Category: Travel

Fine Fare, Friends & Fun in The Litchfield Hills at the 26 Annual Taste of The Litchfield Hills Sept. 3-5

Connecticut’s Oldest Food and Wine Festival Announces Menu for Labor Day Weekend.

From comfort food to gourmet dishes and from live entertainment to a shopping bazaar, you and your friends will enjoy a menu of fine fare and fun at the 26th Annual Taste of The Litchfield Hills.
Connecticut’s oldest food and wine festival will be held on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-5, 2011, at its new location, Ski Sundown, 126 Ratlum Road, New Hartford.

Each year, since 1985, the festival has attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region’s food and wine, plus upscale shopping and live entertainment.

This year’s menu will feature such dishes as Angus beef sliders, baked mac and cheese, cedar plank roasted salmon, corn and Maine blue crab fritters, cherry-smoked chicken, fried goat cheese salad, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled pizza, Lao crispy egg rolls, lobster salad sliders, mesquite-smoked pulled pork, New England clam chowder, seared scallops & braised short ribs, sesame chicken, shrimps in a blanket and many other delicious delicacies.

Sweet offerings will include apple cider cinnamon donuts, banana & toffee pie, dessert crepes, fruit smoothies, New England kettle corn, pumpkin chiffon roulade and many other delectable desserts. Northwest Community Bank is sponsoring an Internet download link for the complete 2011 Menu at http://www.LitchfieldFestivals.com.

Foodies will enjoy “grazing-sized” portions of house specialties prepared by chefs from regional restaurants, bistros and other purveyors of fine food with prices ranging from $4.00 to $8.00 per item. Table seating will be available in the festival’s Culinary Tent, at outdoor picnic tables and inside the air-conditioned ski lodge. Plus, guests are invited to picnic on the grounds with their own lawn chairs and blankets.

Participating culinary vendors include Chatterley’s Restaurant (New Hartford); Backstage Restaurant (Torrington); Faddy’s Donuts & Ice Cream (Bloomfield); Farm Restaurant (Avon); The Foothills Delery (Pine Meadow); The Green Papaya (Canton); The Green Room (Winsted); Little Sister’s Grilled Cheese (New London); Indochine Pavilion (New Haven); Infinity Bistro (Norfolk); KJ’ Grilled Pizza (Torrington); Mustard’s Last Stand (New Hartford); Rocket Fine Street Foods (Torrington) and Summertime Sno-Balls (New Hartford).

The festival will offer wine by the glass from Litchfield Hills wineries, including Hopkins Vineyard (New Preston), Jerram Winery (New Hartford), Miranda Vineyard (Goshen), Sunset Meadow Vineyards (Goshen) and White Silo Winery (Sherman). Thomas Hooker draught beer, plus a variety of soft drinks will also be served.

New this year is the The Farmers Market which will showcase locally grown and raised foods. Barden Farm, Hayes Dairy, Marwin Farms and other family farms located in the Litchfield Hills will offer native fare to enjoy at the festival and to take home.

Live entertainment will include country singer-songwriter Courtney Drummey (Saturday, 1-4 p.m.), oldies band The Rockin’ Hearbeats (Saturday, 5-8 pm), jazz recording artists The Christine & Elliot Spero Duo (Sunday, 1-4 p.m.), blues artists The Andy James Band (Sunday, 5-8 p.m.) and jam band Flipper Dave (Monday, 1-4 p.m.).

Festival goers will also enjoy an upscale shopping experience in the festivals’ outdoor bazaar featuring such unique gift items as artisan-crafted jewelry, gourmet food products, kitchenware and other products and services.

Hours for A Taste of the Litchfield Hills will be 12 to 8 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 3 & 4, 2011, and 12 to 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5, 2011. Ticket prices are Adult (age 12-64): $10 On-Site or $8 Advance Purchase; Senior (age 65+): $8 On-Site or $6 Advance Purchase; and Child (Under 12): Free admission. Advance tickets and more information is available at http://www.LitchfieldFestivals.com. Admission does not include food and beverage, which is purchased separately.

Ski Sundown is located at 126 Ratlum Hill in the charming riverside town of New Harford, Conn., just a few minutes from the intersection of Routes 44 & 219. This central location makes this Taste of Litchfield Hills Festival an easy day-trip from Albany, The Berkshires, Hartford, The Hudson Valley, Metro New York, New Haven and Springfield.

With its antique shops, art galleries, covered bridges and quaint villages, the Litchfield Hills is an ideal get away destination for this three-day holiday weekend. Lodging optionsin the Litchfield Hills include dozens of charming bed and breakfasts, cozy country inns, and world class resorts, hotels and motels.

For more information on where to stay and what to do visit: http://www.litchfieldhills.com

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Music Mountain presents Daedalus String Quartet: August 28th, Country Music Gunsmoke, August 27th and Tempo del Fuoco: August 26th

“America’s Oldest Continuing Summer Chamber Music Festival”

Music Mountain will host a triple play of events this weekend starting with the duo Tempo del Fuoco on Friday, August 26th (8PM), followed by the toe-tappin’ “New York’s Band of the Year,” Gunsmoke on Saturday, August 27th (6:30PM) and the acclaimed Daedalus String Quartet with award-winning pianist, Soyeon Lee on Sunday, August 28th (3PM). All three groups are just a sampling of the 150 artists have graced the stage of Gordon Hall this summer, bringing together chamber, jazz and country music for the first time. Concerts are scheduled to run thru September 4th.

