Category: Fairfield County Connecticut Travel

Summer Sunday Concerts at Stamford’s CT’s Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens

In 1913, Francis A. Bartlett, a well known dendrologist and founder of the internationally known F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company, acquired 30 acres of North Stamford woodlands to use as his residence, training school and research laboratory for his successful tree-care company. Over the years he assembled a large number of woody plant specimens on the property from all over the world in particular from North America, Europe and Asia.

By 1965, Mr. Bartlett’s research laboratory had moved to North Carolina and his Stamford home, which now covered some 64 acres, was purchased by the State of Connecticut and was designated the Connecticut State Arboretum.

Today, the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is a unique natural preserve whose 91 acres highlight the best of what Connecticut’s native landscape has to offer: magnificent award-winning Champion trees, charming gardens, wildflower meadows, red maple wetlands and boardwalks, woodland walking trails, varied wildlife and native habitats.

On Sunday’s in the Summer, visitors to the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens can experience a very special treat as Sunday Concerts in the garden are offered through August 7th.

Morning concerts are held in the garden from 10:00 am – 11:00 am and feature student soloists from the Yale School of Music graduate program. Bring a chair and your newspaper and relax as the classical music blends with the sights and smells of their beautiful gardens in their own version of aromatherapy-a sure-fire way to recharge your batteries for the week ahead!

Evening Pops on the Lawn takes place from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket, your favorite beverage and a light snack — (sorry no cooking allowed ) and enjoy a great evening of music surrounded by the natural beauty of the Arboretum and it’s gardens. On July 24 the soft, silky warm voice of singer song writer Ellen Woloshin performs; on July 31, Bluegrass award winning guitarist and mandolin player Orrin Star & the Sultans of String perform under the stars. The final summer concert on August 7th brings a performance by Katie Wilson and the Two Time String Band whose modern all acoustic bluegrass sound has pleased audiences throughout southern Connecticut. For more information call 203-322-6971.

For concerts, members are free, non members are free with garden admission. Garden admission is $6 per adult and free to children under the age of 12.

About The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens

The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is open to the public every day of the year. The grounds are open from 9:00am – 7:00pm. Admission is free to members and $6.00 per adult. Children under the age of 12 are free and Wednesdays are free to all.

The Bartlett Visitor Center, is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm and is closed on national holidays. Please call for weekend Visitor Center hours.

Visitors to the Arboretum are allowed to walk their dog on the forest trails. Stamford charter and city code Section 111-1 through 111-12 requires that dogs be leashed at all times on the property and that visitors pick up after their dog.

The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is located on 151 Brookdale Road Stamford, CT
Tel: 203 322 – 6971 Fax: 203 595 – 9168 or visit http://www.bartlettarboretum.org.

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Public Gets First Peek at Piglets and Pygmy Marmoset at Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport CT

The New England Farmyard just got a little noisier and the Rainforest Building a bit wilder as Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo celebrates the birth of nine new piglets and welcomes an additional Pygmy Marmoset. The playful piglets join their Guinea Hog parents Hamton J. Pig, the lone male pig, and Olivia. The new Pygmy Marmoset came to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo last month from Zoo Montana.

“Good things can come in small packages,” commented Zoo director Gregg Dancho. “Our new piglets are all happily eating, sleeping, and playing in their new surroundings; and the new Pygmy Marmoset is adjusting well to her new home.”

The public is invited to visit the newborn piglets in the New England Farmyard. Hamton hails from the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, Virginia originally, while Olivia came from Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

The new female Pygmy Marmoset, named Eko, is 2 years old and has been in the Animal Care Center since her arrival from Montana to give her time to get acclimated to her new surroundings. She joins a male Pygmy Marmoset, Weechie, who is 5 years old and has been at the Zoo for some time. Eko was brought to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo in order to mate, in keeping with the Zoo’s goals of animal conservation and species survival promotion. They were introduced a little over a week ago at the Zoo’s Animal Care Center before returning to the exhibit. If breeding is successful, gestation is usually four and a half months; with between one to four offspring expected. It is not uncommon for Pygmy Marmosets to give birth to twins.

