A year and a half ago, when I applied to be the Levitt Foundation’s Communications Fellow and first learned about the Levitt mission, the idea of free outdoor music connecting people, invigorating community life, and strengthening the social fabric of America instantly made sense to me.  

Though I never had thought about it in that way before, I had witnessed this potential in action since I was a young adult—attending free concerts at WaterPlace Park in Providence, Rhode Island every weekend during high school summers; at Porchfest, a free neighborhood music festival in my college town of Ithaca, New York; and at Lubber Run Amphitheater, around the corner from my first post-graduation apartment in Arlington, Virginia. These free concerts encouraged me to connect with friends, neighbors, and strangers, explore parts of town I may not have been to before, and support local businesses via food trucks and vendor tables. Looking back, with each event, I experienced community pride, love for the arts, and saw first-hand the importance of equity and accessibility. 

Flash forward to 2023, when I moved to Los Angeles to begin my Communications Fellowship at the Levitt Foundation. Each day, I learned more and more about the power of free live music through my day-to-day duties: monitoring Levitt daily media coverage; interviewing grantees for Levitt Now blog posts; preparing eblasts for network trainings and events; editing promotional videos; and listening to music by talented and inspiring Levitt artists. Following a year of supporting the Levitt movement from behind the scenes, I was eager to finally witness each piece come together in person.  

As it turned out, the Levitt mission was alive and well in my home state of Rhode Island, at Levitt AMP Woonsocket. This past summer, I had the opportunity to experience my first Levitt concert there, too. Following a year of getting to know Levitt grantees from across the country and helping to share the inspiring work of the Foundation and its nonprofit partners, it was rewarding to finally experience the power of free, live music on a Levitt lawn in person. 

A Joyous Journey 

In July, during a visit home back east to the “smallest state,” my family and I made the 20-minute trek—a major road trip for Rhode Islanders—from Lincoln to Woonsocket to attend a Friday night concert at Levitt AMP Woonsocket.   

After meeting Meg Rego, NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley Director of Resource Development and Communications, and the rest of the Woonsocket team at the 2024 Levitt National Convening in February, I was excited to reconnect, see the impact of their hard work and passion, and participate in a cornerstone of Woonsocket community life.  

The stage, tucked away in a corner of downtown Woonsocket along the Blackstone River, provided a serene tableau for the evening. It was the perfect night for a concert: clear skies with temperatures in the 70s. This was a relief for the Woonsocket team, who experienced rain showers for the first few concerts of the season—even though this did not stop the community from coming to these June shows. The team recounted for me how audience members embraced the weather and danced in the rain during these concerts, turning each night into a shared adventure.  

They were also proud to share that they experienced an attendance record on July 5th, when local Rhode Island hall of fame band Steve Smith and the Naked Truth performed to a crowd of 770 people at River Island park.  

The enthusiasm that had been building throughout the season was undeniable as I arrived on the lawn with my family on July 19th. We could sense the excitement in the air as we joined the vibrant crowd, packed with smiling faces. And people were still streaming in—even at 8:00 pm—ready for a night of rock and roll.  

In the spirit of “show, don’t tell,” here are some annotated photos of my experience!  

 

 

Local opening act TJ and the Campers energized the crowd with their 90s ska punk-inspired sound. This band of Rhode Island natives, who’ve been friends since high school and playing together for a decade, performed for an enthusiastic crowd of fans, friends, and family for the fifth show of the Woonsocket season. 

 

 

Throughout the night I connected with audience members and the volunteers that make each show possible. Levitt superfans—a few pictured here with Meg Rego—have attended almost every Levitt AMP Woonsocket concert since the first season in 2018. Several of these community champions even wrote letters of support for the first grant application in 2017. 

 

 

Volunteers are at the heart of Levitt AMP Woonsocket, essential to each concert running smoothly, and spreading joy across the lawn. During intermission, volunteer Margaux Morisseau passed out glow sticks for a dedication ceremony to honor the life and legacy of Liz Levitt Hirsch. 

 

 

Meg and Marlon Carey, the Levitt AMP Woonsocket Emcee, took the stage to share the story of Liz Levitt Hirsch and her impact across the country, and dedicated their 2024 series to her legacy. They guided each audience member to look at their neighbor and help each other affix their glowing bracelets around their wrists. The bracelets lit up the night, just as Liz brightened the lives of so many through her generous, dynamic spirit. 

 

 

Tartan Terrors, the headlining Celtic rock band hailing from Toronto, had the audience up on their feet dancing, and those in their lawn chairs were clapping and stomping along.  

 

 

Audience members of all ages moved to driving guitars, bagpipes, and the rhythm of the tap shoes of the band’s showstopping step dancing.  

 

 

Mesmerizing giant bubbles, a Levitt AMP Woonsocket staple, brought joy to adults and children alike all night long. 

 

 

It was wonderful to be able to share the Levitt mission in action with my family and give them an inside look at this new chapter in my career. My Dad also has been loving his new Levitt t-shirt! 

 

 

Thank you to Meg and the entire Levitt AMP Woonsocket team for putting on such a fun show and welcoming me to my first Levitt concert. 

Experiencing this joyful evening of music, connection, and community with my family after a year on the Levitt team was an incredible full circle moment. I look forward to many more Levitt concerts as I continue my journey with the Levitt Foundation team, now as the Communications Associate. I am grateful to have the chance to meet inspiring folks from across the country and support the impact they are making in their communities through activating underused public spaces with free outdoor music! 

Want to experience a free outdoor Levitt concert in a town or city near you? Click here to see a map and learn more about Levitt communities nationwide!