The West Haven Community House is expanding its annual “Family Fun Walk” to include a music festival. Rock & Stroll is an all-day event on Saturday, September 22, beginning with a two-mile stroll on the historic Savin Rock Boardwalk.
Walk registration is at 9:30 with a 10:30 walk kick-off. There is a $25 fee to participate in the walk, which includes a t-shirt and features a variety of fun activities along the route where participants receive free chances to be entered in a raffle.
“This walk is unique in that there are about a dozen fun activity stations along the route including limbo, three-legged race, hopscotch, bowling, wheelchair obstacle course and more,” said Patty Stevens, Community House executive director. “At the end of the walk, each participant turns in their earned raffle tickets for a chance to win some great prizes, which include a bicycle, guitar, toys, games, theater tickets, gift cards, and more. The stations will be staffed by more than 60 volunteers from University of New Haven’s Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams.
The walk is followed by a music festival in collaboration with organizers John McCarthy of Rock House School of Music & Johnny Ziada of Z’s Corner Cafe.
“We are excited to add music to our established fall fundraising event in order to showcase and promote Teach Kids Music (TKM) programs that have been intertwined with the Community House’s programs for preschoolers and school age children.” Stevens said.
The Community House hosts monthly TKM Youth Open Mic Nights where young musicians and singers, 19 and under, play and listen to music and get the opportunity to interact with other musicians. The open mic nights play an important role in helping children express themselves in a safe, creative atmosphere. In addition to performing, many local children come to watch and get inspired creating a positive community experience. Parents are always welcome to come and get involved. The next open mic night will be on Sept. 28.
“As the owner of Rock House School of Music and founder of TeachKidsMusic.org (TKM), my main mission is to help children learn music. By providing instruments and instruction, we are able to guide these kids to be creative and start a lifelong music journey,” said John McCarthy, founder of Rock House School of Music and the TKM. “Working with the West Haven Community House has been a pleasure. They are forward-thinking when it comes to providing music instruction to young children. The Rock House Ukulele course and Clap, Tap and Sing program is used as part of their program”.
The music festival, which begins at noon on the lawn of the Savin Rock Conference Center, is free and open to the public and ends at 7. People are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs and sit back and enjoy the music featuring more than a dozen bands including many local youth musicians including “Tears Fall Down,” 2017 Winner of CTNOW Best of CT Punk/Alternative band; “Black Catz,” local all-girl band ages 7 to 9; and “Stratus,” local teen cover band that has performed for the Apple Fest and Savin Rock festival; as well as Chemical Z, Fiction, Shot Down, and Glenn Roth and Frank Viele on the acoustic stage.
Also performing is “CT All Stars,” a group of All Star musicians including Rich Weber, Carrigan School principal and former drummer of “Mean Carlene;”John McCarthy from The Rock House School of Music; Mike Sangapore, drummer for Dee Snyder (Twisted Sister), Damiano Scarfi, guitarist who played on ABC’s American Idol tv show; Jordan Giangreco, keyboardist for ‘Psychedelic Breakfast;” Rob Liptrot, bass guitarist from ‘The Brotherhood Funk Band;” Jen Durkin, vocalist from “Jen Durkin Soul Power:” and ‘Deep Banana Blackout,’ and Kevin Lawless, lead vocalist for Ozzy Osbourne tribute band, Ozzy America, and local CT band ‘Liplok’.
Headlining the music festival world renowned guitarist, Gary Hoey, listed as one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. He merges blues and rock with 25 years in the music business and 20 albums under his belt.
All proceeds from the event will benefit West Haven Community House and its programs including Head Start pre-school, Community Connections’ day and residential programs for adults with intellectual disabilities, and Children & Youth before and after school child care programs located in the West Haven public schools and the TKM programs.
For more information about the event, sponsorship opportunities and/or to register, please visit www.whcommunityhouse.org or contact Kathy Hart-Jones at (203) 934-5221 x 131 or via email: [email protected].