Category: Fairfield County Connecticut Travel

New Suite at The Inn at Kent Falls

Recently voted as the Best Bed and Breakfast by Connecticut Magazine, the charming Inn at Kent Falls has just announced the introduction of the “Gables Suite”. The Inn is located in a historic house built in 1741 that is located between the center of Kent and Kent Falls State Park.

The Gables is a comfortably elegant suite located in the former attic of the original inn and is crowned with exquisite beams that are 272 years old. These are the beams that actually hold up this historic property that has been featured in Travel and Leisure, Conde Naste Traveler, CT Magazine and many other national publications. The room features a queen size bed, six foot walk in shower, a large loft area with a large screen TV and DVD player and a desk and work area. There is a private staircase to this very attractive suite.

The carefully updated Inn at Kent Falls has four suites, and two luxurious rooms, five fireplaces, a pool, air conditioning, phone and Internet access. The common rooms include a screened porch, TV, and living room. The Inn is well known for serving guests a sumptuous Breakfast.

Visit their website for a list of special packages and promotions offered by the Inn at Kent Falls, 107 Kent Cornwall Rd., Kent CT

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Connecticut Ballet Company Performs the Nutcracker in Fairfield County CT

The Nutcracker Ballet is a holiday tradition in Fairfield County Connecticut and what better way to celebrate the season than to attend a performance by the Connecticut Ballet. On Saturday, December 11 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm and Sunday, December 12 at 1:00pm at the Stamford Center for the Arts’ Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic Street, Stamford the Connecticut Ballet will perform the classic full-length ballet, The Nutcracker. A special holiday discount of 50% for children ages 12 and under for the December 11th 7:00pm only was announced by the Connecticut Ballet.

Artistic Director Brett Raphael’s production has been called ‘beguiling and a feast for the eyes’ by the Connecticut Post and stars American Ballet Theatre principal dancers Julie Kent and Jose Manuel Carreño, appearing at all three public performances. The ballet also features a corps de ballet of 30 professional dancers and over 100 children from the Fairfield County region. In the spirit of giving, Connecticut Ballet request that members of the public bring a can or non-perishable food item to the performance in support of its holiday food drive. All items will be delivered directly to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County.

Affordable tickets range from $20-$45 in price (plus a $7.00 theater surcharge) and may be reserved online at www.scalive.org or by calling the box office at 203-325-4466.

A festive Nutcracker Gala benefit will take place in the Upper Ballroom of the Palace Theatre following the Saturday, December 11th 7:00pm evening performance. Marcia Selden Catering will provide delectable dinner-by-the-bite and patrons will dance to the inspiring rhythms of the Silver Streaks Band. For gala information, call 203-964-1211. Lead production sponsor for The Nutcracker is Xerox Corporation and Nutcracker Gala sponsor is HSBC Bank. For more info, call Connecticut Ballet at 203-964-1211 or visit www.connecticutballet.com.

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The PT Barnum Museum Celebrates the Holidays Mark Twain Style

The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport CT is celebrating the 200th birthday of Phineas Taylor Barnum, born July 5, 1810 in Bethel CT by chronicling the life and times of this extraordinary showman who once served as the Mayor of Bridgeport. For a complete listing of anniversary year events celebrating this amazing – and sometimes outrageous – showman, civic leader and politician, visit http://www.barnum-museum.org. The original museum building, owned by the City of Bridgeport is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Barnum Museum has planned a special holiday presentation, Christmas with the Clemens Family that will take place at The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport CT on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m.

Patti Philippon, Chief Curator at the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford will regale guests with tales about the Samuel Langhorne Clemens family, better known as the family of hailed American novelist Mark Twain. This special program will describe the friendship between Clemens and P.T. Barnum and then take a look at the intricate details of the way the Clemens family celebrated Christmas at Nook Farm in Hartford.

Philippon will enlighten the audience with Mark Twain’s tales of holiday celebrations that took place in the Clemens family home and show images of the glorious Victorian era holiday decorations at the museum in Hartford. Hear some engaging quotes from Twain and the wonderful tales which he told his children while they gathered around the fireplace. Tea, hot chocolate and cookies will be served to warm your holiday spirit!

