Music lovers flocked to neighborhoods on the East Side recently to hear some of Rhode Island’s best musical talent.
And, unlike concerts that are becoming ever less affordable, Porchfest is always free. All the bands donated their considerable time and talent. The first Porchfest was the seed that has sprouted musical flowers.
Back in 2023, there were fewer than 100 acts on a handful of porches and front yards, as compared to the 2026 edition that featured nearly 100 acts, along with a waiting list of nearly 200 musicians.
Another fabulous example of generosity and musical abundance in the Creative Capital.
The idea for Porchfest was originally a grass-roots effort by a group of music lovers in Ithaca, New York, in 2007. Since then, the Porchfest idea has spread to the Boston area, up and down the East Coast, and to parts of the rest of the country.
For example, several Boston-area communities have Porchfest on several days to accommodate demand in different parts of cities, including Cambridge and Somerville.
It’s as though Porchfest took its inspiration from that mythical event, Woodstock. That three-day festival, back in the summer of 1969, saw nearly 600,000 concert lovers converge on Bethel, New York to hear legends including Janis Joplin, the Who, and Jimi Hendrix. While Providence Porchfest may not have those crowds, the event surely had die-hard music lovers, despite some tough weather, hear a variety of up-and-coming talent, whose musical styles ranged from jazz, to blues, rock, and Americana roots music.
In an era when an avalanche of negativity bombards the average consumer, sometimes making a person feel helpless, alone, and depressed, along comes Porchfest. Organizers realize that cynicism is not the strategy to deal with tough times. Rather, it is music; that’s the common thread which brings us together.
As Hillary Clinton so aptly said, “It takes a village to raise a child.” It also takes that same distributed effort for Porchfest.
Peter Evangelista, owner of World Trophies in Providence, along with Brendan Kinnell, are the founders of Providence Porchfest.
Evangelista said his daughter, who lived in Somerville and has been to Porchfest in that city, suggested the idea to him to do it here.
The two men, using their own money in the beginning to pay for Porchfest T-shirts and other expenses, were the inspiration for its success. This year, along with several core organizers, including a math teacher and a local marketing professional, they developed a Porchfest website that listed the bands, set times, and locations.
Evangelista’s get-up-and-go attitude is a lot of what Porchfest is about. “It really is an idea based on community, open up your heart, and open up your porch,” he said optimistically during a phone interview.
“This is a grass-roots movement, local East Side residents and the city continue to be very generous, while we were novices back in 2023 we have since developed a mailing list, app, and a spread sheet that helps us organize the ever-growing springtime music smorgasbord.”
He adds, “My friend, Mark Cutler, who is part of the band Men of Great Courage, played a big part in putting together the event back in 2023.”
Despite some band cancelations due to weather, this year’s edition of Porchfest went well, said Evangelista.
“With a budget of about $4,000, we were able to cover the costs of permits, police and insurance for Porchfest 2026,” he added.
“It’s a labor of love,” said Evangelista.
As the show-biz phrase goes, “The show must go on.” One of the acts that really was a favorite during Porchfest was “Little Miss and the Boom.” The 7-piece band, fronted by Emily Monachino, aka Little Miss, and her husband Ben, on guitar, blend big band arrangements, bluesy ballads, and sultry love songs, paying homage to singers and styles including Frank Sinatra, Billy Holiday, and Chicago blues.
Despite threatening weather, the band from Mansfield, MA had a crowd of nearly 100 music lovers for their set.
“We played for nearly an hour, and you could really feel the energy of Porchfest; the band really feeds off the audience every time we play,” said Little Miss, aka Emily, during a phone interview.
Little Miss and the Boom have a growing following in Southern New England and gig at places including Chan’s in Woonsocket, Scullers in Cambridge, and the Blue Room in Cranston.
Another longtime RI musical favorite who played this year was Chris Monti. His blend of jazz, blues, and roots music was well received at Porchfest.
Monti, who has an unusual career as a therapy musician, works full-time playing for patients at several area hospitals, including Bradley Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital.
With more great summer weather ahead, Porchfest will continue in the Boston area through September. For more information, go to the website Greater Boston Porchfest Guide: porchfest.info
So, either jump in your car or save the gas and use the MBTA commuter rail to get there, and Happy 2026 Porchfest.