Woodfords Corner Celebrates Its Diverse Neighborhood With CornerFest

PORTLAND, Maine—Residents, businesses and friends of the Woodfords Corner neighborhood will join together on Friday, Sept. 21 for CornerFest, a fall block party that celebrates the ongoing revitalization of this neighborhood hub.

CornerFest runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the parking lot at Woodfords Congregational Church at 202 Woodford St. Sponsored by Friends of Woodfords Corner, Woodfords Congregational Church, STAGES Youth Theatre and Portland Conservatory of Music, CornerFest will feature musicians, craftspeople and food vendors, all drawn from the neighborhood. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

In addition to music and activities for all ages, area nonprofits and businesses will be on hand to introduce visitors to the vast array of services offered within Woodfords Corner.

“Woodfords Corner is truly an emerging, vibrant force within the city,” said Teresa Valliere, who is heading up the volunteer-run event. “People are constantly amazed to learn of the Corner’s history and the many diverse businesses and organizations that have made Woodfords Corner their home.”

Woodfords Corner can trace its history to the 1799 when Chauncey Woodford settled his family at the corner of what is now Woodford Street and Forest Avenue.

Today it is a part of urban Portland and the heart of a livable, walkable community that stretches from Baxter Woods to Back Cove to Dartmouth Street. Within the half-mile radius of Woodfords Corner are more than 100 businesses, green spaces, churches and organizations.

This is the second annual event put on by Friends of Woodfords Corner, a collaboration of residents, businesses and organizations interested in the revitalization of the Woodfords Corner area.

Joining Friends of Woodfords in putting on CornerFest this year are Woodfords Congregational Church, which has been a fixture at Woodfords Corner since 1872, when it opened across the street from its current location. The church of about 300 members shares its building with CornerFest sponsors Portland Conservatory of Music, a nonprofit community music school for all ages and abilities, and Stages Youth Theater, a year-round youth theater presenting a full season of fully staged, professional-quality all-student productions.

For more information on CornerFest, contact Teresa Valliere at info@woodfordscorner.org or Paul Schnell of Woodfords Congregational Church at music@woodfordschurch.org.