Festivals

The Levitt Foundation supports free music festivals that expand access to the arts and celebrate a community’s culture or create positive social impact.

Scroll down to explore the festivals supported by the Levitt Foundation.

Current Festivals

BAMS Fest

The Boston Art & Music Soul (BAMS) Festival, which takes place in Boston’s Franklin Park, is a cultural movement led by diverse artists, culture makers, and creative entrepreneurs from Greater Boston to break down barriers and create access to arts, music, and culture. This two-day, free festival, launched in 2018, features nationally acclaimed artists and local talent, activating Boston’s largest park with community-building elements, educational programming, visual art exhibitions, local vendors and artisans, and more.

Celebrate AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival

Celebrate AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival is an annual event taking place in Kansas City, Missouri each fall—a collaborative project between the GRAMMY®-nominated band Making Movies and their nonprofit, Art As Mentorship, which explores the deeply-rooted Latin music influences on American music, past and present. By showcasing and celebrating the multiple origins of American music, this free, all-ages festival spotlights the contributions diverse communities have made to our country’s communal story.

Make Music Day

Make Music Day, which is celebrated on June 21 each year to honor the Summer Solstice, unites professional and amateur musicians alike in a joyous expression of music, transforming public spaces—ranging from neighborhood stoops to city streets, parks, and plazas—into vibrant stages for free performances. Expanding the global tradition that was initiated in France over 40 years ago, Make Music Day is coordinated by Make Music Alliance, a nonprofit founded in 2014 to enhance the annual Make Music Day in North America. Every year, Make Music Day features nearly 5,000 free music performances in over 100 U.S. cities, including at several Levitt locations and venues, bringing communities together through the universal language of music.

Selby Avenue JazzFest

The Selby Avenue JazzFest is an annual celebration held in the heart of St. Paul, Minnesota, on historic Selby Avenue. Known for its vibrant atmosphere, the festival showcases a mix of local and national jazz artists, creating an immersive experience for music enthusiasts of all ages. Fostering a sense of community and appreciation for the arts since its inception in 2002, the event attracts thousands of attendees who gather to enjoy a day filled with music, culture, and camaraderie. Presented by local music school Walker|West, one of the oldest community music schools in the nation founded by African American musicians.

SummerStage in Staten Island

City Parks Foundation SummerStage, New York City’s iconic outdoor performing arts festival, brings 85 free and benefit shows to Central Park and 12 neighborhood parks across the five boroughs of New York City. For more than 38 years, the festival has showcased established and emerging artists from across the globe, featuring a multitude of genres including jazz, hip-hop, indie rock, salsa, reggae, Afrobeats, soul, pop, global, and contemporary dance. The Levitt Foundation is funding outreach and community visioning activities that support the development, curation, and outreach of these SummerStage concerts in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island.

Past Festivals

Arts for EveryBody

Arts for EveryBody was a nationwide campaign that brought free outdoor concerts, festivals, dance, and other artmaking activities to 18 sites in towns and cities across the country, showcasing the profound health benefits of arts engagement through community-specific events. By bringing together local artists, healthcare providers, and municipal leaders, the initiative emphasized the role of the arts in fostering social cohesion and improving both mental and physical health.

Higher Purpose Fest

Higher Purpose Fest was a free day-long community festival that featured music, food and wellness activities in Clarksdale, Mississippi, birthplace of the Blues. The Fest was presented by Higher Purpose, a nonprofit with a mission to foster community, open dialogue, and build community wealth among residents in the Mississippi Delta by supporting ownership of financial and cultural power.

Inclusion Zone at Musikfest

Designed to accommodate all ages and abilities, the Inclusion Zone at Musikfest took place throughout the duration of the 2024 music festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Presented by Accessible Festivals / Inclusion for Everybody, the Inclusion Zone included sensory-friendly and empowering live music from neurodivergent and disabled performing artists, immersive experiences, a sensory supportive listening lounge and a series of educational and recreational workshops.

Juneteenth UNITYFEST

Founded in 2021, Juneteenth UNITYFEST was presented by the Robert Randolph Foundation, a nonprofit organization bringing together diverse voices in commemoration and celebration of Juneteenth and Black culture, both significant contributors to the vibrancy of American history and culture. Broadcast live around the world from Brooklyn, UNITYFEST featured multiple entertainment, arts education, and community activism events, including a Juneteenth UNITYFEST Concert, co-presented with BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park.

Photo: Edwina Hay

Sound Mind Live Music Festival for Mental Health

The Sound Mind Live Music Festival for Mental Health was a free community festival in Brooklyn that leveraged live music as a source for healing and mental health. In addition to live performances, discussions, and workshops, Sound Mind Live was a vibrant community effort and a collective movement towards fostering mental health awareness and support. The 2024 festival brought together a coalition of 34 partner organizations, 20 music and visual artists, and 19 panelists and speakers who elevated important mental health messaging and resources to the 5,000 attendees, as well as 80,000+ reached via YouTube.

SuperFolk! Festival

The SuperFolk! Festival was presented by Whippoorwill Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and uplifting roots musicians by providing opportunities for creative collaboration for social impact and fair wages within the music industry. SuperFolk! took place in Tacoma, Washington and brought free concerts to people who did not often have access to live music, including elementary students at underserved public schools and an affordable housing service agency for seniors and families—fostering joy, community, and the opportunity to interact with the artists.

LEVITT EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES THROUGH MUSIC.

Supporting 41 Communities In 2023–2025