The Levitt Pavilion kicks off another 50 nights of free concerts tomorrow (Sunday, June 26) with the Eagles’ tribute Desert Highway Band.
Free tickets are all sold for that event. The rest of the summer, you can just stroll on in.
If you can’t make it tomorrow — or just want a unique view of Westport’s riverside outdoor amphitheater — check out John Videler’s drone shot:
Click on or hover over to enlarge. (Photo/John Videler)
Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, People, technology
Tagged John Videler, Levitt Pavilion
One of the coolest places in town just got even cooler.
John Videler shot this fantastic drone footage of the Longshore Ice Rink:
It’s a view of the rink — and part of the rest of Longshore, and the Sound — that we’ve never seen.
But if you want to enjoy the ice from ground level, you better hurry.
It closes next month.
Sure, this photo is 3 days late. But it’s worth the wait.
On New Year’s Eve, ace Westport photographer John Videler launched a drone.
Hovering over the Westport Arts Center, it captured this spectacular view of the First Night fireworks celebration. (Click on or hover over to enlarge.)
(Drone photo/John Videler)
If 2016 is anything like this First Night “first photo,” we’re in for an astonishing year!
Posted in Arts, Downtown, Entertainment, People, technology
Tagged First Night Westport, John Videler
… but even better: John Videler.
The talented photographer snapped this shot on South Compo Road:
A few minutes earlier, a jogger ran by.
It’s a good thing John missed her.
This photo is timeless.
Bad weather postponed last week’s annual Art About Town celebration.
Last night, the weather was perfect. Thousands of Westporters of all ages — including many, many kids — romped as Main Street was transformed into an art-, entertainment- and fun-filled pedestrian mall.
The street party kicked off an exhibition of art in stores throughout downtown. Art About Town is sponsored by the Westport Downtown Merchants Association.
John Videler captured these great images:
Posted in Arts, Children, Downtown, Entertainment, Organizations
Tagged Art About Town, John Videler, Westport Downtown Merchants
A beach photo has to be pretty spectacular to make it onto “06880.”
John Videler‘s sunset shot of Compo Cove — taken from Old Mill Beach — sure is.
John says:
The other night I was swimming at Old Mill with my 10-year-old daughter at 7:30 p.m. high tide. It was almost dark, and Old Mill is always perfect. I said, “so what do you think?”
She said, “Dad, this is paradise. We are so lucky to live here.”
And, John adds, the late artist/writer Tracy Sugarman once told him, “You never have to leave Westport for a vacation. Your vacation is right here.”
As an added bonus, John sent along a Compo Cove shot taken by his father, Cor Videler — a very talented photographer himself.
The sky and light always look different.
Thankfully, the scene itself seldom changes.
Tagged Compo Cove, Cor Videler, John Videler, Old Mill Beach
In May 1960, the Saturday Evening Post published this photo:
It shows the Marauders — “a hustling club” — at the Gault Little League Field on Imperial Avenue. In the background — across the river — was Bedford Junior High School (now Saugatuck El). A short distance away — on the left — is the original Staples High School. It was torn down 7 years later.
The magazine identified the Marauders as (from left) Johnny Bissell, Bruce Corrigan, Geoff Hodgkinson, manager Bill Hodgkinson, Don Carroll, Art Hunter, Larry Hilliard, Brian Hitt, Carl Swanson and Tommy McCarthy.
Bill Hodgkinson died last month. He was 97.
bill Hodgkinson
A freelance graphic designer and 30-year Westport resident, he created labels, logos, packaging, ads and pamphlets for Sinclair Oil, GE, Union Carbide, Pepperidge Farm, Arnold Bakery and RC Bigelow. His Seagram’s VO whiskey label is still used today.
Just as importantly — to him, and many others — Bill managed the Marauders from 1955 to 1970. He was known as a fair, hard-working coach. He also served actively in many positions on the Westport Little League board.
What makes this “06880”-worthy — besides remembering a very talented and civic-minded Westporter — is that for the past few years, his grandson John Videler has carried on the family tradition of coaching the Marauders.
And Bill’s great-grandson, Case Videler, is on the team.
The next time someone says that, with all these newcomers and changes, Westport is no longer the small town it once was — well, just take ’em out to Bill’s old ballgame.
Posted in Looking back, People, Sports
Tagged Bill Hodgkinson, John Videler, Westport Little League
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