Modesto Porchfest event brings community together with free live music. Where to go

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Modesto Porchfest is here and organizers, porch hosts and band members are gearing up for what is anticipated to be the biggest event yet.

Porchfest, happening Sunday, May 19, is a community-building event that brings people together through music, organizer Kate Trompetter said.

Residents will host local bands on porches, patios and driveways throughout multiple neighborhoods in Modesto. The performance schedule starts at noon and ends at 5 p.m. A schedule and map, both printable, are at modestoporchfest.com.

Since the event’s launch in 2017, Trompetter and co-organizers Ruhi Sheikh and Tricia Rosenow have worked to grow Porchfest annually.

Trompetter said Porchfest has more than doubled in size since its start — from 30 porches the first year to a planned 68 this year, with most stages hosting multiple acts.

Not every house in Modesto can host a band during Porchfest; boundaries are limited to the downtown, La Loma and college-area neighborhoods.

Wide streets and proximity to downtown make these neighborhoods ideal for the “spirit” of Porchfest, Trompetter said.

Local businesses are supported during this event through purchases made when using their facilities or when stopping by between shows.

Organizers have seen overwhelming support from the neighborhoods, she said, and they plan to keep the event in those areas — though the organizers revisit the geography every year.

“All the hosts have been more than gracious with us about what we need,” said Nick Noble, frontman of the classic-rock cover band Bad Neighbors.

Noble, a Salida resident, said this is the fifth year Bad Neighbors has participated in Modesto Porchfest.

“I feel really fortunate to be able to play these things,” he said. “In my opinion, it’s like the best of the best ’cause you can have fun and everything’s casual.”

This year, Bad Neighbors will play at a house on Terminal Avenue. While the event is great exposure for him and his bandmates, Noble said they do it more for the community engagement and atmosphere, which is far different from playing at bars and other gigs.

“It’s such a nice grassroots community outing,” Noble said. “It’s a really good vibe. Lots of kids, everybody’s happy and smiling.”

The idea to bring Porchfest to Modesto stemmed from Trompetter’s visit to Napa, where she learned about Napa Porchfest, an event dating back to 2011.

From there, Modesto Porchfest “took on a life of its own,” she said.

“We (organizers) just were really interested in creating the kind of activity — and the kind of city — we wanted to spend our lives in and raise our kids in,” Trompetter said.

It’s free to stop and listen to Porchfest performers, but tip jars will be available to benefit the musicians.

Bicycles are a great form of transportation to visit as many porches as you can, the event’s website says.

Food and drinks will be available at some locations and attendees can also bring their own. Organizers ask that garbage be picked up before leaving.

City of Modesto ordinances apply regarding dogs, alcohol and “unruly behavior,” the website says.

While Trompetter and her team deal with the logistics of the event, she said the community has a “collective responsibility” for its ongoing success.

“We are so grateful to people who helped us create an event that will continue for years to come but that really will take all of us,” she said. “It’s about radical generosity. It’s about connecting with each other, and I think any community needs more of that.”

For more information, visit modestoporchfest.com.