Music venues don't get much more intimate than this.
A few blocks north of the state-of-the-art Palladium concert hall, more than 40 acts will perform in a Carmel neighborhood Sunday afternoon, using porches for a stage.
Organizers have high hopes that the quirky event, the city's inaugural PorchFest, will turn into an annual showcase of emerging musicians as well as the suburb's revitalized urban core.
For its first year, 43 acts will play on 20 porches along around three square blocks of the Arts & Design District northwest of Main Street and Rangeline Road. City Councilwoman Sue Finkam, the event chairwoman, said they're going for a laid back, grassroots atmosphere, with festival-goers bringing their own lawn chairs, food and drink.
Think of it as a small get-together with friends, gathered around an acoustic guitar - except with more music genres, a larger audience and likely more talent than the last porch-side concert you attended. Finkam said a panel of judges whittled down the field from close to 70 applicants, and all but a handful were deemed 'performance ready' for the 40-minute sets.
The lineup will play from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and includes rock, blues, folk, and classical; acoustic sets and amplifiers; four-piece bands and solo acts. Plus, with as many as eight artists performing at once, visitors will have a plethora of alternatives if they find certain performers not to their tastes.
The original PorchFest was held in 2007 in Ithaca, N.Y., a city of about 30,000. Seven years later, Ithaca has seen the festival grow to 137 artists, and offshoots have sprung up in more than a dozen cities around the country.
Finkam said Mayor Jim Brainard suggested the festival last year after seeing another PorchFest elsewhere, and the idea took off from there. And while the music is the biggest selling point, Finkam's said she's most excited about the potential it has to connect people to Carmel.
'It helps create civic pride,' she said. 'That emotional tie to community cannot be overlooked. It's a very experiential event, and will hopefully create some really positive memories for people.'
To that end, the city's Old Town neighborhood was the perfect location. The tiny lot sizes here defy the Carmel sterotype of huge homes with lavish yards. And those who live here say it already has 'that vibe' that PorchFest seems to be about.
'When you sit on the front porch of our house, you may talk to 10 people a night when they walk by,' said Old Town resident Steve Kirsh. 'It's just a friendly atmosphere and its perfect for the PorchFest theme.'
His wife, Jacque Kirsh, compares it fondly to her grandparents' lifestyle. 'It's something I haven't seen since I was a little girl,' she said.
The Kirshes volunteered their porch on 2nd Avenue NW for the festival. The 30-year Carmel residents moved three years ago to the home, which overlooks the Monon Trail and a canopy of trees.
But aren't they worried about strangers damaging their lawn?
'Well, no,' Steve Kirsh said. Their house is 30-feet wide, and their lot only extends about 7 feet beyond that.
'It's literally a front porch event, because we really don't have a yard. That's why we chose to live in this location.'
Assuming all goes well in 2014, Finkam said organizers will look to expand the event's footprint past Rangeline Road, to highlight different architectural styles. And, she said, they may consider adding food and drink trucks in 2015. For year one, though, they wanted to keep the event 'pure' and wait for feedback on potential improvements. Alcohol is allowed, so long as festival-goers drink responsibly and legally, she said.
As for the bands, it may be hard to top this year's assortment of characters.
Among the acts: Roundabout, The Weirdy Cats, WTF and the Fuzzy Bunny Fish Fry Show, which boasts a repoitore of 'rock, blues, reggae, rockabilly... (and) even a sci-fi space epic.'
'I understand Simon and Garfunkel are not available, nor are The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, so we're happy with whoever shows up,' Kirsh said. 'If Mayor Brainard had any clout, he'd get The Beatles back together.'
Call Star reporter Brian Eason at (317) 444-6129. Follow him on Twitter: @brianeason.
If you go
What: Carmel PorchFest 2014
When: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Old Town Carmel, northwest of Main Street and Rangeline Road. Artists will perform at homes on 1st Avenue NW, 2nd Avenues NW, and 3rd Street NW.
Cost: Free
The participating neighborhood will be closed to all but local vehicle traffic, but free on-street parking will be available in the Arts & Design District. Visitors can also park free at the Sophia Square and Indiana Design Center garages. Secured bike parking will be available on-site. Visit carmelporchfest.org for a map and music schedule.
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