around town
L
ast year, on September 28th, a unique festival took place in Milford, the likes of which our Small City with a Big Heart had never seen. The festival, PorchFest, was a huge hit for the community and brought out hundreds of folks to take part in this annual celebration of music. PorchFest itself is an organic grassroots
COURTESY OF MILFORD ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Milford PorchFest
Local musicians entertained Milford residents on porches all around town.
great response,” shared Nash. “It felt almost
of Milford Arts Council (the MAC), the event
global initiative meant to develop
magical, like a giant block party. We left the
was a huge success, a wonderful way to
community and bring together local
commercialism out of it and made it very
embrace what makes Milford so special. “The
musicians and residents for music and fun
neighbor-friendly.”
arts bring us together and music is a huge part
in the casual setting of the front porch.
According to Paige Miglio, Executive Director
of that,” said Miglio.
The town of Ithaca, NY hosted the very first PorchFest, founded by residents Lesley Greene and Gretchen Hildreth, in 2007. Since then, more than 130 communities in the United States and Canada have had their own Porchfests, and the event has also spread beyond North America. Julie Nash, Milford director of Economic and Community Development, was the driving force behind bringing the event to town. Nash, who has attended several PorchFests in the Black Rock neighborhood of Bridgeport, felt that it would be a great fit for Milford. “I’d been thinking about it for a few years, and knowing how successful another music event, Make Music Day, was for Milford, in 2019 I finally pulled the trigger. There was a
12 Milford Living • Summer
Many listeners brough their own chairs to PorchFest locations to relax and enjoy the music.
