The Glenside Civic Association (GCA) will host the first annual Glenside Porchfest from 1:00pm – 7:00pm on Saturday, May 9, rain or shine.

According to organizer Shawn Clark Pistorino, a Glenside native and a Bishop McDevitt High School graduate, the event will feature over 50 bands of all styles and genres, including jazz, classical, pop, country, rock, children’s music, and more. 

She said the GCA picked Oakdale Avenue between Roberts and Sylvania avenues “because it’s a nice, cozy, flat street.” The segment will be closed down for performances, food trucks, and local vendors all day, and the surrounding four-block radius will host mini-concerts as well.

Pistorino, a retired full-time vocalist (who happens to be married to Chris Pistorino, a musician and owner of Glenside Accounting), said she was brought in to serve on the GCA’s planning committee because of her professional background in music production.

“An area resident brought the idea to the association, and they just ran with it. There’s a bunch of helping out with the planning,” she said, noting that the GCA hopes that Porchfest will complement Glenside’s existing festival scene.

“We wanted to branch out from what is typically performed: Classical, jazz, country musicians, chamber music, harpists, and rock bands, things we don’t typically see around here too much,” she said. “We’ve gotten a great response. It’ll be something for everybody.”

The festival’s eclectic lineup will also include local students, including four bands from Abington Senior High School. The event’s proceeds will go towards the GCA’s expenses, including signage and porta potties. Any funds left over will go to the GCA.

“I love that we can give some performance time to kids who really want to perform for people,” Pistorino said.

At the moment, the GCA is actively seeking local sponsors and vendors.

“We want them to be something different,” Pistorino said. “We want to invite people who may not typically do a festival like this.”

To sign up for a sponsorship, you can click here. If you’re interested in becoming a property host, performer, vendor, or volunteer, you can click here.

From Glenside Porchfest’s description:

What is a Porchfest?
Front porches, lawns & driveways will become stages as live music fills Glenside streets for a
free, family-friendly community event. Oakdale is the main hub, with performances staggered across our
immediate neighborhood, allowing attendees to wander from one performance to the next, catching as
many acts as possible. The day will also feature a few food trucks, fabulous local vendors, and small
business sponsors to create an unforgettable day.

For more on Glenside Porchfest, you can visit the event’s Instagram page, the Glenside Civic Association’s website, or check out the flyer below:

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