Belmont’s Porchfest will be here before you know it, and organizer Mary Bradley wants you to know two things: Registration opens July 1 and closes July 31, with no exceptions. The event will be held rain or shine, so get yourself a good umbrella and get ready to jam.
For those who don’t know, a porchfest is a music festival that brings local musicians and neighborhoods together to play music and create a sense of community. Two Ithaca, N.Y. women are credited with holding the first festival in 2007, and since then, the idea has spread nationwide. InMassachusetts alone, there are nearly 40 Porchfests scheduled through early fall.
Belmont’s Porchfest, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7, started in 2018 and paused in 2020 due to COVID-19. In its inaugural year, 75 performances were held at 60 venues, and last year, 80 performances were scheduled at 58 locations. Of last year’s 447 performers, 118 were student musicians.
Bradley expects about 85 bands to perform on 60 porches this year. Musicians are welcome to host on their own porch or that of a friend, but if they don’t have a location, organizers will match them with a host.
“In 2022, we matched 20 bands with 13 porches, and in 2023, we matched 13 bands with 10 porches,” Bradley said. “Some matched hosts and performers have become fast friends over the years and request a repeat connection the following year.”
Last year, a torrential downpour dampened the events, but despite the storm, an estimated 2,300 people showed up to enjoy the fun until thunder and lightning shut things down early.
Bradley said the event is “locked in” to Sept. 7, with the next day for a make-up rain date, if necessary.
“A little rain won’t shut us down,” Bradley said. “Let’s hope for clear weather, but plan for a little drizzle. Get a canopy, and musicians should check with their host to see if they are on the porch. If not, have a backup plan.”
Unlike previous years, there will be no dedicated youth stage, but Bradley said if students are interested in participating, “we will make it happen.”
If students want to perform, they will need 30 minutes of material, which can take any family-appropriate format, any combination of music, jokes, stories, diary readings, juggling, or “reading family-friendly versions of ‘What I Did This Summer.’”
“The organizers are looking for a host eager to welcome brave performers sharing short personal essays, life lessons, funny anecdotes, and bracing adventures,” added Bradley.
Interested in hosting a band on your porch or playing on one? The deadline to register for hosts and bands is July 1 through 31. No late registrations will be accepted.
Belmont performers are preferred, but out-of-town musicians are welcome if space is available.
So, bring your dancing shoes and your umbrella and get ready for Porchfest.
To register or for more information, visit the website at belmontporchfest.org.
