Connecticut Travel

The Sharon Historical Society & Museum and The Gallery @the SHS located on 18 Main Street in Sharon is pleased to welcome the public to a The Artists Talk! program on Sunday, October 9th from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Exhibiting artists Zelina Blagden, Karen LeSage, Ellen Moon, Catherine Noren and Sally Pettus will discuss their work and their processes, motivations, influences, and experiences in creating the pieces on display in the current show,Distaff in Sharon: A Tribute to Melva Bucksbaum.

The exhibit drew its inspiration from the groundbreaking 2013 show The Distaff Side curated by Ms. Bucksbaum at the Granary in Sharon and features work by local women artists. In addition to the work of those participating in the October 9 event, the show also includes art by Debra Bilow, Tina Chandler and Kate Stiassni. This will be an informal interactive program during which those attending will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The event is free and light refreshments will be served. Distaff in Sharon: A Tribute to Melva Bucksbaum continues in the Gallery @the
SHS through October 28th during regular SHS
hours.

The Gallery @the SHS is in the Sharon Historical Society & Museum located at 18 Main Street, Route 41, Sharon, CT. The Gallery and Museum are open Wednesday through Friday from noon to 4:00 PM, and Saturday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Visit the SHS website at www.sharonhist.org. For more information call 860-364-5688 and consult the SHS Facebook page for additional details about this event.

To sign up for a newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County and for more area event information www.litchfieldhills.com

Autumn has arrived in the Litchfield Hills and what better way to celebrate the firecolors of the season than at the largest nature sanctuary in the state of Connecticut – White Memorial Foundation located in Litchfield right off of Rte. 202. On October 7 at 7 p.m. for example spend a cozy evening with Icelandic recording artist Svavar Knútur. Hailing from the harsh Icelandic western fjords, Icelandic Troubadour Svavar Knútur, summons his inner demons and outer storms to reflect upon the existential crises and frolicking joys of modern day rustic fjord dwelling men. Channeling the pain and angst of long dark winters and the insomnia of the 24 hour glaring summer sun, this eclectic musician has in recent years blossomed into a serene and sublime singer and songwriter. Knutur’s songs of misery and redemption deliver a healthy dose of hope in the midst of despair. A humoristic storyteller and avid scuba diver into the murky waters of the human condition, Svavar Knútur, sows and reeps a fantastic mixture of art and entertainment. Drawing upon a wide range of influences, three of Svavar Knutur’s most governing ones are without doubt Nick Drake, Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy) and Kris Kristofferson, although such artists as Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Joni Mitchell, Nick Cave and many more singer/songwriters have contributed to the Icelandic troubadour’s development. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll buy his CD’s and you’ll anticipate his return! All tickets; $20.00, Coffee and dessert will be served at the show. BYOB. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. You can buy your tickets online: www.whitememorialcc.org.

On October 8 learn the basics of mushroom identification with David Paton. The program begins with a brief introduction in the Ceder Room to view some specimens. 10:00 A.M., A. B. Ceder Room, Dress for the weather! Members: $20.00, Non-members: $30.00, Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Class is limited to 30 participants! Sign up early! And, please remember that foraging is not allowed on Foundation property!
am Velez returns to the Conservation Center on October 9 at 2 p.m. in the A. B. Ceder Room with an encore presentation of basic digital photography. You will learn the basics of manual exposure for digital photography, how to use your camera’s settings to get more creative photos, tips on focusing, composition, and more. The class begins indoors and will end up outdoors for hands-on learning. Bring your camera, instruction booklet, and ideas. The class is limited to 10 participants. Rain or shine. Members: $15.00 Non-members: $20.00. A portion of your fee will be donated to The Conservation Center. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required.

If you have a desire to walk with llama’s don’t miss your chance to do this on October 9 and on October 16,23 at 2 p.m. with Debbie Labbe from Country Quilt Llama Farm. The cost is $20 per person with a percentage donated to the White Memorial Conservation Center. Meet in the Museum parking lot. Call Debbie from Country Quilt Llama Farm at 860-248-0355 to pre-register.

Kids 12 and under when accompanied by an adult get into White Memorial Foundation during the week of October 12 -18 making this an excellent time to discover all the Foundation has to offer.

A new photography show by Leo Kulinski, Jr is going up beginning on October 15 and running through January 1, 2017. There will be a reception on Ocotber 15 at 4 pm. Kulinski has been White Memorial’s court photographer for years. Expect breathtaking images of Apple Hill, whales, the moon, musicians, his beloved white-tailed deer, Veronica the Red-tailed Hawk, and the stories behind the images.

An “amazing race” has been scheduled for October 22 that will take participants to 13 landmarks throughout the sanctuary! At each station you will collect a token, take a selfie, and head to the finish line victorious! You may participate as an individual, family, or team. Each participant will be given a trail map and official bandana. Check in is at 9:00 A.M. and they’re offffff at 10:00 A.M. Prizes will be given for each category and awarded at a dinner in the Activity Shed later in the day. Rain or shine! 10:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. Registration fee: Members: Individual: $25.00 Member: Family or Team: $40.00, Non-Members: Individual: $35.00, Non-Member: Family or Team: $50.00 Pre-registration and pre-payment are required.

The popular “star party” is back on October 28 at 7 p.m. in the A.B. Ceder Room that is organized by members of the Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club and the Mattatuck Astronomical Society. The topic is “Comets”. Weather permitting, there will be Star gazing after the program. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

To close out the month, White Memorial is hosting its second annual Super Spooky Halloween Walk with Gerri and Bradley the Wonder Dog! Celebrate Halloween by dressing up yourself and your four-legged best friend for a stroll along the Pine Island Trail to Little Pond and then onto the Litchfield Greenway via Gallows Lane (chills) passing the cemetery (BOO!) and finishing up at Mallard Marsh. Look for signs of life and a good deal of pointing and staring along the way! All dogs must be on leads! Spooky treats for everybody after the walk! 12:00 P.M., Meet in front of the A. B. Ceder Room! The program is free but you must register by calling 860-567-0857.

For more area information on Litchfield Hills and to sign up for our monthly newsletter www.litchfieldhills.com

The Wilton Historical Society is planning a special event for families and kids on October 8 in honor of Columbus Day Weekend from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Using Columbus Day as a departure point, this workshop will focus on “Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History” the National History Day theme for 2016.

Kids will learn about the exchange of ideas and goods around the globe, the evolution of maps and their impact on the world, and the Spice Trade. The workshop project is a globe-shaped paperweight filled with spices such as star anise, nutmeg and pepper. Kids will also help make their snack, a spice shortcake.

Wilton Historical Society is located on 224 Danbury Road. The cost for this workshop for members is: $10 per child with a maximum $25 per family, Non-members pay $15 per child, with a maximum of $35 per family. Please register: info@wiltonhistorical.org
or call 203-762-7257.

To sign up for a monthly newsletter and for more event informaiton for Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com.

Fall and the harvest are a deep part of the cultural heritage of New England — it is the time of year when the leaves turn while the flowers are still in bloom, the skies are a rich blue and there is a hint of frost in the air. Thanksgiving originated as a harvest festival in New England and has been celebrated since 1789 all across America.

It is a time when families and friends come together to give thanks for all that they have and to celebrate life. Cooking and entertaining is part of any celebration and the Silo at Hunt Hill Farm located on 44 Upland Road in New Milford is making cooking and planning for Thanksgiving easy by offering a “Classic Thanksgiving” cooking class on November 5 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with Chef Daniel Rosati. The cost is $110 for full participation and can be reserved online.

Participants will learn how to cook a mouth watering menu that is sure to make your guests beg for more with recipes so good that they will become part of your Thanksgiving holiday tradition! The menu includes: Parmesan Herb Quick Bread, Autumn Corn Chowder, Butterflied Herb Grilled Turkey with Pomegranate Molasses Glaze, Brioche Sausage Sage Stuffing, Sweet Potato Gratin with Caramelized Shallots and Aged Gouda, Green Beans with Hazelnut Brown Butter, and Warm Miniature Pumpkin Cheesecakes to finish off the feast.

As a follow up to this class, don’t miss the gingerbread classes that are being planned for kids and for adults in December! For more area information on what to see and do and where to go www.litchfieldhills.com

In this small town just one hour from New York City, some of the finest artists in the country have called Weston, Connecticut home. In celebration of this heritage of cultivating fine art for more than a hundred years, WestonArts is proud to announce their Fall Open Studios Art Tour on Saturday, October 8th, 2016 from 11am to 5pm.

The tour begins at 11am at Weston Town Hall where participants can check in, purchase tickets $10 per person (children under 12 are free) and receive their map and catalogue with addresses for the open studios of nine of Weston’s fine artists. Visitors are invited to drive at their own pace to the studios where each artist will be on hand to discuss their techniques and their art. In addition to meeting these nationally recognized artists, visitors will have the opportunity to purchase art directly from the studios.

Art is an important part of who we are in Weston. During the tour participants will have a chance to meet widely known artists, like Frances Palmer, whose collectible ceramics and pottery are available in many fine stores as well as Hans Wilhelm at his illustration table where he has crafted more than 40 children’s books.

Tickets will be on sale throughout the day (rain/shine) at Town Hall on October 8th until 3:30PM. Online ticket sales will begin on September 7th at purchase tickets. For more area information and to sign up for our monthly newsletter www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Flanders Nature Center located in Woodbury on 5 Church Hill Road is holding a photography contest from October 14 through November 7 with prizes for the best submissions based on composition, image quality, originality and the story the image tells.

The photo contest is an invitation to capture the spirit and beauty of autumn with images that might include foliage or any activity that best depicts the season. The photos do not need to be taken on a Flanders’ property but instead can be taken anywhere that provides the photographer inspiration.

Contestants may submit up to 5 entries. All entries must be in digital formats of 6MB or less in size. Submissions should be emailed to Flanders offices by October 14. Along with an entry blank identifying the photographer of the photo for each submitted photo. The cost for one submission is $5.00, 2/$7.00, 3/ $10.00, 4/$13 and 5/$15. All proceeds to benefit Flanders programming.

Entry blanks as well as details on the contest can be found on their website at http://www.flandersnaturecenter.org or call Flanders at (203) 263-3711; Ext 10. All the submitted images will be judged by Flanders staff and experienced photography associates and shared in a special gallery on the Flanders web site after the winners have been announced on November 15, 2016.

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