Pygmy Marmosets are one of the world’s smallest primates. They weigh less than a naval orange and could fit in the palm of a hand. Unfortunately, these sociable monkeys are often victims of illegal pet trade, in part due to their outgoing demeanor and “cute” appearance. Their status is continually threatened due to habitat destruction, with shrinking rainforests worldwide. Half of these species call rainforests home, but have been forced into progressively smaller and less suitable habitats. Places like Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, which focus on protecting such vital wildlife, are committed to studying animals like Pygmy Marmosets more closely and providing them with improved opportunities to breed and reside.

Guinea Hogs are quick learners with a substantial memory, using their sense of taste to identify objects. While the newborn piglets range in weight from one to two pounds, adult Guinea Hogs typically weigh 150-300 pounds and grow to a height of 21-24 inches. They are hearty grazers who forge for shrubs, weeds, bird eggs, snakes, mice, grasshoppers, roots, tubers, and even manure. They are gentle animals found in sounders (herds) and tend to call farms home, however, they may be found in deserts and mountainous areas, as well.

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is closer than you think and features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won’t want to miss our new Bald Eagle exhibit, Andean condors, Amur (Siberian) tigers, ocelots, red & maned wolves, Andean (spectacled) bear, llamas, vampire bats, and golden lion tamarins. Other highlights include our South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with “pop-up” viewing areas, the New England Farmyard with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other barnyard critters, plus the hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, and more. Visitors can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove and enjoy a ride on our colorful carousel. For more information, visit http://www.beardsleyzoo.org

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Summer Jam LIVE Teen Concert Series Rocks STEPPING STONES July 13- Aug. 17

School’s out and Summer Jam LIVE @ Stepping Stones is in! Beginning on Wednesday, July 13, the hottest, up-and-coming teen-aged musicians in the industry will take the stage for a series of concerts to benefit youth enrichment initiatives at the museum.

Kicking Daisies, the infectious, vibrant, punk-pop teen rock band voted by fans as “the next big thing” will strut their stuff on opening night, followed by headliners eight-year-old rapper Lil’ P’Nut on August 3, acoustic sensation Burnham on August 10 and a Battle of the Bands on August 17th to blow concert goers minds!

Billed as one of the hottest teen events of the summer season and rigged with a state-of-the-art sound and theatrical lighting system, high def monitors, intimate staging and plenty of room for the kids to hang, Summer Jam LIVE is sponsored by JALA, Serendipity Magazine, KC101.3, Bank of America and Venture Photography. Red carpet photos, Serendipity Magazine’s casting call for fashion models, drawings, giveaways, food and dance music round out each night’s activities. And for parents and chaperones, be there without being there in Stepping Stones specially created, exclusive Parent’s Lounge.

The four summer shows include:

July 13 – Kicking Daisies and Rose and the Thorns
Kicking Daisies was voted by their fans as the “next big thing in music.” Wise beyond their years, Connecticut natives, Duran, Ben, Carly and Caitlin have gained a following for their honest lyrics and precocious musical talent that delights audiences of all ages.
Rose and the Thorns is described as rock-n-roll with a little soul. Hailing from New York City with the spirit of the 60’s and 70’s, their honest and soulful music is extraordinarily refreshing and raw.

August 3 – DJ Jadin in the Mix with Lil’ P-Nut
All the way from London to make this special guest appearance, Jadin will get the crowd jumpin’ with his mixing mastery of the latest Hip-Hop tracks.
Benjamin “P-Nut” Jr. was born in 2002 in Memphis. This 8-year-old rapping sensation has been featured on the “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and is about to sign a deal with Cartoon Network.

August 10 – Acoustic Concert featuring Burnham and Stereo Skyline
The three Burnham Brothers are from Long Island and have been playing together for seven years. They opened for Justin Bieber in concert last year.
Stereo Skyline formed while its members were still in high school. The Long Island natives have also shared the stage with the likes of Hanson, Cartel, All Time Low and Boys Like Girls.

August 17 – Battle of the Bands
This night will feature the best up-and-coming local bands of the season and concert-goers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite.

