UPDATE: PorchFest on Oct. 7 has been canceled due to the threat of inclement weather, so the simultaneous Historic City of Jefferson Foundation fundraiser kickoff is also canceled. Organizers of the fundraiser say the campaign will still be officially underway as of Oct. 8, and they will be sending out letters and appeals and asking people to get involved through other means.
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EARLIER COVERAGE:
After Jefferson City's inaugural PorchFest in May proved to be a success, organizers are looking forward to hosting a second one later this fall.
PorchFest will be 1-4 p.m. Oct. 7 in the 500-700 block of East Capitol Avenue. So far, the free event will feature 14 residential and commercial porches and front yards. There also will be food trucks, crafts and dance groups, organizer Leann Porrello told the Jefferson City Cultural Arts Commission on Tuesday.
Each participating porch will have about three acts set to perform on them, and those acts will include dancing, singing and artwork.
"The thing we love about it so much is it's a complete community event," Porrello said. "It really highlights cultural arts in a broad sense with all of the different art mediums. It was very organic and interactive, which is awesome. A lot of people came out and were dancing on the porches and singing and going from porch to porch."
The Cultural Arts Commission; Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department; and Avenue HQ are sponsoring the event.
Property owners interested in offering their porches or front yards, as well as performers interested in participating in the event, can contact Porrello by Sept. 30 at 573-635-8355.
More than 1,500 attended PorchFest in May to watch about 25 musicians and visual artists showcase their talents, Porrello said. Many of the artists from May said they would take part in the October PorchFest, she added.
The commission approved setting aside $1,500 for the fall event Tuesday. It approved $1,000 for the spring PorchFest earlier this year.
PorchFest does not just shine a light on local talent, Porrello said. It also gives the community a look at historic preservation efforts along East Capitol Avenue.
"It's a beautiful area and to get that many people to come out and not only interact with the artists but to see the houses, see the porches," Porrello said. "That's what's really important - to bring awareness to these areas that could use revitalization."