Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden Presents “The Photo Angel Project” with Founder Kate Kelley

The Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden invites the public to a special free presentation with Kate Kelley, founder of The Photo Angel Project, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Woodbury Public Library. The program grew from a remarkable connection between Kelley and the Glebe House Museum. When Kelley contacted the museum, staff had no way of knowing they would be reunited with an object from the museum’s past—one that was not represented in its collection.

Kelley had discovered a “tile trivet,” circa 1975, at her mother’s home. The trivet was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Glebe House Museum’s 1925 opening and was originally sold at the museum as a fundraiser. Although the museum holds many commemorative objects, it did not have an example of this particular anniversary trivet.

After learning about Kelley’s personal history and her work through The Photo Angel Project, the Glebe House Museum invited her to share the project’s story with the community.

The Photo Angel Project’s mission is to reunite long-lost photographs with their relatives. Kelley has returned images to families in all 50 states and in several countries. Her work has been featured by NBC’s The Today Show, Family Tree Magazine, The Boston Globe, WCVB Channel 5 Boston’s Chronicle, Who Do You Think You Are magazine, and other media outlets.

“It all began with a pile of labeled photos of non-relatives that were mixed in with my grandparents’ old family pictures,” Kelley said. “Were they friends? Classmates? War buddies? Neighbors? I was determined to find out.”

Kelley began researching the people in the photographs through genealogy websites and soon connected with their relatives. Today, she searches antique stores for labeled photographs that can be identified and returned to family members. One recipient affectionately gave her the name “The Photo Angel.”

“The purpose of this project is to inspire others to dig out their dusty attic boxes and visit antique stores for photos with identifying information to reunite them with families,” Kelley said.

The event is sponsored by the Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden. Community members are encouraged to attend, learn how photographs and family history can be preserved, and discover how they may help reunite meaningful images and objects with the people and places they belong to.

Event Details

What: The Photo Angel Project presentation with Kate Kelley

When: Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Woodbury Public Library, 269 Main Street South, Woodbury

Sponsor: Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden

About the Glebe House & Garden 

Nestled in the scenic Litchfield Hills in the heart of historic Woodbury, the Glebe House Museum offers a unique look at Revolutionary War-era Connecticut. The restored 18th-century farmhouse, once home to Reverend John Rutgers Marshall and his family, is furnished to reflect daily life during the American War for Independence. Opened to the public in 1925, the Glebe House is one of the nation’s earliest historic house museums and has welcomed visitors for over a century. Its restoration was led by Henry Watson Kent, a leading figure in American decorative arts. Gertrude Jekyll, one of the most influential garden designers of the 20th century, designed the museum’s garden in 1926. This classic English-style garden features 350 feet of vibrant mixed borders and is the only surviving example of Jekyll’s work in the United States. The garden is now in its fourth year of full restoration.

 

 

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Step into Dickens’ World: A Christmas Carol Comes to the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum

Imagine entering a beautifully decorated Victorian home on a December evening—Christmas trees glowing, garlands draped throughout the rooms, and soft white lights setting the scene. Now imagine Charles Dickens himself beginning the unforgettable tale of Ebenezer Scrooge.

That experience comes to Torrington on Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., when the Torrington Historical Society presents Rick Corbo as Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol at the historic Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum, 192 Main Street. For generations, A Christmas Carol has been a treasured part of the holiday season. This intimate performance offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience Dickens’ enduring classic in a setting that evokes the world in which he lived, wrote, and performed.

An Intimate Victorian Holiday Experience

Built in 1900, the elegant Hotchkiss-Fyler House will be dressed in its holiday finery for the occasion, creating a warm and atmospheric backdrop for this beloved Christmas story. Rick Corbo’s approximately 45-minute performance recreates the intimate dramatic readings Dickens gave during his lifetime.

Through Corbo’s portrayal, audiences will meet the memorable characters of Scrooge’s journey and rediscover the humor, drama, and timeless message at the heart of A Christmas Carol. With seating limited to only 35 guests, this is not a traditional theater performance—it is a special evening inside one of Torrington’s historic treasures.

The house, ordinarily open for guided tours, becomes the setting for a holiday experience designed to feel personal, immersive, and memorable. Meet Rick Corbo. Rick Corbo has portrayed Charles Dickens for more than eight years, appearing at venues and events including Storrowtown Yuletide Weekend, The Greater Boston Dickens Fellowship, and Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. Corbo also wrote and starred as Dickens in Reclaiming the Carol, which is broadcast annually on the EWTN Network. He has also appeared as Dickens on an episode of EWTN’s Chesterton Station. A Torrington native, Corbo now lives in West Haven, Connecticut, with his family.

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The Danbury Concert Association Welcomes Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra October 25 @ 1 pm

The Danbury Concert Association continues its 2026–2027 concert season on Sunday, October 25, at 1 p.m., welcoming the Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO) of Amsterdam for an afternoon of refined and expressive chamber-orchestra music. The performance will take place at Western Connecticut State University’s Visual and Performing Arts Center at 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, Connecticut.