Formed in 2009, Tempo del Fuoco, the guitar and violin duo, recently began work on a project encompassing the development of the tango into their concerts. Their Friday night program will feature: Piazzolla: L’Histoire du Tango, Wallace: El Primero, Schuttenhelm: “When the surface would suffice,” Riley: Cantos Desiertos, and Pujol: Suite Buenos Aires.

Music Mountain’s 1024 square foot dance floor will be hopping when Gunsmoke takes to the stage for a Saturday night of high-energy country and western music. The Fairfield County based band has been named “New York Band of the Year” six consecutive times and was just inducted into the Connecticut Country Music Association Hall of Fame. The audience favorite has opened for many country music superstars including Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr., and Alan Jackson. If you love authentic country & western music you won’t be disappointed!

The lauded Daedalus String Quartet returns for an encore performance with Naumburg Award Winner, Soyeon Lee, piano. The quartet will offer a Sunday afternoon program including: the Schubert: Quartettsatz in C Minor, D703, the Beethoven: String Quartet in E Flat Major, Opus 74, and the Brahms: Piano Quartet in G Minor, Opus 25. Daedalus String Quartet has performed in many of the world’s leading music venues in the US, Canada, and Washington D.C., as well as abroad in Amsterdam, Paris, and Japan.

Praised by The New York Times and Washington Post, Soyeon Lee has been joyously received by audiences and critics alike, performing as guest soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra, as well as recital appearances in New York City, Washington D.C., Madrid, and Seoul, Korea.

Located in Falls Village, Connecticut, Music Mountain is located on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring music lovers to Gordon Hall with ample & free parking. Beer and wine are available and, as is the Music Mountain custom, audience members are invited to picnic before the concerts on the scenic grounds.

Ticket prices for the Music Mountain 2011 season are $30 at the door, $27 in advance. (Admission is FREE for those 18 and under.) All concerts begin at 6:30pm on Saturday evenings and 3pm on Sundays, unless otherwise stated. Group rates and pre season ticket vouchers are available. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit http://www.musicmountain.org or call 860-824-7126.

Music Mountain is located 225 Music Mountain Rd, Falls Village, CT.

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Friends of the Norwalk Islands Cook-out Kayak Paddle Sunday August 21!

Experienced and novice kayakers are invited to join Friends of the Norwalk Islands for a day of exploration and a cook-out on Sunday, August 21. A guided Kayak Paddle to the Norwalk Islands will launch at 9:30 a.m. from The Small Boat Shop dock at 144 Water Street. Children (age 10 and above and weighing at least 100 pounds) are welcome to participate. Water safety and basic paddling techniques will be discussed before the tour to the Norwalk Islands begins.

“This is an opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of the Norwalk Islands,” says Susan Snider, president, Friends of the Norwalk Islands. “After launching, we will head down the Norwalk River into Long Island Sound. Weather permitting we will stop for a cook-out on Shea Island followed by a visit to Chimon Island to learn about the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge and meet Elliot Sudal and Jason Wheeler, the island keepers who are living and working on Chimon this summer.”

The Small Boat Shop is sponsoring this kayak paddle to support Friends of the Norwalk Islands. The event fee of $105 includes a kayak, paddles and life jacket, plus a $25 donation to Friends of the Norwalk Islands. Reservations are required by calling Friends of the Norwalk Islands (203-849-8341) or The Small Boat Shop (203-854-5223) or visit http://www.TheSmallBoatShop.com/kayaktours2011.html .

Led by Snider, the Friends of the Norwalk Islands has partnered with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to conserve, protect and enhance the environmental, recreational and cultural significance of the Norwalk Islands and to promote the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Norwalk Islands of Chimon, Peach, Goose and Sheffield are part of the Norwalk Islands unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. To learn more, visit the web site at http://www.FriendsoftheNorwalkIslands.org

JanetLeave a comment

Kent Sidewalk Festival Ready For July 28-31 In Litchfield Hills CT

The Kent Sidewalk Festival is scheduled for Thursday, July 28 through Sunday, July 31 and is sponsored by the Kent Chamber of Commerce.

I have enjoyed the sidewalk festival for many years and I am looking forward to visiting Kent this weekend for this festive event… If you like to treasure hunt for fabulous gifts amid a charming small town teaming with music and great food, this event is for you!

Every merchant and store up and down Main Street, in the Village Barns and on the Kent Green will be offering special discounted items, many in tents outside their stores. You will find great deals on women’s clothing at Terston, Country Clothes, Foreign Cargo and Wanda Elle, antique jewelry, glassware and collectibles at the North Main Street Market Place, David Armstrong prints and books at House of Books, shoes at Sundog Shoe and Leather, antiques galore at both Main Street and Rolling River Antiques, designer samples of wallpaper, pillows and more at LaVoie Color & Design, a designer tag sale at Kent Kitchen Works and a blowout on Reidel Glassware at Kent Wine & Spirit.

