Grace Farmer
Advertising & Social Media Manager | Music Enthusiast
Athens community comes together to host fourth annual Porchfest
By Grace Farmer
Historic Athens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to foster an appreciation for historic buildings, neighborhoods and heritage. In 2019, the non-profit hosted its first Porchfest which included 67 porches and 69 performers.
Despite worries of Hurricane Ian in the days leading up to the festival, the weather on Sunday was sunny and 70 degrees inviting residents to enjoy the festivities.
According to Tommy Valentine, Historic Athens Executive Director, the turnout for this year’s event was an estimated 13,000 people - double the estimated amount of last year’s festival.
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Community members of all ages gathered along the streets of Athens for the fourth annual Porchfest on Sunday. People rode bikes, parked their cars and brought their dogs to hang out on the lawns of houses located in six historic Athens neighborhoods.
The event was organized by Historic Athens and sponsored by local business Cafe Racer, featuring 155 free events at over 150 locations in the Boulevard, Buena Vista Heights, Cobbham, Newtown, Normaltown and Pulaski Heights neighborhoods.
Community members of Athens crowded the historic districts’ streets and sidewalks with their bikes, dogs and bake sales. The sunny weather and music performed by local and out-of-town bands made for a way to honor the heritage and history of six neighborhoods. (Photo/Grace Farmer)
Community members of Athens crowded the historic districts’ streets and sidewalks with their bikes, dogs and bake sales. The sunny weather and music performed by local and out-of-town bands made for a way to honor the heritage and history of six neighborhoods. (Photo/Grace Farmer)
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The crowd consisted of around 30 attendees bobbing their heads and cheering. Visc has played Atlanta Porchfest for the past two years and decided to make the trip to Athens this year.
According to the drummer, Daniel Lane, the band found out about the event through an Instagram post sent to him and said, “hey, let’s give it a try.”
Paul Quick and his wife were amongst many residents who volunteered to host on their porch again this year.
“It’s a great way to combine the two things, you know, the two things about Athens that are greater - the historic architecture and a music town. So you put those two things together and you got a great Sunday,” said Quick.
Sarah Brendel and her husband hosted on the porch of their navy blue house shaded by palm trees located on Cobb Street. The performer, Hunter Morris and Blue Blood is a friend of the family and drew a crowd of close to 100 people to enjoy the melodic sounds.
“I love just bringing the community together for a fun, free event that, you know, there’s no pressure in any way,” said Brendel.
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Children in the community participated in the charity aspect of the festival by selling baked goods on the sidewalk and donating the proceeds to the local homeless shelter. (Photo/Grace Farmer)
Children in the community participated in the charity aspect of the festival by selling baked goods on the sidewalk and donating the proceeds to the local homeless shelter. (Photo/Grace Farmer)
Visc, an indie rock band from Atlanta, kicked off their show during the first time slot of the day. The band played their set on the porch of a charming light gray house with a wraparound porch and stained glass windows located on Hill Street.
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The crowd consisted of around 30 attendees bobbing their heads and cheering. Visc has played Atlanta Porchfest for the past two years and decided to make the trip to Athens this year.
According to the drummer, Daniel Lane, the band found out about the event through an Instagram post sent to him and said, “hey, let’s give it a try.”
Children also participated in the event - whether they were dancing on lawns or selling baked goods with their friends.
The Brendels’ daughter, Vivian, had a bake sale set up on the sidewalk during the show. Vivian and her friends sold macaroons, moraines, brownies, muffins and cookies from a wooden stand with a toy cash register.​
The proceeds from the bake sale were donated to the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, continuing the theme of the day - giving back to the community.
Why I Wrote the Story
I wrote this story to highlight an event that is fun for the local community but is put on each year with the intention of helping preserve and protect the historic districts of Athens. The historic districts are home to many Athens residents and reflect the heritage and history of the city. This assignment taught me that for events it sometimes takes multiple interviews to get good quotes out of bystanders. I also learned that people aren't always willing to do an interview at leisurely events.