Worcester Out to Lunch Festival Returns For 2024 Season

WORCESTER, MA — The first in a series of the annual Out To Lunch festivals will take place this week, bringing a farmers market, music, food trucks and more to the common behind Worcester City Hall.

The Out To Lunch series, cosponsored by the city and the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, is in its 14th year in 2024. Each festival runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. rotating music and entertainment, plus features like a beer garden, an artisan market and tables featuring local community groups.

"Out to Lunch is a cornerstone of our city's cultural calendar, bringing together residents and visitors alike to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Downtown Worcester,” City Manager Eric Batista said in a news release.

Here are details about the performers coming to Out To Lunch series from the BID:

July 11 — Funky Dawgz Brass Band
Funky Dawgz is one of the premier touring acts today, playing a contagious mix of original music, hip hop, funk, and today’s top hits with a brass twist. Emerging from Connecticut, they’ve toured internationally and have been featured on nationally televised programs on ESPN, as well as the Hulu and FX hit series "Fargo" starring Chris Rock.

Intermission Entertainment: Free Zumba lesson on the Common with Luz from the YMCA; all ages, experience levels, and abilities are welcome

MC: Ernie Floyd of Unity Radio

July 18 — Sunta Jones
Sunta Jones is a singer/songwriter with a smooth, sultry voice. Her musical style is a blend of soul, blues, R&B and reggae. She is backed by a 7-piece band. Sunta has graced the stage at popular events including stART on the Street, the University Park Concert Series hosted by the Main South CDC, and the Worcester Tercentennial celebration.

Intermission Entertainment: Community drum circle with The Village; all ages, experience levels, and abilities are welcome

MC: Manny Alvarado of Manny Jae Media

July 25 (Celebrating Disability Pride Month) — Matt Savage Groove Experiment
Matt Savage is a jazz musician, bandleader, and composer with ensembles of different sizes. He’s played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Chick Corea, the Ellington All Stars, Chaka Khan, Bobby Watson, Joshua Redman, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Donny McCaslin, among others.

Intermission Entertainment: Performance from student jazz trio from the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education

MC: Mauro DePasquale of WCCA TV

Aug. 1 — Link 80
Link 80 is a Brazilian classic rock band, made up of four musician friends who love rock ‘n roll. Their repertoire is dedicated to 80s classics of Brazilian and world rock.

Intermission Entertainment: Performance from the Imperial Lion Dance Team

MCs: Giselle Rivera-Flores and Jennifer Gaskin of Don't Touch My Podcast

Aug. 8 — Rhythm of the Saints
Rhythm of the Saints features an all-star cast of Boston-area musicians paying tribute to prolific song writer Paul Simon. Their repertoire spans Simon’s career as a solo artist, featuring hits from the 70s through the present. Performed by an 8-piece band led by Gary Backstrom of Jiggle the Handle, these dynamic, chart-topping hits propel audiences of all ages to their feet.

Intermission Entertainment: Performance and free dance lesson with Ritmos Dance Studio; all ages, experience levels, and abilities are welcome

MC: Mackenzie Goodwin of WXLO

Aug. 15 — Sarah Louise French & The Big-League Collective
Straddling the fine line of folk and country, Sarah Louise French writes songs that are fresh, inspirational and that beckon a feeling of oneness, of love, and of the shared human experience. With influences such as Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Shania Twain, Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot and John Prine, French performs both original music and 60s/70s pop, folk, and classic country covers in venues throughout New England and beyond.

The Big-League Collective is a group made up of lifelong friends Dave Haak, Pete L'Esperance, and A. Borus, along with a rotating cast of collaborators. Their fusion of folk, indie rock, outlaw country, psychedelic rock, jam, jazz, and American traditional music defines their distinctive sound.

Intermission Entertainment: Performance from students of Jo Ann Warren Studio

MC: Nick Noble of WICN