Let’s Dance Boston, free 5-day dance party, returns to The Greenway

Downtown Boston is about to become one big dance party with Vivo Performing Arts’ Let’s Dance Boston, a five-day, free festival that aims to get the city on its feet with classes, group dance parties and movement from a diverse cross-section of cultures.

Every night will highlight a different dance style and a different live band will keep the beat. Enjoy salsa, merengue, bachata, disco, hustle, lindy-hop, soul line dancing (electric slide, cupid shuffle) and more. The party kicks off with a 45-minute dance lesson, no experience required, then eases into a 90-minute social dance session with all those newly acquired moves.

“One of the things that attracted me to Vivo Performing Arts was the opportunity to be part of programs like Let’s Dance Boston,” says Thor Steingraber, president and CEO of the organization. “Whether it’s thousands of people dancing together outdoors, a Neighborhood Arts performance or a workshop with local artists, these shared experiences create connections across generations, cultures and neighborhoods. That’s what Let’s Dance Boston is all about.”

Let’s Dance Boston debuted in 2015 and was also hosted in 2017 and 2022. Despite its irregular schedule, it’s been one of Vivo Performing Arts’ (formerly Celebrity Series of Boston) most popular programs.

This year’s festival runs Sept. 23-27 and it’s free and open to the public, no registration required. The dancing takes place at Dewey Square Park on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, with Rixy’s sky-high mural on one side and Boston’s historic South Station on the other.

A city water truck will be on site to keep everyone hydrated and the Night Shift on The Greenway pop-up beer garden will serve beer, wine, hard seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages Wednesday through Friday night until 8 p.m. Closer to the event, The Greenway will announce a food truck lineup as well.

While the weather is still warm enough to gather outside, Let’s Dance Boston is an opportunity for movement, community and joy in the heart of the city.

“We’re excited to welcome Let’s Dance Boston back to Dewey Square Park and invite people to experience The Greenway in a joyful and memorable way,” said Eileen Ong, director of programs and outreach at the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. “When parks are filled with music, movement and people sharing an experience together, they become something more than green space — they become places where community comes to life.”

ON THE WEB

Learn more at vivoperformingarts.org/live-performances/lets-dance-boston-2026