Courtesy of Porchlight

Those who know me know I can sometimes get off track when trying to tell a story (“So there I was, backstage, with no idea how I got there, when—Are those new earrings?”). To be fair, it’s a much more difficult skill than it seems. Which is why Thursday night’s Porchlight Fifth Anniversary party at Swedish American Hall is such a rare opportunity: Not only do you have the chance one always has at Porchlight events—to be regaled with eclectic stories and take notes on the art of telling them from some of the best—but this special anniversary installment will bring together the series’ favorites from over the years. On the bill you’ll find personalities whose stories have become the stuff of local legend—from school bus driver Kelley Beardsley to attorney and former SF supervisor Matt Gonzalez to author Joyce Maynard. What’s more, local folk duo Willow Willow (who appear in our August issue), Sonny Smith (who appeared in our July Entertainment issue) and Bart Davenport (whose band Honeycut has also graced the pages of 7x7) will be on hand to add some much appreciated musical entertainment.

Thursday, August 2 at Swedish American Hall. porchlightsf.com