How a problematic dump in Connecticut became the blueprint for free music nationwide

Westport’s Transformation of Town Dump into Levitt Pavilion

Westport had a big trash dump problem in 1973. Then, local folks got an idea: turn the eyesore into a place for shows.

When they asked summer residents Mortimer and Mimi Levitt for help, the couple gave $25,000 on the spot. At the 1974 opening, the town shocked the Levitts by naming the venue after them.

Mortimer, who built a menswear empire, knew what it felt like to miss out on fun due to cost.

His childhood memories of standing outside Coney Island gates sparked a vision for free concerts that now reaches millions across America.

The story of how a town dump became the birthplace of accessible outdoor entertainment awaits in Westport, Connecticut.

Westport’s Town Dump Became a Stage for Change

Westport, Connecticut had an ugly problem in the early 1970s. The town dump on Jesup Green sat right in the middle of town next to the Saugatuck River.

Locals got tired of looking at the trash heap and came up with a bold plan: turn the eyesore into an outdoor theater.

A group of neighbors started a campaign in 1973 to create a place for local talent and New York City artists to perform. Town leaders liked the idea and gave up the dump for the project.

The fundraising team went door-to-door asking for help.

Standing Outside Coney Island Gates Shaped a Boy’s Future

Mortimer Levitt grew up in Brooklyn in 1907 to immigrant parents who barely made ends meet. His dad Sam sold things to visitors at Luna Park on Coney Island.

Young Mortimer often went with his dad to work but couldn’t afford to go inside the park.

He spent many summer nights standing outside the gates, listening to music and shows that richer families enjoyed up close. Those memories of being left out stuck with him for years.

A $2.15 Shirt Built a Retail Empire

Mortimer quit school at 16 in 1923 to help his mom and younger brothers after his dad died. He found his calling in 1937 when he opened The Custom Shop in Manhattan.

His business plan was simple: sell custom-made men’s shirts for just $2.15 each.

The shop took off, and by 1942, Mortimer had grown to 70 stores across the country, making him rich. He and his wife Mimi started the Levitt Foundation in 1966 to support arts and education.

The couple spent summers in Westport, Connecticut, where they gave money to local causes.

One Check Changed Westport’s Cultural Landscape Forever

The Westport fundraising team asked the Levitts in 1973, hoping for a small gift for their outdoor venue project. They got much more than they asked for.

Mortimer and Mimi wrote a check for $25,000, worth over $150,000 today. This gift made them the biggest private donors to the campaign.

Mortimer added one key rule: all shows at the venue must be free. His childhood memories of not being able to afford fun guided this choice.

He wanted to make sure nobody would stand outside unable to enter because they couldn’t pay.

Nobody Expected the Sign to Say “Levitt Pavilion”

The new venue opened in 1974, ready for its first season of free concerts.

At the opening event, town leaders showed something the Levitts never saw coming: a sign naming the place “Levitt Pavilion” to honor them. The couple gave their money without wanting credit.

The town built a Coney Island-style arch at the entrance as a nod to Mortimer’s childhood. People walked under it to enjoy the first season of shows, which drew big crowds from Westport and nearby towns.

Fifty Free Shows Every Summer Became the Gold Standard

Levitt Pavilion Westport quickly became a town treasure with its promise to put on 50 free concerts each summer. The venue showed both famous artists and local performers.

Unlike later Levitt venues, Westport’s pavilion ran as its own nonprofit group separate from the Levitt Foundation.

The local team chose to include all types of shows rather than just music, offering dance, plays, and other events.

Through the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, the pavilion grew into a loved spot that brought the town together around free arts programs.

A 90-Year-Old Man Sold His Business to Fund a Dream

The Westport Pavilion’s success through its first 25 years sparked bigger ideas in Mortimer’s mind. In 1999, at age 90, he made a huge choice: sell his entire 70-store Custom Shop business.

He put all the money into the Levitt Foundation with one clear goal: to help towns across America build their own Levitt venues.

The sale gave the cash needed for what would grow into a nationwide network of free concert spots.

Mortimer’s childhood feelings of being left out had turned into a real plan to make sure people everywhere could enjoy free outdoor shows.

His Daughter Turned a Single Venue into a Movement

Mortimer’s daughter, Liz Levitt Hirsch, took over the foundation in the early 2000s. She took her dad’s vision and made it more professional, serving as Board President since 2012.

Liz led the first effort to build a Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena, California, soon followed by Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles in MacArthur Park. She helped start both venues as a founding board member.

Under her guidance, the Foundation created a model that gave startup money for building venues and multi-year support to local nonprofit partners who would run the day-to-day work.

Abandoned Urban Spaces Got New Life Through Music

The Levitt venue network grew fast under Liz’s leadership. New pavilions opened in Arlington, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee in 2008.

Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks came to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 2011, built next to old blast furnaces on former factory land.

More venues opened in Denver (2017), Sioux Falls (2019), and later in Dayton, Houston, and San Jose. Each spot followed the same idea: take unused public spaces and turn them into lively community gathering places.

Small Towns Got Their Own Free Concert Series Too

The Foundation started the Levitt AMP Grant Awards program in 2015, reaching beyond big cities. This matching grant program focused on small to mid-sized towns with fewer than 400,000 people.

Ten nonprofits got up to $25,000 each in matching funds to create their own free concert series. Towns didn’t need to build permanent venues to join in.

The program grew quickly, eventually helping more than 50 communities across America with grants. Places from Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Ocala, Florida used the money to put on 7-10 free concerts each year.

A Million Americans Now Enjoy What One Boy Couldn’t

The Levitt network today supports free outdoor concert series in 45 communities from coast to coast. The combined venues present over 650 free concerts annually, reaching nearly one million people.

In November 2023, the Foundation announced plans to spend down its $150 million in assets by 2041, focusing on expanding their impact in the coming years.

What started as a grassroots effort to clean up a town dump in Westport grew into a national movement for democratizing access to live performance.

Mortimer’s childhood memory of standing outside Coney Island gates transformed into a nationwide effort ensuring everyone can enjoy free outdoor music, regardless of their economic background.

Visiting Westport, Connecticut

The Levitt Pavilion at 40 Jesup Road shows how Westport residents turned their old dump into America’s first community-funded outdoor concert venue in 1973.

You can catch 50+ free concerts from June through August, but you need reservations online or at the box office. Free shows open one hour early and allow outside food and picnics.

They also host paid “Stars-on-Tour” concerts with premium and lawn seating options.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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