By Matthew Avitabile
MIDDLEBURGH — Recent years have seen Middleburgh develop a significant music scene, especially during the last 12 years’ Fourth Friday street festivals organized by the Middleburgh Area Business Association (MABA) and the village. Now, thanks to the efforts of volunteers, that music scene will grow brighter during the first Porchfest Sunday, Sept. 14 from 1-5pm.
We spoke to Jim Snyder, who along with Rick Hamm, organized the effort.
Porchfest is an outgrowth of the music from Fourth Friday, Snyder said. After changes with the way MABA organized music, he invited Dr. Tom Gruning to his porch on the corner of Main Street and Chestnut Lane. This provided the template that has already proven successful over the last several years and will now grow in its own right. Snyder and Hamm are organizing performances under their group Music in the Burgh.
The premise is straightforward: utilize a number of porches around the community to host live music on Sept. 14. The performances will come in one-hour blocks and will include a number of genres. Snyder said that a number of styles are welcome, from rock to bluegrass to classical to Americana, or country, blues, yodeling, Irish, honky-tonk, heavy metal, funk, folk, punk, jazz, ragtime, or more.
Snyder said that Hamm recommended the change due Play Music on the Porch Day, which is celebrated in more than 70 countries worldwide. The first Porchfest started in this state in Ithaca in 2007.
“Rick said ‘let’s do this in Middleburgh,” related Snyder.
Those interested in playing or hosting can fill out a Google Form in the QR code next to this article. The group is looking for as many locations and artists as possible.
The event is “for everybody,” he said. Snyder added that there has been “quite a bit of interest.”
The current venues for the Sept. 14 events are at Snyder’s house, the Middleburgh-Schoharie Railroad Depot on the corner of Wells and Maple Avenues, Dr. Gruning’s on Grove Street, and BJ’s on Railroad Avenue.
The hope is to make this an annual event, said Snyder.
So far multiple groups and artists are slated with more likely to be added. This includes Doug Goss, Justin Behan, Dr. Gruning, Peter Enders, Kari and Dave from Force of Habit, Greg Bucking, North Slope, 30 Rack, and Cow Belle.
The “grassroots” group “got it off the ground,” Snyder said.
For more information, contact Snyder or Hamm at 518-519-0758 or musicintheburgh1@gmail.com, as well as their Facebook page.
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