Tag: Connecticut

Great Mountain Forest Partners with Northwest Conservation District and UConn 4-H to bring Ethan Tapper’s “How to Love a Forest” to Norfolk

On Friday, August 14 at 4:30 p.m., Great Mountain Forest, UConn 4-H, and Northwest Conservation District will host “How to Love a Forest,” a timely and thought-provoking conversation at Norfolk United Church of Christ. This presentation features Ethan Tapper—an internationally recognized forester, best-selling author, and digital storyteller—whose work has challenged long-held assumptions about conservation and land management. Tapper is the author of How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World, which has earned wide acclaim since its publication in September 2024, including the 2025 New England Book Award for nonfiction.

This program offers the public a rare opportunity to hear from a leading voice in contemporary forestry and to engage with one of the most important questions facing conservation today: How to balance preservation and management? Participants will learn that at the center of Tapper’s approach is a clear but often uncomfortable idea: caring for a forest does not always mean leaving it untouched.

Tapper’s talk will draw from “Bear Island,” the Vermont forest he has worked to restore. Once burdened by invasive plants, exotic pests, overabundant deer, and the long shadow of poor logging practices, the land had reached a critical point. Tapper chose to intervene with management actions that may sound counterintuitive at first—bringing in loggers, using chemicals where necessary, and intentionally disrupting parts of the forest to support its long-term recovery. The result is a powerful case study in modern stewardship.

For anyone interested in forests, ecology, or the future of environmental stewardship, this is a program not to be missed. To register for this free program, visit https://greatmountainforest.org/events

This event is sponsored by Doolittle Lake Company, Haystack Book Festival, Society of American Foresters, and the Norfolk United Church of Christ Congregational (UCC).

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Parmalee, Lita Ford and Jump: America’s Van Halen Experience at the 48th Norwalk Oyster Festival September 11-13

The Norwalk Seaport Association has unveiled its 2026 entertainment lineup, running September 11 through September 13, 2026. The 48th annual three-day festival blends seaside charm with arena-level performances. The weekend kicks off Friday night with a jolt of rock history. At 8 p.m. on September 11, Lita Ford—the groundbreaking guitarist and former Runaways member—brings her unmistakable brand of glam metal to Norwalk. Known for hits like “Kiss Me Deadly” and the powerful duet “Close My Eyes Forever” with Ozzy Osbourne, Ford’s career spans decades, accolades, and a permanent place in rock’s cultural DNA. Her presence anchors opening night with grit, nostalgia, and undeniable star power.

Lita Ford brings glam metal to the Norwalk Oyster Festival

Taking over the Xfinity Main Stage on Saturday at 8:30 p.m., September 12, is multi-platinum country group Parmalee—a band that has steadily climbed from regional favorite to national powerhouse. With more than 1.6 billion on-demand streams and six No. 1 hits, Parmalee has helped redefine modern country music, threading together classic storytelling with a polished, crossover-ready sound. Expect a setlist stacked with fan favorites like “Carolina,” “Close Your Eyes,” and “Already Callin’ You Mine alongside newer chart-toppers including “Take My Name,” “Girl in Mine,” and “Cowgirl,” a track that recently made history as one of the longest-running No. 1 songs by a band on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in over a decade. Recent releases include the deeply personal “How Do I Let You Go” and their current single, “God Knew Better.”

Dance to the multi-platinum country group Parmalee

On Sunday, the festival shifts into high gear one last time as JUMP: America’s Van Halen Experience closes out the weekend. Taking the Xfinity Main Stage at 4 p.m. on September 13, the band delivers a high-octane tribute to Van Halen’s David Lee Roth era—complete with faithful renditions, theatrical flair, and a setlist that dives beyond the biggest hits into deep-cut territory for true fans.

The high octane performance of JUMP: America’s Van Halen Experience closes out the weekend

The Norwalk Oyster Festival is about much more than headlining performers; it’s an experience the whole family can enjoy. On Sunday, Kids Day makes it especially fun for families, with children 12 and under admitted free with a paying adult. Many of the festival’s shows are included with your ticket and scheduled throughout the day, so you can catch your favorites without missing a moment. And, if your family loves rides, an unlimited ride wristband is available on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As Norwalk Oyster Festival Chairman, Mike Reilly puts it, “The Norwalk Oyster Festival brings it all together – arena-sized live bands, a craft village, rides, great food, and family entertainment, all packed into one unforgettable three-day weekend.”

