Kicking off the summer with 10 music festivals throughout Connecticut this weekend
This week began with Make Music Day and it will end with thousands listening to, as well as making, music at festivals throughout Connecticut.
With the end of the school year and the official beginning of summer, outdoor festival season is heating up. Dozens of outdoor gatherings are happening around the state this weekend, from singer/songwriters at a bookshop to the Hartford Latino Fest, the multi-location Rose Arts Festival throughout downtown Norwich, a renaissance faire in Ansonia and the finale of this year’s International Festival of Arts & Ideas in New Haven.
You’ll hear polkas, old English drinking songs, disco hits and lots of original music by some of the state’s best local bands. A few bands, among them Fleet from Norwich, can even be found at more than one festival during the weekend.
Most of the festivals are free, and besides the music may feature food and drink vendors and other entertainment and activities.
The 10 festivals listed below are just the beginning. There’s lots of other music to be found, this weekend and every other weekend until fall.
Here’s where the tunes are:
Rose Arts Festival
The most expansive of the weekend’s music festivals, fueled by some of the top local original-music bands, is the Rose Arts Festival in Norwich.
Rose Arts is a volunteer-run free festival on Saturday that runs all day at one location, Chelsea Parade Park, Norwich, and that same night at several other locations. rockinrootsrevival.org.
Chelsea Parade Park: Erin Harpe Duo (11 a.m.), Anbassa & The Word Sound Power Movement (noon), Mikaela Davis (1:30 p.m.), The Suffers (3:15 p.m.) and Dustbowl Revival (5:30 p.m.).
Strange Brew Pub, 86 Water St., Norwich: Hannah’s Field (7 p.m.), FaTE (8 p.m.), The Mary Jane Jones (9:30 p.m.) and Bella’s Bartok (11 p.m.).
Harp & Dragon Irish Pub, 130 Main St., Norwich: Fleet (7 p.m.), Penniless Wild (8 p.m.), Jake Kulak Band (9:30 p.m.) and Julie Rhodes & Electric Co. (11 p.m.).
These Guys Brewing Co., 78 Franklin St, Norwich: Dear Samson (7 p.m.), Michelle Eileen (7:30 p.m.), Mary-Elaine Jenkins (8:10 p.m.) and Ali McGuirk (9 p.m.).
Epicure Brewery, 40 Franklin St, Norwich: The Hard Feelings (7 p.m.), Evie Joy (7:40 p.m.) and Nick Bosse (8:20 p.m.).
Billy Wilson’s Ageing Still, 57 Broadway, Norwich: Allison Rose (7 p.m.), Bauer Brothers (7:40 p.m.), Stephen Brodie (8:20 p.m.), Coltt Winter Lepley (9 p.m.), Ruby Rae (9:40 p.m.) and The Meadows Brothers (10:20 p.m.).
Enso Studio, 30 Franklin St., Norwich: Jampson Jubilee (8 p.m.).
Gallery at the Wauregan, 200 Main St., Norwich: Pocket Vinyl (7 p.m.) and Victim Or Victor (8 p.m.).
Reliance Health, 40 Broadway, Norwich: Will Bartnicki (7 p.m.) and Static & Rust (7:30 p.m.).
Hartford Latino Fest
Similarly grand and overstuffed with musical talent is the Hartford Latino Fest presented by Luna Productions from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday in Dunkin’ Donuts Park, 1214 Main Street, Hartford.
Sharing the stage that day: Peaches Rodriguez, Hartford’s Proud Drum & Dance Corps, XDance Studio Corp., DJ Darksyde, MusicByDoc13, Jay Rock Jax with J. Starr, GPO Mbajadore, Tiranico, Brii Mena, Julio Mena, Aky Salas Y Su Banda, El Mundo Magico de Soledad, Enio Gomez Y Su Orquestra, Jenni Renee, George Anthony and Steven R. Free. latinofestusa.com.
Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire
Bawdy drinking songs are the main musical entertainment at the Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire.
You’ll also hear Irish tunes from Sasanach, the duo Minstrel Dave and the Songbird, hammered dulcimer player Vince Conaway, the faire’s own “Voices of MFRF” ensemble and others. There are also dance and theater performances, jousting and much more.
The Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire lasts for three weekends — Saturday and Sunday, July 2-3 and July 9-10 — in Warsaw Park, 19 Pulaski Highway, Ansonia. $15, $10 children aged 10-14, $5 children 5-9. VIP and late-admission passes are available. mfrenfaire.com.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas ends its multi-week mix of hundreds of events with what it’s best known for: free concerts on New Haven Green.
“Cool Breeze on the Green, an Old School Dance Party” features disco diva “Evelyn “Champagne” King, Manny James, DJ Diamond and DJ Juan Coon, Friday at 5:30 p.m. Two Latino pop/dance bands, the Afro-Puerto Rican Proyecto Cimarron and the Chicano Las Cafeteras, play Saturday at 7 p.m.
The festival ends Sunday at 7 p.m. with pre-recorded music but extravagant live visuals: “DRAGtastic Journey” featuring local drag divas Glass Staine, Paxx Headroom, Sparkle A. Diamond, Kenya Mone Heart, Mia E Z’Lay, Bubblicious, Laiylah Alf Aw Laiylah, Miz Destiny and Kiki Lucia plus nationally renowned Beyonce impersonator Miss Shalae. artidea.org.
The Redding Rock’N Roots Festival
The Redding Rock’N Roots Festival takes place Saturday from 4- 9 p.m. at Lonetown Farm, 43 Lonetown Road, Redding. The festival features five bands, in order: JD, Chris & Dan Bonis; Dan Tressler and Amber Anchor; Bone Dry; Gallows Hill Three; and Andy Powell’s Lonestown Boys. $15; free for children.
Ocean Beach Park Polka Days
Polka Days 2022 means dozens of polka bands spread out over four days, Wednesday-Saturday, and three locations, including the boardwalk, the pavilion and the ballroom. The event takes place at Ocean Beach Park, 98 Neptune Avenue, New London. Times are Wednesday from 7-10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until after midnight. oceanbeachparkpolkadays.com.
The Connecticut House Music Festival
The 5th annual Connecticut House Music Festival infuses the bandshell in Hartford Bushnell Park with beats, beats and beats on Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. Featured DJs for the fifth annual event are D*Sol, Louie Ballo, Doc Martin, Sobi-One, Dashcam, Sonia Sol and 7rouble. facebook.com/cthousemusicfest/.
Bites and Pints Food & Drink Festival
Lake Compounce has its Bites and Pints Food & Drink Festival every Saturday in June from 1 p.m., with live music starting at 3 p.m. On Saturday, Ryan Townsend plays. On Sunday, it is Boy Band cover band Larger Than Life. lakecompounce.com.
Mystic River Jam
The Mystic River Jam runs Friday and Saturday at Mystic Shipyard West, 100 Essex Street, Mystic. There are two bands, The Troublemakers and Mystic Dead, on Friday night starting at 6 p.m. and six bands playing Saturday, including The Carleans at 1 p.m., The Hoolios at 2:15 p.m., Fleet at 3:30 p.m., Jabbawaukee at 5 p.m., Glaucoma Suspect at 6:30 p.m. and Woolly Mammoth at 8 p.m. $20 for the weekend or $15 Saturday, $10 Friday. mysticriverjam.com.
Wickith Fair
Dexter’s Tunes Tales & Ales bookshop will have Wickith Fair, featuring all female singer and songwriters, on Saturday from 3 to 10 p.m. at 91 Main Street in East Hampton. dexterstunestalesandales.com.
Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com.
