Porchfest

A neighborhood in Ithaca, NY is doing something special. It’s called Porchfest. Here’s a taste, but be sure to go to the story and scroll down to the video.

Porchfest began in 2007 when Fall Creekers Lesley Greene and Gretchen Hildreth got the idea that musicians from the neighborhood should play on their porches on one particular Sunday. They recruited 20 or 30 acts, printed a map with times and addresses and descriptions, and Porchfest was born.

Such a simple idea — and it has grown every year. Greene and Hildreth email a call for musical acts and locations. The pair organizes the groups into three time slots so that they don’t bump into each other. Almost everything else is up to the residents and musicians — who hold practices, provide their own sound, and organize house parties. Churches and businesses open their restrooms.

Porchfest is beginning to spread to other cities and towns, from Napa, California, to Somerville, Massachusetts. The only requirement is a walkable neighborhood and some home-grown musical or other talent. It’s a great way to build culture and community and show off these assets to the world.

H/T Philip Bess