Author: Janet

The Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in the lovely town of Washington Connecticut located in the heart of the Litchfield Hills is offering a series of programs perfect for families to enjoy this June.

Food for Thought, a living history event is scheduled for June 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Foods were the center of many Native American celebrations and ceremonies The forests and rivers of New England provided a great variety of animals, fish, trees and plants. Tribes hunted, gathered, fished and engaged in horticulture. Today, Native Peoples retain that rich culture of traditional cuisine, some of which have become iconic of present-day Native American social gatherings Stop by between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to learn the various cook- ing techniques and sample traditionally dishes prepared onsite in our outdoor replicated village. This event is free of charge with museum entrance.

If you have discovered something during your spring cleaning, stop by the Institute on June 28 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. for Artifact Identification Day. Bring your local stone artifacts or American Indian cultural items to IAIS for iden- tification by IAIS Director of Research and Collections, Dr. Lucianne Lavin, a specialist in Eastern Woodland material culture. Limit 12 items per person please. This event is free with museum admission.

For more information about the Institute for American Indian Studies visit http://iaismuseum.org. For area information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

More than 150 artisans showing one-of-a-kind works of art in ceramics, jewelry, wearable art and other fine arts and fine crafts will be featured at the 3rd Annual Norwalk Art Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28, from 10 am to 5 pm, rain or shine. Juried exhibitors specializing in sculpture, wood, wearable and decorative fiber, metalwork, leather, painting, printmaking, glass, ceramics, and jewelry will share their unique talents at this nationally recognized event held in Mathews Park at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut. In addition to showing their work, the exhibiting artists will be available on site to share their artistic process with patrons. There will demonstrations, hands-on art projects and plenty complimentary art supplies available for inspired children and adults to enjoy throughout the weekend event.

The 3rd Annual Norwalk Art Festival also includes fun, educational activities for children and adults, international cuisine, and live music performances. Hands-on Art activities for all ages are offered free in the Art Workshop Area, and the Art Center and Museum’s will be open. Guided art tours and demonstrations will be scheduled throughout the weekend event. At 12 noon on June 27, Mayor Harry Rilling will be creating the first original work of art to officially open the 2015 Norwalk Art Festival.

Admission to the Norwalk Art Festival is free. The Center for Contemporary Printmaking will be open during Festival hours. Current exhibitions include the Miniature Print Show. The Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum will offer special discounted mini tours and Stepping Stones Children’s Museum will be open all weekend to enjoy.

Visitors are asked to park in Mathews Park or in the SoNo area. Mathews Park is located near exits 14N or 15S off I-95, turn west on West Ave. Mathews Park is also short walk from SoNo’s many parking lots and garages. Taking the waterfront stroll to Mathews Park you will enjoy Norwalk’s best views! For information, visit www.NorwalkArtFestival.org.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Enjoy a day with Dad and Granddad peeking under the hoods of the cars they remember from their youth at the Shelton Historical Society’s Vintage Vehicles Antique and Classic Car Show on Father’s Day, June 21. Two wheels or four, from Model T’s to muscle cars, there’s bound to be something that will trigger a memory from every visitor. This annual event will take place at Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Rd. from 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Past shows have featured everything from a 1928 Rolls Royce Phantom, to a restored rickshaw that was used as an ambulance in the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, to a 1911 wood paneled Model T. Nearly every decade of automotive history from the 20th century has been illustrated on the shaded grounds of the Shelton History Center with more recent muscle cars, Mustangs, and Army Jeeps joining many Ford Model A’s and T’s. All vehicle owners generously share information, their cars, and their hobby with the public with pride. Awards in five categories will be presented to crowd favorites.

