Category: Connecticut Travel

The new Canaan Historical Society is hosting an exhibit, Women of Waveny: Artists, Patrons, and the Lapham Legacy that runs through March 31, 2022. Don’t miss this fabulous exhibition! Curated by Arianne Kolb and Micaela Porta, the show features bronze sculptures by Abastenia St. Leger Eberle and photographs by Francis Benjamin Johnston, and tells the stories of these artists and advocates, along with the stories of Antoinette Dearborn Lapham, Ruth Lapham Lloyd, and Elise Lapham. An audio tour is available. To view the video tour, click HERE.

Arianne will lead a guided gallery tour on Wednesday, February 2 @ 11 am. Other dates are Sunday, February 13 @ 3 pm, and Thursday, March 24 @ 7 pm. Come hear more about these extraordinary women whose impact was felt far beyond the borders of New Canaan.

Also please mark your calendars for two fascinating lectures:

Dr. Thayer Tolles, Curator of American Painting and Sculpture at the MET, will speak via zoom on February 9 @ 7 pm – “Abastenia St. Leger Eberle in Context: American Women Sculptors 1900-1940.” This lecture will examine the career of Abastenia St. Leger Eberle, sculptor of Waveny’s Lotus Fountain (1918), in the context of other early twentieth-century American women sculptors, as well as the contemporaneous popularity of small bronze sculpture for the home and garden. This presentation is made possible due to a generous gift from the New Canaan Artisans. To register for this talk, click HERE.

Dr. Kara Charles Felt, Curator and Art Historian, will speak on March 3 @ 7 pm -“What a Woman Can Do with a Camera: Frances Benjamin Johnston and her Contemporaries.”

This year marks the 96th anniversary of Salisbury Connecticut’s ski jumping tradition. It all started in 1924 when Salisbury resident, John Satre, a well-known ski jumper in his native country of Norway, created the Salisbury Outing Club that held the first ski jump competition in Salisbury, in January of 1927, that drew a crowd of two-hundred spectators. The Salisbury Outing Club eventually evolved into the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) that has continued to host the highly anticipated annual ski jumping competition called JumpFest that draws jumpers and spectators from all over the East Coast.

In 2022, spectators are in for a special treat that only takes place every ten years or so. This year, the Salisbury Winter Sports Association is not only hosting JumpFest, and the U.S. Eastern Division Ski Jumping Championships; on February 11-13, they are also hosting the U.S. Junior Nationals Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined on February 22-26. This will give spectators the chance to watch ski jumpers participating in the Eastern Division, on Sunday, February 13, and then later in the month cheer on our Eastern Regional winners at the U.S. Junior Nationals. “We are so excited to be able to host not one but two in-person events this winter. We want to give spectators an up-close sense of what Olympic-style competition is all about, and how hard these jumpers train. We hope it provides people with the chance to get out and enjoy the great outdoors while cheering on our Eastern Regional winners at the U.S. National Championship, right here in Salisbury, Connecticut. Many of these jumpers are Olympic hopefuls so it is like getting a two–time sneak peek at the up-and-coming Olympians that we usually watch on TV. There is nothing more exhilarating than watching it live and in-person as these jumpers travel up to 200 feet through the air at more than fifty miles an hour,” said Willie Hallihan, a long-time Director of the Salisbury Winter Sports Association.

JumpFest offers so many exciting competitions to watch including warm-up and target jumping, junior jumpers, and the expert jumpers participating in Sunday’s highly anticipated Eastern U.S. Ski Jumping Championships. Part of the fun is ringing your cowbell to cheer on your favorites and guessing who is the fastest — and highest jumper in real-time – and, wondering if the 231-foot record will be broken!

Even more fun awaits spectators this year at JumpFest with the unique Human Dogsled Race being held on Friday night, February 11, after a hiatus last year due to Covid-19. The Human Dog Sled Race taking place after the Target Jumpers on Friday Night consists of six people, five pulling, and one rider. It is so much fun to watch these colorful sleds and costumed teams race against one another! The teams compete in timed, two-teamed races, and the two fastest times in the mens, womens, and mixed categories run a second race. Trophies are awarded to the three fastest teams in each category. There is also a people’s choice trophy for the most unusual sled and costumes.

