Steve Richtaritsch of Conestogo started a new tradition last weekend: a Woolwich Township Porch Party.
It was an afternoon of music with his band playing on his driveway from 1 to 5 pm on Saturday. He hopes this will be an annual event and more people across the area will join in with the fun by hosting bands on their front lawns, in their driveways, and on their porches.
There are similar porch parties in Kitchener and Waterloo every year.
A porch party functions like a township-wide garage sale, but instead of homes hosting garage sales on the same afternoon, they host small parties with live music where people can come and go, travel around and partake in the fun across the township.
Richtaritsch received the permissions needed for his event this weekend, and hopes staff will be onboard to grow the event.
“We had two years of crap, right? So, everybody wants to get out and do something and this way you can actually see your neighbors again and have a bit of fun.”
The idea started when the band Richtaritsch plays in started using an in-ear sound system for their weekly band practice. The in-ear system greatly reduced the noise so the neighbours couldn’t hear them as well.
“But the neighbors always said, ‘Well, that was a Tuesday night thing. Our kids would sit by your window with your kids and listen to your band practice.’
“So the one time I said ‘Well, we’re going to throw a Saturday afternoon practice outside.’ And we did that and we had pretty much both Weberlyn and Musselman crescents pop over. And it was a great thing,” he said of his Conestogo neighbourhood.
And then, after playing music at porch parties in Kitchener, he thought that Woolwich should have one too.
“So here we are,” said Richtaritsch.
Anyone interested in following up and getting involved for next year’s event can contact
Richtaritsch at mrsax@rogers.com.
