Embrace Massó ¡Con Salsa! Ritmo y Sonido Block Party

Join Embrace Boston for Embrace Massó ¡Con Salsa!: Ritmo y Sonido Block Party, a free outdoor celebration of Puerto Rican music, culture, and community on Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 3–7 PM at Summer Street Plaza in Downtown Crossing. This special Block Party Edition marks a new chapter for Embrace as we welcome our neighbors into the district that is now home to our first permanent building. Celebrate this milestone with live music, dance, food, and community featuring legendary salsa orchestra El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, along with DJ ArmandoTheTruth and Johnny Giraldo of Salsa y Control. Inspired by the legacy of José Massó III and the countless Afro-Latino artists and culture bearers who have shaped Boston’s cultural landscape, Embrace Massó ¡Con Salsa! celebrates the power of arts and culture to bring people together and create spaces where everyone belongs.

Summer St. Plaza, Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA

Embrace Honors Harry Hom Dow

Harry Hom Dow didn’t just break a barrier, he opened a door that has never closed. The first Chinese American admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, he used the law as a tool for justice, advocating for communities the system was built to exclude. Today, his legacy lives on beneath The Embrace as one of the 69 Freedom Plaza Heroes. This inaugural event honors his legacy while celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander leaders making an impact across Boston today. The 2026 honorees reflect a dynamic, multigenerational community shaping civic life through leadership, service, and cultural influence. Join Embrace for an evening rooted in community and recognition, honoring those who continue this work and carry forward a legacy of justice and belonging. The program begins at 5:10 PM and will feature remarks from civic leaders and elected officials, a community panel, honoree recognition, live performances, and food. 2026 Honorees: Fred Dow • Helen Chin Schlichte • Nick Chau • Paul Lee • Suzanne Lee • Tina Zhu Xi Caruso • MA Senator Vanna Howard The event will also include the premiere of Living Histories of Color: AANHPI Legacy Series, a traveling exhibit featuring this year’s honorees.

1965 Freedom Plaza at The Embrace Monument

Embrace Massó "¡Con Salsa!” International Music Festival 

The Embrace Massó "¡Con Salsa!” International Music Festival is an electrifying celebration of music, culture, and social justice. The festival embodies Embrace Boston’s commitment to social change through the universal language of community building and music.  This dynamic event showcases the rich diversity of Latin and global rhythms, melodies, and traditions, uniting performers and audiences from around the world in a spirit of harmony and solidarity.  Named in honor of community activist, leader, and icon Jose Massó III, the longtime host of WBUR’s “¡Con Salsa!,” a bilingual Afro-Latin music program celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the festival pays tribute to his unwavering dedication to promoting cultural exchange and social justice through music.  Massó, whose pioneering work has inspired generations of artists and activists, embodies the spirit of resilience, advocacy, and inclusivity that defines our festival. Through family engagement, curated experiences, collective action stations, and interactive exhibits, attendees are invited to engage with pressing social justice issues, explore the intersection of arts and activism, and engage in community while celebrating the intersectionality of Latinx heritage.  The Embrace Massó "¡Con Salsa!” International Music Festival proud Everyone 250 partner.

Boston Common

Embrace Massó "¡Con Salsa!" International Music Festival

We are thrilled to invite you to the inaugural Embrace Massó "¡Con Salsa!" International Music Festival, a joyous celebration honoring Afro-Latino heritage and the legacy of cultural exchange championed by 1965 Freedom Plaza Honoree, José Massó III. Event Highlights:<ul><li>Headlining Performance: Salsa &amp; Latin Jazz legend Eddie Palmieri and his Salsa Orchestra.</li><li>Musical Performances: Enjoy live music from Patricia Zarate, Manolo y La Pura Vida, and more!</li><li>Dance Lessons: Participate in interactive Salsa and Bomba dance lessons curated by Salsa y Control and Eli Pabon.</li><li>Special Appearances: Hear from notable figures like Yvette Modestin and Councilwoman Julia Mejia.</li><li>Documentary Screening: Watch "Faith in Blackness," a short documentary about Afro-Spiritualism, directed by Charles Reynoso</li><li>Awards Ceremony: Celebrate the special presentation of the Embrace Drum Major for Justice Award to Eddie Palmieri.</li></ul>Immerse yourself in a deeper understanding and appreciation of our multifaceted identities. This festival is a space where culture, activism, and joy intersect. Play dominos with friends old and new, savor delicious food, and bring your own blankets, chairs, and dancing shoes to fully enjoy the day. You belong here. Join us in celebrating and building community through music, dance, and cultural exchange.

A Celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

<a href="https://www.bysoweb.org/">Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras</a> (BYSO), in collaboration with the Museum of African American History, will host their 17th annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute concert at Kresge Auditorium on the campus of MIT the afternoon of MLK Day. Conductor Marta Żurad will lead young musicians from Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras’ Intensive Community Program in a moving array of classical music, spirituals, and freedom songs alongside remarks, readings and spoken word recitations from distinguished leaders on the power and promise of the civil rights hero.  Noelle Trent, new president and CEO of the Museum of African American History, will serve as the keynote speaker at the event and the day's festivities culminate with an audience sing-along.  BYSO and the Museum of African American History have worked together 17 consecutive years on this annual celebration of Dr. King and his message of justice and peace. This year’s celebration will also reflect on the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

Kresge Auditorium

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras to Present Bellini’s Norma 

<a href="https://www.bysoweb.org/%22%20/t%20%22_blank">Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras</a> (BYSO), under the direction of Music Director Frederico Cortese, presents Bellini’s Norma, an opera famously at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater on January 21.   BYSO, the only youth orchestra in the US to perform full-length operas, will debut their first such performance by famed Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini in this special one-performance-only event.    Led by Cortese, Stage Director Joshua Major and Chorus Master Charles F. Prestinari along with the Boston Youth Symphony, the opera marks the 19th in BYSO’s history, which continually highlights the training, understanding and appreciation of the full range of classical repertoire that is often overlooked in the musical training of young players. Previous opera performances have included works by Mozart, Puccini, Tchaikovsky and Verdi.    This performance of Norma is suitable for children ages 10 and older.    For more information, please visit<a href="https://www.bysoweb.org/opera/"> https://www.bysoweb.org/opera/</a>

Sanders Theatre

The 2023 Embrace Ideas Festival

<a href="https://www.embraceideasfestival.org/">The 2023 Embrace Ideas Festival</a> is the country’s premier annual Juneteenth Holiday celebration located in the heart of Boston. Grounded in arts, ideas, culture and public scholarship, this multi-day gathering brings together local, state and national leaders to amplify anti-racism and a vision for a transformed Boston by 2030. Keynotes, panels, live music and dancing will shine a light on how we can interrupt our zero-sum game thinking when it comes to racial justice and realizing a democracy worthy of us all. Rooted in racial equity, healing, wellbeing, and joy, the theme of Embrace Ideas 2023, June 14 - June 16, is "Here and Present, The Art of Reclaiming Space and Time.”

Multiple Venues (Boston Common, Mass Art, Roxbury Community College)

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

joyraft.host65411

Experiences