Single tickets for the October 25 concert are $33.85 and may be purchased online, at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com, or at the VPAC Box Office (203-837-8732) up to curtain time. Admission is free for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission.

Renowned for its remarkable clarity and intimacy, the Camerata RCO delivers a powerful new perspective on beloved orchestral masterworks. With its distinctive combination of winds and strings, the ensemble brings the music’s structure, inner voices, and subtle harmonic colors into sharp focus—revealing details that can be lost in a full symphonic performance. The result is chamber-scale refinement with all the emotional force, brilliance, and impact of the great repertoire fully preserved.

Founded in 2009, Camerata carries forward a powerful tradition: accomplished musicians and thinkers coming together to create art at the highest level. That same vision drives the ensemble today. Its leading orchestral musicians are united by a shared commitment to chamber music’s most personal, flexible, and collaborative form — from duos and small ensembles to full chamber orchestra performances. While they continue to serve in one of the world’s great symphonic orchestras, they also come together to perform in this more intimate setting. Camerata isn’t defined by a fixed lineup or rigid format; it is defined by versatility, artistry, and the strength of its collective spirit.

The ensemble launched its recorded discography on Gutman Records with a 2012 Christmas recording featuring Corelli’s Concerto Grosso. Among its most notable artistic projects is an ongoing exploration of chamber reductions of monumental late-Romantic works, including recordings of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 with conductor Gustavo Gimeno in 2014 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with Lucas Macías Navarro.

In two decades, the Camerata RCO has grown into a respected international touring ensemble, performing 50 concerts each season in major music capitals including Vienna, New York, Tokyo, Madrid, Rome, and Seoul. This October performance offers Danbury-area audiences the chance to hear world-class Amsterdam musicians in an engaging concert setting—where symphonic grandeur meets the artistry and warmth of chamber music.

About the Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association is a nonprofit organization with roots dating back to the 1930s. Officially spun off from the Danbury Music Centre in 1957, the Association has brought internationally renowned talent to Connecticut every year since then, with the exception of the COVID era. Today, performances are held at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University, featuring internationally acclaimed artists in a state-of-the-art concert hall. The Association presents four concerts per season, two in the fall and two in the spring, each followed by a meet-the-artists reception

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Registration Open for 2026 Norfolk Tour de Forest Bike Ride on October 17

Registration is now open for the 2026 Norfolk Tour de Forest, taking place on Saturday, October 17. This popular annual gravel ride supports two local nonprofit organizations: Great Mountain Forest and Norfolk Rails to Trails.

Riders of all experience levels are invited to spend a crisp autumn day exploring the remarkable landscape of Great Mountain Forest—one of Connecticut’s largest undeveloped woodland areas. New riders are welcome.

The event features two routes, giving participants the flexibility to choose the ride that best matches their endurance and experience. Icebox Gravel begins at 9:30 a.m. and spans 30 rugged miles of gravel and paved roads, including sections conserved by the Norfolk Land Trust. The signature Tour de Forest starts at 10 a.m. and covers 13 scenic miles along a mix of gravel and paved roads through and around Great Mountain Forest.

Riders are encouraged to keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. Great Mountain Forest’s roads are repaired and maintained annually to support forest management, research, educational, and recreational activities.

The ride begins and ends at the Norfolk Curling Club, 70 Golf Drive, Norfolk, Connecticut. Day-of registration opens at 8 a.m. Registration is $50 for adults, $25 for teens, and free for riders age 12 and under. All proceeds support the programs of Norfolk Rails to Trails and Great Mountain Forest. Register at BikeReg.

At the finish, riders can refuel with sweet and savory treats—including shots of maple syrup produced by the Great Mountain Forest team.

About Great Mountain Forest
Great Mountain Forest (GMF) is a leader in forest stewardship. For more than a century, we have been demonstrating how sustainable management can protect biodiversity and support ecosystems. By serving as a hub for education and research, we are spreading the benefits of sustainable management so that communities across New England derive educational, economic, recreational, and health benefits from their forests—now and well into the future. GMF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit encompassing 6,400 acres of contiguous forestland in Norfolk, Canaan, and Falls Village, Connecticut.

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Glebe House Museum to Debut Haunted Hollow Tours in Woodbury on October 24

As autumn settles across New England, golden leaves give way to bare branches, early sunsets cast long shadows over centuries-old stone walls, and crisp evening air brings an added sense of mystery to every walk outdoors. It is no surprise that historic cemetery tours grow especially popular around Halloween. Beyond seasonal scares, these experiences offer a compelling connection to local history, architecture, folklore, and the people whose lives helped shape their communities.

This year, the Glebe House Museum & Garden in Woodbury will introduce its new Haunted Hollow Tours on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a rain date of Oct. 25. Sponsored by Newtown Savings Bank, the event reimagines the museum’s classic cemetery tour with encounters involving the history, architecture, and memorable residents of Woodbury’s Hollow.

Participants will travel through another era while walking Hollow Road, Doolittle Hill and Main Street. Along the way, they will meet the ghosts of former residents and enter Old South Cemetery to greet the spirits said to rest there.

