Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra to Play at Norwalk Oyster Festival

Tito Puente Jr. and his orchestra head up Sunday night’s entertainment for this year’s Oyster Festival on Sept. 7, joining Friday headliner Scott Stapp of Creed and Saturday headliner Joan Jett & the Black Hearts, organizers announced Thursday.

Here’s the announcement from the Norwalk Seaport Association:

A celebration of music, dance, culture and life takes place with the Tito Puente, Jr. Orchestra on the main stage at the Norwalk Seaport Association 37th Annual Oyster Festival at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 7th.

An audience favorite, Puente, Jr. pays tribute to his father’s legacy yet has a sound all his own combining the sounds of the old and the new to bring audiences on a Latin and Jazz musical journey.

He wraps up one of the best Oyster Festival entertainment lineups in years following headliners Scott Stapp of Creed on Fridaynight and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts taking the main stage on Saturday.

Norwalk Seaport Association President Irene Dixon recognizes that the sounds of salsa and the flair of mambo can bring people of all cultures together for a night of shared fun. “Our community is a flavorful blend of diverse cultures with varied musical tastes and interests.

The music of Tito, Jr. reaches out and grabs our attention to unite us in a musical bond regardless of our backgrounds.”Tito Puente, Jr. has released two Spanish-language CDs, has several billboard dance hits, and has earned a Latin Music Award for best salsa video.

His album, “In My Father’s Shoes” was the foundation of a BET Jazz television special of the same name. The influence of his legendary father, Tito Puente, Sr. is evident, but the interpretation and style is his own.

“My dad really opened the doors for Latin artists, and I only want to bring his music to the youth of today,” says Puente.

Other musical acts include the U.S. Army Field Band, The Volunteers, a contemporary, 6-piece band that will play rock, pop, country, and patriotic music at1:00 p.m. on Sunday.

During the course of the weekend, dozens of local and regional musicians will also take the stage. The Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival offers three days of continuous family-friendly activities and entertainment. Presenting sponsor for the fourth consecutive year is First County Bank.

“This year’s festival will have something for everyone, and more things to do and see than ever before,” says Oyster Festival Chairman Mike Reilly.

New this year will be the Nerveless Nocks Thrill Show, aerial stunt artistsperforming such feats as a motorcycle high wire acts and daredevil stunts (www.nervelessnocks.com).

Also making it’s debut at the Festival will be a Gondola Ferris Wheel with light show, allowing riders a birds-eye view of the festival, as well as sites in the city of Norwalk and Long Island Sound.

This year, the popular Kid’s Cove will be the largest ever featuring a Big Top circus tent by Center Ring Productions (www.centerringpro.com/) with child-centered entertainment such as Chinese acrobats, clowns and a poodle show.

Popular past attractions will return including the Arts & Crafts Pavilion, Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show (www.lumberjackent.com), Pirates Coast Adventure, and the oyster slurping contest.

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, education and public awareness of Norwalk’s maritime environment and heritage.

The Seaport Association and its volunteers are solely responsible for organizing and financing the Oyster Festival. In addition to the Oyster Festival, the Norwalk Seaport Association owns Sheffield Lighthouse and its volunteers maintain the lighthouse and grounds as a museum and nature preserve.

The organization also offers harbor cruises, special events, maritime education programs and habitat restoration projects with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more information, visit www.seaport.org. or call (203) 838-9444.

Here are some videos of the Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra<iframe width="460" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EZdXEI_sP_A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>