Category: Travel

Annual Green Corn Festival in Litchfield Hills Connecticut

The Institute for American Indian Studies Museum and Research Center in Washington CT is hosting it’s Annual Green Corn Festival on Saturday, August 6 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm on the grounds of the Museum located on 38 Curtis Road. The event will be held rain or shine. Adults: $10; children: $6.

Traditionally corn has been an integral part of the annual cycle of life for Native American People and this Festival celebrates the first corn of the season. Fun filled activities for the whole family including drumming, dancing, face painting, kids’ crafts, and more make this event memorable.

Highlights of the event include exciting Native American ceremonies including traditional Eastern Woodland song & dance with the Wampanoag Dancers & Singer, guitar music of Ojibwa musician & artist, Allan Madahbee and singing and drumming with the Sint-Sink Singers. A favorite of young and old alike are the Native American folktales told by storyteller, Janis Us of Mohawk-Shinnecock descent. Kids will enjoy Native American inspired crafts and facepainting.

Two not to be missed features of the Festival are the crafts for sale by local Native American artisans and a taste of traditional cooking including Pow-wow style food for sale in the outdoor Algonkian Village hosted by Dale Carson, of Abenaki descent.

About the Institute for American Indian Studies Museum and Research Center

The focus of the Institute has always been stewardship and preservation. In 1991, the name was changed to the Institute for American Indian Studies. With the name change there was a shift in focus to include education in conjunction with research.

The ethnographic collection of the Institute for American Indian Studies contains over 6,000 cultural items. While focusing on the Eastern Woodlands Peoples, the collection represents indigenous communities throughout the western hemisphere. Items vary in raw material composition – textiles, wood, stone, clay, glass, shell and semi-precious jewels – function and style from moccasins, rugs, baskets and leggings to containers, weaponry, personal accessories, recreational objects and fine art.

The Research & Collections Building is artifact-friendly with a climate controlled vault and spacious laboratory. It is home to an abundance of collections, both ethnographic and archaeological. It also houses both an education and research library, containing over 2,000 books and journals and is open only by appointment (860-868-0518 ext.109).

For museum hours and other special events visit: http://www.birdstone.org.

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All Ferraris All Day Saturday, July 30 at Lime Rock Park in Litchfield Hills CT

For the first time in five years, the Ferrari Challenge race series is returning to Lime Rock Park in Litchfield Hills. The date is Saturday, July 30. The Ferrari Challenge is a six-event/12-race North American racing championship contested by amateur drivers who own either a Ferrari Challenge F458 Italia or Ferrari Challenge F430.

The races at Lime Rock Park are rounds nine and 10 of the 2011 championship. The last time Ferrari Challenge races were held at Lime Rock was 2006.

According to Ferrari North America, the Ferrari Challenge is the longest-running championship of its type: a single-marque sports car racing series. It is designed to allow Ferrari owners to compete with fellow owners on the world’s most noted race tracks. The first year of the series was 1993, in Europe; the North American sister series began in 1994.

This year, the series opened at Sears Point in California, followed by Laguna Seca (Calif.), the Canadian F1 Grand Prix (Montreal) and IndyCar Toronto. Lime Rock is next, with the finale at Homestead Miami Speedway in September.

At 184 points, Enzo Potolicchio of Venezuela leads the standings in the “458” division. Two Americans – Cooper MacNeil of Hinsdale, Ill., and San Francisco’s Harry Cheung – are just 6 points behind. In the “430” category, Chris Ruud of Wisconsin and Ryan Ockey of Calgary, Canada are tied for the lead with 134 points.

The Ferrari Challenge series is sanctioned by Grand-Am, the NASCAR-owned road racing organizer noted for its Daytona Prototype & GT championship (the series at Lime Rock this past Memorial Day weekend).

Joining the Ferrari Challenge at Lime Rock Park is the popular Shell Ferrari Historics Series; two non-championship races featuring vintage racing Ferraris.

Ferrari Challenge at Lime Rock Park is a one-day spectator event and includes the track’s usual amenities, including food concessions, Big Y Kids Club, free parking, kids karting and bounce house, 12 and under free admission and free paddock access. For adults, a full bar is available at “The Pines” café in the Infield. Tickets are $30 in advance and $45 at the gate. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.limerock.com or calling 860.435.5000.

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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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Danbury CT’s Ives Concert Park Gets Ready to Rock, Roll … and Reminisce All Summer Long !

Award-winning artists with decades of influential music-making will perform this summer in the Union Savings Bank Summer Concert Series at Ives Concert Park in Danbury.

