What is PorchRokr?
PorchRokr is an annual, one day community music festival in Akron, Ohio where front porches become stages, yards become venues, plus friends and neighbors gather to enjoy a great sense of community and a diversity of music!

 

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When is PorchRokr?
Saturday, August 16, 2025
PorchRokr takes place the third Saturday of August each year in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood. Porch / venue performances run from 11am to 7pm, culminating with a headliner performance on the Circle K Main Stage from 730pm to 9pm.

 

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How does PorchRokr work?
Unlike a traditional location-based music festival a la Bonnaroo or Burning Man, PorchRokr is one full day of coordinated musical performances on porches, stages, bars & restaurants located in the Highland Square neighborhood of Akron, Ohio.
The day-of event operations are executed by over a hundred volunteers composed of friends and neighbors in the community. The PorchRokr Planning Committee manages the front-end logistics, coordinates artist performances & porches, bribes said 100+ volunteers with t-shirts and free lunches, and generally works to promote the event and the Highland Square neighborhood.  Basically, we organize the best day of the year in Akron!

 

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Where exactly does PorchRokr 2025 take place?
The Highland Square neighborhood surrounds a diverse collection of stores, shops, bars, and restaurants on West Market Street roughly between Portage Path, Merriman Road, and Exchange Streets in Akron, Ohio
Each year, PorchRokr rotates through one (1) of four (4) quadrants of the Highland Square neighborhood, ensuring each section of the neighborhood has an opportunity to showcase its historical homes, beautiful gardens, and pleasant porches!  
PorchRokr 2025, the quadrant is bordered by Portage Path to the west, West Market Street to the south, Casterton & Merriman Roads to the east, and Hereford Drive on the north.

 

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Who organizes PorchRokr?


PorchRokr is brought to you by The Highland Square Neighborhood Association, the PorchRokr Planning Committee, countless musicians, and hundreds of Highland Square neighbors & volunteers, plus the City of Akron and various business owners and service providers listed on our maps & schedule. 

What about the weather?
First rule of PorchRokr - we don’t talk about the weather!
PorchRokr is a Rain or Shine event.  Our porches and performance spaces are chosen based on their ability to provide shade from the sun and protection from the rain.  That said, if inclement or hazardous weather threatens the timing or execution of the event (ie thunder & lightning), performances may be delayed or cancelled.  
Follow us on Social Media NOW so you can stay informed of any schedule or weather-related changes LATER.  We will not let a little rain ruin our parade!  (PS there’s no parade this year, maybe next…)

 

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Do I need a ticket?
No ticket is required. The event is open to everyone and totally free to attend!

 

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Is there a map and/or schedule?
YES. In a variety of formats — print-at-home, onsite, online  — once all performers, porches and performance spaces are chosen, maps will be made available.

 

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Who should attend PorchRokr?
Everyone! PorchRokr is a family-friendly event open to all, with a diverse lineup of performers to suit most musical tastes!

 

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What should I bring?
Hat. Sunscreen. Comfy walking shoes. Maybe a camp chair or blanket if you choose to sit on someone’s beautifully manicured lawn somewhere?
Consider bringing your bicycle if you want to tool around the neighborhood and take in as many bands as humanly possible.
NOTE:  Please be respectful of our neighbor’s private property, pack it in / pack it out, and leave no trace, where possible.
Above all, a chill attitude. If you don’t know what a chill attitude looks like, observe the smiling / laughing / joyous people all around you and do your best to blend in!

 

Are children welcome at PorchRokr?
Absolutely!  This year’s Kid Zone can be found at Hereford Park near the confluence of N. Highland and Hereford Drive.  Here you will find the Bookmobile, kid-friendly vendors, free water, porta-potties, plus a city playground for your little ones to rock on!

 

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What's new for PorchRokr 2025?
PorchRokr news and announcements will be posted on our social media channels as we get closer to the day of the event. 
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram to see the latest and greatest updates on PorchRokr 2025! 