This year’s presenting sponsor, Mohegan Sun Online Casino, is once again raising the bar with a VIP experience, bringing a touch of resort-level service to the festival. “Our partnership with the Norwalk Seaport Association continues to be an amazing relationship for our business and our presence in the community,” said Colin Mulhern, Event Manager, Mohegan Sun Online Casino.

For tickets and full event details, visit https://www.seaport.org/norwalkoysterfestival_entertainment

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A Special Treat at this Year’s Weekend In Norfolk for Gardeners, August 2, 2026

This year, Weekend in Norfolk is taking place from July 31 – August 2 and a highlight are Norfolk’s Gardens. There is something unmistakably magical about the summer gardens in Norfolk. At this summer’s WIN, on Sunday, August 2, 2026, one of the standout experiences is the rare opportunity to step inside four exceptional private gardens alongside a thoughtfully cultivated community garden. Each space offers its own personality, rhythm, and story—inviting visitors to slow down and truly see what makes a garden come alive. Private gardens have a special kind of quiet magic. Every path, planting choice, and tucked-away corner reflects the care and personality of the person who created it, making these spaces feel less like landscapes and more like deeply personal worlds.

At Feeding Body and Soul on 84 Maple Avenue, that idea comes to life beautifully: “Our garden’s focus is to feed us, our chickens, our bees—and our souls.” The garden is shaped by organic practices and a natural, thoughtful rhythm—from removing invasive species to working with challenging terrain and letting beauty emerge in its own time. Behind the house, a skillfully built kitchen garden rises from sloped, stone-filled ground, with raised beds lined with gravel, cold frames along a retaining wall, espaliered apple and pear trees, and space for bees, chickens, and future gatherings. Out front, the mood softens into a naturalized meadow, where native plants sway in shades of green and white, brightened by bursts of seasonal color.

At Connections (76 Maple Avenue), the garden does something rare: it stretches beyond a single property, seamlessly linking two neighboring landscapes through a network of peaceful woodland paths. As you wander along meandering, wood-chipped trails edged with salvaged sapling trunks, the journey gently guides you downhill through the woods. Along the way, the transition feels natural and unforced—paths glide through a shallow depression before opening into mature plantings that surround the house and lawn. The result is a landscape that feels truly connected in every sense. More than simply beautiful, these neighboring gardens are a quiet testament to the idea that outdoor spaces can unite people just as powerfully as they shape the land.

At 290 Bruey Road, professionally designed gardens create a beautiful story of transformation. What were once two separate properties have been thoughtfully brought together through woodland pathways, layered plantings, and carefully shaped garden spaces. Visitors move through a sweeping transition from structured lawn and mature shrubs into a more shaded woodland setting, where winding paths, curated shade gardens, and restored areas invite moments of discovery along the way.

The second property, now serving as the primary residence, continues to evolve as a living landscape. With expanded plantings and newly diversified vegetable beds, the garden remains a work in progress—one that keeps growing, changing, and revealing new layers of design over time.

Our next stop, Formal Borders, is at 152 Litchfield Road and features a lovely Arts and Crafts–style home and garden dating back to 1908. With care and thoughtful interpretation, the current owners have brought new energy to the original design by Marian Coffin, restoring the garden’s historic charm while giving it a fresh sense of life.

Highlights include a refined formal parterre stretching south from the house, along with a striking double border on the west side, recreated using guidance from an original working plan. One of the garden’s most delightful features is a graceful half-moon of dwarf and semi-dwarf evergreens. What began as a chance collection of gifted plants has grown into a lush natural screen, now enclosing an extra perennial bed and adding depth and intimacy to the space. Altogether, Formal Borders offers a serene blend of history, beauty, and thoughtful evolution.

The final stop, the Community Garden at 128 Greenwoods Road East, on the grounds of Botelle Elementary School, offers something just as meaningful as it is beautiful: a true sense of shared purpose. Sponsored by the town’s Recreation Committee, this welcoming space brings together neighbors, families, and young gardeners in a collaborative effort that blossoms throughout the season.
In the height of summer, visitors can see children from the Summer Gardening Club caring for their own beds, along with a vibrant mix of vegetables like pumpkins, tomatoes, peas, lettuce, kale, and more. Some plots are even dedicated to supporting the local Food Pantry, helping the garden make a difference in the wider community.

