RIDGEFIELD, CT — The 2026 season of CHIRP, short for Concert Happenings in Ridgefield’s Parks, opens this week in Ridgefield with performances by the Ridgefield High School Music Department and the Honey Island Swamp Band.
The free summer concert series begins Tuesday, May 26, at 7 p.m. in Ballard Park with performances by the RHS Big Band and RHS Pops Concert Orchestra, according to CHIRP. The concert is part of the organizer's 25th anniversary season.
Organizers said the opening performance will feature “award-winning ensembles” from the high school music department.
The second concert of the week is scheduled for Thursday, May 28, at 7 p.m., featuring Honey Island Swamp Band. The group was formed in 2005 in San Francisco by New Orleans musicians displaced by Hurricane Katrina and has produced four albums.
The band’s music combines blues, roots, country and soul and has been described by No Depression magazine as “Bayou Americana.”
CHIRP presents free concerts Tuesdays and Thursdays from Memorial Day through Labor Day in Ballard Park. Concerts are generally held outdoors, with indoor locations used during inclement weather, according to organizers. The series is funded through donations from individuals, foundations and local businesses and is co-sponsored by the town through the Parks & Recreation Department and The Ridgefield Press.
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