Connecticut Travel

Have you ever tasted raw clams and oysters fresh off an oyster boat, visited a 4th generation oyster farm or witnessed the blessing of a fleet of boats? Get ready for an unforgettable way to experience our shoreline at the Seaport Association’s Copps Island Oyster Luau on May 19, 2018, from 6 pm to 8 pm at one of Connecticut’s most revered oyster companies, Norm Bloom & Son Oyster Farm in Norwalk.

Tracing its origins back centuries to Mediterranean fishing villages, the annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony hosted by the Seaport Association is based on a tradition meant to ensure a safe and bountiful season for the area’s commercial fishing community as well as for the Seaport’s vessel, C. J. Toth, that offers cruises to Sheffield Island from May through September.

Over the years, the Blessing of the Fleet ceremony has evolved into a variety of festivities hosted by the Seaport Association and this year’s new event, Copp’s Island Luau promises a night of good food and drink among friends, old and new. This New England style Luau has been organized to celebrate the treasures of our Connecticut coastline… clams and oysters! The event will be held on Copps Island at Norm Bloom and Son, a fourth-generation family owned farm that provides some of the freshest and most luscious oysters and clams that you will ever taste!

The fun doesn’t stop there! Expect to enjoy the tropical sounds of a ukulele trio, savor island-themed hors-d’oeuvres, and sip on beer and wine. The Seaport Association has even concocted “one” special tropical drink, called “Tropical Grace” to salute the “Grace P. Lowndes Oyster Boat. All of this is included in the cost of the ticket that helps to raise funds for the programs of the Seaport Association that include the preservation of our maritime heritage, the environment of Long Island Sound and to help children experience the 150-year-old Sheffield Lighthouse. So, pull out your most colorful Hawaiian shirt and join in the fun!

This unique experience is limited to only 200 special guests so be sure to get your ticket early as this event is expected to be a complete sellout. Tickets are $75 online before May 6 and $85 after May 7, and, at the door if space permits. This event welcomes adults 21 and up only. For Tickets click here. And, after this fantastically fun event, there is still time to explore all that Norwalk has to offer.

About the Seaport Association

Formed in 1978 by a group of local citizens the 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 landmark that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration of 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, present, and future. As an Association, we are dedicated in our efforts to preserve our maritime heritage, the environment of Long Island Sound, and helping children experience our 150-year-old lighthouse on Sheffield Island.

About Copps Island Oysters

Norm Bloom and Son founded in 1994 have spent countless hours on the water doing what they love most, harvesting and farming oysters. The Bloom family has been involved in the oyster business since the 1940s and today, Norm Bloom and Sons is one of the largest oyster farms on the east coast.

With an eye to the future, Norm Bloom and Sons have teamed up with marine biologists and local oystermen to preserve Long Island Sound in order to create a sustainable breeding and farming environment for the shellfish industry.

When people think of Native American weapons, bows and arrows are usually the first thing that springs to mind and with good reason. Just about every tribe had some form of a bow and arrow that was used for hunting or warfare, and sometimes for both. Before the bow and arrow, Native Americans used something called an Atlatl for hunting and fishing. To learn more about this ancient technology and to make and throw your own atlatl, The Institute for American Indian Studies is hosting a very special workshop, Before the Bow and Arrow: Atlatl, on May 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Gary Nolf, past president of the World Atlatl Association.

About the Atlatl

An atlatl is one of humankind’s first mechanical inventions that preceded the bow and arrow in most parts of the world. Basically, an atlatl is an ancient type of a spear thrower that was used to throw a spear farther and faster towards the quarry. The word atlatl comes from the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs who were using them when the Spanish arrived in the 1500s.

According to the World Atlatl Association, early people in the Americas used atlatls to hunt mammoths and mastodons around 11,000 years B.C. Much later, a variety of atlatl types were used in different parts of North America. Many of the large stone projectile points found in North American sites were used with atlatl darts and not arrowheads. Atlatls continued to be used alongside bows and arrows by many Native Americans. Experimentation through the years taught Naive American hunters that by using a spear throwing stick, or atlatl and using a whip-like action to release the spear the weapon would go a greater distance and have a deeper penetration.

Atlatls were used to fish and to hunt large and small game animals. Typically the projectile point of the spearhead was made of hard stone such as flint that was made by a Native American flintknapper. The spearhead was attached to a wooden shaft made of hardwood such as ash, hickory, oak, cedar, walnut or birch. The spear measured about 4 feet long and the atlatl thrower measured about two feet long and was typically made of wood or antler. In time, an atlatl weight was added to the spear thrower as a counter-balance and good luck charm to help the hunter hit his quarry. The spear holder was retained after the spear was thrown and sometimes a leather thong was attached to help the thrower retain it.

