This year's RCA Summer Music Festival once again brought excellent music before large, appreciative audiences. Even before the season started, Rowaytonites were asking about the shows and anticipating Sunday afternoons of great entertainment.

It all happens because the Festival receives so much community support. Besides the RCA's substantial funding, the Festival this year was supported by 22 Rowayton, Norwalk and Darien-based businesses and individuals. This year's Series Sponsors, our highest level of support, included longtime supporter White Bridge Wines, thanks once again to Mickey Interlandi. There were also three new Series Sponsors: Chris Buswell Real Estate, thank you Chris; Graham Capital Management, thank you Ken Tropin; and Rowayton Lobster, thank you Dan Malozzi. The additional, important support of this season's show sponsors allowed us to once again hire wonderfully accomplished bands and performers.

Our Supporting Sponsor, the Doubletree Hotel, provided welcome room and board to some of the performers. For all of our sponsors, a great way to show your appreciation is to support their businesses. You can link to their Web sites by going to the 2009 RCA Summer Music Festival website page.

Planning the season and putting on the shows came from the efforts of many people, foremost among them, my two partners, Brendan McGee, who once again booked the musicians and made sure their needs were met, and RCA Board member Chris Sovak, who helped advance all phases of the Festival, from planning to fundraising to show days. Many, many thanks, guys. Peter Blandori (www.blandori.com) was once again our graphics guy for everything we printed. Scott Kuykendall of Oxygen Design (www.o2design.biz) produced our Web pages and our email blasts. The great sound was upgraded this season and once again produced by InPhase Audio of Wilton, ably assisted in the equipment setups and breakdowns by Chris Sammons. At Bayley Beach, Susan and Melissa Bucciarelli made sure the parking was done properly. At both Bayley and Pinkney, Don Wilson helped us keep the grounds in order, and Ed Carlson's advice on logistics was always helpful. Many thanks to all. And last but hardly least, we thank all who came to the shows and enjoyed the music. You are the reason for the RCA Summer Music Festival and the most important part of what makes Rowayton the special place it is. See you next year! Joe Carter

The 5th annual RCA Comedy Night fundraiser, held back in May, was another resounding success.  The sold out crowd of 350 packed their picnics and met under the big tent at the Community Center for an evening of laughs and dancing. Spirits were high as people caught up and dined with friends after a long winter. The three professional stand-up comedians from New York City had all in stitches. The comedians, brought in by Craig Spinney, Rowayton resident and Stage Manager for the Daily Show, made for a hilarious evening with nonstop laughs. The usual silent auction was forgone to make room for a dance floor.  When the comedy concluded, the dance floor was hopping to the beat of the folk / rock band Mojo. We would like to thank Craig Spinney and the many volunteers and contributors who helped make this event such a great success. This important fundraiser benefits the Rowayton Civic Association and the proceeds help fund the many programs and sponsorships the RCA provides for our community.  If anyone would like to help organize this event for spring 2010, please contact Kat Curtin at 852-1587 or pkcurtin@optonline.net or Jill Klein at 354-3776 or jillgklein@mac.com.

After weeks of relentless rain, the weather broke for the better just in time for this year's July 4th celebration and fireworks.  Atlas Pyrovision once again put on a great show, with a particularly awe-inspiring finale that lit up the darkened skies.  Spectators crowded into Bayley Beach and viewed the show from there, from nearby beach clubs or from private boats anchored nearby.

The Rowayton Civic Association would like to thank the following people and organizations for their help in making the 2009 Fireworks a success:  Ed Carlson, Rowayton Fire Marshall, the Rowayton Volunteer Fire Department, John McGuirk, Norwalk's Deputy Fire Marshall (John stood in for Ed, who was recovering from surgery), Joe Carter, who heads the RCA's Summer Music Festival, key personnel at Bayley Beach including Don Wilson, Sue, Laura and Melissa, Lt. Michael Paul, the Norwalk Police and Norwalk Hospital EMT's.

Rowayton's fireworks are in large part funded by monetary and in-kind contributions from local organizations. Extra-special thanks to the following organizations that made this year's fireworks possible: the Rowayton Beach Association, Pine Point Association and Bell Island Association, the Commissioners of the 6th Taxing District, the Roton Point Club, Weeburn Country Club, Tokeneke Association, Norwalk Yacht Club and Rowayton Yacht Club.

Pinkney Park was buzzing on July 11th as huge crowds enjoyed a fun day in the sun at the 39th annual RCA River Ramble. Swarms of kids reveled in the many games - from the pony rides, ever-popular dunk tank to basketball and face-painting.  The adults enjoyed the largest ever and most impressive displays from our local merchants and craft vendors, an upgraded food tent and raw bar and some great live music. All the smiles from the Park carried over to river where the 'Ducky Derby' produced a few more laughs and some lucky winners - Matt McBride was the first prize winner of a brand new Electra bike courtesy of Pedal and Pump of Darien and the RCA. The silent auction offered baskets created and offered up by each neighborhood in town.  The live auctions featured several "Golden" items - including a Golden Hanger from Michael's Dry Cleaning (free shirt dry cleaning for a year), the Golden Cup (free coffee for a year at Rowayton Market) and the Golden Cone (free ice cream for LIFE at Brendan's 101).  Other items included: a tricked out fishing trip on Billfish, custom Holiday cards from SoLuxe and Sylvia Doyle, the "Pie in the Sky" (1 free pizza a week) from Rowayton Pizza and the ever popular "Day at Ernie's" to name a few. 

Thanks to you, the attendees, the 2009 RCA River Ramble was a gigantic success for our community.  Here's how:

The River Ramble always depends on the tremendous volunteer support provided by Rowayton residents and neighbors who gave generously of their time and many talents. In turn, this important fundraising event provides the RCA with resources necessary to organize and sponsor the many wonderful events that happen year-round in Rowayton including the Summer Music Festival, Memorial Day Parade, 4th of July Fireworks, Easter Egg Hunt, and many others.

A special thank you goes to: Barbara Yallop, Ginny Grant, Greg Reichman, Chris Shaw, Megan Collins, Billy Lewis, Kristen Schadt, Dan Scovel, Jennifer Hassell, Ted Hildner, Paul and Kat Curtin, Jay Harris, Ed Carlson, Mike Barbis and the RFD. Also, Tim Coupe, Tammy Langalis, and the Lewis, Curtin, Farrar, Schadt, Sattler, Berkoff, McAree, Wilson, Walker, Stidolph and Klein Families for their generous support of the Live Auction. Thank you to all the local families who donated so many great items to fill the baskets for the silent auction. And thank you to Kip and Eve Ford, Mike Madigan, Karen Casey, Laurie Jones and the rest of the RCA Board for their leadership. Brendan McGee for managing the Band and donating the Golden Cone!  The Rowayton Beer Boys for setting a record in their rookie season. Other key contributors include the Rowayton Fire Department, Rowayton Parents' Exchange, Gay Whitney, Lori Lohstoeter, Maureen Bloom's Playdates, Coastal Provisions, FishTales, and our River Ramble co-chairs, Kelly Brewer and Andy Schadt.