And the Band(s) Played on—Making Music on Lyme Street to Celebrate Midsummer

Lucas Neil was a popular performer in front of The Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe.

OLD LYME — Lyme Street was alive with music last night as a dozen bands and soloists played in different locations stretching from Lyme Academy in the north down to the First Congregational Church in the south.

The Old Lyme Town Band drew a large crowd on the Center School lawn.

The Town was celebrating International Make Music Day, joining many other locations across the globe to mark Midsummer’s Night — the longest day of the year.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions did a roaring trade in hot dogs and burgers.

Hundreds of people came out in Old Lyme to enjoy the music and fill the street with relaxed cheer and conversation.

To the delight of many visitors, local celebrity Braiden Sunshine sang on the lawn at Lyme Academy.

Although the weather looked a little ominous initially, it ultimately decided to cooperate and stayed relatively warm and dry throughout the whole event.

‘The Moving Target Band’ played many cheery tunes Tuesday night outside The Village Shops on Lyme Street.

It was a great opportunity to catch up with friends despite the lingering shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Brown and Friends played Indy Folk and original tunes outside The Cooley Gallery.

The musicians ranged in age from teens to seniors and similarly, the genres of music varied from country to folk to blues and everything in between!

Nightingale’s Cafe featured a variety of solo musicians and bands throughout the evening.

Launched in France in 1982, Make Music Day is an international musical festival open to all who would like to participate, and takes place in over 1,000 cities in 120 countries on June 21, the summer solstice.

‘The Midnight Anthem’ performed in front of Old Lyme’s Memorial Town Hall.

The State of Connecticut Office of the Arts debuted the State’s effort in 2018 with 528 free musical performances at 224 locations across the state, including Old Lyme.

The band at 71 Lyme St. was ‘Five Bean Row.’

Many thanks to the organizers of this wonderful event, who included Dan and Gail Stevens of the MusicNow Foundation and Nightingale’s Cafe, Old Lyme’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year Cheryl Poirier, and Mary Seidner, Executive Director of LYSB.