Strummin' up to Boston! 2026

Heather Mumford Project Musician, performer, and songwriter Heather Mumford has been part of the underground uke movement since the very beginning and her latest project proves that little instrument can hold a whole lot of soul! 

The Heather Mumford Project brings together a killer lineup of seasoned musicians for a beautiful Americana blend of old-school country, bluegrass, folk, blues, and even a little modern pop (ahem, Taylor Swift — you read that right!). Whether she's channeling classics by Patsy Cline, Jean Sheppard, and Bill Monroe, delivering heartfelt originals, or coaxing something magical out of her ukulele and fiddle, Heather's spellbinding voice always sounds right at home. 

Featuring Gary Kemp (resonator guitar), Sam Kendall (mandolin), Harris Kendrick (acoustic guitar), and Reid Plouffé (upright bass), the HMP serves up pickin', grinnin', and blues so good they'll make you cry — laidback, good-time vibes not to be missed!

Born from late-night jam sessions and fueled by a serious love of four strings, The After Jam goes where few ukulele has gone before. Jazz, blues, rock, bluegrass, they play it all and then some, twisting familiar sounds into something fresh, surprising, and impossible to sit still through. These seasoned strummers are veterans of Brookline's Arts Festivals and Shnugfest IX, and once you've seen them live, you'll understand exactly why people keep coming back.

The Strummerville Ukulele Club All-stars Boston's most beloved ukulele crew — a wildly fun-loving, song-belting, string-strumming gang of amateur musicians on a mission to spread the joy of the ukulele, one strum at a time! As featured on WBUR's Weekend Edition. Join the fun and jam with us monthly in Somerville, Brookline, and Melrose, plus pop-ups popping up all over Greater Boston — because the more, the merrier!

Your hosts for the evening are Erin Ash Sullivan & Danno Sullivan. 

Erin's A New England-based, award-winning singer-songwriter whose artistry has earned comparisons to the very best. WFUV's John Platt describes her as a special talent reminiscent of early Dar Williams. High praise indeed!

Danno's a singular entertainer who brings his comedy stylings to ukulele events, and his ukulele stylings to comedy events. The result? Something entirely, delightfully his own. 

Terrific entertainers in their own right, together they make for something truly special! We're thrilled to welcome them back to the stage as masters of ceremonies.

Amy Kucharik (/kuh-CHAR-ick/) has played ukulele as her primary instrument for more than a decade, and her teaching philosophy is simple: the fastest way to get better is to play. Her workshops blend active music-making with just the right doses of technique, theory, and cultural context — fun, effective, and never a dull moment.

A sought-after teaching artist, Amy has brought her workshops to festivals across the country, from Rocky Mountain Ukefest to Mighty Uke Day and beyond.

Eric Guerin is a faculty member at Apple Tree Arts in Grafton, where he leads themed monthly jams and community classes across Southern Worcester County. Strummin' Up to Boston will mark his first time as a workshop instructor at the event.

"In my opinion, a group environment is among the best environments to learn the ukulele — and having friends who are learning with you makes it fun."

Nick Howarth has been involved in the Boston ukulele scene for over a decade. You may know him as the co-leader of the Strummerville Ukulele Club, the smarmy host of the Ukulele Game Show Happy Hour, or that guy who shows up to the holiday party in an inflatable reindeer costume.  Nick's ukulele interests include playing songs too fast, singing out of key, and turning every song into a disco anthem.  (“Stairway to Heaven”? More like, “Stairway to Dance Floor”!) 

John Soares is the creative force and mastermind behind some of metro Boston's most unique and unexpected ukulele experiences — from Strummin' Up to Boston and Strummin' to the Movies, to Shipping Up to Boston, the Boston area's premier ukulele cruise! When he isn't co-leading the beloved Strummerville Ukulele Club alongside Nick Howarth, John is busy cooking up something new and guaranteed to be a good time. Aptly dubbed the "King-Daddy of Inventiveness," if John's involved, expect the unexpected.