Stamford's Alive At Five Concert Series Will Not Return In 2025

STAMFORD, CT — After 27 years of good music and good memories, Stamford Downtown's Alive At Five concert series will not return in 2025.

Stamford Downtown announced Monday afternoon that the decision to end one of the city's cornerstone events was made "after many hours of conversation and careful thought."

"Stamford Downtown is re-imagining its event and marketing programming to be more responsive to the tastes of the rapidly growing day and night-time populations within downtown and to continue to position downtown as the center for dining and entertainment for Stamford, surrounding communities, and the region," said Stamford Downtown President Michael Moore in a news release.

Concerts were held in Columbus Park for many years, providing the surrounding restaurants and bars with a huge financial boost. As the concerts grew and the neighborhood evolved with more family-oriented restaurants and fewer bars, a larger venue was needed. In 2021, Alive At Five moved to Mill River Park and concerts continued for a few Thursday nights each summer.

Greg Caggainello, chairman of the Stamford Downtown Board of Commissioners, said the concert series has been "a driving force in the economic growth of the downtown" for over two decades.

"We picked the name ‘Alive At Five’ to combat a perception in the late 90s that the downtown effectively shut down at 5 p.m. when office workers went home," Caggainello said in a news release. "That is no longer the case and hasn’t been for a long time. Alive At Five accomplished its original goal beyond all expectations and helped pave the way for Stamford Downtown to become the 24/7 destination and home to thousands that it is today."

Alive At Five was well-known not only in Stamford but throughout the region. Over the years, many artists have performed in the concert series, from local bands to internationally known acts.

"Am I sad to see it go? You bet!" said Stamford Downtown Senior VP of Events and Marketing Lynne Colatrella in a news release. Colatrella has been producing and promoting the concert series since 1999.

"When we began the series there wasn’t a venue for miles to see the level of national talent that we brought to the Alive At Five stage. We started modestly with local favorite Sharkey and the Unknowns and built the shows over the years that included Southside Johnny, America, Joe Bonamassa, and The Bacon Brothers," Colatrella added. "In 2006 in a citywide blackout, Hootie and The Blowfish took the stage. I was most proud of that show because we had a generator and, even though there was no power for miles, we had a major concert in our downtown with a national artist!"

Colatrella also mentioned Boyz II Men as a favorite, along with Sugar Ray, The Beach Boys, and Third Eye Blind.

Other artists that have performed on the Alive At Stage have included Foreigner, Creedence, Bret Michaels, Michael McDonald, Shaggy, OAR, Jon Batiste, Ashanti and All-American Rejects.

"I’d have to say my favorite artist and the one show I am most honored to have presented was BB King," Colatrella added. "To have that legendary artist in our backyard was beyond magical. We accomplished what our mission was and what we set out to do was beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. It was an amazing ride."

Stamford Downtown said in a news release it "remains committed to hosting dynamic events year-round."

Notably, the annual Heights & Lights event is upcoming on Dec. 8, along with the transformation of the downtown area with the lighting of over 250,000 holiday lights.

"Stamford Downtown’s future is bright," Moore added. "We’re excited to craft new experiences that celebrate our community and enhance downtown's vibrancy."