BU Today, June 15, 2018
By Sarah Wells (COM’18)
It all started with a group of neighbors and a ukulele in Ithaca, N.Y., back in 2007. About 20 local musicians gathered on front porches to bring the community together through live music. What they didn’t know then: that first Porchfest would spread to local communities across the United States and Canada. Today, Porchfests have taken hold in big cities (Montreal, Philadelphia, and Kansas City, Mo.) and little towns (North Liberty, Iowa, and Grants Pass, Ore.).
In 2011 Somerville was the first town to bring Porchfest to the greater Boston area. This year, nine communities and neighborhoods around the city will host a Porchfest. The first annual Fenway Porchfest is tomorrow, Saturday, June 16, and should be a showstopper.
The afternoon event (noon to 4 pm) will feature 70 local musicians, bands, and ensembles performing at 25 Fenway locations. Both amateur and professional musicians will be on hand, including the Boston Pops Esplanade Brass and the Boston City Singers. Festival organizers plan to give special priority to musicians who live or work in the neighborhood.
Given the Fenway’s dearth of porches, tomorrow’s Porchfest stages will include green spaces, stoops, and patios.