The first week of the third annual Charpentier District Front Porch Series kicks off at 5:30 p.m. tonight, Oct. 19, at 1004 Pujo St.

This concert series is “where community meets music and history.”

The history of the Front Porch Series dates back to 2017, said Danielle Granger Nava, a resident of the Charpentier District and event coordinator. Six years ago, Nick Villaume hosted a front porch concert in 2017. Nava attended his event and hosted her own in 2018.

The next front porch event would not be hosted until 2021, following the creation of her Instagram account that highlights the architecture and community in the Charpentier District.

The idea was to create a casual, celebratory community gathering that highlighted the “talent, history and togetherness” in the Charpentier District.

“I started it because in the beginning of 2021, we were still in the midst of dealing with Hurricane Laura and the pandemic. I really felt like there was a need for our community to come together in a simple way. … I just wanted a good ole’ fashioned neighborhood gathering.”

Nava’s goal of encouraging community participation paid off, and 2021 was the first year that four front porch concerts were hosted in a row.

The Charpentier District is an area in Downtown Lake Charles filled with original, historic homes built by the city’s first carpenters, she said.

“There is a preservation factor for all of the people that live here. You have to love old homes, and appreciate them, the history and what they have to offer. That automatically gives you some common ground with your neighbors.”

The Charpentier District houses a number of diverse, open-minded families with shared values that include supporting local artists, restaurants and businesses. The practice of highlighting local talent is vital for the health of the community, she said.

“We have so much local talent in Lake Charles. Louisiana in general has the issue of brain drain… we export a lot of our talent. We need to create a community where young talent, young creative people feel like they are supported and celebrated.”

Nava and her neighbors believe that community events like the Charpentier District Front Porch Series can not only support and retain local artists, but also make “downtown the center of the City again.”

“We share that pride and believe that Lake Charles can be progressed, and that we have a lot of opportunity here.”

The concerts take place from 5:30 to 7:30 over the next four Thursdays – October 19 and 26, and November 2 and 9 – at various residences in the Charpentier District.

On October 19, Dani LaCour and John Moore will each be performing one hour sets.

LaCour is a touring local singer-songwriter that serves as a great example of talent born and raised in the area, Nava said.

Moore is a musician that writes original “light-hearted folk rock music,” and his acoustic performance will be his first. Nava said that this is what the series is all about.

“It’s a great opportunity for musicians who have never played in front of a lot of people before.”

The artists performing at the next three events are:

October 26 – Taylor Morgan and Bri and The No Goods

November 2 – J.P. Primeaux and Anna Abrahams + Jace Verdin

November 9 – Calcasieu Good Time Family Band and Dovetail

Each event will have one to two food trucks and local vendor booths.

The Natures Clay – which offers handmade small batch ceramics – and the Wardrobe Mobile Boutique will be at the first night of the Front Porch Series. Creole Hidden Garden, a vegan food truck, will have food available for purchase.

This is the first year that custom merchandise was created for the Charpentier District Front Porch Series. There will be official  totes bags, stickers, posters, and adult and youth t-shirts available for purchase at each concert.

Road blocks will be set up for each event to ensure safety for guests.

For more information, visit the Charpentier District Front Porch Series Facebook page or Instagram at “charpentierdistrict.”