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The Grass Roots will headline the 2019 East Haven Fall Festival on Sept. 7 at 9:30 p.m.
The Grass Roots will headline the 2019 East Haven Fall Festival on Sept. 7 at 9:30 p.m.
Photo: Mark Gravino, East West Productions / Contributed Photo
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The Grass Roots will headline the 2019 East Haven Fall Festival on Sept. 7 at 9:30 p.m.
The Grass Roots will headline the 2019 East Haven Fall Festival on Sept. 7 at 9:30 p.m.
Photo: Mark Gravino, East West Productions / Contributed Photo
EAST HAVEN — Get ready for a weekend of music, food and fun when rock veterans The Grass Roots — famous for such hits as “Let’s Live For Today,” “Midnight Confessions,” “Sooner or Later” and “Temptation Eyes” — headline the 28th annual East Haven Fall Festival.
It will take place on the town Green the weekend after Labor Day, Sept. 6-8, fall festival President Al Zullo and Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. announced.
The Grass Roots will perform in the premier Saturday evening spot, taking the stage at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 7.
Other headliners include Men of Soul featuring Personal Touch at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 6, and Head Over Heels at 4 p.m. Sept. 8, Maturo and Zullo said in a release.
“Through the tremendous generosity of our business community the festival this year is again able to bring nationally acclaimed entertainment, which attracts thousands who are willing to pay appreciable ticket prices,” said Maturo.
“Yet, thanks to our festival, East Haven will again be presenting an entire weekend of talent for free ,” Maturo said. “Once again, this could not be accomplished without the generosity of our entire business community, as this event continues to be the best free festival in the state — and with our Fireworks Day, one of East Haven’s signature events.”
The Grass Roots’ other hits include “I’d Wait A Million Years,” “Two Divided By Love,” “The River Is Wide,” “The Runway,” “Things I Should Have Said,” “ Bella Linda,” “Baby Hold On,” “Glory Bound,” “Where We You When I Needed You” and “Heaven Knows.”
The band began in 1965 as the name of a Dunhill Records band project by the Los Angeles songwriter and producer duo of P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. Their first recorded song, “Where Were You When I Needed You,” also featured Larry Knechtel on keyboards, Joe Osborn on bass and Bones Howe on drums.
The group was led for many years by a member of what actually was The Grass Roots’ third incarnation, singer and bassist Rob Grill. Grill, who managed the group and owned the rights to the name, died in 2011.
The current band — Mark Dawson on lead vocals and bass guitar, Dusty Hanvey on lead guitar and backing vocals, Larry Nelson on keyboards and backing vocals and Joe Dougherty on drums — is made up of people he auditioned into the group over the years.
The Grass Roots has appeared on over 50 national television shows over the years, including “The Tonight Show,” “The Today Show,” “Ed Sullivan,” “Andy Williams,” “Sonny & Cher,” “Good Morning America,”VH1 Hit-Makers,” “MTV,” and a record 16 times on “Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.”
The band in its various incarnations has sold more than 20 million records worldwide.
Men of Soul featuring Personal Touch was formed in 2016 to create an old-school-style R&B group. Opening for them will Timmy Maia.
Sunday morning will feature the festival’s popular Classic Car Show, which will be coordinated again this year by the Vietnam Veterans Association, Chapter 484. The show will run from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Sunday afternoon entertainment will feature New England’s Head over Heels and will also showcase various local musical talent and youth groups, including the award-winning East Haven High School Co-op Marching Band.
The East Haven Chamber of Commerce will hold its Business Expo from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 7 in the festival’s Corporate Tent.
The Expo will showcase local businesses. Adult guests are encouraged to enter a raffle while visiting the businesses for a chance to win a bicycle, donated this year by Jennifer Higham Photography.
Carnival rides will be available all weekend for children and pre-teens. This year’s event will again feature a “Teen Corner” under the direction of the town Youth Coordinator Bob Petrucelli. The “Teen Corner” will be open Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 6 p.m.
The Fall Festival is supported by corporate sponsorships and individual contributions. Anyone interested in helping, or seeking any further information on the festival, should contact Joe Coppola in the Mayor’s Office at 468-3204 or eh.jcoppola@gmail.com.
For additional festival information, including the latest entertainment schedules and weather-related changes, go to www.townofeasthavenct.org or the East Haven Fall Festival Facebook page at www.facebook.com/EHFallFest or Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/EHFallFest.