For each of the last four summers, Darien residents have been treated to free concerts in Grove Street Plaza on Friday nights, and this year’s series is promising to be bigger and better than any before it.
The Darien Summer Nights Concert Series was launched by Darien residents David Genovese and Penny Glassmeyer, who head up Baywater Properties and Grove Street Plaza, respectively. During the winter of 2008/2009 the two decided it was time to do something positive for residents who would be staying around town because of the unsettled economic climate, and to encourage them to shop locally and support Darien’s merchants.
Borrowing from the successful Alive at Five Concert Series in Stamford, Baywater Properties and Grove Street Plaza sponsored a concert series in the summer of 2009 that was held in various venues around downtown. The first night of the series will be Friday, June 14th.
The musicians performing over the course of this summer will include Twisted Resistor, The Spadtastics, Whitney Grumhaus, PJ Pacifico, Chasing Day, Ratso and the Mars Project, The Rick House Reserve, Gunsmoke, John Torres, Matt Criscuolo and the Creeps, Leslie Costa & The Usual Suspects, The Spadtastics, and Doug Allen, among others. Some additional concerts may be scheduled over the next two weeks. Residents are encouraged to come to Grove Street Plaza from 6 pm, and then to have dinner in one of downtown Darien’s great restaurants.
David Genovese commented, “Penny and I are grateful for the broad support we have received over the last number of years in our efforts to work with the Planning & Zoning Commission and the various Town boards and volunteer organizations in improving the downtown, and we wanted to find a way to say thank you. We also wanted to remind residents of the importance of supporting our local merchants , and so these events are being offered free of charge…all that we are ask for in return is that people do their best to support local retailers and business owners. If you have a choice, dine or shop locally, because by doing so you are helping create a more vibrant downtown for Darien, and you enable all of us to give back in this way.”
Working with 341 Studios and PCI Group, Baywater and Grove Street Plaza have initiated a marketing campaign for “Darien Summer Nights” that includes newspaper inserts; local advertising; a social media program through Facebook where people can post comments and pictures; and a dedicated Web site, www.dariensummernights.com, with updates and additional information.
