Tag: CT event

Jam @ the Dam – July 15 – Tickets on Sale Now!

Many of us are fond of live music. The chills that go down our spine when we hear that one lyric live, that is meaningful to us, or when our favorite artist takes the stage is so exciting. There is nothing like that feeling! With that in mind, local businessman, George Zwally, owner of Z-Topia Entertainment has organized the state’s newest family-friendly extravaganza, Jam at the Dam. This event is taking place on Saturday, July 15 from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. at 1545 Monroe Tpke. at the site of the Old Stevenson Dam/lumber yard in Monroe.

The Dynamic Duo- Thompson Square

Zwally has always enjoyed giving back to the local community and thought that this massive piece of property would be the perfect spot for an event that offers fun for the entire family. “I want this to be one of the most fun and approachable festivals in the state. I wanted to create an event that offers audiences the chance to see world-class acts in a relaxed setting, and one that won’t break the bank,” said Zwally. “I want to offer folks a wide-ranging potpourri of music, food, and rides that will be uplifting. I think it is so special to be able to gather together in one place to celebrate music, our town, and our heritage with friends, new and old,” added Zwally.

Hitmaker- John Waite

In addition to performances by local bands, the star-studded entertainment line-up won’t disappoint. The Jam will kick off at 6 p.m. with a performance by John Waite who will be performing his catalogue of hits from his 40-year career as a solo artist. Get ready to get up and dance to some of the most loved songs from the 1980s and 1990s like #1 Worldwide hit ‘Missing You’, The Baby’s, ‘Isn’t It Time,’ “Bad English,” and ‘When I See You Smile.’ Waite’s impressive performance includes everything from power ballads to new-wave-styled pop that will have you rocking.

John Waite performs so many hits!

At 8 p.m., the headliner, Thompson Square, takes the stage. This famous Nashville, Grammy Nominated dynamic duo of Keifer and Shawna Thompson has won multiple awards and appeared on many primetime TV specials. They’ve been praised as “remarkable” by Taste of Country, “deeply personal and emotional” by Sounds Like Nashville, and “vivacious” by Rolling Stone. One thing that has resonated with audiences around the world is the connection that this husband and wife team has with each other. Their music radiates with an intensity that draws audiences in. Gorgeous vocals, and heartfelt lyrics that give the music a timeless quality and country feel are highlights of their performance which includes their hits like “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” “If I Didn’t Have You,” and “Everything I Shouldn’t Be Thinking About.” Thompson Square’s openness with their audience makes them one of the most intimate acts today, and one that is hard to forget.

Come Join the Fun @ Jam at the Dam

In addition to the exciting music line-up, there will be a beer and wine garden for those that work up a thirst as well as a variety of food trucks that are sure to please almost any palate. Remember to bring your lawn chair and sit back and relax @ Jam at the Dam.

Tickets are going fast for this sell-out event and are now available online at https://www.jamatthedam.com and at the gate the day of the event. Tickets cost $45 and include full access to the concerts. Children 13 and under are free with one paying adult. Food trucks and the beer and wine garden are at an additional cost. Free parking is available at 421 Old Zoar Road in Monroe.

If you’re looking for great food, tasty brews, world-class music, and outdoor fun for the whole family, head to “Jam at the Dam” on Saturday, July 15th.

JanetLeave a comment

Wine, Cheese & Art Please @ the Glebe House in Woodbury

It is hard to resist a glass of fine wine in a beautiful garden on a perfect summer evening, but when you add the unique visions of local artists Cynthia M. Gillette and Viktoria Stockmal it becomes an event to delight all of the senses. The Glebe House Museum’s festive new fundraiser “Wine, Cheese & Art Please” in the Gertrude Jekyll Garden on Hollow Road in Woodbury on Saturday, June 3rd (Rain Date: July 8th) from 6:00 to 8:00 pm promises to be a pleasurable event.

Surrounded by bursts of summer flowers and local artists sharing their unique talents, guests can sample delectable chesses from New Curds on the Block and fresh hand-cut seafood from To the Gills. Hors d’oeuvres and wine, including Walker Road Vineyard’s Gertrude’s Garden, will also be served.

Guests will have the opportunity to purchase art pieces from the artists, as well as participate in a silent auction of very special items chosen for this event. The museum will be open for the evening.

