Owego to host the third annual Owego Porchfest

By Wendy Post —

Organizer and Historic Owego Marketplace member Carol Ostrander has been busy lining musicians up with porches for this year’s third annual Owego Porchfest, taking place throughout the downtown Owego District on Sunday, Oct. 6. 

With 50 porches signed up as hosts, from Front Street to Main Street and all the roads in between, over 100 musicians will arrive Sunday to entertain guests throughout the day. Performances begin on multiple porches at 11 a.m., like the Jazz Happens Band at 260 Main St., Walking Along the Beach at the Belva Lockwood Inn on Front Street, and others. 

A full schedule of bands and locations, as well as their performance times, is available at www.owego.org.

The Owego Pennysaver served as a sponsor this year and will be set up in front of our 181-183 Front St. offices. We will have a few give-aways, a raffle, and sample publications.

The Owego Dog Owners Group will also be set up with information about the Rebecca Weitsman Memorial Dog Park, and will have a raffle basket to help raise funds to support it. Gary Glenmary will be performing solo at The Owego Pennysaver on Front Street, and will be donating any of his tips from Porchfest to the dog park. Come by and listen to some Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and even a few originals. Gary’s performance is at noon.

As the owner of Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar in Owego, organizing the Porchfest event has been a great outlet for this local artist and entrepreneur. Through her efforts, Carol has grown Porchfest, branching out and connecting, musically, the local hosts with their artist.

Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar tells the story behind the organizer of Porchfest, with paintings hanging on the wall, the aroma of coffee blends, and music filling the room on most days, a musician set up in the back and performing for guests, coffeehouse style.

With a heavy morning and lunch crowd, Carol maneuvers around her coffee shop, making sure the baking is done, the coffee is brewed, and taking care of her customers.

In the summer hours, music can be heard by those shopping downtown, the sweet sounds coming from Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar on Front Street. Small tables grace the walkway outside, a popular seat during the warmer and dryer weather and a great place to watch the activity in downtown Owego.

For Carol, organizing Porchfest is a way to further her love of music and art, and offer it to the community. Working closely with the performing artists, Carol finds the best match for her host!

With a Porchfest taking place in other towns around the area, some with longstanding participation and attendance, Ostrander is putting Owego’s on the map and promoting Owego as a destination.

So head on down to Owego next Sunday, Oct. 6, and take a stroll on Main Street, Lake Street, North Avenue, Church Street and Academy Street, for a day out to enjoy music and everything that downtown life offers.

Remember, the shops and restaurants are open too; offering guests all that downtown Owego has to offer.

Don’t forget to visit www.owego.org for that map. We’ll see you there!