Connecticut Travel

The American Museum of Tort Law, the nation’s first museum devoted to the legal system,
opens on September 26 in the Litchfield Hills town of Winsted, the home town of the museum’s
President, consumers advocate Ralph Nader.

After dedicating nearly half a century to battling businesses over issues such as dangerous
products, the 81-year-old Nader is spearheading the museum in a former downtown bank
building to celebrate the branch of law that offers relief to anyone who suffers injury from
wrongful acts of others, from careless drivers or neighbors to negligent corporations. The
nonprofit, educational institution hopes to make people aware of the pivotal role of tort law in
the protection of personal freedom and safety. And it will celebrate the historical and
contemporary achievements of the civil justice system.

According to museum director Richard L. Newman, former president of the Connecticut Trial
Lawyers Association, the new facility will include a timeline of the development of tort law and
a theater. Exhibits will tell in compelling fashion of cases large and small where tort law and the
right to trial by jury has protected individuals against wrongful injury. Two dramatic examples
are Liebeck vs McDonalds, a case concerning scalding coffee, and Cipollone v. Liggett, where
the plaintiff alleged that cigarette manufacturers knew — but did not warn consumers — that
smoking caused lung cancer and that cigarettes were addictive. The public will learn a lot more
than they generally know about these and other important issues, Newman promises.

Details of museum hours and events will be available on the web site www.tortmuseum.org.

For information about lodging, dining and other activities in the area and a free copy of UNWIND, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine throughout Fairfield County and the Litchfield Hills of Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitlitchfieldhills.com

The Stamford Museum and Nature Center will be hosting its Fall Farm to Table Supper on Saturday, September 26 at 6 pm and will feature Executive Chef Joe Jenkins of Apogee Events. This exceptional dining experience, sponsored by First County Bank, will take place in the intimate setting of the Bendel Mansion. The evening will begin with artisanal hors d’oeuvres and cocktails to be enjoyed during an exclusive gallery tour with artist and environmental advocate Nancy Judd in her new exhibition, ReDress: Upcycled Style by Nancy Judd.

Chef Joe Jenkins honed his cooking skills at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Jenkins and wife founded the successful Le Potager Catering in 1999 which was later acquired by Glorious Food. He served as Executive Chef for fifteen years at Glorious Food in New York City, where he tempted the elite with his exquisite, delectable food. During his career he has had the distinct pleasure of creating memorable dinners for some of New York’s most prestigious organizations including, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Ball; Robin Hood Foundation, the US Open Tennis Corporate Tents at Arthur Ashe Stadium; and the New York City Ballet. Jenkins currently resides with his family in Stamford, CT.

Tickets are currently on sale for the Fall Farm to Table Supper. The cost is $200 per person or $2,500 for a table sponsorship of ten tickets. Seating is limited. To purchase tickets online or for more information, visit www.stamfordmuseum.org/farmtotable or call Madeline Raleigh at 203.977.6546. Proceeds will support the mission and vision of the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. Table settings for the event will be provided by Juliska with flowers being created by the Stamford Garden Club. The media sponsor is Moffly Media.

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center, a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity and interaction, seeking to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, promote environmental stewardship, and nurture an appreciation for lifelong learning through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that enhance the visitor’s experience of its unique site.

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is located at 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT.

On Sunday, September 20th,from 1 p.m. ro 4 p.m. Silvermine’s FREE annual ArtsFest celebrates its 5th year. Join Fairfield County’s premier arts center for an afternoon of fun for all ages. The day will include art exhibitions, hands-on art activities for children and adults, a performance of Street Beat’s Parkour Percussion, and the continuing outdoor exhibit of Carole Eisner’s steel sculptures. The Silvermine Art Center is located on 1037 Silvermine Road · New Canaan, CT 06840.