 

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Will there be food & beverages?
YES

More than a dozen food trucks will be positioned/parked within this year’s quadrant.  See map for more details.
Once again, the PorchRokr Beer Garden featuring Rhinegeist will be on hand for all your refreshment needs.  Five (5) delicious flavors of Rhinegeist draft beer will be available for purchase, including our 2024 PorchRokr fan favorite KolschRokr!
This year’s PorchRokr Beer Garden can be found at 941 Dopler Street, thanks to the gracious & generous owners of Champlin’s Cleaners, Tailor Sage Bespoke, and Blue Sky Gallery(?)

 

Will there be Free Water?
YES.  Water stations, provided by Donamarc Water Systems, will be located near the Information Booths (2), near the PorchRokr Beer Garden, the Main Stage, Hereford Park, Swirsky Park, etc.  See Map for more details

 

Will there be Merch?
YES.  PorchRokr merch, like our coveted PorchRokr t-shirts, will be available for sale at all Information Booths. Shirts sell out fast and are only available for purchase on the day of the event.  See Map for more details

 

Will there be vendors?
YES! Lots of vendors!
More than 85 vendors will be located in driveways, side yards, tree lawns and Devil Strips throughout the quadrant.  

 

How can I help? Volunteer!
Volunteers sign up for two (2) hour shifts performing activities like:  set-up Saturday morning, take down Saturday evening/Sunday morning, staffing Information booths, etc
Volunteer here! → Link

 

What goodies do I get as a volunteer?
A sweet PorchRork Volunteer t-shirt two sizes too big! A food coupon (no such thing as a free lunch).  Feelings of goodness for helping to pull off the best day of the year in Akron?  Priceless.
Volunteers will check in at the Volunteer Tent on the day of the event to get their Volunteer t-shirt in their chosen size, their food coupon, and their marching orders.

 

How does PorchRokr choose the porches and schedule the bands?
Unlike some other Porchfests held across the country where musicians and porches must find each other, PorchRokr makes an open call for performers and porches/performance spaces within a specific quadrant of the neighborhood.  Performers and porches apply in the spring, then performers are chosen and paired with porches that suit the size of their performance.
Performers apply to play a one (1) hour set on one (1) of approximately 30+ performance spaces organized by the planning committee.  Performance spaces include porches, temporary stages, plus area bars and restaurants.
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Why can’t my band choose my time or porch to perform?
Scheduling over 120 performances across the neighborhood in balanced time slots, ensuring performances on porches do not ‘bleed over’ to other porches requires a fair amount of flexibility by everyone involved in planning and scheduling.

 

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Tell me more about Scheduling…
Performance spaces (stages and porches) throughout the quadrant are numbered. ODD numbered porches will host performers on odd hours throughout the day, and EVEN numbered porches will host performances on even hours.  
For example:
Porch # 1 will host bands at 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm  
Porch # 2 will host bands at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm

 

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What kinds of bands or performers should apply?
All kinds!  The PorchRokr Performers Committee strives to curate a musical experience as diverse as the Highland Square Neighborhood.  There’s something for everyone!  Check the schedule for artist descriptions and/or follow your ears to the next performance space that suits your tastes.

 

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Do performers get paid?
Only our Headliner will receive a small payment for their performance. All other bands are volunteering their time and energy.

 

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Can our band put out a tip jar or Venmo sign?
​Yes.  

 

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Who's performing this year?
PorchRokr 2025 will include 130+ performers spread across 30+ performance spaces.  Stay tuned to our social media channels for band announcements.  Performers will be notified directly via contact information provided on the performer application.

 

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WOW! You have a Beer Garden?  
YES!  The PorchRokr Beer Garden features Rhinegeist Brewery.

New for 2025, the PorchRokr Beer Garden will be cashless.  

The PorchRokr Beer Garden will accept Visa / Mastercard / Discover / American Express as electronic payment. We use Square, so any US-issued and most internationally-issued magstripe or chip cards, plus mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Afterpay will be accepted.

Is the PorchRokr Beer Garden 21+ ONLY?
NO.  Underage attendees (i.e. children) are welcome to enter the Beer Garden with parental supervision.  Underaged patrons (not children) entering the Beer Garden will be identified (hand stamped) as underage. 

