The misty weather lingered late into Saturday afternoon, but that didn’t stop the crowds from trickling into the Franklin Park Playstead. When I first took the stage to emcee the first half of the event, a handful of attendees replied to my Boston neighborhood roll call (for the record, Mattapan was the loudest). But it was still early.
The occasion? The 7th Annual Boston Arts Music and Soul Festival — BAMS — a vibrant celebration of the arts.
BAMS Fest 2025 FAITHWINPHOTOS
The event also highlighted locally owned businesses with the “Vendor Village,” organized by Black Owned Bos., and an array of food trucks on “Soul Food Row.”
BAMS Fest is one of the signature events of the nonprofit organization that is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Under the leadership of founder Catherine Morris, its mission is to “break down racial and social barriers to the arts through … edutainment (education + entertainment).”
BAMS Fest 2025 FAITHWINPHOTOS
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu praised the BAMS Fest teams for their continued effort. “This is one of the most exciting traditions that we have in the city. … It brings out local talent, artists from all over, and right here in the neighborhood where it should be. So, I’m really grateful to Cat and everyone, all the board members who put this together.”
The mayor stopped by with her baby daughter Mira, who was a bit too young to attend the KidChella festivities. Wu introduced Amanda Shea, the three-time Boston Music Awards Spoken Word Artist of the Year, who appeared stunned when she found out that the mayor had been following her work. Josh Kraft, who is challenging Wu in the upcoming mayoral election, was also in attendance.
BAMS Fest 2025 PHOTO: Obinna “Oby” Ojimba
Local acts included the Peacemakers, Kasia Lavon and Edo.G, and the exposure of having such a large platform didn’t go unnoticed. DJ Deaf Tunez shared through an ASL interpreter, “I think it was a great opportunity. I was a bit nervous going in, but when I got into it, I enjoyed myself.”
By the time headliner Durand Bernarr hit the stage, the weather had cleared and the audience continued to fill in the field. The crowd was locked into every second of his performance as he commanded attention with his every note. Between sets, Bernarr made a point to remind fans to know their worth and love and live unapologetically.
Little Brother and Lalah Hathaway, the other headliners, closed out the evening.
Before heading out, I stopped by the Dance Zone and learned choreography from Afrobeats Dance Boston. At first, my nerves crept in as I watched the professional dancers break down the moves, but a few minutes in, I realized how little was at stake for me to just let go and dance.
So I did just that, unapologetically.
Kwani A. Lunis is a multimedia producer at NBC10 Boston.
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