In a city with so many beautiful porches, it’s a shame that up until now there have been so few organized events such as PorchFest that brings so much fun to the front of the house. Despite the foul weather yesterday, musicians still set up shop on the porches of their host houses, as diehard music lovers sat in chairs and stood under trees to see and hear the musical feast.
Music could be heard while traveling down Cleveland Avenue, Richmond and Elmwood (among others), whether by car, bike or by foot. And the bands played their hearts out, for hours at a time, hoping to catch the attention of those who were not even aware that the West Side show was underway. Other audience members came prepared to camp out, with chairs and backpacks full of food and drink. Some neighbors turned the cause for musical celebration into informal block parties, where more nearby lawns and porches were used to socialize. Then there were others that decided that the live music would be the perfect excuse for a house party (nothing too crazy though).
All in all, PorchFest did what it set out to do. It brought brought neighborhoods together to enjoy the talents of local musicians, while shining a light on residential architecture. It also created a welcoming atmosphere that brought people together despite the pervasive drizzle throughout the day. Thankfully porches do what they do best – they kept the musicians dry with one of their most charming features… their roofs!
This post is dedicated to Steel, who has been preaching the benefits of porches in Buffalo since the start of BRO. Learn more about PorchFest.