Six daylight tours will focus on the Hollow’s architecture, local history, and historic cemetery. Six evening tours will offer a more unsettling experience, with spirits potentially appearing from the shadows of the ancient burial ground — listed among Connecticut’s most haunted sites.

With a spirit guide leading the way, attendees will visit the homes and final resting places of some of Woodbury’s most notable and notorious residents. The tours explore burial grounds more than 350 years old, where stories of those buried beneath visitors’ feet are brought to life for the occasion.

On the Glebe House grounds, guests can meet the Leatherman, the well-known wanderer who traveled throughout western Connecticut during the late 1800s and made numerous stops in Woodbury. Visitors may also encounter Dr. Samuel Orton, a physician who practiced medicine in the area more than 250 years ago and may be eager to diagnose modern ailments — and suggest a few leeches.

Tours depart from the museum grounds every 15 minutes, beginning at 4 p.m. Daylight tours run from 4 to 5:45 p.m., while evening tours run from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Evening tour tickets are available only to guests ages 13 and older, and organizers do not recommend the evening experience for children 12 and under.

The experience includes approximately 45 minutes of walking on sidewalks, uneven ground, and hills. Organizers recommend weather-appropriate attire, comfortable shoes, and a flashlight.

Guests may also sign up for tarot readings with Ana M. in the Glebe House Cottage. Ana M., who has more than 40 years of experience, will offer readings for tips, with 50 percent of proceeds benefiting the Glebe House Museum. Readings are valued at $30, and cash is preferred. Ticket holders will receive a reservation link, and advance sign-up is recommended.

Tickets are $15 for adults ages 13 and older, $10 for children ages 6–12, and free for children age 5 and under. Space is limited, and advance ticket purchases are encouraged. Last year’s event sold out.

For tickets and additional information, visit https://www.glebehousemuseum.org or contact the museum office at 203-263-2855 or office@glebehousemuseum.org.

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Connecticut’s Bigfoot Mystery Takes a Hilarious Halloween Turn Aboard The Haunted Trolley

With recent reports of Sasquatch sightings stirring curiosity across Connecticut, this Halloween attraction may finally answer the question on everyone’s mind: Is there really a Bigfoot in the state? The Haunted Trolley, Connecticut’s most unique Halloween experience, returns to the Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River Street in East Haven, for its fifth consecutive year. This season, the trolley leaves traditional Halloween frights behind for an all-new, laugh-filled supernatural expedition: “IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH: CT BIGFOOT HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE.”

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After debuting as a curated high-concept experience blending storytelling, the paranormal, theater, and trolley travel—and later evolving into an on-board murder mystery and an alien-invasion adventure—The Haunted Trolley heads deep into Connecticut cryptid territory for 2026.

Guests will board an ancient trolley and join their hosts for a lively, interactive journey in search of the legendary creature. Every passenger will get the opportunity to meet a Sasquatch up close during this one-of-a-kind Halloween adventure.

Limited to just 40 passengers per ride, the experience begins with a pre-ride audio-visual orientation introducing the evening’s mystery. Guests then take part in an immersive 30–45-minute program featuring a Bigfoot encounter, theatrical thrills, Halloween atmosphere, audience participation, and plenty of comedy. Most importantly, the audience helps decide how the adventure unfolds.

This is not an indoor haunted house, an outdoor trail, a hayride, or a traditional scare attraction. There are no zombies, clowns, masked monsters, chainsaws, loud music, or actors screaming in guests’ ears. There is also no standing in line for hours. Instead, visitors can expect a memorable evening of fun, mystery, comedy, and an atmospheric trolley ride.

Performance Schedule
“IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH: CT BIGFOOT HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE” runs for 13 nights:

Friday, October 2: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 3: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Friday, October 9: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 10: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Friday, October 16: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 17: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Sunday, October 18: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m.
Friday, October 23: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 24: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Sunday, October 25: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m.
Friday, October 30: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 31 — Halloween: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Sunday, November 1: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m.

Tickets and Information
Advance admission is $29 per person. A limited number of $49 VIP upgrades are also available, including first boarding, priority seating aboard the trolley, and a complimentary souvenir logo shirt.

The 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. rides are designated as more family- and kid-friendly. All ages are welcome; however, guests under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets are available through https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/special-events/HalloweenSasquatch

Group rates are available for parties of more than 10 guests. School and group reservations may be arranged by calling 203-795-4737 or emailing HauntedTrolley@gmail.com.

The Haunted Trolley’s “IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH: CT BIGFOOT HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE” is produced by Charles F. Rosenay!!! and directed by Kristin Huffman, who appeared in the Tony Award-winning revival of Company and serves as Artistic Director of New Paradigm Theatre.

The event is sponsored by East Haven’s Transilvania Restaurant and Bar and Drac Tours.

The Shore Line Trolley Museum is a nonprofit organization located at 17 River Street in East Haven, Connecticut. Recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as the oldest continuously operated suburban trolley line in the United States, the museum’s trolley line and equipment are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For additional information, email hauntedtrolley@gmail.com or call 203-795-4737.

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