Text logo with 'PORCHES' in large yellow and black 3D font and 'CHATTANOOGA' in smaller black font below.

We aren’t the first.

Many moons ago, in 2007 to be exact, some folks in Ithaca, NY thought it would be pretty neat to bring their community together through music and front porches. The idea turned into reality with 20 various musicians performing on porches that first year.

Fast forward to 2016 when a neighborhood in Atlanta, GA decided to give it a shot. Folks adopted the concept very quickly. Today, Oakhurst Porchfest and VaHi Porchfest are arguably ATL locals’ favorite events in the city.

So why not bring the concept to Chattanooga where in most neighborhoods front porches are one of the most coveted and cherished parts of the house?

Highland Park Porchfest, founded in 2022 by Highland Park resident Maggie Carruth O’Connor, is the first and original Porchfest in the city of Chattanooga and the second Porchfest in the state of Tennessee.

It is a proud part of the Chattanooga Porchfest collective.

Large crowd of people gathered at Highland Park Porchfest on a sunny day. Some are standing, some are sitting on chairs or blankets. There are trees providing shade, and a blue canopy set up. Houses are visible in the background.

EST. 2022

The grassroots, community-led event brings FREE local music to the neighborhood. The festival transforms residential porches into stages where local musicians perform while neighbors and visitors stroll through the historic Highland Park streets.

Its success has paved the way for expansion inspiring similar Porchfest events in other Chattanooga neighborhoods and helping establish the city's porch music scene as part of a broader national movement.

The inaugural Red Bank Porchfest was held in November 2025 and the inaugural Southside Porchfest will be held in 2026!

Old poster for Highland Park Porchfest with a green and white decorative border and silhouettes of houses, trees, and a boat, promoting a free outdoor music event on October 14, 2023.
Poster for the 3rd Annual Highland Park Porchfest on Saturday, October 12th, featuring over 20 acts including local musicians, with a kids corner from 10:00 to 11:30 am, free entry, at the EGO Museum, Jason Lyles, No Thank You John, The Banshees, We Are Us, and more, food and drink specials, family-friendly event, with website and social media information.
Flyer for the 2025 Highland Park Porchfest featuring musical acts, pre-party details, post-party details, and event timings.

And Know What’s Cool?

When every single musician who's taking time out of their busy lives to showcase their talents at a free music festival GETS PAID.

At the hundreds of Porchfests across the country, everything is 100% volunteer-based; meaning, musicians are donating their time.

When Maggie started planning the inaugural Porchfest in 2022, paying all musicians was the goal.

In 2024, she was only able to pay a portion of the musicians, and while that was a step in the right direction, it wasn't enough. So, the goal in 2025 was to pay every single musician.

And, it happened — thanks to the support from grants, sponsors, microdonors and other supporters.

Maggie intends to continue to pay all musicians who play Chattanooga Porchfests — it’s imperative to invest in Chattanooga’s creative economy.

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Know Before you go

  • Nope! The event is open to all and totally free.

  • Porchfest is not a conventional music festival. Everything you see, eat, or experience exists only because someone decided to step up and make it happen. Everything is volunteer-based, making every person involved (either hosting or attending), a de facto co-creator of the event.

    Highland Park Porchfest is family-friendly and open to all, with all kinds of music to suit all kinds of tastes. 

    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. Wander around, keep yourself safe, and watch out for others. Pretty simple. 

  • For real, don’t litter. Porch hosts should have trash and recycling bins - use them