THREE TOP FALL FESTIVALS LURE FOOD LOVERS TO WESTERN CONNECTICUT

The aroma of steaming chowder, the tantalizing scent of garlic, and the chance to sample the best specialties of Iceland await autumn visitors to Western Connecticut, home to three of the season’s top food festivals.

Chowdafest, New England’s largest cooking competition, will be held at Norwalk’s Calf Pasture Beach on October 12, a new location spacious enough to accommodate the growing fan base, while another popular event, the tenth annual Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival takes place October 11-12, 2014 at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds. The following Saturday, October 18, the fifth annual Iceland Affair and Fire and Ice Music Festival once again will bring fans to Winchester, CT. for a rare treat, one of only two such festivals in the United States.

YOU ARE THE JUDGE AT CHOWDAFEST

At this SOUPerbowl of festivals to benefit the Connecticut Food Bank, attendees are the judges as more than two dozen of the regions best restaurants compete in four categories: classic New England Clam Chowder, Traditional Manhattan and Rhode Island chowders, “creative” chowders that might be anything from sweet potato to Cajun shrimp, and bisque soups such as Butternut Squash and Golden Corn. Everyone receives a spoon, pencil and ballot and can sample unlimited chowder and soups, grading entries on a scale from 7 to 10. Winners are announced at the end of the event.

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For tasting variety, samples are offered at the Cheese and Cracker Corner, at ChowdaMex featuring salsas and chips and at a beverage center stocked with beer and wine. The ChowdaKIDS area will provide samples of ice cream and milk as well as free chef hats, coloring books and stickers provided by Stop & Shop, the event sponsor.

Admission is $10 in advance for adults, $15 at the door on October 11. Ages 6 to 12 pay $5, children under 6 are free. Hours are 12 noon to 4 p.m. Proceeds from this food festival to fight hunger have provided over 100,000 meals for the CT Food Bank. For information, see www.chowdafest.org

GARLIC IN ITS GLORY

Foodies flock each year to the Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival where they enjoy cooking demonstrations, informative food talks, lessons in growing garlic, plus free samplings of garlic dips, spreads, cheeses and oils from specialty food vendors. Visitors can buy farm-fresh garlic as well as other bounty from the fall harvest. All of that is the warm-up for some serious eating that includes treats like homemade roasted garlic sausage with peppers and onions, garlic marinated steak sandwiches, garlic roast pork sandwiches, deep fried garlic, and even garlic ice cream.

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Live bands add to the festive feel, fine artisans are on hand offering hand made crafts and young visitors will find rides and games to keep them entertained.

The Garlic Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday October 11 and 12
at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds, Route 61 just north of town. Adult admission is $7, under age 12, just $1. Find more details at www.garlicfestct.com

TAKE A TRIP TO ICELAND

One woman’s love affair with Iceland was the spark that began this unusual festival. Gerri Griswold, a former chef and current broadcaster, visited the “land of fire and ice” and fell in love.
She has made over a dozen trips to Iceland since 2002 and in 2009, decided to introduce more Americans to their northern neighbor in what she thought would be a one-time event in her home town. Instead, the Iceland Affair keeps growing. At this year’s fifth edition at Winchester Center’s Grange Hall visitors will hear experts talk about Iceland’s arts and amazing nature, see prize photography of the land’s lavish geysers and waterfalls, and will be able to sample authentic Icelandic foods such as goat sausage, smoked and dried fish, sensational chocolates and licorice, the special local yogurt known as skyr, pure Icelandic water, and what Griswold calls the best hot dogs in the world.

On the Winchester Center Green the public will meet Iceland’s biologically pure animals including Icelandic horses, sheep, sheep dogs, and chickens. The event will be held on October 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All the day’s activities are free.

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At night, the original small concert in a barn has morphed into the Fire & Ice Festival, to be held this year at Infinity Hall in Norfolk at 8 p.m. Those attending will hear a host of top entertainers rarely seen in this country, and, perhaps discover the next Bjork, Iceland’s best known performer in the U.S.. For details on the festival and information on concert tickets, see http://icelandaffair.com or phone 860-307-6144.

For more information about lodging 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 in 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.visitwesternct.com

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“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” Performance by Jonathan Kruk in Litchfield

On Sunday, October 5 the Litchfield Historical Society is hosting master storyteller Jonathan Kruk. Accompanied by music, Kruk’s theatrical performance will delight kids and adults alike. Bring lunch and a picnic blanket to spread out on the Tapping Reeve House Lawn for this fun family event!

Credit: Todd Atteberry
Credit: Todd Atteberry

Jonathan Kruk has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood and has performed for various historic sites. He was selected “Best Storyteller in the Hudson Valley.” Kruk is accompanied by musician Jim Keyes, on multiple instruments and effects.

In Kruk’s rendition of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, this story will leap to life during his theatrical reading. This event will take place on the lawn of the Tapping Reeve House, located at 82 South Street, Litchfield, CT. Performance begins at 1:00 pm. Rain location: Litchfield History Museum
Tickets are $5 for members; , $10 for individual non-members; $15 for a family group.