Can I buy a beer at the PorchRokr Beer Garden and carry it to that porch over there…
NO.  Sorry, we do not do Take Out and the Highland Square neighborhood is not a DORA. 
We sell delicious Rhinegeist craft beer to our beer garden customers for their consumption within the gated confines of the PorchRokr Beer Garden.  

Is there a PorchRokr Beer Garden stage?
YES. Once again, a stage will be dedicated to entertaining Beer Garden patrons, so you won't miss out while crushing a cold one. The Beer Garden opens at 11am, and the Beer Garden performances will begin at high Noon!

Last year was hot & sunny. Will the PorchRokr Beer Garden be shaded?
YES! This year’s beer garden will be covered by lots and lots of nice, natural, Mother Nature inspired shade!  Plus, we’ll have a few tents and tables for resting your suds.

 

Will there be porta-potties inside the Beer Garden this year?
YES!

 

 

 

Is PorchRokr pet friendly?
YES.  State of Ohio leash laws remain in effect for all patrons in all parts of the festival perimeter.  Please be respectful of your fellow PorchRokrs and all property owners in the neighborhood and promptly pick up after your pet. 

 

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What about the Beer Garden?  Is the PorchRokr Beer Garden pet friendly?
NO. Due to the sometimes congested nature of the beer garden we ask, we request, with sugar on top, please leave your pet dragon, pet monkey, dog or cat at home with a friend.
Service dogs only, please.
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Is PorchRokr accessible for those with disabilities?
Yes!  We encourage walking and rolling (wheelchairs, skate boards, bicycles & scooters, hoverboards, etc) over motor vehicles in most areas of the event. While 2024’s PorchRokr featured a more hilly quadrant of the Highland Square neighborhood, this year’s event features a very flat and concentrated quadrant suitable for those with mobility challenges.
PorchRokr also partners with UDS to offer accessible transportation throughout the footprint. 

 

Our Commitment to Safety
​For attendees, all normal rules of law and order apply and, just like any other day, everyone remains responsible for their own behavior and welfare when moving from yard to yard, porch to porch, place to place. Wander around, keep yourself safe, and watch out for others.
Once again, the Akron Police Department will be present to help ensure everyone’s safety.

 

Will PorchRokr close ALL the streets?
NO. We're committed to the sharing of public space and to making the effort to accommodate neighbors, drivers, patrons, and pedestrians. That said, some streets will be closed to create the PorchRokr Beer Garden, the PorchRokr Main Stage, plus food trucks & vendors.

These streets will be CLOSED from approximately 9am to 9pm:  
    1    Conger from Huntington Bank to Edgerton for our Main Stage
    2    N. Highland from Edgerton (near Swirsky Park triangle) to the library,
    3    Dopler from Conger to N Highland for our PorchRokr Beer Garden featuring Rhinegeist

Drivers:  this means slowing down dramatically and expecting to find pedestrians, bicycles, unicycles, scooters, and distracted crowds spilling out into the street. 

Pedestrians enjoying the festival, this means remaining vigilant, exercising caution, and recognizing that people in cars sometimes lose their minds(!) or just need to get somewhere. So relax, get out of the way, and help make it work for everyone.

Use crosswalks, follow WALK / DONT WALK signals, and be especially careful when crossing main thoroughfares like N. Portage Path, Merriman Road, and West Market Street.  It's the neighborly thing to do.  

Plus, those missing out on PorchRokr or just passing through may not be aware of our annual day-long music festival in Highland Square.  Their loss (sad face emoji).

Beyond that, we do everything we can to discourage driving in the festival footprint. In addition to reducing traffic around more vulnerable visitors, this also helps those who absolutely do have to drive (ie. those with disabilities) can find adequate parking closer.
Is there a hashtag?
Use #PorchRokr for all your socials.
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Are there pictures from prior PorchRokrs?


YES! Lots of pictures. We hope you will attend PorchRokr 2025 and add to our collection!  Search our socials to see what fun we’ve had in prior years!

 

 

 

Stay Tuned for additional FAQs…