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About the Event

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Please note: This event, originally scheduled for Saturday, May 12, has been moved to Sunday, May 13 due to forecasted rain.


SOMERVILLE – Have you ever sat on your porch and overheard a neighbor strumming guitar on another porch? PorchFest takes this idea and multiplies it to create a city-wide event where Somervillians share their love of playing and listening to music.

PorchFest began in 2011 and has been growing rapidly ever since. This year over 250 musical acts will be performing on porches (and sometimes spilling into front yards and gardens) all over the city. Genres range from gypsy punk, cosmic Americana and killer blues to Afrobeat, acid folk, and American space rock.  There’s even Porch-ioke where passersby can step up and belt out a tune with a band backing them up!

This year the performances will start in West Somerville and go East – the opposite direction of past years. Acts in West Somerville perform from 12 to 2 p.m.; central Somerville bands (between Central and Willow St.) perform from 2 to 4 p.m. and East Somerville musicians perform from 4 to 6 p.m. This allows music to sweep like a giant wave from west to east and festival goers can plan out their routes to hear as much music as possible. To see the current lineup and map go towww.somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest. Listen to band’s music samples and plan out your day. Want to play PorchFest? Registration is still open until May 10! Visit the website for more information and to register your band. 

PorchFest originated in Ithaca in 2007. When Somervillian Nancy Goodman learned about the event she thought: Why not Somerville? She contacted the Somerville Arts Council and things were quickly set in motion. From the get-go, responses from musicians and music-loving residents was resounding.  There were 35 people at the initial planning meeting and 75 acts registered to perform for our first edition in 2011.

With questions about the festival, contact Arts Council Director, Gregory Jenkins at 617-625-6600 ext. 2985.

 


Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Nency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 orNSalamoun@somervillema.gov.


Event Documents


Location

Cost:

FREE


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