The Wilton Parks and Recreation Department has scheduled the return of its Wilton Summer Concert Series for Summer 2021, and officials have announced the lineup for bands and dates for the season. Plus, the department has a surprise in store for the end of summer — the circus is coming to town!

This year, the series will feature local acts on four consecutive Sunday evenings from 5-7 p.m. The first two concerts will be held at Schenck’s Island with seating on the island; the final two will take place at Merwin Meadows.

  • July 11: Captain Obvious
  • July 18: (to be determined)
  • July 25: The Defibrillators
  • Aug. 1: The Treeshakers

Circus Surprise

GOOD Morning Wilton has learned that the Town of Wilton has a surprise in store for residents. The Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring a three-day engagement with a traveling circus called “Stars Above: An All-American Open-Air Circus” that will make its exclusive Connecticut stop in Wilton.

Created by 2020 Drama Desk Award nominees Josh Aviner and Lyndsay Magid Aviner of Hideaway Circus, Stars Above is a brand new, open-air circus touring the Northeast region of the U.S. this August and September, making 10 stops throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and upstate New York.

Described on the show’s website as a family-friendly, “all-ages production that is performed outdoors, under the vast canopy of sky and stars,” Stars Above is “a modern take on the nostalgia and intimacy of early 19th-century touring circuses. The theme “is centered around a single day in the life of a traveling family troupe … [and] explores and celebrates our interwoven connections to loved ones, community, and what we’ve lost.”

“Stars Above combines elements of both contemporary and classical circus while showcasing an all-star cast of American circus performers and musicians, performing original music and reimagined covers.”

According to publicity materials, the cast of Stars Above is comprised entirely of American circus artists — what organizers say is “a rarity in contemporary circus.” Because of the pandemic, many in the cast were forced to leave contracts with top international companies to return home to the United States.

Hideaway Circus’ founding wife-and-husband team, with long credits in the world of circus, theatrical and multimedia productions, saw a unique opportunity to bring together some of the most talented circus artists of today into a single company, spanning ages, genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The performers range from sixth-generation circus acts, with skills passed down through their families, to highly gifted individuals from the top circus schools in the world.

The Wilton shows will take place at the Comstock Soccer Field, behind Comstock Community Center, and are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the Wilton shows are on sale now on the Stars Above Circus website.

GOOD Morning Wilton will have much more information about the circus as we get closer to the show dates.

Correction:  the article has been updated with information on where the circus will be located. Shows will take place at Comstock Soccer Field, not Allen’s Meadow as first indicated.