Bluegrass At Beardsley Zoo

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Jul 22, 2005 12:00 am

BRIDGEPORT â Connecticutâs Beardsley Zoo will host four âZooGrassâ concerts on Sunday afternoons in August to celebrate bluegrass music.

Concerts will take place in the zooâs Peacock Pavilion stage, or inside the Carousel Building in the event of inclement weather.

The concerts are included with regular zoo admission ($8 for adults, $6 for seniors and ages 3-11, and free for ages 2 and under and Zoo members). Performances will begin at 2 pm and each will run for about an hour.

The series will open on August 7 with Too Blue. Featuring its own blend of âhigh-octane bluegrass,â swing and originals, Too Blue members are Joan Harrison on lead vocals and banjo, Betsy Rome on guitar and vocals, Michael Sassano on mandolin and vocals, and Jack Murphy on bass and vocals.

The acoustic band Hoe plays music that blends bluegrass and old-time string band traditions with modern pop ideas. A Hoe concert features tight three-part vocal harmony and crisp instrumental accompaniment.

The band on August 21, Nick Novia & The Sons of Appalachia, performs bluegrass by âfirstâ generation artists such as Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, and Jimmy Martin.

The final concert, on August 28, will feature Ash Creek String Band. The group performs the best of roots music including Appalachian banjo tunes, Celtic ballads and Irish fiddle tunes.

The zoo is at 1875 Noble Avenue in Bridgeport (signs are posted from the Route 25 Connector and I-95). Call 203-394-6565 for additional information.

Patricia Anzellotti

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John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

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First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

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Bluegrass At Beardsley Zoo

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