Porchfest is returning to the Eberly Avenue neighborhood, with more bands and more locations.

Bob Midden is one of the third annual Porchfest 2023 spokespeople and an organizer who books the bands, sets the schedule and makes sure bands are going to have the sound gear they need.

“Porchfest brings people together. We need to bring people together a lot more. We’re far too divided, despite the fact that we have a lot more in common than we have differences. Porchfest is an opportunity to gather together around things they enjoy in a neighborly kind of spirit, and celebrate the arts,” Midden said.

Midden and Mary Dennis play together in the traditional Irish band Toraigh, one of the original Porchfest bands. Together with Brian Young, they are the key organizers.

“Porchfest is a great way to get to know your neighbors, spend your time with lots of people, get to know new people and listen to new music. It’s a lot of fun,” said Dennis, who is the Porchfest treasurer. “It’s a great way to meet new people and meet new friends.”

The legend goes that friendly neighbors were socially distanced on their front porches during the pandemic shutdown. One of the neighbors decided to roller skate down the middle of Eberly Avenue doing a flag twirling act to the music of someone’s stereo.

That led to concerts on porches.

Brian Young, who had recently moved to Bowling Green from Dayton, was a porch host during the Dayton Porchfest that had been going for many years.

“Community involvement. Community integrity. It’s all about community,” Young said. “It started out in COVID and we decided to do some porch concerts, where everyone could be out in the open. This is all about community involvement and improvement. It’s all about people getting in touch with each other and getting people out and knowing each other. It’s always been about that.”

The first Bowling Green Porchfest took place primarily at three houses in the middle of Eberly Avenue, on the hottest day of the year in August 2021. Last year it was moved to the first Saturday in June. That is June 3 this year, with music starting at 1:45 p.m. and going until 7 p.m. A new band will start every 20 minutes, for 40-minute sets.

As with previous years, the first music will come from the Bowling Green State University Samba Band, marching down Eberly Avenue at 1:45 p.m., likely with some flag twirling taking place.

The other bands are the Illegal Smiles, the Extras, Moths in the Attic, Tim Tegge & BSB, Toraigh, Ryan Scott & Creekhounds, Tree No Leaves, Mike Williams on Sax, the GRÜBS, the Joe Baker Band, Jack Schilb, Corduroy Road, Ginger & the Snaps and Freight Street.

There are 11 locations for the 14 bands to play, with a dizzying level of setup and coordination, that seemed to go flawlessly for the 12 bands that played last year.

The committee that puts the event together is not just in it to help the neighborhood, but also the local music scene, which takes money.

The first time around, in 2021, T-shirts were an afterthought. They were literally made with an iron-on system in Young’s garage. Last year they made the Merch Tent a formal thing, and this year it’s gotten bigger. There will be Porchfest 2023 tote bags, double sided beer glasses, posters, baseball caps and a lot more T-shirts.

They are also pushing the bands to sell their own merchandise. The bands still don’t get paid, but they do get donations. The Porchfest organization wants to make sure the bands have the ability to grow in popularity and have the ability to continue to play and improve, so they urge fans to support the groups.

Bringing your own chair is encouraged. Neighbors put out chairs, but the first year had about 100 people, there were at least double that last year, and it is expected to grow again.

“The Dayton Porchfest is very different. It’s a much bigger event, with like 50 bands. We’re not even sure we want to go there,” Young said. “They started out with 15 bands, we’re getting there but not with as many porches. We have two garages, and Arlyn’s Good Beer, all on private property.”

The Porchfest proceeds go to doing things for the neighborhood, beyond just improving the event.

They recently started the Good for the Hood Committee. They do things like welcome baskets to new neighbors, and cards or flowers and help when neighbors are sick. Lawns have been mowed and groceries have been bought.

“We don’t have a specific agenda. Those guys bought me a little memorial service when my dog died. It brought me to tears. Seriously,” Young said. “We’re trying to do things to improve the neighborhood and improve the communication for the neighborhood and trying to make this place a better place to live.”