Your guide to the new and improved Boston Calling

This year, Boston Calling is going to bigger and more epic than in years past. The Boston-based festival takes place this weekend, May 26 through May 28, and huge acts like Chance the Rapper, Mumford and Sons, The 1975, and Major Lazer will be performing throughout the three day event.

The festival producers have changed things up this year, so here’s everything you need to know.

A new location for Boston Calling

The music festival made a move this year to the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston. Unlike past years, there will be three stages for music acts, a stage for comedy, and (get ready for it) it looks like there will even be a ferris wheel this year.

This new location means that things will also be a bit more spread out. The old Government Center location would get quite filled and packed, as it was a small area for way too many people. With more stages in the wider area, hopefully you won’t get too squished between festival-goers.

There will be lots of food

Not only will there be the usual food vendors, like Tasty Burger and Zinneken’s Waffles, but more food trucks and local business will be at the festival as well. New places to curb your hunger include: The Smoke Shop, Moyzilla, Stone and Skillet, El Pelon Taqueria, FoMu and Shuck Food Truck. There are tons of new options, from pulled pork and burgers, to vegan desserts and Belgian waffles.

The comedians

If you go to Boston University, you might remember Hannibel Buress’ show when he visited us. Well, you’ll have the opportunity to see him again any day you go to the festival. Other big names performing include Kelly MacFarland, Lamont Price and Pete Holmes.

The big acts

We spoke with Trevor Solomon, a talent buyer for the festival, to get the scoop on what acts you’ll see at Boston Calling this year. Solomon told us some highlights of the festival will be Bon Iver, Mumford and Sons, Chance the Rapper, Major Lazer, The XX, and Tool. This will be the first time most of these specific groups will perform at the festival — Major Lazer performed once before.

The act that will surprise the crowd

“If people get to see [Tkay Maidza] early, she’ll steal the show,” said Solomon.

Tool

One big question heard across BU’s campus when the lineup came out was, “Who is Tool?”

Tool will be a very cool act to see, Solomon told The Tab. They have been around a very long time and are still going strong. Many view the band as a heavy rock, even metal group, but Solomon says the group has elements more along the lines of Led Zeppelin and Rush, which may please more festival-goers this year.

Solomon’s recommendation to The Tab about attending Boston Calling: “Pick five to seven bands you’d really like to see. Do your best to see as many as you can, but obviously you won’t be able to see everything.”

And most importantly, have fun.

*Featured image of Disclosure at the Spring 2016 festival. Photo by Gabrielle Turi.