The conference on the front porch

This is the seventh annual Conference on the Front Porch. It is truly one of the most interesting gatherings in the south. The conference aims to celebrate all that the front porch represents – both from a literal as well as a metaphorical perspective. A slower pace, a time when neighbors visited in their front yards, the music, food, and stories of a bygone era. So many important things in the south happen on, or around, a front porch. The front porch has come to be recognized as one of the key elements in sustaining actual community in an increasingly online existence.

 

The two-day gathering features important speakers, dinners, incredible music, literature, bonfires, and stories. The conference is headquartered at The Mill at Plein Air – a 12,000 foot venue built from salvaged material in the Plein Air neighborhood of Taylor. Taylor is a seven minute drive from Ole Miss and Oxford and is a burgeoning small town on it’s own.  

 

Registration price is $485 and includes tickets to all lectures and panels, five meals, concerts, field dinners, and wine tastings. The conference is limited to the first 200 people.  

Thursday night dinner at Splinter Creek

Our friends at Splinter Creek will host us for Thursday night's dinner.  Located a few minutes from Plein Air, and nestled into the hills of north Mississippi, Splinter Creek features large, lakeside homesites and modern, eco-friendly homes that blend seamlessly into 650 acres of rolling pine forest. Nature is at your doorstep with three lakes, 10 miles of hiking trails, floating docks, and fire pits found throughout the property. A focus on community is highlighted through swimming, boating, fishing, and by several gathering places for neighbors to enjoy together or with friends and family.