Seven-Day Gathering Culminates in Free Day-Long Celebration for Washington Town Residents

Spring Hill Arts Gathering, also known as the SHAG Festival, has revealed its line-up for its summer 2021 gathering. Slated for July 29 – August 1 and August 6 – 8, this celebration of community and the arts will take place at Spring Hill Vineyards. This first incarnation will bring together art and ideas, offering residents and friends a way to safely and spaciously gather over seven days and nights.

“We’re building on our experiences with the Five Senses Festival, which we produced with Pilobolus from 2018-2020,” says Stephanie Ingrassia, founder of the Spring Hill Arts Gathering. “SHAG is just as much about bringing the world to Washington as it is about bringing Washington to the world, because our community is filled with so many artists, writers, and thinkers. We’re excited to celebrate creativity and togetherness in the place that our family has called home for close to thirty years.” Stephanie and Tim Ingrassia founded Spring Hill Vineyards in 2006. In 2017, they began work on a wooded corner of their farm that has since become home to the Spring Hill Arts Gathering, evolving from a modest wine-tasting venue to a center for community celebrations and cultural exchanges. Stephanie is serial producer of creative construction and design projects, and is vice chair of the Brooklyn Museum. Tim is co-chair of Global Mergers and Acquisitions at Goldman Sachs, and a trustee of the Brooklyn Public Library. The couple spend their time between Brooklyn and Spring Hill in Washington, CT.

The SHAG produces public programs that connect artists with nature, nurture diverse perspectives through creative collaborations and conversations, and share abundance within the Washington, CT community. This year, significant facility expansions at Spring Hills Vineyards will delight return visitors, including a modern barn which will serve as a performance site, a chef’s kitchen, and additional restrooms. Anchoring the site is an historic silo featuring a magical art installation by Randy Polumbo, and an outdoor amphitheater hand-carved by artist Mark Mennin that provides a unique outdoor venue, and art installations including sculptures by Nicole Eisenman and activations by Lauren Booth. The multi-day outdoor and semi-enclosed cultural program during summer 2021 culminates in the Washington Town Party, a free event that appeals to the entire community and celebrates local heroes that went above and beyond in the previous year.

The seven-day gathering will feature a range of programming and performers including Broadway’s Ariana DeBose (star of the new West Side Story movie; TONY-nominated for the Donna Summer Musical) and Alex Newell (actor – Glee; Once On this Island) singer/songwriters Sophie B. Hawkins and KT Tunstall; dance troupes Connecticut Ballet and Pilobolus – even a talk with CT’s own Graydon Carter and more.

There are special days programmed in partnership with local nonprofits PRIDE IN THE HILLS and Arts For Justice, and a free community day on August 8, complete with family-friendly programs including a celebration of local heroes and a barn dance.

Tickets start at $45 for day passes, with FREE tickets available for the Washington Town Party on Sunday, August 8, and are available at springhillartsgathering.com through TodayTix.

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