Are you ready for Porchfest?

As Jed Clampett might say, “C’mon an’ set a spell.” Porchfest Vankleek Hill 2016 organizers and supporters are getting ready to welcome everyone and anyone to sit back and relax and enjoy a little pickin’, a bit of grinnin’, and a whole lot of fun listening to good music and enjoying everything else offered during the day, on July 23 on top of The Hill.

“Porchfest events have been going on for 10 years in North America,” said Ken Duff, one of the organizers behind last year’s Porchfest Vankleek Hill. He’s involved in preparations for this year’s event and so far everything is coming together like a jigsaw puzzle with numbered pieces and a diagram showing where they all fit.

The original Porchfest was in Ithaca, New York, and began as a grassroots effort to counteract the increasing gentrification of much of the community by yuppie speculators. Duff noted that the whole Porchfest philosophy emphasizes celebrating the community and local arts and music and culture.

“Most places doing Porchfests do it as a community building activity,” he said.

Vankleek Hill, with its wealth of cultural festivals and celebrations throughout the spring, summer and autumn months, has a strong sense of community pride. Duff credits the inspiration for last year’s Porchfest in the village to his daughter, Alison, who had experienced and enjoyed similar community festivals around the Montreal area and thought it might be a fun thing for Vankleek Hill residents to add to their event calendar.

Last year’s inaugural Porchfest Vankleek Hill took place July 15 and featured 21 musicians, individuals and groups, setting up on 20 covered porches around the village to entertain passers-by. “We had about 500 people roaming the streets last year, listening to the music,” Duff said.

Porchfest takes place within an eight-by- four-block area of the Top of the Hill neighbourhood in Vankleek Hill. Specifics about where to listen to who will be part of a detailed listing at www.porchfestvankleekhill.ca. Duff predicts a little something for everyone to enjoy.

“Last year we had music, dancing, Acadian storytelling,” he said. “We’ve already got 26 artists signed up for this year, both local and coming in from Ottawa, Montreal, and Kingston. Last year we had more porches volunteered (as stages) than we had performers. So we’re hoping for lots of porches offered again for performers. I am really excited about this year.”

Potential performers for Porchfest Vankleek Hill 2016, and those with covered porches to offer as venues, can get contact details at the website.