Annual Old Fashioned Flea Market at Lockwood Mathews Mansion

For anyone who loves to hunt for treasures, repurposed furniture, decorative accessories, and curiosities of all kinds, the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum’s Old Fashioned Flea Market is the place to be. The event, will take place on Sunday, September 18, 2016, 10 a.m. -5 p.m. at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk, CT, in Mathews Park.

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Whether you enjoy bargains, face-painting, or a stroll down memory lane, this is such an enjoyable event as it offers something to everyone. The highlight of this event is than 80 vendors that will offer a variety of items from new, and used, to vintage. Treasures for sale include an interesting assortment of antiques, furniture, collectibles, jewelry, household items, clothing, and toys. The adventure of this event is that you never know what you will find!

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Another highlight of this event is the classic and antique car show that is sure to delight the car buffs in the group. Shop while listening to swing and jazz music from 12p.m. -1 p.m. Afterward, students from The Pop Music Academy, located in Stamford will delight the audience with contemporary music from 2:30-3:30 p.m. A flea market favorite is the all-American BBQ courtesy of Stew Leonard’s and Michael Gilmartin’s Outdoor Cookers Catering & Event Planning. A highlight is the antique and classic car show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that gives visitors the opportunity to chat with car owners.

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The Museum will also be open for mini-tours from 12 noon to 4 p.m.. Visitors will be invited to walk throughout the Museum’s period rooms on the first floor and view an iconic Victorian era mansion for only $5.
The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. For more information on schedules and programs please visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799.

About the Flea Market

Proceeds will benefit the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum. The Museum has donated several booths to area nonprofits who will share their message and mission with attendees.

Howl-O- Ween — at Beardsley Zoo !

It is that spooky time of year again when the attractions are serving up plenty of chills and thrills and family fun in Fairfield County.

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The Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport for example, is calling all ghosts and goblins to their “Howl-O-Ween on Oct. 24 and 25 from 6:30. Visitors will spend a truly fun and frightful evening at the Zoo featuring a “Greek Mythology” Hayride, Haunted Farmyard, Gruesome Greenhouse, and magic show by Jim Sisti. Tickets also include FREE face painting, and of course, CANDY! Don’t miss this frighteningly good time. Admission is $12 per person in advance and for Zoo members; $15 per person at the gate. Event recommended for children ages 6-12, however, some of the “scarier” activities of the evening may be better suited for children ages 8+.
On Sunday, October 26, Boo is at the Zoo… from 12 pm to 3 pm. This spooktacular afternoon that includes harvest hayrides and many other seasonal enjoyments from 12:00pm – 3:00pm. Special scarecrows are guaranteed to delight and fright all visitors to the Zoo adding a ghoulish flair. Make sure you are on hand when the winner is announced so you can congratulate the winner and have your photo taken with winning scarecrow.

The fun at Beardsley Zoo continues with Harvest Hay Rides through the month every weekend in November on at 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The rides begin at W.O.L.F. Cabin and are $2 per person.
Beardsley Zoo is located on 1875 Noble Ave. in Bridgeport. For more information visit http://beardsleyzoo.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

“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

Don’t miss the 37th annual Norwalk Oyster Festival

Don’t miss the 37th annual Norwalk Oyster Festival that promises to be the biggest and bester ever!
Fun for families and friends from nine to ninety, the 37th annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival will be held this year from Friday, September 5 through Sunday, September 7. This year’s entertainment highlights include music from nationally known-bands on all three days including Scott Stapp of Creed on Friday and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts on Saturday at 9 p.m.. Festival goers will enjoy a wide variety of rides, cooking competitions, arts and crafts and a diverse assortment of attractions and entertainment that promise unforgettable fun.

A festival favorite will feature the action packed Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show that will feature world champion lumberjacks demonstrating their log rolling, axe throwing, chopping, sawing, tree climbing and dragster chainsaw skills. This show will take place on all three days: Friday at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The New England Fishing Village with demonstrations, samples and displays as well as the International Food Court offering a diverse selection of dining choices add to the fun.

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For the Kids
The festival’s Pirates Coast Adventure will wow children of all ages. Here, kids can meet real life pirates and look for booty in treasure hunts, hear storytelling and join in other fun-filled activities. New this year will be realistic demonstrations. The Kids’ Cove includes games, rides and entertainment. This interactive pirate encampment gives kids a taste of what seafaring was like during the golden age of piracy from 1650-1750. In addition, there will be an action-packed performance by Marvel Super Heroes.
Sunday is Family Day with special family and children’s packages for entrance, rides and meals. The perk of family day on Sunday is that one child under 12 gets in free with each adult paid admission and for a mere $15 can ride all the amusement rides free from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. To round out the family fun there will be live shows for kids on the festival’s main stage.

For the Whole Family

The festival offers a wide array of attractions the whole family will enjoy, including continuous entertainment by local musicians and national acts. A multitude of fine artists and crafters display whimsical as well as practical items that appeal to all tastes, budgets and ages. For on the water fun, head to the festival docks to tour historic vessels and to cruise the scenic and historic Norwalk Harbor.

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For the Foodies

Food demonstrations and competitions, including the always-popular chowder and chili cook-offs will take place throughout the festival. A highlight of the Festival is the wide variety of great food from around the world that is available at the International Food Court. This culinary fare is prepared by dozens of local nonprofit organizations allowing them to raise vital funds for their charitable causes. At the Oyster Pavilion, learn about Norwalk’s oystering history while watching slurping and shucking contests. The celebrity Slurpoff will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. in front of Oyster Pavilion.

