Ride a Vintage Train to Visit the Easter Bunny !

The Danbury Railway Museum is planning to greet the Easter Bunny once again this spring. The Easter Bunny will make his home in a authentically restored train car where he will greet young and old alike on special weekends this April!

To reach the Easter Bunny you will first enter the historic Danbury Railroad Station where you will board a vintage train that will take you on a fun filled ride through the historic railyard to the Easter Bunny. The short train ride in a fully-restored 1953 New Haven RR Rail Diesel Car (Budd RDC), will take visitors past the fully operational turntable, over 70 vintage railroad cars and locomotives, and many unique pieces of railroad history, including a Boston & Maine steam locomotive built in 1907. Of special note is the museum’s beautifully restored circa-1910 Railway Post Office (RPO) car that will also be open.

The train ride will stop at the Easter Bunny’s special railroad car. Each child will receive a small gift from the Bunny making this a great time for memorable photos that will be cherished though out the years.

An extra treat for those visiting the Easter Bunny are the exhibits inside the restored 1903 Danbury Station that include a coloring station, temporary tattoos, Thomas® play table, and operating model train layouts. A fully-stocked gift shop will also be open.

This popular annual family event will take place on Sunday, March 25; Saturday & Sunday, March 31 & April 1; and Friday & Saturday, April 6 & 7. Museum hours are 10:00-4:30 on Friday and Saturday; noon-4:30 on Sunday. Reservations are suggested and may be made by visiting the museum’s Web site at www.danburyrail.org.

The Danbury Railway Museum is a non-profit organization, staffed solely by volunteers, and is dedicated to the preservation of, and education about, railroad history. The museum is located in the restored 1903 Danbury Station and rail yard at 120 White Street, Danbury, CT. For further information, visit the Web site at www.danburyrail.org, email info@danburyrail.org, or call the museum at 203-778-8337.

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A Trio of Maple Sugaring Festivals For March 17 In Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County CT

The Institute for American Indian Studies will have a different take on sugaring at its annual festival on the 17th from 11 am- 3 pm. Demonstrations will show how local Native Americans traditionally made maple syrup and its importance to their culture and pancakes made by IAIS staff will be served with local maple syrup from 11 am – 1 pm. 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT 06793. (860)868-0518

The sweet aroma of boiling sap and syrup will fill the air and samples of fresh syrup will be handed out to guests at the annual Maplefest at the Sharon Audubon Center on March 17th from 10 am – 4 pm.. Guided Tours throughout the day take approximately 45 minutes. Visitors walk down Maple Trail, where they can peek at the sap dripping into the hanging buckets while learning about the tapping and gathering process. The Sugarhouse is a favorite stop along the tour. Here, visitors smell the aroma of boiling maple syrup as they watch the sap turn into syrup right in front of their eyes. The last stop of the tour includes a re-creation of Native American and early Colonial sugaring methods. Fresh maple syrup is available for purchase at the Nature Store. www.sharon.audubon.org. Audubon Sharon, 325 Cornwall Bridge Rd.Sharon, CT 06069. (860) 364-0520.

The New Canaan Nature Center’s Syrup Saturday festival returns on Saturday, March 17 from 10:30am – 2:00 pm. This annual event celebrates the New England tradition of maple syrup making and includes a pancake brunch with different varieties of syrup, including the Nature Center’s own. www.newcanaannature.org.

Nature Center educators and local families who have “adopted” a tree for the season have been collecting sap from over 50 of the center’s maples over the last month.

How does it work? Freezing temperatures create suction that draws water in through a tree’s roots, and warm periods create pressure which causes the sap to flow out through a tap hole where it’s collected in buckets. This sap, a combination of water, salt and sugar, serves as the tree’s food and is the sole ingredient of pure maple syrup.

During Syrup Saturday, visitors will get a chance to observe the entire process from tree tapping to boiling into syrup at the “sugar shack”. Educators will also demonstrate historic methods of maple syruping.

Local maple syrup and maple baked goods will be for sale. Guests can test their taste buds on real vs. fake syrup and learn what the different grades mean.

Join Nature Center naturalists for a hike along “Maple Lane” to learn how to identify sugar maples and other trees while hunting for signs of spring. Kids will make a maple-themed craft to take home. This event is primarily held outdoors and activities will be ongoing throughout the day.

Members: $8/person / Non-Members: $12/person.

