Category: Connecticut Travel

Docktails & Oysters @ Norwalk’s Norm Bloom & Sons A Special Event Hosted by the Seaport Association

Who doesn’t enjoy hors d’ouves, cocktails, and oysters on the dock? It is a veritable summer tradition in Norwalk and one that the Seaport Association has embraced. Back by popular demand, Docktails & Oysters is the Seaport Association’s signature event on the dock at Norm Bloom and Son, a fourth-generation oyster farm in Norwalk. This seaside, fun-filled event for gourmands is taking place on Saturday, June 4, 2022, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

This Luau-inspired party will get you in an “aloha state of mind” as you see folks in brightly colored Hawaiian shirts, listening to live beach music, sipping cocktails, and slurping the freshest oysters you will ever taste! “It’s a chance for folks to get to know what the Seaport Association does, have a little fun, and experience an authentic oyster farm,” said Mike Reilly, President of the Seaport Association.

If you have never had oysters, literally fresh off the boat this is an unforgettable opportunity to eat your fill of them – our advice is to come hungry! It’s fun to watch the pros shuck the oysters before your eyes (they make it look so easy) and set them on trays with lemons and an assortment of sauces. In addition to the unlimited clam and oyster bar, this Luau-themed event also offers passed and tabled appetizers such as citrus grilled shrimp, house-smoked pork sliders, and blackened swordfish tacos with pineapple salsa, vegetable spring rolls, and black bean and corn salad, in keeping with the island vibe.

An added bonus is the opportunity to explore the dock at Norm Bloom Oysters and Son, one of the few remaining traditional oyster farms in the United States to learn how oysters are grown and harvested. The oysters are incubated under the dock and, when they are big enough, they are “planted” on the sandy bottom of the Sound that surrounds you. The result of this time-consuming and meticulous process is some of the best oysters you will ever taste. Norwalk oysters are prized worldwide and known for their sweet briny flavor and plump meats.

Tickets to this event are limited and are $75 online and $85 @ the door. For more information and to get your tickets http://www.seaport.org, if you have questions, call 203-838-9444.

About the Norwalk Seaport Association

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for the environment and how the preservation of historic buildings contributes to our quality of life. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment, and our maritime heritage.

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Norwalk’s Sheffield Island Gets Ready For Summer 2022

Sheffield Island Lighthouse located off the coast of Norwalk has been renovated and maintained by the volunteers of the Seaport Association since 1978 so that summer visitors taking the Association’s ferry to the island can enjoy its’ unspoiled natural beauty. The outing to Sheffield Island is one of the most popular activities in Connecticut, not only because of the thrill of being out on the water but also for the chance to tour a historic lighthouse on the National Register and, explore a private island.

Expect a warm welcome on Sheffield Island

Seeing how beautifully maintained the island is, it begs the question, what goes into opening Sheffield Island for the season? The short answer is a lot! Linda Cappello, a long-time Trustee on the Executive Board has taken on the task of putting together a team of volunteers that get Sheffield Island ready for summer guests that take the Seaport’s ferry to it. “The first thing I do is visit the island prior to putting together a work party to see how the island and lighthouse have weathered the winter. I have to access if there are any particular concerns that need to be addressed in addition to the routine tasks that have to be accomplished each year before we open,” Cappello said. “I inspect the interior and exterior of the lighthouse and grounds to determine what tasks need immediate attention, as well as those that require eventual attention.”

On the initial trip to the Island, the work party spends about five hours cleaning the place up. Tasks like cutting up fallen limbs, painting picnic tables, cutting down all seagrass, and weeding the pathways are just some of the many things to do. Lighthouse tasks are a bit more challenging. All the windows, that were boarded up have to be uncovered, the gutters and downspouts have to be cleaned and checked for damage, the tower has to be checked, the lighthouse rooms have to be cleaned, and the furniture and displays polished and set -up for the season. The work party, consisting of 20 to 25 volunteers will go out to the island several times before Memorial Day Weekend in order to make sure everything is in tip-top shape.

Cleaning up the Brick Memorial Walkway in Front of the Lighthouse

When asked, why she organizes this seasonal pilgrimage, Cappello says, “It is my passion. I have cruised the waters of Long Island Sound and the Norwalk Islands for as long as I can remember. My father introduced me to the Sound when I was a child, and I have loved it ever since! If I could live on the Island I would! As for our volunteers, and we always welcome the help, just contact us. I think it offers them a unique opportunity for a good cause, especially if they have a love for Norwalk’s maritime history and Long Island Sound,” Cappello concluded. The work of course doesn’t end there. Throughout the summer season, the lighthouse has to be cleaned, the grass has to be mowed, and the shells along the pathways have to be maintained, along with a myriad of other tasks to keep Sheffield Island and Lighthouse welcoming for visitors.

