Porchfest cancelled for first time since 2022 inauguration due to inclement weather

Princeton Porchfest, a free community festival hosted by the Arts Council of Princeton, will be cancelled due to inclement weather, according to a Friday afternoon announcement. The event was set to run Saturday from 12 to 6 p.m., featuring live bands playing on porches across town and local vendors such as Small World Coffee. 

This is the first time that Porchfest has been cancelled since its inauguration in 2022. The forecast for tomorrow includes rain, up to 20 mph wind gusts, and feels-like temperatures in the mid-30s. 

“Porchfest has always been a rain-or-shine event, and we take a lot of pride in that,” the announcement read. “But this, as it appears now, isn’t a passing shower or a minor inconvenience — it’s the kind of weather that makes it genuinely hard for musicians to perform, for equipment to function.” 

According to Fiona Clark, Marketing and PR Associate for the Arts Council of Princeton, organizers will meet early next week to discuss rescheduling the event. Clark told The Daily Princetonian that performers had been dropping out while the decision to cancel was still being finalized. 

One performer, Zach Goldberg ’28, wrote to the ‘Prince’ that “I’m just disappointed about it.”

“I understand weather is just an unavoidable and unpredictable hindrance, and maybe I’m a bit disappointed there weren’t any backup plans made to move things to an inside or covered space, but I can’t be mad about that — it’s mostly out of the organizers’ control,” Goldberg added.

Another performer declined to comment.

“We are heartbroken,” the announcement added. 

Luke Grippo is a head News editor for the ‘Prince.’ He is from South Jersey, and typically covers high-profile interviews and University and town politics. He can be reached at luke.grippo[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated to include comment from a performer.