Music of many genres filled the air on a late December night in Colonial Place as Porchella 2022 finally kicked off. After a reschedule—from a frigidly forecasted original date that would have impacted attendance and musicians’ vocal chords—the event got underway at 6:30 pm on December 30, 2022.
The brainchild of community organizer, artist, and former landscape designer, Cristina Fletcher, the event was a follow-on of the highly successful Ghent Porchella during COVID. She explains, “Richmond had one that I’d heard about, and I thought it would work in Norfolk. It was the end of 2020, as COVID was easing up, and things seemed safe for outdoor events. People were starting to do things again.” She thought her musician friends, and other area musicians, would appreciate the opportunity to play live music again after the lockdown. Cristina happened to live in a house with a great party porch, so she started spreading the word. That eventually evolved into Ghent Porchella, which included musicians Skye Zentz and Paper Aliens. The event spread throughout Ghent and met with tremendous success.
When Cristina’s parents moved to Colonial Place last summer, she knew it would be a perfect neighborhood for a second Porchella. She contacted the Civic League in November, and the board embraced the idea. The request went out for musicians, and host porches, and the neighborhood was soon on board. A schedule started to come together, and Porchella 2022 was born.
The music ranged from acoustic to rock, improvisational jazz, EDM, and more. Musicians included Allegra Duchaine, Rebecca Schultz, duo Nick Werner, and Tom Tompkins, and the band Times New Roman. Set against a backdrop of festive holiday lights and a variety of porches, attendees enjoyed 30-minute mini-concerts for over two hours.
On the CPRV FB page, Elise Ramos Krepcho wrote:
Check out pictures of the event collected from Facebook and attendees.
Photo credit: Nancy Rogan, Stephanie Clark, Andie Gabor, Erica Howell, Shannon Bowman, and Ellen Abbey Sacks.
New year, new adventure. 40+ residents braved the cold to join us for a special preview look at the progress with the rehabilitation of the Historical Landmark—Riverview Theater, presented by owner John Childers. We enjoyed healthy snacks and beverages provided by our civic league Social Events committee. We were also joined by Officer Brenton Blakeslee, our Community Resource Officer, who provided the latest crime report
“Porchella is something we look forward to all year as returning porch hosts. I’m amazed at how Christina Fletcher pulls it together year after year, gathering musicians and pairing them with porch hosts. This is an incredible community-building event, one that showcases the character, diversity, and cohesive core of our neighborhood. It’s a win-win-win…for the musicians, the hosts, and the attendees.” – Artemis Stoll
A resounding success! That’s the final take on December’s CPRV Holiday Food Drive, benefitting ODU students through the Monarch Food Pantry and the Global Friendship House.
Happy 2025, CPRV! Join us Jan. 13 at Riverview Theater for our first meeting, celebrate events like Porchella, support New Jersey Ave’s lights, and step into leadership roles to help shape our community’s future!
At a recent Colonial Place and Riverview Civic League meeting, Citizens for Responsible Lighting (CRL), led by Lori Baccanari, presented information on the ongoing transition to LED street lighting in Norfolk. CRL focuses on ensuring that this conversion process is managed responsibly to avoid potential hazards associated with improper LED installations.
Our December 9th General Members Meeting featured an informative presentation by Citizens for Responsible Lighting (CRL), led by Lori Baccanari. CRL provided an overview of the ongoing transition to LED street lighting in Norfolk, highlighting the importance of responsible implementation to avoid potential hazards. Their presentation underscored the impact of different LED color temperatures on public health, safety, and the environment.
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