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GREENWICH, Conn. The following letter from Greenwich resident Harry Dill describes the Greenwich Town Party held Saturday at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of The Greenwich Daily Voice. To send a letter to The Greenwich Daily Voice, email ahelhoski@dailyvoice.com.
With sun-filled skies, and nearby streets and parking lots filled with cars galore it was abundantly clear that something BIG was going on in Greenwich. And that something was the 2nd Annual Greenwich Town Party. Humidity and soggy turf aside, what began as a picture perfect day at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park overlooking beautiful Greenwich Harbor turned overcast and rainy by mid-afternoon, prompting organizers to include an intermission courtesy of Mother Nature.
Undampened Jubilation
Despite the weather, those attending appeared to be remarkably intrepid, perhaps even stoically undeterred by the elements. I found it amusing to observe feet and footwear. From bare feet to rubber boots and even a couple of little girls wearing inflatable slippers, it made for some interesting sights. Some set up camp with jury-rigged tents while flocks arriving later in the afternoon came under the protection of their umbrellas.
Where Art and Performing Artists Coalesce
Memorial Day weekend on Greenwich Harbor offered residents myriad experiences to amplify their holiday fun factor. For example, within easy walking distance from the Greenwich Town Party at The Delamar Hotel docks, the ocean liner-like mega-yacht Seafair exhibited an impressive collection of divergent artwork during its four-day stopover ending Monday, May 28. As an added bonus, it also provided a lofty vantage point to view the park and listen to the music.
Speaking of Vantage Points
Thanks to the accommodating plans implemented by the organizers of the Greenwich Town Party, boaters were afforded an exceptional view this year via a large-screen television. As a result, Greenwich mariners could be seen dancing to the beats of a spectrum of musical performers from the local Big Band sounds of Bob Button, to the Reggae rhythm of The Wailers, and the country-blues vocals of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. In all, there were about a dozen performers, including Caroline Jones a multi-talented young artist I recently saw performing at Greenwich High School.
Slip Slidin Away Kind of Day
No doubt about it, the much-anticipated highlight of this years Greenwich Town Party began when the follow spot focused on headliner Paul Simon at about 8:30 p.m. Amidst a rather balmy evening beneath a crescent moon, the inimitable Mr. Simon casually took center stage with guitar in hand and began his acclaimed repertoire of favorites. The palpable groove of Pauls enchanting lyrical and instrumental fusion was evident throughout the audience. There was an into it kind of ethos that pleasantly concluded a day of mixed meteorological metaphors on an upbeat note.
Even Our Politicos Know How to Party!
Oh, the hubris of our town! Yes, Greenwich, you are a bit of an over-indulgent and pompous aristocrat, but your haughtiness may be pardoned and deemed palatable when townspeople are afforded an egalitarian opportunity (courtesy of generous benefactors like Mr. Ray Dalio) to co-mingle and enjoy the pleasures of camaraderie even if we must bear the sight of our elected politicos perched on their VIP dais in (thank God) less than regal splendor. Perhaps a touch of Shakespeare In The Park would be in order. Somehow, folding chairs just dont sit right vis-à-vis the elevated positions of our selected officials. I say give them thrones or let them eat cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream next time around!
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