Connecticut Travel

Scallywags of all ages can step into a world of swashbuckling rogues, dastardly villains, infamous she-pirates and wicked wenches on July 14 and 15 when purchasing a ferry ride ticket to Sheffield Island for the annual Pirates Weekend hosted by the Seaport Association in Norwalk.

Find your sea legs and hop aboard the C.J. Toth Ferry for a cruise to Sheffield Island. Arriving on the Island, guests will be greeted and entertained by a roving gang of rowdy pirates. Kids can hunt for treasure on the beach, play games, sing sea chanteys, watch swordplay, listen to tall tales of thrill and danger, and hear colorful stories of pirates near and far. Who knows what secrets they will reveal!

This is the weekend to experience the freedom of a pirate’s life, and to learn about their lore and history! The pirates that invade Sheffield Island every summer are different. They enjoy taking a break from their adventures on the seven seas and come to Sheffield Island to have a boatload of fun with those lucky scallywags visiting during the Pirates Weekend.

All pirate fun and games are free with the purchase of a ferry ticket. The ferry departs the dock at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on both days, Saturday and Sunday. It is best to arrive 30 minutes before the boat departs the dock that is located on 4 North Water Street in Norwalk in the parking lot of the Maritime Aquarium. Parking is available at the Maritime Garage. For tickets https://seaport.org/page-18092

About the Seaport Association
The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had a vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage.

The Norwalk Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue, which strives to increase awareness, appreciation and consideration for our environment and how the preservation of historic buildings and nature contribute to our quality of life.

It is our belief that preservation strengthens the perpetual partnership between the past, the present and the future. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment and maritime heritage.

The Norwalk Historical Society is celebrating the 4th of July this year at the historic Mill Hill Historic Park on 2 East Wall Street from, noon to 4 p.m.  The day will begin with local historian Madeleine Eckert who will present a lecture on “Searching for Norwalk’s Black Patriots”. This exciting slide lecture utilizes a number of source documents to weave a visual narrative of Norwalk’s fascinating 18th-century Black history.  

Beginning at 1 p.m. visitors are invited to visit an authentic Revolutionary War Encampment and “Let Freedom Ring” Bell ringing ceremony. 

Learn about the life of soldiers during the American Revolution. Reenactors from the Sable Soldiers of the American Revolution will bring to life soldiers from theMarbleheaders and the 1st Rhode Island Regiment of Foot. 

They will create a historical encampment filled with Revolutionary War artifacts and props. Telling the stories of the impact these soldiers made on the Revolution, as well as tales of important historical figures will be woven into demonstrations of military drills, weapons of the period, and an interactive live firing of a cannon.

At 1:30 pm. join the Norwalk Historical Society and the nation, as we toll the Town House bell 13 times to commemorate the founding of the original 13 colonies. Selected sections of the Declaration of Independence will be read by Norwalk’s Town Clerk, Rick McQuaid. Mayor Harry Rilling, Senator Bob Duff , as well as other local dignitaries, will take part in this wonderful patriotic ceremony!

America’s longest running summer chamber music festival, Music Mountain, continues its summer of Beethoven on Sunday, July 8 (3pm) when the Shanghai Quartet performs Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #5. The Connecticut favorite Jive By Five kicks off the weekend playing the best of the jazz age on Saturday, July 7 (6:30pm)! Concerts are scheduled through September 23.

Sunday afternoon welcomes back the Shanghai Quartet performing Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #5: String Quartet in B Flat Major, Op. 130 – the massive work including Beethoven’s plea for happiness and peace, the Cavatina; and String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59 #1 “Rasumovsky.” The Rasumovsky Quartets, and this one in particular, broke with previous conventions and expanded the scope of quartet writing, opening with a grand cello solo that leads to a nearly-orchestral sound within just a few bars. The F Major Rasumovsky Quartet was one of the favorite works of the Gordon String Quartet, Music Mountain’s founding quartet. In fact, during the 1931 season, Music Mountain’s second season, the Quartet played it twice.

The technical and emotional scope of the Beethoven Cycle makes it the ultimate challenge for a string quartet. Described as challenging, intimate and graceful, and tumultuous, the Cycle includes some of the greatest works in Beethoven’s entire output. “The Beethoven Cycle as a whole provides a cathartic experience for the listener, it takes you through the emotions of a lifetime,” noted Music Mountain artistic director, Oskar Espina-Ruiz.

Renowned for its passionate musicality, impressive technique and multicultural innovations, the Shanghai Quartet has become one of the world’s foremost chamber ensembles. Its elegant style melds the delicacy of Eastern music with the emotional breadth of Western repertoire, allowing it to traverse musical genres including traditional Chinese folk music, masterpieces of Western music and cutting-edge contemporary works. Formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983, the Quartet has worked with the world’s most distinguished artists and regularly tours the major music centers of Europe, North America and Asia. The Quartet has a long history of championing new music and juxtaposing traditions of Eastern and Western music.

