Binghamton Porchfest 2023 will feature more than 160 live music performances representing too many genres to count. And it's all free, too!
Binghamton Porchfest 2023 is just a weekend away. Are you excited? We sure are! This is inarguably Greater Binghamton’s biggest yearly event for unsigned and indie artists to shine, and one that really helps put the Binghamton music scene on the map, too—it’s one of the biggest Porchfest events around, with an outrageous number of talented bands taking small, nifty West Side stages.
This year there’ll be a staggering 162 performances taking place on 63 porches in Binghamton’s historic and nationally-recognized Abel Bennett Tract. Local and regional acts big and small will be appearing too, including Blackismygender and Ranger Ty, Peaches and Crime, Caviar & Grits, the Bro-Bros, KidBess & the Magic Ring, and many, many others.
Binghamton Porchfest 2023 is happening on Sunday, August 27th from noon to 7 pm. Here’s everything you need to know about this epic local music festival.
Where is Binghamton Porchfest 2023 happening?
Binghamton Porchfest 2023 mostly (but not entirely) takes place in the Abel Bennett Tract, a West Side neighborhood on the National Registry of Historic Places. And Porchfest itself generally runs from Murray to Beethoven and Riverside to Main. It’s a very large area, and that’s needed when you have over 160 music performances happening in just one day!
Here’s a map of the festivities, created by the organizers of Binghamton Porchfest 2023.
What does it cost to visit Porchfest?
Binghamton Porchfest 2023 is free to attend. Just walk into any neighborhood, gravitate toward the porches where music is happening, and enjoy!
There are official merchandise vendors all around the festival grounds. And buying stuff helps fund Porchfest 2024 and beyond.
Some music acts may leave out tip jars or sell band merch. Binghamton Porchfest organizers very much encourage bands to sell merch and for eventgoers to buy it. And we here at Parlor City Sound feel the same way. So please support unsigned and indie artists with tips and merch purchases.
Related: What is busking and how much can busking earn you?
What acts are performing at Binghamton Porchfest 2023?
The lineup for Binghamton Porchfest 2023 is absolutely bananas. 162 performances on 63 porches … that’s a lot. The full list of performers is available on the official Binghamton Porchfest website. There are short bios available for each act as well. That should help you find the sorts of music you’re into.
There’s something for everyone at Porchfest. From pop to grunge, metal to polka, jam bands to experimental indie groups to hip hop, there are a metric ton of musical genres on offer at Binghamton Porchfest 2023.
Some of the area’s most popular acts will be performing at Binghamton Porchfest this year, including Blackismygender and Ranger Ty, Caviar & Grits, The Bro-Bros, Peaches and Crime, Kid Bess & the Magic Ring, Prototype X, the B-3 Band, Damnthekid, The Yada Yadas, Lomo (Jim Lomonaco), Destony, and yes, the world-renowned Tri-Cities Opera.
Those are all established acts, some of them even having local legend status. But you don’t want to miss out on any of the up-and-coming acts either! We’re especially excited to see Marcella Leaves Eden, Winnie, Ms. Honey and the Hive, and MetroGnome, among too many others to count.
It is physically impossible to see all 162 music performances at Binghamton Porchfest 2023. It literally cannot be done, unless you’re some sort of time lord. You’ll really want to study that chart above, figure out who you want to see, and map out your own adventure.
What are the Rules at Porchfest?
The organizers of Binghamton Porchfest 2023 posted some very easy-to-follow rules on the official Binghamton Porchfest Facebook page for anyone attending the music festival. Please be cool and follow the rules at all times!
Can I eat stuff at Porchfest? Are there food vendors?
You can definitely eat food at Porchfest. Maybe don’t try to eat anyone’s porches, though.
There are official food vendors located in different neighborhoods, and you’ll find a few restaurants in and near the area too. You can also bring your own food.
But regardless of what you’re consuming, though, please don’t make a mess, and be sure to throw away your trash properly. We love Porchfest and we don’t want to see it canceled in the future because people were being grubby raccoons and dumping their garbage all over the place like this was Woodstock ’99.
Homeowners are discouraged from running unlicensed restaurants on their property, but this doesn’t include lemonade stands, of course. What kind of city would we be if we didn’t allow lemonade stands?
Where do we park? And how do we get around?
Lourdes Hospital has opened up some of its parking lots to festivalgoers. Just head over to Lourdes on Riverside Drive and follow the parking signs. You can also park on streets around the area, though it should be noted that most streets in the Abel Bennett tract will be closed to all vehicles. Learn more about parking here.
BC Transit is offering a free shuttle service that runs every twenty minutes to and from the Lourdes parking area and all around the grounds. You’ll also see golf carts, provided by Empire Golf Cars, which will happily take you around the festival area free of charge. These are volunteers, so please be courteous!
The event is laid out so that the next awesome act is just a short walk away from whoever you just saw, so if walking is an option, enjoy your lovely Sunday afternoon stroll around this beautiful historic city district!
Does Binghamton Porchfest have a rain date?
Porchfest will happen rain or shine. Check the weather forecasts and plan accordingly, but the show must go on either way!
Who is paying for all of this? Can I donate to Binghamton Porchfest?
Binghamton Porchfest is entirely funded by grants, sponsorships, and fine people like yourself making donations here. Please visit Binghamton Porchfest’s website for a complete list of the event’s vendors. It also requires the effort of dozens of host homeowners and literally hundreds of volunteers and organizers (something like 700 to 800, in fact!). Thanking them for their hard work is always awesome to do.
We can’t wait to see Binghamton Porchfest 2023!
We’re really stoked for Porchfest each year, and Binghamton Porchfest 2023 is shaping up to be the biggest one yet. And we’d really like to thank all of the local and regional organizers and volunteers who make this super fun event possible. Local music legend Chris Bodnarczuk deserves some sort of trophy for all the work he puts into this.
You’ll see me, my family, and a few close friends walking around the festival with Parlor City Sound t-shirts on. And if you’re a musician or you know a musician, please feel free to walk up to any of us and ask for a business card. We want to write about you!
Parlor City Sound is reporting on Binghamton Porchfest 2023. We are not organizers and we are not directly affiliated with the event. We just really love what they’re doing and wanted to help promote them. If you have any questions, please visit their official FAQ.
