Festival, Farmers' Market and movies return to downtown this summer
WORCESTER — The Out to Lunch Festival, Farmers’ Market and Movies on the Common will be back downtown for the summer.
The city of Worcester and the Worcester Cultural Coalition announced the Out to Lunch Festival and Farmers' Market series will feature three weeks of live performances, crafters, food vendors and farmers from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays Aug. 4, 18 and Sept. 1 on the Worcester Common Oval. Thursday, Sept. 8 will be reserved for a rain-date.
The performance line-up is The Alchemystics Aug. 4; East Coast Soul Aug. 18; and Whitney Doucet and the Moonshine Band Sept. 1. In addition to the main stage acts, the entertainment will showcase community performers during intermissions.
The Out to Lunch series debuted in 2009 and has become a popular attraction with great talent on the stage, vendors, delicious food, handmade crafts and more. Prior to the pandemic it had grown to 10 weeks of musical acts and related happenings. There was no Out To Lunch in 2020 and the series returned with two dates last year.
Yaffa Fain, program coordinator for the city's Cultural Development Division, said that the decision to have three events this year was in response to the "tremendous stresses" vendors have been experiencing over the past couple of years. The series has been streamlined so that there is more to see and engage in at each event, Fain said. There are expected to be close to 60 vendors at each event, compared to 35 to 40 per event previously.
Movies on the Common became Movies on the Lot in 2020 and 2021 at the Francis J. McGrath Municipal Parking Lot.
Now Movies on the Common returns to the Worcester Common Oval with free screenings of Disney's "Encanto" July 21 and "Spiderman: No Way Home" Aug. 18.
The series is hosted by the city of Worcester and the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District.
Evelyn Darling, executive director of the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, said, "As much as we enjoyed the drive-in style experience, we are excited that current COVID guidance allows us to host movies in the fresh air and space of the Common this year."
The films will be screened at sundown but movie-goers are encouraged to arrive closer to 6:30 p.m. People can bring their own seating or use seating provided on the Common and can purchase refreshments on site or bring their own.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Festival, Farmers' Market and movies return to downtown this summer
