Tag: CT Travel

A Brush With the Civil War At Weir Farm April 15

Weir Farm National Historic Site

Wilton Connecticut’s Weir Farm National Historic Site is hosting a special commemorative event on the relationship between J. Alden Weir and the Civil War on Sunday, April 15 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Weir Farm celebrates the life, artwork and artistic legacy of J. Alden Weir. What most people don’t know is that Weir and his family held deep ties to the Civil War. Born in 1852 in West Point New York, by 1861 nine year-old J. Alden Weir witnessed firsthand the escalating tensions at the U.S. Military Academy, and later watched his older brothers march off to war.

Join Park Ranger Allison Jordan for A Brush with War: The Weir Family and the Civil War, a special presentation to commemorate the Civil War sesquicentennial, and learn about the incredible connections the Weir family had to our nation’s bloodiest conflict.

Weir’s family included a Professor at West Point, a winner of the Medal of Honor, a sailor caught in the battle of Mobile Bay, a commander of the United States Colored Troops, and an artillery lieutenant whose actions at Gettysburg haunted him for the rest of his life.

There is no fee to attend A Brush with War, but registration is requited. Plenty of seating will be available. To register, or for additional information call 203-834-1896×12 or visit www.nps.gov/wefa/index.htm Weir Farm is located on 735 Nod Hill Rd. in Wilton CT.

About Weir Farm

In June of 1882, painter J. Alden Weir boarded a train from New York bound for his modest farm among the hills of Branchville, CT. Once here, Weir and his family transformed their summer retreat into a creative refuge for friends and fellow artists. After Weir, artists Mahonri Young and Sperry Andrews lived and worked here, continuing the legacy of artistic expression that still inspires today.

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Waterbury Palace Theater Announces April Line UP!

Dr. Frankenstein and Monster

From monsters to menopause, the Palace Theater’s April line-up has something for everyone. Tickets and gift certificates can be purchased by phone at 203-346-2000, online at www.palacetheaterct.org, or in person at the box office, 100 East Main Street in Waterbury. Groups of 15 or more qualify for discounted rates and should call the group sales hotline at 203-346-2011. For area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com

MEL BROOKS’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Friday, April 13- 8pm; Saturday, April 14- 2pm & 8pm
The classic Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE and headed to Waterbury! Patrons will have a monstrously good time at this spectacular new production, winner of the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award for BEST MUSICAL! Don’t miss the sensational cast delivering all your favorite laugh-out-loud moments from the classic film. Sponsored by Webster Bank, WTNH/MyTV9, Crystal Rock, Power Station Events.
Tickets: $68/$58/$48

Menopuase the Musical

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL
Tuesday, April 17- 7:30pm; Wednesday, April 18- 7:30pm
This hilarious celebration of women and “The Change” set to classic tunes from the 60s, 70s and 80s, will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles along with hot flashes and night sweats!
Tickets: $49.50/$39.50/$28.50

AFTERWORK SMOOTH JAZZ AND R&B AFFAIR
Friday, April 20 – 5:30pm
Kick-off the weekend right with smooth vibes on a Friday night! ACTJamsProductions.com presents an intimate after-work event in the Palace Poli Club, featuring live performances by the Ron Howard Experience Band, Neo-Soul/R&B vocalist Jessica Carl, and R&B/Soul recording artist Lamone. Hors d’oeuvres and ACTJams drink specials will also be available.
Tickets: $20

C
Charlie Daniels

THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND
Saturday, April 21- 8pm
Known for his fiddle playing and rebel anthems, Charlie Daniels has been a true music icon for 50 years. His exhilarating mixture of rock, country, bluegrass, blues, and gospel has propelled such hits as “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” and “Long Haired Country Boy.” Local band Crosseyed Cat will perform as the opening act. Sponsored by Naugatuck Savings Bank, WTNH/MyTV9, and Darter Specialties.
Tickets: $55/$45/$35

PALACE THEATER MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Saturday, April 21- 10am
Rev up your bikes and join us for the Palace’s first-ever motorcycle ride. The 47-mile scenic ride will head North through the Litchfield Hills, loop through Woodbury and Middlebury, and end on East Main Street, where Frankie’s Hotdogs and a variety of other vendors will be on site to greet the riders. Proceeds benefit the Palace Annual Fund. Sponsored by Naugatuck Savings Bank, Frankie’s Hot Dogs, Haymond Law Firm, and Darter Specialties.
Tickets: $25 per rider/$15 per passenger

ARTFORMS GALLERY VIEWING
Saturday, April 28 – 4pm
Join the Palace Theater for a gallery viewing and cocktail reception at the Fine Line Art Gallery, 319 Main St. South in Woodbury. The exquisite showcase will highlight a variety of local artwork from 17, award-winning Connecticut artists and will feature an hors d’oeuvres and wine reception. Proceeds benefit the theater’s Annual Campaign.|
Tickets: $25

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.