Summer Jam LIVE tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The doors open at 6 pm and the concerts start at 7 pm. For more information and for details on buying tickets, visit http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/summerjam or become a fan on Facebook: Live at Stepping Stones.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children is an award winning, private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) children’s museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. For more information about Stepping Stones, to book a field trip or schedule a class, workshop or facility rental call 203-899-0606 or visit http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org

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Columbus Replica Ships Pinta And Nina To Land In Bridgeport CT Over Fourth Of July Weekend

On Friday July 1st, the ‘Pinta and the ‘Nina’, replicas of Columbus’ ships will open in Bridgeport. The ships will be docked at Captains Cove, 1 Bostwick Ave., until their departure early Tuesday morning July 5th.

The ‘Nina’ was built completely by hand and without the use of power tools. Archaeology magazine called the ship “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.” The “Pinta” was recently built in Brazil to accompany the Nina on all of her travels. She is a larger version of the archetypal caravel. Historians consider the caravel the Space Shuttle of the fifteenth century.

Both ships tour together as a new and enhanced ‘sailing museum’ for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the ‘caravel’, a Portuguese ship used by Columbus and many early explorers used to discover the world.

While in port, the general public is invited to visit the ships for a walk-aboard, self-guided tour. Admission charges are $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors, and $6.00 for students 5 – 16. Children 4 and under are Free. The ships are open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. No reservations necessary.

Teachers or organizations wishing to schedule a 30 minute guided tour with a crewmember should call 1 787 672 2152. Minimum of 15. $4.00 per person. No Maximum.

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Shelton Historical Society’s Vintage Vehicles Antique & Classic Car Show June 19

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 19. Two wheels or four, from Model T’s to muscle cars, there’s bound to be something that will trigger a memory or maybe a chuckle from every visitor. The event will take place at Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Rd. from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

There is still time for owners of antique and classic vehicles of all kinds to register to participate in this special event. Entry forms may be found at http://www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org or by calling (203) 925-1803. Pre-registration costs $8.00 but will be $10.00 on the day of the event.

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. For additional information including directions, please call (203) 925-1803 or visit http://www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.

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A Taste of History: Civil War Food Challenge

On Saturday, June 11 at Mill Hill Historic Park, 2 East Wall Street in Norwalk from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m visitors to this event will have the opportunity to taste diverse dishes from the Civil War era. Dishes will be interpreted by 12 local eateries vying to be judged “the best” in different food categories for A Taste of History: Civil War. Participants include American Steakhouse, Ash Creek Saloon, Bacchus, Barcelona, B.J. Ryan’s, Dry Dock, Hummel Brothers, Jeff’s Cuisine, New York Bakery, O’Neill’s, Sweet Ashley’s (all in Norwalk) and Nick’s Pizza (Stamford). The winners will be chosen by attendees during the event on Saturday, June 11, at Mill Hill Historic Park, 2 East Wall Street. Between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., attendees will purchase ballots ($20 – adults/teens; $15 – 12 or younger) and sample dishes prepared by the participants, then vote for their favorites.

During the event, attendees can visit a Civil War encampment to see demonstrations and talk with re-enactors from Company A of the 11th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Displays will focus on Civil War cooking, weapons and the life of soldiers. Attendees at A Taste of History also can explore an exhibition of quilts from before the Civil War to the present organized by the Historical Society as part of the six-month Norwalk Quilt Trail. In addition, WEBE-108 will broadcast live from the event.

A Taste of History: Civil War is presented by the Norwalk Historical Society as a fund-raiser for restoration of the Civil War Soldiers Monument in Riverside Cemetery. The statue was erected in 1889 by Buckingham Post No. 12 of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization made up of Union Army veterans, to serve as a memorial for more than 32 Civil War soldiers whose families could not afford a “proper” burial. Over the years, this monument has deteriorated and the zinc Civil War soldier was pulled the off its granite base in 2002. Currently, the pieces of the statue are on display at the Norwalk Historical Society Town House at Mill Hill.

As one of its projects in honor of the Sesquicentennial of the beginning of the Civil War, the Norwalk Historical Society has mounted a campaign to repair the statue, christened “Chester,” and return it to its rightful place. Through a grant from the Historic Preservation division of the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, monuments conservator Francis Miller of ConservArt, Inc. is preparing a treatment report that will outline the steps needed to restore the monument.

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