Connecticut Travel

As a grand finale to the Institute for American Indian Studies temporary exhibition “Skug” that is about snakes in the Eastern Woodlands, they are hosting two live snake presentations on Saturday, October 24 at the Institute located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington. In order to provide safe and interactive sessions for participants in both sessions, there will be two presentations, one at 1 p.m. and a second at 2:30 p.m.

There are many reasons why people fear snakes. It may be because of their predatory nature or the way they slither underfoot or, how they are portrayed in myths and folktales. The live snake demonstration hosted by the Institute hopes to dispel the myths associated with these often-misunderstood reptiles. During this fascinating demonstration, staff from Riverside Reptile Educational Center will bring participants up close to a variety of snakes from a giant python that weighs almost 100 pounds to a Copperhead, one of two venomous snakes found in Connecticut.

The best way to coexist with snakes is to learn about them, which is one of the main points of this live demonstration. This interactive and engaging animal encounter teaches people about the biology of snakes, their habitats, and the conservation efforts that are or should be in place to protect them. Masks are required inside the museum and outdoors on the grounds when you are within six feet of other visitors, staff, or presenters.

The cost to participate in this live demonstration is $5 for members of the Institute, $20 for non-member adults, and $15 non-member children. Reservations are required for this event by calling the Institute at 860-868-0518 or emailing general@iaismuseum.org. This is a popular event so make your reservations today.

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

As the leaves are changing color and the hint of the first frost is in the air get ready to celebrate autumn at the All Hollows Event event hosted by the Glebe House located on Hollow Road in Woodbury on Saturday, October 24. This celebration takes place during the witching hours of 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tours go out every hour. To reserve your time, click here.

Ghosts, goblins, and assorted scary creatures will be on hand along Hollow Road, following a path lit by over 300 luminaries, some of Woodbury’s earliest citizens will come back from the dead to lead mystery tours of the nearby Ancient Burying Grounds.
You will walk amongst the dead in burying grounds over 350 years old and hear stories of those mortal remains that lie beneath your feet as their spirits rise for the occasion and are dying to share their true-yet often-dark tales. New surprises will await visitors as the cemetery comes to life in a flurry of spectral activity. The Museum will be following all current State & CDC guidelines for the safety of our staff, volunteers, and visitors. **Due to current COVID-19 safety guidelines there will not be a haunted museum or any indoor activities. Masks and social distancing rules will be observed.

Tickets will be limited to maintain safety standards. Tours will be available by timed ticket entry beginning at 5:30 pm and will leave the grounds of the Museum every fifteen minutes, ending at 9:00 pm. To ensure your participation, pre-purchased tickets are strongly suggested. Once, a tour-slot is full, walk-ins will not be added. Tickets are $10 per adult, children 5-12 years old $5, and children under 5 years of age are free. Rain Date: Sunday, October 25th. Parking for the evening will be in Hollow Park, whose entrance is next to the Glebe House.

The Litchfield Historical Society has announced an exciting new family fun event, Scarecrows in the Meadows! This is a socially distanced event for families that is perfect for celebrating the end of the harvest season!

Families, businesses, and organizations are invited to participate and show their Litchfield Hills spirit by decorating a scarecrow to display in the Tapping Reeve Meadow on Litchfield. Participants are encouraged to let their creativity shine! Framing materials will be provided.

From October 17th-October 31st, visitors are invited to walk through the display of scarecrows and vote on their favorite while enjoying self-guided fall crafts and games. The scarecrows will be on display in Tapping Reeve Meadow, which is open dawn to dusk and free to all.

If you are interested in participating, please click here. Registration is open until October 9. PICK UP AND DROP OFF: Framing materials will be available for pick up October 5th-16th between 9:00-12:00 at the Litchfield History Museum (7 South St.) The Historical Society will provide the frame and contributors will provide the decorations and stuffing. DROP-OFF: Completed scarecrows can be dropped off at the Litchfield History Museum between 9:00-12:00 the week before the event and must be delivered by 10:00 am on Saturday, October 17th at the latest. Scarecrows will be taken down by the Litchfield Historical Society on Sunday,
November 1st and participants can pick them up from 2:00-4:00 or leave them for disposal.

The best place to enjoy fall foliage is in New England. In Norwalk, the autumn colors seem to linger longer because of its’ southern location. Here, October is epitomized by clear cool days, brilliant blue skies, vivid fall foliage, and spectacular sunsets. This year, for the first time, the Seaport Association in Norwalk is extending the opportunity to charter their vessel, the T.J. Toth through October 31, 2020.