St. Andrews Church and the Kent Center School Scholarship Fund will have tag sales to benefit the work they do while the Library’s book sale will offer 10% off any purchases over $10. The volunteer fire department will celebrate their 100th anniversary with memorabilia and sale items near the library. As you go from shop to shop, be sure to enter the drawing for a Summer Shopping Spree at participating businesses. The drawing will be held Sunday at 2 PM on the Golden Falcon Field with a grand prize worth over $500 and 2 others worth $250 each.

Not to be left out, the restaurants in town will offer discounts and special food items. The Villager is open for breakfast and lunch, the Fife’n Drum will feature pulled pork sliders under their tent and popcorn at the Gift Shop, Millstone Café will serve Mexican churros, Smoked will have discounted prices while Webster Bank is bringing in their ice cream truck and Backcountry Outfitters will have Cheeseburgers in Paradise on Friday night.

Children will enjoy a Sidewalk Art Contest Saturday morning, face painting each day thanks to Kent Children’s Center. Fire truck rides from the new firehouse, several family exercise opportunities, a Petting Zoo at Three Monkeys and Me and Dancing on Main Street with the Earl Mosley Institute of the Arts are all part of family fun in Kent.

Music is another big part of the Sidewalk Festival with actors from Tri-Arts in Sharon performing excerpts from their current production, Hairspray. At Kent Coffee and Chocolate you can stop and listen to an Elvis impersonator that will sing your favorite hits. There will also be concerts on the porch at Richard Lindsey Bookseller on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. This year the Concerts will benefit the Fisher House of Connecticut. This house, next to the VA Hospital in West Haven, affords military and veteran’s family’s a place to stay near their loved one during recovery. The line up for the Concerts includes Andy and Jeannette Hicks, students from the Litchfield Jazz Camp, John Couch, Homegrown Band, the Joint Chiefs, Joe Bouchard and Bruce Wheeler.

Many merchants will also offer demonstrations and activities to inform and entertain. Fitness Matters Studio will offer free Juice Plus+ tastings as well as a polarity therapist, a resistance/stretching trainer and an energy healer Reiki Master (for a fee). Black Sheep Yarns has fiber related artisans doing demonstrations and selling materials, and Rolling River Antiques will offer chair caning demonstrations. You can get a Henna Tattoo at Terston for a $10 donation to the Kent Food Bank or try various fitness methods at Curves and Mountain Falls Fitness and afterward sample wine at Kent Wine & Spirit.

New this year and sure to be a big hit is Kent Cruise Night Saturday. This is a chance to show off your car, truck or hot rod. The event will also feature great food and music.

Not all events take place all hours each day, but there will be fun for all four days! Parking is available on the street and on the Kent Green property. For the most up to date information contact the Kent Chamber of Commerce at 860-927-1463 and check the website http://www.kentct.com. The mission of the Kent Chamber of Commerce is to bring local businesses together to develop and promote balanced economic growth that enhances the quality of life in our community.

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Fairfield County CT The Historical Society of Easton holds Antique Car Show August 7

The bucolic village of Easton located in Connecticut’s Fairfield County is well known for it’s beauty. Scenically stunning, almost half of the town’s land is owned by the Aquarion Water Company, a major supplier of water for Fairfield County. A drive along the Hemlock Reservoir and Aspetuck Reservoir is pleasant anytime of year.

As you explore Easton, you will see the Bradley-Hubbell House built in 1816. This excellent example of Colonial architecture with a center-chimney plan and Federal-style ornaments is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1912, Bradley descendants sold the property to the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company, which flooded much of the farmland for a reservoir and leased the house to one of its employees. In 1998, the house was donated to the Easton Historical Society, which is restoring it.

On August 7 from 1 pm to 4 pm the Historical Society of Easton will hold its 3rd Annual Antique Car Show on the grounds of the historic Bradley-Hubbell property. A grand exhibition of Model T-Fords and vintage cars will be displayed by Easton residents and Connecticut’s Crankin Yanks, a Model T Ford antique car association. Visitors are invited to view the antique cars and take a tour through the Bradley-Hubbell Museum and the 1860 historic barn.

The Bradley-Hubbell property is a landmark treasure which serves to educate adults, children and Easton’s 3rd grade students about the region’s rich agricultural history. The 1860 barn was a tool for the farmer who worked the land. Its existence tells a story of farming, family and community. A rare manuscript was found that was written by John Dimon Bradley, a descendant who lived on the property as a boy in the early 1800’s who describes in detail his family’s farming activities. Tours will include docent led demonstrations of the extensive collection of historic 18th and 19th century farm and kitchen tools used by farming families in the region.

Suggested Donation: $5 per person, children free; to benefit the Barn Restoration Fund. For more information contact HSEastoncCT@gmail.com. The Bradley-Hubbell Museum is located on Westport Rd. in Easton CT.

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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.

JanetLeave a comment