Tag: close to New York

Beatles festival “Danbury Fields Forever” at Ives Concert Park

The New York/New England regional Beatles festival, “Danbury Fields Forever,” will “come together” Saturday, July 26 & Sunday, July 27, 2014 at Ives Concert Park in Danbury, Connecticut. Doors will open at noon, and the music will continue until 8pm daily.

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The Music, Foods & Arts Festival is in its third year, with 10 bands per day playing the music of The Beatles, solo material and songs from the 60s. The full line-up of performers has been announced. Acts include The Hofners, The Oh-Nos, The Mystery Tour, AfterFab, Fools On The Hill, Charlie Guitar, Studio Two, Beatlehead, Thunder Road, The Way-Back Machine, Rotary and the national touring group Beatlemania Again. There will be live tributes to George Harrison by Pete Santora (formerly of Broadway’s “Beatlemania”), Sir Paul McCartney by Mike Miller’s “One Sweet Dream,” John Lennon by Dave Pal in his “Lennon Legacy” show and to Elton John by Bill Connors. Students from School of Rock in both New York and Connecticut will have their star students performing sets of Beatles classics. Also, the winners of the web talent search project StarOnTheWeb.com will be performing.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles’ U.S. arrival in 1964, one-day “Ticket to Ride” admissions to the Festival start at only $19.64, but these special discounted early-bird advance prices are good for a limited time only. Advance ticket available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/danbury-fields-forever-iii-tickets-11495548495. There are also V.I.P. tickets available, discounted two-day passes and hotel packages. Tickets will be higher at the door. For guests staying overnight, there is a reduced rate hotel package.

Ives Concert Park is located at 43 Lake Avenue Ext. on the campus of Western CT State University in Danbury, CT. This year there will be more Beatle and memorabilia dealers and vendors, exhibitors, along with a larger variety of food options available.

“Danbury Fields Forever lll” is presented by Charles F. Rosenay!!!’s Liverpool Productions, the same company that presented “NYC FAB 50,” The Beatles’ 50th Anniversary Celebration in New York City in February, and organizers of the annual Magical History Tours to Liverpool & London (www.LiverpoolTours.com). A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit a designated charity.
For further info, visit website: www.Fab4Musicfestival.com, or phone (203) 795-4737.

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Westport Arts Festival July 19 & 20

This year marks the 41st for the popular Westport Arts Festival that is taking place this year in the center of Westport in Parker Harding Plaza and on Gorham Island on July 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on July 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Festival goers can expect original juried works in Painting, Watercolor, Photography, Sculpture, Drawing, Printmaking, Mixed Media, Glass, Ceramics, Fiber, Jewelry, Wood and Digital Art dispayed along the lovely Saugatuck River in the heart of this charming riverside community.

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Best of all, visitors will experience more than just the visual arts at the Westport Fine Arts Festival: there will be unique street performances, live music, hands-on art activities, and delicious food from local restaurateurs. As for kids, they will enjoy the special Beach Bonanza Children’s Tent Zone provided by the Westport Arts Center. This area will feature both collaborative and individual hands-on projects, all with a seashore inspired theme! From string murals to large-scale jellyfish, kids will be sure to have a blast; just look for the the palm trees to find the Kid Zone.

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As for entertainment, there is plenty with an exciting line up as follows:

Saturday July 19
10:15 – 11:30 Chris MacKay and the Tone Shifters

11:45 – 1:00 Shiny Lapel Trio

1:15 – 2:30 Paul Brockett Roadshow Band

3:00 – 4:30 Mill River Band

5:00 – 6:30 Dr. B and The Brotherhood

Sunday July 20

10:15 – 11:30 Josi Davis and Hot Damn!

11:45 – 1:00 Pete Herger Band

1:30 – 2:45 Dylan Conner

3:10 – 4:30 Washboard Slim and the Bluelights
For More information visit www.westportfineartsfestival.com. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

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Dog Days of Summer arrives early at the Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Stepping Stones Museum for Children is once again going to the dogs on Saturday, June 14…and they couldn’t be happier. The museum will host its fourth annual, day-long festival celebrating the powerful and important bonds between humans and their animal friends. BooZoo™’s Canine Carnival, where play and learning go hand-in-paw, will take place at Stepping Stones on June 14 between 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The event is free with museum admission.

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The Canine Carnival is hosted by BooZoo, the museum’s fictional puppy mascot for early childhood learning and literacy, and will feature carnival games for families and dogs, pooch and people pics in our prop-laden photo booth, a meet-and-greet with BooZoo, a “pampered pooch” area featuring a dog wash and day spa, story times with BooZoo, bobbing for doggie treats and so much more. All canine friends, accompanied by owners, are welcome to take part in carnival activities under the tent of the museum’s Celebration Courtyard.