Tickets for the garden party are $30 per person and all proceeds will support the Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden.
For online ticket sales by credit card & more information see the website at www.glebehousemuseum.org . To reserve tickets by check/cash, please call or email the Museum Director at 203-263-2855 / office@glebehousemuseum.org

Set in the picturesque Litchfield Hills in historic Woodbury’s village center, the museum welcomes visitors for a glimpse of Revolutionary War-era Connecticut. The simple but elegant 18th-century farmhouse is furnished as the home of the Reverend John Rutgers Marshall and his family who lived in the “glebe” during the turmoil of the American War for Independence. The Glebe House was restored in 1923 under the direction of Henry Watson Kent, pioneer of early American decorative arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. One of the early historic house museums in the country, The Glebe House opened its doors to the public in 1925 and is celebrating its 98th anniversary this season.

In 1926, the famed English horticultural designer and writer, Gertrude Jekyll, was commissioned to plan an “old-fashioned” garden to enhance the newly created museum. Ms. Jekyll had a profound influence on modern garden design and is widely considered the greatest gardener of the 20th century. Although a small garden, when compared with the 400 more elaborate designs she completed in England and on the Continent, the Glebe House garden includes 350 feet of classic English-style mixed border with sweeps of red, yellow, and gold and cool waves of lavender and blue hues. It is the only remaining example of her work in the United States today and is currently in year two of a full restoration.

JanetLeave a comment

Gear – Up for 2023 Summer Camp @ Institute for American Indian Studies

This summer the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, Connecticut is offering six weeks of summer camp where Native American history will come alive through fun activities offered by the Educational Department of the Institute. Hiking in the woods, mock archaeological digs, educational games, listening to traditional Native American stories, learning new crafts, and working together to complete a group project are just some of the highlights. This year’s summer camp program encourages children to connect with nature, and appreciate culture more than 10,000 years old while enhancing their teambuilding skills and, making new friends. For more information https://www.iaismuseum.org/summer-camp/

Six weekly camps with different themes are offered from June 26 – August 11, for children six–twelve, Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is available online. For questions call 868-0518 ext. 453 or email gbenjamin@iaismuseum.org

Children that love archeology and wonder what tools archaeologists use to uncover clues will enjoy Puzzles of the Past: Putting it All Together, from June 26- June 30. Mock archaeological digs and learning how to use a variety of tools are part of the discovery in solving riddles from the past! If your child is curious about how to survive in the great outdoors, Take Shelter! One of Your Five Basic Needs runs from July 10 – July 14 and promises to be as fun as it is informative. This week’s programs show campers how important it is to understand the environment and how to construct shelters from it, just as Indigenous inhabitants of the Americas did centuries ago.

For children that think technology is just a modern concept, the July 17-21 session, Learning the ABC’s of Traditional Tech, might change their minds! This week, campers will learn about ancient technologies that were critical to survival and had nothing to do with computers or cell phones. Perfect to encourage the budding ecologist and children that love the environment, Stories of Survival: Native Lifeway’s in the Eastern Woodlands, from July 24-28, shows children how Native cultures have used their understanding and knowledge of the natural world to thrive for thousands of years.

Ideal for curious campers, Being Resourceful: Gifts of the Natural World, from July 31 – August 4, shares the ecological lessons from Native cultures that are inspiring and timely. This week’s highlights include learning animal tracking skills, identifying plants, and much more. If your child is creative and inquisitive don’t miss the final camp, August 7 – August 11, Etuaptmumk: A Different Way of Thinking. Through traditional Native American stories, mock archeological digs, and group projects, campers will learn the benefits of looking at things from two different perspectives – traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western Scientific thought.

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 a 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present 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 at 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

JanetLeave a comment

Norfolk Connecticut’s Husky Meadows Farm Celebrates Earth Day

Husky Meadows Farm, located in Norfolk, Connecticut kicks off its 2023 season of events with a weekend-long Earth Day Celebration from Friday, April 21 through Sunday, April 23. While primarily an organic market garden, the entirety of Husky Meadows Farm includes 300 acres of mixed native meadows, woodlands, hay fields, and an orchard. Earth Day offers the perfect opportunity for visitors to explore the whole farm ecosystem.

