Porches Across Saratoga (& Beyond)
As so many gatherings get cancelled for the health and safety of everyone involved, we’ve been inspired by the innovative ways some groups have found to keep coming together. Our colleagues at Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation recently revamped their annual Porch Party into a virtual gathering. It was a way to make sure they still celebrated preservation in Saratoga Springs as a community — while being appropriately distanced.
A small group of distanced event attendees gathered at 748 North Broadway, where the Porch Party was slated to take place, to hear from Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation Executive Director Samantha Bosshart and Deborah DePasquale of TOGA HERITAGE to kickoff the festivities.
The porch at 748 North Broadway, decorated by TOGA HERITAGE
The Porch Party is typically the kickoff event for SSPF’s Historic Homes Tour, another event indefinitely postponed due to the coronavirus. The Historic Homes Tour provides a rare opportunity to see the private interiors of historic homes throughout Saratoga Springs and is one of the Foundation’s most popular events. But the Porch Party itself is also highly anticipated and marks the start of spring with a nod to the importance of porches. A porch is both public and private. It allows you to be in your own space, but still feel connected with your neighborhood. A porch on a public building can also be a great place for having meaningful interactions — and people-watching. In fact, the porches of the grand hotels on Broadway were once the places to see and be seen in Saratoga Springs, and this served as the initial inspiration for SSPF’s Porch Party.
There is a wealth of unique historic architecture around Saratoga Springs, and that extends to the porches around town as well. If you are ever in the neighborhood, take yourself on an architectural walking tour and pay special attention to the variety of porches you see.
The Virtual Porch Party allowed supporters to celebrate from their own porches — wherever they might be. They were encouraged to decorate their porches and share photos for a chance to win gift cards to local businesses. Brian V. Photography made the rounds taking porch-traits to commemorate the moment and the Foundation live streamed the festivities through Facebook so everyone could feel like they were taking part.
If you want to relive the event, you can view the video on Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation’s Facebook Page.
For a full recap of the event, check out this article by SSPF Executive Director Samantha Bosshart in Simply Saratoga magazine.
The Foundation hopes to host another Porch Party in the near future so stayed tuned! Visit their website to learn more about their upcoming events and all that they do to support preservation in Saratoga Springs.
“Porch-trait” by Brian V Photography of Robert Davis and Denise McDonald, who won Porch Package from Impressions of Saratoga for their Moment in History Themed Porch .
A social media “toast” to preservation