“Why do we honk? How do we honk? When do we honk?” These were the questions asked by performers during the HONK! Festival’s opening ceremonies on Saturday.

Bands from across the country, including one from Brazil, flooded Davis Square last weekend for the 19th annual HONK! Festival, where brass music and activism combined to connect and unite the Greater Boston community.

“From civil rights marches to environmental protests, music

always has been a rallying cry for justice, and HONK! is no different,” said Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, addressing the crowd. “To all the activists, musicians here today, your horns, your drums, your voices don’t just entertain us. They inspire us. They … allow us to imagine something different.”

The Good Trouble Brass Band includes some of those musicians, an activism band that recently adopted a new name, after a famous quote from John Lewis: “When you see something that’s not right, not fair, not just, say something, do something, get in trouble, Good Trouble!”

The band was previously called Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band and was a founding force behind the HONK! Festival.

“The members of that brass band in 2005, they basically realized there were other brass bands around the country who, similar to them, would show up at rallies and protests, and bring music and joy to the march, and they decided to create a festival to bring them all to one place,” said Matt Taylor, one of Good Trouble’s trombonists, who has been participating in HONK! for the last 10 years. He said that every year, things change for the better.

“We just evolve … every year with where we see the need, especially in a lot of the work we do with local activists and social movement organizations,” said Taylor. “We try to always be in touch with them and build a relationship with them to then figure out how we can best be supportive of them while we’re in town.”

The festival does just that, putting a spotlight on music, art, and all sorts of activities for change. Davis Square was full of vibrant multimedia art, from chalk drawings to cardboard art.

Alexandra Adamo, who self-described as a “multimedia artist and die-hard craftivist,” had a table showcasing her new project. She had worked with others to create a patchwork banner made from local materials like carpet scraps, a vinyl banner, and wool from New England sheep. The banner led Sunday’s HONK! parade through Davis Square.

Adamo said that the project was so special because the intergenerational connection was incredible to see.

“Whether it’s their first time or their 4,000th time doing some sort of stitchwork, it’s pretty dynamic,” said Adamo.

In addition to art and music, HONK! also focuses on community. From neighborhood restaurants donating food vouchers to the bands and organizers (local and visiting) to the neighborhood hosts who housed the out-of-town musicians, it’s clear that HONK! was a labor of love.

“Without the many community members of Somerville, and Cambridge, and beyond, who show up and give their time, this would not happen,” said Taylor.

As he addressed the crowd, Somerville City Councilor Lance Davis described the infectious energy of the festival.

“Thank you for being here. Take this joy, take this spirit of community, take this reminder that there are so many things … that we have in common … Carry that with you from Somerville after this weekend, spread it out into the world, and we’ll see you all back here next year,” Davis said.