On Saturday, May 9, a Handbells concert at Seaside Garden at Greenwich Point will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
A Festival of Handbell Choirs is a benefit to support restestoring the Seaside Garden.
The Knollwood Garden Club of Greenwich is sponsoring the concert, “Let Freedom Ring!” a handbell choirs benefit to support restoring the historic Seaside Gardens on Greenwich Point, Saturday, May 9, 2026, 4:00 pm – 6:00pm. Rain date: Saturday, May 16, 2026. A reception will follow the concert.
The concert will feature the three handbell choirs of local churches – Christ Church Greenwich, First Congregational Church of Greenwich, and First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich.
For this occasion, a commissioned work, “Let Freedom Ring!” for handbells, composed by Jonathan Vaughn, will be premiered. Sponsors for the concert are the Bucknall Family Foundation and Eda Peterson and Family.
Individual tickets are $50; donations are welcome.
For information and ticket reservations/payments, please visit the website, www.knollwoodgardenclub.org/events.
The handbell choir directors include Ms. Adele Ozanne, Christ Church Greenwich; Dr. Craig Symons, First Congregational Church of Greenwich; and Ms. Heather Antonissen, First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich.
Throughout the church year, each of the handbell choirs rehearse weekly and perform regularly at selected worship services as well as on special occasions. Their dedication, musicianship and enthusiasm will shine forth in this joyous festival handbell concert.
In addition to premiering the commissioned work, Let Freedom Ring!, the three handbell choirs will perform a variety of musical selections, including those of classical composers as well as familiar folk melodies and hymn tunes – all of which have been arranged for handbells. The handbell choirs will perform both singly as well as together.
The concert will be held in the historic Seaside Garden where the gardens are maintained by the Knollwood Garden Club under an arrangement with the Town of Greenwich. The formal walled garden was originally designed at the request of Mr. J. Kennedy Tod by Marian Cruger Coffin (1876-1957), noted landscape architect and pioneer, who designed gardens for many owners of the great estates of Greenwich at the turn of the 20th century.
Located at a site overlooking Long Island Sound, the Seaside Garden is the perfect setting for this benefit concert.