Month: September 2016

On September 23 something sweet is going on in Thomaston Connecticut at the Railroad Museum of New England located on 242 East Main Street. Haight Brown Vineyard, Fascia’s Chocolates and the Railroad Museum of New England have teamed up and are offering the “Chocolate Decadence Sunset Tour” that is a sure way to indulge in locally made wine and chocolate. This event promises to be an unforgettable experience, because the only other place in the world where you can take a “chocolate” train is in Switzerland.

The event kicks off at 6 p.m. at the Thomaston Station off of Rte. 6 with a reception featuring hor d”oeurves, live music, wine and even wine tastings. The train departs the station at 7:15 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m. there will be a bubbly toast on the face of the scenic Thomaston Dam. Don’t forget to bring your camera or cell phone for photo opportunities.

The trip continues as you pass lovely scenery while savoring fine wines from Haight Vineyard, Connecticut’s first farm winery and chocolates from Fascia’s, a chocolate company in Waterbury that has been making delectable chocolates for more than 50 years.
At 8 p.m. guests arrive for a private tour of Fascia’s Chocolate Company. A visit to Fascia’s gives you the chance to see how these delicacies are made, take a tour, taste treats, even try your hand at making your own custom bar of chocolates, and of course, load up on freshly made chocolates at the factory store. A freshly baked chocolate lava cake will also be served.

Guests depart Fascia’s Chocolate Company at 9:15 and arrive back at the Thomaston Station at 9:30 p.m. The ticket price is $75 per person and includes a scenic train ride, wine, hor d’ oeurves, Fascia’s chocolates, your very own custom bar of chocolate, and dessert.

To reserve your ticket visit http://www.rmne.org. For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

The award winning museum, Institute for American Indian Studies located in Washington Connecticut is hosting a Earth and Sea Clambake and Drumming fundraiser on September 17 at the River Walk Pavilion, 11a School Street in Washington Depot from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Participants of this event are invited to savor indigenous foods traditionally enjoyed by Native Americans such as: lobster, clams, corn, and potatoes amid a festive atmosphere.

A highlight of this event is the music and dances performed by Thunderbird American Indian Dancers. The troupe was founded in 1963 by a group of ten Native American men and women descended from Mohawk, Hopi, Winnebago and San Blas tribes. They founded the troupe to keep alive the traditions, songs, and dances they had learned from their parents, and added to their repertoire from other Native Americans living in New York and some who passed through.

Don’t forget to bring your own beverages, drums and rattles to join the fun. Reservations and prepayment to attend this event is required by September 13th.

The cost is $50 for adults; $40 IAIS members; and $10 Children 12 & under (hot dogs, chips & lemonade).

For more information about the Institute for American Indian Studies visit their website for a list of ongoing programs and events. For more area information on what to see and do and where to go www.visitlitchfieldhills.com

The Mattatuck Museum located on 144 West Main Street is hosting three different exhibitions highlighting a variety of sculptures from dry wall reliefs and Arabic abstractions to a series of paintings.

The first exhibit that runs from September 9 through October 23 and is called The Geometry of Passio. It is the work of Arthur Carter. Carter’s abstract sculptures allude to human gestures and interactions and often reflect his interest in mathematics, graphic design and minimalism. Newspaper work instigated the shift to art-making. For Carter, the process of laying-out and designing newspaper pages generated an interest in graphics. He moved from the two-dimensional printed page to three-dimensions using stainless steel, a material that had been familiar to him since his days at Officer Candidate School where he learned welding. This exhibition will feature Carter’s sculptures, paintings, and works on paper. There is a reception with the artist on Friday, September 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A second show, also on display from September 9 – October 23 is called A State of Strain and is the work of Ryan Roa. This exhibition features sculptural installations in multiple locations throughout the museum. In addition to his Space Drawings (created by stretching industrial bungee cords to capacity), the exhibit includes Roa’s steel mesh floor sculptures, dry-wall relief sculptures, charcoal drawings and a light show in the storefront located across the Green from the Museum. There is a reception with the artist on Friday, September 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Rigorous and Surprising, the Art of Steven Naifeh begins on September 15 and runs through November 6 with a reception on September 25 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. In painting and sculpture, Steven Naifeh explores the affinity between the geometric abstraction of Western art and the millennium-old tradition of Arab and Islamic abstraction. The 15 large-scale works in this exhibition reflect the many shared influences between them. Naifeh typically works in series, several of which are represented here. In some, the geometric form remains constant while scale and color change. Colors run a beautiful rainbow of jewel tones – gemstones and precious metals. Sometimes Naifeh translates his paintings into limestone sculptures. All offer rich ideas for exploration: formal beauty, the nature of abstraction and the intersection of mathematics and art.

For more information on the Mattatuck Museum and for a list of programs and events visit the website at http://www.mattatuckmuseum.org

The Ives Concert Park located on 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury Connecticut is hosting a fabulous event, Music Fest America on September 10 featuring Bela Fleck and Chris Thile. Music Fest America will celebrate our nation’s musical traditions, presenting free performances from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on two stages at Ives Concert Park. Appearing will be Six String Soldiers and some of Connecticut’s best bluegrass, jazz, folk, roots, gospel and classical artists. After a brief intermission, the Ives gates will re-open for paid ticket-holders at 6 p.m. for an evening of unforgettable music from Bela Fleck and Chris Thile on the Ives gazebo stage.

