It’s back! Boston Calling Music Festival is returning for round three this weekend, and this time, it’s going to be bigger than ever before. The music and festivities will kick off this Friday night, May 23, and continue all day Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25, until everything comes to a close on Sunday night. If you scored tickets to the nearly sold out festival (all tickets are gone except one-day Friday and some VIP passes), here’s what you can expect from the City Hall Plaza festival, what you need to know, and a Spotify playlist to get you in the groove.
Lineup and Schedule
Update: The Friday schedule times have changed as of 5/23/14. The Friday set times are as follows; Saturday and Sunday set times remain the same, and we’ve updated the schedule image below.
Cass McCombs: 6:30 p.m.
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: 7:30 p.m.
Jack Johnson: 9 p.m.
The festival gates open on Friday night at 6 p.m., and the show is expected to wrap up by 11 p.m. on Sunday. Between then, 23 artists and about 30 hours of music will take over the center of Boston. This May, the lineup is indie-rock heavy, with Jack Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse headlining Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Set times, like in the past year, do not overlap, and acts will alternate between the two stages, Red and Blue, throughout the festival. On Friday, music begins at 6:45 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday, it will start at 1 and 1:05 p.m., while the gates will open at noon. Music will end at 11 p.m. each night. Here’s the complete schedule for the festival, courtesy of Boston Calling, so start planning:
Keep in mind that no re-entry is permitted on Friday, May 23, but festival goers may come and go as they please for the rest of the weekend.
Food and Drinks
With two days and three nights of festival, you’re bound to get hungry, and thirsty. A slew of delicious eateries will be on festival grounds for your dining pleasure, including Chipotle, Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Bon Me, The Chicken and Rice Guys, Flatbread Pizza and more. Sam Adams will be pouring beers in the beer vending areas, and this year, the beer gardens have disappeared, and alcohol drinkers are free to roam the grounds. Be sure to bring a valid 21+ ID in order to drink at the festival.
As festival wristbands do allow for re-entry on Saturday and Sunday (but, again, not on Friday), you’re free to roam around the surrounding areas for sustenance, and upon entrance, outside food and one factory sealed water bottle or empty water bottle or camelback will be allowed onto the festival grounds.
Getting there
As we know, Government Center, the T stop most conveniently located to the festival, is no longer operating. Still, the festival strongly encourages that guests take public transportation. If you do, take the Red Line to Park Street, the Blue Line to State Street, the Orange Line to State Street or Haymarket, or the Green Line to Park Street or Haymarket.
If you do drive to the festival, guests are encouraged to use the Government Center Parking Garage, located at 50 Sudbury Street. Festival goers will receive a specially priced pass at $15 a day if purchased beforehand here.
What to bring (and leave at home)
As of right now, the weekend forecast is – sigh – not looking all too promising. If you attended the May festival last year, you’ll remember what cold temperatures and rain will do to a festival. Again, rain and colder temps are in the forecast, so come prepared. The event is rain or shine, so it will be going on in any case, but you should come equipped with a hat, a rain jacket, a poncho, a few light layers, maybe even an extra pair of socks. Keep in mind that umbrellas are not permitted, and that the weather can change in an instant, so bring your sunglasses and sunscreen, too.
A few more things to remember is that cameras are allowed, but not professional ones without a photo pass. Backpacks are also not admitted into the festival, so bring a small, clear plastic bag or small purse (smaller than 12″ x 12″) for your belongings.
Here’s a last run through of what’s not permitted on the grounds: Strollers, blankets, chairs, weapons, drugs, pets, instruments, squirt guns, flag poles, cans, flasks, bikes, lasers pointers, candy (?) or walkie talkies.
How to prepare
Other than mentally preparing to spend the weekend City Hall Plaza surrounded by crop tops and fringe (it is a festival, after all), you should be in the right mindset to rock. So, we put together a Spotify playlist to get you in the mood. Enjoy two of our favorite songs from each artist playing the festival this weekend, and we’ll see you at Boston Calling!
