The 21st annual Celebrate Mansfield Festival is set for 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. The event will take place at Betsy Paterson Square and the surrounding downtown area. Admission is free, and people of all ages are welcome to attend.
According to the town’s website, throughout the day, visitors will have the opportunity to experience a variety of entertainment, including performances by local bands, a puppet pageant and demonstrations by UConn chefs. Activity booths, a juried craft show and food vendors will also be open to explore.
The Mansfield downtown partnership produces the Celebrate Mansfield Festival with the support of local sponsors. The 2024 Platinum Sponsors are Barnes & Noble UConn, Gulemo Printers, Inc., The Oaks on the Square and Wilcox & Reynolds, according to the Mansfield downtown partnership website.
“The Mansfield downtown partnership hosts the Celebrate Mansfield Festival each fall as a way to celebrate the people, businesses, and community organizations that make Mansfield unique,” according to the the website. “The Festival draws thousands of Mansfield residents and UConn community members together for a day filled with music, food, and fun activities for all ages.”
The entertainment on the main stage will start at 2:30 p.m. on Betsy Paterson Square with the community puppet pageant. Following that will be the UConn Jazz Septet, a group featuring students in the School of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut. They will be starting their performance at 3 p.m. according to the festival’s schedule.
Next, on the main stage at 4 p.m. will be the quartet band, Potato Soup. According to findingconnecticut.com, “they perform original music primarily written by their lead singer Noam as well as covers of music ranging from 90s grunge to 2000s Pink Rock. They are excited to perform at Celebrate Mansfield after winning Waldron’s Studio 88’s 2024 Battle Of The Bands.”
At 5 p.m., the Royal Oaks will be taking the stage, an alternative rock band started in 2015 in Ledyard, Connecticut. “With influences like the Cars, the Killers, and a share of newer rock bands, Royal Oaks strives to create music for everyone to enjoy!” said findingconnecticut.com.
The closing act, Jake Kulak and the Modern Vandals, will take the stage from 6:30 p.m. until the end of the festival.
All of the acts will be performing on the main stage. Still, there will be plenty more performers featured on Saturday. Like in the “Craft Corner” on Dog Lane, Waldron’s Studio 88 Stage will feature performers and students from the music school and recording studio of the same name. The Rolling Tones, a UConn student a cappella group, will be walking around and performing throughout the festival
According to Downtown Storrs festival website, food will be available throughout the festival with booths set up along Royce Circle, offering a variety of options for attendees. In addition to these food vendors, the many restaurants located in Downtown Storrs will also be open, ensuring a wide selection of meals and snacks for everyone.
For more details about the schedule and specific events, visit the Mansfield Downtown Partnership’s website.
Enjoyed the article, but the photo of the band in this article from “@downtownmansfield” Instagram is from Mansfield, Ohio. That is not the Storrs downtown!