Argonaut & Wasp to headline Celebrate Mansfield Festival

Connor Linskey, The Chronicle, Willimantic, Conn.
·3 min read

Sep. 16—STORRS MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Downtown Partnership has announced that the band Argonaut and Wasp will be the headliner for the 19th Annual Celebrate Mansfield Festival.

The partnership announced the news on September 1. The festival will be held on Saturday, September 24 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will take place on and around Betsy Paterson Square, 2 Dog Lane, Storrs Mansfield. In the event of inclement weather, the festival will be held at E.O. Smith High School, retaining the same time frame.

Kathleen Paterson, senior communications manager for the Mansfield Downtown Partnership, said that the partnership chose Argonaut & Wasp as the headliner, as they believe their music will be enjoyed by a wide audience.

"We chose them because we think they have a really fun sound that we think a lot of visitors of all ages will enjoy and hopefully get up and dance and have some fun," she said. "[They] got a real upbeat, groovy sound."

Argonaut & Wasp formed over a love for house/ dance music while living in Burlington, Vermont.

Since moving to Brooklyn, New York in 2015, they have been finding inspiration from the city itself and the different vibrant scenes within it.

The band says their sound has developed into an amalgamation of the rhythm and energy from house music, cues from the jam/ funk scene and their love for the "leave everything on the table attitude" of New York City.

Argonaut & Wasp released their debut album " Starlight 99" in 2021. Since then, they have been touring nationally with performances at the famed Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles, California and the South by Southwest Conference & Festivals in Austin, Texas. They have performed sold-out shows coast to coast.

The band said the songs from their debut album are about seeing the bigger picture.

"[It was] written (for the most part) during lockdown, which allowed us some time to self- reflect and take a break from the grind of shows and touring," the band said in a press release. "We named it 'Starlight 99' because it's not about looking up and getting beyond yourself, to not only see the bigger picture but to become a part of it. These songs are more important than ever as we are going through paradigm shifts in our culture and environment — we all need the opportunity to get this larger perspective to guide us into our unprecedented future."

Music from " Starlight 99" has been featured in ads for Absolut Vodka and watchOS 8 for Apple Watch as well as on the hit Netflix show "Never Have I Ever."

Spotify listeners have streamed Argonaut & Wasp songs more than 8.8 million times.

Argonaut & Wasp will perform at the Celebrate Mansfield Festival from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. They will perform on the stage of the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation Pavilion on Betsy Paterson Square.

Those who attend the Argonaut & Wasp performance are invited to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Refreshments will be available for purchase from the festival food booths and at Downtown Storrs restaurants.

Alcohol and tobacco products (including all vaping) are prohibited at the Celebrate Mansfield Festival.

The Celebrate Mansfield Festival is the largest com-

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