Porchfest takes over Virginia-Highland for year two

When the newly formed Virginia Highland District created a neighborhood Porchfest music event that mirrored the long-running Oakhurst festival, organizers expected that a few thousand people would spend a spring day listening to a handful of bands play on porches throughout the neighborhood. By nightfall, 20,000 people had spent time reveling in one of the first neighborhood events since the pandemic began.

Christina Carrick, Virginia Highland District’s director of community outreach, said she remembers thinking of that first festival in 2021, “I don’t know who’s going to want to do this; I don’t know who’s going to want to show up.” In the end, 50 bands had performed on more than 40 porches.

“There were a couple of times where I got emotional because this was not at all what we envisioned,” she said of the DIY festival. “It just blew our minds.”

The second iteration of Virginia Highland Porchfest takes over the neighborhood May 14 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with more than 70 bands on 55 porches, lawns and driveways between Virginia Avenue and Drewry Street. The festival includes vendors, food trucks, a ticketed VIP experience and a costumed, one-mile Rock ‘n’ Run race around the festival grounds. More information is at virginiahighlanddistrict.com/porchfest.

This year’s event builds on the success of the first Porchfest. When Carrick asked for resident feedback after the festival, she frequently heard words like “magical” and the phrase “the best event I’ve gone to in Atlanta.” Still, there are some things Carrick and her team will do differently this time around. Since they were anticipating a small crowd, many of the vendors ended up running out of food early in the day. With the knowledge that the crowd size could double from last year, the food trucks will come prepared. She also said that unlike last year, houses along North Highland will not be participating due to safety concerns on a busy street. Hours have also been extended to allow for more bands that will bring a wider mix of genres to the neighborhood.

Emily Dodd, who plays guitar in the bands Tuesday Nights Live (11 a.m.) and Fruit for All (3 p.m., both at 935 Virginia Circle), has had thrilling community-oriented experiences at both Oakhurst and Virginia-Highland porchfests. Though it can be tricky fitting the seven-piece Tuesday Nights band on small porches, she said it’s always been a blast.