Connecticut Travel

Fairfield’s history comes alive in the town’s centuries-old Burying Ground as the spirits share the scary legends of days gone by. As you walk among the ancient gravestones, prepare to be greeted by some of the spellbinding characters buried there. Meet Eunice Burr, Samuel Smedley, and Goody Knapp, who was convicted of and executed for witchcraft in 1653, while discovering long-buried legends that have haunted Fairfield for nearly 400 years.

Tickets are available on Thursday, 10/27, 28, and 29th at 6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, and 7:30pm on each night (Note: Tours are 45 minutes long.), and the tickets:$20 each. Pre-registration is required. This program is recommended for adults and kids ages 12 and up. For your tickets, click here

Event Details
All tours will meet at the front door of the Fairfield Museum building, located at 370 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT. Please plan to arrive 10 minutes ahead of your departure time, as tours will leave at the scheduled time.

· Parking is available at the Fairfield Museum and guests should enter the parking lot from Old Post Road. The Museum’s Beach Road entrance will be closed for participant safety.

· Tours will be held outdoors. Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes as we will be walking over uneven ground in low light conditions. We will also be standing for the 45-minute duration of the program.

Inclement Weather: If a tour is cancelled due to inclement weather, you will be notified via email at least one hour prior to your tour departure. Museum staff will make every effort to reschedule tours. If rescheduling isn’t possible, we will provide you with a refund.

Parking: Parking is available in the Museum and Sullivan Town Hall lots. Access to parking will only be via Old Post Road. Our Beach Road driveway will be closed off for safety. Please see the map below with directions on accessing parking.

The Institute for American Indian Studies is hosting an evening with Robin Wall Kimmerer, founder, and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. This event will include a Native American-inspired performance by the nationally known dance troupe, Pilobolus that will take place on Friday, October 28 at 6 p.m. at the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center located at 22 Kirby Road in Washington, Connecticut.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and best-selling author of several books including Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. Robin tours widely and has been featured on NPR’s On Being with Krista Tippett and, in 2015; she addressed the general assembly of the United Nations on the topic of “Healing Our Relationship with Nature.” On this special evening, Dr. Kimmerer will participate in a moderated discussion about her work that focuses on traditional ecological knowledge and how it can be used to foster sustainability and envision a future of healing. If you plan to attend this event, you may submit questions to Dr. Kimmerer by emailing events@iaismuseum.org with the subject line Questions for Robin Wall Kimmerer, and please include your name and where you are from.

A highlight of this event will be the performance by the nationally and internationally known dance troupe, Pilobolus of “The Ballad” which is a collaboration with the Institute for American Indian Studies Native American storyteller, Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke. The Ballad is a moving and emotional performance that tells an epic story of the history of tribal nations’ sacred relationship with Mother Earth and the injustices suffered by indigenous communities. The final message of this performance, so eloquently portrayed by Pilobolus, is that we have to take care of Mother Earth so she can take care of us. Pilobolus is celebrating 50 years of dance and The Ballad is one of the highlights of their Big Five-Oh! National Tour that has met with rave reviews.

This event is free (donations are appreciated) and is brought to attendees by the Institute for American Indian Studies, The Frederick Gunn School, The Taft School, a grant from the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, and donations from members of the Institute. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To reserve your spot click here.

About Institute for American Indian Studies
Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington, Connecticut preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape Room, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans.

The Monroe Economic Development Commission kicks off Restaurant Week this October. Participating restaurants are serving up special fixed-price menus and other specials. It’s an excellent opportunity to experience some new restaurants and revisit favorites. Reservations are highly recommended, so book your tables early.

Participating Restaurants:

Bella Rosa Pizzeria Ristorante – RW Menu – (203) 452-9533

Carl Anthony Trattoria – RW Menu – (203) 268-8486

Casa Nostra Italian Eatery – RW Menu Coming Soon

Crown Pizza of Monroe – RW Menu Coming Soon

Flames Restaurant – RW Menu Coming Soon

Honeyspot Pizza 5 – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 261-2977

India Raj Restaurant – RW Menu Coming Soon

Jennie’s Pizzeria – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 452-2435

Julian’s Brick Oven Pizza – RW Menu Coming Soon

Lake Zoar Drive-In – RW Menu Coming Soon

Lakeside Nutrition – RW Menu Coming Soon

Last Drop Coffee Shop – RW Menu – (203) 445-9797

Marylou’s Ristorante – RW Menu Coming Soon

Monroe Deli – RW Menu Coming Soon

Monroe Diner – RW Menu – (203) 268-8800

Monroe Falafel – RW Menu Coming Soon

Monroe Fish Market – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 268-7463

Monroe Pizza & Pasta – RW Menu Coming Soon

Monroe Social – RW Menus Coming Soon – (203) 590-3450 – Make Reservations

Nunnu’s Sandwich Shop – RW Menu – (203) 220-8414

Osteria Romana – RW Menu – (203) 261-1600 – Make Reservations

Paisano’s Pizza – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 268-1888

Terra Cafe – RW Menu Coming Soon

Thai Mi Noodle – RW Menu – (203) 261-6611

Vazzy’s Osteria – RW Menu – (203) 459-9800

The Norwalk Historical Society‘s popular fundraiser, “A Haunting at Mill Hill” is back in person at the old graveyard at Mill Hill Historic Park! The park is located at 2 East Wall Street in Norwalk. The event is taking place on Friday, October 21, and October 28 at 8 p.m. and at 9:30 p.m. and on Saturday, October 22 and October 29 at 5 pm, 6:30 pm, 8 pm, and 9:30 pm. All tickets must be purchased online and early bird tickets are available through October 20. To purchase tickets click here.