Visitors are invited to enter their dog(s) in the museum’s Crazy Canine Contest at 11:30 am.

A panel will judge the dogs in the following categories: best dressed, fastest tail wager, fluffiest, best smile, best ears and walks with attitude. Each dog will be judged in all categories. And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Visitors will be able to sign up for a 5-minute time slot to give their four-legged, furry friends an opportunity to show off his or her tricks. Dogs must be licensed and accompanied by people who are 15 years or older. Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dogs.

A highlight of the day is sure to be when assistance dogs from the Canine Companions for Independence® conduct a demonstration in the museum’s Multimedia Gallery. Founded in 1975, the world-renowned Canine Companions for Independence is a national non-profit which provides highly-skilled assistance dogs to adults, veterans and children with disabilities free of charge. Canine Companions created the concept of assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities. During BooZoo’s Canine Carnival, the assistance dogs will be put through a routine demonstrating their ability to follow commands, open doors, flip on light switches, pick up dropped items and complete other important daily tasks. A Canine Companions staff member will talk about how the dogs are bred, trained and matched with their human counterparts, transforming the lives of people with disabilities by increasing their independence and providing loving companionship.

Another special component of the event will take place when Milford’s John Tartaglio, an inspirational speaker, shares his story with the audience. Tartaglio was 17 years old when he contracted an extremely rare bacterial infection. With his condition dire, doctors were left with no choice but to amputate his legs and left bicep. Tartaglio was only given a 20% chance to live, but he survived and now thrives. He graduated cum laude from Fairfield University. Told by medical professionals that he would never walk again, Tartaglio has completed marathons and triathlons. As a motivational speaker, he speaks to audiences about overcoming adversity, building a positive attitude and turning it into positive actions, leadership and teamwork. Empowering his audiences with his story, Tartaglio challenges people to reach their goals, raise their personal standard and expect more out of themselves because he is living proof that anything is possible.

Throughout the event, the mobile unit of the North Shore Animal League, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, will be on hand with staff members available to answer questions and showcase some of their adoptable friends. Between noon and 2:00 pm, Shake Shack will be on hand in our courtyard serving “Pooch-ini®,” a custard-based doggy snack.

About BooZoo

Building on the commitment to promote early childhood development and reading literacy for young children, the museum developed the BooZoo character three years ago. BooZoo is a toy puppy who lives in Tot Town™, the museum’s toddler exhibit. He’s smart, incurably curious and loves reading books.

For additional information about BooZoo’s Canine Carnival, visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/CanineCarnival.

Copyright © 2001-2012 Catalytic Group Inc.

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Monroe’s Rails Trails Tour

On Saturday, May 31 the Monroe Historical Society is offering a look back to the Golden Age of Railroading for its annual spring glimpse into the past and is offering the newly revamped Rails Trails Tour.

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The Rails Trails Tour covers the sites of four old wooden railway stations once vital to the rhythm of life in Monroe-Stepney and Stevenson Depots, and will also include Pepper Crossing and a stop off at Hammertown Road, known simply as Monroe Station.

Participants will board a motorcoach that will depart from the Monroe Senior Center on 235 Cutler’s Farm Rd. in Monroe at 10 a.m. Box lunches will be for sale as there is a noon stopover for lunch in Wolfe Park. There is also a ten-minute screening of the Great Train Robbery produced by Thomas Edison Studios in 1903 that will be shown before the motor coach departs and after it returns. This is the first commercially viable movie with sequential scenes.

The tour will include two morning stops and two stops in the afternoon and the motorcoach will head out rain or shine. Due to safety considerations, no private automobiles, motorcycles or bicycles are permitted on the tour. A special highlight of each tour will be the illustrated presentations at each site by railway historians: John Babina, Bob Belletzkie and Monroe’s town historian, Ed Coffey.

Displays will show how the steam engine was the lifeline for distributing farm products that drove the Monroe economy in the 1840s. At this time, the rail lines were the primary link to the outside world with its jobs and high schools in Bridgeport. The rail line also gave Monroe’s merchants access to goods and brought the farmers supplies like seed, fertilizer, feed and agricultural machinery.

With the advent of the automobile, by the 1930s passenger service was virtually discontinued. At the same time trucks became a more dedicated alternative for transporting the needs of business although limited use of the tracks for commerce continued until recent years.

