Summer Concerts Start Tonight At Harkness Park

This evening at 5:30 is the return of the outdoor concert series at , thanks to the non-profit organization Bring Our Music Back Inc.

This is the second year of the second edition of concerts at the historic Waterford park, which encourages all who come to picnic. The concert series previously ran from 1984 to 2004, and would draw thousands of people to picnic while enjoying the show.

Bring Our Music Back secured a five-year contract with the State of Connecticut in 2011 to bring the concerts back, and last summer's two shows again brought out thousands of people. This year, there are four shows, one every Thursday at 5:30.

The theme this year is “music the way it was,” with The Temptations Revue with Nate Evans playing tonight, The Legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band playing on August 9, Don McLean playing on August 15 and The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra playing on August 23.

Tickets are $24 in advance (buy them here) or $30 at the park entrance, and $125 for a VIP ticket. It is cheaper to buy a ticket for all four shows at once, or to buy in a group of 10 or more.

The shows run from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night. There will be awards for the best picnic. The Garde Arts Theater will be used if there is rain.