The Workshop

Participants in the atlatl workshop will learn the history of the atlatl and how there were used by Native Americans. Under the guidance of atlatl expert Gary Nolf, you will learn about the different designs of this ancient weapon before making your own atlatl and dart.

If you like to make things with your hands and test your skills, then this workshop is for you. A highlight of the day is the test of your workmanship and skill in a just for fun atlatl throwing competition! If you become an atlatl fan, you might want to compete atlatl competitions that are held worldwide!

This workshop ($13 seniors, $15 adults, $11 children, $5 IAIS members) is expected to sell out so make sure to reserve your space by calling 860-868-0518 or emailing general@iaismuseum.org. Please note that an adult must accompany participants under the age of 18.

The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village. Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518. The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans, the focus is on stewardship and preservation. This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

WOTOWN THE MUSICAL presented by Worklight Productions is coming to the Palace Theater May 11 – 13 for four performances. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.palacetheaterct.org, by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main St. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 203.346.3011

Featuring more than 40 classic hits such as “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” MOTOWN THE MUSICAL tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America.

Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, MOTOWN THE MUSICAL is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and so many more. MOTOWN THE MUSICAL’s arrangements and orchestrations are by Grammy and Tony Award® nominee Ethan Popp (Rock of Ages), who also serves as music supervisor in reproducing the classic “Sound of Young America,” with co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Tony Award® nominee Bryan Crook (“Smash”) and dance arrangements by Zane Mark (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL was originally produced by Tony Award® winning producer Kevin McCollum (Rent, In the Heights, Avenue Q), Chairman and CEO of SONY Music Entertainment Doug Morris and Motown Founder Berry Gordy, in association with Work Light Productions. For more information, visit www.MotownTheMusical.com.

About the Palace Theater

The Palace’s primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to preserve and operate the historic Palace Theater as a performing arts center and community gathering place that provides a focal point of cultural activity and educational outreach for diverse audiences. For more information, visit: www.palacetheaterct.org.

Did you know that Saturday, April 28 is Independent Bookshop Day? Independent Bookstore Day marks its fourth year of celebrating independent bookstores
nationwide on Saturday, April 28th, with literary parties around the country. The Hickory Stick Bookshop will be celebrating with refreshments, giveaways, and activities throughout the day, as well as two book signings: Deborah Dayal and Rose Petruzzi will sign Dancing Inside, a book of poetry with watercolor illustrations, at 1pm; Bibi Gaston will sign Gifford Pinchot and the First Foresters at 2:30pm, coinciding with
The Steep Rock Association’s Family Workshop Weekend.

The Hickory Stick Bookshop will also offer exclusive day-of merchandise created especially for Independent Bookstore Day by major publishers and authors. Since its inception in 2014, more than 200 authors have demonstrated their support for independent bookstores by donating work for Bookstore Day.

The 2018 IBD author ambassador Celeste Ng (Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You) says, “My favorite thing about independent bookstores is that they all have their own distinct personalities: each reflects not just the tastes but also the ideals of its community. From the second you walk in, you get a sense of what the people who shop there know and enjoy—as well as what’s currently on their minds, what they want to learn, and what they value: in short, what kinds of people they want to be. Bookstores are more than just repositories of knowledge, they’re living, breathing, evolving representations of our best selves. I love Independent Bookstore Day because it asks readers, writers, and booksellers to join in celebrating all that bookstores represent. It’s a gathering to remind ourselves that the written word can change both us and the world, and of what’s possible when we all come together.”

This event is free and open to the public. For more information please call The Hickory Stick Bookshop at 860-868-0525, email books@hickorystickbookshop.com, or visit www.hickorystickbookshop.com.

Have you ever wondered how Native Americans survived in the wilderness without any modern tools? If you have, then make sure to attend the flintknapping workshop at the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington with Jeff Kalin, a primitive technologist on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29 from 12 noon to 3 p.m.

About Flintknapping
Flintknapping is the age-old traditional way that Native Americans created sharp-edged tools and weapons from stone. The use of implements made from flint was widely practiced in New England because their survival depended on a material, like flint that could be used to produce sharp tools.

