PORCH FEST
OCT 25, 2026
FAIR HAVEN, NJ
October 25, 2026 · Fair Haven, NJ
A teen-led takeover of our streets, our porches, and our story.
BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY BY USING OUR GREATEST CAPITAL— OUR TEENS
Porch Fest is what happens when we start allowing our teens the autonomy, independence, and ingenuity to revitalize our neighborhoods.
On October 25, the College Street porches of Fair Haven will become stages while our sidewalks transform into a current of bombastic connectivity. We envision this happening with teens at the center, using a chunk of the summer building it all— the lineup, the look, the logistics, the merch, the map, and most importantly…the UNITY. Will you join us?
→ Choose Your Track ←
Middle School
Junior Producers
Grades 6–8 · Tuesdays + Thursdays
8 spots · $125 deposit
High School
Project Leads
Grades 9–12 · Wednesdays + Thursdays
8 spots · $125 deposit
WHAT IS IT?
LIVE PERFORMANCES
On porches across the college streets in Fair Haven — spoken word, music, comedy, storytelling, you'll-see.
COMMUNITY POTLUCK
At the Central Hub. Bring a dish, grab a shirt, drop a donation.
STAMP CARD SCAVENGER HUNT
For kids. Hit every porch, win something good.
FOR TEENS WHO WANT TO INVEST IN COMMUNITY
Porch Fest isn't just an event — it's a three month build, led by teens and for teens, with adults in the background doing what adults do best at this age: getting out of the way. Your teen will spend the summer working with mentors, building the festival from the ground up, and finding out what they're capable of when nothing around them is small.
Open to grades 6–12. We're capping the cohort at 16 teens total — 8 middle schoolers and 8 high schoolers — to keep the build tight and every voice heard. Pick the track that matches your teen's grade in Fall 2026.
$425
Program Free
$125 deposit at registration
$300 balance due August 1
Need-based scholarships available through the Lupine Scholarship Fund.
A BRIEF LOOK AT OUR SUMMER PROGRAMMING
The intensive runs four focused weeks in August. The fall is biweekly Zoom check-ins and one in-person walk.
Event day is October 25. Here's exactly what each week looks like, so you and your teen know what you're committing to before you register.
WHEN
Sunday, October 25, 2026 · Time TBD
WHERE
College Streets, Fair Haven, NJ · Full porch map released October 1st.
Free. Donations welcomed.
A folding chair, an appetite, an open ear.
COST
BRING
WHERE
T.E.M. Studio (in person, August) + Zoom (fall check-ins)
WHO GOES WHICH DAY
Tuesdays — Middle School (Grades 6–8): Junior Producers
Wednesdays — High School (Grades 9–12): Project Leads
Thursdays — Full Cohort: everyone together
Biweekly Zoom check-ins, 30–60 min, September through mid-October
FALL
WHEN
Tues, Wed, Thurs · 4:00–6:00 PM · August 4–27
EVENT DAY
Sunday, October 25 · College Streets, Fair Haven, NJ
NOTE
Wednesday HS sessions may flex in Weeks 3–4 to accommodate fall sports schedules.
THE AUGUST INTENSIVE -
WEEK BY WEEK.
Week 1 · August 4–6
Orientation
Who are we, and what are we actually building?
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH 6-8 - MS
Introductions, group agreements, Porch Fest big picture.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6TH 6-8 - ALL
Introductions, group agreements, porch host overview.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5TH 6-8 - HS
First time all together. Vote on the visual identity. Map review.
Week 2 · August 11–13
Research + Planning
Figuring out what we're asking the neighborhood for.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH 6-8 - MS
Build the community directory. Practice the canvass conversation.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12TH 6-8 - HS
The porch host ask. Review warm leads. Role play.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13TH 6-8 - ALL
Roles announced. Event vision walkthrough. Shirt design vote.