October is a very special time to be out on the water because the Connecticut coastline is alive with color. In addition to the foliage, October has two full moons, one during the first week of the month and the second, a rare blue full moon on October 31, that add beauty and a sense of excitement to this excursion. So, if you are a leaf peeper and looking for a unique foliage experience this year, charter the Seaport’s vessel, it is much less expensive than you think! The charter is two hours long and is available any time of day and at sunset during the week and on weekends for $750 or just $30 per person for twenty-five of your friends and family.

Passengers are allowed to bring food and beverages on board to add to the fun. Think hot apple cider and cider donuts for the kids and mulled wine for the adults for a truly autumn experience! The vessel is loaded with amenities including comfortable seating in and out of the sun, siding to protect passengers from the wind, a bar area that is the perfect place to set up the beverages and goodies you bring aboard, and a full bathroom.

This private excursion begins from the Seaport’s dock at 10 North Water Street in Norwalk. A captain and mate are on board so you can sit back and relax and take in the fabulous scenery. The boat cruises through Norwalk Harbor while the Mate introduces passengers to the multifaceted history of the Harbor. Close-up views of Norwalk’s Islands, nesting ospreys, and, three lighthouses, including Sheffield Island Lighthouse are highlights of the trip all set against a backdrop of the fire colors of autumn.

If you are planning a special occasion or if you and your friends are looking for something really uplifting to do this October, nothing says “fun and foliage on the water” like this exclusive excursion offered by the Seaport Association. For additional information to charter the boat call the Seaport Office at 203-838-9444 or email jerry.toni@seaport.org.

Litchfield Jazz Festival is a stickler for doing whatever we do first-rate. With 25 years of Festivals showcasing the talents of people like Wayne Shorter, Tito Puente, Ray Charles, Dave Brubeck, Christian McBride, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, Hubert Laws, Roy Haynes, Ahmad Jamal, and hundreds of others, allowing a pandemic to cancel their 25th anniversary was not an option. Ditto for Litchfield Jazz Camp. So, we determined to put together the best virtual programs they could with just three months lead time and no excuses for anything less than the best a virtual platform could support.

So, by July we were ready and able to run a virtual version of the acclaimed Litchfield Jazz Camp, complete with free live-streamed concert each evening. Additionally, there was the 25th Anniversary Festival featuring top artists from a soundstage with the best microphones money can buy, ten cameras to cover the action from every possible angle, and a live stream with extraordinary production values thanks to a solid relationship with Telefunken Elecktroakustik in South Windsor Ct.

Both programs were so successful that literally minutes after they wrapped, we began planning how to extend virtual offerings across the calendar year. Litchfield Jazz is proud to present, beginning October 23rd, Litchfield Jazz Fest Presents, a live stream concert series from the Telefunken Soundstage, and beginning Oct 24 and continuing for 8 Saturdays, Litchfield Jazz Camp – Fall Semester.

The concert series Litchfield Jazz Fest Presents – currently has 3 scheduled performances. Each show will be streamed live from Telefunken Soundstage in South Windsor, CT — the concerts will be offered free, thanks to the generous support of several members of our Litchfield Jazz community. You can tune into the shows on the Litchfield Performing Arts YouTube page, Litchfield Jazz Camp or Festival Facebook pages, or you can use the links on the Litchfieldjazzfest.com homepage.

Mario Pavone & his Dialect Trio – OCTOBER 23, 2020 @ 7:30pm
The first of these presents Mario Pavone and his Dialect Trio. The program will mark the 80th birthday of the iconic avant garde bassist whose career spans 60 years with collaborators like Wadada Leo Smith, Anthony Braxton, Bill Dixon, Paul Bley, Dewey Redman, and Thomas Chapin. For this performance, he will be paired with Matt Mitchell on piano and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. Pavone is in great company here with two top players half age— he is an inveterate mentor and always has been—whose laurels include a MacArthur (Sorey) and a Pew Fellowship (Mitchell). To date, the Trio has three critically acclaimed CDs to their credit.

Pavone used the lockdown created by the pandemic to compose some exciting new work he will introduce here which he says “reflects the sheer joy of playing and the importance of this political moment.”

Emmet Cohen Trio – DECEMBER 17, 2020 @ 7:30pm
On December 17, Emmet Cohen, the extraordinarily gifted 30-year-old jazz pianist and winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards and Monk Competition finalist at just 21, will present the Emmet Cohen Trio. As it is smack dab in the middle of the holiday season he is looking forward to arranging jazzy renditions of some treasured tunes. Emmet, who as a 16-year-old attended Litchfield Jazz Camp where he says he decided to become a professional has, since earning his Master’s at Manhattan School of Music, appeared on just about every important Jazz Festival from Monterey to North Sea and played every concert hall from Kennedy to Lincoln Center and every iconic jazz club worldwide.