A Connecticut favorite returns! Jive By Five plays the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and more on Saturday evening. At the helm is the charming, jazz-loving, hard-swinging drummer Bob Parker, surrounded on stage by Scott Heth, Piano; Joe Salamone Bass; Paul Boehmke, Alto Sax; Charlie Weyant, Tenor Sax and Clarinet; Chris Parker, Drums; and Jim Fryer, Trombone. From the Charleston, to the Two-Step, to the Fox Trot, this much-loved group will have the crowd dancing all evening!

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series features pre-concert dinners at the charming Falls Village Inn. Experience a piece of history built over 175 years ago that helped shape the history of Falls Village.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Chamber music concerts continue with Escher String Quartet with 2017 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo, piano (July 15); Penderecki String Quartet with Victoria Schwartzman, piano (July 22); Harlem String Quartet with Fei-Fei Dong, piano (July 29); and Avalon String Quartet with Soyeon Kate Lee, piano (August 5).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with Helen Sung Quartet (July 14); Peter & Will Anderson Quartet (July 21); Swingtime Big Band (July 28); and Jimmy Greene Quartet (August 4).

Specially Priced Concerts include: Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception on Sunday, September 2. All tickets $75. Special Concert & Wine Reception to Celebrate the Completion of the Beethoven Quartet Cycle on Sunday, September 9. All tickets: $60.

Regularly scheduled Chamber Music Concerts are $35. Twilight Series Concerts are $30. Concert & Dinner Passes are available for all Twilight Series Concerts for $70; includes Pre-Concert Dinner (5pm) at The Falls Village Inn, a Litchfield County landmark – Classic American comfort fare, seasonal – and 6:30pm Twilight Concert at Music Mountain. Dinner reservations must be made no later than the Friday prior to concert date by calling the Music Mountain box office at 860-824-7126.

Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE to ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday evening Twilight Concerts are at 6:30 pm. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3 pm. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit musicmountain.org or call (860) 824-7126.

Music Mountain, 225 Music Mountain Road, Falls Village, CT 06031

There are so many ways to celebrate the 4th of July! The Museum of Tort Law in Winsted on 654 Main Street, has planned two special events on Wednesday, July 4th to commemorate this holiday.

The first takes place at 11 a.m. and is titled, “What to a Slave is the 4th of July” Frederick Douglass Speech presented by noted scholar and professor, Dr. Felton Best. The speech, written and delivered in 1852 by the famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass is still studied in schools around the nation, and is still timely, in light of current events and our national dialogue.

The second event takes place at 2 p.m. and is titled Which is worse: Trampling on the Flag, or Trampling on the Constitution? You are invited to participate in this community discussion of our values, and in light of recent events – like the NFL protests, this discussion is more timely than ever. It will be a community forum, moderated by Richard L. Newman, executive director of the American Museum of Tort Law.

For reservations, please call the Museum at 860-379-0505 or email Joan Bowman at joan@tortmuseum.org.

Celebrate an early 4th of July at Music Mountain, America’s longest running summer chamber music festival! The 89th season continues with the music of Beethoven as the Shanghai Quartet performs Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #4 on Sunday, July 1 (3pm). The festivities begin on Saturday, June 30 (6:30pm) with Michael Berkeley in a salute to the great Broadway and movie tunes that celebrate America! Concerts are scheduled through September 23.

In this spectacular summer event, the Shanghai Quartet comes to Music Mountain for six weekends to perform the complete Beethoven Quartet Cycle, considered by many as the ultimate challenge for a string quartet.

On Sunday afternoon, the Shanghai Quartet performs Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #4: String Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 74 “Harp” — British composer and writer Robert Simpson praised the coda of the first movement: “the four instruments sound as if the whole world is singing.” Program will also feature String Quartet in A Major, Op. 18 #5; and String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59 #2. Beethoven historian, Wilhem von Lenz wrote in 1853 that the second movement of Opus 59 #2 is “a vision of Paradise where mortal love finds eternal happiness.” An afternoon not to be missed!

Renowned for its passionate musicality, impressive technique and multicultural innovations, the Shanghai Quartet has become one of the world’s foremost chamber ensembles. Its elegant style melds the delicacy of Eastern music with the emotional breadth of Western repertoire, allowing it to traverse musical genres including traditional Chinese folk music, masterpieces of Western music and cutting-edge contemporary works. Formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983, the Quartet has worked with the world’s most distinguished artists and regularly tours the major music centers of Europe, North America and Asia. The Quartet has a long history of championing new music and juxtaposing traditions of Eastern and Western music.

Spend Saturday evening with Michael Berkeley, No Tune Like a Show Tune: Celebrating America! In honor of the 4th of July, join the multi-talented performers Michael Berkeley, Wanda Houston, Maria Hickey, Amy LeBlanc and Frank Fasano as they serve up a patriotic vocal songfest in a musical tribute to the USA. With Michael Berkeley at the piano, it is a heartfelt, patriotic homage to this great country featuring Irving Berlin, George Cohan, George Gershwin, and a myriad of great show tunes and popular American standards. You won’t want to miss this dynamic group of talented musicians singing their hearts out as they embrace the love, humor, sentimentality and majesty of America the beautiful! Michael Berkeley served as Artistic Director at the TriArts Sharon Playhouse for almost two decades. Additionally, Mr. Berkeley has directed and arranged shows for theatres around the country and spent many years as an Equity actor, having appeared on stages across the country.

