Keel In The Hurricane performs live during PorchFest 2017. Credit: Michael Cirlos for the San Antonio Report
Nine bands played on nine different house porches Saturday in the first Alta Vista and Beacon Hill PorchFest. More than 100 people showed up to listen to the tunes.
“About a year ago we kinda threw the idea around because we’d heard about it in other cities,” said Jennifer Khoshbin, one of the organizers of the event and the owner of the porch where Keel and the Hurricanes played. “It was set up so that one porch led to the other throughout the entire day.”
Khoshbin worked with Christina Wright and April Breiten, all members of a group named Alta Vista Arts, to create an experience for their community.“The idea of PorchFest is in line with what we like to see happening in the neighborhood, and there’s plenty of musicians here,” Khoshbin said. “We’re hoping it enriches the community by making a person feel good about where they live and the people they’re around.”
Although the idea and planning came from the Alta Vista Arts group, homes in Beacon Hill also were used for some of the shows.
“We spread to Beacon Hill to be more inclusive,” Khoshbin said. “Half of the homes were in Alta Vista and the other half in Beacon Hill.”
Neighbors unite in Alta Vista for PorchFest 2017. Credit: Michael Cirlos for the San Antonio Report
Little was done to advertise or promote the show. A smaller turnout allowed for the group to see how it worked for the first time.
Brackenridge Park Conservancy Executive Director Lynn Bobbitt compared PorchFest to Southtown’s First Fridays.
“This was how First Friday started,” Bobbitt said. “It was about building community and having fun with your neighbors.”
Sarah Woolsey, a new resident to Alta Vista, said that PorchFest is an event meant for those individuals who are interested in meeting new people and learning more about the community.
“I love that Alta Vista is a very diverse neighborhood, and people with different backgrounds can find common ways to connect,” Woolsey said.
JEFFREY SULLIVAN
Jeffrey Sullivan is a Rivard Report reporter. He graduated from Trinity University with a degree in Political Science. More by Jeffrey Sullivan