Ignite Festival 2025: A Global Celebration of Food & Fire!

On Saturday, September 27 (rain date: Sept 28), Union Square transforms into a dazzling hub of food, fire, and global culture for the 13th annual<a href="https://somervilleartscouncil.org/events/ignite-festival-2/"> Ignite Festival</a>. This year we’re reimagining the festival with even more ways to take part—enjoy free micro-cooking classes with chefs representing Bangladesh, Puerto Rico, Laos, and Haiti, taste your way through a mouthwatering lineup of food vendors (from Ghanaian cuisine to Filipino, Colombian, and more), map your own food stories on our Global Food Map, and cheer on the legendary curry eating contest. Union Square will be alive all afternoon and evening with a vibrant mix of performances—Brazilian bull dance, the flowing energy of Peruvian Amazonian dance paired with the powerful beats of Afro-Peruvian rhythm, alongside Haitian folklore and Mexican folk dance, filling the plaza with color and spirit. As the sun sets, the Boston Circus Guild ignites the square with a breathtaking fire show—blending skill, drama, and pure spectacle. Add in roving performers, interactive art, our favorite 10-foot-tall birds Flaminko and Muchos Colores, and global beats from DJ Philip Tan—and you’ve got one unforgettable evening. Also expect a bevy of interactive activities such as “create your flag”, tarot card reading with Madame Anderson, Arabic calligraphy, face painting and more. Limited parking; we encourage using public transportation. The event is free but we encourage festival goers to support festival food vendors and all local businesses.

Union Square Plaza and Lot

Somerville Arts Council

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Ignite Festival 2025: A Global Celebration of Food & Fire!

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