Features
Newtown Arts Festival Hosts Hundreds Of Guests From Far And Near
Published: Oct 06, 2026 7:15 am
Newtown Arts Festival 2026 took place over the weekend of September 18-19. While it started off strong, the last day, September 20, was canceled due to the rain.
Activities included Music Under the Stars on Friday, September 18 featuring IRIS LIES and On The Trail, a community art project, fused glass, artisans, food trucks, performances, and more.
On The Trail, a popular Connecticut-based bluegrass band featuring, from left, Tom Polizzi on mandolin, guitar, and vocals; Austin Scelzo on fiddle and vocals; Connecticut Troubadour Charlie Widmer on guitar and vocals; and Matt Curley on upright bass and vocals, was the headliner for Music Under the Stars on Friday, September 18. —Bee Photos, Glass
Iris Lies opened for On The Trail on Friday, September 18 at the Music Under the Stars event.
The very popular local band One Track Mind is seen performing at the 2026 Newtown Arts Festival on Saturday, September 19 on the Fairfield Hills campus. The group plays music that spans over five decades, including songs from The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Van Halen, Pink Floyd, and more.
A crowd favorite of Newtown Arts Festival are the several performances from different groups in town. Part of the charm is when children from the crowd join in on the fun and practice their dance moves.
Each year, Newtown Arts Festival committee members work on an interactive art piece that all visitors can be a part of. Here, two children paint boards that would be displayed for the rest of the event.
Gosia Paszczuk tries her hand at glass fusion at Newtown Arts Festival on Saturday, September 19.