WORCESTER—Downtown Worcester is buzzing again with the return of the Out to Lunch Festival & Farmers’ Market, a weekly summer tradition that kicked off June 18 and continues every Wednesday through Aug. 20 on the Worcester Common Oval.
Presented by the city and the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District (BID), this free, family-friendly series is packed with new features for 2025, including a full 10-week run—the longest stretch since before the pandemic—and a new Wednesday schedule with extended hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Festivalgoers can expect an expanded farmers’ market with vendors from across Central Massachusetts, live music from major acts like Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads, and dozens of local food trucks, artists, crafters, and nonprofits. A new SNAP Match Program, supported by Mass General Brigham, aims to increase food access, and shoppers who spend $15 or more at the farmers’ market can receive a free grocery tote while supplies last.
This year also brings a greater focus on sustainability, with a new Zero Waste effort providing compostable containers, on-site composting via Black Earth Compost, and recycling through Casella. A misting art installation by LeMonde Studio called VivaCity offers a cool escape from the summer heat.
Worcester City Manager Eric Batista called the event “a beloved annual celebration of Worcester’s diversity, creativity, and community spirit,” adding that this year’s edition promises to be “bigger and better than ever.”
More information, including weekly lineups and vendor updates, is available at outtolunchworcester.com.
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