Last week, “06880” reported on a new trend: massive parties at Compo Beach, outside the homes along Soundview Drive. Revelers appear to be primarily freshmen. That was the second in as many weekends.
The third week offered no reprieve.
A reader writes: “There was a mob scene of freshmen. I’m told by one of the town employees, who is trying to keep them under control along with a few cops, that there are 4 or 5 different schools having these insane parties at Compo. They are on people’s property, running around, leaving trash and drinking.
“It’s absolutely awful. Probably 300 kids.
“This is the third time, and probably the worst I have seen it this season.
“It’s a real problem. I couldn’t even walk the beach for over an hour.
“One Staples junior football player told me he tries to help out with the situation because the kids know him.
“The last time, I met a resident who was outside of her house not knowing what to do. She said all her windows were closed, and the noise was very disturbing.
“I’m all for kids having a good time, but this is out of control.”
Freshman party, 2 weekends ago.
==================================================
As a Staples Players actors, August Laska starred in a variety of shows, like “Guys and Dolls,” “Little. Shop of Horrors,” “West Side Story” and “A Chorus Line.”
He’s played many “roles” since then.
After graduating in 2013, August majored in film and media at Middlebury College.
While many classmates joined the “Middlebury to Goldman Sachs pipeline,” he headed to Los Angeles. He worked for Snapchat and loved the West Coast, but realized technology was not for him.
In 2018 August joined the marketing team at Disney Theatrical Productions.
Which all led to …opening a plant store.
August founded The Old Yew Plant Shop in the West Village in 2021. He now owns a second store too, on the Upper West Side.
August has earned renown for his ability to understand customers’ needs, educated them about both design (what plant goes where), and diagnostics (what happens when pests invade, or plants die).
Yesterday, the New York Times Real Estate section featured a long piece on August, and his magic touch with customers.
All those communication skills are certainly paying off. Particularly from “Little Shop of Horrors.” Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: John Dodig)
August Laska, at his Old Yew Plant Shop. (Photo/Ngoc Minh Ngo for New York Times)
==================================================
Ric Burns’ 2 new episodes of his sprawling, highly regard “New York” documentary film — the first in 23 years — air tonight and tomorrow on PBS (9 p.m.).
A 10-volume soundtrack was just released for streaming.
And there’s a great Westport connection.
Staples High School Class of 1971 graduate Brian Keane composed that soundtrack.
But that’s not all. Brian spoke yesterday at the IFC Center in New York, at a tribute to Jane Goodall.
Brian scored the original chimps movie that helped put Goodall on the map in the 1980s, and also scored Ruby Yang’s film “Vanishing Song” about a gibbon in Malaysia. Goodall was collaborating on that documentary when she died.
Brian Keane (center) with Ric Burns (right) and Burns’ son Simon, at Keane’s studio. A newborn when “New York” came out in 1999, Simon is now assisting on his father’s 2 new episodes. A 10-volume complete soundtrack set of Keane’s score — one for each episode — is streaming on all platforms.
==================================================
The next Veterans Benefits Luncheon (Thursday, September 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), VFW Post 399).
It’s open to all veterans as part of an ongoing effort to check in on all veterans’ welfare, and connect them with the benefits and support they earned.
Representatives will answer questions, and provide information on services and assistance available to veterans.
RSVPs are encouraged (but not required). Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, and include the number of attendees, or call (203) 227-6796.
PS: If you’re not a veteran, but know one: Please pass the word!
VFW veterans’ benefits luncheon.
==================================================
In 2024, Lisa Bastoni sold out First Folk Sunday.
The Westport-native artist returns soon. She’ll do it again.
Rozanne Gates and Suzanne Sheridan, creators of First Folk Sunday, saw Bastoni perform in Northampton, Massachusetts — where she now lives — in 2023.
Impressed with her songwriting prowess, musicianship and connection to the audience, they invited her to Westport. Neither knew her roots.
Lisa told Rozanne, “I was just a kid, but I was at the anti-war rally you organized in 2001 on Jesup Green when Suzanne sang. I thought she was wonderful.”
On October 4 (12:30 p.m., Saugatuck Rowing Club), Lisa and Suzanne will sing together
Lisa wrote “There Are No Kings in America,” which has been sung nationally at many No Kings rallies. Suzanne Sheridan sang it in March, on Jesup Green.