This year, the Seaport Association is offering a sunset cruise on Thursday, May 26, Friday, May 27, Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. A cruise to Sheffield Island is scheduled for Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Special bird cruises departing at 8 a.m. are scheduled for Sunday, May 15, and Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29. Beginning in June sunset cruises will run from Wednesday to Sunday and three-hour cruises to Sheffield Island and Lighthouse will run on Saturday and Sunday. Starting June 28, cruises to Sheffield Island will run twice a day, Tuesday – Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The vessel does not offer cruises on Mondays. For tickets and more information http://seaport.org.

Passengers are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. The vessel leaves from the Seaport Dock on 4 North Water Street in Norwalk. The dock is adjacent to the Stroffolino Bridge at the corner of Washington and Water Streets in South Norwalk. Parking is available at the adjacent lot or at the Maritime Center Parking Garage across the street from the dock. Tickets are available online in advance by clicking here.

Getting ready to welcome summer visitors

About the Norwalk Seaport Association
The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for the environment and how the preservation of historic buildings contributes to our quality of life. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment, and our maritime heritage.

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Tea Party @ Woodbury’s Historic Glebe House Museum June 15

The May Tea High Tea at the Glebe House Museum and Gertrude Jeykll Garden on Hollow Road in Woodbury is perfect for gourmands that enjoy delicious goodies, a spot of tea in a beautiful garden, or inside this wonderfully preserved historic house museum that dates to the 1600s. The May Tea @ The Glebe House is a high-style afternoon tea on Sunday, May 15 (with a rain date of May 22) from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

In order to make everyone comfortable, guests have an option of where they want to sit. It is not an easy choice. Guests can choose between sitting in the fresh air in the famous Jeykll Garden, the only one in existence in the United States, or in one of the most historic and authentically appointed house museums in New England. Harney and Sons Teas will be served with a fine haberdashery of delightful bites, sweets, sandwiches, and other goodies.

In the 19th-century drinking tea was only enjoyed by the upper echelons of society. High tea originated in 1840 with the Duchess of Bedford that shared her guilty pleasure of enjoying tea and snacks a few hours before dinner, with a friend, that told a friend, setting a trend that would evolve to become a national tradition in the United Kingdom.

Today, of course, tea can be enjoyed by everyone, but high tea is something special, perhaps a nod to when things were not so complicated. The afternoon tea party has been a spring signature event of the Glebe House for several years and has grown in popularity every year. This particular event is especially meaningful at the Glebe House because it relates to its connection to British horticulture and church history.

Advanced tickets and registration is required. Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased here. All proceeds go to the maintenance and restoration of this historic Connecticut gem.

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Blocks of Hope and Healing Participate in a Community Quilting Project Institute for American Indian Studies

The Institute for American Indian Studies has just announced a new quilting project for the month of May called “Blocks of Hope and Healing.” This community-quilting project is a way to support and bring attention to the MMIWG2S epidemic. MMIWG2S is an abbreviation for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2-Spirit People, respectively.

Quilting serves as a testament to heritage and history, with each piece offering encouragement and solace. Quilts connect us to the world around us and are often symbolic of hope and comfort by providing physical and emotional warmth. The concept of this community-made quilt will be used to honor and remember the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2- Spirit People.

The Institute is inviting the public to become part of this important global movement by participating in two Quilt Workshops on Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 22 @ 11 a.m. that will be conducted by Education Director, Director Darlene Kascak (Schaghticoke Tribal Nation). If you don’t have much experience sewing, no worries, Kascak, will be there to walk you through the process. If you don’t complete your quilt package during the workshop, you can complete it in the comfort of your own home as long as you return it to the Institute by Wednesday, June 1, 2022.

All participants in this project are asked to make a $25 donation to the National Indigenous Women’s Rights Council (NIWRC). The Institute will give all participants a quilt block packet, complete with all necessary materials and instructions for creating your section of the community quilt. Please call (860) 868-0518 or email events@iaismuseum.org to reserve your section on this community quilt, sign up for one of the quilting workshops, or if you have any questions about this initiative.
Donations to NIWRC can be made at the following link: https://www.niwrc.org/donate.

About MMIWG2S
MMIWG2S refers to initiatives intended to address the ongoing violence and continued genocide of women, girls, and Two-Spirits. Each year thousands of Native American women and children go missing or are found murdered in the United States and Canada. Gaps in data make the true scope difficult to estimate, but some sources suggest that the total number of cases may approach 10,000.

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 a 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.

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BLESSING OF THE BIKES BRINGS MOTORCYCLISTS AND FANS TO THE LITCHFIELD HILLS

The chrome is being shined up, the leather polished to a burnished glow. Motorcyclists from near and far are revving up their bikes for a unique event, the Blessing of the Motorcycles at the scenic Shrine of Lourdes in Litchfield, Route 118, outside Litchfield, Connecticut at 2 p.m. on May 15, 2022.

