Sound on Sound Music Festival Brings Community Together

Sound on Sound Music Festival is making its first-ever appearance at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, the weekend of September 24-25, featuring more than two dozen artists including the Lumineers, Stevie Nicks and Dave Mathews.

Various artists and bands from various music genres will be performing during the weekend, including well-known artists Tim Reynolds and Brandie Carlile. Tickets can be purchased for just one day or for both through the Festival website.

Beyond the music, the festival will feature multiple lounges, such as a White Claw Beach Lounge and a Aperol Spritz Plaza. Other areas – such as the Juneshine Flower House and the Java Monster Truck - will be places for festival attendees to check out. These are also the perfect stops in-between sets.  The festival will be “celebrating world class music, local cuisine, craft beer and more” according to organizers.

 “I am thrilled that our city is hosting the Sound on Sound music festival,” said Bridgeport Mayor Joe  Ganim. “With music of every genre, top headline acts, and premier food vendors, it’s surely going to be a memorable experience for all who attend.” 

Make a Wish, Special Olympics CT, Headcount and Adam J. Lewis Academy are nonprofit partners for the inaugural Sound on Sound Festival.

While the festival aims to be fun for those who attend, it is also an opportunity to support the nonprofit organizations through donations. Their messages will be spread through advertising around the festival, but they also will be receiving financial support as they help spread positivity and create good experiences for those in need.

Make a Wish helps to fulfill the wishes of children with chronic illnesses. It is a national organization working to make every child’s dream come true. Donations made during the music festival can help to make that possible.

Special Olympics CT is part of an international organization that works to give every person the opportunity to get active. Disabilities are often associated with injustice and inactivity, but Special Olympics CT works to change that.

Headcount is a national organization that “gets people registered to vote and interested in democracy. We're at concerts, festivals, community events - anywhere we can translate the power of music and culture into real action,” the organization’s website explains.

Adam J. Lewis Academy is an independent, privately funded non-profit school serving the underserved Bridgeport community, by providing students with high-quality educational opportunities. AJLA was founded by Patty Lewis in honor of her late husband, Adam Lewis, who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and who received an educational opportunity at an early age.

The Sound on Sound music festival is helping to shine a light on these nonprofits by promoting their missions, and marketing the importance of the organizations.

“It’s a big deal because the other nonprofits are known charities. Adam J. Lewis is still small, even within Bridgeport,” said Neal Edelson, the Director of Philanthropy and Strategic Development at Adam J. Lewis Academy. “It means a lot that we are included. All those eyeballs and the ability to send our message out will be important to us.”

Edelson and the Adam J. Lewis Academy are honored to be among national organizations. The school is working on expanding its message, and being featured in the festival is an amazing opportunity for them.

The school is rapidly growing, having started out as a preschool with 13 students in 2013, the school has made tremendous progress and currently has almost 200 students. Now, the school is offering education up until the 4th grade. However, every year the academy is adding one grade level until they reach the 8th grade.

Public schooling in Bridgeport is among the worst in the state, according to Edelson. There is an education gap between Bridgeport and its Fairfield County neighbors. The Adam J. Lewis Academy works to close that gap and give students an opportunity for high quality education to succeed.

According to Edelson, Adam J. Lewis Academy is receiving a portion of the proceeds from the Sound on Sound music festival. The school plans to use the money from the festival to allow more students the opportunity for a high-quality education. 

The school also offers healthy, nutritious lunches for the students, the new breakfast program, the music department, or the physical education department, the money will be put to good use, officials stressed.

Faculty, including Edelson, from the school will be in attendance in their very own Adam J. Lewis bungalow. They are excited to enjoy the festival with each other.

Edelson wants people to know that when they purchase a ticket and attend the Sound on Sound music festival, they are also donating to amazing causes.

“It’s important to introduce people to philanthropy in general,” said Edelson.

The Sound on Sound music festival has more to offer beyond the music. To purchase tickets for the event, use this link: https://soundonsoundct.com/tickets/.  Information on parking and shuttles is also available.

This article was written and reported for CT by the Numbers by Sarah Klepack, a local Bridgeport-area resident attending Endicott College.