Ives Concert Park in Danbury, CT may have a partial new owner. That’s because Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) is eying the park to use for students to use for their own performances in good weather at the moment. Currently, there are no plans to bring big music acts back to the outdoor venue. The University has expressed interest in acquiring the property and making improvements to the school. The Charles Ives Concert Park properties are controlled by the city of Danbury within the approximately 40-acre park – one of which is 1.01 acres and the other encompassing about 17,000 square feet. Watch their best moments on YouTube here:
According to WestfairOnline Fairfield Business Journal, WestConn spokesperson Paul Steinmetz noted; “If the university takes possession of that acre, it would make it easier for us to plan future improvements,” At the moment, we have nothing planned other than some potential concerts by students during good weather.”
Ives Concert Park is considered to be Danbury’s beautiful outdoor concert venue which hosted many iconic major musical acts in the early ’90s and 2000s including the Moody Blues, Jackson Browne, REO Speedwagon, Buddy Guy, Bela Fleck, and the Flecktones, Kenny Loggins, Natalie Merchant, Counting Crows, and many more musical acts.
The festivals planned last year in 2020; The Throwback Tribute Festival, The Water Lantern Festival, Big Blocks & BBQ Show, West Side Reggae Festival were all canceled during Covid-19. This year in 2021, no concerts were scheduled and won’t take place again this year.
The quasi-municipal agency overseeing the park, the Charles Ives Authority for the Performing Arts is in the process of being disbanded. The economics of major big acts have changed over the years which made the park unprofitable. Steinmetz wants to make the park more valuable in the long term.
Last month, Mayor Joe Cavo sent a letter to the Danbury City Council encouraging it to consider transferring or selling the site to the school, “Given that there appears to be little need for the property to remain in the ownership of the City of Danbury and because the site is immediately adjacent to the WCSU.”