NPS/Sam DiMatteo Free Music, Poetry, and Community on the LawnThe Longfellow Summer Arts Festival brings music, poetry, and community to the front lawn of the Longfellow House on Sunday afternoons through the summer. All events are free and open to the public. In the case of inclement weather, poetry readings will be moved indoors. Concerts will be rescheduled to September. 2026 Lineup
Annual Contest
Student Poetry AwardsThe Longfellow Student Poetry Contest is an annual competition of original poetry, grades 3-12. 
June 14
Juneteenth GatheringGather for Juneteenth to honor those who endured slavery and seized freedom on Brattle Street 250 years ago. 
June 21
Concert: Ava DuntonAva Dunton (soprano) is a Master of Music in Opera Performance student at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. 
June 28
Concert: Celia SieckertCelia Sieckert is a classically trained cellist who performs folk and jazz vernaculars, and classical and contemporary cello repertoires. 
July 12
Poetry: Tracy K. SmithTracy K. Smith is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, memoirist, editor, translator and librettist who served as the 22nd U.S. Poet Laureate. 
July 19
Washington’s Arrival in CambridgeExplore the people and ideas that shaped General George Washington’s first revolutionary headquarters at this day-long event. 
July 26
Poetry: Regie Gibson & Lloyd SchwartzRegie Gibson is the Massachusetts Poet Laureate and Lloyd Schwartz is the Somerville Poet Laureate. 
August 2
Poetry: Major JacksonMajor Jackson is the author of six books of poetry, including Razzle Dazzle: New & Selected Poems, and poetry editor of the Harvard Review. 
August 9
Golden Rose Award (Poetry): Marie HoweMarie Howe, recipient of the 2026 Golden Rose Award, is the author of "New and Selected Poems" and former Poet Laureate of New York. 
August 16
Concert: Yujin HanYujin Han is a South Korea-born jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who was featured at the 2024 Vermont Solo Jazz Piano Festival. 
August 23
Concert: Owen MarOwen Mar studies tap dance as a principal instrument in the Percussion Department at Berklee College of Music. 
August 30
Concert: Pete SmithNew York City-based guitarist and H.W. Longfellow descendant Pete Smith returns to the Longfellow House for an afternoon of jazz. 
September 13
Concert: Juventas New Music EnsembleAn afternoon of contemporary chamber music drawing on Scottish and Appalachian traditions. 
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Last updated: August 19, 2026