Big Sound in Our Hometown: Willimantic's "River Room" Venue
- Megan Hayes
- 40 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Megan Hayes | Editor-in-Chief
On a Friday night in downtown Willimantic, the glow of soft light spills from the River Room’s front windows. Inside, gentle chatter mingles with the sound of clinking glasses and the hum of soft background music. Then, the show starts -- Denise and her band come to the stage, and the room is immediately filled with what is an indescribable energy as lively and vibrant Brazilian music reverberates; proof that small venues still hold big power in this Connecticut town. I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Beaudry, owner of the River Room, to learn more about this up-and-coming space that’s quickly becoming the heart of Willimantic’s music scene.
The idea took shape in late 2024, when Chris Beaudry and his friend Daniela de Sousa -- owner of Spiral Art Studios in Willimantic -- visited an empty basement space, imagining how they might bring it to life. After returning to town from managing the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, as well as the restaurant and inn, Chris decided he wanted to pursue a creative project of his own. Over a casual game of ping-pong inside the bare room that would soon become the River Room, the concept for a performing arts venue was born.
Then, in early 2025, Chris and Daniela approached Willimantic Renaissance, Inc., the organization behind the annual Willimantic Street Festival, to become a sponsor. After a vote, the board agreed to make the River Room one of its sponsored nonprofits, allowing the venue to begin raising funds and officially take root in the community. They were able to raise around $60,000 in donations as well as support from Willimantic locals like Mark Dressler, owner of a local business called Design Center, who graciously spent four months building the frame of the River Room. Other local businesses like the O L Willard company in Willimantic donated materials and discounts so the business could come to life. Trigo Pizza in downtown Willimantic runs a bar inside the River Room, offering a large array of cocktails, mocktails, snacks, and refreshments -- allowing for another showcase of local involvement. Alongside O L Willard, Trigo, and Mark Dressler, David Foster from the Lester and Phyllis Foster Foundation provided the River Room with the gorgeous piano used in performances, which Chris wanted to also highlight aside the other businesses for a huge "thank you".
| "With support and volunteer work... I just want to shine a light on everyone that made it possible and the gracious donations."
In April of 2025, the River Room officially opened as a performing arts center in the heart of Willimantic, and on the 25th of the month, the River Room welcomed the Gray Sargant Trio for the first ever show hosted at the venue. The band is comprised of Gray Sargant, the guitar player of Tony Bennett (for 24 years) and Paul Francis, Lady Gaga's drummer. They played together on the jazz albums that Bennett and Gaga produced. Since that beautiful day in April of 2025, the River Room has been putting on at least one show a week ever since.
When asked about the methodology of how to find artists to perform at the River Room, Chris states it is a mix of many different methods. Back when Chris lived in New York City, he worked for a few different local jazz clubs, one of which was called the J. Chriss & Co., which was highly popular in the 80's and 90's. Chris shared that he worked for the company for two years, learning throughout his time there how to call venues and negotiate deals for artists and venues - and alongside this, his experience as a saxophonist in NYC taught him the ropes of the jazz world as well. Because of this, the River Room hosts jazz, blues, movies, classical music, bluegrass, and indie alternative. They once hosted James Montgomery, who started his career with famous rock singer Janis Joplin, but it was a little too loud for such a small room. Since then, the staff at the River Room has booked many other genres, and may have to wait until the future to host louder shows like rock and punk. As Chris says, however, nothing is completely off the table, and the River Room has been hosting a rock band by one of the members of Eminence Ink in downtown Willimantic, but just having their sessions be unplugged.
When asked how the River Room sees itself impacting emerging artists, Chris states that the RR hosts a mix of local, regional, and national talent, with fair prices for all of the artists that play the venue to ensure everyone is compensated fairly. The River Room also offers an open mic night, where Chris often finds talent that he wants to book for future shows. Aside from this, Chris has a role in the Willimantic Street Festival, which also books bands and performances, so he is always keeping up and coming bands on his radar. Tweed Sugar, a band who won a battle of the bands at Corleone's Cafe, was immediately put on Chris's radar and was booked for the Street Fest. However, the River Room doesn't only host music, and hosts dance classes as well every Wednesday -- all the tables are cleared, and the room becomes a dance floor where three levels of Latin and Salsa dance classes are hosted. The River Room also does room rentals, which allows for organizations like the Latino Chamber of Commerce to host events like awards shows with a lovely space. RR is also soon hosting it's first Spanish language open mic night, as Willimantic's population is made up of roughly 40% Hispanic people and the RR's journey includes making art accessible for all.
| "This art is for everybody."
Behind the lively atmosphere and packed shows, one of the River Room’s greatest hurdles is its budget. Running a small venue in a small town means every expense matters, from sound equipment to simple supplies. Chris admits that making the numbers work is a constant balancing act, but with his experience in running almost every aspect of the River Room, he handles it effortlessly and impressively.
Aside from hosting local music, the River Room also displays art -- most notably, the painting of Miles Davis on the wall of the entry way. It was painted by artist Ben Keller, who is the artist that is known for his work on the Willimantic parking garage as well as some other Willimantic murals. As the Miles Davis band played, Ben Keller worked his magic and painted away - and within three hours the design had changed completely from a roughed-out outline to a full painting in color. Chris says it was a one of a kind and unique experience that he would not trade for anything.
From my talk with Chris, it is plain to see that the River Room isn’t just a venue—it’s a gathering place, a stage for connection, and a reminder that music still has the power to bring people together. For Chris and the Willimantic community, that’s worth every late night. Please consider donating and following the River Room on their social medias! It was an honor to interview such an amazing leader, and experience an amazing event and show.