TOWER PORCHFEST: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHAT IS THIS?
The Tower Porchfest is a grassroots community music event in Fresno, California where front porches become stages, yards become venues, and radical generosity and good will rule the day. The mission of Tower Porchfest is to build community through music and art.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Tower Porchfest is much more an afternoon of coordinated yard performances than it is a conventional festival. There’s no real boss, no specific enclosed or protected area, and everything you see, eat, or experience exists only because someone decided to step up and make it happen. All of our day-of operations and oversight gets delegated to our hundreds of volunteering neighbors and thousands of guests, making every porch, porch host, performer, vendor and attendee a de facto co-creator and real-time manager of the event. The organizing committee, such that it is, exists only to manage basic front-end and day of logistics, coordinate performances, promote the day, and provide communication to all involved in support of a safe and successful day.
For attendees, all normal rules of law and order apply and, just like any other day, everyone remains responsible for their own behavior and welfare when moving from yard to yard. Wander around, keep yourself safe, and watch out for others. Pretty simple.
WHEN'S IT HAPPENING?
Everything goes down Saturday, April 29, 2023, from Noon to 8 PM.
WHERE DOES IT TAKE PLACE?
Tower Porchfest takes place in the Historic Tower District neighborhood in Fresno, California. Made up of an incredible array of classic housing types – ranging from granny flats, townhouses, and apartments to craftsman bungalows and mansions. The residents and business owners have a unified sense of pride and ownership in the entire district that makes The Tower a true neighborhood and one of the safest areas in Fresno. The event boundaries are for porches located within Fruit to Blackstone and Belmont to Shields.
Our event is spread across the entire neighborhood, filling roughly 3 square miles. Our 2023 event area is shown here.
WHO ORGANIZES THIS?
The Tower Porchfest is brought to you by Creative Fresno and the Tower Porchfest Organizing Committee, countless musicians, Tower neighbors, and volunteers.
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2023?
Look for news on how this year’s Porchfest will unfold as we get closer to the event. Announcements get made on our Facebook page and our Instagram feed – so follow there.
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
It starts with a neighbor finding a performer to host or a band/performer finding a neighbor who will host them. Either way, once a match is made Porch Hosts register their connection.