The cost of the Rails Trails Tour is $10 for members, $15 for non-members, discounted to $5 for seniors and students. Tickets are available at the Monroe Senior Center and the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library. Space is limited. Additional information is available from Marven Moss at mmoss36@yahoo.com

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Exhibit: Collections, Community & Conversation at the Danbury Historical Society

The Danbury Museum & Historical Society located on 43 Main Street in Danbury will be launching an 2014 Accessible Art Exhibit, in conjunction with the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, on Saturday, January 18, 2014 and will run through the month of March.

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The exhibit cases in Huntington Hall will be filled with a wealth of interesting objects gleaned from the collections of individuals from The Greater Danbury area; including vintage photographs on display from guest curator, Catherine Vanaria, Professor of photographer at Western Connecticut State University. She is also President and Co-Owner of Connecticut Photographics, Inc., a professional photographic and digital lab located in Danbury.

On display will be an eclectic mix of objects including sewing machines, turn of the century postcards, milk glass, examples of antique book bindings, slide rules, colonial apothecary items, vintage toys, dolls, vintage pins and more.

The exhibit will be open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. To 4:00 p.m. Collections will be on display through March. The museum will be hosting several roundtable discussions and will sponsor an educational program, ‘How to Start a Collection’ and ‘Preserving Treasured Photographs,’ presented by Catherine Vanaria on March 15, 2014. A schedule of events and additional information will be available on the museum website.

For more information visit www.danburymuseum.org or call 203-743-5200. For information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

ABOUT THE DMHSA: The Danbury Museum & Historical Society was formed in 1947 to acquire, preserve, exhibit and interpret New England’s past; focusing particularly on the heritage of Danbury. Situated in downtown Danbury, the museum preserves the John and Mary Rider House (c.1785), the Dodd Hat Shop (c. 1790), the Marian Anderson Studio and the Charles Ives Birthplace. Huntington Hall, a modern exhibit building houses the museum offices and research library.

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Transcending Continents: A Black History Month Celebration

The Housatonic Museum of Art in collaboration with Shanna Melton of Poetic Soul Arts presents Transcending Continents: A Black History Month Celebration in the Performing Arts Center of Housatonic Community College at 900 Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport, CT on Thursday, Febuary 27, 2014 from 6 – 9 pm, free and open to the public. Call 203-572-4937 or visit www.HousatonicMuseum.org for more information.

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This event includes artists from Senegal, Antigua and America who will explore how music, poetry and storytelling create a spiritual communication that transcends continents to create a psychic connection. Stories of love and ancestry that are universal are conveyed through the gift of art. Featured performers Bideew Bou Bess accompanied by Tony Vacca, along with Gina LeVon Simpson, Tenisi Davis and Iyaba Ibo Mandigo use words and sounds to share their experience.

Poet, painter, writer, actor and playwright, Iyaba Ibo Mandingo is a native of Antigua, West Indies, who came to the US in 1980 as a young boy. Mandingo appears regularly as an international performance poet. US venues include Nuyorican Poetry Café, Brooklyn Moon, and Next Door Café. He was the keynote performer at the 2011 Westchester, NY Poetry Festival. He was recently seen at 59E59 in Deb Margolin’s The Expenses of Rain (Laura Barnett, director.) Mandingo is the author of three chapbooks of poetry, 41 Times, Amerikkan Exile, and his latest, 40 days & 40 nites of write. His new novel, Sins of My Fathers, was released in 2013. He is a New York Theatre Workshop Summer, 2011 Artist in Residence. Mandingo was awarded a national Percent for the Arts Program artist grant, as well as grants from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, and multiple commendations from the Nassau County African American Museum. His artwork has been included in over a dozen group and individual international shows.

Gina LeVon Simpson, another performer that is a producer at Sound View Community Media, where she received two awards. Simpson has performed one woman shows, skits, poetry, drumming and presented workshops at many functions in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Ghana, West Africa, and in local community centers, libraries and churches. She was the Playwright and Creative Director of “The MAAFA Influence – Evoking the Pain of the Past…Building a Strong and Powerful Future” from 2004 through 2010. This original production showcased in Connecticut, Brooklyn, NY, and Aiken, South Carolina. Simpson is a minister, consultant, poet, storyteller, illustrator, producer, writer and director who passionately seeks to inspire, encourage, and teach through the many gifts she has embraced since childhood.

Tony Vacca’s Senegal-America Project combines the spectacle and spectacular performance of internationally renowned percussionist Tony Vacca and the West African hip-hop group Bideew Bou Bess. Vacca brings his American perspective to the African Balaphone, gongs and assorted other percussion instruments. Bideew Bou Bess, one of Senegal’s most popular and innovative bands is comprised of three brothers: Beydi, Moctar and Ibrahima Sall. They combine ancient griot traditions with global-minded contemporary Hip-Hop sounds. Together the four musicians create a very high energy, interactive cross cultural extravaganza.

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