Somerville’s Porchfest Sees Changes in 2025 with New Safety Measures

The Somerville Arts Council is making changes to the 14th annual Porchfest, scheduled for Saturday, May 10. 

Attendees will notice entire streets removed from the map, a new application process with a required porch badge pickup, and a roving ambassador program to lend eyes and ears on the streets and direct festival attendees.

In a statement provided to the Cambridge Day, Arts Council events manager Iaritza Menjivar explained the necessity of the changes. “Porchfest has grown so much for the last few years, and Guster was just an additional reason as to why we needed to add more restrictions. The event has grown out of its capacity — out of our capacity — and we're just trying to find ways to keep the events around.”

Last year, Guster, an internationally touring indie rock band with local ties, performed a free set that had crowds of people packing Aberdeen Road in Spring Hill. Guster's presence boosted the overall festival attendance to an estimated 30,000.

According to the Cambridge Day, this year's performers are expected to number close to 500.

One of the biggest changes to the annual music festival that performs on porches and houses around the city is the restriction on “high-traffic streets” from participating.

Menjivar explained that the excluded streets are major thoroughfares. Keeping them clear means emergency vehicles and community members can get through Somerville during Porchfest.

This year, a new application process required contact information from bands and set a requirement for porch monitors. This nonband member oversees each performance that musicians registered for alongside the band members themselves. A new badge system also requires a placard to be displayed on participating porches to promote which porches and people are involved.

Although some complaints about the changes have been made, many performers say the new registration requirements and protocols are something they're taking in stride.

“The registration process was more intense than in previous years, but nothing unreasonable,” said Alasdair MacKenzie, a bassist and vocalist of the Somerville indie band the Hush Club, in an interview with the Cambridge Day.