And, if you work up an appetite, no worries, the Cook Shack offers a range of burgers, dogs, hot chocolate, and more, and the Low N Slow Food Truck serves BBQ and authentic Poutine all three days. There will also be a wine tent, a hot toddy tent, and the Great Falls Brewing Company’s beer tent.

At this in-person outside winter event, there is plenty of room to social distance and still have an excellent view of the ski jumps. Tickets will be available at the gate and are $15 for adults on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Kids 12 and under are free all three days. The ski jump complex is located at Satre Hill on Indian Cave Road in Salisbury. Before setting out check www.jumpfest.org for updates, scheduled changes, or more information or email the Association at info@jumpfest.org. The Salisbury Winter Sports Association is complying with all State COVID-19 regulations to keep spectators and athletes safe.

ABOUT SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOCIATION
The mission of the Salisbury Winter Sports Association is to acquaint the public with Nordic ski-jumping, cross–country, and Alpine skiing, and to teach the skills necessary for their enjoyment. One way of fulfilling this mission is to host the annual Jumpfest Competition on Satre Hill to sustain and ski jumping in Salisbury, Connecticut, and the Eastern United States.

Festival Schedule
There are only half a dozen ski jump facilities on the East Coast, with Satre Hill in Salisbury being the southernmost location. Some of the best athletes will be here competing in JumpFest, an event that has launched many Olympians including three of the four men that participated at Sochi.

Friday, February 11, 2022
JumpFest kicks off on Friday, February 11 at 6 p.m. with practice jumps. Target Jumping under the lights begins at 7 p.m. Two large bonfires and warm food and beverages will be available for purchase from a variety of food trucks.

The popular Human Dog Sled Race will take place after the target jumps are completed.

Saturday, February 12, 2022
On Saturday morning, February 12, things warm up with the Junior Jumpers from Lake Placid, New York, and other Eastern locations competing on 20 to 30-meter hills. The action kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with these youngsters showing off their strength, skill, and conditioning that makes them fly effortlessly through the air. Medals will be awarded on the hill.

The real action of the day starts at 11 a.m. with warm-up jumps. These competitors are the best of the best in the Eastern Division. The competition begins at 1 p.m. This event is thrilling to watch as these expert flyers go from 0 to 50 miles an hour in seconds and seem to defy gravity with runs up to 70 plus meters.

Sunday, February 13, 2022
The highly anticipated Eastern U.S. Ski Jumping Championships on Sunday, February 13th begins with practice jumps that run from 11 a.m. through noon. The long-awaited annual competition starts at 1 pm. At this event, there are often Olympic hopefuls competing. These expert jumpers seem fearless as they display the tremendous coordination, skill, balance, and strength that it takes to soar so far and so high in the air and to land smoothly. If you want to find some of the bravest athletes in sports just stand at the bottom of a ski jump and watch them soar through the sky. It is exhilarating.

Even the most sedentary spectators will appreciate the extraordinary coordination and skill required to make a jump! After all, most jumpers tell you that it is the closest you get to flying…without the wings or a parachute. Winners of this event representing our region will go on to compete in the U.S. Junior Nationals being held in Salisbury from Tuesday, February 22 through Saturday, February 26.

Before setting out check www.jumpfest.org for updates, scheduled changes, or more information or email the Association at info@jumpfest.org

Do you like to play with snakes? If you do, don’t miss the snow snake workshop on Saturday, January 29 at 11 a.m. and at 2 p.m. at the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington. At this special Native American workshop, you will make a “snow snake” and use it to play a traditional Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) winter game.

Snow snakes are hand-made from a flattened piece of wood with a notch at one end that makes them easy to throw. Some sticks are carved in intricate patterns that resemble a snake and then coated with wax. Participants in this workshop will learn how to make their very own snow snake with Susan Scherf, an educator at the Institute and a woodcrafter. This workshop includes materials and wood-burning kits. Participants are welcome to bring their own whittling knife if they have one although it is not required.

The competitive winter game of snow snake is still played today in many Native American Communities. The object of the game is for players to see how far they can slide a snake across the snow, usually in a trough that has been built up and then grooved by dragging a log along its length. Players toss the snake, similar to a javelin thrower onto the track. The challenge is to throw the snake with just enough force to make it slide a long distance without using so much force that it jumps the track. A highlight of this workshop, weather permitting, is to go outside and try out your snow snake in a friendly competition.