Guests will enjoy hands-on learning through composting demonstrations led by resident expert Doug Semmes, and the first 25 visitors will receive a complimentary herb seedling to take home. Looking ahead, the garden’s impact will continue to grow this fall through programming designed to engage local fifth- and sixth-graders in ongoing stewardship.

Whether you’re drawn by inspiration, tranquility, or the sheer visual beauty of a summer garden in full bloom, this experience offers more than a simple tour. It offers a way of seeing—one that stays with you long after the season fades. Because truly, there is something special about gardening. And in Norfolk, at the height of summer, you can feel it in every leaf, every blossom, and every carefully tended path. For more information about Weekend in Norfolk https://weekendinnorfolk.org/

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Danbury Concert Association concludes 2025/26 series June 7 with Sophie Shao & Friends

The Danbury Concert Association (DCA) will conclude its 2025/26 season on Sunday, June 7 with a program designed to feel both celebratory and deeply personal: the return of acclaimed cellist Sophie Shao, joined by four highly acclaimed musical professionals—violinist Carmit Zori, violist Cora Pogossian, bassist Max Zeugner, and pianist Amy I‑Lin Cheng.

The concert begins at 3 p.m. at the Veronica Hagman Concert Hall in the Visual Performing Arts Center (VPAC) on Western Connecticut State University’s Westside campus—an intimate, in-the-round venue known for warm acoustics and a welcoming, come-as-you-are atmosphere. Single tickets for the June 7 concert are $25 and may be purchased online, at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com, or at the VPAC Box Office (203-837-8732) up to curtain time. Admission is free for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission.

For DCA audiences, Shao’s return is more than a season finale—it is the kind of artist-centered homecoming the organization has long championed. It reflects a rare concert experience defined by world-class musicianship in a setting where every seat feels close, every phrase feels immediate, and the post-concert conversation remains part of the tradition.

Shao and her fellow performers will present three works, each offering a distinctive voice and atmosphere. Elena Ruehr’s Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 brings modern expressiveness and rich color, highlighting the lyrical warmth of Shao’s cello and the refined sensitivity of pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng. The program continues with a deeply meaningful tribute to Danbury’s own Charles Ives, who’s Piano Trio is especially fitting in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary. Following intermission, the afternoon concludes with Franz Schubert’s Quintet for Piano and Strings in A major, D. 667 (“The Trout”). With its buoyant variations and luminous lyricism, the beloved work offers an uplifting and generous finish to the season, bringing the concert to a joyful close.

That spirit of connection continues after the performance, as each DCA concert is followed by a meet-the-artists reception open to all, reinforcing the series’ tradition of community.

The June 7 season finale will also offer a first look at the 2026/27 series that includes: Ying Li, piano on September 20, 2026, Camerata RCO, chamber music orchestra on October 25, 2026, Kathryn Lewek soprano, and Zach Borichesvsky, tenor on March 21, 2027, and the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, on June 6, 2027. Special subscription pricing for the new season will be available at www.danburyconcert.org beginning June 8.

About the Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association is a nonprofit organization with roots dating back to the 1930s. Officially spun off from the Danbury Music Centre in 1957, the Association has brought internationally renowned talent to Connecticut every year since, with the exception of the COVID era. Today, performances are held at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University, in a state of the art facility. Each series features four concerts, two in the fall and two in the spring. Every performance begins at 3:00 p.m. and is followed by a reception with the artists.

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Great Mountain Forest Launches 1st Annual Nature Writing Retreat at Historic Yale Camp

From August 7-9, 2026, Great Mountain Forest (GMF) will host its First Annual Nature Writing Retreat at the historic Yale Camp in Falls Village, CT, inviting writers of all levels to draw inspiration from one of New England’s most storied landscapes.

This immersive three-day retreat reflects on the legacy of American writer and longtime New York Times nature columnist Hal Borland, whose work was rooted in this landscape. It explores how wilderness shapes language and strengthens close observation, craft, and environmental understanding.