Click here for tickets, and more information. Doors open at noon; an a la carte menu and open bar are available. Questions? Call 203-984-7562.
=================================================
StartUp Westport continues to expand its programming.
The town’s public/private partnership to serve entrepreneurs and innovators continued its “Founder Stories” series last week, at Content Studio in Saugatuck.
Amy Hochhauser and Rhodie Lorenz spoke with Julie Roehm about JoyRide. They went behind the scenes, offering insights into what it takes to build, grow and evolve a business — including unforeseen challenges like COVID.
Founded in Westport in 2010, JoyRide pioneered the local boutique fitness movement, expanding into a beloved regional brand across multiple studios in Connecticut and Texas. While the business ultimately closed its doors, its multi-year trajectory offers a master class in scaling, community building, making tough decisions, and navigating complex market shifts.
For more information on StartUp Westport, click here.
Amy Hochhauser, Rhodie Lorenz and Julie Roehm, at last week’s Startup Westport event.
==================================================
Tomorrow is the first day of fall.
And — right on time — our “Westport … Naturally” series presents this Wilton Road beauty:
(Photo/John Maloney)
==================================================
And finally … in honor of all who celebrate Yom Kippur:
(Another Monday … and another Roundup, to start it off. If you appreciate all the ways you can learn about Westport on this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
I find it hard to believe that all 300 kids were all from Westport. This is something we didn’t experience 50 or 60 years ago. Maybe there isn’t enough entertainment in Westport nowadays for kids. Maybe we should have sold the bowling alley and golf range to the town of Westport. If they gave us 6.8 million, the town would have made that money back easily and the kids would have options instead of the way they’re acting now. There were two golf ranges back in the 1960s and they were swamped with customers every night.
RE: Compo Beach Parties
Dan, this is a pretty good indication these youngsters need a place to go. I see the comments above. I grew up in suburban Chicago and the YMCA was downtown next to the library. We spent our weekends at the Y with a DJ on Friday and Saturday nights and could buy sodas and snacks. The central location was a great advantage and our parents knew where we were.
Laurie, one-off events like a stroll or lobster night give people a nice evening, but they don’t build anything lasting. This is a Westport problem that’s really affecting Westport’s young population! Sure you can have 8 or 9 one day special events, but that doesn’t solve the problem. This is why I totally supported the new business opening up across from Regents Park on the Post Road. It’s a small start, but in no way solves the problem. Of course you have the Y, but so did those 60 years ago. I’m not sure Westport can solve this problem.
The “freshmen kids taking over Compo Beach with wild parties” certainly caught my eye. So, just freshmen kids (300 of them!) have discovered Compo? Where are the sophomores, juniors and seniors? There aren’t 300 freshmen in Staples . . .
“3 – 4 schools involved” ? Which schools – and if not of Westport, how are these kids getting to Compo? Uber? While that seems to imply some kind of county-wide rampage, there are no rules against that.
OK, so as a former kid in Westport I can tell you that gathering at Compo Beach at night is a natural thing – kids will gather at night, in every town accross the country, and we just happen to have a nice beach with plenty of parking (for residents) which makes Compo a likely gathering spot. And, even though I am now eligble for some senior discounts myself, we oldsters don’t have an exclusive right to enjoy Compo after sunset.
As for underage drinking, we have laws for that and I am sure the police are up to the task of shutting that behavior down. As will the cooling temperatures . . .
Jack Whittle is asking the correct questions. This sounds like a Police problem. Call the PD and keep calling if the issue persists..
Parties at the beach. How fun. Part of the problem, I gather, is that they go viral these days attracting kids from all over. We’ve had that issue for a few years with parties at Fairfield Beach except they are college kids so some of them are able to legally buy alcohol. Finally the police severely cracked down on the larger events. It’s been difficult to drive around the last couple of weekends though.
When OMG was first trying to get a liquor license, someone cited the Seagrape as an example of a local place with a liquor license that “was just fine”. Umm…not so much. They historically sponsored some of the parties that ultimately got out of control. Just search for Fairfield U SantaCon 2024. At least there aren’t a lot of college kids living near OMG.
It’s odd that these parties are so large but social media makes advertising these events easy, thus driving attendance. Back in my day we had keg parties at Compo but down past the cannons and not across from residences on Soundview. Because we relied on word of mouth I don’t remember anything like 300 kids showing up.