PorchFest OBKY returns to Griffith Avenue

Nathan Havenner, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·3 min read

Jun. 12—The sun was shining brightly as Owensboro's Griffith Avenue was once again closed to traffic and filled with concertgoers for the annual return of PorchFest OBKY on Saturday.

It is the fourth time the free music festival has taken over the street, and featured 40 acts performing on 13 front porches beginning at 3 p.m. with the last acts taking the stage at 8 p.m.

Angelique Codarmaz drove in from Indianapolis, Indiana, to attend the event.

"I have so many friends here that are musicians and performers, so we try to come out and support them every year," she said.

Codarmaz said she likes all different kinds of music, including bluegrass, rock and country.

"You get to hear a lot of it here," she said. "There is a lot of original music happening with some of our friends, so it is just real fun."

Festival goers were able to walk up and down a stretch of Griffith Avenue, where the porches that were being utilized as temporary stages for the evening were identified by a specific letter, while banners at each porch displayed the schedule of performers.

Haleigh Martin was preparing for her afternoon set when the Evansville resident took a minute to talk about her music.

"I have been doing PorchFest since the very first year," Martin said. "I am a country blues artist; I play a little bit of everything but I put my own swampy bluesy spin on it."

Martin, originally from Paducah, said she is a fan of PorchFest OBKY founders Andy Brasher and Tamarra Miller, and the atmosphere the pair have cultivated at the event.

"This is the most unique festival that I have ever performed at," she said.

Caden Rock of Beaver Dam gave a shoutout to his friends Jerrett Davis and Colt Rickard as they performed Saturday.

"I went to school with these guys and they have been some of my best friends for a good, long time," he said. "All of us kind of know them and we thought we would show our support for them."

A few porches down Griffith Avenue, Stephen Horning was preparing for his upcoming set with Cynthia Murray.

"This will be our third year doing it as the duo," he said. "We also have a band called Cynthia Murray and the End Times, but we perform as a duo sometimes."

Horning said the duo were invited by Brasher to perform during an early first PorchFest event, and they have continued to come back.

"It is an honor and a blessing to get to do events like this," Horning said. "We love supporting community events that bring people together to celebrate life and music."

The acts participating included: Josh Mitcham, Clay Shelburn, Joshua Orion, RPR, Riley Station, Ariel and The HighWheels, Jade Hamilton, whytheycame, Colt Graves, DRK WTR, Nick Cheek & The Golden Hour, Madeline Wilkerson, Dakota Hayden, Yellow Banks, Josh Merritt, LaTasha Shemwell, Skylar Cain, Colt Rickard and Jerrett Davis, Happiness Jones, Hot Brown Smackdown, Seth Thomas, Freddie Bourne, Adam Scott, John Lathim, EmmaLee Chinn, Tailgate, Rebecca Lee Daniels, Shelby Lore, Cynthia Murray & Stephen Horning, Kalico, Emma Grace Brown, Drew Aud & Mike Riggs, DT on the Rocks (Dustin Taylor on the Rocks), Haleigh Martin, Cam Thompson, Brandon McCarty, Scarlett Call, Andrew and Taylor Burden and the Zach Jennings Band.