Festivals & Expos

Visit Chinatown’s annual Main Street Summer Festival

Food and craft vendors will line the neighborhood's streets on July 2.

The lion dance at a Chinatown street festival. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

Chinatown Main Street presents its annual summer festival, celebrating summer with a Saturday full of street vendors and performances in Boston’s Chinatown. 

On July 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the street festival welcomes folks of all ages with vendors selling arts and crafts, plus performances of the lion dance, Chinese folk dances, and martial arts. Festival goers will also find games and Asian street food vendors — keep an eye out for the curry fish balls.

One of the country’s largest Chinatowns outside of New York City, Boston’s Chinatown has been around since the 19th century. The Page Act of 1875 meant most Chinese immigrants to the U.S. were men, and during the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 the neighborhood remained predominantly male. The Chinatown community helped the residents remain connected with their families and culture. 

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Today, the district remains a hub of Asian American culture in New England, with dim sum palaces, dumpling houses, and food markets dotting the densely populated area. The entrance to the neighborhood now includes the traditional Chinatown Gate, plus a park that draws chess players.

Sponsors for Chinatown’s Main Street Summer Festival include Tufts, Harvard Pilgrim, and Rockland Trust. For more information, visit the website.

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Natalie Gale is a freelance journalist covering food, travel, culture, and wellness.

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