Drum Circle Finder

Boston Drum Circles

These special drumming events usually happen on the weekends, every Saturday and sometimes at the Charles River!


We have extra drums if you don't. Please RSVP and we ask for your  donation of $15 at the circle. 3 pm - 5pm. Please bring a folding chair and your drum. We will have some extras.

If the huge parking lot is full, follow this map. It takes you less than a minute away to a McDonald's parking lost and a side lot. 


Drop you drum and chair off with its first, go park and take the easy foot bridge right to wear we are! Simple. 


Remember, if lost or stolen, call or text me at 617-686-6080.


Every year for 19 years, DrumConnection meets at the corner of Chestnut Street and on Comm Ave to cheer the runners on with our African style and spirit of drumming. Playing djembe, congas, dununs, taiko, any drum. Everyone's welcome. Bring a drum and a chair. Read More >>

Drum Circle
Drum Circle

drum circle is any group of people playing (usually) hand-drums and percussion in a circle. They are distinct from a drumming group or troupe in that the drum circle is an end in itself rather than preparation for a performance. They can range in size from a handful of players to circles with thousands of participants.


What we call 'Drum Circles' today started in the US in the early to mid 60's in Miami, New York, Boston. Santa Monica, Venice, Santa Cruz and Montreal. Mostly men at the time on conga drums, there also was some Haitian stick drumming too.


Drum Circles entered the mainstream around 1980/81 or so. I peg it at 1985 as that's when I helped introduce it into pagan and earth centered gatherings with Andras Arthen, Starhawk, and others. Jimi and Morwen were right next to me doing their thing too. I forgot one of my first real students, Abbi McBride (Spinner) was there too.


In 1991, during testimony before the United States Senate Special Committee on AgingGrateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart stated:



Drum Circle Boston
Facilitated Drum Circle

The term "Drum Circle" originated in the United States during the late 1960's and early 1970's and is a term used to describe any group of people who gather (informally) to play music together. The terms "drum jam" or "jam session" could be substituted. In general, the term was, and still is, used to describe "counter-culture" groups who would gather in public settings to play music. Settings include beaches, parks, concert parking lots, festivals, and retreats. 


As I write this it is 2018 and finally time to add that Drum Circles are so prevalent in the US, Canada, Australia (for example) that I would finally probably drop the 'counter-culture' label. Drum circles are so prevalent in Elder Care Centers, Senior Centers, Hospitals, Cancer Centers, Community Centers, Places of Worship and community. 


The determining criteria for a drum circle is that the music is improvised and co-created by the participants. Drum circles may or may not be open to the public, but the music is always a group expression, not constrained by genre, instrumentation, or directed by and one person or sub-group.


In Western countries, drum circles have developed into two main types:


Community - free-form drumming, often open to the public and entirely improvised in-the-moment.


Facilitated or Conducted - group drumming that is musically directed by a specific person, often called a facilitator or a group of drummers acting as facilitators together, usually simply by laying down the foundation rhythm.


Healing Drum Circles - Most drum circles are healing for one reason or another whether stated as such or not. Simply the act of playing the drum or listening to the drums can be healing, relaxing. energizing, mood altering, focussing and more experiences may take place. 


All forms of drum circles are used in a variety of settings and applications including; team building, recreational music making, wellness, education, celebrations, spirituality, personal growth, etc.


Drum Circles take on the energy of the leaders. DrumConnection provides this list with no implied review of these circles. We encourage you to get out there and experience other circles and other energies. And, keep in mind, circles can be very different every time. Enjoy your exploration!


If you want us to list your circle, just send us your info.

Other DrumCircles World Wide!