Connecticut Travel

Bring the whole family to the New Canaan Nature Center to join them for their annual end of syrup season celebration – you won’t want to miss our famously delicious Pancakes & PJs party, complete with TONS of fun syrup-related activities! We’ll be serving up flapjacks, syrup, and an array of tasty toppings in the Visitor Center, while leading tree tapping demos, a real maple sap “boil down,” campfire with marshmallows, and a real v. fake syrup taste test.

In fine syruping tradition, we’ll also have bottles of NCNC Maple Syrup for sale in our Nature Gift Shop!

All are welcome and encouraged to dress in their PJs!

While this event’s pancakes & PJs party is indoors, all other activities take place outdoors.

General Admission

Members: $8/person
Non-Members: $10/person

VIP Lounge Dining

Reserve your very own table and unique dining experience in the VIP Lounge of the NCNC Green House! Let our staff wait on you! Enjoy the bounty of our Pancakes & PJ’s Party, PLUS more: sausage, fresh fruit, Nutella, whipped cream, and home-made NCNC maple syrup!

Seating Times: 8:30am or 10:00am

Pre-registration is mandatory as seating is extremely limited. Table prices include admission and all additional Syrup Saturday activities.

Table of 4: $40
Table of 8 $80

The Sherman Historical Society shared the story of Florence Quammie whose abbreviated bio is told in the book, A Life In Color. It is a fascinating look into the early 20th-century history of this charming Connecticut village.

It was the year 1933 when the Quammies moved to Sherman, Joseph Allan, his wife Flora Mae and their two children, Florence and Gerald. At the time, Florence was only six years old. The family moved from the Bronx and, they were the first black family to make their home in Sherman. The potential for complications could come into play for this interesting transition. The history for it was certainly there.
During the Civil War and despite abolitionists’ cries, the majority of the North was not fighting for slaves’ rights; in fact, many couldn’t have cared less either way; for them, the fight was about preserving the Union.  During and after it, the influx of freed Blacks moving north to find work in the industrialized cities came up against both American-born and immigrant workers who saw their jobs threatened by the new arrivals.

The book interviews Florence at 80 years old. Her story is refreshing and one that destroys stereotypes and expectations. Her parents came to Sherman to work for the Walter Evans family at “Estwick,” (the stately 1804 Federal Colonial home on the corner of Chapel Hill). “The Evanses treated us like family; they took to my brother and me like their own.” In fact, Florence enjoyed many activities she might not otherwise have known, among them: learning to play tennis and piano and attending numerous concerts and plays.

In the book, a Life of Color, Florence recalls the many wonderful times she had growing up in Sherman. She was accepted by the children of the town in school and made many lasting friendships with no racial barriers. This book is inspiring and shows that tolerance breeds goodness and acceptance breeds community.

A Life in Color is available from the Sherman Historical Society’s Old Store or by contacting them via email office@shermanhistoricalsociety.org

In honor of Black History Month, the Norwalk Historical Society is presenting “A JOURNEY” Musical a one-woman show written and performed by Kimberly Wilson, brings to life seven historical African-American women, including Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, and Maya Angelou. The show will take place on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 4 pm.

Through singing and character transformations, this performance takes the audience to a special place with educational and timely messages of perseverance, faith, hope, courage and love.

Ms. Wilson skillfully tells of the struggles and influence of Black womanhood with strength, dignity and pride and in perfect lockstep with the history of the United States.

After each performance, audiences participate in a talk-back which extends the wealth of this theatrical experience.

For tickets click here

Jack Levine of Beacon Falls is the next featured presenter for the 2ND ACT series at the Palace Theater’s Poli Club on March 3 at 6:00 pm. Tickets may be purchased at the Palace Theater’s Box Office, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury, online at palacetheaterct.org or by calling 203.346.2000.

The event includes a light supper with a cash bar available. Sponsors are the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute @ UCONN Waterbury, PEAK Physical Therapy and the Village at East Farms. Tickets are $25) and can be purchased online at http://www.palacetheaterct.org, by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main St, Waterbury. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Center and AARP members can enjoy a discount and pay$20., but must purchase by phone or in-person.

Levine is really LAUGHING OUT LOUD because he’s having the time of his life! He has truly reinvented himself in his 2ND ACT. AUTHOR, ACTOR, STANDUP COMEDIAN, IMPROV PERFORMER are now all titles that can be applied to Levine’s resume. Fearful of being bored in retirement he decided the key element in his life at this stage of his life had to include fun. So, when he finally retired as Chief Financial Officer of a School District at age 72, he decided to give his right brain a workout and dove into the performing arts and found the journey to be awesome. Jack will use standup comedy, improv, comedy sketches, personal storytelling, acting, and audience participation to entertain as he offers insights and inspiration to his audience to try something new, creative and fun in their own 2ND ACT.

About 2ND ACT
2ND ACT is a storytelling series created in 2018 by the Palace Theater’s Marketing & PR Officer, Sheree Marcucci and features ordinary people sharing the extraordinary things they are doing in the 2ND (half) ACT of their lives! Inspirational, experiential and comical, these after-50 life stories will ignite your own imagination to join the growing community of 2ND ACTers!

About the Palace Theater

The Palace’s primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to preserve and operate the historic Palace Theater as a performing arts center and community gathering place that provides a focal point of cultural activity and educational outreach for diverse audiences.

For more information, visit: http://www.palacetheaterct.org.

Richter Association for the Arts is opening its spring season with a roar for the new roaring 20s. Join us at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 5, at Richter House, 100 Aunt Hack Road in Danbury for the Roarin’ Ramblers, a six-piece band to perform a Dixieland jazz style concert.

For decades, each member of the Ramblers has played in various incarnations of Dixieland/Roarin’ 20’s-style jazz bands, until coming together, this year, to form The Roarin’ Ramblers. Considered the cream-of-the-crop, in Fairfield County for this style of music, the band is looking forward to recreating the music that 100 years ago brought a recovering nation a new hope and spirit.

Bill Crow and Roger Post are considered to be one of the best swinging rhythm sections in the area and you may have heard them during Pizzeria Lauretano’s great Sunday-evening jazz series. They have also played together on the original Broadway production of “42nd St.” during the 1980s. With the addition of Gim Burton’s driving banjo rhythms, you won’t be able to stop tapping your feet – dancing in the aisles might be witnessed, as well.

Hearing the melodies and improvisations of Nick, Lewis, and Craig, on the horns, will have you fondly remembering those songs of days gone by, which brought a smile to your face, and had you singing along when no one was listening.

The Richter Arts Board invites you to come dressed for the 20s. Bring back the 1920 “roaring 20s” or show us the trend for the new “2020 roaring 20s”. What are this year’s looks, styles, and unique fashion? It is time for some Roaring FUN! Let’s dance our way into the new season.

Doors open at 2 p.m. Admission is free and donations are welcome. General parking is in the nearby golf course parking lot. Look for the shuttle service provided between the house and the parking lot, or take a leisurely walk to the house. Handicap parking available directly at the House. For further information, visit the Richter Arts website at www.richterarts.org.

Richter Arts is partially funded by the Danbury Cultural Commission.