Among the crooked stones of the Mill Hill graveyard, ghostly entities are waiting to share their stories of death, murder, insanity, and destruction. Hear chilling tales based on real events from Norwalk’s hidden past. What might scare you the most is that all these stories are true! You see, fact is sometimes scarier than fiction.

Celebrate your survival with refreshments and…if you dare…get a photo taken with the spirits on our “Hauntagram” photo area.

This event is NOT recommended for children under 8 years old. Parental discretion is advised.

Every culture has some form of pottery and has used clay for utilitarian and aesthetic purposes for centuries. The Eastern Woodland Indians have a long history of making pottery from natural clay dug from pond sides, riverbanks, and even ocean cliffs. On Saturday, September 24, Sunday, September 25, and Saturday, October 1 the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington, Connecticut is holding a Traditional Pottery Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on each of the three days resulting in the creation of a clay vessel. Paul Wegner, Assistant Director of the Institute, and Griffin Kalin, IAIS Educator, and Traditional Skills Expert will guide participants through the construction and pit firing process of their vessel.

Pottery found by archeologists can tell us much about how people lived long ago. The decorations on pottery are expressions of culture and individualism, history, and about ties between people. It gives us a glimpse at how they cooked, what they ate, how they moved around, and what they left behind. By documenting and noting the changing shapes of vessels and designs archeologists are able to determine changes in diet and circumstances. A fascinating aspect of this workshop is learning about the different types of Native American pottery found throughout the country with examples from the Institute’s vast collections.

This is a three-day workshop because working with locally sourced clay requires time for the clay to be processed correctly. When making traditional Native American pottery there are no kilns and no wheels used in the process. During this workshop, participants will learn the traditional methods of pottery making starting with locally foraged clay that will be screened to remove rocks and other debris and then put into water to allow the clay to settle. After the clay is fully prepared, participants will add their own temper, which can be almost anything from a crushed shell, or sand, to crushed-fired pottery, or plant material. The clay is tempered to help pottery withstand the shock of rapid temperature changes and flames. A highlight of the program is making the vessel by using the coil method and learning how to treat the surface and decorate it. When the clay is ready, the vessels will be fired outside in a shallow pit. After firing, which can reach temperatures of up to 1500 degrees, the clay will be as hard as a rock. It is important to remember that the clay is fragile and that there is no guarantee that the vessels will remain intact during the firing process, which is part of the learning experience and fun.

This is an outdoor event so participants should dress for the weather and pack a lunch and some water. The cost of this intensive three-day workshop is $110 for non-members and $90 for members of the Institute. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required and refunds will not be given after September 24, without serious extenuating circumstances. For more information call us at 860-868-0518 or email us at events@iaismuseum.org. To register for this workshop click here.

The bucolic village of Norfolk, Connecticut, famous for its Summer and Winter WIN (Weekend in Norfolk) is continuing the fun this fall with the 4th annual Bocce Tourny, on Sunday, October 2 behind the Station Place Cafe, 10 Station Place in the center of Norfolk. Folks will be gathering and teams will be formed starting at 3 p.m.and the tournament will start shortly thereafter. To add to the fun, there will be a warm-up session before this friendly competition begins, so make sure that you come early to secure your practice throws!

Regardless if you join in the competition or are a spectator, this ancient game is fun to watch. The first known documentation of bocce dates to a wall painting in an Egyptian tomb with two boys playing in 5200 BC. The game spread throughout the ancient world to Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome. It was played just about everywhere from temples to grand estates by young and old alike, as well as by men and women thanks to its ease and versatility. It remained popular throughout the centuries with Giuseppe Garibaldi, who, while unifying and nationalizing Italy, popularized the sport as we know it today. Bocce has been an Olympic Sport since 1896, when the first modern World Olympics were held in Athens, Greece.

At this popular Norfolk Connecticut event, there will be four people per team, if you come with less than four people, no worries, the organizers will pair you up with a team. If you don’t want to play, there is plenty of space to cheer contestants on while watching this ancient sporting competition in a quaint New England town against the backdrop of spectacular fall foliage. If you work up an appetite, there are plenty of restaurants within easy walking distance; as well as a taco food truck that adds to the fun. If you have questions or want to register, at no cost, email lboucher@norfolkmgmt.com…and, let the game begin!

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