The 5th Annual Claris Construction Inc Summer Jam Children's Concert Series will offer seven family-friendly events this summer season. All are being offered free of charge, and two will include outdoor movie screenings.

Concert nights will begin at 6 pm, with performances at Dickinson Memorial Park, 50 Elm Drive.

Movie nights will move to Fairfield Hills, to the soccer field off Keating Farm Avenue, and have a later start time.

Attendees should bring their own seating to either venue. Picnics are welcome; guests should plan to carry out their own trash.

The 2017 series will open Tuesday, June 20, with a dynamic performance featuring Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys. The group has opened three of the four previous Summer Jam Concert Series seasons, including the inaugural one in 2013. Last year the group performed the season finale.

Ms Trien's three-time Parents' Choice award-winning albums are a mixture of her folk, blues and pop creations.

The Summer Jam Series will continue on June 27 with a performance by three-time Grammy Award nominee Brady Rymer, followed by a screening of Sing. Mr Rymer's performance will begin at 7:30, and the screening of the PG-rated animated film will begin around 8:45.

Following a break for Independence Day, the concert series will return to Dickinson Park on July 11 with Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, an inventive string band that weaves together blues, folk, and jazz. At its core, Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem's artistry is exemplified by the fiddle, acoustic and electric guitar, stand-up bass, ukulele, banjo, and a junk drum set made of boxes, tin cans, plastic jugs, and an old suitcase.

"Indie pop for all ages" will be offered July 18 by Tim Kubart, the 2016 Grammy winner for Best Children's Album (Home). An Emmy Award-nominated actor, Mr Kubart is the host of Sprout's, Sunny Side Up, which in 2015 enjoyed a guest appearance by First Lady Michelle Obama.

Emmy Award-winning children's entertainer Alex Mitnick, with Kaleidoscope, will guide the audience on a journey that leads to the treasures of the world on July 25.

Summer Jam will welcome the return Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights for an August 1 performance. A multi-award-winning singer-songwriter, Ms Leeds provides high-energy, vivacious fun while performing her catchy tunes that have climbed up the charts to #1 on Sirius-XM's Kids Place Live and WXPN's Kids Corner.

The 5th Annual Claris Construction Inc Summer Jam Children's Concert Series will conclude August 8 with a dynamic hip hop dance party with Austin Dailey. The interactive performance will begin at 7:15 pm at Fairfield Hills, and will include an outdoor screening of the 1982 blockbuster film E.T. The film will begin around 8:30.

The concert series is a program of Newtown Parks & Recreation. Movie Nights are presented by Newtown Parks & Recreation, Newtown Prevention Council, and Newtown Youth & Family Services.

For more information, visit the Summer Jam Facebook page or call Newtown Parks & Recreation at 203-270-4340.

DICKINSON PARK

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FAIRFIELD HILLS

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