HONK!

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This article is about a festival of marching bands. For other uses, see Honk.

HONK! is a festival of radical and activist marching bands held in Somerville, Massachusetts' Davis Square neighborhood in October. The first HONK! Festival happened in 2006 and included the participation of a dozen street bands from all over the United States and Canada. The second festival, Return of HONK!, took place in 2007 and drew 17 bands from around the U.S., Canada and Italy, and included a parade titled, "Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes and Feet!" The parade featured all the bands along with other non-musician participants, including puppeteers and visual artists such as the Bread & Puppet Theater and organizations that promote transportation alternatives and environmental and social justice, such as Bikes Not Bombs.

The HONK! Festival was first begun by a committee of members from a local activist band, The Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band, who saw the need for a gathering of like-minded souls interested in applying the joy of music to the work of promoting peace, social justice, and civic engagement. The Committee for Return of HONK! in 2007 kept all the previous members and expanded to include other musicians and Somerville community activists. Both years, the committee depended heavily on the active role played by Rob Gregory, the owner of the popular Redbones BBQ Restaurant in Davis Square, who helped build support among the business community.