Connecticut Travel

The Palace Theater’s popular monthly tour is Friday, April 28 from 11a.m. to 12:30p.m. The tour program gives the public an opportunity to journey through 95 years of the theater’s rich history and get a peek behind the scenes. Admission is $5.00 per person and can be purchased online at www.palacetheaterct.org, by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main St. in Waterbury. Groups larger than ten people are advised to book their reservations in advance by calling the Box Office 203.346.2000. Private tours can also be scheduled for groups of 10 or more. Call group coordinator Deidre Patterson at 203.346.2011 for more information.

During the tour, attendees are led on an educational exploration through nine decades of stunning architecture and backstage magic related to the Palace’s rich history. In addition to exploring the theater, Poli Club and grand lobby spaces, patrons also have the opportunity to visit the hidden areas – the green room, wig room and star dressing rooms, plus have a chance to walk across the stage and view the venue’s hidden backstage murals featuring artwork painted and signed by past performers and Broadway touring companies. Guests are also invited to browse a rarely seen collection of the theater’s pre-restoration photos, in addition to viewing elements from the Palace’s Tenth Anniversary History Exhibit, which include a visual timeline of historic milestones dating back to 1922, as well as original theater seats from the 1920s.

Each tour is approximately 90 minutes and is led by a team of engaging volunteers well-versed in the theater’s rich history, architectural design and entertaining anecdotal information. It is important to note that the walking tour covers five floors of history and architecture, including grand staircases from the 1920’s. While elevator access is available, guests with walking disabilities or health concerns are asked to inform the Box Office ahead of time, so that the tour guides can make the proper accommodations.

On May 2 beginning at 6:30 p.m. the Greenwich Historical Society is hosting Cheryl Henson, second-eldest daughter of Jim and Jane Henson, who will share personal reflections on the life, work and legacy of her famous father.

Ms. Henson’s program will offer a unique perspective on a creative family journey that, 60 years on, has morphed from an ambitious educational experiment to a worldwide enterprise that continues to push the limits of creativity and innovation. From groundbreaking Sesame Street to The Muppet Movies to Fraggle Rock, Jim Henson’s imagination and technical genius continually fueled and expanded his characters’ relatable humanity—despite the fact that many of his characters were, well, technically monsters. Cheryl Henson will touch on how Henson’s innovations forever transformed and elevated the art of puppetry, why his work continues to delight and why his legacy is so important to the future of contemporary puppet theater.

Cheryl Henson is a member of the Board of Directors of The Jim Henson Company and has been the president of The Jim Henson Foundation since 1992. Her unique perspective on the world of puppet theater was established in childhood, when she and her four siblings served as test audience and inspiration for Jim and Jane Henson’s contributions to the development of Sesame Street and other educational programs, projects and experiments. From 1992 to 2000, Cheryl executive-produced the award-winning biennial Henson International Festival of Puppet Theater. The five festivals encompassed 136 different productions from 31 countries in 24 theaters throughout New York City. The Festival won both Drama Desk and the OBIE Awards and is widely acknowledged to have changed the perception of contemporary American puppet theater.

Doors open at 6:30 pm, and light refreshments will be served. The lecture will begin at 7:00 pm and will last roughly 45 minutes, with a 15-minute of Q&A session to follow. Members: $10; non-members: $15 Reserve below or call 203-869-6899, Ext. 10.

For a free monthly newsletter on things to do and see and travel tips on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

The Litchfield History Museum located on 7 South Street in the heart of Litchfield is offering a series of four themed walking tours of this iconic New England town on April 29, May 13, June 10 and July 1. Each of these themed walking tours begins at 10 a.m. and starts at the Litchfield History Museum. The cost is $5 to participate for non members and registration is appreciated at registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org. Each walking tour lasts about one hour.

In April, the Litchfield History Museum is opening its new exhibit for the season, Thoughts, Words, and Deeds: Exploring the Litchfield Female Academy, that will be on view April 22 through November 27, 2017 at the Litchfield History Museum. The exhibit introduces Miss Sarah Pierce’s school and highlights newly discovered information about the students and their legacies. In conjunction with this exhibition the first walking tour planned on April 29 will visit sites pertinent to Litchfield’s influential school for young women, founded in 1792 by Miss Sarah Pierce.

If you have admired the colonial architecture found in Litchfield be sure not to miss the second tour, Architectural Litchfield that is planned for May 13. This tour explores the questions of why the center of Litchfield have such a large green and so many white homes? Take a walk with the Litchfield Historical Society’s Curator of Education, Kate Zullo, and learn how the history and stories of old Litchfield are preserved in the architecture of the town. The walk will begin at the Litchfield History Museum and cover North and South Streets.

