Category: Connecticut Travel

Join the American Museum of Tort Law located on 654 Main Street in Winsted on Thursday, December 6 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm for a fascinating special presentation by John Barylick, Esq. in the Leaders in Law Series.

Attorney, author and lecturer, John Barylick, won national prominence for representing victims, in the wrongful death and personal injury cases arising from the Station Nightclub fire, on February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island.

His work was instrumental in amassing $176 million in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. Said Barylick: “Most of the wrongdoing occurred long before the fire. It all came down to money. When no value is attributed to safety, disaster can happen.”

The Museum opens at 6:00p.m. for self-guided tours. The presentation begins at 7:00pm and includes: an Interview with Attorney Barylick; his Master Class; a Town Hall style Q/A. Following the presentation, Attorney Barylick will be signing copies of his book, KILLER SHOW: The Station Nightclub Fire, America’s Deadliest Rock Concert, in the Museum Gallery.

Suggestion donation is $20. Seating is limited. To reserve a seat, please email joan@tortmuseum.org or call 860-379-0505.

Litchfield Hills is dotted with many holiday fairs and festivals. For those that are looking for something really unusual, take a trip to the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut to shop for authentic Native American Arts and Crafts.

At the Institute’s annual Native American Holiday Arts and Crafts Market you will find a wide array of unusual holiday gifts from local Native American crafters. The Native American Holiday Arts and Crafts Market is taking place at the Institute on November 24 and 25, December 1 and 2, and December 8 and 9. This special Native American Holiday Market will be open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 noon to 5 p.m. The entrance to the Holiday Market is free!

Here you will find something truly unique for everyone from Native American jewelers, and artists that offer their creations at a variety of price points! A highlight of the Market is the chance to meet and buy directly from the artists while learning about contemporary Native American art, crafts, and cultures. Just some of the treasures to be found here are decorative gourds, pottery, jewelry, rattles, artwork, flutes, and much more!

Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club Lecture

If you are at the Holiday Market on December 2 and have an interest in archeology and Native American Culture you might want to pop into the Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club Lecture Series from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni, Associate Professor at UCONN and emeritus State Archaeologist, will be discussing his new book The Long Journey Home: The Repatriations of Henry ‘Opukah’ia and Albert Afraid of Hawk.

The book chronicles the repatriation of the remains of two Native men and the efforts of those involved in the process. Dr. Bellantoni will give a lively talk discussing his involvement in the project and the writing of his book. Copies of his book will be available in the gift shop for purchase and Dr. Bellantoni will be on hand after the lecture to answer questions and sign books.

About Institute For American Indian Studies

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonquian Village. Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.

The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans; the focus is on stewardship and preservation. This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

The Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut has planned a variety of events for November and December that will be fun for the entire family from learning about the Beaver Moon and joining the Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club for a lecture to shopping for authentic Native American Arts and Crafts at the Annual Holiday Market.

Beaver Moon Walk

November 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. is the perfect time to get outside and walk off some of that Thanksgiving Day Dinner with the staff of the Institute. On this walk, weather permitting guests will learn about the Beaver Moon, nighttime phenomena that people in the Eastern Woodlands have been experiencing for thousands of years.

The Beaver Moon that occurs only in November is more important than you think because it signals the start of winter and is the closest the moon gets to the Earth in its lunar cycle which is why it looks so full. Symbolic Native American full moon names offer a personality to each month. In November, Native Americans knew that beavers come into their fullness and would set traps for them early in the month.

The walk concludes with hot cider by the fire in the Institute’s replicated Algonquian Village. The cost of this walk is free for members of IAIS and $5 for nonmembers.

About Institute For American Indian Studies

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village. Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.

The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans; the focus is on stewardship and preservation. This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

Join Franklin Street Artworks on November 17 from 1 pm to 3 pm for a hands-on workshop with “False Flag” curator and artist, Jeff Ostergren.

In this workshop, Ostergren will explore the rich possibilities of Salvador Dalí’s famous “paranoiac-critical method,” in which Dalí would induce himself into a paranoid state to produce surrealist work. Ostergren will begin by explaining the method and looking at examples both historical and current. This will include looking at the contemporary moment in a way that will suggest that we are already often existing in a constant paranoiac-critical state. He will then walk participants through a series of guided exercises intended to induce participants into a paranoiac-critical state, ideal for producing related artworks. Materials used will include ink, collage, and digital photography. Whether you’ve never picked up a paintbrush or are an established artist, all are welcome for an afternoon that is guaranteed to be strange, humorous, and fun.