Space per session is limited and pre-registration is required. The price of participation including materials is $20 for non-members and $10 for members. For more information call 860-868-0518, email events@iaismuseum.org or click here to register online.

For the video on the snow snake check out https://www.facebook.com/IAISMuseum/videos/357579399083631

About 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.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. It is never too early to start looking for the perfect gift. If your special someone is a traveler, we have some very interesting gift ideas that we would like to share with you. Our gift suggestions are affordable and fun!

BraeVal – Named after the Scottish word for the Upland River Valleys that exist between the mountains and the rugged braes of the Scottish Highlands where streams and rivers tumble to loch and sea, these tartan shirts are perfect for travel. They are made from a technically advanced proprietary all-natural Tiera fabric with tartan patterns found nowhere else and details like red buffalo plaid around the neck and cuffs. These custom shirts for men and women with zippered security pockets, accessory loops on the pockets, and a vented bi-swing back travel well in the field or for a night out on the town. To check out the online store click here.

Norwalk Seaport Association Gift Card – If your special someone likes an on-the-water excursion or better yet, an authentic New England Clambake on a private island in Long Island Sound that includes a cruise, then pick up a Seaport Association Gift Card. The best part of this Gift Card is that your special someone can choose the excursion they like, and, better yet, the card never expires! The gift card can be used on a number of excursions from a romantic summer sunset cruise to an authentic New England Clambake on Sheffield Island. To order your gift card online click here.

Wigwam Escape – If your special someone loves puzzles, enjoys immersive experiences that challenge, and is a history buff then get a gift certificate to the award-winning Wigwam Escape Room at the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, Connecticut. In Wigwam Escape 1518, players learn how pre-contact Native Americans survived in Connecticut by solving a series of puzzles that connects players to the ways Native people lived and the skills that they relied on 500 years ago in their daily lives. To book the room, click here. All bookings are private and you will not share your time slot with other groups.

Milk House Chocolates -For traditionalists, Milk House Chocolates, in Goshen, voted the best in Connecticut is a must if you decided to give chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Each chocolate is connected to a very specific cow, with each cow’s milk making an unbelievable and delicious difference in the flavor of the chocolates. Milk House Chocolates brings you artisanal chocolates made in small batches with farm-fresh milk, butter, and creme, making them an excellent choice for the chocolate lover in your life. Shop online here.

Tours of Distinction – A Connecticut Tour Company in business since 1971 offers small group day trips, multi-day trips, international journeys, and small riverboat cruises throughout New England, the US, and Canada and all over the world. They are offering a series of special travel deals as well as a gift card, that will allow you to gift a travel experience whether it is to get away for a day or a week to that someone special. Travel is something precious. Its memories live with us forever. Gift cards are available in any denomination. For gift cards click here.

For art lovers, this is the chance to meet the visitors of John Taylor’s studio at the new exhibit opening on January 23 at the Fairfield Museum and History Center. Taylor was a prolific printmaker engraving copper plates with a simple sewing needle, John Taylor Arms was highly respected by his friends and fellow artists for his technical expertise as much as his amiable personality. Arms himself has been featured in a number of exhibitions that celebrate his precise engravings of European architecture, but this exhibition is the first to highlight Arms’ connection to other prominent figures in Connecticut. Helen Keller, Francis Luis Mora, Clare Leighton, and Thomas W. Nason all made their homes across the state, but made their mark right here in Fairfield by signing—and sometimes sketching—in John Taylor Arms’ studio guestbook. Learn more about the individuals and their relationship to Arms through artwork, photographs, archives, and objects.

“Visiting John Taylor Arms: A Master Printmaker and His Circle” runs from January 23 – April 24, 2022. The Fairfield Museum looks forward to sharing this story. The Fairfield Museum is located at 370 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT, and is open every day from 10am to 4pm. Admission for Museum Members is free, non-member adults are $5, students and seniors $3, and kids under 5 are free. Become a Fairfield Museum member for only $30 and enjoy free admission plus many other benefits.