About the New Canaan Nature Center

New Canaan Nature Center , 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840. (Rte. 15, Exit 37). (203) 966-9577. Two miles of trails traverse diverse habitats, including meadows, woodlands, ponds, dense thickets, an old orchard and a cattail marsh on 40 acres. The center offers a live birds of prey exhibit, gardens, a greenhouse and a Visitors Center with a Discovery Room, art exhibits and gift shop. Programs include a nature-based preschool, camp programs, birthday parties, special events and volunteer opportunities. Admission is FREE. Visitor’s Center open Mon. – Sat., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Grounds and trails open dawn to dusk daily. www.newcanaannature.org

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Litchfield Historical Society’s Civil War Exhibition, Opens in April 14 – Nov. 25

Litchfield History Museum

Opening April 14, 2012, the Litchfield Historical Society’s new exhibition The Hour of Conflict will examine the ways in which the American Civil War im­pacted the residents of Litchfield, Con­necticut in the 1860s. This fascinating exhibit will run through November 25th.

Although no battles occurred in Con­necticut, local Litchfield families were directly affected by the events of the Civil War. Men departed town to enlist in the Union army, leaving their families behind to worry and wonder, waiting for a letter to make its way from a campground or battlefield. Women spent their time sewing clothing, wrapping bandages, and sending packages to their loved ones on the front lines. How did Litch­field families deal with the anxiety of war? How did they mourn, celebrate and cope?

The Litchfield Historical Society in­vites visitors and families of all ages to examine these questions through let­ters, diaries, photographs, and artifacts from the Historical Society’s collec­tions. Articles carried by local soldiers, everyday objects used by Litchfield’s children, and items related to Dr. Josiah Gale Beckwith and the Litchfield Peace Movement are just some of the col­lection pieces that will be highlighted. Visitors will also have the chance to view Civil War uniforms thanks to the Museum of Connecticut History and the Cornwall Historical Society.

The exhibit will also incorporate hands-on activities and the opportunity to ex­perience camp life as Litchfield’s men did more than a century and a half ago. Students of the Litchfield Montessori School will act as Junior Curators to re­search, design, and create a special por­tion of the exhibition.

The Hour of Conflict will run through the 2012 and 2013 seasons at the Litchfield History Museum, located at 7 South Street in Litchfield. There will be a special exhibition opening for members on Friday, April 13 at 6:30 pm following this year’s Annual Meeting. The exhibition will open to the public on April 14. For more information visit www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org or call (860) 567-4501. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 to 5 and Sunday 1-5. The admission costs are $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, students, and children over 14. Members, law students, and children under 14 are free. These prices include the cost of admission to the Tapping Reeve House and Law School.


About the Litchfield History Museum

The Litchfield Historical Society, founded in 1856, is dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of Litchfield County, Connecticut through its museum, research library and historic house. The Ingraham Memorial Research Library houses local business and organizational archives, manuscripts and family papers, reference books, and genealogical material. The Tapping Reeve House, built in 1774, and the 1784 Law School interpret the family and home life of Tapping Reeve and his role in the development of American legal training. The Historical Society is a private non-profit organization supported by an active and growing membership.

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The Pietasters, Ska Music Like the English Beat, on StageOne

The Pietasters

StageOne in Fairfield (www.fairfieldtheatre.org) is celebrating St Patrick’s Day, March 17th, with a special concert by The Pietasters at 7:30 PM (doors open at 7:00 PM). Tickets are $22 and members get a $3 discount.

The Pietasters — a term of British slang for “fat guys”– are a seven-piece ska revival band founded in 1990 in Washington, DC by Stephen Jackson and some friends from Virginia Tech. Ska, for the uninitiated, is a musical style that originated in Jamaica in the fifties; a mix of horn riffs, calypso and Caribbean sound played by musicians with a general appreciation of drinking, fun-loving, and rebellion. It is also recognized as precursor to reggae.

Obsessed with the musical history of soul and Motown and influences coming from seventies ska bands like The Specials (Coventry, UK) and Bad Manners (London), The Pietasters stepped into the spotlight when they opened for the British ska band Bad Manners in 1992.

Their tight, high-energy, brassy punk reggae style gets people up and dancing before they know it. This could be why bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Ozomatli, and Cherry Poppin Daddies have asked them to share the stage on tour, or why James Brown had them back him up in front of 25,000 people in DC.

The Pietasters have been playing together for 22 years. They are known as a band playing catchy, energetic music that knows how to take control of a room, playing such favorites as Drunken Master, Night Owl, and One Dollar Bill besides fan favorite renditions of Maggie Mae (Rod Stewart), Come Together (The Beatles) and Listen to Her Heart (Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers). Their lineup has changed over the years but some core members remain — namely founder Steve Jackson on vocals — but their sound is as tight as ever. Don’t miss this eight-man band that SPIN Magazine calls “an equal opportunity dancehall crasher — part ‘60s keg rock, part 2Tone and part Motown.”