Street Beat is a kinetic, maximum energy explosion of urban rhythm and dance, utilizing junk, household items and found objects for drums and percussion and featuring modern “street” choreography. Merging African, Cuban, Latin, West African and jazz concepts this show is as thrilling to watch as it is to hear. The infectious nature of Street Beat takes the most ancient of art forms – drumming and dancing – and brings it to the modern stage.

Founder Ben Hansen created Street Beat as a creative response to funding cuts. He designed the production to use found objects and household items everyone could find. The group turned heads in the entertainment industry for its synthesis of hip-hop dance and urban rhythms and was signed to Columbia Artists. With their explosion of energy and their troupe of drummers and dancers, they play to sold-out crowds at contemporary dance festivals and other venues. Their dynamic stage production is contagious fun.

ArtsFest began as a festive launch of Silvermine’s Sculpture Walk. Each year, new works are added to the Walk, and this year it is complemented by an additional outdoor exhibition of Carole Eisner’s painted steel sculptures. The Silvermine Arts Center will run shuttles between Silvermine’s campus and the Silvermine Elementary School parking lot at 157 Perry Avenue in Norwalk, less than a mile from the Arts Center campus. All parking for the general public will be at the Silvermine School. Handicapped parking will be available at the Arts Center itself.

See more at: http://www.silvermineart.org

On September 19 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. celebrate Connecticut’s farming and conservation heritage and share in a wonderful sense of community at the 23rd annual Open Farm Day at The Nature Conservancy’s Sunny Valley Preserve. Best of all admission is free.

Take a hay ride, pet farm animals, play a game and enjoy a selection of delectable goodies at Sunny Valley Preserve, located on 8 Sunny Valley Lane in New Milford. Sunny Valley encompasses more than 1,850-acres that straddles the Housatonic River in New Milford and Bridgewater.
Visitors can check out wool-spinning or maple-syrup making and dissect an owl pellet with “How Cool is That?!” Don’t forget to stop by the petting zoo to meet some gentle farm animals; then plan to visit Bruno, an African Spur-Thighed Tortoise and his friends from The Pratt Nature Center. Make sure to stop by our farm stand, and purchase some fresh produce to take home.

In addition to demonstrations, fair goers are invited to wander through many informational displays, inspect the antique and new farm equipment, pet the animals, enjoy a tractor ride, and sample some of the delectable goodies, which in the past have included pumpkin soup, fresh veggie burritos, along with hot dogs and fresh baked cookies prepared and served by the New Milford Youth Agency.

Sunny Valley Preserve was founded in 1970, when George D. Pratt Jr. donated multiple parcels of agricultural and natural lands to The Nature Conservancy. One condition of Pratt’s gift is that the farms be kept in agriculture as long as possible. Today, about 650 acres of the preserve are in active agriculture. The farms, leased by independent farmers, are privately-operated businesses. Farmers at the preserve grow diverse crops and sell most products locally, providing locally-grown food and enhancing the local economy. Open Farm Day is rain or shine. More information is available at www.nature.org/sunnyvalley or by calling the preserve at (860) 355-3716.

For more area event information www.litchfieldhills.com

Inspire a child’s literacy and save some money by donating a children’s book during Ocean Litera-“Sea” Weekend Sept. 19 & 20 at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

During the Aquarium’s Ocean Litera-“Sea” Weekend, each guest bringing a new or gently used children’s book will receive discounted Aquarium admission. Adults receive $5 off admission of $19.95. Children save $3 off the regular price of $12.95.

You can bring more than one book per person, but the discount does not multiply.

The book drive is part of The Maritime Aquarium’s Closer to Our Community initiative, which engages the popular family attraction (and its visitors) in ways that benefit the local community.

Donated books will go to Norwalk Reads, an organization that encourages reading though the distribution of free books and that supports literacy programs for all Norwalk children, especially those at risk. Learn more at www.norwalkreads.com.

Also Sept. 19 & 20, look for special story times, where invited guests will read a children’s book to young visitors.

