Things to Do

Petworth Porchfest Will Bring Together Nearly 100 Bands, Singers, and Other Acts

The free performances will take place on stoops throughout the DC neighborhood on Saturday.

Petworth Porchfest logo designed by Maria Mandle and Laurie Bailer.

If you’ve missed live shows during the pandemic, consider heading to Petworth  Saturday afternoon, where some 100 performers are set to fill the streets with music.

The first ever Petworth Porchfest will bring together bands, dancers, and singers from a spectrum of genres—hip hop, jazz, folk, classical, and indie pop, to name a few. The performances will take place on more than 60 porches throughout the neighborhood, and last about 45 minutes each.

Clara Haskell Botstein and fellow organizers were inspired by porchfests in other parts of DC, such as the one that happens annually in Adams Morgan. Botstein says they wanted their neighbors to have a chance to come together, while supporting local artists and businesses that have struggled during the pandemic. 

While attendees can pop in at any point during the hours-long festival, the event will start at the “main stage” at 1:30 PM with remarks from Ward 4 councilmember Janeese Lewis George and at-large councilmember Christina Henderson. This stage, located at 843 Upshur St., NW, will then feature performances from local artists Uptown XO, Luke Stewart, Maggie Yacoub, Marcelle Pena, and Finding Rhythm Collective.

Botstein says she hopes this will be just the beginning of an annual Petworth Porchfest. The event is Saturday, April 24 from 1:30 PM to 6 PM. It’s free to attend, and you can find the entire lineup of performances and locations here.