Guests can join for a full weekend farm stay that includes overnight lodging, meals, a farm tour with farmer Brett Ellis, a wild foods cooking class with Culinary Director Tracy Hayhurst, and a tour of the farm’s apiaries with Dan Watkins of Beeworks, LLC, as well as break-out sessions that are also open to the public. Husky Meadows is delighted to offer these sessions with acclaimed teachers from the community to help guests identify ways to create healthy ecosystems for flora and fauna in their own backyards.

On Friday, April 21, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Husky Meadow Farms will host a screening of “What’s the Rush.” The film, presented by co-founder Michelle Alfandari features the work of Homegrown National Park®, a grassroots movement to increase biodiversity one person at a time. In the film co-founder renowned ecologist Doug Tallamy, a New York Times best-selling author and leading voice on solving the biodiversity crisis, showcases the importance of creating new ecological networks by replacing invasive plants with native plants, right in your own backyard. Alfandari will lead a Q&A after the film when light refreshments will be served. This event is open to the public at the Norfolk Hub @ 2 Station Place in the center of Norfolk.

On Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mike Nadeau will present “Native Grasses and Wildflowers.” There is a limited number of individual tickets for the program, Mike is a leading authority in the field of sustainable and ethical land care strategies and the co-founder of NOFA’s Organic Land Care Program. Mike recently transformed one of the fallow pastures at Husky Meadows into a native grass and wildflower meadow while using only organic methods and materials. He’ll use this meadow as the backdrop for his discussion.

On Sunday, April 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the farm presents brunch with author and gardener, Page Dickey, well known for her books, “Uprooted” and “Embroidered Ground.” Page has rich experience with classical horticulture and a deep understanding of the interdependent nature of native plants and pollinators. Page will share how these elements can complement each other in one’s home landscape and gardens.

For more information, event tickets, and farm stay bookings visit huskymeadowsfarm.com or email tracy@huskymeadowsfarm.com

About Husky Meadows Farm

Situated on three hundred bucolic acres in Norfolk, Connecticut, Husky Meadows Farm grows certified organic produce for its kitchen, farm stand, and community-supported agriculture membership. The farm kitchen offers year-round prepared foods. At the height of the growing season from May – October the farm also offers intimate farm stays, cooking classes, community dinners, and special workshops on a variety of farm-to-table and ecological topics.

JanetLeave a comment

See Future Olympians @ Salisbury’s JumpFest Feb. 3-5

This year marks the 97th year of Salisbury Connecticut’s annual Ski Jump Competition called Jumpfest where spectators can watch some of the finest potential Olympic hopefuls compete on Satre Hill, at 80 Indian Cave Road in Salisbury, CT. Even if you have no snow where you live, the organizers of this event make it; so get ready to experience a winter wonderland that has a lot of action!

“If you have never seen ski jumping live, you have never really witnessed this sport,” said Willie Hallihan, Association Director of SWSA (Salisbury Winter Sports Assoc.) “The hint of frost in the air, the cacophony of ringing cowbells, spectators cheering on their favorites, and the slap of skis as they hit the landing hill, make this event unforgettable.”

Jumpfest offers three days of heart-pounding excitement and competitions to watch. The tower stands 70 feet atop Satre Hill and jumpers perch on their bar 350 feet above the ground. As the flag is dropped they speed their way down the 300-foot run, picking up speed along the way. Imagine watching as jumpers soar up to 200 feet through the air at speeds of 50 miles an hour! There are only six ski jumping venues on the East Coast and, Salisbury is among the oldest. Satre Hill is also one of the most respected jump venues because of past hopefuls that have competed in the Olympics.

Jumpfest kicks off on Friday, February 3 at 7 p.m. with target jumping under the lights. This is an exciting warm-up for the events on Saturday and Sunday and a great time to spot your favorites and cheer them on. Target jumping is followed by a crowd favorite, the Human Dog Sled Race where teams of six compete in this madcap event for a variety of prizes. There are only a half dozen places in the country that host this event and most of them are pretty far from Connecticut making this spectacle of fun something not to be missed! If you want to compete contact info@jumpfest.org, the cost is $25 per team with proceeds going to the mission of SWSA, youth skiing programs.

On Saturday, February 4, the day begins at 9:30 a.m. with the Junior Competition on the 20-meter and 30 meter hills. It is thrilling to watch these young athletes that have trained so hard tackle the hills.

