Lowell, Massachusetts gets its finest weekend of the year when The Town and The City Festival returns for its 7th edition, April 30 through May 2, spread across more than a dozen downtown venues. The 2026 lineup is the festival’s most compelling yet, led by John Doe of X alongside David Lowery of Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven, folk-rockers The Felice Brothers, and a highly anticipated debut collaboration between Tanya Donelly of Belly and Throwing Muses and Chris Brokaw of Come, Codeine, and The Lemonheads.
The supporting cast runs deep. Indie rockers Vundabar, Chicago blues specialists GA-20, alt-country veteran Jon Langford and Friends, Dream Syndicate frontman Steve Wynn, singer-songwriter Kris Delmhorst, country-blues artist Cristina Vane, and the indie folk-pop trio The Wolff Sisters all appear across the three days. More than 50 musical acts total, plus comedy sets from Tony V, Kristin O’Brien, Jen Howell, Jacques Lambert, and James Hamilton, and a reading from author Chris Wrenn from his new book Fenway Punk.
The venue-hopping format is central to the festival’s identity. Attendees move between Taffeta, Tescobar, Warp & Weft, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, The Old Court, The Worthen Cafe, Smokehouse Tavern, Lala Books, Brew’d Awakening, Cobblestones, The Lass Stop, and more throughout each evening, discovering new artists at every turn. “The energy of moving from venue to venue, hearing new voices, meeting new people, really reflects the spirit of Lowell and the legacy of Jack Kerouac,” says festival producer Chris Porter.
Produced by Porter Productions and the Jack Kerouac Foundation, the festival pays homage to Lowell’s most famous native son with an adventurous, eclectic spirit that runs through every booking decision. Multi-day passes are on sale now for $65 at TheTownandtheCityFestival.com.