“Groovy.”
“Exhilarating.”
“Spectacular.”
Those are just a few of the words music fans who flocked to High Street in Bristol on Sunday, Sept. 14 used to describe the sounds they heard.
They came to hear 26 bands performing on 16 porches during PorchFest, the free annual local music festival supported by Roger Williams University. Organized by the nonprofit Arts in Common, the event drew 20% more bands than last year.
Returning this year was the Catnip Junkies, who have been together for nine years and are known as the PorchFest legacy band.
“Music is the universal language,” the Providence-based brass band’s founder, Beth Silva, said in an interview before performing on a porch at the corner of High and Walley streets. “It’s really hard to hate the person next to you when you’re listening to music.”
Silva saw the value of local music festivals like PorchFest.
“It’s so important for people to come together, especially with the current state of our country,” she said.
Spa 182 held a raffle and gave out macrons, cookies, cotton candy, and more. Owner Karly Kleitz opened her business around two years ago with her husband. She explained that PorchFest brings many new customers in, which helps her small business.
Longtime Bristol resident Joann Pasquale, whose front porch was among the performance venues, likened PorchFest to “New Orleans in Rhode Island.”
PorchFest was cofounded in 2018 byMaryKae Wright, Nancy Kellner, Doug Popovich, and Bradley Wester.
The primary sponsor of PorchFest wasC. Brito Construction & the Brito Family.
Other community partners, who helped fund the event included BayCoast Bank; Discover Newport; the Town of Bristol; and Pivotal Brewing Company which crafted a line of special beers for the event.
