Town party moves to September
Annual concert tentatively set for Labor Day weekend
GREENWICH — The Greenwich Town Party is looking to move its giant one-day musical event into the fall for 2021 after the concert was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The party, which is traditionally held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, had originally been scheduled for May 29 this year. But on Tuesday, party organizers announced a tentative new date for the all-day concert: Sept. 4, which is the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.
No headlining acts have been announced yet for this year, but organizers say that will come “as soon as information becomes available.” In the Tuesday morning announcement, Greenwich Town Party Inc. said it is “working with town of Greenwich and state of Connecticut officials to follow the appropriate guidelines and to confirm the ability to move forward with this date.”
The September date is pending updates on guidelines from local and state governments on large public events, party organizers said. The state has been loosening restrictions on gatherings as more residents are vaccinated against COVID-19. But so far, the restrictions are still in place that would prevent the kind of soldout gathering that the party has been throughout its existence.
“We want to make sure everyone knows that if they purchased tickets in 2020, they will
be honored in 2021,” said Ray Rivers, president of the GTP. “On behalf of the GTP board, we would like to thank the Greenwich community for their continued patience, generous support and endless enthusiasm for our annual celebration.”
The 2020 party, with Mumford & Sons and the Zac Brown Band lined up as headliners, was canceled because of the pandemic. The crowd at the Town Party typically hits the maximum occupancy for Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, which is 8,000 people, and it is one of the biggest events held in the town each year.
The Greenwich Town Party is not a town-run event but it is held on town property. It is put together by the nonprofit Greenwich Town Party Inc., using private money and drawing support from ticket sales as well as sponsorships and other contributions. The community has embraced the party, which was launch, with every ticket sold. First Selectman Fred Camillo said Tuesday he would be happy to see the return of the Greenwich Town Party, as well as other major events, at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park after they were all canceled last year due to the pandemic.
“We have been in contact with the organizers of a lot of events that are typically held during the summer and they probably could be held in the summer in their usual spot,” Camillo said. “But I think they’re trying to play it safe . ... The way things are going right now, with the warm weather coming in, I’m very, very hopeful that these events will be held even if they have to be pushed back to September. And I’m hopeful that we can even get some of these summer events to go on as scheduled, too.”
Other popular events previously held at the waterfront Roger Sherman Baldwin Park include the Greenwich Food + Wine Festival, the Putting’ on the Dog show and fundraiser, and the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance car show.
For more information on the Greenwich Town Party, visit www.greenwichtownparty.org. Community tickets purchased for the 2020 concert will be honored for the 2021 event. Sponsorships and neighbor passes are still available for purchase.
Ticket holders for the 2020 show that will not be able to attend in 2021 are eligible for a full refund. Anyone looking for a refund can send an email to info@greenwichtownparty.org.