Month: September 2020

After five days of activities, the 38th annual Historic Festival came to an end after another spectacular September day. The event featured 184 drivers, almost exclusively from the Northeast, racing vintage cars that ranged from a 1928 Bugatti 37A to a 1993 Ralt-RT-41A. Nineteen different drivers topped the podium in 32 races.

More than 500 cars were on display during the Sunday in the Park Concours and Gathering of the Marques. We celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Datsun Z-Car with multiple years represented.

“Faced with COVID-19 our goal was to have a quality event that was safe. We allowed no spectators on the racing days because of concerns of a crowded paddock. On Sunday we felt it was safe to have limited spectators as the cars were displayed all around the track. We had half of the normal number of cars and restricted the crowd to about one-eighth of our capacity. Good racing, quality cars, happy and I believe safe participants,” said Skip Barber, Lime Rock Park President.

For full race results, click here and for more photos click here.

White Silo Farm located in the bucolic village of Sherman has organized some safe autumn fun for wine lovers. The tasting room is open and wine tastings are $10 per person and include a choice of four wines plus a taste of our Sangria. Visitors will be able to take home the vineyard’s wine glass that you used for your tasting. Glasses and bottles of wine may also be purchased to enjoy in the tasting room or on one of the outdoor terrace gardens. Of course, bottles may also be purchased to take home.

White Silo also offers cheese platters with homemade membrillo and mustard to enjoy with your wine. Gourmet picnic lunch boxes for $20 per person are available by advance reservation (24 hours’ notice required). The lunch box menu changes seasonally. Lunch boxes can include turkey and arugula with White Silo Mustard on 7-grain bread, Mediterranean quinoa salad, mini cheese plate, salted mixed nuts, and a chocolate caramel turtle bar. Please call the winery in advance to reserve lunch. Please do not bring your own food or beverages. In addition to picnic lunches, each weekend White Silo offers an assortment of cookies, scones, and pastries prepared by our chef. Come early Saturday and Sunday morning for a warm pastry and a cup of local organic Sacred Grounds coffee.

About White Silo
White Silo Farm is a small specialty winery. The wine is produced and bottled on premises from farm-grown fruit. In 1985, the family purchased a portion of the spectacular Upland Pastures dairy farm. Their intention was to continue the farming tradition and preserve the land for generations to come. They planted their first crop of raspberries, then blackberries and rhubarb. In 2000, they opened the winery. The dairy barn, built circa 1780. was renovated and converted to the wine tasting room and production area. In 2010, they planted their first grape vineyard and added additional grapevines in 2016.

Guests are invited to tour the original dairy barn where the winery is located. Visit the fermentation, bottling, and corking rooms. Walk the fields or relax in one of the outdoor gardens.

This year with social distancing in mind, the Institute for American Indian Studies is hosting its annual Founder’s Day clambake on Saturday, September 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the River Walk Pavilion, 11A School Street in Washington, Connecticut. This annual event held every September, honors the founders of the museum and celebrates Connecticut’s Indigenous people, and the bounty harvested from Connecticut’s waterways.

In addition to a delicious dinner of lobster, clams, corn, and potatoes, folks attending this year’s Founder’s Day clambake are in for a special treat – a riveting performance by the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers. Formed in 1963, this is the oldest resident Native American dance company in New York. The Thunderbirds are dedicated to keeping the traditions, songs, and dances of Native Americans alive that might otherwise have been lost.

Guests will be regaled with stories, dances, colorful costumes, traditional music, and chanting that celebrates the diversity of Native American culture from the Northeast, Southwest, and Great Plains regions. The Thunderbirds have toured across the United States, and in Japan, Canada, and Israel bringing a greater understanding of American Indian people through their performances.

If you plan to attend this festive celebration staff members will conduct a temperature and symptom check upon your arrival. Each table will be for family or friends only and all guests are required to wear masks in accordance with the State Executive order. There will be plenty of hand sanitizing stations, and restrooms and high touch areas will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

The cost of the clambake is $40 for members of the Institute and $50 for nonmembers. If you prefer to enjoy your clambake at home, the Institute is also offering curbside pick-up. All reservations must be made in advance. A special menu for children is also offered for $10. To reserve your tickets click https://www.eventbrite.com/e/founders-clambake-tickets-118518581267 The proceeds for this year’s annual clambake will go to the education department in order to support schools’ indigenous curriculum through the Institute’s newly developed remote learning programs.

About the Institute for American Indian Studies
Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

Litchfield’s White Memorial Foundation is offering a series of Virtual programs on September 4-6 that will be fun for the entire family. All the trails of the Foundation are open with the exception of the Little Pond Boardwalk. Trail maps can be purchased online or at the Campground Store. The Zoom programs are free but require pre-registration. If the program is full, head to the “CTWhiteMemorial” YouTube page or “The White Memorial Conservation Center” Facebook page, where it will be streaming live.

On Thursday, September 4 at 4 p.m. there will be a free read-aloud of the Giving Tree featuring a feathered friend, the foundation’s barred owl, with Carrie, the education director. The program will be hosted on zoom and will feature Shel Silverstein’s book, the Giving Tree. This is a wonderful story that should be passed down to our children and grandchildren. To register click here..

On Friday, September 5, join in the fun with a live virtual concert at 7 p.m. with the Zolla Boys, Live! Blue Grass wonders, local yokels, The Zolla Boys hit the Activity Shed for a one hour concert that will get your Labor Day weekend festivities off to a zesty start! To pre-register click here

If you enjoy meditation, then don’t miss a “deep dive into nature” with Marlow at 10 am. This os a guided meditation designed to support relaxation and restoration with Nature during these uncertain times. Shami offers practical tips in deepening your healing connection with the natural world here and now. Refresh yourself while reveling in the synergy we create in our group meditation. To pre-register .

Also on Saturday, September 5 at 2 p.m.learn about White Memorial Foundation through the seasons at 2 pm. This program pays tribute to Connecticut’s greatest land conservationists, Alain and May White. This brother and sister pair left their fingerprints all over Litchfield County beginning with our 4,000 acre sanctuary, but also in the gifts they bestowed upon the State of Connecticut: Kent Falls, Peoples State Forest, Macedonia State Park, Dean Ravine, and more! Sit back and enjoy breathtaking images from a variety of contributors depicting the extraordinary people, places, and things which make up this living masterpiece! To register click the link https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gnJNBSn6T0SNJ-r8XNGARQ