Monday, July 7, 2014

SummerFest to celebrate Ansonia's 125th birthday




ANSONIA - As part of the city's year-long 125th anniversary celebration Ansonia125 SummerFest will be an ambitious and exciting signature event July 19 at Nolan Field Athletic Complex on Wakelee Avenue. Rain date is July 20.

The event will run from 2-10 p.m. and promises to deliver an entertaining and cultural family attraction for residents of the city and surrounding towns. 



Admission is $5 for adults; children 12 and under free. A public accommodating re-enter policy will be in effect throughout enabling easy exit/re-entry access as needed.

Ansonia-based manufacturer Farrel Pomini, whose impactful city-molding downtown presence dates to the mid-1860s, is the Presenting Title Sponsor. 
In total, 15 city and area-based businesses contributed event subsidizing financial sponsorship. 

“This will be a do not miss summer event celebration for everyone,” said Ansonia Mayor David S.Cassetti who initiated the festival anniversary idea earlier this year. 
“The featured entertainment is wonderful, diverse, and creative and should be enjoyed by all.”

Festivities commence with an unscripted baseball living history game billed as The Great Base Ball Re-Match.
Set in 1889, the game “reunites” the mythical Ansonia Coppermen and Derby Osbornedales in an old-fashioned 19th century “Town Ball” showdown. 
The game represents a time when resident tradesmen would commonly gather after work to play baseball against neighboring town ball clubs. 
Team rosters, assembled through tryouts, will be comprised of the best baseball talent from Ansonia, Derby, Shelton, and Seymour. 
Players will wear 19th century style flannel wool baseball uniforms, use replica period hand-size gloves, heavy wood bats and “lemon peel” stitched baseballs while playing by era rules, strategies and etiquette.
Following the game, a concert featuring two regionally popular bands will take stage – located just beyond the centerfield fence. 
Opening the show will be Rob Zappulla Orchestra, an18-piece big band from Hartford whose song list includes Sinatra classics and Top 40 60’s & 70’s hits. 
The featured group will be Connecticut-based Eight to the Bar, voted “Best Live Band in 2013” by Hartford Magazine, performing their unique swing/jazz/R&B sounds.

Ansonia125 SummerFest will culminate with an inspiring post-concert fireworks display presented by Stop&Shop. 
Atlas PyroVision of New Hampshire will produce the display.

Onsite will be an Ansonia Photo History Exhibit displaying rarely seen historic photographs (1870-1960) of city landmarks, streetscapes and others culled from private collections and the vaults of Ansonia Public Library and Farrel Pomini. 
Randy Carroll, Chairman of the Ansonia Historical Commission, is the exhibit curator. Throughout, Restaurant Row food vendors will showcase select area restaurants grilling their SummerFest Menu Specials. 

Concert and fireworks seating will be accommodated with existing hillside football field length grandstand bleachers, and expansive athletic field lawn seating permitted. Those desiring lawn seating are encouraged to bring blankets and folding chairs.

Ansonia 125 SummerFest is being developed and managed by city residents (Ansonia High School Class of ’76) Greg Martin and Garry Giannone of Copper City Marketing Group, and the city of Ansonia. 

Martin’s company, Vintage Base Ball Factory will provide uniforms, gloves and baseballs for the vintage baseball game. Bulldog Bat Co. of Newtown will provide era bats.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of Ansonia’s 1889 annex from its original Birmingham namesake - previously shared common ground within the borders of today’s Ansonia and Derby.                                       
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ansoniasummerfest.

 


This post is taken from a press release from Ansonia resident Greg Martin of Copper City Marketing Group.

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