LOWELL — The crowds that come to the Lowell Folk Festival are in the Mill City for more than enjoying great live music from across the globe. In addition to the nearly 50 musical performances on four different stages over the festival’s three day schedule, the Discovery Lowell Playspace, Experience Lowell Marketplace, and the always-popular Global Foods, the Lowell Folk Festival offers something for everyone.
Global Foods, which is always a hit with festival-goers, offers hungry festivalgoers a world of options as cuisines from a variety of cultures are prepared and sold by local non-profits representing different cultures found in New England. There will be Greek, Filipino, Hispanic, Jamaican, Polish, Portuguese, Middle Eastern, Indian, Armenian, Polish, Laotian, Liberian, Burmese, Cameroonian, and Mixed African cuisine available.
Global Foods will be available at Boarding House Park, the Rockland Trust Bank Dance Pavilion, and the Saab Family Foundation Stage at Market Street.
The Discovery Lowell Playspace, anchored by the award-winning Discovery Museum in Acton, is a fun and inclusive area where young festival goers have the opportunity to engage in a wide range of interactive activities on Merrimack Street between John St. and Central Street.
“We were thrilled to partner with the Lowell Festival in 2025 as Discovery Museum is really the children’s museum for Lowell families,” said Susan Heilman, director of Community Partnerships. “The festival is a wonderful way to bring our fun, open-ended learning experiences directly to the Lowell community, and we very much enjoyed meeting so many families last year—our staff had a blast.”
Discovery Lowell Playspace will be offering sand play, water play, trains, magnets, bubbles, and chalk for kids and families to enjoy.
“Last year, the kids just dug right in and played, and Merrimack Street was filled with colorful, fun, kind, and joyful chalk drawings and messages done by the community—and after it rained, the creative work began again.” said Heilman.
The Playspace Family Stage at the corner of Central and Merrimack streets has expanded this year to feature performances from noon-4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Special performances will include the Wampanoag Nation Singers & Dancers and The Chankas of Perú.
The Experience Lowell Marketplace, located in the Rockland Trust Bank parking lot at 222 Merrimack St., showcases the work of local and regional artists, makers, and creative entrepreneurs, offering festival-goers the opportunity to discover unique handmade goods while supporting small creative businesses. Since its launch in 2023, the Experience Lowell Arts Market has become a signature component of the Folk Festival weekend and an important platform for artists to connect with new audiences and celebrate Lowell’s vibrant creative community.
“The Experience Lowell Arts Market has become one of my favorite parts of Folk Festival weekend,” said Jessica O’Hearn, director of Mosaic Lowell, which produces the Marketplace. “It highlights the incredible talent that exists right here in our community. This year marks our fourth market, and we’re excited to once again provide artists and makers with an opportunity to share their work with the thousands of visitors who come to Lowell each summer. Supporting local artists and creative businesses strengthens not only our cultural identity, but also our local economy, and we’re proud to continue this tradition as part of one of Lowell’s most beloved events.”
The Lowell Folk Festival has become one of America’s most popular free summer events, welcoming both traditional music, and their enthusiastic fans to Lowell, which is celebrating its Bicentennial this year.
Musical artists who are scheduled to perform at the 2026 Lowell Folk Festival are Alash (throat singers from Tuva), Authentic Unlimited (bluegrass), Catherine Russell (jazz singer), The Chankas of Perú (scissor dancers), Dat Mighty 9 featuring Big Chief Romeo (Mardi Gras Indian Music), Eastern Sound Orchestra (polka), Elida Almeida (Cabo Verdean funaná and batuque), Fabiola Mendez (Puerto Rican cuatro), Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogi (zydeco), John Doyle & Friends (Irish), Kunal Gunjal & Amit Kavthekar (South Indian santoor and tabla), Melissa Carper & Emily Gimble (classic country), Michela Musolino & Rosa Tatuata (Sicilian traditional music), Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes And Drums (fife and drum), The Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers, (African American a cappella gospel singing), Peniel Guerrier (Haitian dance), Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks (Delta blues), Tres En Punto (trío romántico), and Wampanoag Nation Singers & Dancers (Wampanoag social songs and dance).
The Lowell Folk Festival is produced by the Lowell Festival Foundation, city of Lowell, Greater Lowell Community Foundation, Lowell National Historical Park, National Council for the Traditional Arts, and Revolutionary Valley.
For information about the 2026 Lowell Folk Festival visit lowellfolkfestival.org. To stay posted on all updates follow the 2026 Lowell Folk Festival on Facebook and Instagram.