In a triumphant return, after a cancellation last summer, the annual SummerFest is on for Saturday, Aug. 28. The Clinton Chamber of Commerce is seeking $45,000 in donations to support the event.

Clinton’s citizens were disheartened in the summer of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the SummerFest, an annual, town-wide celebration held at the end of summer that culminates with an impressive fireworks display.

The 2021 the event is a go, according to Paul Orsini, the executive director of the chamber. Orsini said the event, on the Saturday the week before Labor Day, will be similar to the one that took place in 2019.

There will be activities in two separate locations: Town Hall and the Town Beach. Both will open at 4 p.m. (Orsini said that the beach will be closed that day up until 4 p.m.) Both locations will feature food trucks and food from local restaurants. A beer garden will be set up behind Town Hall and Orsini noted that this year the chamber hopes to expand kid-friendly activities so the whole family can enjoy the day.

Live bands will be providing music at both locations until 8 p.m. when the Town Hall festivities will end. The fireworks show will start around 9 p.m.

To pull off the event, Orsini said the chamber will raise the $45,000 needed for the event primarily done through fundraising.

“Any donation people want to make can be sent by check to the chamber at 50 East Main Street or they can find us on Venmo at @ClintonChamberofCommerce,” said Orsini.

On Sunday, June 27, the chamber will hold a horseback riding fundraiser with money raised going toward the SummerFest. Orsini said the fundraiser will take place at Twin Brook Stables in Clinton and interested parties can call the chamber to learn more info at 860-669-3889.

Good to Be Back

Even in 2021 as some nearby communities such as Branford are still postponing summer celebrations, Orsini said the Clinton chamber was proud to be able to hold the SummerFest again.

“It was really important to us to move forward with this event. And it was really important to us to involve the local restaurants,” Orsini said, adding that the hospitality industry in particular was hit hard by the pandemic.

When the pandemic hit in spring 2020, the initial hope was that the SummerFest would still take place in some capacity. But as the weeks went by, it became clear that pulling off the celebration would not be safe or feasible.

The SummerFest debuted in 2015 and has since become an important date on the town calendar, usually drawing around 1,500 to 2,000 people downtown. When the event was canceled in 2017 due to logistics issues and again in 2020 due to the virus, more than a few people were upset at the news.

With a combination of people being excited to see a return to normal and other towns canceling events, Orsini said he could see this year’s SummerFest having a larger-than-normal turnout.

“It’s really going to be an all-out community festival to say ‘Welcome Back.’ I think we’re going to have a huge turnout,” said Orsini.