The Legend of Local Brew

In the beginning… 

Way back in 2006, the Barrington Substance Abuse Task Force, now known as The BAY Team, in conjunction with parent volunteers, sponsored a series of “open mic” nights where local musicians of any age, could perform in a comfortable, supportive environment to an audience of friends and family.  The events were held on the first Friday of every month and were known as “First Fridays”.  They were very successful and might still continue today were it not for the lack of a consistent venue.  The events were held at different locations each month and the logistics proved daunting.  In 2008, the Bay Spring Community Center was undergoing its latest transition in a long running series of identity changes.  It was built in 1910 as a combination fire station / community center.  The fire station was on the first floor and the upstairs “ballroom” was used for a variety of community activities.  It was officially decommissioned as a fire station in 1968 and since that time the building has functioned in a number of different capacities.  For many years, it was the home of The Bay Spring Crime Watch headed up by Charlie Cole.  During another period of time, known as "The Tomaselli Era", Mrs. Tomaselli welcomed hundreds of kids into the Center for afterschool programs.  "Kids" of all ages played on the playground equipment in the Center's backyard, officially named the "Charles W. Walter Tot Lot".

The New Beginning...

All of these uses for the Center eventually ran their course, and in 2008, the Town (who still owned the building) was eying the property for other uses.  Many of the proposals involved razing the structure which had played such a central role in the Bay Spring community for so many years.  As had happened a number of times in the past, when the Center's fate was in question, members of the community rallied to save the building.  As part of that effort, seven musicians headed up by Debra Mann and her husband, Don Morton, formed a band called "Local Folk" and began to raise money though a series of concerts held in the Ballroom.  Through their efforts, as well  as the work of many more people, enough money was raised to refurbish the first floor of the building and bring it up to American Disabilities Act standards and Fire Suppression Code.  A group was formed called "The Friends of the Bay Spring Community Center" whose Board of Directors, headed up by Pete Grey uncovered additional, Town-based funding that had been earmarked for the Center in years past, but never used.  The Board and the Town entered into a Public / Private Partnership in which the Town maintained the physical  building and the "Friends" handled all of the programming that happened at the site.  Through more fundraising and additional contributions from the Town, including monies to purchase and install a lift for people who couldn't navigate the stairs to the Ballroom, the second floor was  brought up to American Disabilities Act standards and Fire Suppression Code, as well.

The Music Continues...

A group of 3 musicians from the original band "Local Folk" remained together as the band "Bay Spring Folk" and created the first music series at the Center in the form of "Local Brew Coffeehouse".  Just like its predecessor, "First Fridays", it was a venue where  musicians, poets and storytellers of all ages could perform before a warm, supportive audience of family and friends.  Over time, Bay Spring Folk grew to a band of five members and Local Brew Events, Inc. (LBE) was formed to  handle the growth of Local Brew Coffeehouse far beyond it's original "coffeehouse" footprint.  But even as LBE produced winter festivals, spring festivals and the Local Brew Fiddle 'n Folk Festival, which in one year featured 17 bands on two stages, and in its last year (2019) drew well over 1,000 attendees, Local Brew Coffeehouse continues to be a community favorite.