The Maritime Aquarium is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to educate visitors about – and to create stewards for – Long Island Sound. It accomplishes this by allowing visitors to get close to more than 250 species native to the Sound and its watershed, including sharks, seals, sea turtles, river otters, jellyfish and other animals. One of the top places for family fun in Connecticut, the Aquarium also features hands-on educational programs and displays, public study cruises out onto the Sound, and Connecticut’s largest IMAX® movie theater, with a screen that’s six stories high. TripAdvisor.com reviewers rate The Maritime Aquarium among the Top 25 aquariums in the U.S. and the best in New England.

Learn more at www.maritimeaquarium.org or by calling (203) 852-0700.

The Historical Society of Easton and Easton’s Parks and Recreation Department,have teamed up to co-sponsor, a two day of living history event on Saturday September 19th and Sunday September 20th. There will be more than 125 re-enactors from the 5th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment encamps on the fields of the Samuel Staples Elementary School and the action planned for this event will make it an unforgettable experience for you and your family.

On July 18, 1782, Lt. Ebenezer Morehouse was taken prisoner by a British raiding party of approximately 60 men who landed at Compo Beach, Westport from their schooner. The raiding party was bent on plundering and destruction. Also captured were Benjamin Allen, William Allen, Abraham Elwood, Thomas Phillips and Nathaniel Johnson. Morehouse so irritated his captors that the British marched to his farm and burned it.

Members of the 5th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment portraying Patriot and British Military Regiments will set up camp, perform drills, skirmish and recreate the burning of Morehouse Farm. Children can drill with the regimental soldiers and watch as they fire their weapons. Besides military drills and a cavalry demonstration, attendees may be amazed at a surgical demonstration highlighting the treatments and remedies available to the army surgeon on the colonial battlefields.

Visitors will be able to explore exhibits of uniforms, clothing and fashions of the day. A highlight is the early evening candlelit tour of the camp site and watching a cannon pyrotechnic demonstration. Through interaction with the reenactors, visitors will learn about life at camp and on the home front from soldiers, surgeons, cooks, spies, and other colonial re-enactors. A complete schedule of events can be found at http://www.historicalsocietyofeastonct.org.

The 5th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment is made up of local individuals who enjoy learning and teaching about early American history. Members include men, women, and children from the surrounding areas who are dedicated to the creation of a living history experience for their community. By including women and children in the regiment, a broader representation of colonial life beyond the military is brought to each event.

This Regiment was created in 1974 and is based on the original 5th Connecticut regiment which served during the Revolutionary War. The original 5th Connecticut was mustered in May 1775 as one of the six regiments formed by Connecticut in response to the events at Lexington and Concord, MA. It was made up of officers and men from Fairfield County. Easton (which was then part of Fairfield) would have sent soldiers to this regiment. Due to illness and casualties, the regiment only lasted one year. It was re-formed in early 1777 under the direction of Colonel Philip Burr Bradley. As the regiment was being mustered, the British launched the raid on Danbury and Colonel Bradley responded with roughly 50 untrained troops. The 5th Connecticut played a vital role in the defense of Ridgefield and two of its soldiers, Private Bradley Dean and Sergeant Clement Lloyd, were killed. The connection to local history makes this event a truly spectacular opportunity for the Historical Society of Easton.

The event will take place on Saturday September 19 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday September 20 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 515 Morehouse Road, Easton, CT.

The event will take place rain or shine. Food vendors will be on-site. Admission: For both days: $20 per Adult, $15 per Child, Children under 8 will be admitted for free. For one day: $15 per Adult, $10 per Child. There will be a $5 parking fee. A discount is available on tickets purchased prior to September 5th through the follow link: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1996120.

To learn more about the 5th Connecticut, please visit their website: http://www.5cr.org. For more information please contact the Historical Society of Easton at 203-292-3533, by email: hseastonct@gmail.com or visit our website: http://www.historicalsocietyofeastonct.org.