Bellevue Porchella Returns April 22

by Charles McGuigan 04.2023

What has become Bellevue’s most popular semi-annual event—a celebratory day of neighborhood wandering and mingling, and music performed by some of our best local musicians—comes alive again on April 22. This spring’s Porchella will feature more than 30 musical acts, including JOBIE, Susan Greenbaum, No Anchor, Bellevue Bon Temps, Ex-Patriots, Indira & Guppy Jo, and many more. 

Bellevue Porchella was created in the grim days of Covid. A month after the world locked down, Brooke walked by a house on MacArthur Avenue where the Bon Temps were playing their fiddles. And then in early summer she saw her neighbors, Dacey and Haze, entertaining kids who were passing by on the sidewalk. 

Brooke shouted across the street to her neighbors: “Wouldn’t it be cool if we had an outdoor walk-around little music thing.” 

They both nodded. “Yeah, it’d be great,” said Dacey. “Will you do it? Will you organize it?”

Which is exactly what Brooke did. That October Bellevue Porchella was born, and for some of those in attendance it was the first time they had left their homes in seven months.

Since then every spring and fall there has been a Porchella. Sponsored by the Bellevue Civic Association, the event has grown larger each year, and it is put together by many talented musicians and a host of committed volunteer. Among them are Jami Bricker, Rob McAdams, Marcie Murphy, Johnny Utterback, Geoff Bernardo, Shae McGrath, Barry Long, Zach Schindler, Chris Sterling, Ray Flournoy, Larry Corkey, Will Martin, and Paul Quel. 

This year’s Porchella will be held from 12:30pm-6pm on Saturday, April 22; rain date, April 29.

For more information and a map, please visit https://arcg.is/1Xeeaz0