Purchase tickets online here, email registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org or call (860) 567-4501.

For up to date information on Litchfield Hills visit www.litchfieldhills.com

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Westport Arts Center Presents a New Performing Artists Season with Local and International Musicians

The Westport Arts Center is proud to announce a new season for their Performing Arts Series of Jazz and Chamber concerts. The season will feature international musicians, such as Croatian guitarist Ana Vidovic as well as local gems like the Hartford Jazz Orchestra. Bernard Purdie and the Juilliard String Quartet will return for encore performances after their wonderful performances from the Arts Center’s past performing arts seasons.

Julliard String Quartet
Julliard String Quartet

The Center begins and closes the season with Sunday-afternoon performances by some of America’s most distinguished veteran artists. It all starts on Sept. 7 with a concert at the Pequot Library by the long-respected duo-pianists Misha and Cipa Dichter, who have brought their elegant style and technical command to the major music capitals of the world. Audiences will remember that the incomparable Juilliard String Quartet created a sold-out sensation when they performed here during the 2012-13 season, and they will wrap up the new season with another concert at the Pequot on May 17 with a salute to the musical traditions of Vienna.

Dover Quartet
Dover Quartet

The younger artists performing at the Westport Arts Center are all first-rate. When the late-winter storm of 2013 forced the cancelation of the dazzling Armenian clarinetist Narek Arutuynian’s concert, the Center knew they had to re-engage Arutuynian—and he’ll play at the Pequot Library on March 1. Another Young Concert Artists winner, Ana Vidovic, continues the Center’s tradition of solo guitar recitals at the Westport Arts Center gallery on April 26, presenting a satisfying program of music by Bach, Paganini, William Walton, and pieces from the Spanish repertory. On Nov. 9 will be the Dover Quartet, will perform at the Westport Arts Center. The Dover Quartet has swept the major string-quartet competitions in the last two years and is on track to become a major ensemble.

Bernard Purdie
Bernard Purdie

The 2014-15 WAC jazz series will provide a panoramic view on American and world music styles. Legendary funk drummer Bernard Purdie will kick things off in October followed by an intimate concert in November with jazz vocalist Nicole Pasternak featuring Chris Brown in a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Brasilian sounds will be presented in 2015 with Ali-Ryerson and Joe Carter followed by the Hartford Jazz Orchestra lead by the esteemed pianist Donn Trenner.

Tickets are $30/ $25 for Members of the Westport Arts Center, with a $65 ticket available for the Juilliard String Quartet. Student tickets start at $10 per concert and Jazz Jams are $20/ $15 for WAC Members. Season tickets for the Jazz Season are $125/ $105 for Members, and Chamber Season tickets are $165/ $145 for Members of the Westport Arts Center. A limited number of discounted Senior tickets will be available for presale at the Westport Center for Senior Activities, 21 Imperial Avenue, Westport.Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.westportartscenter.org and 203-222-7070.

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THE BEST FOLIAGE TOWN IN NEW ENGLAND? YANKEE MAGAZINE PICKS KENT, CONNECTICUT

Kent, Connecticut has many claims to fame—two state parks, a 250-foot waterfall, rural beauty combined with sophisticated shops, galleries and museums.  But this fall there is new reason to boast.  Yankee Magazine has named this charming village in the Litchfield Hills of Western Connecticut the peak spot for leaf-peeping in all of New England.

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In one day in Kent, says Yankee, you can drive through rolling hills beside a twisting river, stop for thick hot chocolate and an pastry, hike the Appalachian trail, picnic with a panini by a waterfall, shop for Buddhas or modern art and bite into a crisp native Cortland apple, perhaps in the shade of a historic covered bridge.

This praise is no surprise to those who know Kent and its unique blend of attractions.  A newly published free color brochure with map will help newcomers find their way around.

Foliage watchers who like their leaves close-up on a hiking trail should head for Macedonia Brook State Park, where 2300 acres offer extensive leafy trails.  For views, the Blue Trail is hard to beat with its fantastic vistas of the Catskill and Taconic mountains.

In Kent Falls State Park you can admire the falls from the bottom or hike a quarter-mile up the hill and feel the mist on your face as the water cascades down 250 feet on its way to join the Housatonic River.

The Appalachian Trail runs through this area, and hikers who want scenery without stress will enjoy the Housatonic “river walk,” a peaceful stretch beside the river that is the longest essentially flat section along the entire trail.

bulls bridge kent ct

For more worldly diversions, take a walk along Route 7, Kent’s Main Street, lined for miles with irresistible stops.  Five antiques shops beckon, including Pauline’s Place and Koblenz & Co., known for their antique jewelry.  Among the many shops and galleries, Heron American Craft Gallery shows the best work of American craftsmen, Foreign Cargo offers unusual clothing, jewelry and art from Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands and the Kent Art Association is just one of five fine art galleries in town.

Take out the camera for Bulls’ Bridge, one of three remaining covered bridges in Connecticut dating from the 19th century.  George Washington crossed the Housatonic River near the site of the present bridge in 1781.

