Stonington Vineyards Summer Concert Series – Dave Alves Trio

Stonington Vineyards Summer Concert Series – Dave Alves Trio brings live music back to the vineyard lawn on Friday, August 14, for three hours of music, local wine, food, and a summer evening outdoors. The Dave Alves Trio performs from 6 to 9 p.m. as part of Stonington Vineyards’ long-running Friday night tradition, with 20% of ticket proceeds from each concert supporting a local nonprofit or community organization. (Stonington Vineyards)

Guests aren’t confined to tables or a formal concert setup. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, spread out on the grass, and settle in for the evening. Picnic dinners are welcome, wine is sold by the glass, flight or bottle, and Fire in the Kitchen Pizza is scheduled to serve food during the series.

The setting is a big part of the appeal. Stonington Vineyards sits on 58 acres in the Stonington Uplands between Mystic and Stonington Borough, where vines have been growing since before the winery opened nearly four decades ago. On summer Fridays, the lawn becomes a casual outdoor concert venue, with the music starting while there’s still plenty of daylight and continuing toward sunset.

About the Dave Alves Trio

Dave Alves is a familiar guitarist to southeastern Connecticut audiences, with a career rooted in the region’s live music scene.

The trio format gives Alves room to put the guitar at the center of the performance while keeping the sound compact enough for the vineyard setting. Rather than the volume and staging of a large festival show, the music fits the Summer Concert Series’ laid-back format: an evening where people can listen from their chairs, share a picnic and a bottle of wine, or move closer to the music as the night goes on.

The Dave Alves Trio performs from 6 to 9 p.m.

A Friday Night Tradition at the Vineyard

Stonington Vineyards’ Summer Concert Series runs every Friday through July and August, bringing a different regional performer to the property each week.

The 2026 schedule stretches across 10 Friday nights from late June through August. The Dave Alves Trio follows performances by The Fake Experience, Pirates for Peace, Violet Theory, Azalea Drive, Brad Bensko, Luke & Mike and 2 Cat Zoo. Ben Freiert and the T-Tones Band close out the season later in August.

The concerts aren’t simply a way to fill the vineyard lawn on Friday nights. Twenty percent of ticket proceeds are donated to a local charity or organization each week. Earlier concerts in the 2026 series have benefited organizations including Girls on the Run, the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce, Stand Up For Animals, the WARM Center, Safe Futures, Always Home and the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. (Connecticut (CT) Wine Trail)

The charity benefiting from the August 14 Dave Alves Trio concert has not yet been announced.

Nearly 40 Years of Stonington Wine

Stonington Vineyards was established by Nick and Happy Smith in 1987, when they purchased 58 acres in the Stonington Uplands. The property already had wine grapes growing on it, and the winery itself was constructed in 1989.

Stonington was also among the founding members of the Connecticut Wine Trail, putting it among the wineries that helped establish Connecticut’s modern wine industry.

Winemaker Mike McAndrew has been with Stonington from the beginning. The vineyard has developed a reputation particularly for its European-style wines, barrel-fermented Chardonnays and proprietary blends. Current wines include Oak Chardonnay, Sheer Chardonnay, Seaport White, Cabernet Franc, Triad Rosé, Riesling and Pawcatuck River Red.

The location plays a role in what’s in the bottle. Stonington’s proximity to the Atlantic gives the vineyard a maritime climate with a relatively long, cool growing season, conditions particularly well suited to Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. (CTMQ)

Wine During the Concert

Wine is available throughout the concert by the glass, flight or bottle.

Regular wine tastings, however, aren’t offered during Friday evening concerts. If you’re coming specifically to work your way through a formal tasting, another visit is a better choice. Friday night is about picking a wine, finding a place on the lawn and enjoying the music.

Wine service ends at 8:30 p.m., half an hour before the concert finishes.

Outside alcohol is strictly prohibited. Coolers may be checked, and guests bringing their own alcohol can be asked to leave the property.

Picnic food is allowed.

Food at the Vineyard

Guests can bring their own picnic dinner, but food is also available during the Summer Concert Series.

Fire in the Kitchen Pizza is scheduled for most Friday concerts during the 2026 season, including August 14, and Moovin’ Scoops is scheduled throughout the series for dessert.

Food vendors can change, so guests planning to purchase dinner rather than bring a picnic should check the vineyard’s social media before heading out.

What to Bring

Bring a lawn chair or blanket. The concerts take place on the vineyard lawn rather than in a traditional seated concert venue.

Picnic dinners are welcome, making this an easy event to turn into a full evening rather than simply arriving for the music.

Outside alcohol isn’t allowed, and that includes alcohol packed inside a picnic cooler.

Because the concert runs rain or shine, checking the forecast before leaving home is worthwhile. If showers are possible, come prepared for them.

Tickets

Advance tickets are $10.

Advance sales close at 3 p.m. Friday, August 14.

Tickets remain available at the door for $15, including when the advance ticket listing shows the concert as sold out. Credit cards are accepted.

Physical tickets aren’t mailed. Advance purchases are held under the purchaser’s name at the entrance, and guests should keep their confirmation email as a receipt.

Parking

Parking at Stonington Vineyards is limited, and the winery asks concertgoers to carpool whenever possible.

Giving yourself a little extra arrival time also makes sense. With a lawn chair, picnic and whatever else you’re carrying, getting settled before the 6 p.m. start is easier than arriving after the music has begun.

Event Details

Date
Friday, August 14, 2026

Time
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location
Stonington Vineyards

Address
523 Taugwonk Road
Stonington, CT 06378

Entertainment
Dave Alves Trio

Admission
$10 advance
$15 at the door

Advance Ticket Deadline
3:00 p.m. Friday, August 14

Food
Fire in the Kitchen Pizza and Moovin’ Scoops are scheduled for the series. Guests may also bring picnic dinners.

Wine
Available for purchase by the glass, flight or bottle. Wine service ends at 8:30 p.m. Regular tastings aren’t available during Friday evening concerts.

What to Bring
Lawn chairs or blankets and, if desired, a picnic dinner.

Parking
Limited. Carpooling is encouraged.

Weather
Rain or shine.

Charitable Giving
Twenty percent of ticket proceeds support a local organization each week. The beneficiary for the August 14 concert is currently listed as TBD. (Stonington Vineyards)

Important Notes
Outside alcohol is prohibited and coolers are subject to inspection. Advance tickets are held under the purchaser’s name rather than mailed. Even if advance tickets are listed as sold out, $15 tickets will still be available at the door.

More Information

For more information, visit the event website using the Event Website link below.

For ticket purchases, click on the Ticketing link below.