Attendees relax on the lawn outside a Hampton Heights residence during a past Porchfest. The free community music festival returns Sept. 27, bringing live music, food and neighbors together throughout the historic Spartanburg neighborhood. Photo courtesy of https://www.hamptonheights.net/porchfest, by Randy Cooksey, Kristen Rose Photography, Mark Olencki.
One of Spartanburg’s oldest neighborhoods will turn its front porches into stages this month as Hampton Heights Porchfest returns for its third year.
The free community music festival is set for Sunday, Sept. 27, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. along West Hampton Avenue between South Irwin Avenue and South Spring Street. Food trucks will be ready beginning at 12:30 p.m., with live music scheduled from 1 to 5:30 p.m. At any given time, three bands will be performing from porches throughout the neighborhood.
This year’s lineup includes The Shane Pruitt Band, Iliana Rose Cuban Jazz Band, Clay Johnson & Hard Promises, The Smokey Beans, The Duke & Miller Duo, The Abbey Elmore Band, Cody Gentry, The Blue Notes Band, Matthew Kelly, Lowdhaven, Dubfire Reggae Band and Amongst the Trees.
But Porchfest is about more than music. The setting is an important part of the experience.
Hampton Heights was established in the 1880s and 1890s on farmland about a mile south of Spartanburg’s center. Early residents included business and professional families who built large Victorian homes, including Queen Anne-style houses. By the early 20th century, Arts and Crafts bungalows had joined the neighborhood’s streetscape.
After experiencing blight and neglect later in the 20th century, Hampton Heights saw renewed preservation efforts beginning in the early 1980s as longtime residents and new homeowners worked to restore the neighborhood. Today, Hampton Heights is one of two locally designated historic districts in the city, and many of its homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
That history will be on full display during Porchfest. Six historic homes along West Hampton Avenue will serve as performance locations, including houses dating to 1899 and 1903. The festival’s website offers the history of each porch, giving visitors a chance to learn about the people and architecture behind the homes while moving between performances.
Organizers say previous Porchfest events have drawn an estimated 1,500 attendees. Proceeds raised through the festival support preservation and beautification efforts in the Hampton Heights Historic District and surrounding community.
Visitors are encouraged to bring a lightweight chair or blanket and a reusable water bottle; free refill stations will be available. Food, beverages and merchandise will be available for purchase. Coolers are not permitted, and organizers ask attendees to leave pets at home.
Parking is available on neighborhood streets and in designated lots, but organizers encourage visitors to carpool or bike. Freewheelers of Spartanburg will provide a bike valet, and the first 25 cyclists will receive a free drink ticket.
Beyond Porchfest, Hampton Heights includes Willow Oaks and Irwin parks and sits within walking distance of downtown Spartanburg — making the festival an opportunity to experience not only an afternoon of local music, but a neighborhood that has been part of the city’s story for more than a century.
For the complete performance schedule, porch locations, event map, parking information and additional details, visit: www.hamptonheights.net/porchfest
More information about the Hampton Heights Historic Neighborhood can be found at: www.hamptonheights.net
