By Clark Judge
(August 28, 2024) — Somehow, it seems appropriate that when you trace the origins of the Deer Lake Music Festival they go directly to a concert in Old Saybrook. Tom Feiner, co-director of the second annual event, was there that evening, though he isn’t sure who was playing (“maybe NRBQ?”) nor when it took place. It might’ve been late 2021 or early 2022. He’s not certain.
“My memory’s not what it used to be,” he said.
Nevertheless, he does know what happened that night: A casual conversation he had with a local musician – someone he’d never met — led to a friendship that ultimately produced last fall’s Deer Lake Music Festival.
The musician was Steve Azzaro, who plays in a folk group called “Anything Goes,” and whom Feiner later recruited for an outdoor performance at Deer Lake in October, 2022. That went so well that the two collaborated and began to talk about staging something more … something bigger … at a future date.
That something is the Deer Lake Music Festival.
“I remember what I told him,” said Feiner, a former member of Pathfinders, Inc., the non-profit that purchased Deer Lake. “I said, ‘We’ll do it, and we’ll do it right here. We’ll make this just like Newport.’ ”
Wait. The Newport Folk Festival?
He nodded.
Feiner was born in Newport, spent his early childhood there and has been to concerts there. So he knows what he’s talking about. And he thinks that what occurs at Deer Lake on Saturday, September 14, 2024 could launch something akin to what happened in Newport decades ago.
“Once we get more people, it could,” he said. “But this is the year –the sophomore year – that will tell us. We’re promoting it everywhere on the street, so it’s out there. If we have a good turnout, the word is out. So who knows?”
We do. So let’s started and go straight to what you should know about the 2024 Music Festival:
WHEN
It’s an all-day event on Saturday, September 14, 2024 beginning at 11:00 a.m. and projected to end at 9:30 p.m.
WHERE
All musicians play inside Clifton Hall, the largest building on the Deer Lake campus. However, listeners don’t have to sit indoors to hear the artists. Music will be aired outside to anyone who wants to lounge there (lawn chairs are permitted).
COST
Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for children and may be purchased at the gate or by signing on to www.bit.ly/deerlakemusicfestival24. They’re good for the entire day, with patrons issued green wristbands that allow them to leave and return as many times as they’d like. All proceeds from the festival go to Pathfinders, Inc., to maintain the 253-acre Deer Lake property.
PARKING
Plenty of parking is available on site.
THE MUSIC
Twenty artists, all of whom are volunteers, are expected to appear – each performing original works for an estimated 20-25 minutes. Asked to categorize the music, Azzaro described it as “singer/songwriter,” saying “they give us a snapshot of what’s happening at the present time with their feelings,” before he was interrupted by Feiner.
“I’d call it Folk Americana,” he said.
Bingo.
One of the performers is Diane Battistello, who lives in Rhode Island and is on the Rhode Island Songwriter Association board of directors. Influenced early by the lyrics of Joni Mitchell and, later, by Greg Brown, she played the Music Festival last year. Now she’s back.
“I call myself a folk musician,” she said, “and I was one of those last year who wrote a song for Deer Lake. It was just so much fun. I’m very sensitive to environmental issues, so I was really interested in the cause there. I love it there because it’s an opportunity to do some good, play with musicians and friends and promote a very worthy cause. Last year I walked in with a little uncertainty because I’d never been there. So I really didn’t know what to expect. But it was really joyful.”
Others must have agreed. There’s a waiting list of six performers.
“The musicians were so thrilled with the experience,” said Azzaro, “that they’re recommending others to come here. I’ve seen them perform repeated times and know the quality of their music and their performances. This is not another haphazard bunch of people. These are people who know what they’re doing.”
THE SCHEDULE
The festival kicks off at 11:00 a.m., with Anything Goes, featuring Azzaro, Marian Bairstow and Bob Lee. Then the lineup looks like this, in descending order:
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Anything Goes
Bob Gotta
Jill Thompson
Carl Wolfe
Lisa Aranci
Bill Last with Pete Laffin.
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Marty Brennan and Chris Eddy
Ric Page
Diane Battistello
Tod Purcell
Tom Maynard
Inner Groove (Denise Jones)
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Ronnee Stolzberg
Marc Lendler
Terri Lachance
Christian Aja
Lisa Walker
David Coller (with Dian Chadkowski)
8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
The Martin Girls (Anne Marie Menta, Shannon McMahon)
Erick von Koniger
FOOD AND DRINK
This is a BYOB event, with alcohol permitted and water available on the premises. Though food is limited, Steve Ackley will return with his “Ack Cue” barbecue trailer. A two-time state barbecue champion, Ackley first appeared at Deer Lake for this year’s Earth Day celebration and was so successful that he said, “I basically sold everything I brought.” No wonder. He brought pulled pork, mac and cheese and something he calls “moik balls,” a.k.a. meatballs wrapped in bacon and topped with sauce.
Nevertheless, patrons are encouraged to bring their own picnics and spend the day. “You can bring your lunch and eat it there,” said Azzaro. “In fact, you can have it in the building (Clifton Hall) while the music is playing. You don’t have to leave. Eat it there, and you won’t miss anything.”
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
“It’s a chance to hear original music that you won’t hear anywhere else,” said Azzaro. “Plus, you’ll be supporting Pathfinders, which has done a wonderful thing for the community (by saving Deer Lake). And, third, there’s an opportunity to come and see what Deer Lake is all about.”
Makes sense. But there’s something else: It’s possible, just possible, that you might also be in on the ground floor of something special, something like … well, did someone say, “Newport?”
“It’s going to take a while,” said Battistello, “probably five or seven years. But it has a chance,”
Photo provided by Steve Azzaro