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Brass Valley: Made in America

The Sharon Historical Society located on 18 Main Street in Sharon CT in the historic Gay-Hoyt House is hosting the work of artist Emery Roth. The show will run through April 25. Roth’s work will be displayed in the Society’s Gallery that is open Wednesday-Friday, from 10 to 4 pm and by appointment.

Emery Roth is an accomplished photographer. This exhibit melds contemporary photography of the industry of Connecticut’s Naugatuck Valley, with text and objects from the museum’s collection that tell the stories of Sharon’s industrial past. The exhibit evolved as Mr. Roth began following the old railroad tracks through the Naugatuck Valley and photographing what was left of its industrial past.

In his photographs, he was searching for rust and a glimpse of another age. He admits that he never expected to find himself in a time warp, photographing where giant hydraulics are still hissing, steel clanking, hot, glowing metal flying through the air, where the steam still rises from old pickling vats, and men charge furnaces in buildings where the soot has had more than a hundred years to cake. He never dreamed such a place still existed and took the photographs to prove that it does still exist in Connecticut. This is a show about those places.

A highlight of this show is a guided walk through the exhibit by the photographer on Sunday April 1 at 3 pm. All are invited. For additional information, contact the Sharon Historical Society at 860-364-5688 or via email sharonhistoricalsociety@yahoo.com, or our website, www.sharonhist.org.

About the Sharon Historical Society

The Sharon Historical Society is a community museum dedicated to connecting people to the town of Sharon, its history, and its culture. Museum professionals are assisted by volunteers who care for more than 5,000 artifacts in their collection – cataloging, preserving and sharing Sharon past for the public. Tours of the Gay-Hoyt House are self-guided. Collections include American furniture from colonial to colonial revival; decorative arts, iron and iron-industry related artifacts, five portraits by folk artist Ammi Phillips, a library featuring a collection of CT history and decorative arts resources and archives/photo collection.

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The Great Egg Hunt & Spring Celebration New Canaan Nature Center March 30 & 31

The New Canaan Nature Center’s annual Egg Hunt is back again this year! On Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31 the Nature Center will host a series of egg hunts for small groups of children ages 2-10. The one-hour programs will take place at 2:30pm and 3:30pm on Friday and 11am, Noon, 1:30pm and 2:30pm on Saturday. The Nature Center is located on144 Oenoke Ridge in New Canaan (203-966-9577).

Each program will include a spring scavenger hunt to identify signs of spring as well as a chance to meet the baby chicks that just hatched at the Nature Center. Kids will learn all about the magic of eggs from NCNC naturalists and then hunt the grounds for hundreds of eggs filled with goodies. Representatives from Hop-Along-Hallow will also be at the Saturday events with their real bunny rabbits. Hop-Along-Hollow is dedicated to helping educate people on proper care of small pets and to create better living environments for rabbits and other small animals.

Volunteers from the class of 2014 National Charity League Canaan Parish collected candy donations from league members and stuffed 2,359 eggs that are used for these special egg hunts!

The programs will take place in rain or shine, with the egg hunt-taking place in the tropical greenhouse in the event of rain. These events do sell out and advance registration required: please call (203) 966-9577×20 or register online. The program is $10/child for members and $15/child for non-members.

The New Canaan Nature Center is an environmental education center and sanctuary dedicated to helping people of all ages better understand, appreciate and care for the world of nature. Visitors Center open: Monday – Saturday 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. Grounds open dawn to dusk daily. www.newcanaannature.org.
For more information about Fairfield County visit: www.visitfairfieldct.com.

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A Trio of Maple Sugaring Festivals For March 17 In Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County CT

The Institute for American Indian Studies will have a different take on sugaring at its annual festival on the 17th from 11 am- 3 pm. Demonstrations will show how local Native Americans traditionally made maple syrup and its importance to their culture and pancakes made by IAIS staff will be served with local maple syrup from 11 am – 1 pm. 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT 06793. (860)868-0518

The sweet aroma of boiling sap and syrup will fill the air and samples of fresh syrup will be handed out to guests at the annual Maplefest at the Sharon Audubon Center on March 17th from 10 am – 4 pm.. Guided Tours throughout the day take approximately 45 minutes. Visitors walk down Maple Trail, where they can peek at the sap dripping into the hanging buckets while learning about the tapping and gathering process. The Sugarhouse is a favorite stop along the tour. Here, visitors smell the aroma of boiling maple syrup as they watch the sap turn into syrup right in front of their eyes. The last stop of the tour includes a re-creation of Native American and early Colonial sugaring methods. Fresh maple syrup is available for purchase at the Nature Store. www.sharon.audubon.org. Audubon Sharon, 325 Cornwall Bridge Rd.Sharon, CT 06069. (860) 364-0520.

