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They moved. Individually and in syncopated rhythms of curiosity, wonder and delight.
The natural world around the Bartlet Mall seemed to sense that something was beginning.
Beech tree leaves danced on their stems with a kind of gentle insistence.
Turtles surfaced briefly in the pond, lifting their heads just long enough to acknowledge the day before slipping back under.
Birds darted in quick arcs overhead, stitching the air with motion.
Breezes added their own soft commentary, drifting through the acoustically warm leaves that hang over the Mall like a natural canopy.
It was the kind of evening that feels like a prelude, a quiet overture before the first notes arrive.
Music on the Mall was in full concert mode.
Every Thursday from 4 to 6 PM, the Bartlet Mall becomes a small civic stage.
It is free, open to anyone who wanders by.
Shaped by the simple idea that public spaces are meant to be used, enjoyed, shared and filled with life.
Before things got officially underway, before the musicians who are being paid from donations stepped into their scheduled roles, Jack Garvey offered an informal dress rehearsal with his recorders. He stood under the trees and played with a kind of gentle concentration, letting the notes drift across the grass. It was a reminder that music does not always need a microphone or a formal introduction. Sometimes it only needs a willing player and a place that welcomes sound.
The season opened with Jim Grenier and Rob Brun on July 2, their guitars carrying across the Mall in warm, steady lines.
On July 9, Jon Deuplisea played with such energy and precision that one of his guitar strings broke near the end of his concert. It was the kind of moment that tells you a musician is fully committed, fully present and fully inside the performance.
Craig Branscomb played on July 18, Jack Garvey returned on July 23, and Joe Allwarden will close out the month on July 30.
Each musician brings a different style, a different tone, a different way of filling the space. Yet all of them contribute to the same civic rhythm that has become part of Newburyport’s summer identity.
Music on the Mall continues a tradition of civic minded contributions that highlight the city’s quality of life and the shared enjoyment of public spaces.
It is a tradition built not on grand gestures but on steady, reliable acts of generosity.
This year’s performances have been made possible through substantial support from Dr. Siva of United Family Medical Center at 1 Wallace Bashaw Jr Way, Suite 1002, Newburyport, MA 01950, telephone number 978‑255‑2612. Dr. Siva is a family medicine physician and serves as Medical Director for inpatient services at Anna Jaques Hospital.
Dr. Siva’s donation, combined with contributions from the Newburyport Rotary Club, Colleen and Frank Stiriti, Rita Wesolowski and several anonymous supporters, has ensured that musicians can be paid for their time and talent. It is a reminder that community events do not simply appear. They are built through the quiet generosity of people who believe in the value of shared experiences.
Donations to Music on the Mall through the 501(c)(3) Custom House Maritime Museum at 25 Water Street have increased.
Increased donations have allowed for the addition of EJ Ouellette to play on August 6. EJ Ouellette is the CEO of Whole Music Records, a producer, featured artist, teacher, engineer and mixer of a Grammy nominated song. His presence adds another layer to the season, another voice in the musical conversation that unfolds each Thursday.
I like his music, particularly The Mill Workers Ball, which carries a kind of grounded Merrimack Valley energy that fits the Mall’s atmosphere. It is a song that feels connected to work, to rhythm and to the steady pulse of people moving through their days.
The Department of Public Services and the city’s Parks Commission have been very supportive with permitting. Their cooperation has made it possible for Music on the Mall to operate.
The permit expires on September 10, which sets the outer boundary for the official season.
Anyone can play music anytime without a permit, because the city does not require one for informal performances. The distinction is simple. These musicians are being paid from donations, so the city requires a permit for the organized series. The Bartlet Mall has wonderful acoustics. It is a place where anyone can pick up an instrument and play without any formal process.
The Mall itself has become a kind of character in this story. Its trees, its pond, its pathways and its open lawn all contribute to the atmosphere. People arrive with folding chairs, blankets, dogs, children, iced coffees, small coolers and the easy expectation that they will hear something worth listening to. Some stay for the full two hours. Some pause for ten minutes while walking their dogs. Some sit on the benches near the pond and let the music drift toward them. The space invites casual participation. It does not require commitment. It simply offers sound and lets people decide how they want to receive it.
There is something quietly powerful about a public space that fills with music on a regular schedule. It creates a rhythm that becomes part of the city’s summer identity. It signals that the community values creativity, performance and shared experiences. It reminds people that civic life is not only about meetings, ordinances, budgets and infrastructure. It is also about the small moments when people gather without any agenda other than enjoyment. Music on the Mall is one of those moments. It is a reminder that public spaces are meant to be used, meant to be filled, meant to be alive.
As the season continues, the natural world will keep responding in its own subtle ways. The beech tree leafs will keep dancing. The turtles will keep surfacing. The birds will keep darting. The breezes will keep adding their commentary. And the musicians will keep playing, filling the Mall with sound that rises, settles, drifts and returns. It is a simple tradition, but it carries a deep civic resonance. It tells the story of a community that values shared experiences, supports its artists and understands that public spaces are meant to be lived in.
Walt Thompson
Newburyport resident
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