By Tiffany Williams –
BOSTON — Gospel music will take over the heart of Boston Sunday as one of New England’s largest annual celebrations of faith, music and community returns to City Hall Plaza.
The 26th Annual Boston Gospel Fest is set for Sunday, August 30, bringing together local performers, families, churches and gospel music fans for an evening of contemporary and traditional gospel music.
The celebration begins at 4:30 p.m. with a Community Showcase featuring local talent.
Then the main event takes over City Hall Plaza from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., headlined by Billboard chart-topping gospel artist Todd Galberth.
And the price to attend?
Nothing.
Boston Gospel Fest remains completely free and open to the public, continuing a tradition designed to make the celebration accessible to communities across the city.
Over more than two decades, Gospel Fest has grown from a local gathering into a major summer cultural tradition in Boston and across New England.
But its foundation has remained rooted in something much bigger than a concert.
Faith.
Unity.
Community.
Joy.
Early editions of the festival featured a mass choir bringing together singers from churches across the area, establishing a tradition of musical collaboration that has remained part of the spirit behind the celebration.
Twenty-six years later, Gospel Fest has grown into a highly anticipated summer event drawing thousands of families and gospel enthusiasts.
The City of Boston’s Office of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment produces the festival as part of its efforts to celebrate local culture and showcase the diversity of Boston’s communities.
Sunday’s celebration will once again put that diversity front and center.
Local performers get the first spotlight during the 4:30 p.m. Community Showcase before the main program begins at 5 p.m.
Then Galberth takes center stage as the festival’s headline act.
For families planning to attend, there is one important thing to remember before heading into downtown Boston.
Bring a chair.
Seating will not be provided at City Hall Plaza, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.
The music begins at 4:30 p.m.
The main event starts at 5.
And for the 26th year, Boston Gospel Fest will bring an evening of gospel music, faith and community to the center of the city.