The New Canaan Nature Center’s Syrup Saturday festival returns on Saturday, March 17 from 10:30am – 2:00 pm. This annual event celebrates the New England tradition of maple syrup making and includes a pancake brunch with different varieties of syrup, including the Nature Center’s own. www.newcanaannature.org.

Nature Center educators and local families who have “adopted” a tree for the season have been collecting sap from over 50 of the center’s maples over the last month.

How does it work? Freezing temperatures create suction that draws water in through a tree’s roots, and warm periods create pressure which causes the sap to flow out through a tap hole where it’s collected in buckets. This sap, a combination of water, salt and sugar, serves as the tree’s food and is the sole ingredient of pure maple syrup.

During Syrup Saturday, visitors will get a chance to observe the entire process from tree tapping to boiling into syrup at the “sugar shack”. Educators will also demonstrate historic methods of maple syruping.

Local maple syrup and maple baked goods will be for sale. Guests can test their taste buds on real vs. fake syrup and learn what the different grades mean.

Join Nature Center naturalists for a hike along “Maple Lane” to learn how to identify sugar maples and other trees while hunting for signs of spring. Kids will make a maple-themed craft to take home. This event is primarily held outdoors and activities will be ongoing throughout the day.

Members: $8/person / Non-Members: $12/person.

About the New Canaan Nature Center

New Canaan Nature Center , 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840. (Rte. 15, Exit 37). (203) 966-9577. Two miles of trails traverse diverse habitats, including meadows, woodlands, ponds, dense thickets, an old orchard and a cattail marsh on 40 acres. The center offers a live birds of prey exhibit, gardens, a greenhouse and a Visitors Center with a Discovery Room, art exhibits and gift shop. Programs include a nature-based preschool, camp programs, birthday parties, special events and volunteer opportunities. Admission is FREE. Visitor’s Center open Mon. – Sat., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Grounds and trails open dawn to dusk daily. www.newcanaannature.org

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Litchfield Historical Society’s Civil War Exhibition, Opens in April 14 – Nov. 25

Litchfield History Museum

Opening April 14, 2012, the Litchfield Historical Society’s new exhibition The Hour of Conflict will examine the ways in which the American Civil War im­pacted the residents of Litchfield, Con­necticut in the 1860s. This fascinating exhibit will run through November 25th.

Although no battles occurred in Con­necticut, local Litchfield families were directly affected by the events of the Civil War. Men departed town to enlist in the Union army, leaving their families behind to worry and wonder, waiting for a letter to make its way from a campground or battlefield. Women spent their time sewing clothing, wrapping bandages, and sending packages to their loved ones on the front lines. How did Litch­field families deal with the anxiety of war? How did they mourn, celebrate and cope?

The Litchfield Historical Society in­vites visitors and families of all ages to examine these questions through let­ters, diaries, photographs, and artifacts from the Historical Society’s collec­tions. Articles carried by local soldiers, everyday objects used by Litchfield’s children, and items related to Dr. Josiah Gale Beckwith and the Litchfield Peace Movement are just some of the col­lection pieces that will be highlighted. Visitors will also have the chance to view Civil War uniforms thanks to the Museum of Connecticut History and the Cornwall Historical Society.

The exhibit will also incorporate hands-on activities and the opportunity to ex­perience camp life as Litchfield’s men did more than a century and a half ago. Students of the Litchfield Montessori School will act as Junior Curators to re­search, design, and create a special por­tion of the exhibition.

The Hour of Conflict will run through the 2012 and 2013 seasons at the Litchfield History Museum, located at 7 South Street in Litchfield. There will be a special exhibition opening for members on Friday, April 13 at 6:30 pm following this year’s Annual Meeting. The exhibition will open to the public on April 14. For more information visit www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org or call (860) 567-4501. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 to 5 and Sunday 1-5. The admission costs are $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, students, and children over 14. Members, law students, and children under 14 are free. These prices include the cost of admission to the Tapping Reeve House and Law School.


About the Litchfield History Museum

The Litchfield Historical Society, founded in 1856, is dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of Litchfield County, Connecticut through its museum, research library and historic house. The Ingraham Memorial Research Library houses local business and organizational archives, manuscripts and family papers, reference books, and genealogical material. The Tapping Reeve House, built in 1774, and the 1784 Law School interpret the family and home life of Tapping Reeve and his role in the development of American legal training. The Historical Society is a private non-profit organization supported by an active and growing membership.

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