Week 3 · August 18–20
Building Begins
Door hangers, prep, and the neighborhood walk.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH 6-8 - MS
Door hanger design and print prep.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12TH 6-8 - HS
Final porch host prep. Confirm pairs for Thursday's walk.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13TH 6-8 - ALL
Neighborhood walk on the College Streets. HS + MS in pairs, door to door. Debrief at T.E.M.
Week 4 · August 25–27
Production + Lock-In
Lock the festival down. Then celebrate the build.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH 6-8 - MS
Enter canvass data. Build the directory. Test QR codes.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12TH 6-8 - HS
Hand off performer booking. Build the event map.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13TH 6-8 - ALL
Celebration and send-off. Each team presents what they built. Celebration meal.
September + October — Fall Check-Ins
After the August intensive, the cohort meets every two weeks via Zoom, led by Mannikka. 30–60 minutes each. One in-person site walk on the College Streets happens in mid-September.
Meeting times TBD
- ● Check-In 1 · Early September Scavenger hunt design using real confirmed porches. Neighborhood promotional flyer designed in session. Shirt production begins.
- ● Check-In 2 · Mid-September Scavenger hunt finalized. In-person site walk on the College Streets — full cohort on the block together.
- ● Check-In 3 · Early October Day-of logistics finalized. Every role confirmed. Shirts distributed.
- ● Check-In 4 · Mid-October Final review. Walk through event day hour by hour. End with energy.
October 25, 2026 — Event Day
Porch Fest: The Rebelution Goes Live
Performers on porches. Community walks the block. Kids' scavenger hunt. Community potluck at the Central Hub. Every teen works their named role.
GOT A PORCH? WHY NOT LEND IT?
We need 12–15 porches across Fair Haven to host performances on October 25. If you live on a walkable block, have a porch (or a yard, or a stoop, or a driveway that wants to be a stage), we want to talk to you.
Hosting is simple: lend us your space for 2–4 hours, meet your neighbors, watch something remarkable happen on your own front step.
Porches Needed
12-15
QUESTIONS WORTH
ASKING
What age range is Porch Fest for?
Grades 6–12. The summer build and fall production are designed for middle and high schoolers, with mentorship structured to meet teens where they are developmentally. Younger siblings are welcome to attend the festival on October 25 — the scavenger hunt is built for them.
What if the $425 fee is a
stretch for our family?
No teen gets priced out of T.E.M. The Lupine Scholarship Fund — named after the wildflower in Miss Rumphius — provides needs-based support year-round, no formal application required. Email mrosa@temstudio.org and we'll figure it out together, confidentially.
Can our family help in ways
other than registering a teen?
Absolutely — Porch Fest needs a village. You can lend your porch, sponsor a teen through the Lupine Scholarship Fund, donate supplies for the Central Hub, volunteer on event day, or help spread the word to your block. Reach out and we'll match you to what you have to give.
How do I get my street or porch involved?
If you have a porch (or yard, stoop, or driveway) on a walkable Fair Haven block and want to host a performance, click "Become a Porch Host" above. As we get closer we'll talk through what hosting looks like — typically 2–4 hours on October 25, no setup required on your end.
Is my teen committed to
every summer session?
The summer intensive runs through August, and consistency matters — teens are building a real festival together, and missing sessions affects the whole crew. That said, we know summer is summer. If you have a family trip or conflict, talk to us early and we'll find a way to keep your teen plugged in.
What does my teen actually do
during the summer?
They build a festival from scratch. That means working in small crews on programming (booking performers, designing the lineup), production (porch logistics, the map, the merch), marketing (social, community outreach, the press), and the Central Hub (potluck, scavenger hunt, donation flow). Mentors guide; teens decide.
Is the event rain or shine?
We'll have contingency plans, but teens will make them and determine the rain date during our sessions.
Where does the money go?
Program fees cover the actual cost of running Porch Fest: mentor stipends, materials, t-shirts, permits, and production. T.E.M. Studio is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and any surplus from sponsorships and donations goes directly into the Lupine Scholarship Fund so the next cohort of teens can show up regardless of what their family can pay.