Multi-platinum recording artists Michael Franti & Spearhead and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals will perform at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 27, at the outdoor venue on the Westside campus of Western Connecticut State University, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. Gates will open at 5 p.m. Tickets, which range from $26 to $37, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events.

According to his website, “The Sound Of Sunshine” — the inspired and inspiring new album by Michael Franti & Spearhead — is a kind of musical sun shower, a bright, beautiful and often buoyant song cycle created to bring all kinds of listeners a sense of hope during rough and rainy times for so many in our world. Potter’s bio proclaims: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are like a modern-day version of Tina Turner stroking the microphone in a spangled mini-dress while fronting the Rolling Stones circa Sticky Fingers. The proof is there for all to hear on the band’s third album for Hollywood Records, hitting this spring, and marks an artistic breakthrough for a vital young band caught in the act of fulfilling its immense promise.

At 8 p.m. on Friday, July 1, Grammy Award winner Peter Frampton will take the Ives Concert Park stage to perform “Frampton Comes Alive!” in its entirety for his 35th Anniversary Tour. Gates will open at 7 p.m. Tickets, which range from $27 to $77, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events. The three-hour show will feature a complete performance of “Frampton Comes Alive!” along with highlights from Frampton’s catalog, including his Grammy Award-winning 2006 instrumental album, “Fingerprints.”


Popular Ives artists Earth,Wind & Fire will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 2. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, which range from $32 to $97, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events. The Earth, Wind & Fire 40th Anniversary Tour will launch April 30 and continue to July 3, taking the legendary group to more than 30 cities. A celebrated legacy of four decades has produced 20 Grammy nominations with eight wins, an induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and bountiful musical and cultural achievements.

Legendary duo Steely Dan will perform at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 25. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events and range from $37 to $152, plus service charges. Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Steely Dan dazzled both the public and the critics in 2009 with their classic-albums-in-full Rent Party Tour. Responding to overwhelming popular demand, Steely Dan masterminds Walter Becker and Donald Fagen bring on more action with the Shuffle Diplomacy Twenty Eleven summer tour. The tour, which kicks off in Seattle on July 2 and concludes in Boston on Sept. 30, will showcase greatest hits and deep cuts alike.

Alison Kraus and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas will take the stage at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets, which range from $30 to $75, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events. According to Krauss’ publicity, her most recent triumph, the certified-platinum “Raising Sand,” a 2007 collaboration with Robert Plant and producer T Bone Burnett, notched a total of six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year, bringing her unsurpassed total to 26. That mesmerizing modern-day masterpiece sets the stage for another stunner: “Paper Airplane,” the artist’s first album of all-new recordings in partnership with her remarkably skillful and renowned band Union Station since 2004’s “Lonely Runs Both Ways.”

Alternative rockers from Boston, Mass., Guster, will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, which range from $25 to $35, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events. Formed in 1991 at Tufts University, Guster is known for its live performances and humor. Opening will be Ra Ra Riot, an American indie rock band from Syracuse, N.Y.

The J. Geils Band and special guests The Chris Robinson Brotherhood will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets, which range from $37 to $77, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events. The J. Geils Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Worcester, Mass., best known for its 1981 single, “Centerfold,” which charted No. 1 in the U.S. in early 1982. The band played R&B-influenced blues-rock in the 1970s before moving towards a more pop-influenced sound in the 1980s. Since its initial break-up in 1985, the band has reunited several times. Special guest Robinson tells fans on his website, “We’ll be playing a bunch of new songs I have been working on and will be digging deep into what is happening at that musical moment. There will be old stuff that I’ve done and a handful of covers that just feel right.”


It wouldn’t be summer without a live performance by The Beach Boys. They will perform at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets, which range from $27 to $57, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events. You can summarize most pop music acts by reciting how many hits they’ve had and how many millions of albums they’ve sold. But, according to the band’s website, these conventional measurements fall short when you’re assessing the impact of The Beach Boys. To be sure, this band has birthed a torrent of hit singles and sold albums by the tens of millions. But its greater significance lies in the fact that it changed the musical landscape so profoundly … that every pop act since has been in its debt.

Closing out this summer’s Celebrity Concert Series are Texas rockers ZZ Top, who will perform at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets, which range from $37 to $67, plus service charges, are on sale at http://www.premierboxoffice.com/events. The band lays undisputed claim to being the longest running major rock band with original personnel intact and in 2004 the Texas trio was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

For more information, visit the Ives Concert Park website at http://www.ivesconcertpark.com,
the Ives Concert Park Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ivesconcertpark or follow the venue on Twitter at http://twitter.com/IvesConcertPark.

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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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