ALL ABOUT ROXYUNK PORCHFEST
1. WHAT is RoxYunk Porchfest?
RoxYunk Porchfest is a do-it-yourself music festival where bands and other musical acts play free live shows for the public throughout the day, and neighbors throughout Roxborough and Manayunk volunteer to host them at their porches, driveways, yards, and etc.
2. WHERE is it?
RoxYunk Porchfest takes place in the Roxborough-Manayunk neighborhoods of Philadelphia – the approximate boundaries for participating porches are Main Street to the South, Dawson Street to the East, Fountain Street to the West, and Ridge Ave to the North.
Hosts within the 19127/19128 but outside of these boundaries can still participate if they want, but will have to find their own performers. We try to keep the festival as walkable as possible!
3. WHEN is it?
RoxYunk Porchfest 2025 is on Saturday, October 11th, from noon to 6pm. The festival ends officially at 6pm, but hosts sometimes choose to keep the party going longer.
If needed, we will utilize our rain date of Sunday, October 12th, and the show will go on, rain or shine.
4. WHY is it?
Why not?
But actually, we do this to promote our local music scene and bring our neighborhood together for a day of free music and general merriment.
5. WHO is it?
It’s YOU! And your neighbors, your friends, and anyone with a willing pair of ears. Whether you have a musical act, a porch, both, or neither. This event is free to all to participate or attend!
6. HOW is it?
Not too bad, how about yourself?
Just kidding.
The HOW of it all – how it works – depends on what you want to do.
For attendees: Just show up! Take a stroll around the RoxYunk anywhere between noon to 6pm on Porchfest day. You can navigate using our map of shows (which will be available a few weeks before the day) or just wander around with your ears peeled and follow the tunes. Check out a block party or a yard sale, stop for food on Main street or Ridge ave, make a day of it!
For participants: If you want to perform, we can match you with someone in the neighborhood and you will play a free show on their porch. If you want to host, we can find you a performer for you to host on your porch. Either way, you can start by filling out our signup form (found on our home page), and reading the FAQs below for more info on hosting or performing!
Questions for Hosts
1. What does being a Host mean?
Being a host means that on the day of Porchfest, part of your home (your porch, driveway, front yard, stoop, or what have you) will become a venue where musical guests will perform.
2. What are the requirements to be a Host?
You will need a space outside your home that can comfortably fit a musical act and which faces a publicly accessible area. There should also be enough space in front of your home where the passerby can stop and enjoy the music. It is important that you have the right or permission to use your porch/outdoor area for this purpose. Some examples include driveways, yards, balconies, sidewalks, and side streets.
Your space should also have easy access to a power supply, but if you do not, please let us know in the form when you sign up. If your space isn’t that big, please make a note that in your signup – we can hook you up with some solo acts or acoustic duos.
Recommended assets also include an available bathroom for performers, and a space to keep instruments/gear when not in use (guitar cases, etc).
If you’re the type of person who likes to go above and beyond, you can throw a party, a yard sale, sell your wares, host a BBQ, advertise your performers with flyers or on social media, and more! Our hearts are overcome with joy when we see porch hosts go above and beyond with their duties.
3. How do I find acts to perform on my porch?
Essentially, we do the work of finding acts for you. Unless you don’t want us to (see no.4 below.) Taking the details of your porch submission under consideration, we will assign you a group of around 3 musicians to perform on your porch. We will try to keep it in the same genre, or assign acts that can “work” together. So please, tell us your music genre preferences, and we will try our best to give you something you can rock to during your Porchfest day. To see some examples of acts we’ve had at RoxYunk Porchfest, check out this Spotify Playlist.
4. Can I choose the acts I want to host?
Absolutely! Here’s how you do it: When you sign up on our form, please note if there are specific acts you’d like to host. Ask the performers to submit a form as well, and note that they’d like to be hosted at your house. Please email info@roxyunkporchfest.com with any concerns or requests about your lineup!
5. I want to host, but so do my neighbors. What do I do?
Not a problem! You can work it out together – coordinate to host a block party, stagger your acts, or combine them to create a mini festival. Email us if you need further help coordinating.
Questions for Performers
1. How do I sign up for Porchfest?
Fill out our application, which can be found on our home page. Please note that we address our submissions in batches, so it may take a few weeks to hear from us.
2. What do I have to bring to Porchfest?
That’s entirely up to you, for the most part. This is as DIY as it gets. We strongly encourage gear share amongst performers, be it a PA system, amps, microphones, drum kits, or whatever is needed. None of these items are required, but we may ask you to share what you have with the other acts on your porch if needed.
3. Do I get paid to perform at Porchfest?
Nope. This is a free event for the public, done out of passion for community and music. However, you can always talk to your porch host about having a tip jar at your porch.
Questions for Everyone Else
1. How do I prepare for Porchfest?
If you are a host or a performer, we will be in contact with you to go over details, last minute changes, and etc.
If you want to attend, you can check out our map [link] and listen to our playlist of artists for this year to get an idea of what’s exciting to you! This will be made available on the site closer to October. In the meantime, you can follow us @roxyunkporchfest on Instagram and Bluesky for all the latest updates.
On the day, wear your walking shoes and bring your sunscreen/water bottle. Come early for our kickoff party at 11am (check our website for details to follow), and don’t forget to bring a friend or two!
2. What if I don’t want to host or perform, but I want to be involved some other way?
You are in luck! We highly encourage all kinds of community engagement. Maybe you want to have a yard sale, a bake sale, or a lemonade stand. Maybe you want to hold a clothing swap, offer Tarot readings, or sell your art/plants/various wares. Let us know how you want to be involved by filling out our form (found on our home page) and we will put you on the Porchfest map for all to see!