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Tickets On Sale – “The Warhol Ball – A Night at The Factory”

Tickets are on sale for the Westport Arts Center’s (WAC) first annual Art Affair, “The Warhol Ball – A Night at The Factory,” set for Saturday, April 28, at 8 p.m. The fundraising event will recreate in Fairfield County the avant-garde, pop art atmosphere of Andy Warhol’s legendary Manhattan studio, The Factory. Guests at WAC’s Warhol Ball will gather for their “15 minutes of fame” at the Steel Shed, 140 Water Street, South Norwalk.

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was a catalyst as well as a creator. In the ‘60s, his studio, The Factory, was a revolutionary intersection of art and experimentation, drawing together artists, writers, musicians, underground celebrities, and art lovers to create, act, dance, and socialize. Warhol himself created popular and controversial images of dollar bills, celebrities, and brand name products, produced prints using the silkscreen method and created more than 500 films at The Factory. In Warhol’s words, “Art is anything you can get away with.”

WAC’s Art Affair will emulate the bold spirit and setting of Andy Warhol’s studio. Like nights at The Factory, the evening planned by the Westport Arts Center will be highlighted with unexpected intervals of film, art, new media, sculpture, music and dance. The goal is for every guest will experience the excitement of seeing art in the making and feel the energy of a creative space where anything is possible.

In addition to live electric jazz, unique food offerings, rock music and an open bar, the event will feature a live auction of premier experiences and a silent auction of local artists’ photography. Proceeds from the fundraiser will support WAC’s diverse, high-quality visual and performing arts programs that reach more than 11,000 people annually, including 4,000 school-aged children.

Ticket levels are $200, $350 and $500. The $500 VIP tickets will include a pre-event cocktail hour with delectable food from SoNo Baking Company, live jazz with Otis and the Hurricanes, and feature contemporary artist Brendan Cass, painting in action. Cass takes inspiration from postcards and travel brochures to create bold and brilliantly colorful, large-scale abstract landscapes.

About Westport Arts Center

The not-for-profit Westport Arts Center is a visual and performing arts organization dedicated to creating arts experiences that enrich the lives of area residents and the entire community. The WAC gallery is open free of charge, seven days a week, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 51 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT

For more information or tickets to The Warhol Ball, contact Westport Arts Center at 203-222-7070 or visit the website at warholball@westportartscenter.org.

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Westport Arts Center “Gets WACky” with Toys on March 11

Many kids and their families will descend upon the Westport Arts Center on Sunday, March 11, 2 to 4 p.m., to make art with toys and inspired by toys. “WACky Family Day,” the Arts Center’s popular program which is entering its third year, is an opportunity for families to make art in a creative community environment.

For the dynamic March program, all the art projects will be centered around the theme of “Toys,” inspired by the Arts Center’s current exhibition, “Toy Stories,” which features works of art that were created by artists that work with toys, video, and toy-creation technology.

WACky Family Day promises to deliver a wide array of exciting art projects using a range of materials, inspired by the artists in Center’s exhibition. The goal of WACky Family Days is to provide quality arts experiences for the entire family. Projects families can participate in include Calder-inspired circus figurines, crayon mosaics, funky-faced robots, and more.

Admission is $10 for adults free for adults and children age two and under. Due to the popularity and in order to ensure the quality of this program, advanced registration is strongly encouraged. Pre-registration is requested by phone at (203) 222-7070 or by purchasing tickets online at www.westportartscenter.org. Ticket sales at the door will be on a first-come first-served basis.

About The Westport Art Center

The Westport Arts Center is a visual and performing arts organization dedicated to creating arts experiences that enrich the lives of area residents and the entire community. The Westport Arts Center is supported with funds from the Artur and Heida Hermanns Holde Foundation, Inc., Bernstein Global Wealth Management, the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, 4th Row Films, Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Private Foundation, Fairfield County Bank, Fairfield County Community Foundation, Gault, Inc., GWAY Marketing Gymnasium, Andrew J. & Christine C. Hall Foundation, Melissa & Doug, Moffly Media, New Alliance Bank, Newman’s Own Foundation, Pepperidge Farm, Inc., U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management, Westport Resources, Westport Sunrise Rotary, Young Voices Program, Xerox Foundation, and WSHU Public Radio Group.

For more information, contact Westport Arts Center at 203-222-7070, www.westportartscenter.org. Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 2p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 51 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT.

For more information about Fairfield County visit www.visitwesternct.com

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