Michael Zafros, GMF executive director stated, “There are few uses of a forest more sustainable than serving as inspiration. Hosting writers and artists is a great way to explore and provide this use of our forests. This new program demonstrates how Great Mountain Forest can be an antidote to the challenges facing our world. The retreat brings people together, builds community in the forest, gets participants outside and off their screens, and uses nature sustainably to heal and inspire minds and souls.”

Set within GMF’s 6,400-acre forest, the program features six workshops led by nationally recognized authors, poets, and environmental experts. Participants will engage in field observation, writing, and discussion focused on description, ecological literacy, eco-poetry, and nature-based storytelling.

The weekend includes journaling and campfire conversation on Friday, a guided nature walk and workshops on Saturday, and a closing reflection on Sunday. Enrollment is limited, with an optional post-retreat online anthology of participant work.

As Hal Borland wrote, “I challenge anyone to stand on a hilltop and fail to see a new expanse not only around him, but in him, too.” This inaugural retreat invites writers to do exactly that while launching what GMF envisions as a signature annual event celebrating writing, conservation, and the enduring relationship between people and forests.

Yale Camp offers rustic lodging, quiet woodland trails, and shared gathering spaces with meals provided by Chef Stawitz of GMF catering.

The 2026 Great Mountain Forest Nature Writing Retreat is made possible in part with support from H. Bruce McEver, Roshy and Dalton Dwyer, and Housatonic Heritage. The Nature Writing Retreat is curated by Tom Shachtman.

Nature Writing Retreat Details

Dates: August 7-9, 2026
Location: Yale Camp, 209 Chattleton Road, Falls Village, CT

Registration Fees:
$385 through May 31; $435 after May 31
Students: $285 through May 31; $335 after May 31 (discount by request)

Registration Deadline: July 24, 2026. Enrollment is limited

Optional Lodging: $70 for two nights

For more information or to register, visit: https://greatmountainforest.org/writing-retreat-2026/

About Great Mountain Forest
Great Mountain Forest (GMF) is a leader in forest stewardship. For more than a century, we have been demonstrating how sustainable management can protect biodiversity and support ecosystems. By serving as a hub for education and research, we are spreading the benefits of sustainable management so that communities across New England derive educational, economic, and recreational and health benefits from their forests—now and well into the future. GMF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit encompassing 6,300 acres of contiguous forestland in Norfolk, Canaan, and Falls Village Connecticut.

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Great Mountain Forest Opens Sugarhouse for Maple Sugaring Day March 22, 2026

On Sunday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Great Mountain Forest invites the community to experience the art and science of maple sugaring at its sugarhouse on 201 Windrow Road. Visitors can meet GMF foresters, learn how sap becomes syrup, and take home a bottle of the forest’s acclaimed “forest-to-table” maple syrup.

For more than 80 years, Great Mountain Forest has combined maple sugaring with research and sustainable forestry. Its sugarbushes not only produce high-quality syrup but also support wildlife habitat for migratory birds. As Connecticut’s first bird-friendly maple syrup producer, GMF exemplifies how healthy forests can benefit both syrup enthusiasts and native wildlife.

Maintaining healthy sugarbush forests is more important now than ever as warming temperatures and shifting weather patterns challenge maple trees and the species that depend on them. This year, GMF is at the forefront of a new research initiative studying how sugarbush stands support early-season pollinators—an essential part of the regional ecosystem.

A unique feature of GMF’s sugaring program is its Sap House diary, a record kept for over 80 years that tracks sap production, syrup yields, weather patterns, migratory bird arrivals, and tree budding cycles. Executive Director Mike Zarfos calls it “an insightful window into the forest’s past and an invaluable resource for studying our changing climate, forest health, and syrup production.” It offers crucial, long-term data on climate change impacts, forest health, and the intricate relationship between trees and wildlife.

Location: Great Mountain Forest Sugarhouse, 201 Windrow Road, Norfolk, CT
Time: Sunday, March 22, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

About Great Mountain Forest
Great Mountain Forest (GMF) is a leader in forest stewardship. For more than a century, we have been demonstrating how sustainable management can protect biodiversity and support ecosystems. By serving as a hub for education and research, we are spreading the benefits of sustainable management so that communities across New England derive educational, economic, recreational and health benefits from their forests—now and well into the future. GMF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit encompassing 6,200 acres of contiguous forestland in Norfolk, Canaan, and Falls Village Connecticut.

JanetLeave a comment