Capitol Groove music festival kicks off at Bushnell Park

Music lovers from across the region flocked to Hartford's Bushnell Park on Saturday for Day 1 of the Capitol Groove Music Festival, an event featuring top-tier live performances and a laid-back atmosphere.

Families and friends sprawled out on the grass, enjoying funk, jazz and other eclectic sounds from a lineup of well-known bands.

Among the crowd was a married couple who traveled from New Jersey specifically to see the show. For them, the band Khruangbin holds a deep connection to their hearts.

"We kind of bonded over listening to them when we were first starting to date. We just love the energy and their music and everything, so we just wanted to come up and we love this so far," Kevin Clifford said.

His wife added, "It's a really beautiful park. We've never been here before, but it's really beautiful and it seems like a great city."

Local resident Linda Sill brought her family and said the festival offers a perfect mix of community, comfort and entertainment.

"The vibe is great, there's people with their kids, you can sit, you can head up front later and see the bands up close, have some drinks and good food and, yeah, it's actually a great vibe," Sill said.

She added that after attending last year, she knew she had to return.

"Anywhere where people can gather as a community and enjoy something together we really like," she said.

Wesley Hall, another festivalgoer, echoed the sentiment and expressed hope for the event’s continued success.

"It's a very welcoming atmosphere. I don't think this area gets too much attention, so the fact that there's this good of a turnout, I'm happy to see it. I hope it progresses and we get more [events] like this," Hall said.

Even out-of-town visitors couldn’t help but wish for a similar event in their own backyard.

"I kind of am a little jealous that this is happening here and not in our town because we like it. It's very chill," said Clifford.

The Capitol Groove Music Festival continues Sunday, offering another full day of performances at Bushnell Park for those who missed Saturday’s festivities.

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Joe Monte is a Multi-Skilled Journalist for FOX61 News. He can be reached at [email protected].

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