MILLTOWN, NJ - Milltown has a lot going on this October from Milloween to the annual Haunted River Walk. Now, there is something new coming to the borough in the fall that music lovers are going to go wild about. So, be sure to save the date. The borough's first-ever Milltown PorchFest gets rocking on Sunday, October 11, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. What exactly is Milltown PorchFest?
Milltown PorchFest is a community-wide music festival that takes place around the borough. Performers set up on porches, front lawns, driveways and other smaller spaces throughout Milltown and play their music. Some performances may be acoustic while others may utilize a sound system. There may be bands or solo performers. All of it is free and completely walkable to enjoy and experience.
Milltown PorchFest is the brainchild of borough business owner Elena Mattey. The seed was planted when Mattey attended Maplewood PorchFest, which is coming up this weekend on Sunday, September 6.
“About five years ago, I was visiting family in Maplewood, and they suggested we check it out,” Mattey said. “It was so much fun walking through the neighborhoods and seeing all kinds of bands. There were a few small vendors selling lemonade, snacks and band merch. It was a pretty cool day.”
“Since then, I’ve talked to a couple people about doing one in Milltown,” Mattey continued. “The idea resurfaced when I was coming up with ideas to bring attention to our salon. I’ve been there 20 years on Main Street, yet each week we hear someone say ‘I never knew you were here’. Milltown is not a sleepy town, but if we want a vibrant place to live and do business, we could do more. Everyone will benefit from working together, without political or financial gain. I believe we need more of this in our lives today; ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ type of vibe."
M/M Hair Design is located at 84 North Main Street.
“I have a vision for my business, M/M Hair Design, to invite other small businesses to collaborate pop-ups in front or inside my shop,” Mattey said. “Simply to help other small businesses get exposure and bring something fun to Milltown. I thought it would be cool to host a band or open mic at my shop. Then I remembered PorchFest. I posed a question on Milltown For All Facebook to gauge interest in doing a Milltown PorchFest.”
That one post ignited a spark and interest that started to spread. PorchFest isn't a new concept. It started about 10 years ago in Ithaca, New York and started to sprout up in other places around the Northeast who thought it was a perfect pick for bringing visitors to their town as well as getting residents to explore their own community.
“I was overwhelmed with the excitement of the idea,” Mattey said. “I wasn’t prepared to organize this alone or even this year, but I thought, why not just jump on the energy and get it started. PorchFest is always a free event where neighbors volunteer their home to bands that also play for free. It’s a community-built event free for everyone.”
“I have a vision for PorchFest to be a feel-good way to connect our residents with each other and the local music community,” Mattey continued. “I’m hoping to get the shops on Main Street to either do a pop-up or some kind of special for the day.”
Mattey is currently working on expanding that idea, inviting other Milltown businesses to join in on the fun. Any businesses hosting a pop-up for Milltown PorchFest will be included on the map for attendees to find them. Registration for participating bands ended on September 1.
“That’s where the hard part starts,” Mattey said. “Me and some friends with experience will match bands to the porches depending on the size of the band. Then we’ll work on the schedule. Once that’s done, we will publish an interactive map that the audience can see who is playing where and what time.”
Milltown PorchFest currently has 34 bands and 24 participating porches. Mattey said some porches may host more than one band, but is also preparing for potential changes as the event gets closer.
“Things can change at the last minute if a band or host drops out,” Mattey said. “We will need to raise a little bit of money to offset the cost of the signs and flyers. We will be selling T-shirts for this reason."
“Typically there are no sponsors for a PorchFest,” Mattey added. “We are not interested in monetizing the event.”
The list of performers for Milltown PorchFest includes Bryan Hansen Band, Mike Montrey Band, Jake DeAndrea, Stephen Quaranta, Guitar Zero, Rhodora, Mike Saulnier/Saulnier Sounds, Saints in Exile, Andrew Agosta, Jimmy Fire and the Flamethrowers, JIGS and the PIGS, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Kevin O'Connor, Wake of Moths, RAVENS, Kidd Lich, Jo Stones, Nevergreen, Guesstimate, Joy and the Wildfire, Roshambo, DJ MikeroMusik, soultron, Steven J and the Clusterbomb, Forlorne, Jessi Rose, Generation Next, School of Rock East Brunswick, Silent Knight, St. Paul's Praise Band, Luke Johnson, Darla and the Darlings, The Vino Brothers, 47 Faces, Zombie Mafia, Jacob Daniels and the Wednesdays.
Mattey is in need of volunteers for Millown PorchFest interested in photography and videography as well as runners on October 11 who are willing to assist the performers and the hosts. Volunteers are also needed to help distribute posters and signs.
Mattey has set up Milltown PorchFest Facebook and Instagram pages where updates on the upcoming event are posted. So, stay tuned for information about where and when bands will be performing at Milltown PorchFest 2026 on October 11. Milltown PorchFest 2026 is a rain or shine event.
“Every Fourth of July my shop hosts an open house during the parade,” Mattey added. “We close for business but open our door for folks to come in and cool off, use the restroom and grab a cold drink and snacks. This is purely an outreach as a way of thanking Milltown for giving us 20 years in business and connecting more people together. I’m really hoping that PorchFest does the same, building the event together and fostering a sense of community. We can all benefit from that, I believe.”