The Edgartown Board of Trade is looking for volunteer porches for its inaugural porchfest.
Tim Johnson

Edgartown to Hold Island's First Porchfest

A musical festival concept that has caught on in places across New England is coming to Martha’s Vineyard for the first time next month. 

A musical festival concept that has caught on in places across New England is coming to Martha’s Vineyard for the first time next month. 

On May 18, the Edgartown Board of Trade will host the inaugural Porchfest Edgartown. Designed after an event that started in Ithaca, N.Y. almost 20 years ago, the Island porchfest will have local musicians set up across Edgartown on porches and other spaces for a day of music.

A handful of locations have already been picked for the event, including Rosewater Market, the Hob Knob hotel and Nevin Square, but the board of trade is seeking more bands to sign up, and people willing to volunteer their porch space, either commercial or residential.

“Anyone can participate,” said Erin Ready, the executive director at the board of trade.

The schedule is still being nailed down but performances on the outskirts of town would likely be earlier in the day, before downtown becomes the main hub. Ms. Ready envisioned the event could happen in various parts of town, including Katama and near the triangle and in the business district.

“We’ll make sure that the music is appropriately and evenly dispersed,” she told the select board at its April 1 meeting. 

The board of trade has been in contact with the Edgartown police department about the idea and will stay in touch throughout coordination. 

“We hope it’s a family friendly draw into town,” Ms. Ready said.

More than  30 other communities in Massachusetts are hosting their own porchfests this year, and Ms. Ready believed the concept would be welcomed upon its arrival here. 

“A lot of people have attended one somewhere so it makes it a familiar event that’s new to Edgartown,” she said. 

People interested in volunteering their porch can sign up at the board of trade’s website. 

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/10/2024 - 16:05

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Thomas S Hodgson West Tisbury

No mention in the article, but are the bands and musicians expected to play for free?

Jared Tisbury

Hi Thomas! Porchfests across the country are community events where everyone can participate. Anyone can register to play and any resident or business can register to host. I have seen folks put out tip jars or selling merchandise, etc, at other Porchfests that I've played and attended - but in general, it's not a paid show, as people are usually wandering around, taking in a little bit of everything. It was always one of my favorite events to be part of up in Somerville, MA and I hope it goes well in Edgartown!

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