PorchFest and First Fridays return to Flint, bringing summer music and art

Flint, MI—The city’s second annual PorchFest and First Fridays will kick off June 4, ushering in the summer months by celebrating Flint businesses and artists.

Hosted by What’s Up Downtown, PorchFest is a series of live performances featuring local musicians, from the porches of different homes in the city.

It was first introduced in a limited capacity last year and is more than doubling in size this year, growing from four porches to nine, according to Kady Yellow, one of the event’s organizers.

“The same format happened last year in a much smaller version but it was so successful that we decided to expand it. We’re going to have porches with musicians featuring funk to hip-hop to African drumming and New Orleans style Jazz. It’ll be a really eclectic mix of music,” Yellow said.

Porchfest will also feature sound healing, yoga, face painting, Yahtzee, bicycle repair demonstrations, and a book signing among many other events lining West First Avenue in Carriage Town.

The event will also feature local businesses like Rootless Coffee Co. and Tacos by Antwaun. Participants are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy a picnic-like experience.

PorchFest will run from 5-9 p.m. Upon arriving, attendees can register and park at the Genesee County Historical Society located at 316 W Water St.

Meanwhile, on the other end of downtown, two other events, First Fridays and Sounds and Vision, will take place at Buckham Alley. Artists including Pauley M. Everett, Mac D, Errin G. Whitaker, and Charles Boike will be showing off their work.

Light installations will also be featured and organized by Zoolander Creations and Jhonnie Walker

First Fridays Sound and Vision will start at 5 p.m. and run until 11 p.m.