As the United States marks its 250th anniversary this year, the Morgan Park Summer Music Festival is preparing to return for another summer of free waterfront concerts, continuing a Glen Cove tradition that has brought residents together through music for nearly seven decades.
The all-volunteer, nonprofit festival will celebrate its 67th season beginning July 5, with nine concerts scheduled through Aug. 30 in Morgan Memorial Park. Supported entirely through donations from individuals and local businesses, the festival has become one of Glen Cove’s most enduring cultural institutions.
Festival chairman Tom Suozzi said the series offers something many Americans are seeking in a time of political and social division.
“I think what people in America need right now, and certainly right here in our hometown is places for people to come together because everybody’s so divided,” Suozzi said. “And I’m really hoping that certainly the 250th anniversary and events like the Morgan Park Summer Music Festival are a great way for people to come together.”
The festival traces its roots to 1959, when then-Mayor Joseph A. Suozzi proposed holding free concerts in Morgan Park and enlisted Laura Parsons Pratt to help make the vision a reality. What began as a single performance, eventually expanded into a full summer concert series featuring nationally known musicians, tribute acts, orchestras and theatrical productions.
Over the years, attendance grew and the park’s gazebo became too small for larger performances. Longtime festival chairwoman Marguerite “Marge” Suozzi and a dedicated team of volunteers launched fundraising efforts that resulted in the construction of the current stage, which, like the festival itself, was funded entirely through private donations.
Tom Suozzi succeeded his mother as chairman in 2015 and said the festival’s appeal lies in its ability to unite people from different backgrounds through a shared experience.
“We all sing the same songs together or, you know, clap our hands or stomp our feet together,” Suozzi said. “It’s kind of like, you know, we all care about a lot of the same things.”
This year’s lineup opens July 5 with Richie Cannata and The Lords of 52nd Street performing the music of Billy Joel. The concert will also feature the Glen Cove High School Select Chorale.
Other performances include Marvin Floyd D’Votion’s Earth, Wind & Fire tribute on July 12, Real Diamond’s Neil Diamond tribute on July 19, Plaza Theatrical Productions’ Broadway revue “The World Goes ‘Round” on July 26, The Allmost Brothers on Aug. 2, country and rock performer Jessica Lynn on Aug. 9, Big Band Royalty on Aug. 23 and a Grateful Dead tribute on Aug. 30.
A centerpiece of the season will be an Aug. 16 performance by the Massapequa Philharmonic Orchestra celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
Cannata, awho has lived in Glen Cove resident for nearly 40 years, and estimates this will be his seventh or eighth appearance at the festival and this year’s, said the national’s anniversary is a milestone worth celebrating.
“We should be celebrating the 250 years,” Cannata said. “I’m very proud to be an American.”
The 77-year-old musician said his appreciation for the country has grown through years of travel and experience.
“It’s amazing that we have 250 years under our belt,” he said. “I’ve traveled most parts of the world and there’s no comparison.”
Cannata also expressed pride in the community he has called home for decades.
“I love living in Glen Cove,” he said. “We keep moving forward in the right direction.”
He expects a large crowd when The Lords of 52nd Street take the stage on opening night and encouraged residents to take advantage of the free event.
“It’s a free concert,” Cannata said. “It’s going to be a lot of people there. Get there early, bring a chair, and we’ll have a great show for everybody.”
The festival continues to rely on community support to keep admission free. Local businesses and residents contribute annually to help fund the performances.
Among those supporters is Rallye Motor Company, whose connection to Glen Cove dates back 65 years. In recent years they made a $1 Million donation to the festival.
“Our first dealership, Rallye Motors, made Glen Cove its first home 65 years ago, Juliana Terian, president and CEO of Rallye Motor company wrote in a statement. “I appreciate that the Morgan Park Summer Music Festival has provided free concerts to the people of Glen Cove and surrounding areas. It’s an honor to help fund this important cultural institution in the community that has given so much to us.”
“Our first dealership, Rallye Motors, made Glen Cove its first home 65 years ago,” Juliana Terian, president and chief executive officer of Rallye Motor Company, said in a 2023 statement. “I appreciate that the Morgan Park Summer Music Festival has provided free concerts to the people of Glen Cove and surrounding areas. It’s an honor to help fund this important cultural institution in the community that has given so much to us.”
As organizers prepare for another summer season, Suozzi said the festival’s role remains unchanged: bringing people together through music and community.
“And we’re all in it together,” he said.