Visitors will enjoy tours of the buildings at Shelton History Center, refreshments, and voting for their favorite vehicles. Admission is $1 for dads, $5/adults and $10/family. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs of the Shelton Historical Society, whose mission is to “preserve elements of the community’s history in order to create connections between Shelton’s past, present, and future generations through education, maintaining a museum with its collections, and providing a voice in the community regarding matters of historical significance.” For additional information including directions or rescheduling in the event of rain, please call (203) 925-1803, visit the website www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org

For area information www.visitwesternct.com

The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council is presenting the sixth annual Open Your Eyes Studio Tour on June 27 and 28, 2015 in the towns of Washington, Roxbury, Morris, and Bethlehem, CT. The 2015 tour will feature 27 artists and artisans who have their studios in Washington, Roxbury, Morris, and Bethlehem. Participating visual artists and artisans will open their creative spaces and show their processes to the public during the days of the tour. Free Ticket Packets can be ordered through the website and include a map, directions sheets, and convenient sign-in stickers.

Both the Studio Tour on June 27th & 28th and the Preview Party on June 13th are free to the public. This year’s tour artists include painters, photographers, sculptors, collage and multi-media artists, ceramicists, textile artists, jewelers, a mask maker, illustrators, metal and glass artists, and woodworkers. The artists and artisans are Linda West, Ann Harriet Carew, Peter Wooster, Georgette Miller, Katie Re Scheidt, Joan Stracks, Laura Evans, Judy Jackson, Carol Brightman Johnson, Missy Stevens, Will Talbot, Kezia Hearn, Zeb Mayer, Sebastian Tillinger, Charles Raskob Robinson, Larry Livolsi, Markis Tomascak, Tyler Farmen, Betsey Roger-Knox, Andrew Peklo III, Larry Hunt, Matang Gonzales, Steve Eazarsky, Pat Keegan, Steinen Hurtado, Linda Boston, and Robert Crawford.

The Tour Preview Party will be held on Saturday, June 13 from 4-6 pm at Washington Town Hall and will be the only time the Tour artists will all be in the same location at once with samples of their work. Attendance is free, donations welcome, and information about the party is available on the event website.

For more information http://www.openyoureyestour.org. For additional area information on the Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

Danbury Railway Museum is pleased to be the host venue for the Steel & Wheels car show to benefit the Women’s Center of Danbury. The fun will
begin at 9:00am and end at 3:00pm on Saturday, June 13 (rain date: Sunday, June 14). General admission is $10 ages 5 and older (under 5, free) and
includes admission to the museum, train rides, and the car show. Trains will begin running hourly at 10:30 with the last train departing at 3:30; the museum itself will close at 5:00.

The car show is expected to attract many classic and unusual cars with the first 100 entries receiving goodie bags and dash plaques. A People’s Choice trophy is among a number of special awards to be given out. There will be live music and a DJ, a model car display, food, ice cream, and other surprises. Visitors are encouraged participate in special raffles to benefit the Women’s Center of Danbury: a 50/50 raffle and a traditional raffle with three great prizes.

The museum’s Rail Yard Local will be operating — a short trip on a vintage train pulled by a 63 year old locomotive, with locomotive cab rides also available. In addition, the historic New Haven RR’s Cedar Hill forge is expected to be operating with a blacksmith making various items, and train riders will have an opportunity to take a spin on the operating turntable, followed by a tour of the water tower pump house.

In the Danbury museum building, visitors can explore railroad history exhibits, operating electric train layouts, static model displays of the station and railyard, many one-of-a-kind artifacts of railroading history, a wonderful gift shop, a coloring table, and many other items of interest. Outside in the historic railyard, guests will find numerous walk-through exhibits, and a vast assortment of train cars and locomotives – many that ran in Danbury during its railroading heyday.

The Danbury Railway Museum is a non-profit organization, staffed solely by volunteers, and is dedicated to the preservation of, and education about, railroad history. The museum is located in the restored 1903 Danbury Station and rail yard at 120 White Street, Danbury, CT. For further information, visit the Web site at http://www.danburyrail.org, email info@danburyrail.org, or call the museum at 203-778-8337.