Binghamton Porchfest 2024 will implement a new DIY process for pairing artists with homeowners interested in hosting them, with event organizers taking less of a hands-on role in the process. The recently-announced changes will be in effect when registrations for the August 25th event open this June.
Under the new system, hosts and artists will no longer register separately. Instead, hosts will now register up to three performers who will appear on their privately-owned stages, with Binghamton Porchfest organizers scheduling time slots from there.
With an average of over 150 artists performing and attendance in the thousands, Binghamton Porchfest has become a major recurring cultural event that draws in visitors from around the state and across the country, with a size and scale surpassing similar events in larger cities. So hopefully, this new pairing system will relieve some of the pressure put on event organizers, while granting homeowners more direct input into who is performing on their property.
What changes are coming to Binghamton Porchfest 2024?
In the past, Binghamton Porchfest organizers asked hosts and artists to register independently. They’d then need to take on the daunting task of putting together a wildly complex schedule, taking into consideration a myriad of issues such as sound bleed, event safety, pedestrian traffic flow, and more. And some bands have one or more members who are also in other bands, heightening those challenges by leaps and bounds.
This new pairing system will alleviate a great deal of that stress. Homeowners in the famed Abel Bennett Historic District will now work directly with artists, with Binghamton Porchfest organizers putting together a digital bulletin board and a Facebook group to help hosts and artists connect if they don’t already have partners in mind.
Once the hosts present their lists of performers, organizers will then go about scheduling the event from top to bottom. During this process, organizers say they are unable to accept placeholders or specific time slots, and ask hosts to leave their afternoons free to accommodate their scheduling efforts.
These new changes will likely take a little getting used to, but ultimately, this should help make Binghamton Porchfest an even greater and more awe-inspiring event than it already is, if that’s even possible. Our tiny team here at Parlor City Sound can’t wait for this, our very favorite event of the year. We hope we’ll see you there!