Just north of town is the Sloane-Stanley Museum.  Eric Sloane (1905-1985) was a prolific artist, author and illustrator and an avid collector of Americana. The museum includes the artist’s studio, examples of his art and his extensive collection of early American handmade tools, beautiful objects of wood that are virtual works of art.  On the property are the remains of the Kent Iron Furnace and a diorama explaining the once-booming local iron industry.  Next-door is the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association Museum, a unique display of steam and gas tractors, a working narrow gauge railroad, an industrial hall with working steam engines and mining exhibit building.

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When hunger pangs strike in Kent, the Panini Café is the place for a tasty picnic sandwich, and for a treat the Kent coffee and Chocolate Company offers the “best hot chocolate in Connecticut.”  For dinner, the Fife & Drum is a long time favorite for continental dinners with nightly music, Bull’s Bridge Inn has a choice of fine dining or pub fare, and Doc’s Trattoria serves excellent Italian fare and has a pleasant patio for fine fall days.

For a copy of the new free guide and map of Kent and a free copy of UNWIND, a 163-page color guide to lodging and dining and other regional attractions in all of the Litchfield Hills contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, www.litchfieldhills.com.

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Oktoberfest at Quassy Amusement Park

The 23rd Annual OKTOBERFEST is slated for noon to 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 27 and Sunday, Sept. 28, at Quassy Amusement Park here. Two bands will be performing for the event, which is held in the Fieldside Pavilion at the lakeside facility. They are: Joe Stanky & His Cadets on Saturday and John Stevens’ Doubleshot on Sunday. Both bands hail from eastern Pennsylvania and have played for years at festivals, amusement parks and other large venues. The live music starts at 12:30 p.m. both days.

Oktoberfest_dance

The Harugari Junior Schuhplattlers dance group will entertain during band intermissions on Saturday with the Alpenland Tanzer Dancers performing on Sunday.

Admission to the OKTOBERFEST pavilion is free, with fees for food, beverages, rides and attractions in the park. Parking for the event is $6 per car. Quassy Amusement Park is located at 2132 Middlebury Road.

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Traditional festival food in the pavilion will include knackwurst, bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato pancakes, roasted pork and steamed vegetables. There will be a variety of other menu items available as well during the two-day festival. Complete dinners or individual entrees will be sold.

About The Park
Quassy Amusement Park is in its 105th year and features more than two-dozen rides and attractions. The lakeside property is also home to “Splash Away Bay” waterpark with the new “BulletBowl” water raft ride and “FreeFall” extreme body slides. In addition, a children’s splash pad titled the “Fish Pond” opened this year.

Quassy also features a new laser maze attraction in its huge arcade building.
Rides include the award-winning “Wooden Warrior” roller coaster, “Music Fest,” “Yo-Yo” super swings, “Free Fall ‘N’ Drop Tower,” “Grand Carousel” and more.

The park also has a restaurant, redemption arcade, games, live entertainment and special events.

Season passes for 2014 are on sale now at the park office and through the Quassy Web site at www.quassy.com. Company picnics, school fieldtrips and other catered events are also being scheduled through the park office at 203-758-2913.

Quassy is located at 2132 Middlebury Road, Route 64, in Middlebury, Conn., on the shores of Lake Quassapaug.

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Michael Quadland “Recent Work- Metallic” in Litchfield

The Oliver Wolcott Library in the heart of Litchfield is hosting the work of Michael Quadland through October 24. The Library located on 150 South Street in Litchfield adjoins the historic house that once belonged to Oliver Wolcott Jr. and was built by Elijah Wadsworth in 1799.

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Elijah Wadsworth sold the estate to Frederick Wolcott in 1800 Oliver Wolcott, Jr. acquired the house in 1814 and enlarged it considerably in 1817. Mrs. Oliver Wolcott (Elizabeth Stoughton) was known for being a gracious hostess and the fame of her parties reached as far as Washington, D.C. and England. Parties were frequently held in the ballroom on the second floor. It is said that President George Washington danced his last minuet in Litchfield in that ballroom. The ballroom was restored by the Society of Colonial Wars and can be viewed upon request.

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The artwork on display by Quadland focuses on the expression of emotion. One of the things he enjoys most about painting is the process of putting feelings into visual form, having depended on words for so many years, professionally. He has chosen a nonobjective format as a way to maximize imagination and projection, using abstract forms and evocative colors in layered surfaces. It is difficult for anyone seeing his work not to respond with some sort of feeling. The layers and traces of his paintings contain secrets, he says, that can be revealed to the viewer over time. In this way, the work retains interest, is perpetually new.

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In this “Recent Work” series at Oliver Wolcott Library, Michael’s painting assumes the feeling, texture and dimensionality of sculpture or architecture. Indeed, it seems to straddle the line between these disciplines and painting. Metallic surfaces appear to have been cast eons ago, or to have been torn from a demolished building, the metal having corroded into rough and gritty surfaces, evoking a long, arduous, even mysterious past.

For more information about the Oliver Wolcott Library http://www.owlibrary.org.

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