The event is held at Veteran’s Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday. Senior tickets are $10 all days. Children 5-12 year’s old are $5. Children under 5 and U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. Sunday is Family Day with special pricing on that day only — 1 child (age 5-12) free with each paid adult admission. Tickets can be purchased at www.seaport.org. Free Parking and Free Shuttle Bus service is provided from four (4) local parking lots, just follow the signs to Oyster Festival Parking.
Save on Metro-North Railroad/Norwalk Oyster Festival Tickets

Festivalgoers can save on admission and rail fare when they purchase the Metro-North Railroad/Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival discount package. Packages are available at all ticket offices and ticket machines (except South Norwalk Station). On sale starting July 15. Package price from GCT/Harlem-125th Street: Adults, $27; Seniors, persons with disabilities and individuals receiving Medicare, $21; Children 12, $22; Children 5-11, $5; Children under 5, free. – See more at: http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_oyster_fest.htm
Packages also run from other stations.

About the Norwalk Seaport Association
The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, education and public awareness of Norwalk’s maritime environment and heritage. The Seaport Association and its volunteers are solely responsible for organizing and financing the Oyster Festival. In addition to the Oyster Festival, the Norwalk Seaport Association owns Sheffield Lighthouse and its volunteers maintain the lighthouse and grounds as a museum and nature preserve. For more information, visit www.seaport.org or call (203) 838-9444.

New Show at Torrington’s Five Points Gallery

Five Points Gallery, Torrington, will open a new show on August 7th which will run through September 6th. The work of four artists will be featured: Kathryn Myers, Stass Shpanin, Ebenezer Singh and Jason Wallengren. There will be an artist talk held on August 22nd at 6 pm. The public is encouraged to attend both events.

Stass Shpanin | The Last Sigh of Sleipnir | Oil on Canvas | 64 x 94 | 2013
Stass Shpanin | The Last Sigh of Sleipnir | Oil on Canvas | 64 x 94 | 2013

“Displacement”, an exhibition featuring the work of Stass Shpanin, will be the show in the East Gallery. Shpanin, a native of Azerbaijan, attended the Hartford Art School , where he graduated in 2012. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Fulbright scholarship. Shpanin has exhibited his work around the world and is represented in various public and private collections.

The West and TDP Galleries will showcase the work of three artists: Kathryn Myers, Ebenezer Singh and Jason Wallengren, in an exhibit titled “When Marco Polo Saw Elephants”. Myers’ paintings in gouache and oil, as well as her recent works in video, have been inspired by her interest and research on the art and culture of India. She has exhibited her work widely in the United States and India and has received numerous grants including: Fulbright Fellowships to India; Connecticut Commission on Arts and Culture grants, and the Marie Walsh Sharpe space program grants. Myers received her BA from St. Xavier College in Chicago, an MFA in painting from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and has been teaching painting and drawing at UConn since 1984.

Kathryn Myers | Ascendance | Gouache on Paper | 8 x 5 | 2013
Kathryn Myers | Ascendance | Gouache on Paper | 8 x 5 | 2013

Ebenezer Singh was born in India and studied at the Madras College of Art and at Kingston University in Surrey, U.K. He constructs images with allegorical and religious references, many of which reference several cultures. Singh has exhibited widely in galleries and India, Europe and the United States and his work is in public collections in Germany and India. He has been the recipient of grants, participated in Jason Wallengren is a conceptual artist who divides his time between Nurnberg, Germany and Connecticut. He received an MFA in Visual
Arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. Wallengren has exhibited in the United States and abroad.

Five Points Gallery is located at 33 Main Street, Torrington, CT. Hours are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. The gallery is also open by appointment. For more information please visit http://www.fivepointsgallery.org.

Being, Nothingness and More: Roz Chast Beyond the New Yorker at the Bruce Museum

The Bruce Museum located on One Museum Dr. in Greenwich is presenting a new exhibiton of 30 works by the well known Roz Chast. A highlight of this exhibition will be examples of of Chast’s iconic work from The New Yorker magazine, as well as prints and drawings from other projects. Also on display will be tapestries and painted eggs in the pysanky tradition decorated with the artist’s signature images. The Show runs through October 19.

Roz Chast Painted Egg © Roz Chast
Roz Chast
Painted Egg
© Roz Chast

Roz was born in Flatbush Brooklyn and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her cartoons first began appearing in New York City in publications includingThe Village Voice.
Since the late 1970s, her work has been featured frequently in The New Yorker, and in 1986 her work was featured on the cover of that magazine for the first time. She has written or illustrated more than a dozen books, includingUnscientific Americans, Parallel Universes, Mondo Boxo, Proof of Life on Earth, The Four Elementsand The Party After You Left: Collected Cartoons 1995–2003 (Bloomsbury, 2004). In 2006,Theories of Everything: Selected Collected and Health-Inspected Cartoons, 1978–2006 was published, collecting most of her cartoons from The New Yorker and other periodicals.

Roz Chast Peas and Carrots Textile © Roz Chast
Roz Chast
Peas and Carrots
Textile
© Roz Chast

Her most recent book, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant (published in May), chronicles her relationship with her parents as they each approached the end of life.

The Bruce Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm, Doors close 1/2 hour before closing, and the last admission 4:30 pm. For more information about the Bruce Museum visit www.brucemuseum.org