Dan Zanella, senior event producer for Newark Porchfest chats with WBGO's News Director Doug Doyle

Following in the porch steps of many other cities across the country, the first annual Newark Porchfest makes its debut this Saturday, September 28. Newark Porchest will showcase professional and amateur artists and turn neighborhood porches in the Forest Hill Historic District into stages and galleries.

Dan Zanella, senior event producer for Newark Porchfest, says attendees will be able to walk, ride bikes or scooters, or push strollers as they move from one stage to another listening to a variety of musicians and visual artists.

In addition, there will be food vendors, interactive activities for children and a silent auction with proceeds benefiting the Newark School for the Arts.

Zanella, a member of the Forest Hill Community Association's Events Committee, says he's excited to show off his neighborhood.

"For me it's just the diversity of the people, the beauty of the area that we have and just the sense of community. I've lived in the community for 25 plus years and we meet more and more people everyday that love this neighborhood and this community as much as we do. It's been a wonderful part of our lives being here in this community."

Zanella says the free event is filled with a variety of talent.

"Thirteen of those porches are set up as visual art galleries, where will have painters, photographers and jewelry artists displaying their work. We even have a live glassblowing demonstration with Newark's own GlassRoots. We've got another 20 stages that are set up for performing arts, bands, solo artists, dance demonstrations going on in those other venues as well."

Porchfest sponsors include Newark Arts, Clara Maass Medical Center, Newark Happening, United Way of Greater Newark, The Turrell Fund, Anibal Ramos Jr. Civic Association, Commercial District Services and The Mount Prospect Partnership.

Newark Porchest runs from 1 to 5 pm this Saturday. For more information, you can visit www.fhcanewark.org.

Click above to hear the entire interview with Dan Zanella.