Curated event
stART on the Street 2026: Worcester's free arts festival on Park Avenue
stART on the Street closes Park Avenue in Worcester on the third Sunday of September, which is September 20 in 2026, for a free day of artists, crafters, food and live performance. It is the city's biggest street festival and the easiest way to see Worcester at its most alive.
- Dates: September 20, 2026
- Venue: Park Avenue, Highland Street to Pleasant Street, Worcester
- Organised by: Creative Hub Worcester
- Admission: Free to attend
- Checked: September 11, 2026
Treat it as a Sunday afternoon in Worcester: park on the side streets or arrive by bicycle, walk Park Avenue between Highland Street and Pleasant Street, and stay for dinner in a city that empties its restaurants for the festival. Check the organiser's page for the confirmed date and the rain-date rule.
Schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sunday, September 20, 2026 | Festival day on Park Avenue, Highland Street to Pleasant Street; moves to the fourth Sunday in bad weather |
Dates and hours come from the organisers' announcements and can change. Check them once more before setting out.
Official tickets and registration · The festival is free; the organiser publishes the exact hours and the inclement-weather date.
The event
stART on the Street is Central Massachusetts's arts and culture festival: hundreds of artists and crafters selling handmade work along a closed stretch of Park Avenue, with live music and performance, food vendors and activities for children. Since 2022 it has been a programme of Creative Hub Worcester.
The festival runs on the third Sunday of each September, which in 2026 is September 20, with the fourth Sunday held as the bad-weather date. Admission is free.
Getting there
There is no dedicated festival parking; the organiser points visitors to the side streets and small lots around Park Avenue, and offers free bicycle parking at the corner of Elm Street and Park Avenue. Worcester's Union Station is a commuter-rail ride from Boston, with a bus or a longer walk to Park Avenue.
The festival occupies Park Avenue from Highland Street to Pleasant Street; the two ends are the natural meeting points.
Good to know
- Confirm the date and hours on the organiser's site in September; a wet forecast moves the festival to the following Sunday.
- Bring cash or a card for the artists' booths and the food vendors; the street itself costs nothing.
- Worcester restaurants fill on festival evening; book dinner if the plan is to stay.
Where to stay for a Worcester weekend
Worcester works as a weekend base of its own, with the festival on Sunday and the museums and colleges on Saturday. This guide compares the Worcester stay and opens live availability.
- A Worcester college-city weekend The Worcester choice of where to stay, with live stays for your dates.
- Discover Central Massachusetts visitor center The regional visitor office in Worcester.
Sources and transparency: stART on the Street: official site (third-Sunday rule, free admission, organiser) (checked 2026-09-11) stART on the Street: visitor information (Park Avenue route, parking, bicycle parking) (checked 2026-09-11) Not a paid listing. Editorial policy Full agenda