Who we are
About the Festival
A multicultural, family-friendly festival that welcomes a diverse audience into Lowell, featuring music, dance, and public art that highlights local artists & reflects the city's cultural diversity.
Lowell has always made noise. From the mills to the mic, this is a city that builds things loudly and shares them freely. The Lowell Hip-Hop Festival grew out of that same instinct: a week of shows, workshops, battles, and cyphers put together by the people who live here.
We started as a handful of artists, DJs, dancers, and organizers who wanted one week where the whole culture had a home downtown — not a side stage at somebody else's event. Every year we bring legends of the genre together with the 978 artists who are pushing it forward right now.
Everything we do is community-first. Workshops are open to beginners. Battles are open to anybody with heart. Our year-round presence at neighborhood events keeps the festival tied to the city rather than dropping in for one weekend and disappearing.
The Four Elements
Rooted in Lowell's hip-hop and creative scenes, the festival celebrates and inspires through the four elements of hip-hop:
- MCing (rapping)
- DJing (turntablism)
- Breaking (dance)
- Graffiti (public art/murals)
Nonprofit Status
The Lowell Hip-Hop Festival operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity.