Big crowds turn out for small-town event

Otherwise subdued porches and front yards came to life Sunday afternoon with nearly every genre of music one could hope for in a porch-to-porch walking tour.

The second annual Porchfest brought out Napans and visitors on foot and bike to sample the musical talents Napa has to offer. Roughly 80 performers took to makeshift stages on about 60 porches in historic parts of the city.

The great thing is that its local artists, local musicians, and weve kept it local, organizer Rachael Clark said.

Though the numbers of porches and bands have doubled from last years debut, Napa Porchfest is still a small-town event thats spread out enough to prevent overcrowding among attendees, Clark said. She couldnt estimate how many would attend the event that was hosted by Napa County Landmarks and the Napa Valley Destination Council, but said organizers expected about 250 last year and got 2,500.

It gives us chills, she said of the warm reception to the East Coastinspired, three-hour-long event. We might be pioneering a new thing in the Bay Area.

Mayor Jill Techel said it was nice to see residents taking pride in their homes and local musicians interacting with attendees.

To see neighbors, to see people you know, to see kids on bikes, its a great way for the community to get together, she said.

Laura Thomas, of Suisun City, came out to a house on Oak Street with her children and her husband, who was playing in a band there. She said Porchfest reminded her of living in a small town in Iowa.

It has turned out to be a very successful street party, she said from her shade-covered collapsible chair. Im originally from Iowa and they used to have street parties, but this is a lot more sophisticated.

Thomas called the event, in which groups of friends and families strolled from one house to the next, a marathon of bands that encourages you to be social.

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Big crowds turn out for small-town event