This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/21/2023 07:06 AMMusic in support of music and Shoreline families is coming to East Haven with the first inaugural Alchemy Music and Arts Festival, which will take place at The Beeracks brewery on June 3.
Among the over 12 bands in total on the bill include Connecticut-based acts Mad Cats, The Mushroom Cloud, and Daze in Pangea World Beat. Organizer Skye Stephens said the acts were selected not just for their musicality and professionalism but in the spirit of celebrating the local music scene and their presence in the Connecticut music scene.
“The overall vision of this is to bring wider awareness for people who are local to a music scene,” Stephens said. “People who are in it are well aware of this, but these bands are every bit as good and musically relevant as somebody you go see at one of the gigantic venues - Westville Music Bowl, Hartford HealthCare Center — you can have just as much fun and spend probably a tenth as much money.”
Stephens said some of the proceeds from the “family-friendly” event will go to support the nonprofit Women and Children Family Life Center (WFLC) and the East Haven Public Schools (EHPS) music department.
“Everyone has only good things to about the good work that [WFLC] do, and then obviously it’s in line and on-brand with what we’re trying to do with this event, in terms of keeping it local, shining a light, and bring awareness on people that are doing great things kind of in our own backyard,” Stephens said. “Whether it be music, food, art, and then charity as well, it was very important for us to keep it local.”
Regarding music programs at EHPS also seemed “extremely natural” that music would be supporting music, said Stephens.
“We’re so proud of the local and regional music scene around here; I think a huge part of it is the fact that the public schools — East Haven being one of them and at the forefront in terms of a music program - that we start kids at a very young age garnering a love for music and skills at that, so that when they get to that age when they’re kind of branching out and starting out, they have all the skills,” Stephens said. “As we go forward, and especially with everything else that’s been going on for the past couple years, it was just important to us to do our part, to try to keep local Connecticut music at the forefront.”
Gates at The Beeracks will open at 11 a.m., where attendees can see performances at two stages, one indoors and one outdoors. The outdoor stage will close at 9 p.m., after which the late-night music will precede at the indoor stage. As the music plays, several food and drink vendors will offer various food choices, while drinks served from another East Haven brewery, Hoax Brewery, will offer some of the brews from its taproom.
Connecticut radio stations 99.1 WPLR and 85.9 WPKN will also be at the event.
Vendors, including jewelry makers, collectors of vinyl records and rock and minerals, and beauty salons, will also be selling a variety of their products to attendees. Visual artists will also be there to sell some of their work, and a pottery station will also be available too.
“Visual art will be just as much represented as audible,” said Stephens.
Stephens said he and the organizers of the inaugural event are planning on making this day of music an annual occurrence that could happen in East Haven again or in any other town along the Connecticut Shoreline.
“Any other town, whether it’s East Haven again or wherever we are, this is going to be the beginning of a tradition for us that wherever we hold the event, we are going to give back to the local municipality’s music department.”
Tickets and additional information on the event can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/alchemy-festival-tickets-602971823957. Physical tickets can be picked up at Beeracks and local music stores, including A Sound Choice in Branford.