Porchfest 2025
- This Is Rutherford
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
By Jennifer Ersalesi
Our Borough embraces the arts throughout the entire year. Whether at events like Rutherford Day, Dining Out, Treefest, various community parades, and more, artists are provided with opportunities to share their creativity. Porchfest is one of those much-anticipated events presented by the Rutherford Arts Committee. Throughout the entire day, musicians get to share their music from porches and front lawns around Rutherford. Artists also assist with this event by creating the designs for the t-shirts and signs. Porchfest will take place this Saturday, October 11th. This is Rutherford interviewed one of the main organizers of this event, Rutherfordian Matt Ackermann, about his favorite event.
TIR: Porchfest has become a much-anticipated Rutherford event. People enjoy being able to travel throughout their own community to hear music and visit with their friends and neighbors. What do YOU love most about Porchfest?
Matt Ackermann: Porchfest is absolutely my favorite day of the year. It trumps Christmas and Thanksgiving for me, and mostly it is because of the opportunity to see so many members of our community here in Rutherford. I have had the pleasure to live here and volunteer here, and coach here my whole life, and there are so many people that I get to see when I walk through Rutherford on Porchfest Saturday! It is amazing. I have to tell you, since we started doing this, I get folks from other towns and other counties calling to ask me how we can do this, and I tell them we have two ingredients that makes Rutherford unique: our community and our amazing leaders in Borough Hall.
TIR: What types of music can people expect to hear this year?
MA: We have an eclectic mix of music from rock and alternative to Jazz and acoustic. I think there is something for everyone!
TIR: This year, Felician University’s Castle has been added to the lineup. What can you tell us about this new addition?
MA: Felician is such an incredible partner. We are so excited to bring music to one of the best “porches” in Rutherford and bring music to the amazing students on campus. This venue will feature the most bands of any porch this year, as well as castle tours (and restrooms open to the public). I have to confess, I’ve lived here forever, and I’ve never even been inside the castle. I’m excited.
TIR: Porchfest is presented by the Rutherford Arts Committee. Can you tell us more about the volunteers who have been assisting with this year’s Porchfest?
MA: I can’t say enough good things about all of our volunteers each year. Alex Britez, of course, always leads the way, helping to not only select the bands but then meticulously schedule them and coordinate. It is unreal and a tribute to an amazing volunteer. We also have a core group of great people like yourself and Katie Pippin and the Arnones and my family who come each year to make this event run seamlessly. We are so lucky to have great volunteers (and of course, the invaluable help of the Borough administrator Robert Kakoleski, Public Information Officer Kim Bogosian, and the Rutherford Police Department). It is a great day because of such amazing teamwork.
TIR: What else would you like to share about Porchfest 2025?
MA: This year, I am really excited too by our MCs. We have such talent in this town and getting Leah Griffin and Charlotte Ersalesi to volunteer their time to help bring their energy to our porches is amazing. I can’t wait to see them hit the stage … I mean porches with all of the great bands.
We also have a new closing porch for the first time! Don’t miss the fun throughout the day that will all culminate on Home Ave! See you there!
See the schedule below:
