Connecticut Travel

The Lockwood Mathews Mansion in Norwalk has organized a weekend of spooktacular fun on October 28- 30 at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

A special Halloween tour, “Ghostly Sightings & Macabre Tales of the Victorian Era” will focus on the history of the house and the chilling customs and mourning traditions of the Victorian era.

Visitors may run into the Mansion’s ghosts, who are haunted by the darker memories that are part of the rarely spoken history of the Lockwood and Mathews families. These ghosts will wander throughout the first and second floors of the Mansion, but only during this very special and spooky Halloween tour.

Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tours are $20 per person; advance payment and reservation are required. The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. For more information on schedules and programs please visit http://www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799.

Visit http://www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com to sign up for a monthly newsletter of Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County.

Flanders Nature Center located on Church Hill Road in Woodbury invites families to come to their main campus, the Van Vleck Sanctuary in Woodbury, on Sunday, October 30 from 1 – 3 PM for a Family Fun Halloween Scavenger Hunt!

Participants in this fun filled event should check in at the historic Van Vleck House, located at 5 Church Hill Road in Woodbury, to pick up a map and list of clues about the hidden creatures found along the trails. With the map in hand, participants will set off on an independent hike to search for creatures; along the way they will discover facts about some of Halloweens “creepy” and not so creepy creatures learning fascinating facts about spiders, bats, nocturnal animals and things that go “BUMP” in the night! There will also be hayride shuttles up the hill to explore the secret stairs in the forest and to investigate creatures that live in a hidden brook.

Once families have collected all the facts they will turn them in at the Van Vleck House to claim a prize and enjoy some refreshments. Flanders offers this non scary and fun family event to create awareness of the benefits of some of Halloween’s mysterious and often misunderstood local wildlife. The hikes are family friendly and appropriate for all ages and skill levels.

To take part in this event, please pre-register at www.flandersnaturecenter.org or call Flanders at (203) 263-3711, extension 10. The cost per family for members is $10 per family. All proceeds benefit Flanders programming. To sign up for a monthly newsletter for Litchfield Hills visit www.litchfieldhills.com

The Sharon Historical Society located on 18 Main Street in the beautiful village of Sharon has opened a new exhibit called “A Chance for Land and Fresh Air: Russian Jewish Immigrants in Ellsworth and Amenia, 1907-1940”. The exhibit opens with a reception on Saturday, October 22, 2016, from 4-6 pm, 18 Main Street, Sharon,CT06069 .

This historical exhibit traces the history and tells the story of thirty Jewish families who beginning in 1907 became dairy farmers in the Ellsworth Hills above Sharon. Twenty years later, most had moved to Amenia, New York, where they ran boarding houses and hotels, turning Amenia into a Jewish resort. The exhibit highlights several families who continue to have farms in the area, including the Gorkofskys, Osofskys, and Paleys.

Carol Ascher, guest curator of the exhibit, lives in the Ellsworth Hills and came upon this hidden history when she heard of a couple of Jewish farmers who had lived in her area. She examined the town’s land records, which, in turn, led her to census data and the archives of the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan, and back to Sharon and Amenia, to conduct interviews and collect family photographs, and other documents.

Marge Smith, Sharon Historical Society Curator, has been instrumental in designing the exhibit. Joel Osofsky, whose grandfather settled in Ellsworth in 1907, has assisted with photographic reproduction and mounting.

To sign up for a monthly newsletter on all there is to see and do in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.litchfieldhills.com

The Avon Theatre in Stamford, located on 272 Bedford Street will be showing two very special films at the end of October. The first takes place on October 20 at 7 pm. and is a anniversary special screening of April Fool’s Day. Any slasher movie with a title like APRIL FOOL’S DAY would have to be a spoof, and this one fits that niche perfectly. A group of eight college friends gather together at an island mansion belonging to heiress Muffy St. John to celebrate their final year of school. They soon discover that each has a hidden secret from their past which is revealed, and soon after, they turn up dead. Yet, are they really dead? Or is it just part of some very real and cruel April Fool’s jokes? The hostess, Muffy, is the only one who apparently knows what’s going on. But then again, is it really her doing the killing?

As a special bonus to the screening of this film, there will be a post-film Q&A with the stars: Deborah Foreman, Leah Pinsent, Deborah Royce Goodrich and Amy Steel.

Deborah Goodrich is best known for her role as Silver Kane, younger sister of the legendary Erica Kane, on the long-running ABC soap opera All My Children. Deborah starred in several feature films such as APRIL FOOL’S DAY, JUST ONE OF THE GUYS and REMOTE CONTROL; television movies such as Return to Peyton Place, The Deliberate Stranger and Liberace; and many television series such as St. Elsewhere, Beverly Hills 90210, The A Team and Hotel. Deborah transitioned to the other side of the camera to work as story editor at Miramax Films in the 1990’s, working on such films as EMMA, CHICAGO and THE ENGLISHMAN WHO WENT UP A HILL BUT CAME DOWN A MOUNTAIN. She has written one screenplay and is currently at work on a novel. Deborah serves as president of the Avon Theatre Film Center.

Deborah Foreman is perhaps best known for her role as Julie opposite Nicolas Cage in the 1983 movie VALLEY GIRL, which was her first starring role in a feature film. Her first acting job was in a comedy pilot for NBC’s The Grady Nutt Show. More television work and supporting film roles soon followed. After a 1983 appearance on the popular sitcom Family Ties, her breakout performance in VALLEY GIRL brought her national fame. In 1985, Foreman had a small role in the film REAL GENIUS, followed by a starring role in the 1986 comedy MY CHAUFFEUR. She is a hard-working actress, equally at home with comedy and drama, who has earned the respect of colleagues and press alike. She has also been a successful model for Maybelline. In addition to her acting, she is a certified yoga and pilates instructor, as well as the owner and operator of Deborah Forema.

Amy Steel is well-known for her role as Ginny Field in the 1981 horror film FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2. Her numerous television roles include a stint on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light as Trudy Wilson from 1980-1981, and as Peggy Warner on All My Children in 1980, and a 1995 television movie Abandoned and Deceived. She also starred in the 1980s television series The Powers of Matthew Star. Steel has made guest appearances on various television series including Family Ties, CHiPs, The A-Team, Chicago Hope, Quantum Leap, Millenium, and JAG.

Leah Pinsent was born in Toronto, Ontario, the daughter of well-known Canadian actors Gordon Pinsent and Charmion King. She studied at Circle in the Square in New York City and Playhouse West in L.A. Her first film role in THE BAY BOY (1984), won her a Genie nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She is well known for her role as Veronica in the comedy-drama series Made in Canada for which she won three Geminis in 2001, 2002 and 2004. She also played news anchor Diane Gordon in both the television series More Tears and the television movie Escape from the Newsroom. She has appeared on many other television series including ReGenesis, Flashpoint, 18 to Life, Murdoch Mysteries, and Republic of Doyle. In 2012, Leah appeared in the television movie Sunshine Sketches of a Small Town.

On Thursday, October 27, just in time for Halloween, the Avon Theatre will screen the cult classic movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show at 8:30 p.m. This movie depicts the misadventures of Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) inside a strange mansion that they come across on a rainy night.

Admission for both films is $7 for members, $12 for non-members and $9 for students with i.d. For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

It will be a night of tricks and treats as Stepping Stones Museum for Children welcomes all into its halls of wonder for the BOO-seum’s annual Halloween party. Celebrate this mystifying holiday the Stepping Stones way at the museum’s Magical Monster Mash on Saturday, October 22, from 6:00 – 8:30 pm. You’re sure to have a monstrously-good time during the museum’s kid-friendly costume party. It’s a night to quench the curiosity in everyone!

The Magical Monster Mash will be a spellbinding night jam-packed with not-so-scary, costumed, family fun. Guests can scamper through the museum to find magical artifacts during a Scavenger Hunt, take Magic Photos with our invisibility cloak, experiment with potions, make their own Wizard Wand or leave behind Magic Messages for their family and friends. Weather permitting; they’ll be able to meander through our outdoor Halloween Maze or view magical Halloween scenes during an outdoor ride on our Magic Train. Back inside, they will also be able to make paper Flying Bats that you can fly in our wind tunnel or learn a few simple magic tricks that will amaze your friends. Speaking of magic tricks, don’t miss Pete and Chris Amusement’s two-man, kids’ comedy magic show, which is almost guaranteed to capture your child’s attention and not let go! And of course, you’ll be able to masquerade through the museum in your costume at the end of our BOO-tiful evening during our SPOOK-tacular Witches and Wizards Walk.

Don’t fret about bringing the littlest visitors. At this Halloween party, we won’t have you crying for your “mummy.” There will be age-appropriate activities for all visitors, so that the whole family can enjoy this costume party.

Dinner will be available in the Stepping Stones Cafe. In addition to its regular menu items, the Cafe will be selling two festive dinner packages. Attendees will be able to purchase the “Mummy Dog” or “Spider Pizza” dinner packages for this year’s Monster Mash. These special dinner packages can be pre-purchased at the time of registration or bought in the Cafe during the event.

Tickets for this event cost $12 per person for museum members and $17 per person for non-members. Children under the age of one will be admitted for free. However, you can take advantage of our Early Bird Discount and receive $2 off each ticket before Sunday, October 16. Magical Monster Mash tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Registration is required. Space is limited and this event is very popular, so register early. Call 203 899 0606, ext. 247, or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/monstermash.

For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

The Bellamy-Ferriday House located on 9 Main Street North in the quaint town of Bethlehem is hosting Under a Harvest Moon on October 22 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Festival goers will enjoy a fall themed afternoon of fun for the whole family.

Event activities include a pumpkin painting contest, live music by Allen and Ian Johnson, aa bounce house, temporary tattoos and goodies, children’s activities and a raffle.

A highlight of Under the Harvest Moon takes place at 2:30 p.m. when a Birds of Prey program takes place. Blue Moon Raptors bring rehabilitated injured and orphaned birds Aviana, Onyx, Cedar and Myles (red-tailed Hawk, Broad Wing Hawk, Eastern Screech Owl and Barred Owl) to Bellamy-Ferriday. Along with rehabilitation, Blue Moon Raptors share the important role they have in our ecosystem to help maintain the balance of nature with educational programs. The Birds of Prey program is sponsored by The Bethlehem Land Trust.

Admission is $5 per person, children 4 and under are free. Raffle tickets are $2 each. Costumes are encouraged for our costume contest, but not required.

For more area information and to sign up for a monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.litchfieldhills.com