The 14th annual Allston Village Street Fair Festival took place on Sunday, where families, students and community members gathered along Harvard Avenue to hear live music, browse local vendors and watch street performances.
“As long as people are having a good time, that’s what it’s all about,” said Joan Pasquale, creator and producer of the festival since 2005.
The festival is put on by the Parents and Community Build Group, a nonprofit with the mission to engage Boston residents and build stronger communities.
Pasquale hopes the festival reflects the diversity in Allston’s community, as well as “attract[s] outsiders to come into Allston.”
The festival featured a lineup of seven different musical performances on the main stage. The music genres ranged from jazz and indie rock to acid blues with a featured performance by DJ WhySham, who was also the event’s emcee.
Eliphete Yacinthe, a senior at Berklee College of Music, performed with his band, Eli Yacinthe Band.
Yacinthe said performing at the festival is important for branching out into the Greater Boston music scene and “developing a name.”
Yacinthe said his hope is “to bring people together and have a good time” with his music.
Rocco and Jake DeRosa, founders of the band Leaving Irene, said they enjoyed playing their music for an “artistic crowd.”
“Allston has such a rich music history,” Rocco DeRosa said. “It’s just nice to be amongst like-minded people.”
Conrad Warre, the guitar player, vocalist and founder of the Bee’s Deluxe, an acid blues and punk jazz band, said the festival presented a unique opportunity to collaborate with other musicians.
“A festival is great, because you get to see other bands, and we hardly ever intersect with other bands,” Warre said. “This is a luxury for us.”
In addition to highlighting Allston’s active music scene, the event aims to assist the small business community with financial stability. Many local businesses set up tables and tents to sell items ranging from vintage clothing to pottery.
Stevie Spence, a full-time peer specialist in the mental health field, attended the festival as a vendor selling handmade pottery. Spence said participating in festivals with their work allows them to represent their community.
“Being a queer and trans artist, it’s very nice to be able to take up space wherever I am,” Spence said.
Allston’s diversity and acceptance are one of the main focuses of the festival, Pasquale said.
“It’s always been a safe community,” Pasquale said. “Whether you’re Black, white, brown or gay, it doesn’t matter.”
Specifically, inclusivity of all “age demographics” is a goal of the festival with activities for families and children, including sidewalk chalk and balloon animals.
Ruifeng Hu, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, attended the festival with his family, including his four-year-old son.
Hu said his son particularly enjoyed the painting and toys that were set up for children.
Quinn Tierney and Mia McDermott, both freshmen at Emerson College, spent their time at the festival shopping for prints and clothes.
“There’s really cute stuff, and it’s versatile,” Tierney said.
The festival ended with a dance party led by DJ WhySham, a new tradition for the festival.
Moving forward, Pasquale would like to see more involvement from colleges and students in the Boston area.
“You are part of the community. You may live on-site, but so what?” Pasquale said. “It doesn’t matter what your street address is. Everybody is welcome to join.”