Every April, for nearly 25 years, Communiversity filled the streets of downtown Princeton. Once a wonderful “town and gown” collaboration, bringing residents and their guests out on a beautiful day, it had grown to an overcrowded event with 40,000+ visitors – mostly non-locals. When COVID hit in 2020, it gave the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) a moment to pause and rethink if this was still the best way to share the arts with the community.
ENTER PORCHFEST
In April 2022, Princeton Porchfest had its debut as part of April ARTs – a monthlong collaboration between ACP and Princeton University. The event, like many held in communities across the country, invites neighbors to make their front porches available to local musicians who perform throughout the day. Now entering its fifth year, Princeton Porchfest is anticipating controlled large crowds and lots of amazing music on April 25th from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“Porchfest spreads the love all around Princeton, both physically and metaphorically. Instead of attendees crammed in one location, folks have the freedom to partake however they’d like: go to one porch, hit them all, or meet somewhere in the middle. Grab a bite from a business down on Nassau that doesn’t typically reap the benefits of downtown events,” explains Melissa Kuscin, ACP Director of Programming and Events. “Our very own residents are contributing their homes to make it possible, lending a true homegrown feel to the day. Meet your neighbors. Make a new friend. However you do it, there’s no wrong way to Porchfest.”
With 18 locations on the map this year (available on the website ahead of the event), music will fill the air down Witherspoon Street, on Birch Avenue, across Jefferson Road, Moore Street, Chestnut Street, Linden Lane, Queenston Lane, Aiken Avenue, and Nassau Street. The university is offering up space at Maclean House and new this year, also at Princeton University Art Museum. Palmer Square green and Hinds Plaza will additionally be sites for live sounds. This year, storytelling & poetry will also be performed.
A UNIQUE COMMUNITY EVENT
“This event is a lovely, low-key vibe, right in my hometown that I’m just proud to be a part of,” expresses musician Maria Palmer-Maurer, a singer-songwriter who describes her sound as adult contemporary folk pop. “It’s a personal event — with people right there with you, enjoying the moment and the music. I love sharing my art with my friends who know I write and play and I also love finding new people that appreciate song writing and original music by locals.”
Maria took to the mic for the inaugural event and has been a part of Princeton Porchfest ever since. For this fifth year, she will be performing some of her original songs along with a cover or two people can sing along with. She’ll share her music with guitarist Paul Pessutti, and the duo can be found at 225 Birch Avenue at 1pm.
“I think it’s a beautiful event that brings all styles of music to the community. It connects people in a simple way and gives musicians a space to be authentic. Porchfest has a real celebratory feel and the town is literally ‘humming’ all day long.”
In 2022, Porchfest saw about 500 people in attendance. In 2025, it welcomed more than 3,500. This year, with some enhancements and adjustments, it hopes to grow even more.
ANNUAL EVOLUTIONS
“We’re thrilled to announce our new closing concert location: Hinds Plaza. Triumph will be pouring beer, we’ll be selling limited-edition T-shirts, and there’s a really fun, special schedule: it kicks off with Story & Verse, our poetry & storytelling open mic, followed by DJs from WPRB Princeton spinning a live vinyl set,” Kuscin shares. “A great (new to Porchfest!) alternative act called The Band Palm takes it from there, and to wrap it all up, high-energy, blues/rock band Tony and The Trees will play our closing concert. Every other porch ends at 5pm, and at 5:15 Tony and his gang will take the Hinds Plaza stage for a cumulative set for us all to rock out.”
The streets will be filled with 90 unique acts, including a variety of styles from alternative to blues, classic to hard rock. At 45 Linden Lane, as they have for all Porchfests, the Sourland Mountain String Band will perform at 3pm. A Bluegrass band consisting of Michael Abrams (Banjo), Arleigh V. Closser (Mandolin, Guitar), Stefan Gromoll (Guitar, Fiddle), and Mark Young (Bass), their music features instrumental solos and three-part vocal harmonies.
“It’s a massive showcase for Princeton’s small businesses and the Arts Council’s mission to keep the town’s creative culture accessible. It turns private front porches into public stages, which creates this really unique, welcoming energy you don’t get at a traditional cordoned-off festival,” recalls Arleigh, a member of the Sourland Mountain String Band ensemble. “Imagine walking through the Tree Streets (e.g., “Maple,” “Chestnut,” Linden, Spruce etc.) or over toward the Arts Council and hearing everything from a 40-person choir to a teenage garage band or a professional jazz trio—all within a short walk-block . People bring lawn chairs, kids are on scooters, and neighbors who might only wave from their cars are suddenly sharing a patch of grass and discovering a local artist together. It’s DIY, intimate, and entirely free.”
Whereas towards the end of Communiversity local businesses found the crowds kept business away, Princeton Porchfest’s spread out layout enables more opportunity. This year, music will likely drive traffic to locations like Locomotion and Studio Hillier, both on Witherspoon Street, who have offered up their space for performers. While the word is growing, the hope is this local event will continue to enhance the community.
Arleigh and others love the fact that on this day, the “town and gown” divide seems to disappear, and Princeton is one community.
“Creating an event that feels so Princeton is just a total joy. Residents both contribute porches and take to the streets to participate. Business owners put sandwich boards outside with specials to appeal to music lovers. We partner with the University to feature two stages of student performances,” Kuscin details. “Every age group is represented in both performers and attendees. That’s the power of live music and Porchfest specifically – something for everyone!”
CONTINUED SHOPPING TRADITIONS
For those still missing the vendor-aspect of Communiversity, that will be available one week after Porchfest, when ACP holds its fifth annual Princeton Art Bazaar. Rather than close down much of the town, only Paul Robeson Place will shut to house the vendor booths – where more than 100 are expected to participate. Additionally, a Bazaar Bodega will take place on Hinds Plaza for creations you can eat and drink, studios will be open within ACP for hands-on art making, and a Triumph Beer Garden (with live music) will fill the ACP parking lot.
Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!