Deer Lake Outdoor Center
Donate
Summer Public Hours: June 22 – Aug 22
Open Weekdays 5pm to Dusk. Weekends Dawn to Dusk.

Deer Lake Music Festival

Saturday, September 20, 2025
11am – 6pm

Enjoy a day of music at the Deer Lake Outdoor Center in the beautiful woodlands of the Connecticut shoreline. Guests are invited to bring their chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy the music on the Clifton Hall Lawn. This is a Family event and guests are asked to be mindful of their consumption for the safety and enjoyment of all at the festival attendees. 

Music will run from 11am until 6pm. Guests will be given bracelets upon arrival to allow re-entry should they need to leave and return during the day. In the event there is rain, music will be inside Clifton Hall and chairs provided. 

Proceeds from this event will go to Pathfinders, Inc. to help in their mission to protect and maintain the property for future generations to continue to enjoy.

BUY TICKETS HERE – Link coming soon
Counting Down to Deer Lake Music Festival II
Performers

Terri Lachance

Terri Lachance is a singer songwriter that has 6 CD’s of original music out with one more on the way soon. Her music is all under Terri and Rob Duo and can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and all other streaming platforms. You can even ask your Alexa to play “Terri and Rob Duo”.

Her songs are how she makes sense of the world . Each one is a story in its own way. She enjoys playing for a cause and enjoys promoting fellow musicians through various venues and projects she has taken on such as booking, fundraisers, and festivals. Keeping local, original, music is important to her.

‎Terri & Rob Duo on Apple Music
Terri & Rob Duo Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More – AllMusic

Lisa Aranci

Lisa uncovered her passion for music at a young age. Her first guitar lesson and vocal training started her on her way. She has performed in all sorts of venues on the East & West Coast. Although native to Connecticut she lived and performed in Seattle for 20 years. Her Repertoire is versatile, and she sings a variety of genres including Folk, Jazz, Blues, Country, and recently released an original CD called “Essence of Time” . Lisa currently performs in a duo called “Lisa and Sal” a trio called “Skylark” DJ’s with Peter Z and performs as a soloist as well.

Christine & Marty

Christine started her love of music beginning with children’s song, through rock, folk and on to Celtic music, discovering much of this music originated in Ireland and Scotland. She was inspired to study the Irish language, flute and whistle and then the ukulele. Now she hosts the Celtic Aires show on WWUH Radio.

Marty also shows his love of traditional music, in his case country, bluegrass and blues. After a lifetime of playing in various bands, he is well known in the musical community as a guitar player and singer of hundreds of songs. It’s the love of music that brought Christine and Marty together. Through their set you’ll see a blend of their influences.

Christine & Marty’s Music

Christian Aja

Christian Aja has been a self taught guitar player for 7 years. He plays fingerstyle guitar, using every inch of the instrument in order to create the illusion of a full band. This style uses several unique techniques such as percussion on the body, harmonics, slap harmonics, open tunings, and more.
Christian plays the music of Tommy Emamnuel, Mike Dawes, Andy Mckee, Calum Graham, Trace Bundy, and other pioneers of fingerstyle guitar but recently began composing and arranging his own fingerstyle music.
Christian Aja

Catman Bill

He describes his musical interests starting at a young age “I recall a young couple living across the street from me when I was a child. I soon noticed or heard music being performed inside their 1st floor apartment and I found myself sitting on their front porch to listen. Soon, one of these old folks, about 18 years of age no doubt, saw me and invited me to come in and listen only if I remained silent. Somehow I did and I was transfixed by their rehearsing using guitar and stand-up bass — typical hootenanny music of the day. I’m now sure that was my que to buy a guitar and teach myself the strings – so to speak.”
Then came a defining moment that propelled him to take action with his musical passion “All through these years, I had no performing interest until one day I delivered art to a client at his condo on Fifth Avenue in New York in 2014. He proudly showed me a huge set of elephant ivory tusks draping his mantle. The realization that anyone could participate in the wanton destruction of a beautiful creature for their own selfish desires shook me. I began to write a song about that moment in time and with help from a fellow songwriter friend, Alex Forbes, wrote a song that won first place in a contest held by Global March for Elephants and Rhinos of Capetown. They have held global marches and now I have convinced the co-founder to experiment with concerts and we are off and running.”
When asked where his Music is now “I have found my footing. And my place. Some of my compositions can be found on YouTube under “Catman Bill — Hartford.” Here is one such song, “He Came From Dust,” a tribute to Mohammad Ali who was one of my lifelong heroes for standing up to authority at the right time.”
Catman Bill

Steve Azzaro

Steven Azzaro is the originator and musical director of the Deer Lake Music Festival which features songwriters performing their own work.
Steve received his first guitar at age 15, and has enjoyed a passionate interest in music through the years. He sang with the Greater Middletown Chorale and the Connecticut Yankee Chorus. He currently sings with his barbershop quartet, FIREAWAY and he is the director, arranger, and composer for ANYTHING GOES, a trio featuring Steve, Marian Bairstow and Bob Lee.
ANYTHING GOES performs a wide range of music at local senior centers, open mics, and First Fridays in Chester. Most of Steve’s original 60 + songs have been recorded at VALLEY SHORE COMMUNITY TV in Westbrook, where they can be viewed on the website under Tales and Tunes. He also has a You Tube channel titled THESTEFANOJAY. Each song he writes is thoroughly researched and springs from emotion and his love for humanity.

Jill Thompson

Jill Thompson is a performer of original acoustic music. She began playing and writing at a young age and has reemerged after a long hiatus. Her songs are reflective of her life’s journey from varying perspectives. Through the use of open tunings, she has created intriguing melodies that lend themselves to the introspective lyrics. She recently released her first album entitled “Summertime Child” which will be available for sale at the venue.

Lisa Walker

Lisa Walker is an American musician, performer and an award winning singer/songwriter. In addition to performing in clubs, festivals and concert venues from DC to San Francisco as a solo acoustic performer, she has also been the driving force behind several bands, duos and trios including Lisa Walker and the Running Dogs, Wonderband, Fox tail Snow, Jane Doe, and several incarnations of Grannycrowe. Lisa has made numerous television appearances and has shared bills and stages with the likes of Tom Paxton, Tom Prasada-Rao, Bill Danoff and Mary Chaplin Carpenter. Walker has been quoted as saying “Music saved my life…music is my life. If I have one piece of advice to give it is to love abundantly, share your gifts and always keep a song in your heart.”
Skip to content