Concerts and Special Events/Tickets
Summer Pops – The Chorus of Westerly
SUMMER POPS 2021
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2021
Pre-show 5:15 pm, Main Show 7 pm, Wilcox Park
Produced, Presented and Performed by The Chorus of Westerly
with the Pops Festival Orchestra
Special Guests: The Knickerbocker All Stars
Fireworks by Grucci and The Newport Artillery
Ryan Saunders on the Bells of Christ Church
Pre-Show Artists
Haunt the House, The Westerly Morris Men, Michael Chicoria and Ryan PIccolo
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL
FULL PROGRAM BELOW
Click here for the Westerly Sun Summer Pops Program Book
BLANKETS
Guests may now put blankets down in Wilcox Park (and leave them unoccupied) to reserve their spot. Guests may ONLY leave blankets unattended. You may not leave coolers, chairs, or other items on your blankets.
To our audience members
Our current Covid guidelines for attending this event in Wilcox Park are as follows*
Fully vaccinated - AT THIS TIME* you are not required to wear a mask/facial covering while attending, but - to reduce your risk and risk to others - we strongly recommend you wear one when moving about the park, go to to a vendor stand or use the porta-johns, or whenever you are in close proximity to others (especially if you are with or near those outside your family/blanket group) or if you feel yourself at any personal risk. Note that no one except members of the Chorus of Westerly, the Pops Festival Orchestra, the Knick All Stars, or concert staff/volunteers will be allowed backstage or near the stage where stricter regulations will be in effect. All vaccinated individuals should still screen for COVID symptoms prior to coming to the park and should NOT enter the park if they are displaying ANY symptom of COVID, have been exposed, ordered to quarantine, or have traveled from a high risk area. Please use the RI Covid Screening Tool here. If you do not pass, DO NOT COME TO POPS.
Remember, attending Summer Pops in Wilcox Park is at your own risk and by coming into the park during this time of Covid you accept the risk of possible infection (and accept that for your family members).
Not vaccinated - AT THIS TIME* For your safety and your fellow audience members we strongly recommend you wear a mask at all times while at Summer Pops unless you can safely and completely socially distance from other social groups within the park. We also recommend you limit your movement in the park to what is necessary. It is also very strongly recommend you always wear a mask (and make a special effort to do so) when moving about the park, go to to a vendor stand or use the porta-johns,or whenever you are in close proximity to others (especially if you are with or near those outside your family/blanket group) or if you feel yourself at any personal risk. Note that no one except members of the Chorus of Westerly, the Pops Festival Orchestra, the Knick All Stars, or concert staff/volunteers will be allowed backstage or near the stage where stricter regulations will be in effect. All vaccinated individuals should still screen for COVID symptoms prior to coming to the park and should NOT enter the park if they are displaying ANY symptom of COVID, have been exposed, ordered to quarantine, or have traveled from a high risk area. Please use the RI Covid Screening Tool here. If you do not pass, DO NOT COME TO POPS.
Remember, attending Summer Pops in Wilcox Park is at your own risk and by coming into the park during this time of Covid you accept the risk of possible infection (and accept that for your family members).
* - THESE REGULATIONS AND POLICIES COULD CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT ADVANCED NOTICE (INCLUDING RIGHT UP UNTIL THE PERFORMANCE) BASED ON CURRENT CONDITIONS, REGULATIONS, OR ORGANIZATIONAL OR GOVERNMENTAL DEMAND. PLEASE CHECK BACK RIGHT BEFORE THE SHOW FOR THE MOST UPDATED INFO.
7 PM PROGRAM
Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah - Handel
The Throne Room and End Titles from Star Wars – Williams
Medley of Music of ABBA – arr. Tafone
Stars and Stripes Forever – Sousa
The Armed Forces Salute – Lowden/Eilers
A Remembrance Moment of 9.11.01
Featuring the Tolling of the Bell with our Local Public Safety Chiefs
Amazing Grace – arr. Tafone
Ode to Joy (abridged) - Beethoven
INTERMISSION
Music with our Special Guests
The Knickerbocker All Stars
With Darcel Wilson
The Magnificent Seven – E. Bernstein
The Impossible Dream – arr. Hayes
FINALE
The Overture of 1812 – Tchaikovsky
The Star Spangled Banner
Featuring Fireworks by Grucci
The Artillery Company of Newport
The Bells of Christ Church
Ryan Saunders, carillioneur
THINGS TO KNOW
Click here for The Westerly Sun's full Summer Pops Program Book for lots more info and articles on the show!
To reserve your spot, blankets can now be put down and then left in the park in the seating area unattended, but you cannot not leave chairs, bags, coolers, or anything else unattended. Per Library/Park rules, you may not leave a plastic tarp (it will be removed) or use spikes to secure your blanket.
Please note: Only low level sand chairs are permitted in the two main center sections.
Higher chairs are permitted in the side sections just off center, on the far side sections, and in the back sections. Thank you for your understanding.
The Pre-Show will begin sometime just after 5:15 pm and will feature
HAUNT THE HOUSE
THE WESTERLY MORRIS MEN
MICHAEL CHICORIA, PIANO & RYAN PICCOLO, SAX
The Main Show will begin promptly at 7 pm.
The Chorus of Westerly and Pops Festival Orchestra perform in the first half.
The Amazing Grace Sept 11, moment takes places towards the end of the first half.
Intermission is scheduled to begin just after 8 pm.
The Knickerbocker All-Stars and Vocalist Darcel Wilson will join the chorus and orchestra to start the second half of the show in the 8 pm hour.
The 1812 Overture (abridged) will begin somewhere around 9 pm and the Fireworks by Grucci launch around that time.
The Fireworks are launching from the north side of the pond in the park. Best viewing will be from the hill on the Grove Avenue side of the park OR right near the fence, so you can see under the trees, on the pond/High Street side.
The entire program should be done between 9:10 and 9:20 pm (subject to change).
By event/library/park guidelines –
Pets and animals are not permitted in Wilcox Park during Summer Pops.
Smoking is not permitted in Wilcox Park.
PARKING
Note that parking for Summer Pops is not in any way controlled by event organizers, the Chorus, the Library, or the staff of Wilcox Park. However, we strongly recommend you come early to find a place to park.
Unless posted 'No Parking' or otherwise restricted, parking for Summer Pops attendees is usually available on most of the area side streets in the neighborhoods surrounding the park and downtown, in any open and available public lot, and this year, subject to availability - the Main Street Washington Trust parking lots and the first level of the parking garage.
Parking will fill up fast so come early. The earlier you come, the better spot you might get. Please try not to come right at or near the 7 pm show time. Come early. Note that parking on High Street, Broad Street, will be very limited and/or may not be available. A limited number of accessible parking spots are typically available around the park (check Grove Ave and High Street) until they are filled or up until late afternoon.
If you have questions about accessible parking, speak with a WPD officer in downtown for instruction or ideas.
Be aware that there are LOUD noises at Pops including cannon fire and fireworks.
The Artillery Company of Newport usually fires a cannon shot or two (blanks) at the beginning of the show. They also fire (blanks) at several points during the 1812 Overture. Fireworks by Grucci fire their shells during the 1812 Overture, the Star-Spangled Banner, and just after and they can be loud. The Fireworks show is short, but be aware it makes a lot of noise.
You can find more info, the program itself, Covid policies and more here.
Click here or the image for The Westerly Sun's full Summer Pops Program Book for lots more.