Charles Ives Center

Founded in 1974 by a group of Danburians, including famed singer Marian Anderson to honor Danbury native composer Charles Edward Ives (1874-1954), the Charles Ives Center for the Arts has been a summer performing venue ever since. Finances have always been a concern, but the Ives Concert Park, with its unique outdoor amphitheater, now operates under a performing arts authority that's a joint effort by the City of Danbury and Western Connecticut State University, whose Westside campus abuts the concert park, which includes 40 wooded acres, a pond, gardens and public hiking trails.

The park has a seating capacity of 5,000. Concert seating includes reserved chair seating as well as affordable lawn seating with picnicking allowed and food concessions available. For the summer of 2011 concert series, early signings were Peter Frampton on July 1, Earth Wind and Fire on July 2, Steely Dan on July 23, Alison Krauss & Union Station on July 27 and the Beach Boys on Aug. 14. A Fine Arts & Family Series is also planned and the summer usually includes several events that highlight Danbury's cultural diversity.

Details

The Charles Ives Center for the Arts is reached from the Western Connecticut State University Westside Campus, off Lake Avenue Extension in Danbury. The Web site is ivesconcertpark.com; for tickets, visit premierboxoffice.com or call 1-866-55-TICKETS.