Now an artist on the Max Jazz label, his magnum opus so far is arguably his self-produced series, the “Masters Legacy Series.” This project had as its purpose to bring together talented young musicians like himself and others like alto player Godwin Louis (another one-time Litchfield Camper) with jazz masters at the pinnacle of their careers late in their lives. Emmet wasted no time laying down tracks, and for that we are grateful. Destined to become classics, the first was with drummer Jimmy Cobb of Kind of Blue fame. Later he recorded with saxophonist Jimmy Heath, and both have recently passed away. Emmet has also recorded with saxophonist George Coleman, another Miles Davis alum, and Ron Carter, who according to the Guinness Book of World Records is the “most recorded jazz bassist” in the history (2221X).

While his trio is a bit of a moveable feast including outstanding players like drummer Joe Saylor of the Tonight Show’s Stay Human Band and renowned bassist Yasushi Nakamura, his principal working group has Kyle Poole on drums and Russell Hall on bass. Their latest enterprise begun when touring was no longer an option, is “Live from Emmet’s Place,” a Monday evening series that has run for more than half a year already. Cohen’s brainchild, the program is supported by 430 members and counting with up to … listening in.

Chad LB Quartet – FEBRUARY 26, 2021 @ 7:30pm
On February 26, Litchfield Jazz Fest Presents will host the ChadLB Quartet. The New York Daily News called Chad Lefkowitz-Brown (Chad LB these days) a “sax phenom.” At 31, he has already toured globally as a soloist and with jazz stars and pop icons like Arturo O’Farrill, Chris Botti, and Taylor Swift. Litchfield is proud to claim Chad as one of its own. Like Emmet Cohen, he, too, was a Litchfield Jazz Camper back in the day. He went on to be selected for the prestigious scholarship program by the Dave Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific. Then he set out to conquer the world and did a pretty fine job of it. In addition to his performance career, Chad continues to be a visiting artist at the renowned San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

A native of Elmira, New York, Chad established himself as a jazz prodigy at age 11, performing across New York State under the mentorship of local jazz hero, George Reed, who was known for backing legends like Teddy Wilson, Buddy Tate, and Marian McPartland.

Chad will appear on the Litchfield Jazz live stream, offered for free to the public, with Manuel Valera on piano, Dan Chmielinski, bass, and Bryan Carter, drums.

Chad LB, concert, Emmet Cohen, jazz music, mario pavone, Virtual concert

Apple picking and fall foliage go together. It is the time of year when the nights are cool and the days are warm, making it the perfect season for apples. The Litchfield Hills has so many beautiful apple orchards where folks can get out in the fresh air and pick their own apples. Orchards are quite large making social distancing easy. Here are four of the most scenic apple orchards to be found anywhere.

Averill Farm located on 250 Calhoun Street in Washington Connecticut is a scenic hilltop farm that has been farmed by the same family for ten generations. Here you can pick your own apples – Macintosh, Macoun, Spartan, Liberty, Redcort, and Cortland. There are also pies, apple cider, apple cider donuts, and a farm stand that offers produce, gourds, pumpkins, honey, homemade jam, garlic, and much more.

March Farm is located on 160 Munger Lane in Bethlehem and is offering pyo apples and pumpkins in their orchard. There are hiking trails, a picnic area, corn maze, and a hayloft playscape, and pony rides for the kids. This year the theme of the corn maze is the Wizard of Oz. PYO apple varieties in the Farm Store Orchard include Cortland, Gala, Honey Crisp, and Macintosh. The Hill Top Orchard PYO offers Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Jonagold, Macintosh, Macoun, Mutsu, Red Delicious & Rome. The farm store sells pies and seasonal produce.

Ellsworth Hill Orchard and Berry Farm located in Sharon offers eight acres and 11 varieties of PYO apples. They have heirlooms apples that include Cortlands, Northern Spys, McIntosh, Macouns, Gala, Empire, Ida Reds, Crispin (Mutsu), Red Delicious, and Yellow Delicious. The property also has a giant corn maze. This year the theme is Dinosaurs. A large Lionel Interactive train display is a highlight for kids of all ages. The farm store sells a variety of seasonal fruit and baked goods.

Blue Jay Orchards located on 125 Plumtrees Road in Bethel offers PYO Macintosh, Cortland, and Macoun apples. Blue Jay also has an amazing pumpkin patch where kids can go and choose their own pumpkins! The farm market offers seasonal produce, pies, apple cider, apple cider donuts, jam, honey, cookies, and much more.