Just in case you aren’t familiar with Béla Fleck, there are some who say he’s the premier banjo player in the world. The 15-time Grammy Award winner has been nominated in more categories than any other artist in Grammy history, and remains a powerfully creative force globally in bluegrass, jazz, classical pop, rock and world beat. He performs, in banjo duet with Abigail Washburn, and back to bluegrass with his old friends Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Bryan Sutton and – with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, who continue to perform together 25 years after the band’s inception. And now, for the first time… with Chris Thile!

Multiple Grammy Award-winner and MacArthur Fellow Chris Thile, a member of Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, is a mandolin virtuoso, composer and vocalist. With his broad outlook that encompasses classical, rock, jazz, and bluegrass, Thile transcends the borders of conventionally circumscribed genres, creating a distinctly American canon and a new musical aesthetic for performers and audiences alike. Thile’s talents also shine on the beloved public radio show “A Prairie Home Companion,” where he will be taking over as host from the legendary Garrison Keillor this October.

For more information and a complete schedule www.ivesconcertpark.com and for more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Sunny Valley Preserve located on 8 Sunny Valley Lane in New Milford was founded in 1970 when George D. Pratt Jr. donated multiple parcels of agricultural and natural lands to The Nature Conservancy. One condition of Pratt’s gift is that the farms be kept in agriculture as long as possible. Today, about 650 acres of the preserve are in active agriculture. The farms, leased by independent farmers, are privately-operated businesses. Farmers at the preserve grow diverse crops and sell most products locally, providing locally-grown food and enhancing the local economy.

This year, will be the 24th year that Sunny Valley Preserve celebrates Open Farm Day on September 10 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors are invited to celebrate Connecticut’s farming and conservation heritage and share in a wonderful sense of community.
There will be many interesting demonstrations including celebrate Connecticut’s farming and conservation heritage and share in a wonderful sense of community wool-spinning and maple-syrup making. Visitors are invited to wander through informational displays including nature displays by the Pratt Center and inspect the antique and new farm equipment.

Kids will enjoy the petting zoo where they can meet some gentle farm animals, including Oreo a Belted-Galloway and Bruno, an African Spur-Thighed Tortoise and his friends from The Pratt Nature Center.

This festive event also offers a delicious lunch that has included: pumpkin soup, fresh veggie burritos, hamburgers and hot dogs along with fresh baked cookies prepared and served by the New Milford Youth Agency. After lunch kids can play a few games and paint a pumpkin! And, before you go home, make sure to stop at the farm stand to purchase fresh produce to take home.

Open Farm Day is rain or shine event. More information is available at www.nature.org/sunnyvalley or by calling the preserve at (860) 355-3716. For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Fun for families and friends from nine to ninety, the 39th annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival will be held this year on Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 11. This year’s entertainment highlights include music from nationally known-bands including Sawyer Fredericks at 4 p.m. and Funky dawgz Brass Band at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Festival goers will enjoy a wide variety of rides, cooking competitions, arts and crafts and a diverse assortment of attractions and entertainment that promise unforgettable fun.

A festival favorite will feature the action packed Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show that will feature world champion lumberjacks demonstrating their log rolling, axe throwing, chopping, sawing, tree climbing and dragster chainsaw skills. This show will take place on Saturday and Sunday. There is also a 65 – ft Gondola Ferris wheel, the Nerveless Nocks Thrill Show, and more.
The New England Seaport Village offers demonstrations, samples and displays and, the International Food Court offers a diverse selection of dining choices to add to the fun. Harbor tours are a highlight of this event.

For the Kids

The festival’s Kids Cove will wow children of all ages. The Kids’ Cove includes games, rides and entertainment. Sunday is Family Day with special family and children’s packages for entrance, rides and meals. The perk of family day on Sunday is that one child under 12 gets in free with each adult paid admission and for a mere $15 can ride all the amusement rides free from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. To round out the family fun there will be special live shows for kids on the festival’s main stage plus kids’ specials at many of the food booths.

For the Whole Family

The festival offers a wide array of attractions the whole family will enjoy, including continuous entertainment by local musicians and national acts. A multitude of fine artists and crafters display whimsical as well as practical items that appeal to all tastes, budgets and ages. For on the water fun, head to the festival docks to tour historic vessels and to cruise the scenic and historic Norwalk Harbor.

Food demonstrations and competitions, including the always-popular chowder and chili cook-offs will take place throughout the festival. A highlight of the Festival is the wide variety of great food from around the world that is available at the International Food Court. This culinary fare is prepared by dozens of local nonprofit organizations allowing them to raise vital funds for their charitable causes. At the Oyster Pavilion, learn about Norwalk’s oystering history while watching slurping and shucking contests. The celebrity Slurpoff will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. in front of Oyster Pavilion.

The event is held at Veteran’s Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday. Senior tickets are $10 all days. Children 5-12 year’s old are $5. Children under 5 and U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. Sunday is Family Day with special pricing on that day only — 1 child (age 5-12) free with each paid adult admission. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.seaport.org. Free Parking and Free Shuttle Bus service is provided from four (4) local parking lots, just follow the signs to Oyster Festival Parking. Festival hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Save on Metro-North Railroad/Norwalk Oyster Festival Tickets
Festival goers can save on admission and rail fare when they purchase the Metro-North Railroad/Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival discount package. Packages are available at all ticket offices and ticket machines (except South Norwalk Station). On sale starting July 15. Package price from GCT/Harlem-125th Street: Adults, $27; Seniors, persons with disabilities and individuals receiving Medicare, $21; Children 12, $22; Children 5-11, $5; Children under 5, free. There is also other pricing from other stations. For more information visit Metro North online.

For additional area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com