Tune In, Turn On
Some musicians stick to what they know and do best: playing music. In the case of Amy Elizabeth, being a musician is only part of what she does with her time. I know this firsthand as I have been working with Amy for almost two years now.
In addition to performing throughout South Jersey, Elizabeth is the principal organizer of the annual Tuckerton Porchfest.
The event returns to Main Street this Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. An afterparty featuring live performances and an open jam session will follow from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Grapevine.
Tune In Turn On caught up with Amy Elizabeth last week and we chatted about Tuckerton Porchfest 2026.
DD: How did the idea for Porchfest originate?
AE: The idea first came to mind when I heard about the Asbury Park Porchfest and I knew a few people playing. I had a lightbulb moment sitting on the porch of The Union Market & Gallery one morning drinking my latte, that we should have one here in Tuckerton. Then, in a kismet way, an employee who runs a monthly open mic there said we absolutely should have one, so we went inside to clear it with the owner. That first year, 2024, we got six porches to do the same. A lot of the planning came from researching what other communities do for porchfests, what other organizers I know do with their events and my imagination of what I would enjoy.
DD: Talk about the musical concept whereby artists not only perform at venues, but also at storefronts and private residences?
AE: Porchfests are happening all over the state and country; each community does it differently. Asbury Park, Belmar, Metuchen all have thriving ones that their communities show up for. Ours is unique in the way that we have one small, main strip here in Tuckerton with a visually aesthetic drive with gorgeous Victorian homes, cute shops and amazing porches. We put a Google form out to the community this year to gauge interest in hosting porches and directly approached those whom we thought would be good fits and those we have worked with in the past. We have a total of nine venues this year including: The Union Market & Gallery, 120 W. Main St.; Private Residence, 217 N. Green St.; Pine Shores Art Association, 140 E. Main St.; Bayside Consulting, 131 E. Main St.; Elliot’s Barber Shop, 162 E. Main St.; Lizzie Rose Music Room, 217 E. Main St.; Private Residence, 201 Cedar St.; Southern Ocean Animal Hospital, 319 E. Main St., and The Grapevine, 364 E. Main St. With limited opportunities for performing artists, especially in Ocean County, to play their original music, we created nine in one day. I have partnered with some people within the arts scene to help me grow Porchfest this year. Elephant Talk Indie, Little Indie Management, NJ AMP (American Muslims for Palestine) Alliance and Shore Wave Productions all organize events and shows in our scene and will each be running a porch this year and have been helping to promote the event to help it grow. We also have maps. They will be offered out the day of, but for now can be obtained at The Union Market & Gallery and The Grapevine.
DD: In addition to the music, what else is going on at Porchfest, vendors, etc?
AE: In addition to all the original music you can ask for, we have several amazing poets and spoken word artists who will be performing their work in between sets at the porches of the Lizzie Rose Music Room, 201 Cedar St.; and Southern Ocean Animal Hospital. There will also be a featured poetry set at The Union Market as well by some of the poets from NJ AMP Alliance. We’ll also have about 30 vendors, ranging from artisans, food, beverage and merchandise with two locations; The Union Market & Galley and Southern Ocean Animal Hospital. There will also be live art demonstrations at multiple spots from artists like Megan Smith, Trixter, Dogmatic, Jeffery Martinez and many more.
Tuckerton Porchfest takes place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2, followed by an afterparty 5 to 9 p.m. all along Main Street in Tuckerton. The rain date is May 3. All ages. Free to the public. Information: facebook.com/tuckertonporchfest/.
Tune-Ups
Rock and reggae collide in the best of ways at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s venue The Balcony, when SoCal’s Fortunate Youth headlines a 420-inspired MJ Unpacked show 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, with special guests Lil Twinn, Mizzy Coke and shoreShot.
“Atlantic City has that raw energy we love,” said Dan Kelly, Fortunate Youth’s lead singer. “Anytime we get to bring our music to a place like the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, it’s about connection, unity and just feeling good together.”
“This event is not just another stop on Fortunate Youth’s tour, this is a curated night. The vibe, the venue, the people… it all came together in a way that feels bigger than just a show,” said Greg Okun, whose company, GEO Network, coordinated the event with The Social Leaf dispensary of Toms River. “Fortunate Youth is an authentic representation of cannabis culture and love. The Social Leaf, the band and I wanted this special event to be open to both industry leaders as well as the public so all can enjoy.”
Local note: FY trumpet player John Kromenacker is from Galloway.
Learn more at: https://casino.hardrock.com/atlantic-city/event-calendar/fortunate-youth-with-special-guests-presented-by-social-rootz.
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com
