Binghamton Porchfest 2017

Binghamton Porchfest is a free celebration of community, music, and togetherness, taking place in Binghamton’s West Side neighborhood for the third year on Sunday, August 27th, 2017. Based on a decentralized, grassroots festival model created by residents of Ithaca, NY in 2007—which has since led to over 85 similar independently operated festivals across the US and Canada—Binghamton Porchfest turns stoops into stages, yards into venues, neighbors into promoters, and the West Side into a gigantic celebration of community togetherness. Over the course of an afternoon, over 40 resident and business hosts lend the use of their front porches to over 100 musical acts, who in turn showcase their tunes to thousands of residents roaming the street by foot or bicycle. The whole neighborhood is invited to be a part—if not as performers or hosts, then by setting up garage sales, lemonade stands and the like.

Porchfest relies on the volunteer and goodwill efforts of hundreds of performers and hosts, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t cost anything to produce. As the festival grows, so to do our costs, which include portable toilets, permits, insurance, program and poster printing, and advertising. Thanks to the generosity of a handful of sponsoring businesses, we’ve raised just enough money to cover our costs for 2017. Cause for celebration, for sure, but we’re not quite out of the woods yet…

 We’re on a mission this year, a mission to give a little something back to the musicians who so selflessly donate their talents and time to Binghamton Porchfest. We’re on a mission to hook all 359 of the 2017 performers up with a free commemorative festival t-shirt. It’s the least we can do to thank them for all their hard work! That’s where you come in, dearest crowd-funders.

 We’ve got just five days to raise the $2250 we need to cover the cost of printing up these fancy-shmancy shirts, and we can’t do it without you. If you’ve attended Binghamton Porchfest in the past, or plan to attend this year, please consider making a donation to help us give back to the musicians that give so much to us. We’ve added a few donor incentives to sweeten the deal for you, but the real incentive is knowing you’ve played an integral part in making the West Side’s most musical tradition come to fruition.

 If we surpass our goal, we’ll work on hooking up all our gracious volunteer hosts with t-shirts as well. And if we surpass that goal, we’ll put the rest of the funds towards establishing Binghamton Porchfest as a certified, sanctified non-profit organization for 2018 and beyond, which would open us up to grant funding so we never have to beg you for cash again. And if we again surpass that goal, well, then we’ll donate the surplus to a local children’s charity.

 Thanks in advance for your support, and we’ll see you on the 27th! West Side is the Fest Side!

(Note: Incentives can be picked up at the Bundy Museum, 129 Main Street, during the Porchfest celebration from noon-7pm on August 27th. If you're donating but cannot attend Binghamton Porchfest, please be sure to include your mailing address when prompted by gofundme and we'll get your swag in the mail the week following the big day.)