people to historic Old Grove Park on Friday.
the acclaimed catalogs of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame bands, including Foreigner’s “Double
Vision,” “Hot Blooded” and “Juke Box Hero” and Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Any Way You Want It” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
The Savin Rock Festival shined once again thanks to Broadway star and “American Idol” winner Nick Fradiani, who took the musical entertainment to a new height by performing a 90-minute show for the ages.
The festival’s 2024 edition, held in historic Old Grove Park, paid tribute to West Haven’s storied amusement park heritage with two days of great food, rides and music, of course — especially on Saturday night.
After a spirited introduction by Mayor Dorinda Borer welcoming Fradiani “from Broadway to West Haven,” the Guilford native and former city resident played to one of the largest crowds in festival history, performing original songs, including “Beautiful Life” and “Coming Your Way,” and Neil Diamond gems, including “America” and “Sweet Caroline.”
Fradiani and his five-piece band kept the party going with a Tom Petty medley, including “The Waiting” and “American Girl,” before slowing things down with an acoustic duet of Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis” with his father, singer/keyboardist Nick Fradiani Sr.
With an estimated 4,000 people lounging on blankets and lawn chairs in the Grove and dozens dancing and singing along in front of the stage, Fradiani entertained the masses with an energetic set while sharing stories of “American Idol” and living on the West Haven shoreline — on Ocean Avenue near Woody Crest — during his “Idol” run and subsequent win on Season 14 in 2015.
Fradiani just finished starring as Diamond in the production of “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical,” which ended its Broadway run on June 30.
In addition to a midway of rides and games by Marenna Amusements, the festival featured a baker’s dozen row of food and dessert trucks that served up burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fried dough, gyros, baked potatoes, smoked shrimp, deep-fried stuffed meatballs, and lobster rolls and quesadillas, as well as ice cream, Italian ice and tropical slushies.
The annual event opened on Friday with Borer greeting the festive crowd and followed with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem sung by West Haven High School sophomore Paige Kenny.
Onstage, the mayor individually thanked the members of the Savin Rock Festival Committee, along with city departments, employees and volunteers, for making the event one of the best in recent memory.
“They all worked very hard to bring this festival together for all of you,” said Borer, who also gave a shoutout to West Haven’s first responders.
WOW Radio personality Brian Smith, back for a seventh time as the “ringmaster” of ceremonies, then heralded the evening’s musical lineup, joking, “Welcome to the 300th annual Savin Rock Festival!”
Local party band Covergirl, playing such diverse hits as Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer” and Toto’s “Africa,” warmed up concertgoers for the Foreigner Journey Experience, which played two hours of radio anthems from the acclaimed catalogs of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame bands, including Foreigner’s “Double Vision,” “Hot Blooded” and “Juke Box Hero” and Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Any Way You Want It” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
On Saturday morning, the festival kicked off with the Rotary Club’s free pancake breakfast, followed by the Department of Parks and Recreation’s annual bocce tournament, with Sammy Centola and Tejay Mejias winning the title and receiving a Dunkin’ gift card from tournament coordinator Olivia Quagliani.
During the afternoon, the Grove, fanned by a cool summer breeze, provided a stunning setting beneath the sun-drenched oak trees for children’s activities, including balloon twisting and face painting and princesses and superheroes, and concerts, including the Rock House School of Music’s Echo Box and MeltDown, which each played a set of rockers.
Faster Things followed and performed a faithful tribute to the Allman Brothers Band, including “Melissa,” “Ramblin’ Man” and “Jessica.”
Before Faster Things took the stage, West Haven’s own Grace Kelly Nowak sang a spectacular rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” to rousing applause.
The bands were complemented by Smith, who segued the performers with his signature bursts of comic relief.
Also in the afternoon, the inaugural “Great Bartender Race” provided nonstop fun and laughs on Oak Street Beach, with teams of four competing in relays of skill, including mixologists from Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Z’s Corner Cafe, The Breakwall, Oak Beach Bar + Grill, Dive Bar & Restaurant, Reruns Bar & Grill, Billie Martin’s Neighborhood Pub and Moby Dick’s Oyster Bar + Grill.
The contest, which is sure to become a festival tradition, called for flipping a cup, throwing a pingpong ball into a cup, spinning around a plastic baseball bat, carrying a tray of cups filled with water, and emptying the water into a pitcher and filling it above a red line.
The teams were moderated by celebrity judge Councilman Gary Donovan, D-4, while Borer chief of staff Rick Spreyer, holding a megaphone, served as the hilarious play-by-play announcer.
Lorenzo’s bartending squad of Ron Phifer, Donald Coletta, Selena Izzo and Nicole Conca won the 90-minute event and received the coveted “West Haven Great Bartender Race 2024” trophy.
Back in the Grove, firefighters of the West Haven Fire Department, led by Fire Marshal Roger Sicotte, demonstrated the department’s 35-foot smoke trailer and showed children what to do in case of a fire.
Firefighters also demonstrated the Jaws of Life tool by prying open parts of a vehicle to free those trapped inside.
Members of West Haven Professional Firefighters Local 1198 held their annual fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. All proceeds went to MDA, including sales from beverages, popcorn and chips and ticket sales from a bounce house, two raffles and a speed pitch.
As part of the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown’s Child Safety Car Seat Installation and Inspection Program, firefighters installed car seats for people. They also inspected those already installed to ensure that the portable seats were properly fastened for securing small children.
At the craft fair, longtime vendor Diane Della Camera of Savin Rock Printing and returning vendor Marilyn Wilkes were among two dozen vendors selling their wares.
Della Camera sold old Savin Rock T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, tote bags and fuzzy dice, and Wilkes showed her handmade, one-of-a-kind earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
At the hospitality tent, committee members sold official 2024 Savin Rock Festival T-shirts.
West Haven’s flagship festival, established by the Chamber of Commerce, debuted on July 24, 1982, to bring organizations, clubs, businesses and families together for a summer festival that celebrates life in one of America’s oldest maritime communities.
From the dawn of the Savin Rock House hotel in 1838, “the Rock” had long been a resort hub until it was officially incorporated as an amusement park by the Savin Rock Park Co. on Memorial Day 1925, when it opened to 300,000 visitors and 66,000 automobiles in one spectacular day.
For the next 40 years, the legendary seaside park captured the hearts and imaginations of “Rock rats” young and old. “The playground of New England” closed on Sept. 21, 1966, to pave the way for the Savin Rock Urban Renewal Project.