Flint, MI—Hands strumming the four strings of a bass guitar, paint brushes stroking canvas, the nostalgic clacking of typewriters, funnel cake dough sizzling in a deep fryer; these moments and more formed the vibrant atmosphere of the third annual Carriage Town PorchFest. The festival brought local musicians, artists and poets onto the porches of Flint’s historic Carriage Town neighborhood on July 15, 2022, drawing hundreds for the community’s third time hosting the PorchFest event series. See the festivities for yourself in the photos below.

Local hip-hop artists Jeff Skigh, Figga Da Kid and BayBro perform during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Local hip-hop artist Jeff Skigh performs during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Local hip-hop artists Jeff Skigh, Figga Da Kid and BayBro perform during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Local hip-hop artist Katalina, who is 8 years old, opens for Jeff Skigh while Rayna Bauer takes a video and cheers her on during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Jovan Slaughter, the founder of the clothing company Autoworld and self-described “facilitator for humanity,” poses for a portrait during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Vantrell “Krispy” Erving, founder of the clothing company SIAK, poses for a portrait during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Local hip-hop artist TEHCARi tries on a beanie he just bought from SIAK, a clothing company founded by Vantrell “Krispy” Erving, during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
From left, local artists Angel Clifton, Dee and Bee Roberts work in their respective mediums during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. All three are part of a local artist collective called HIVE.
Local artist Venus Blu poses for a portrait during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Blu paints and creates multimedia collages, and she read people’s tarot cards during PorchFest.
Zeb Brown roars into a megaphone during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
AJ Blackamore reacts to his face painting from Cheyenne Tessmer while Jazlyn Tessmer paints Kewaila Blackamore’s face in the background during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Eleanor Tackabury plays with bubbles outside Liz Kish’s house during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Liz Kish has lived in Carriage Town since 2015, buying her current house in 2018. She set a bubble machine out in her driveway for this year’s PorchFest.
Bubbles line the ground outside Liz Kish’s house during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Emily Dunn holds her dog Charlie during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Local poet Frankie McIntosh laughs while she writes a poem on her typewriter for Josh Bryant during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Nic Custer, an employee of the University of Michigan-Flint, writes a poem on his typewriter for Alexander Wadley during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Mary Green, a resident of Flint, Mich., poses for a portrait during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Green struggled with an addiction disorder for years, she said, overcoming it through a recovery program at Flint Odyssey House. During PorchFest, she helped an Odyssey House employee pass out Narcan, an antidote to opioid overdoses.
Taylor Atkins, an employee of the Bella’s Concessions and Catering food truck, hands a customer freshly made drinks during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Mila Solis poses for a portrait outside Sugar Shack, a locally owned concession truck selling fair food, during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Flint Social Club founder Tony Vu takes a picture of the “Vietcajun” seafood boil he prepared for a special dinner during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
People fill their plates with freshly boiled “Vietcajun” style seafood prepared by Flint Social Club founder Tony Vu during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
William “Dollar Bill” Morse, a cannabis cultivator with LightSky Farms, dances to the music of Leroy, an improvisational rock band, during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
The saxophone player in local band Kevin Collins and Friends claps after a song during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
The bassist in local band Kevin Collins and Friends smiles as he plays a song during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Fernando Silverio Solis, of the band Fernando Silverio Solis y el Sueño, sings a song during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
The band Fernando Silverio Solis y el Sueño sings a song during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Vaughn Mortimer, the guitarist for Big Donut, performs during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
David Rabinkov and Jayden Lofton pose for a portrait during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.
Roby Lee holds up the logo for Arrowhead Vets Club after Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Arrowhead, usually a members-only club for veterans, opened to the public during PorchFest.
Arrowhead Vets Club bartender Maggie Edwards serves customers after Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Arrowhead, usually a members-only club for veterans, opened to the public during PorchFest.
Patrons at Arrowhead Vets Club talk after Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Arrowhead, usually a members-only club for veterans, opened to the public during PorchFest.
Dan Fuller selects a song on the jukebox at Arrowhead Vets Club after Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Arrowhead, usually a members-only club for veterans, opened to the public during PorchFest.
Patrons play pool at Arrowhead Vets Club after Carriage Town Porch Fest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Arrowhead, usually a members-only club for veterans, opened to the public during Porch Fest.
Jujuan “Vibe Dealer” Thorn, a music producer with The Antidote Studio, poses for a portrait at Arrowhead Vets Club after Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022. Arrowhead, usually a members-only club for veterans, opened to the public during PorchFest.

Michael is Flint Beat’s multimedia journalist. He joined the team as a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered...

5 replies on “Music, food, art draw hundreds to Flint’s historic Carriage Town for PorchFest”

  1. AJ Blackamore reacts to his face painting from Addilyn Ahlman during Carriage Town PorchFest in Flint, Mich. on Friday, July 15, 2022.

    Incorrect. The painter is my daughter Cheyenne Tessmer and my other daughter Jazlyn Tessmer behind them painting hello kitty on the little girl

    1. My daughters Cheyenne and Jazlyn Tessmer (and myself) were face painting for my company Face 2 Face kcj🤡 we were the only face painters there❤️

  2. What a great article! Thank you Michael! I hope you’ll stop by Arrowhead for our upcoming events in August!

  3. Pingback: PorchFest brings family fun to Flint's north side - Flint Beat

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