The first step in the flint knapping process is to quarry large pieces of chert or flint. The use of flint to make weapons and tools has been used by humans for at least two million years. The composition of flint when fractured causes it to break into sharp-edged pieces. Native Americans recognized this property of flint and learned how to fashion it into knife blades, spear points, arrowheads, scrapers, axes, drills and other sharp implements using a method known as flintknapping. If these tools were broken or damaged while being used they were sometimes reshaped into smaller tools that could be used in a similar way.

After finding a piece of flint it is hit with a hammerstone to break off a flake to make a tool or weapon. This tool is then roughed out and the general shape is made, this shape is referred to as a preform. The next step entails a striking tool made of an antler, bone or stone that is used to shape the stone into a weapon or tool. This is followed by pressure flaking by pressing an antler or stone end to the edges to sharpen the piece. The implement can be sharpened even more by striking the edge in a downward motion, the thinner the flint, the sharper the tool or weapon.

Flintknapping Workshop with Jeff Kalin, Cherokee

At this workshop, on April 28 and April 29 participants will discover the fascinating history of Native American flintknapping from primitive technologist expert, Jeff Kalin, of Cherokee ancestry. During the workshop, Kalin will explain the historic importance of flintknapping and how it was critical to the well being of the tribe as the implements produced touched every aspect of daily life by providing implements to use in hunting, fishing, making clothes, canoes, and structures.

Participants will learn percussion and flaking techniques from Kalin that will turn an ordinary piece of flint into a useful tool. This workshop is best for adults and children 15 and older. Call the Institute at 860-868-0518 or email media@iaismuseum.org to reserve your spot because this popular workshop is expected to sell out.

About Jeff Kalin

Jeff Kalin has more than 25 years of experience in the field of primitive technologies and is a consultant to museum curators and archaeologists in the analysis of artifacts. He is a recognized expert in Clovis point replication and other types of stone tools.

He has constructed prehistoric sets and props for filmmakers and his pottery, handcrafted from river clay is in many public and private collections. Kalin has built nearly 200 aboriginal structures, either free-standing or congregated in villages.

The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village. Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.

The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans, the focus is on stewardship and preservation. This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

Celebrate the wonders of nature that we can find right outside our own homes – if we would just put down our devices – in “Backyard Wilderness,” a gorgeous new IMAX®  at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

In The Maritime Aquarium’s 30-year history, “Backyard Wilderness” may be the IMAX movie that is most relevant to Aquarium audiences – and not only because the movie was filmed just over the state line in Westchester County, N.Y. The movie shows how we are so absorbed in the digital realm that we overlook a menagerie of real wildlife right outside our back door, including deer, coyotes, wood ducks, frogs, salamanders, raccoons, hummingbirds and more.

From March 25 to June 29, show times are 11 a.m. and 1 & 3 p.m. Times will change June 30.

It will play in the largest IMAX Theater in Connecticut, with a screen that’s six stories high and eight stories wide. But there’s more to the movie than just the IMAX format’s enormous scale, image clarity and surround sound. “Backyard Wilderness” captures the beauty of a suburban wilderness in rare intimacy – with IMAX cameras mounted inside dens and nests, moving along forest floor and pond bottom, and (through time-lapse and slow-motion) revealing marvels of nature unavailable to the human eye.

The story of “Backyard Wilderness” follows a young girl and her modern family, who are blind to the real-life spectacle around them; who instead are absorbed by an array of electronic devices in their busy lives. When the girl gradually discovers the intricate secrets that nature has hidden so close to her front door, audiences experience the joy she finds in her interactions with this new world.

The film reminds us that Wi-Fi is not the only connection that matters and that, sometimes, in ordinary places, you can uncover extraordinary things that can transform you forever – you just need to step outside.

Educators can find classroom resources and learn how the movie can help to fulfill U.S. Next Generation Science Standards at http://www.backyardwildernessfilm.com.

“Backyard Wilderness” is an SK Films release of an Arise Media/Archipelago Films production. Based in Ossining, N.Y., Archipelago Films was created by Academy Award-nominated, Emmy-Award-winning filmmakers Susan Todd and Andrew Young. Their non-profit company, Arise Media, was formed to make innovative media about the most urgent social and environmental challenges facing the planet, and to inspire a new appreciation for our own interconnected role in nature.

Get more information about “Backyard Wilderness,” watch the trailer, buy tickets and more at www.maritimeaquarium.org.

“Because the movie was filmed in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., its geography and animal life will be familiar to anyone in Connecticut and eastern New York who has ever walked in a forest park – or their own wooded back yard,” said Aquarium spokesman Dave Sigworth. “But the movie lets us see into these animals’ lives in intimate ways – which is a neat trick: creating an intimate feeling on a six-story screen.”