By Victoria Wasylak Globe Correspondent,Updated May 21, 2026, 5:30 a.m.
Sound Check is the Globe’s weekly guide to concerts, tunes, and trends rooted in Boston and beyond. This column covers May 22-28.
If you’ve visited Harvard Square for Memorial Day weekend in recent years, you’ve likely seen the stampede — thousands of Boston Calling attendees, covered in sweat and band merchandise, spilling out of the Harvard Athletic Complex every night. Some attendees brave the Uber surge pricing and grab a rideshare outside of the festival’s gates, but far more trek up John F. Kennedy Street to hop on the Red Line or return to their hotel rooms. In between the festival and the Square, temptations abound: pub grub, cheaper (or stiffer) drinks, late night entertainment at venues like Club Passim.
Since relocating from City Hall Plaza to the Allston complex in 2017, Boston Calling has become one of the Square’s largest economic drivers, says Denise Jillson, executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association. But there’ll be no parade of music fans up John F. Kennedy Street this weekend, as Boston Calling takes a “gap year” with a promise to return in June 2027. (When the festival made the announcement last summer, representatives gave no reason for the pause.)
“Each year since [2017] has brought more people to the Square,” Jillson says of the festival. “Our businesses have come to depend on the positive impacts of Boston Calling, as they do with major events like Harvard commencement and the Head of the Charles [Regatta].”
That’s why it’s somewhat surprising to hear that this weekend is business as usual for staples of the Square. If they’re feeling any pressure from the lack of festival-driven foot traffic, they’re not saying so. Jillson notes that the Harvard Square Business Association is “optimistic” that visitors for Sail Boston, World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium, and festivities for the country’s 250th anniversary “will lessen the impact” of Boston Calling’s absence this year.
Boston chain Tasty Burger has long been one of the local brands associated with the festival, and has been an on-site vendor at both Boston Calling locations. Now, when guests walk back to the Square from the Harvard Athletic Complex, they also pass the chain’s Harvard Square location, creating a “bookend” situation that Tasty Burger co-owner David DuBois says “undoubtedly” introduces the eatery to new customers every year.
Any change in sales that Tasty Burger might see from Boston Calling’s absence this year will likely be softened by the fact that the chain resumed its role as the “official burger” of the Red Sox this year, a deal that added their burgers and shakes to the ballpark’s food offerings.
“That’s been keeping us busy,” says DuBois.
On nearby Mt. Auburn Street, independent record store Planet Records sees an uptick in visitors during the festival, although it doesn’t result in a “hugely significant” boost in business, says owner and founder John Damroth.
“Our store is not about what’s contemporary music, necessarily,” Damroth says, noting that Boston Calling attendees tend to focus more on newer artists. “We’re sort of a deeper, historical music store, so we carry a lot of music from the ’30s to now, but not a lot of new releases.”
“After 43 years of doing this, I’ve kind of tried to be flexible about expectations, especially when it comes to special events,” he adds, noting that a large-scale tradition like the Square’s annual MayFair can negatively impact traffic and customers’ ability to access the store.
Across the Square, Passim’s indoor Campfire Festival will continue as planned, Friday through Monday. The twice-annual festival launched Labor Day weekend of 1998, and grew to include a Memorial Day weekend edition soon after.
Boston Calling’s move to Allston has coincided with growth for the May festival, says Passim’s managing director, Matt Smith, and it’s not uncommon for a few Boston Calling attendees to trickle in to the listening room, embracing the festival’s spirit of discovering new music. (Sometimes, the two festivals would even share a performer; folk artist chrysalispulled double duty at both events in 2023, as did jazz bassist, vocalist, and composer Devon Gates last year.)
“We would sometimes get a late boost,” Smith says. “There were definitely times when it would be pouring rain, you’d see the ponchos come over, and all of sudden, we’d have a room full of people having burgers and beer and watching the show at the club, because we were inside.”
But a lack of extra foot traffic this year “doesn’t concern me in any way,” Smith adds.
“It’s inherently such a different kind of event that I don’t think it’ll be a huge change to us either way — except in that it’ll be easier for people to find parking,” he concludes with a laugh.