RSVPs are not necessary but they help us plan! RSVP: info@franklinstreetworks.org

VENUE PARKING:
There are 3-hour parking meters just outside the entrance to the gallery on Franklin Street that are free after 7 p.m., and 25 cents per 15 minutes before 7 p.m. There is a lot with an attendant on Franklin Street just a couple of doors down on the right side of the street (closer to Broad Street) from Franklin Street Works. Rates are variable. There are also a number of parking garages nearby. The nearest are:

Target
Entrance on Broad; $1 for the first 2 hours, then $2/hour, $11/day.

Summer Street Garage
Entrances on Lower Summer, Broad or Washington Blvd. Northbound;
$1/hour, $9/day, there is also an evening rate of $3/evening
Sat. & Sun. are free until 5pm.

ACCESSIBILITY:
Franklin Street Works has an ADA compliant, permanent ramp that can be accessed from Franklin Street and takes visitors to our back door downstairs. Please call Creative Director Terri C Smith’s cell at 203-253-0404 or email her at terri@franklinstreetworks.org so we can open the door for you from the inside. Once inside there is an elevator available. Bathrooms are large and clear but do not have access bars.

Dreaming of holiday shopping, strolling through a quaint New England village while sipping sparkling wine? Well, dream no more and come to Kent’s fourth annual Holiday Champagne Stroll. The Stroll is held Friday and Saturday, November 23 and 24, 2018. Pour times are from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm and shops stay open until 8:00 pm for late-night shopping.

Considered the benchmark for all holiday strolls, the town of Kent offers more than 30 shops, serving more than 30 champagnes and bubblies, and presenting more than 30 different promotions and sales. Kent has distinctive shops operated by the owners themselves. You can find everything from stylish clothing, teas and coffees, jewelry to books, birdhouses and outdoor apparel. Stop in at the Covered Wagon Country Store and step back in time.

You’ll find old-fashioned snacks and candies and nostalgic home goods in this cute and rustic shop. Black Sheep Yarns, named #1 yarn shop in the state by Connecticut Magazine, is having fabulous markdowns and Annie Bananie Ice Cream has the Stroll Selfie Station! Kent Greenhouse and Gardens will host a roaring fire pit and hot cider.

All shops are pouring champagnes, sparkling wines, hot ciders, and interesting non-alcoholic beverages. Strollers begin by visiting The Swift House, 12 Maple Street, or Kent Kitchen Works, 6 Kent Green Blvd., to check in and purchase a champagne flute and map to use as a guide for the evening.

The map divides the town into four zones. Visit at least three businesses in each zone: get your map stamped and your name will be entered into the drawing for one of three great bottles of champagnes: a Dom Perignon 2004 valued at over $200, a Tattinger Brut Française and a Roederer “Estate” vintage.

As the evening winds down, strollers are invited to stay and enjoy dinner at one of Kent’s great restaurants. The event coincides with Small Business Saturday, a marketing event campaign created by American Express, celebrating the small businesses that are the backbone of local economies.

Interested parties can register on-line. The ticket price is $22 for advanced registration. If you purchase your ticket at the door the price is $25. For more information, contact the Kent Chamber of Commerce, 860-592-0061

On Saturday, November 17 from 11 am to 12:30 pm the Wilton Historical Society is hosting a tinsmithing workshop for kids perfect for children 6-12 years old. 

According to the folks at Colonial Williamsburg “The trade of tinsmithing could be learned in one of two ways. First, a young boy could become an apprentice in an established tinsmith shop. Apprenticeships typically lasted for anywhere from four to six years. . . Commonly produced items included tin funnels, plates, cups, candle holders, lanterns, coffee pots, pails, whistles, bowls, canteens, chandeliers, and even tin “speaking trumpets,” a Colonial style of megaphone.

In this fun workshop, kids will make “tin” cookie cutters. The Museum Educator will talk about the history of tinsmiths and the important items they produced, including cookie cutters. Participants will use their very own cookie cutters when they make sugar cookies as a snack.

Tinsmithing Workshop is $10 per child for members with a maximum of $25 per family.  For  Non-members, the cost is $15 per child, with a maximum of $35 per family. Please register: info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257.

Did you know?

“A tinsmith is a skilled metal worker who manufactures objects out of tinplate. A major advantage of using sheets of tin-plated iron, as opposed to bare iron, is that tin does not rust. Over the centuries, many different names have been used to describe tin workers. In Colonial America, artisans who worked in tin were called either whitesmiths or tinners. By the 1860s, the title tinsmith had come into common usage.“  Excerpted from the website of Colonial Williamsburg