J.C. Martin 6/20/24 J.C. Martin 6/20/24

Make Music Day 2024 Returns Tomorrow, June 21st

**To learn more visit any of the links below:**

Make Music Day is tomorrow, Friday June 21st and is worldwide one-day event bringing musicians and audiences together in cities and towns the world over. The event began in France in 1982 and has since spread to 120 countries this year with a total of 5,000 concerts and music events taking place one that one day alone.

Connecticut’s sixth annual Make Music Day in 2023 featured more than 400 free musical performances across fourteen regional chapters, brought together by the Connecticut Office of the Arts, to coordinate a diverse day of music-making statewide, open to all.

Story by J.C. Martin

Billboard Magazine’s website says” The celebrations seek to bring out the musician in all of us, regardless of skill level, with outdoor concerts, jam sessions, lessons and music-making of all kinds”.

Visit Billboard.com for more general info on Make Music Day. Local info can be found below.

Although Westport, surprisingly is yet to join in this celebration of music, there are Make Music Day events in several surrounding towns. Neighboring towns include Fairfield, Southport, Norwalk, Ridgefield, New Canaan, Bethel and many others The event provides performances in multiple locations and times in each city and town. Events begin at 9:00AM and continue throughout the day. To find info on the towns and cities in CT which are participating visit MakeMusicDay/Fairfield.org or visit CTvisit.com for complete local listings.

FTC Fairfield has a full slate of performers beginning at 4:30PM

Notably, FTC, the Fairfield Theatre Company which has brought both national and local recording artists to their two venues located in downtown Fairfield for many years will host their concert beginning at 4:30PM and will run until 10:00PM, a welcome time slot considering the current “heat dome” over Fairfield County.

Their website says “Make Music Fairfield is a town-wide music festival with over 110 performances. Click the 'Learn More' button to view the full schedule.” This free event will take place outdoors in The Parking Lot outside The Warehouse. You can bring your own chair if you'd like, We will also have games/activities for adults and kids. Concessions and restrooms will be open inside The Warehouse. In the event of bad weather, the show will be moved inside The Warehouse. Steakinit food truck will be on site and tastings are provided by our sponsors Downeast Cider and Mezcalum

The FTC website offers complete details on their performances at FairfieldTheatre.com including performer schedules and videos.

J.C. Martin 6/18/24 J.C. Martin 6/18/24

Final Fun Day At The Fair!

The much loved and eagerly anticipated Yankee Doodle Fair had a great run again this year. The final day was Sunday and there were smiles and laughter for both the young and the young at heart as they enjoyed the rides and challenged themselves at the various games. Here is our collection of photos showing all the fun!

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

The big winners were spotted carrying the giant prizes and trying to balance them while eating treats purchased at the various concessions.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

At 5:00 PM the rides were stopped and the trailers were closed up as Stewart Amusements got ready to bring the smiles, laughter and great family memories to the next town.

J.C. Martin 6/17/24 J.C. Martin 6/17/24

Westport Volunteer EMS Announces Jaime Bairaktaris As Next President

Crew Chief Jaime Bairaktaris teaching children, one of his passions, about the functions of EMS Ambulance life-saving equipment at this year’s Westport Touch-A-Truck.
Photo by J.C. Martin for WestportLocalPress.com

17 June 2024 [Westport, Connecticut]. Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service, Inc. (“WVEMS”) announces the election of Westporter Jaime Bairaktaris as the non-profit’s next president. At 26 years old, Bairaktaris - a Board member and Westport EMS Crew Chief - will be the youngest person to have held the position when he succeeds current president and EMT Michael Burns on July 01. [click here for press release photos]

Bairaktaris began volunteering in 2013 as a Staples High School freshman and has served nearly 3,000 hours since. He was named Volunteer of the Year in 2016 and Crew Chief of the Year in 2022. Outside of volunteering, Bairaktaris is proud to work as a support staff member at Redding’s John Read Middle School and recently finished a term on the Westport Representative Town Meeting for District 4.

Current president Mike Burns will transition to serve as Vice President to continue his work on the organization's new endowment goals that will allow long term financial sustainability. Burns’ dedication and leadership have significantly contributed to WVEMS's growth and stability during an unprecedented time in history following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nonprofit's mission is to save lives by supporting Westport Emergency Medical Service, which operates and manages the Town's 911-response ambulance service. Bairaktaris' goals will include initiatives for current volunteers while finding ways to attract and grow the next generation of EMTs. He also looks forward to strengthening public education, alongside the organization’s team of volunteer instructors, with new classes focused on mental health.

“Westport EMS is a second home to me - and its members, a second family. I’m excited for this opportunity to foster our organization’s mission to save lives in our community,” says Bairaktaris.

WVEMS has a “bright future”, Bairaktaris added as he described incoming volunteers and big updates - including the purchase of new, custom-built ambulances funded by the Daniel E. Offutt, III Charitable Trust, Westport Woman's Club, and Walter and Marilyn Joy Samuels Charitable Foundation Trust. “I’m excited for the growth we’ll see in the next few years.”

Westport Volunteer EMS looks forward to growing and continuing its mission to help save lives while it celebrates 45 years of “volunteers answering the call.”

For more info on Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Services, visit WestportEMS.org.

J.C. Martin 6/15/24 J.C. Martin 6/15/24

Greenwich Polo Season Opened Sunday With Double-Header

High Goal Polo returned to the Greenwich Polo Club which opened the 2024 season on Sunday, June 9th with the first round of the American Cup series. The season promises lots of exciting polo action as teams compete in the only high goal tournaments on the east coast of the U.S. in the summer season.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

In the first match Steel Polo/Jeffries defeated Amara Quench 11-10 in a thrilling sudden death overtime victory.

The second match saw the legendary Round Hill Polo squeak by the challengers Maccabi Polo by the score of 6-5.

Greenwich Polo Club will host three more matches in June with gates opening at 1:00 PM and three more in July, each Sunday with play beginning at 3:00 PM. There is a break after the July 21st match and play returns on August 25th continuing through September 15th.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

Greenwich Polo tickets start at $50. per car for open lawn seating with premium options available. Gates open at 1:00 PM. Guests picnic on the grounds bringing their favorite foods and beverages and several gourmet food trucks offer a great menu with craft cocktails offered at the Pony Bar. Leashed dogs are welcome.