By Ken Valenti
WESTPORT–Concert promoter Peter Shapiro has joined this year’s VersoFest with a discussion of the Grateful Dead, adding to a lineup that already includes Grammy winner Wyclef Jean as headliner, folk-rock icon Ani DiFranco, actress Gina Gershon, rock band The Thing and Susanna Hoffs, co-founder of the female pop band, the Bangles.
Celebrating its fifth year in 2026, VersoFest is an annual festival of music, media and creativity at the library “where knowledge is shared and inspiration is discovered — a forum for media creators, artists, and fans to converge,” its website says.
The main festival takes place March 26-29. But it begins with two advance events, a concert by rising rock band The Thing on Feb. 27, and a March 6 Storytellers event that Hoffs will lead.
The Westport Library has been issuing frequent announcements since November. All events take place in the Trefz Forum at the library, 20 Jesup Road, Westport. Here’s the lineup:
Feb. 27, 8 p.m.: The Thing, a New York City rock band with Connecticut roots, takes the stage. The band has garnered an international following and recently returned from a tour through Europe, hitting Amsterdam, Berlin, Dublin, London, Paris, Stockholm and more. Tickets are $35, plus a service charge.
March 6, 7 p.m.: Susanna Hoffs will discuss her career and her 2023 novel The Bird Has Flown with journalist and rock memoirist Alisyn Camerota. Since writing and performing with Bangles, Hoffs has led a multi-faceted career with solo albums and collaborations with musicians such as Matthew Sweet, Elvis Costello and Rufus Wainwright. In addition to the conversation, Hoff will play songs from various points in her career. Tickets are $50.
March 26, 7 p.m.: Ani DiFranco kicks off the four-day main weekend of VersoFest 2026 in conversation with Lauren Coyle Rosen, co-author of their new book, The Spirit of Ani: Reflections on Spirituality, Feminism, Music, and Freedom. Their conversation will focus on The Spirit of Ani and explore DiFranco’s creativity, spirituality, and evolving consciousness. Tickets for the conversation are $35 and come with a copy of The Spirit of Ani.
March 27, 8 p.m.: Wyclef Jean, a Grammy Award-winning musician and the weekend’s headliner, performs. Jean is a performing artist, composer, and co-founder of the hip hop group The Fugees. With several chart-topping hits to his name, Jean has released six albums as a solo artist and sold nearly nine million copies. He holds three Grammy Awards and has been nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award. Tickets cost $125.
Jean’s performance at VersoFest will support Music Will, which is the largest nonprofit music education program for schools in the United States.
March 28, 5 p.m.: Gina Gershon will discuss stories from her new memoir, AlphaPussy. Her movies have ranged from the cult classic crime thriller Bound, the Vegas drama Showgirls, and the John Woo action blockbuster Face/Off. Her TV appearances have included Riverdale and Rescue Me. Tickets are $35 and include a copy of AlphaPussy.
March 29, noon: Peter Shapiro will talk about the iconic jam band, The Grateful Dead, with rock author and documentarian Dean Budnick. The discussion will also cover the development of the jam band scene over the decades. Tickets are free but registration is required.
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