The ultimate guide (and map) to Akron's PorchRokr festival 2022 in Highland Square

Carl Cannon of Applesauce performs during the 2021 PorchRokr festival, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, in Akron, Ohio.
Carl Cannon of Applesauce performs during the 2021 PorchRokr festival, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, in Akron, Ohio.

Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood will host the performances of 150 bands on its residents’ porches for the 10th iteration of PorchRokr on Saturday, Aug. 20. The free music and art showcase will take place in the west section of Highland Square that is bordered by Augusta Avenue, South Rose Boulevard, West Market Street, South Highland Avenue, Bloomfield Avenue and West Exchange Street.

Before PorchRokr begins, there will be a PorchRokr 5K at 8 a.m. and a Yoga Squared class on the green space at the corner of Borton Avenue and West Market Street at 9:30 a.m.

The music portion of the festival will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end with headliner The Beyonderers on the main stage at 8 p.m.. A silent disco and official after party will be held at Mustard Seed Market & Cafe from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.. During the day, Will Christy Park will also have activities with Summit Metro Parks and Akron Children's Museum for children's entertainment, along with a mist tent to help attendees cool off.

Event organizers are expecting up to 12,000 attendees, so knowing where to park, what to bring and how to get around could make or break your PorchRokr experience. We’ve rounded up all of that information — and more.

How to find PorchRokr performances

Musical diversity is the festival's claim to fame, and one of the many reasons it was previously dubbed "Akron's best holiday" by PorchRokr committee member Karen Starr. A wide range of genres will be featured at PorchRokr, everything from pop to country to reggae. A DrumSing performance by the Summit Choral Society will kick off the event.

Finding this music can pose a challenge for those not familiar with the area, so we have created an interactive map that shows performance lineups for each porch or stage (along with other helpful information), so be sure to bookmark this page on your smartphone for your Saturday trek.

PorchRokr guide:Here's the full list of PorchRokr performers and map for this year's festival

Shop at local businesses, restaurants

There will be about 84 vendors sprinkled throughout the section of Highland Square hosting PorchRokr. In terms of cuisine, attendees will have various food trucks and stands to choose from, including The Perogy Lady and Johnny Lóte’s Latin Street Corn. PorckRokr’s Beer Garden on Augusta Avenue will also be stocked with refreshments on tap from Platform Beer Co.. Brick and mortar businesses in the area, like Mr. Zub's Deli & Bar and Irie Jamaican Kitchen, will be open to the public during the festival.

Local businesses such as Funky Notions will also be at the event alongside community groups and various organizations, according to Katie Carver Reed, president of the Highland Square Neighborhood Association.

Getting to and from PorchRokr

Since there will be thousands of people milling around the neighborhood, event organizers suggest attendees who live close enough ride their bike to the festival rather than drive.

Those who travel there by car should plan to park outside of the event area. These individuals will be able to use Metro RTA’s No. 1 bus to get into and out of Highland Square’s western quadrant. Plan your trip using the route's online schedule. Metro is offering fare-free weekends this summer, so there will be no fee for the trip.

Metro's free-fare weekends: Here's how public transit in Summit, Portage counties is dodging steep fuel costs

What to bring, what to leave at home

While camping equipment like tents won’t be allowed at this edition of PorchRokr, Starr encourages festivalgoers to bring other items, including an umbrella, reusable water bottle, sunscreen and a backpack to put it all in.

Carver Reed suggests people also wear walking shoes and bring their own chair if they intend to sit during performances. But seriously, don’t forget your water bottle — festival organizers are trying to minimize both heat stroke and litter.

"We really strive to be a zero waste event," Carver Reed said. "The Akron Zoo is partnering with us this year on that zero waste initiative. The zoo will be helping us sort compost so that they can bring it back to their compost digester."

To further reduce waste, Donamarc Water Systems Co. will also have four stations to refill water bottles placed throughout the event's footprint.

For more information about this year's PorchRokr festival, check out its Facebook page.

Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@gannett.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans.

PorchRokr 2021

What: Art and music festival

Who: 150bands

When: 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, August 20

Where: Designated porches in Akron’s Highland Square Neighborhood

Cost: Free

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Everything you need to know about PorchRokr festival 2022