Over the summer, Fairfield University played an active role in providing arts and cultural opportunities to the surrounding community and shared in the festivities of town celebrations.
Honoring Flag Day with Art & Community
On June 14, Fairfield University Arts & Minds welcomed approximately 200 community members to campus for a festive Flag Day celebration outside the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Part of University celebrations commemorating America250, the event invited visitors to explore the Fairfield University Art Museum’s For Which It Stands… exhibition at both museum galleries, while also enjoying food and fun.
The afternoon brought together families from the surrounding community—including many visiting Fairfield University for the first time—alongside local alumni, neighbors, and friends of the University. Interactive activities and family-friendly experiences including the Circus Moves play station and Picasso Parties face painting were a highlight for young attendees, while the Drowsy Whaler coffee truck and an ice cream sundae bar with patriotic sprinkles and red, white, and blue popsicles rounded out the festive afternoon.
Outdoor Musical Offerings for Make Music Day
Fairfield University once again hosted two downtown locations for the town’s Make Music Day celebrations on June 21—one at 1720 Post Road and another at the Fairfield University Store.
In the 1720 Post Road pocket park, more than 300 visitors enjoyed music at the Arts & Minds stage, with performances from a wide range of musicians including Ellis Island, King’s Highway, and The Noodlers, Fairfield University’s own faculty band. Guests enjoyed treats from MOMU Craft Ice Cream, along with complimentary drinks and snacks, and visitors of all ages were invited to participate in a creative “design your own guitar” activity.
The store saw performances from the likes of Broadway’s Julie Foldesi, local singer-songwriter Sadie Zabar, and The Flatts, a New Haven-based seven-piece band.
Fairfield’s Cultural District Celebration
On June 27, members of the Arts & Minds and Fairfield University Art Museum staffs joined the town of Fairfield’s Cultural District Celebration.
The Fairfield University Art Museum engaged attendees with a hands-on “make your own flag” activity, while Arts & Minds invited visitors to reflect on the question: “What makes our community creative?” The activity sparked thoughtful conversations with community members, many of whom shared their own experiences with Fairfield University’s arts and cultural programming.
“Arts & Minds summer programming has been a wonderful example of what can happen when our University opens its doors—and its imagination—to the broader community,” said Provost Christine Siegel, PhD. “Our downtown presence provides a unique opportunity to meet people where they are and to create shared experiences through the arts. These events reflect the very heart of Fairfield University: a commitment to learning, connection, and the belief that culture has the power to enrich our lives and strengthen our communities.”
Learn more about arts and cultural offerings on campus happening all year long at fairfield.edu/artsminds.