Over 500 people are expected for the 44th Annual “Blessing” conducted by the Montfort Missionaries. The setting will be dramatic. The shrine, constructed of local fieldstone in a natural rock ledge, was modeled after the famed grotto in Lourdes, France, where the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared in 1858. Thousands of pilgrims have come to worship at the Connecticut Lourdes since it opened in 1958. Public devotions are held every Sunday from May to October.

The blessings began as a way to promote safety on the road and improve the image of motorcyclists. Each rider present on May 15th and his or her vehicle will be individually blessed along with anyone else who wishes a blessing, motorcyclist or not. Spectators will have a chance to admire a variety of gleaming machines, Harleys to Yamahas, Suzukis to Hondas, to examine their high-tech trappings, and talk to the drivers.

About Lourdes in Litchfield
The grounds are open from dawn to dusk and Mass is celebrated Tuesday to Sunday at 11:30am in the Grotto or in the Grotto Chapel in the event of inclement weather. During the open season, May to October, Marian Prayer, Rosary, and Benediction are offered Sundays at 3:00 pm. Groups are welcome by calling in advance, at 860-567-1041, to schedule specific dates. Located on the grounds of the Shrine are the Grotto Gift Shop and the Grotto Cafe. The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 and to 4:30 and from 12:30 pm (after Mass) to 4:30 on Sunday. The Cafe is open Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Come and experience the peace and tranquility the Shrine offers to all visitors. For further information, visit www.shrinect.org or email: lourdesshrinect@gmail.

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Seabird Safari on Long Island Sound with the Seaport Association

New this year, the Norwalk Seaport Association has just announced that they will be starting their popular bird cruises on Sunday, May 1 and May 15, and on Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29th from 8 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Regardless of whether you are a veteran bird enthusiast or a beginner, this on the water avian adventure will give your birding routine a new perspective. This cruise is ideal for adults as well as children because it gives participants a sense of connection with the beauty of Long Island Sound resulting in the joyful feeling of being ‘one with nature.’

As the old saying goes, the early bird catches the worm, which is why many bird enthusiasts head outdoors in the early morning. With this in mind, the Seaport Association’s Bird Cruise will leave the dock on 4 North Water Street in Norwalk at 8 a.m. “Birds sleep at night and are hungry in the morning, so they have to go out and eat,” says Will Schneck, a passionate bird enthusiast that will be leading the cruise. “We are leaving at 8 a.m. because this is the time of day when birds are most active, particularly in the spring and early summer. Just like humans have daily schedules, birds also have daily patterns for feeding, roosting, and other activities.”

On this guided tour with Schneck, a member of the esteemed Connecticut Young Birders Club, passengers will learn about local bird behavior and biology and, most importantly how to spot them. Every cruise is different because you never know what bird species might fly your way, making this excursion an adventure in itself! A highlight of this eco-styled bird cruise is the chance to spot birds close up in their natural habitat in a way, you would never see from shore. Among the types of birds, you may see on this eco-adventure cruise are nest sites and nest colonies of ospreys, and long-legged egrets with their graceful S-curved necks and long dagger-like bills, as well as playful American oystercatchers, herons, terns, gulls, and cormorants to name a few.

A special feature of this cruise is the chance to spot birds at the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge on Sheffield Island. Here you will see a variety of habitats that support nesting and wading birds. This spot is known for its small population of herring and great black-backed gulls that nest along Sheffield Island’s rocky shoreline. The importance of the Norwalk Islands to wildlife, especially migratory birds is enormous, and the special Bird Cruises hosted by the Norwalk Seaport Association give nature enthusiasts the chance to spot these magnificent seabirds up close with the added benefit of a knowledgeable guide.

Bird Cruise Details
Passengers are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to the 8 a.m. departure. The vessel leaves from the Seaport Dock that is adjacent to the Stroffolino Bridge at the corner of Washington and Water Streets in South Norwalk. Parking is available at the adjacent lot or at the Maritime Center Parking Garage. Tickets are available online in advance HTTP://www.seaport.org , tickets are $25 for children and $30 for adults. The Seaport Association advises reserving your Bird Cruise early because these popular excursions sell out. Make sure you include your email when reserving your ticket. If the tour is canceled due to inclement weather the Norwalk Seaport Association will contact you via your email.

Before embarking on this cruise, be sure to pack sunscreen, your camera, binoculars, water and snacks, and your sense of adventure!

About the Norwalk Seaport Association

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for the environment and how the preservation of historic buildings contributes to our quality of life. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment, and our maritime heritage.

JanetLeave a comment