Holiday visitors to the museum will also be able to view the David Millen “Celebrating the Spirit of P.T. Barnum! Energy, Balance, Vitality” sculpture exhibition and a display of the original artwork created by the winners of the annual Kennedy Center “Unique Perspective 2011 Calendar.” The Kennedy Center publishes a full color calendar featuring artwork created by artists with disabilities. The calendars, along with other unique and memorable holiday gifts, are for sale in the Barnum Museum store.

Admission for these programs: Adults, Seniors and College Students: $5, $2, Children 4 – 17: $5, Under 4: Free. Events take place Dec. 4-16. please visit the website for exact times.

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Annual Christmas Luncheons & Holiday Boutique at Ridgefield’s Keeler Tavern

On of the most popular holiday traditions in Connecticut is the Annual Christmas Luncheons and Holiday Boutique at the historic Keeler Tavern Museum located on Main Street in the heart of Ridgefield Connecticut. This year’s luncheon and boutique are scheduled for Tuesday, December 7th through Saturday, December 11th.

The highlight of this event is the lavish lunch that will be served in the festively decorated Garden House that overlooks the sunken garden. There will be two seatings each day the first at 11:30 AM and the second at 1:00 PM. To make your reservation please call the Museum Office at 203-438-5485 from Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, or download a reservation form by going to the events page on the museum web site http://www. keelertavernmuseum.org.

Prepaid reservations are $23 per person. This event is a major fund raiser that helps support the Keeler Tavern Museum and has become a seasonal pleasure for many.

The Holiday Boutique will be open each day from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM and Sunday, December 12 from 1:00-4:00 PM. A wide variety of seasonal ornaments, gift items and crafts will be on display in the Cass Gilbert Dining Room in the Museum building. Gifts for family, friends and some especially to please you are there to purchase.

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Feast Of Gingerbread Houses Await in Litchifeld Hills and Fairfield County!

Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without gingerbread houses, those delicious edible creations that add color and fun to the season. Two don’t-miss displays in Connecticut’s Litchfield and Fairfield Counties are guaranteed to delight, and may provide take-home decoration for some lucky families. You may even be able to create your own gingerbread confection.

This will be the 43rd year for the Gingerbread Village, a lavish display at St. George’s Church on Tucker Hill Road in Middlebury beginning December 4. The Village is made up of more than 60 buildings, with horse and sleigh teams, ponds, boats, and sledders, all dressed up in Christmas splendor. This year’s theme is storybooks. Everything is for sale, available to take home when the display ends on December 11. A craft room and raffles of more than 20 goody-laden baskets are an additional highlight of this event. Dates are Dec. 4, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Dec. 5, noon-7 p.m.; Dec. 6-10, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8 p.m.; Dec. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is Free. Phone: (203) 758-9557 for information.

The second annual Visions of Gingerbread: The Sweetest Architects at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center (www.stamfordmuseum.org) through December 5 shows off imaginative confections from some of the area’s best pastry chefs, restaurants, and caterers. DiMare’s Pastry Shop of Stamford, SoNo Baking Company of South Norwalk, Cake Suite of Westport, and Sugar & Olives of Norwalk are among those who are vying for first prize from a panel of official judges. Visitors are invited to vote for the “Fan Favorite” of the year. These one-of-a-kind creations will be available for purchase through a silent auction, with proceeds to benefit the museum’s education programs.

Families who want to learn to make their own gingerbread houses should contact the Silo Cooking School in New Milford. Each year The Silo offers enormously popular classes where parents and their children team up to create wonderful gingerbread fantasies. The classes, open to children ages five and up, are held November 20-21, 26-28 and December 3-5; they sell out every year. The cost is $85 for each parent-child team, up to 3 people. The Silo is part of the Hunt Hill Farm Trust (www.hunthillfarmtrust.org) Check for openings or waiting lists on-line or at (860) 355-0300.

If you can’t create a house, you can at least decorate a gingerbread cookie souvenir on December 4 at the Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road, from 1 to 4 p.m. The $10 per family fee includes the Society’s annual Great Trains exhibit. Get details at http://www.wiltonhistorical.org or phone (203) 762-7257.

For more information about gingerbread adventures, directions to events and listings of all the holiday doings in the region, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, http://www.visitwesternct.com. They offer a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to the attractions in the Litchfield Hills and a free color Fairfield County Getaway Guide.

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