Anything goes on Independence Day

LAKESIDE, Conn. — Here’s how the 37th annual Fourth of July Underground Parade and weekend concert was different from the famed Woodstock festival: The weather was better.

But up until the beginning of the three-day long holiday happening, it looked like the Underground might end up being just as soggy, muddy and, frankly, miserable (from a weather point of view) as the historic 1969 “Aquarian Exposition†at Yasgur’s farm in New York state.

In fact, organizers said the weather was better than it had been for the past two or three years. The endless rain during the days leading up to the festival did leave several muddy patches; they were marked with signs warning “No Fun Zone.â€

But weather wasn’t really what the Underground was all about. The tots and teens and 20-something-to-70-somethings who attended would have gladly put up with worse conditions (and have done so in past years). It’s all part of what the organizers call “independent people being independent on Independence Day.â€

Most of what the weekend was about was music. The concerts began on Friday evening, July 3, with a half dozen bands offering everything from funk, jazz and  groove to “liquid hot jazz fusion,†“trip hop†and “livetronica.â€

Many people came for the music Friday night, went home and returned Saturday. But about 100 people stayed overnight in tents scattered around the property, which is home to Lorenz Studios (lorenzstudios.org), founded in 1978 by Lawrence LiVolsi. Lakeside is just a few miles south of Bantam and east of Washington Depot. The studio is home to artisans working in metal and glass.

The parade Saturday was not what one might expect on the Fourth of July in New England. Instead of men and women dressed in somber colonial garb, entire families (and dogs) dressed in tinsel, glitter, sequins and many kinds of stars and stripes, all mashed together in freeform homage to the American flag.

The weekend continued with music that ranged from the relaxed folk of Cath Bloom Blue to intense jazz  from the George Lesiw Band. Stimulus Clan provided a live “electronica†set. The weather continued to hold up. It was raining in the near distance but the wind carried all the ominous clouds away, bringing only a few drops to the campgrounds.

Local artists joined forces to create a communal mural during the final act of the weekend,  which showcased the experimental style of one of the most popular area bands, lespecial (pronounced le-special).

Vistors went away from the weekend confident that freedom is still intact.

Organizer and Lorenz Studio “family member†Meredith Chadwick, left, was all smiles.