Family-Oriented Event Features ‘The Voice’ Finalist Braiden Sunshine, Art Lectures, Kid Contests, Vendors Galore … and More
The Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce is hosting a new ‘Osprey Festival’ at Sound View this coming Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is an exciting, family-oriented seaside festival that honors the majestic osprey and celebrates many of the great aspects of Lyme and Old Lyme.
The Chamber is partnering with the Connecticut Audubon Society’s Osprey Nation, the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts of the University of New Haven, and the MusicNow Foundation to bring together art, music, nature and events.
This inaugural annual event is designed to kick-off the summer season and attract residents from our two towns as well as the surrounding communities. Mark your calendars now for what promises to be an enjoyable, entertaining and educational event.
A portion of Hartford Ave. in Sound View will be closed off for the festival. The morning and early afternoon will be focused on young families with free carousel rides, kid’s competitions, school bands, and young local musicians. At the same time, a great variety of vendors will be selling their wares on Hartford Ave. A sandcastle-building competition will be held between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
The afternoon will be geared towards the older population in Lyme and Old Lyme with lectures from world-renowned speakers on art and nature including artist Michael DiGiogio giving a field demonstration and talk at 12 p.m., and ornithological expert Dr. Paul Spitzer speaking at 2:15 p.m. on ospreys in the Lower Connecticut River.
The afternoon’s activities will also feature a bocce contest – sign up your team by emailing [email protected]. The bocce tournament winning team receives $250 in prizes from Black Hall Outfitters.
As the evening rolls in, the tone will change to create a night for all ages with some top- notch local bands, and some special games in the street. Old Lyme’s own Braiden Sunshine – a finalist in the most recent popular TV series of “The Voice” – will present a concert at 7 p.m.
Other musical groups that will be featured include the United States Coast Guard Band at 3:45 p.m., Java Grove at 6 p.m., Ramblin’ Dan and the Mellowmen at 5 p.m., Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Jazz Catz at 3:10 p.m., MusicNow Foundation’s Youth Showcase at 1:10 p.m., and some special guests from Charles Music School’s Adult Rock Band at 11:15 a.m.
Platinum sponsors of the Festival include ASP Productions LLC, Black Hall Outfitters, Connecticut Rental Center, iCRV Radio and Shoreline Web News LLC – publisher of LymeLine.com and ValleyNewsNow.com. Host sponsors include the Connecticut Audubon Society, Nightingale’s Acoustic Café and Lyme Academy College of FineArts.
For more information, visit www.ospreyfestival.com or email [email protected].