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Date: 5/24/2022
HATFIELD – Get your blankets and lawn chairs ready because the lineup is set for the 2022 Hatfield Summer Concert Series.
Starting off the series will be the band DECADES, an oldies dance band, performing on June 17 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Each of the concerts this summer will be at Smith Academy Park next to the Town Hall.
On July 15, TJ and the Peepers will be the main attraction, playing a variety of genres from classic rock, jazz and pop.
Later in the summer on August 19 will be John Corbett, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Corbett performs a mix of classic rock and country and was the opening act for the town’s Drive-In Concert in October 2020. To cap off the end of summer, Chickenwire, a southern rock band, returns to entertain on Sept. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Concerts are free of charge and open to the public; attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets as there is not any permanent seating in the park, and on-street parking is available on Main Street. Plans are in the works for securing food vendors for each concert, but attendees are welcome to bring their own food and/or beverages.
All four of the acts/bands that will be performing in the concert series were a part of Hatfield’s previous 350th Anniversary Celebration events and all have ties to the local community. DECADES performed at the cornhole tournament in August 2020, in the parade in May 2021, and in a previous park concert in July 2021. They were also part of the parade and played at the Restaurant Night in September 2020 and a park concert in May 2021.
Following up on last year’s 350th anniversary steering committee, the Celebration Committee is a new committee that was formed as a group to oversee town-wide events and celebration activities, including carrying on with some new events that were started as a part of the 350th Anniversary Celebration. In addition to the concert series, the Celebration Committee is collaborating with the Hatfield American Legion on this year’s Memorial Day Parade to take place on May 29.
“The 350th parade last year was a massive undertaking as we actually planned it twice due to COVID[-19], including changing it from a traditional 1.5-mile parade to a 7-mile “rolling” parade with all performers in vehicles or on trailers,” Bobby Betsold said.
As for this year’s Memorial Day Parade, the Celebration Committee has worked with the Hatfield American Legion to increase the participation as the parade will commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Hatfield American Legion, which was delayed due to COVID-19. In addition to the traditional participation by local Legion officials and members, the parade will include local town officials, emergency services, the Smith Academy band, the Chester, CT, Fife and Drum Corps, units of local antique cars and tractors, and the Melha Shriners. The parade will kick off at 12:30 p.m. with a flyover from the United States Air Force F-22 Demo Team, and following the parade the annual Memorial Day Exercises will be held in Smith Academy Park, next to Town Hall.
For the parade, there will be temporary road closures on Elm Street and Main Street starting at 12 p.m. and the Celebration committee is encouraging everyone to be at their viewing location by 11:30 a.m.
The parade route will start approximately at the Hatfield American Legion, moving down Maple Street to Main Street and concluding in the center of town by School Street. People may setup along the route, being respectful of resident’s yards and driveways, and remaining out of the travel lanes of the roadway for safety purposes. As a reminder, the parade will start at 12:30 p.m. and will be followed by the Memorial Day exercises upon the conclusion of the parade.