The Social Lives of the Litchfield Female Academy and Litchfield Law School Students will be the highlight of the walking tour planned for June 10. Participants will join an educator for a tour about the social lives of students who attended the Litchfield Law School and Litchfield Female Academy. Participants will hear about their activities, social events, and even romances between students…and even the several marriages that took place!

The final walking tour will be held on July 1 and will explore Revolutionary Litchfield. Guests are invited to join an education staff member for a walking tour through Litchfield’s Revolutionary history! Litchfield was a hotbed of activity during the Revolutionary War. Prisoners of war were jailed in this safe town, a military presence guarded stores and provisions, families were divided by those seeking their independence from the British crown.

Celebrate Earth Day this year at the Woodcock Nature Center on 56 Deer Run Road in Wilton from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on April 22. They are hosting a series of events throughout the morning and are inviting you to join them. Please be sure to register in advance for the programing online.

At 8 a.m there is a guided bird hike with local bird enthusiast, Noah Sferra, as he leads participants along the Woodcock Trails in search of returning migrating birds and year round residents.

At 9 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m. join a Master Naturalist, Jim Nordgren, as he leads participants along the Woodcock Trails to see what can be discovered. Participates will learn about the spring season as spring wildflowers are in bloom, trees and shrubs are just beginning to leaf out and returning warblers and other migrating birds are near peak. It’s a perfect time to come out and see what’s popping up in the wetlands and woods.

Gather around at 9:30 a.m. to hear Staff Educator, Jennifer Bradshaw, read the fantastic tale called “The Lorax” by Dr. Suess. Learn why it is so important to be kind to our environment. Next Staff Educator, Sarah Breznen, will lead families on an exploratory hike on our trails where we will stop throughout to learn about the woodlands, search for salamanders and scoop in our vernal pools and look out for characters from “The Lorax” reading.

The morning finishes at 11 a.m. with a native animal encounter lead by Staff Educator, Jennifer Bradshaw. During this program she will share a few fun facts about the some of the native species resident to WNC. Meet our Painted Turtles, Wood Frogs, Spring Peepers, Snapping Turtles and a Box Turtle.

The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm’s cooking school in New Milford is offering a new series of classes called Preserving the Bounty that runs from May 6 through September 16. Each class offers techniques on how to work with the season’s freshest vegetables. The techniques you learn in each class with help you extend the season with simple easy to use recipes. Every class covers food safety and general procedures for a successful seal every time! These are “Hands-on” classes with each participant taking home recipes and 2 freshly made jars of seasonal goodness- plus the confidence to DIY at home.

Preserving the Bounty kicks off on May 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a class, Pickles int he Pantry with chef Pam Lillis. As a participant you will become part of the farm to table movement as you learn to pickle almost anything! The class will start with creating your own jars of garlic dills or string beans, and pickled fruit or ginger …and then can them from start to finish. Participants will learn about the brines, technique, and about the science of pickling.

On Saturday, June 17 participants will learn how to preserve the spring and summer bounty of fruits, and berries. Learn to make sweet and savory jams and jellies and take full advantage of what we wait for all year long here in the New England! Recipes using the best of the season will become favorites as you explore fresh flavor profiles to accommodate favorite flavors such as chai and cardamom.

The class on July 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. will be an intro to infusions: Oils, Vinegar, and Shrubs. This class will show students how to make their own herb infused oils for dipping and recipes. Participants will create flavored vinegar’s that are not only delicious but beautiful to look at. They will also explore fruit shrubs in creative combinations for cocktails and mocktails!

The final class on Saturday, September 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 pm is all about tomatoes ! A perfect class to take if you have a bumper crop! Recipes include Original Gazpacho Salsa & Roasted Tomato Puree. A highlight of this class is the focus on the methods used to safely can whole or diced tomatoes that you can serve all winter long.

Art that represents music, tones paired with visions of grandeur, will be on exhibit at the Maritime Garage Gallery from March 7 through June 2, 2017. The Gallery is located in the Maritime Parking Garage exhibit space in Norwalk, CT. The exhibit is free and open to the public from 9:00am -5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

The exhibit, entitled “Chromatic,” features art that shows the visual crossing of the sense of hearing and sight. Exhibiting artists include Binnie Birstein of Norwalk; Tania Canteli of Beacon, NY; Ashley Nelson and Mary Grace Leone of West Haven; Lori Slotkin of Darien; Eric Chiang of Westport; Heidi Lewis Coleman and Mari Gyorgyey of Stamford. Jeanine Esposito and Frederic Chiu of Beachwood Arts in Westport, CT were ​guest jurors for “Chromatic”.

The Maritime Garage Gallery is part of the Parking Authority’s “Art in Parking Places” initiative, an effort to support art in public spaces. For more information, call 203- 831-9063, or visit http://www.norwalkpark.org/public-art .