Three days of fun, food, and dazzling free entertainment on multiple stages, plus a myriad of special events for families and friends, from nine to ninety marks just some of the activities planned for the 2021 Norwalk Oyster Festival hosted by the Norwalk Seaport Association on Friday, September 10, Saturday, September 11, and Sunday, September 12, 2021, at the 35-acre Veterans Memorial Park in Norwalk. For tickets and information https://www.seaport.org/norwalk-oyster-festival
“We are so happy to be able to welcome people back to this year's Norwalk Oyster Festival, an event that has brought families and friends together for 43 years. Our volunteers have been working around the clock to make this year’s festival extra special because we know people have been looking forward to it since last year. The 43rd Norwalk Oyster Festival is packed with value-added extras this year especially when you consider that all the entertainment including the headliners' Mike DelGuidice who performs with Billy Joel and Big Shot, Eliot Lewis from Hall and Oates, and Live at Daryl’s House, nationally and internationally acclaimed SteelHeart, the Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Band, and many other top-notch bands are included in the ticket price,” said Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival. For tickets click https://www.seaport.org.
Friday, September 10, Entertainment Line Up
Headliner, September 10 - SteelHeart - Nationally and Internationally Acclaimed @ 8:30 p.m.
The headliner of the evening, SteelHeart, originally from Norwalk, takes the stage, at 8:30 p.m. This nationally and internationally acclaimed rock band is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their self-titled debut album. SteelHeart released in 1989. This album catapulted this band into immediate commercial success reaching #40 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album quickly hit platinum status internationally, and gold domestically. “She’s Gone,” a soulful power ballad hit #1 on the international charts staying there for 17 weeks. The band's second single, “I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes),” reached #14 on the Billboard charts. In 2001, lead singer, Miljenko Matijevic provided all of the vocals for Mark Wahlberg’s character in the hit movie Rock Star. SteelHeart has released five studio albums and is working on a compilation album to celebrate their 30 years of globetrotting, and high octane, live performances.
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| Originally from Norwalk Celebrating 30 Years! |
Friday, September 10, Opening Act, Eliot Lewis - Of Hall and Oates & Live @ Daryl’s House @ 7 p.m.
Friday night kicks off at 7 p.m. with the music of multi-instrumentalist Eliot Lewis, a Norwalk native who is a member of Hall and Oates, one of the most famous duos in the world inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Lewis is also a solo performer that has consistently released his unique brand of guitar featured rock and soul. He is best known as the only musician to appear on every episode of the hugely popular “Live from Daryl’s House” show. Lewis has also performed with many popular artists such as Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Joe Walsh of the Eagles, Booker T, Jewel, and Todd Rundgren, to name a few. Daryl Hall summarizes Lewis’s talent best, “Eliot is a musician who can do it all, great singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He rocks and he’s got, soul. No one does it quite like him.”
Saturday, September 11, 2021 - Entertainment Line Up
Headliner, Saturday, September 11– Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot Celebrating the Music of Billy Joel & More @ 8:30 pm
The Norwalk Oyster Festival is one of New England's most iconic festivals which is why Mike DelGuidice, a multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist touring with Rock N Roll Legend, Billy Joel is taking a night off from his touring schedule to perform with his band, Big Shot on Sept. 11 at 8:30 pm. Mike DelGuidice was handpicked and hired by Billy Joel himself. After Billy Joel heard Mike sing, he hired him, literally on the spot to be in his band. Mike is probably one of the few artists around where the front guy of the band is actually in the band of the artist his band covers! While on tour with Billy Joel, DelGuidice has shared the stage with Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Bryan Adams, Tony Bennett, Paul Simon, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, and Adam Levine, to name a few.
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| Mike DelGuidice Handpicked by Billy Joel |
DelGuidice is an extraordinarily talented musician. In addition to his eclectic original songs, he will astonish you will renditions of songs by Elton John, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Marc Cohn, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, John Denver, Sting, James Taylor, Chicago, and many others. DelGuidice is a world-class vocalist and can sing just about anything. DelGuidice’s band, Big Shot includes Tommy Byrnes, Billy Joel's guitarist, drummer Chris Milillo who performed with the Stone Temple Pilots and others, Nick Dimichino, on bass, who most recently played with Nine Days, and, Michael Jewell, one of the countries most accomplished keyboardists who performed with Barbara Streisand, and Michael Bolton,
In addition to touring with Billy Joel and his band, Big Shot, DelGuidice has released two albums, "My Street," and "Miller Place," and is working on a third. Mike also scored the theme song, "Ordinary Guy," for the sitcom, "Kevin Can Wait," starring actor/comedian, Kevin James.
DelGuidice and Big Shot packs hit after chart-topping hit in an amazingly high-energy show that leaves audiences wanting more. “We are thrilled that DelGuidice is taking a night off from touring with Billy Joel and performing at this years’ Oyster Festival. DelGuidice's stature as a well-known worldwide performer makes his band highly sought after because they are such crowd-pleasers. After all, Billy Joel himself handpicked DelGuidice. We are thrilled that he will be rocking the 43rd Oyster Festival on Saturday night," says Mike Reilly, Chairman of the Norwalk Oyster Festival. "We would also, once again, like to acknowledge that First County Bank is our presenting sponsor for the tenth year in a row.”
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| It is always 5 p.m. somewhere with Jimmy Kenny and the Pirates Beach Band! |
Saturday, September 11 - Jimmy Kenny and the Pirates Beach Band @ 2 p.m.
On Saturday afternoon get ready to escape to “Margaretaville” at the Norwalk Oyster Festival with the always-popular Jimmy Kenny and the Pirates Beach Band - the ultimate beach party tribute to Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, and the Zac Brown Band. Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band plugs in and lights up the stage at 2 p.m...after all, it is almost 5 o’clock somewhere! The good-time vibe of this band will put you in an endless summer state of mind. So put on your best “Parrothead” gear - your favorite Hawaiian shirt, straw hat, and flip-flops, grab some food and drinks from one of our nearby vendors and get ready to sing and dance along to some of the best of Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney and the Zac Brown Band plus a variety of country favorites, summer pop, reggae, and tropical classics.
Sunday, September 12 - Entertainment Line Up The Best of Connecticut & More!
Local music is the heart and soul of every big city and small community. Every musician starts off somewhere, and that somewhere is usually local. Art and music in all its iterations thrive on interaction, and with all concerts shuttered last year, most folks were left without experiencing the excitement of live entertainment. "We know that people have missed going out to see their favorite regional and local bands, which is why we have organized a series of non-stop performances by Connecticut and tri-state area bands on Sunday," said Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival. "We are happy to give our local musicians center stage to welcome them back to the entertainment industry at this year’s Norwalk Oyster Festival."
