Baldwin Porch Fest is this month

Following the success of Baldwin concerts held last summer at Silver Lake Park, the Baldwin Civic Association, led by Vice President Marguerite Keller, is gearing up to introduce the community to Baldwin Porchfest on Aug. 31, in celebration of International Playing Music on the Porch Day.

“The Baldwin Civic Association is excited to host our newest family-friendly event, aimed at showcasing the talent in our community and giving neighbors the opportunity to meet and commune with one another through our very first ‘Porch Fest,’” Kimberly Malone, Baldwin Civic Association president, wrote to the Herald.

The support from previous events, such as an arts and crafts festival, food truck Fridays Twilight Yoga and Oktoberfest, inspired Keller and volunteers to envision something even bigger: a Porch Fest, where people perform in their driveways, their front porches, big or small and lawns to showcase their musical skills.

Since the announcement last month, roughly a dozen musicians representing various genres, including folk and rock, have signed up to perform from their porches, according to Keller. A map detailing the locations and times of the performances will be published day of, allowing attendees to move from house to house and enjoy the different acts.

A Porch Fest is not something new as community members in Long Beach and Rockville Centre have introduced it in their communities. Most recently last year in Long Beach as the event was immediately evident, with over two-dozen performers participating, the Herald previously reported.

To kickstart the day in Baldwin, there will be a barbershop quartet performance at the Kellogg House, located at 960 Merrick Rd in Baldwin at 12 p.m.

“Because the house is historical, I figured, let me get music from that time period of that house, and I came up with the barbershop quartet,” Keller said.

The home was constructed in the 1900s.

The event will conclude at the Baldwin Community Garden at 1980 Grand Ave. with a jazz performance.

“Given our mission to foster our wonderfully diverse community and to maintain (and improve) the quality of life in Baldwin, we hope our neighbors will come out, enjoy, and then join the BCA and help us to do even more to make our town great,” Malone wrote.

Still encouraging performers to sign up, Keller has been using social media and distributing flyers to ensure a diverse lineup and several performances showcasing Baldwin’s talent. To become involved, email BaldwinPorchFest@gmail.com.

“The goal is to spend a day listening to music, meeting new people, meeting your neighbors, and really just having a nice day,” Keller said.