Sanford’s beloved annual event will take a one-year “hiatus” and is scheduled to return in 2027.
Sanford Porchfest, a free outdoor music festival that raises money for arts scholarships, will not be held for its ninth year in 2026. Last year’s festival drew 35,000 attendees to the streets of Sanford’s historic residential neighborhood to watch 74 bands perform on 18 porches.
To date, the festival has raised $200,000 for performing arts summer camp tuition and arts scholarships for high school seniors and college students.
The team behind the festival shared the news on social media on Tuesday afternoon.
“This decision is incredibly difficult and we feel its weight deeply. Our festival has always been about more than music,” a post on Sanford Porchfest’s Facebook page reads. “It’s about celebrating community, connections and the amazing local talent that makes our town so special.
“Unfortunately, delays in finalizing arrangements with necessary stakeholders and the need for a unified plan to sustain the future of the festival have made it impossible for us to move forward and deliver the level of magic we had hoped for. Rather than compromise the integrity and quality of the experience, we believe it is best to pause, reflect, and work to build a stronger foundation for the years to come.”
Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel
The intersection of 10th Street and Park Avenue will be crowded with onlookers and strollers during the 2020 Sanford Porchfest. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
The festival has vowed to return in 2027.
“This is not goodbye. Sometimes you need to press pause,” the post continues. “The Sanford Porchfest Music Festival will return in February 2027, 10 years after the first event, and is ready to once again fill our city and our hearts with music, joy, and togetherness.”
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