Since 2011, the city of Somerville has played host to its own version of PorchFest, an afternoon of community featuring musical performances on the front porches of its residents.

But this year’s PorchFest, to be held on May 10, brings several key changes: a new application process, certain streets where bands will not be able to play, and new volunteer and emergency management teams.

“We spent a lot of time this winter with a whole committee of fire, police, musicians and business owners to talk about what can we do to implement more safety measures,” said Gregory Jenkins, director of the Somerville Arts Council, which runs PorchFest. “We’re going to have lead ambassadors in each of the zones [with] walkie talkies. Like a central emergency management plan in case there is a problem.”

Since 2011, when Somerville’s PorchFest began, the festival has seen its number of acts swell from 50 to more than 400 last year.

According to the festival’s website, new safety regulations mean the following streets will not be eligible to feature porch musicians this year:

  • Broadway
  • Cedar Street
  • Central Street
  • College Avenue
  • Elm Street
  • Highland Avenue
  • Lowell Street
  • Powderhouse Boulevard
  • School Street
  • Somerville Avenue
  • Summer Street
  • Walnut Street
  • Willow Avenue

Crowd control efforts

The PorchFest crowds have been particularly intense when bands of national import, like locally bred outfit Guster, have come to town.

“Once the street in front of Guster filled up, it started spilling into a major street,” recalled Somerville resident Andrew Alperin. “Ambulances couldn’t get through. People couldn’t get to their jobs. You know, it was a real problem. Looking at the map, [the closures] leave large pockets of space where people can congregate and get around. I don’t think that that’s necessarily the worst thing in the world.”

He noted that the crowds have been known to leave litter in their wake.

“I did see a lot of people like leaving their beer cans where they were or their trash where it is. And you know who’s cleaning that up exactly? It’s the residents,” Alperin said.

Jenkins said Guster’s performance did “tip it over,” but added that growing crowd size was notable before the band participated last year.

“If you came the year before, you know, Cedar Street, Summer Street, some of the major streets were packed,” said Jenkins.

Reddit and Facebook posts dedicated to discussion of Somerville issues — PorchFest included — reveal several commenters writing that this year’s PorchFest might be a better experience for residents and visitors to the city, given the new rules.

Another recurring concern: the availability of portable toilets.

“We’re going to increase the port-a-johns,” said Jenkins. “We’re placing extra portable trash cans all throughout the major squares and major corridors.”