Porchfest
Ridgewood's Inaugural Porchfest
For one unforgettable day, front porches become stages and sidewalks turn into dance floors! Porchfest is where neighbors, friends, and music lovers come together to celebrate the rhythm of our village.
Ridgewood’s inaugural Porchfest will be held on Saturday, September 20, with performances from 1:00 to 2:55 pm on Brookside and Spring, and from 3:00 to 7:15 pm on the lawn at West Side Presbyterian Church – 6 South Monroe Street
Food trucks will be on site with food and beverages available for purchase, and beer and wine will be served during the evening performances.
Grocery store gift card donations to the Social Service Association of Ridgewood and Vicinity are also welcome.
These donations support the fight to end food insecurity.
Locations & Band Schedule:
1:00 pm SHARP on Brookside Avenue, Ridgewood High School Marching Band kickoff at RHS
The Ridgewood High School Marching Band, under the direction of John Luckenbill, is one of the tri-state area’s premier ensembles. Fresh off their 2024 USBands Group 4A New Jersey State and National Championship titles, the RHSMB is excited to bring their award-winning sound to Porchfest!
1:30 - 2:05 pm: 18 Brookside - Joe Oriente & Declan Power
Joe and Declan have played in various local bands—together and separately—including Agent Korsakoff, D.P.B., and the Ridgewood Irish Ramblers. For Porchfest, they’ve put together a set of original songs mixed with covers of their favorite folk and pop tunes. Featuring Joe Oriente (guitar & vocals) and Declan Power (guitar & vocals)
1:50 -2:25: 114 Brookside – Dave McCarthy
Dubbed “Guitar Dave” by a Ridgewood Jamboree producer, he grew up on his siblings’ Beatles, CSNY, and Cat Stevens records. After strumming in high school, he picked the guitar back up in 1995 to impress his future wife, Edie. In 2016, he submitted a Green Day cover to the RHS Jamboree on a whim, landed the finale, and has been performing around Bergen County ever since. Dave plays pop hits from the ’60s to the ’20s, sometimes as a duo with Edie.
2:05 – 2:40: 4 Brookside – Acoustic Dudes
2:25 – 3:00: 102 Brookside - Sub Bourbonites
The Sub-Bourbonites formed in 2018 from the smoldering ashes of two other bands—Macaroon 5 and the Maccabeats. They play mostly ’60s through ’80s classic rock, with occasional forays into more recent hits. Past performances include Glen Rock’s 125th Anniversary, Ridgewood’s Come Together Beatles event, Ridgewood Unplugged (three times), and Van Neste (three times). Upcoming gigs include Shortways Barn and the Glen Rock Arts Fair. The lineup features Rob Weiss (vocals), Marc Cantor (guitar & vocals), Howard Gerber (bass & vocals), Matt Cooper (sax & vocals), and Scott Japko (guitar).
1:45 – 2:20: 460 Spring – Swingcasters
The Swingcasters are a lively 5-piece swing jazz band blending traditional tunes with pop-turned-swing favorites—guaranteed to get you dancing! With vocals, keys, saxophone, upright bass, and drums, they deliver the perfect mix. Formed in 2020 by a group of friends jamming in a garage, the band quickly gained momentum across North Jersey and NYC before taking a short hiatus. Now they’re back—refreshed, re-energized, and ready to swing—with Denise DeAngelis (vocals), Alex Saunders (keys), Joe Solway (sax), Ben Weiss (bass), and Reggie Gamble (drums).
2:20: 2:55: 474 Spring – Pete Diamond
3:00 pm - 7:15 pm on the South Lawn of the West Side Presbyterian Church campus near The Barn, 6 S. Monroe Street, Ridgewood, NJ
- Food trucks on site will have food and beverages available for purchase. Beer and wine available for purchase during evening performances only.
- Grocery store gift card donations for Social Service Association of Ridgewood and Vicinity are welcome in support of the fight to end food insecurity.
3:00 – 3:40: Pay Dirt Drifters
Pay Dirt Drifters play a mix of traditional and old-timey music, re-imagining everything from classic country and Irish folk to Americana, blues, and rock. The band features Nick Ivory (mandolin, banjo, guitar, keys, vocals), Chris Ivory (banjo, keys, resonator, guitar, vocals), Jay Friedman (fiddle, accordion, vocals), Johnny Stanton (percussion, vocals), and Tom Wise (bass, harmonica, vocals).
3:40 – 3:55: West Side Performers
3:55 – 4:35: Thursday Eve Collective
Based in Ridgewood, New Jersey, TEC (Thursday Eve Collective) brings an eclectic mix of soul, country, R&B, pop, blues, reggae, and jazz. Their sound reflects the diversity of the band itself, with members hailing from England, Jamaica, New York, and New Jersey. TEC features Janet Shorter (vocals), Melissa Doe (keys & vocals), Juan Urbaez (bass), Pete Doe (guitar & vocals), and Chris Biggio (drums).
4:35 – 4:50: West Side Performers
4:50 – 5:30: Tokyo Night
Tokyo Night is a classic and progressive rock cover band with roots in the US, UK, and Japan. Formed in 2023 by a group of musician friends who just couldn’t get enough of live rock, fun, and carrying on the legacy of the greats, they bring big energy to every show. The band features John Harrold (bass, vocals), Mariko Alexander (vocals, keyboard), Pete Sambalis (guitar), Rich Leonarz (guitar), and Dave Miller (drums).
5:30 – 5:45: West Side Performers
5:45 – 6:25: AMPED
Amped is seven friends who love playing guitar-driven rock with plenty of groove to get people dancing. Formed in 2016 in Ridgewood, NJ and Suffern, NY, Amped is a rock cover band that’s been rocking bars, festivals, and parties across northern New Jersey. The core members have played together for nearly 15 years, and today’s lineup features Amy Briggs and Andy Meyer (lead vocals), Michael Black (keys & synth), Frank Delvecchio (drums), Robert Garcia (bass), and Frank Muchel and Gil D'Alonzo (guitars).
6:25 – 6:35: West Side Performers
6:35 – 7:15: The West Side Band
The West Side Band—affectionately known as the West Side BBQ Band—brings together musicians from across our community who simply love making music. Blending folk, rock, classical, and more, the band plays with joy and a spirit of connection that welcomes everyone in.
