Community Rising Music Festival helping families and businesses in need after historic flooding

OXFORD, CT (WFSB) - Following historic flooding that severely impacted the town of Oxford and surrounding communities, hundreds gathered for a benefit concert and festival for families and businesses in need.

Just weeks after what was some of the worst times in people’s lives, everyone was out smiling, dancing, singing, and having a great time.

The Community Rising Music Festival on Quarry Walk was going strong since 11:00 A.M. Saturday morning with a dozen bands and members from Oxford, Seymour, Southbury, and other surrounding areas.

Organizers say the cleanup efforts are a representation of the resilience of the community.

“Me and many others are coming together are coming together as a strong community. We call it not only Oxford strong but valley strong. We’re tying to pull together to help residents that don’t have insurance and businesses that were impacted,” said organizer Tom Haynes.

The goal is to have funding from the event go to helping homeowners and businesses in Oxford, Seymour, and Southbury.

This event comes at a time where town and state officials are still picking up the pieces.

Sarah Sutay was born and raised in Oxford. She says crews are actually building back an even better community.

“It’s better than we could have ever really expected, the town crews and state have been here working 24/7 it seems like, putting our roads back together,” she said.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal has been at the forefront of the rebuild. He’s working to secure major disaster declaration funding from the federal government to rebuild a community better equipped for these disasters.

“It’ll bring 10′s of millions, maybe even 100′s of millions of dollars. Not only for the municipalities but for the homeowners as well,” he said.

The event was scheduled to go until 11:00 P.M. Saturday night.

But with heavy rain and strong winds on the way, the rest of the event was cancelled.

However, that wasn’t going to wash away the smiles of a community coming together.

“There were families just hunkered down under their umbrellas, like the wind was just whipping around. I think it’s a testament to Oxford strong that a little rain isn’t going to dampen our spirits and we’re out here celebrating,” said Kellie McKane, a Beacon Falls resident.

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