Oakhurst Porchfest brings musicians to neighbors’ doorsteps

Venture along Jefferson Place, and you’ll find a combo of middle schoolers admirably interpreting classic rock anthems on a front stoop, their music teacher lending a hand on keyboards. A yard full of onlookers, some sprawling on picnic blankets and others in lawn chairs, watch and clap along while a gaggle of Girl Scouts shill sodas and confections in the driveway. Several doors down, an acoustic duo serves a slice of Americana for a crowd that stretches to the sidewalk. Around the corner, a gospel-inspired group readies their instruments for their upcoming set.

A total of 220 bands each perform one-hour sets on the front porches and in the front yards of 220 different houses located throughout approximately 1 square mile of real estate.

“I love the fact that there are all kinds of music styles, all kinds of different levels of musicians playing, and the fact that you can just cruise on your bike through the neighborhood from one little concert to another,” says Oakhurst resident Hector Amador.

Fast forward to today, and Oakhurst Porchfest co-founder Scott Doyon and his fellow volunteer organizers prepare for the 2018 edition. Taking place from noon-7 p.m. October 13, the fourth installment will likely outgrow its predecessors.

“It’s a labor of love,” Doyon says, “and something I set out to create for the neighborhood that I hope can endure and last after I’m no longer involved.”

Oakhurst Porchfest (oakhurstporchfest.org) came into existence in 2015. Doyon drew inspiration from the original Porchfest, created by Lesley Greene and Gretchen Hildreth in Ithaca, N.Y., in 2007.

An Oakhurst resident since the 1990s, Doyon noticed that, as property values began to climb, newer households of couples both working full time had less time to socialize. Doyon, who serves as a partner in the community building and urban planning firm PlaceMakers, saw Porchfest as a solution.

“My thought was that this neighborhood needs an event,” Doyon says, “that pulls all of these people together in a context where they can just have conversations, enjoy themselves and make connections with each other.”

Doyon thought the concept would fit perfectly with the neighborhood’s walkability, great porches and “this lingering character of funkiness and oddball sensibility.”

In 2015, the park at the center of Oakhurst Village, the neighborhood hub of shops and eateries, was undergoing renovations. Since this was the site of the annual arts and music festival, the event’s organizer, the Decatur Arts Alliance, began looking for event ideas that didn’t require the park. Doyon contacted Angie Macon at the Decatur Arts Alliance, and the inaugural Oakhurst festival took place that October.

Doyon said the popularity and community involvement of the first Porchfest exceeded any expectations, with more than 130 performances. It’s been snowballing since, with the 2016 event bringing in 185 acts, and 2017 growing to 220.

Doyon and the rest of the organizational team, including Macon, Decatur Metro blogger Nick Cavaliere and wife Michelle, handle the logistics. They pair each band with a respective porch host, both of whom sign up on the Porchfest website. There are no size requirements for bands or porches, and the musicians don’t have to be acoustic.

The logistics team coordinates the schedule, ensuring there’s no performance overlap or sound issues with one band’s audio impacting a neighboring house. An annual grant from the Oakhurst Wine Crawl covers expenses, including the printing of posters, off-duty police security and portable toilet rentals.

Come show day, the event firmly rests in the hands of the hosts and the musicians. Having emphasized the importance of each host leading with a spirit of hospitality and promotion, Doyon watches them promote their events as if they were the owner of a venue, complete with yard signs. Others allow charitable organizations to sell food and drinks in their yards.

Halley Cornell of East Atlanta, the lead singer for the post-punk band Ambulette, had no idea the extent of homeowner participation. Last year, she was surprised to see her band’s host, Jim Lennon, haul sofas and a cooler of drinks out onto his driveway for guests.

“He even made us a handmade giant sign for us to hang on the porch that was fashioned after our logo,” she says. “Our drummer now proudly displays that sign in his studio.”

Last year, Amadorand his wife, Christy, played host to Wasted Potential Brass Band, a local favorite that performed at the couple’s wedding 12 years ago. Since the band has a solid following, Amador assumed their home at the end of a street would have ample space.

“We thought we would have 100 people, but we got about 400 people spilling all the way to the corner,” says Amador, who spent a good chunk of the time escorting guests inside to the restroom.

Doyon hopes to to see the event become as self-sufficient as possible. Yet no matter the future of Oakhurst Porchfest, he delights in watching residents give of their time and resources to help make it happen.

“You take this leap and distribute responsibility to hundreds of strangers, cross your fingers, and hope that they’re going to step up and do something great with it,” he says. “They do, and you just feel great. There’s this sense of pride, because you knew they could do it. It’s like how you feel with your kids.”

Insider’s Tip

With limited parking and attendance growing, organizers suggest walking or biking to the event. Hector Amador, who serves as the official photographer for the City of Decatur, had to trade his car for his bicycle when taking photo opportunities during last year’s Porchfest. “I was literally spending more time looking for parking than taking pictures,” he says.

Organizers encourage guests to explore the dining opportunities at Oakhurst Village, including Double Dragon’s Chinese cuisine and the discerning bar bites of Universal Joint. Some porch sites offer such nibbles as barbecue, cookies or cola — just make sure to bring cash.