We are ctdiy.
Not just us. All of us.
Built for the community, by the community.
'WE ARE CTDIY' isn’t a statement about us.
It’s a statement about everyone involved.
The bands playing their first show.
The kids in the front row.
The vendors creating something from a flame of passion.
The photographers, volunteers, and people showing up early and staying late.
If you’re part of it, YOU are CTDIY.
Built for local artists
Providing unmatched opportunity for even the newest of local bands. No one is too "small" for SSF.
MEET THE SSF TEAM
Tj Redding
Tj Redding is the founder and director of Shoreline Summer Festival. What began as an unintentional spark has evolved into the state’s most impactful grassroots festival, built on the belief that authentic music experiences should be accessible to everyone.
Redding’s journey into music started over a decade ago when he joined his first band, immersing himself in the local circuit and gaining firsthand insight into the effort it takes to build something meaningful from nothing. From playing small rooms to helping organize shows, those early experiences and beyond shaped both his creative identity and his commitment to the scene and people around him.
The foundation for Shoreline Summer Festival was laid ‘by accident’ in 2020, when Redding spearheaded a popular live-streamed music event during the height of COVID-19. Envisioned as a way to bring artists and fans together under a shared concept, the event was forced into a digital format due to restrictions, but its reception proved something important: there was a true demand for this kind of community-first experience.
In 2022, following the signing of a record deal with his band, Redding brought that concept into the physical world to promote the band’s new record release, thus launching the first Shoreline Summer Festival. What carried over wasn’t just the lineup structure, but the underlying mission: prioritizing artists, accessibility, and genuine connection over profit-driven models.
Under his direction, Shoreline has become more than just a music festival. It’s a platform where emerging artists are given real opportunity, where local businesses are woven into the fabric of the event, and where fans can engage with their scene without financial or age barriers. The ethos is simple: Shoreline isn’t about gatekeeping or cash grabs, it’s about proving what a community can build for itself. This festival is built for the scene, by the scene.
Redding continues to lead with the same mindset that started it all: create something Connecticut can truly call its own.
Adam Mcdonald
Adam is a key part of the Shoreline Summer Festival team, supporting operations and helping keep the entire process running smoothly behind the scenes. From communicating with bands to managing logistics and organization, he plays a crucial role in keeping everything on track.
Eve dorsey
Eve is the newest addition to the Shoreline Summer Festival team, supporting vendor coordination and keeping communication flowing across all moving parts. She also plays a key role in operations and hospitality, helping ensure everything stays organized and runs efficiently behind the scenes.
"WE ARE CTDIY is a reminder that this only exists because all of us do."
Community outreach
Our community outreach extends beyond the festival grounds and into the places we call home. Throughout the year, on select Sundays, a small team of dedicated volunteers comes together across New Haven and surrounding towns to take on local trash cleanup efforts. As litter and waste have increasingly gotten out of hand, this initiative is driven by locals who simply want their community to look better, feel better, and be taken care of. Spearheaded by local resident David Martindale, it reflects the core CTDIY mindset—if you care about something, you step up and do something about it.