The Salisbury Invitational Ski Jumping Competition begins at 11 a.m. with practice jumps followed by the competition that begins at 1 p.m. Jumpers come from far and wide making it exciting to watch them demonstrate their strength, skill, and conditioning that makes them fly effortlessly through the air. At the conclusion of the competition, medals are awarded on the hill. They are the next generation of jumpers to watch.

To end the day on a high note, spectators are invited to attend the “Snowball” taking place at the Lakeville Town Grove at 42 Ethan Allen Street from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. There will be plenty of food and music by the Steve Dunn Band at this beautiful venue replete with a stone fireplace and chandeliers. Entry to the Snowball is $20 per person with children under 12 free.

On Sunday, February 5, the highly anticipated Eastern U.S. Ski Jumping Championships begins with practice jumps that run from 11 a.m. through noon. The long-awaited annual competition starts at 1 pm. At this event, there are often Olympic hopefuls competing. These expert jumpers seem fearless as they display the tremendous coordination, skill, balance, and strength that it takes to soar so far and so high in the air and, most importantly, to land smoothly. If you want to see some of the bravest athletes in sports just stand at the bottom of a ski jump and watch them soar. It is something that you will never forget because as most jumpers will tell you, it is the closest you get to flying…without wings or a parachute!

To add to the festivities there are food trucks, craft beer, hot toddies, and bonfires on all three days. Tickets are available at the gate and are $15 for adults on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Kids 12 and under are free all three days. Parking is free. The ski jump complex is located at Satre Hill on Indian Cave Road in Salisbury. Proceeds for Jumpfest fund the SWSA youth skiing programs. Before setting out check www.jumpfest.org for updates, scheduled changes, or more information or email the Association at info@jumpfest.org.

ABOUT SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOCIATION
In the winter of 1926, John Satre a resident of Salisbury jumped off the roof of his shed wearing skis to show his friends and neighbors a sport he learned in his native homeland of Norway. Town residents were so amazed as they watched Satre soar through the air that they decided to build a proper ski run that summer, and form the Salisbury Winter Sports Association. The Association hosted the first ski jump competition in January 1927. JumpFest has become a highly anticipated event in Connecticut and throughout much of the East Coast.

JanetLeave a comment

Make it a Beach Party to Remember! Sheffield Island @ the Beach July 23, 2022 With the Norwalk Seaport Association

Kick off your sandals, sink your toes in the sand, and grab a cold drink, listen to the music and the sound of the waves because summer 2022 is here. And, what better way to celebrate than with the Norwalk Seaport Association, right on beautiful Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk. On Saturday, July 23, the Norwalk Seaport Association is hosting an in-person seaside celebration, Sheffield Island @ The Beach from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Culinary Delights, Signature Drinks, Music & More!

The Seaport Association has whipped up a recipe for a night to remember! The festivities include delectable specialties from the land and sea by Ripkas Beach Café’s, Chef Clyde, highly esteemed for his culinary creativity. A highlight of Sheffield Island @ the beach will be a Raw Bar of fresh, local clams and oysters that can be washed down with signature cocktails like the Seaport Swizzle, beer, wine, a selection of soft drinks, and infused water.

The culinary delights don’t stop there! For example, delicacies that may be included on the menu for seafood lovers could be mini crab cakes, fried oysters, conch fritters, and, other delights to name a few. Meat lovers aren’t left out and might enjoy mini Cubano bites, coconut curry chicken sate, mini beef kebobs, and more. Vegetarians can indulge at the cheese, crudités, and tapenade tables as well as at the wood-fired pizza station. Many more tantalizing goodies will be served at this amazing beach party that is not to be missed!

Friends, Sunsets, & Laughter all for a Good Cause

A beautiful sunset, seeing friends, S’mores on the beach, fire pits, and music add to the convivial ambiance of this seaside celebration. The tickets @ $125 per person are on sale now and are limited to 125 people. Tickets are available online at seaport.org or by calling the Seaport Office at 203-838-9444, so get them today so you don’t miss out on the fun. Proceeds from this event will be used in the maintenance of Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Connecticut’s Maritime Icon.

About the Seaport Association
The Seaport Association in Norwalk was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for the environment and how the preservation of historic buildings contributes to our quality of life. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment, and our maritime heritage.

JanetLeave a comment