Joliet Cathedral Area hosts porch music performers

A Porch and Park Music Fest on Saturday will be a first of its kind in Joliet, providing a unique setting for enjoying music – four porches in the city’s historic Cathedral Area.

Attendees can stroll to three porches at family homes and one at the Motherhouse at the University of St. Francis to hear musicians perform in one of the city’s historic settings.

The Porch and Park Music Fest is scheduled from 2-5 p.m. and will be followed by a Concert in the Park sponsored by the Joliet Park District at 5:30 p.m. in Preservation Park, located at Wilcox and Taylor streets outside of Farragut School.

There is not admission charge, and attendees are invited to bring portable chairs for seating for the performances.

Tim Placher, a Joliet musician and event organizer who lives in the Cathedral Area, organized the porch music event.

“People can go to a porch and hear music for a half-hour and there will be a break, and they can go to another porch,” Placher said. “They can hear eight music acts in three hours.”

Performers are listed on the event website, https://porchandparkmusicfest.godaddysites.com/. They include Laney Jones, Arbor Creek, Crooked Tails Duo and more.

The porches are at private homes 361 Wilcox St., 709 Western Ave and 606 Western Ave. The University of St. Francis also is providing the porch at its Motherhouse, the familiar limestone building facing Plainfield Road, for the event.

“It really wasn’t that hard to find porches,” Placher said. “People were eager to participate.”