Participate in the Honk! Festival and march with labor in the Red Bandanna Brigade
More than 20 activist street bands from around the world will be coming to Somerville for the annual Honk! Festival Oct. 10–12. The bands will be linking up with unions and economic justice groups on Friday, performing for free in Davis Square on Saturday afternoon and evening and marching in a huge parade from Davis Sq. to Harvard Sq. with community groups on Sunday. Learn more about the entire Honk! Festival here.
The Sunday parade to “Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes, and Feet” will include over 60 bands and community groups! Learn more about the SundayParade here. The parade leaves Davis Square at 12 noon, travels down Elm Street, then Beech Street onto Massachusetts Ave to Harvard Square.
The union-backed Red Bandanna Brigade* will (with creative input from you!) again be marching in this year’s parade. Our pro-labor message for thousands of parade spectators will promote winning Earned Sick Time for Massachusetts workers and “Yes on Question 4.” Other pro-labor messages are welcome too! Please RSVP on Facebook or email rand.wilson@gmail.com.
* Red bandannas were worn by miners in the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain — the largest armed uprising in American labor history — when between 10,000 and 15,000 coal miners confronted company-paid private detectives in an effort to unionize the southwestern West Virginia mines. During the battle, coal miners wore red bandannas around their necks to identify themselves as union supporters. The Red Bandanna Brigade keeps that militant spirit alive by wearing red bandannas and marching in parades to spread labor’s message to thousands of people in the greater Boston area!