Photo courtesy of Play Music on the Porch Day/Facebook The event, founded eight years ago, includes participants from 45 countries worldwide.
Local News

Musicians invited to join “Play Music on the Porch Day” 

The 2023 date is Saturday, Aug. 26 

By Barb Pert Templeton

“What if one day everything just stopped and we all just listened to music.”

This idea came to musician and artist Brian Mallman in 2014 and despite its simplicity he decided to share it with the world and much to his surprise it spread like crazy.

By 2018, thousands of musicians from cities and countries across the globe participated and found common ground through music amid a movement that continues to grow every day.

Photo courtesy of Debbie Rhein
These three local musicians will be taking part in ‘Play Music on the Porch Day’ utilizing the Richmond’s First United Methodist Church parking lot as their “porch” on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. Pictured here left to right are Mark Delcourt, Debbie Rhein, and Derek Habel.

This year, musicians and their fans will be celebrating Play Music on the Porch Day around the world on Saturday, August 26, 2023. To date the special event has added 1,700 locations in 45 countries worldwide and boasts a well-traveled Facebook page and a website that shares the simple idea.

“When you pick up your instrument and start to play the world disappears and you get lost in the sounds,” Mallman, a guitar player from Los Angeles, states on his website. “Music goes beyond words. It can transcend the most difficult barriers. It ties us together like a thread through our hearts. Our skin is many colors but music is in our blood, our bones and our soul.”

Closer to home here in Michigan, Debbie Rhein, of Richmond, stared playing music on her porch on the last Saturday in August 2020. She said she read about the event on social media and thought it would be a great way to communicate and share with others during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“For many, music brings a little peace and calm which we sure needed then,” Rhein said. “It was just me and my violin. My neighbor sat on her porch and listened and there was an occasional passerby who would stop for a moment or two and let me know they appreciated the music.”

After that initial impromptu concert, Rhein took to her porch to play again in 2021 and 2022.  This year, for 2023, she’ll be joined by two friends from church, Derek Habel who’ll play banjo and guitar while Mark Delcourt provides vocals and plays the mandolin. They will perform at their home church, Richmond First United Methodist Church from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Photo courtesy of Play Music on the Porch Day/Facebook
This year’s event hopes to draw in over 1,000 locations across the globe.

“We’ve been practicing for months and have permission to use our church parking lot as our “Porch”.,” Rhein said. “We have a playlist of songs that we think all people will enjoy and be entertained by. We also have a few guest performers coming to contribute to the fun.”

Richmond First United Methodist Church will be having an Ice Cream Social to coincide with the musical performance and all good-will donations will go to the Back Blessings Program at the church. 

Spectators are asked to bring a lawn chair and be prepared to enjoy some music and some ice cream.

A link to the Play Music on The Porch website is as follows: https://playmusicontheporchday.com/. Or visit their Facebook Page at Play Music On The Porch Day.  

Richmond First United Methodist Church is located at 69495 Main Street in Richmond.

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