Portsmouth PorchFest to make its debut in September

PORTSMOUTH – A group of grassroots advocates is hoping a shared love of live music will draw the community out to the first annual Portsmouth PorchFest on Saturday, Sept. 21 from noon to 4 p.m.

Portsmouth PorchFest is an outdoor music festival, placing bands in unconventional performance spaces such as porches, backyards, and driveways. Attendees can walk around and hear a variety of local and regional performers. Because everyone - from the organizers to the venue hosts to the musicians - volunteers their services, the event is free and open to the public.

Community advocate, Leftist Marching Band member, and Portsmouth PorchFest volunteer John Mayer said, "Other cities and towns throughout the country host PorchFests and we thought it would be great if Portsmouth did too. This being our first year, we are starting with a small pilot model in the area around the Portsmouth Public Library, which will act as our home base. If all goes well, we will expand the event next year.”

Mayer said the idea was hatched during a Cabot Square Day celebration, an event much like PorchFest, but held in the Cabot Street neighborhood.

“Cabot Square Day is 13 years old. It has been a hope that it would lead to a bigger, more city-wide event. When Julia Doucett and Ben Wellwood came to Cabot Square Day last year, we talked together about how a Porchfest could be a great thing for Portsmouth.”

From there, a PorchFest team of organizers was wrangled and about 15 venues were recruited with two performing acts scheduled for each.  The lineup schedule will be released in late August.

Co-founder Doucett said, "To me, the spirit of Porchfest is all about grassroots community building. It's about proving that we can come together as neighbors and enjoy music on a hyper-local scale. I think the arts are such a good way to connect people, and so many of us could use a little more connection in our lives. It's so exciting to have found a group here who feel the same way."

Porchfest is a rain or shine event. “We are hoping for great weather, but unfortunately, due to the nature of this event and the many moving parts involved, we are unable to coordinate a rain date in the case of inclement weather,” Doucett said.

The mission of Portsmouth PorchFest is to strengthen the Portsmouth community, build connections between neighbors, and provide exposure for local musicians from a diverse array of backgrounds. Its vision is to celebrate a community connected and inspired by the music created and enjoyed by every one of us.

For more information, email portsmouthporchfest@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth PorchFest to make its debut in September