 The audience has settled in chairs and on blankets along the rolling lawns and trees of the park. As twilight fades to darkness, the beauty of the harbor and Long Island Sound just beyond offers an extraordinary backdrop to the stage. The performers appear. A magical evening is about to begin.
And that magic has been happening here in Glen Cove for more than a half century!
 Many communities have cherished traditions but few can boast of the longevity of an enterprise such as Morgan Park Summer Music Festival. Managed by a volunteer committee and supported through donations from individuals and local businesses, this summer MPSMF continues its beloved tradition of free summer concerts in Morgan Park into a 51st season.
Morgan Park was donated to the people of Glen Cove in 1932 by J.P. Morgan in memory of his wife. But it wasn't until 1959, when Joseph A. Suozzi was mayor of Glen Cove, that free concerts in the park were suggested. Mayor Suozzi enlisted Mrs. Richardson Pratt and she in turn involved her friends and neighbors. Morgan Park Summer Music Festival was born beginning with one concert that first summer, expanding over the years to offer performances every weekend in July and August. Eventually the park's charming gazebo proved to be inadequate for some of the larger concerts so Marguerite (Marge) Suozzi and a team of volunteers came up with strategies that raised money for the beautiful new stage. The stage, as the concerts, was funded entirely through private donations.
MPSMF has always enjoyed a close relationship with the City of Glen Cove without asking for nor receiving  their financial support. Season planning and meeting the budget to present the concerts are entirely the responsibility of the advisory council and executive committee. The executive committee encompasses longtime members such as Margaret Minnick and Nancy Epstein who, with Mrs. Suozzi, have been pivotal to the organization's governance for decades, and others who are newer supporters, bringing new talents to MPSMF. The organization's message reaches into the homes and businesses of Glen Cove, the surrounding North Shore communities and to wherever festival fans have moved. Speaking of the longevity of this remarkable volunteer organization, Mrs. Suozzi, the longtime festival chairperson, said "So many families have grown up with the opportunity to see live music and theatrical performances in this idyllic setting."
Please click on the photos to enlarge.
July/August 2010 | 