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series features pre-concert dinners at the charming Falls Village Inn. Experience a piece of history built over 175 years ago that helped shape the history of Falls Village.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Shanghai Quartet continues the Beethoven Quartet Cycle on Sunday, July 8. The music continues with Escher String Quartet with 2017 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo, piano (July 15); Penderecki String Quartet with Victoria Schwartzman, piano (July 22); and Harlem String Quartet with Fei-Fei Dong, piano (July 29).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with Jive By Five (July 7); Helen Sung Quartet (July 14); Peter & Will Anderson Quartet (July 21); and Swingtime Big Band (July 28).

Specially Priced Packages include: the Music Mountain Gold Pass, including admission to all concerts and receptions with the artists, priority reserved seating and one $20 guest ticket available for any regularly priced concert, for $780 individual and $1,500 pair, transferable.

Specially Priced Concerts include: Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception on Sunday, September 2. All tickets $75. Special Concert & Wine Reception to Celebrate the Completion of the Beethoven Quartet Cycle on Sunday, September 9. All tickets: $60.

Regularly scheduled Chamber Music Concerts are $35. Twilight Series Concerts are $30. Concert & Dinner Passes are available for all Twilight Series Concerts for $70; includes Pre-Concert Dinner (5pm) at The Falls Village Inn, a Litchfield County landmark – Classic American comfort fare, seasonal – and 6:30pm Twilight Concert at Music Mountain. Dinner reservations must be made no later than the Friday prior to concert date by calling the Music Mountain box office at 860-824-7126.

Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE to ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday evening Twilight Concerts are at 6:30 pm. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3 pm. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit musicmountain.org or call (860) 824-7126.

Music Mountain, 225 Music Mountain Road, Falls Village, CT 06031

One of the most valuable tools in the Mount Vernon kitchen was Mrs. Washington’s copy of The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy; Which far exceeds any Thing of the Kind yet published… By a Lady. Martha Washington’s original copy is part of the special collections at Mount Vernon, and includes the marvelous Peach Pir. Peach Pir is a dessert which takes advantage of summer’s bounty of ripe fruit. On Saturday, June 30 from 11:00 – 12:30 the Wilton Historical Society will be holding a Colonial Cookery and Customs Workshop for Kids, in which Museum Educator Lola Chen will be showing the children how to make a delicious modern spin on Peach Pir by preparing a crumb crust, custard and fresh diced peaches.  

The Colonial Cookery and Customs for Kids workshop at the Wilton Historical Society teaches kids a “reciept” (recipe) used in the Connecticut region. While the food is prepared, they hear about Colonial manners, morals and way of life. The monthly workshops feature relatively simple dishes made with local, seasonal ingredients, adapted for modern kitchens. All participants will sample their own cooking and take home recipe cards – as well as any leftovers! The children will learn how a Colonial kitchen would have operated, in order to appreciate the modern conveniences we take for granted. Previous sessions have made bannock cakes, pease porridge, pickles, an amulet of green peas, apple tansey, fairy butter, pumpkin bread, cranberry shortbread, New Year’s “cakes”, New England chowder, hand pies, cheese and ramp soufflé, pea and watercress Rappahannock, blackberry maslin, thirded bread, pound cake with “Oranges” juice, maple cup custard and pepper pot soup. Suggested for ages 6 – 12.

Members: $10; Non-members $15. Space is limited — please register by contacting info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257.

The Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road/Rt. 7, Wilton, CT 06897 http://www.wiltonhistorical.org

Did You Know?

“Europeans first introduced peaches to America in the 17th century and the fruit quickly flourished in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic colonies. Although New England farmers sometimes planted peach trees in their orchards, the long harsh winters and the frequent frosts (extending well into the spring) limited the crop’s success farther north. Through innovation and perseverance, however, fruit grower John Howard Hale eventually developed a new type of peach capable of thriving in harsher climates. . . .In South Glastonbury, Hale discovered a few hardy trees on his grandfather’s farm and developed a new type of peach that more capably endured the harsh New England climate and produced large delicious fruit. When Hale first offered his peaches for sale in Hartford, the public hailed them as “a beautiful and rare sight in the state. . . . . The peach that Hale developed, known as the J. H. Hale Peach, continues to remain popular, admired for the same qualities that led to Hale’s commercial success at the turn of the 20th century. Today peaches are still grown commercially in orchards in Glastonbury and in other towns throughout Connecticut. ” – Nancy Finlay, excerpted from her article on Connecticut History.org “John Howard Hale: Glastonbury’s Peach King”