festival's focus is on sharing messages of kindness, creativity and community spirit with Boston kids. Mommy Poppins Boston will announce the winners of our Boston Kids Who Really Rock contest at the festival, too. We're excited to celebrate local kids and tell the inspiring stories of how they are making a difference in their communities. 

 

If that’s not enough to convince you, keep reading for the top five reasons to make some time in your schedule and take the kids to the Lawn on D this Sunday for a glorious day of community, music, arts and family fun. 

 

1. Free admission. Seriously.

 

2. Showing your kids kindness in action. It starts with something simple: Donating a pair of socks to Cradles to Crayons, a local non-profit organization that provides children who are living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive. To celebrate the Socks Rock! sock drive, there will be a sock hop dance floor for you and your little ones to dance the day away in stocking feet. Visit the Catching Joy table to use crayons, creativity and care to decorate bags for Cradles to Crayons. At the Kidcasso Art Studio station, kids can adopt a stuffed animal with a wish around its neck and make its dreams come true. Plus, there are the inspiring kids you’ll get to see and hear about when we present the Boston Kids Who Really Rock awards at 5:15 pm, following Dan Zanes.

 

3. The bands. Did I just say Dan Zanes? Yep. Dan Zanes, folks: The Grammy-winning musician who is considered the “crown prince of contemporary kids music” by People Magazine. But that’s not all. His frequent collaborator Father Goose will be bringing Caribbean dancehall sounds to the stage, along with our favorite local bands. Boston-based artists include: Alastair Moock & Friends (Grammy Nominee); Mister G (Parents Choice Gold Award Winner and Latin Grammy Nominee); Debbie & Friends (Grammy Award and NAPPA Gold Award Winner); and multiple award-winners Ben Rudnick & Friends; Vanessa Trien & the Jumping Monkeys; Karen K & the Jitterbugs; and the Stacey Peasley Band. To keep the kids rockin' and the day rolling along, Good News Gus and his pal Harry will MC. 

 

4. Celebrating the arts. Sing along with the bands, dance on the sock hop dance floor, and hear music from diverse genres like Latino, American Folk, Caribbean dancehall, and more. Get hands-on with music at the instrument petting zoo and All Hands Drumming. Join Kidcasso Art Studio at the Build-a-Wish station, where you can build a stuffed animal's wish come true using all kinds of cool materials, and then sit for a Stuffed Animal Portrait with We Art Boston.  When your kids need a little down time, take them over to Rest & Read to share one of the gorgeously illustrated Barefoot Books. 

 

5. Noshing and imbibing. Boston Kids Really Rock wouldn’t be a festival without food trucks. Keep the kids happy with ice cream and other quick, delish foods from some of Boston’s best mobile restaurants. Keep yourself happy with some “mommy juice” from the bar (starting at a very respectable time of 1pm).

 

Good to Know Before You Go:

 

Getting there – You can enter The Lawn on D on D Street between Summer Street and Claflin Street, adjacent to the BCEC, south of the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel.

Taking the T: Located within walking distance from the World Trade Center Station on the Silver Line and the South Station or Broadway stops on the Red Line. There is also a Hubway bike station in front of the BCEC on Summer Street.

Driving: Metered on-street parking on D Street is free on Sunday. The cost to park in the BCEC South Parking Lot is $15: From Summer Street, turn onto East Side Drive, drive past the valet area, and continue straight along the side of the building. At the end of the building, make a right and go down the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left and you will see the entrance to the South Parking lot in front of you.

 

Accessibility – Seating areas connect to an accessible route for wheelchair use.

 

Staying connected – Free public wi-fi is available at The Lawn on D. Connect to the network “theLawnOnD”.

 

Dress – Dress your kids in layers. They might work up a sweat with all that dancing. 


Boston Kids Really Rock music and arts festival | 420 D Street, Boston, (just south of Summer Street) at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) | Sunday, October 5, 2014 from 11am-6pm 

OUR LATEST VIDEOS