Enjoy free, live music at porchfests in and around Boston in 2024

Somerville Porchfest returns to town on May 11, officially kicking off porchfest season in the Boston area. The first porchfest took place in Ithaca, New York in 2007, and the concept has since expanded to cities and towns across the country, bringing amateur musicians together for an afternoon of free, live music from neighborhood porches and front yards. Somerville Porchfest was the Boston area’s first in 2011, and now dozens of communities across the state host their own versions of the bootstrapped music festival. Also, there’s a new local town joining the lineup this year: Watertown.

Ahead, discover where and when you can find porchfests across Massachusetts this year.

Saturday, May 11

Hundreds of musicians will perform on porches around Somerville in one- to two-hour time slots between noon and 6 p.m. depending on where in the city they’re playing. Sets take place all over the city, from Assembly Row to Davis Square — find the full lineup of bands and a map here. The rain date is May 12.

Saturday, May 18

Malden Porchfest returns this year from noon to 7 p.m. with a rain date of May 19. Find the full map and band schedule here.

Saturday, May 18

Watertown will host its first porchfest this year. Performers can play alone or with a group, with instruments or a capella, and other types of performances such as dance and the spoken word are welcome as well, according to the event website. Artists will play sets that are between 30 minutes and two hours long between noon and 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 1

The town southwest of Boston will host its porchfest from noon to 6 p.m. at homes in the Franklin Cultural District, which is concentrated around the town’s common.

Saturday, June 1

Medford Porchfest runs from noon to 5 p.m. and has a rain date of Sunday, June 2. Participants can sign up until May 20 for the afternoon of free performances throughout the town.

Saturday, June 1

Newton Porchfest will feature musicians playing throughout the Auburndale, Lower Falls, and Waban neighborhoods from noon to 6 p.m. Find the full map of acts here.

Saturday, June 1

Dorchester’s third annual porchfest will take place at 23 different locations throughout the Ashmont Adams neighborhood. More information, including the event’s schedule and route, will be announced soon.

Saturday, June 8

West Concord’s free, all-ages porchfest runs from 1 to 5 p.m. and will feature dozens of musical acts all within walking distance of West Concord Village.

Saturday, June 8

Winchester Porchfest, hosted in part by Winchester Friends of Music, brings music, poetry, dance, and storytelling performances to the town from noon to 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 15

A collaboration between the Fenway Community Development Corporation and the Fenway Community Center, Fenway Porchfest comes to the neighborhood from noon to 4:30 p.m. with a mission to showcase local talent and build community and neighborhood goodwill and civic engagement.

Saturday, June 15

Arlington Porchfest will take place between noon and 6 p.m. Performers in the West Zone will play between noon and 4 p.m., and those in the East Zone go on between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 22

Dedham Porchfest is more of an evening endeavor, taking place on porches and lawns around the town from 4 to 8 p.m. Signups are open until June 1, and the fest will take place at properties all over town.

Saturday, June 22

The sixth annual Reading Porchfest will bring dozens of musicians to Reading this year, and the schedule and map will come out in June.

Saturday, June 29

The Merrymount, Wollaston Hill, and Squantum neighborhoods of Quincy will see local artists perform between 3 and 9 p.m. They’re even selling Porchfest Quincy t-shirts to raise funds for the event.

Sunday, July 14

Shelburne Falls, a village in the Western Massachusetts towns of Shelburne and Buckland, will host its porchfest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The sign up is open until May 15.

Saturday, August 10

Musicians will come to porches and lawns along North Falmouth’s Old Main Road for the town’s porchfest in August, presented by the North Falmouth Village Association.

Saturday, August 24

Wellfleet Porchfest will be held rain or shine this August. The schedule is TBA, and there are still have some 2023 Porchfest t-shirts available on the event’s website.

Saturday, September 7

Belmont saw more than 2,300 people attend the porchfest performances of 80 bands in 2023. This year’s event takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the period to sign up is from July 1-31.

Sunday, September 8

The Sharon Porchfest, which aims to strengthen the community and foster a sense of cohesion, will announce the schedule for its September event in the coming months.

Saturday, September 14

Plum Island on the North Shore holds its Porchfest from noon to 6 p.m., hosting over 50 bands and collecting donations for the Boys and Girls Club of Lower Merrimack Valley.

Saturday, September 14

Hull Porchfest was inspired “by the many successful music festivals staged in MA communities (and beyond) to bring citizens together in a new and fun way,” according to the website. More details will be released closer to the event.

Saturday, September 14

Swampscott Porchfest will run from noon to 6 p.m. and registration is now open. The event is hosted by ReachArts, Swampscott’s community art center.

Saturday, September 21

Melrose Porchfest “celebrates local artists, our beautiful city and the amazing people who live here,” according to its website. The schedule will be announced closer to the date. The rain date is Sept. 22.

Saturday, September 21

Milton Porchfest will return for the seventh year and feature dozens of performers within walking distance of each other in the town’s Columbine Cliff’s neighborhood, mostly along Eliot Street.

Sunday, October 6

Described as “a community gathering of friends, neighbors & great music,” Maynard Porchfest returns this year and more details will be announced closer to the date.

Saturday, October 12

The second annual Woburn Porchfest will take place this October, and the city will release more information on its Facebook page in the coming months.