family fun – Page 17 – Connecticut Travel

Celebrate Art at The Norwalk Arts Festival

An exciting new festival is happening this year in Norwalk — the 2013 Norwalk Arts Festival. This event is slated to take place on June 29 and 3o at Mathews Park conveniently located on West Ave. off exit 15S and 14N on I-95. Even better, this event is free and open to the public both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 518-852-6478 or visit www.gordonfinearts.org or norwalkartfestival.org.

This juried fine art and craft festival, will bring over 75 of the country’s top artists and craftspeople to Fairfield County along with several outstanding performing artists. A children’s art project and a creative arts area rounds out the event with fun for the entire family.

The Norwalk Art Festival provides the perfect opportunity to find an original painting for the empty corner of a family room, the perfect birthday or wedding gift as well as the chance to just get to know the artist before you bring your newly found treasure home.

In addition to the artwork featured at the festival, don’t miss the opportunity to visit three museums that call the park home. The Center for Contemporary Printmaking, http://www.contemprints.org, located in a 19th c. stone carriage house offers quality original artwork and printmaking. The Lockwood Mathews Museum, http://www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, a National Historic Landmark built in the Second Empire Style has a special exhibit that focus’s on the “futuristic” discoveries of the Victorian Era that are still relevant today. The award winning and recently expanded Stepping Stones Museum for Children, http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org, is featuring the Dinosaur Revolution in their traveling exhibit section that let’s kids become junior paleontologists through the discovery of fossils and facts about these magnificent beasts among their many fascinating exhibits for kids.

Gourmet food trucks and vendors have food at the ready so don’t forget your blanket and lawn chairs.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com.

June 26, 2013June 6, 2013

JanetLeave a comment

EXCITING HANDS-ON ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND THIS SUMMER

Go aboard The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk’s research vessel this summer to journey out onto Long Island Sound and discover first-hand “what’s down there?”

The Aquarium’s hands-on Marine Life Study Cruises offers exciting introductions to fish, crabs, skates and other animals brought up right out of the water and onto the research vessel Oceanic for examination.

The study cruises will depart on Saturdays at 1 p.m. through June 29 and will push off at 1 p.m. daily in July and August.

“Before people can be inspired to take actions to preserve and protect Long Island Sound, they first must understand what animals are in the Sound and how complex, diverse and alive this marine environment is,” said Jamie Alonzo, the Aquarium’s director of education. “Our best exhibits within the Aquarium can’t top the immediacy and impact of seeing dozens of animals come up out of the water right in front of your eyes.”

During each 21/2-hour Marine Life Study Cruise, animals are brought onboard from different water levels and bottom habitats of the Sound. A video microscope provides a magnified look at wriggly plankton gathered at the sunlit surface. Tiny crabs and worms emerge from a sampling of the anaerobic muddy bottom. A biodredge reveals a hidden world of sponges, snails and mollusks. And everyone inspects the trawl net’s bounty: varieties of fish and crabs, skates, lobsters, sea stars, squid and always a few surprises.

Maritime Aquarium educators involve participants in the processes, from sorting through samples to helping to pull in the trawl net and returning animals to the water.

Besides being fun and eye-opening, Marine Life Study Cruises also contribute to local scientific research. Water-chemistry and weather readings are taken. And details about the animals brought onboard are entered into the Aquarium’s Long Island Sound Biodiversity Project, a database of physical and biological features available online to teachers and researchers.

Also during the study cruises, as part of a Horseshoe Crab Census conducted by Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, The Maritime Aquarium tags and records data about all horseshoe crabs collected.

“Boat rides are always great for some family fun, but the animal encounters and learning opportunities make our study cruises even more memorable,” Alonzo said.

Cost of a Marine Life Study Cruise is $20.50 per person ($18.50 for Maritime Aquarium members). All passengers must be at least 42 inches tall.

Reservations are strongly recommended; walk-up tickets will be sold space permitting. The Oceanic can accommodate 29 passengers.

Marine Life Study Cruises also are available for weekday charters for schools on field trips, summer camps, Scouts and other groups at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Cruises depart from the dock near the Aquarium’s IMAX Theater entrance.

To reserve your spot on a Maritime Aquarium Marine Life Study Cruise or for more details, go to www.maritimeaquarium.org or call (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

June 24, 2013June 24, 2013

JanetLeave a comment

Discover 19th Century Inventions at New Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Exhibit

Technology is a major part of our lives and our culture and the Lockwood Mathews Mansion has put together an exhibit that explores the roots of today’s technology by displaying the “futuristic” inventions of the Victorian Era. The Mansion was ahead of its time and one of America’s most technologically advanced buildings during the Civil War and the Victorian era so it makes the perfect backdrop for this new exhibit called What is It? Technologies and Discoveries of the Victoria Era.

Victorian era gadgets, technologies and breakthroughs will be on display at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum through October 6th. What Is It? Technologies and Discoveries of the Victorian Era will tantalize student and adult audiences in the exploration of mid-to-late 19th century inventions and discoveries in many diverse areas including communication, transportation, manufacturing, medicine, food and recreation. Visitors are sure to be surprised at how some of those historic breakthroughs are still very relevant today.

A highlight of the exhibit allows visitors to view cutting-edge Victorian Era technology that were precursors of some of today’s technologies, including telegraphs, Dictaphones, gas lighting and early examples of telephones, as well as burglar alarms, stock tickers and much more.

Visitors will discover items still enjoyed today, from board games to food such as condensed milk and breakfast cocoa. Artifacts on display include loans from Connecticut’s Mattatuck Museum and the Museum of American Finance, New York City, among others.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark located at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk. Tours for the museum and exhibit are offered Wednesdays through Sundays, at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Admittance is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children. Children under 8 are admitted free. For more information, visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

June 18, 2013May 23, 2013

JanetLeave a comment

Lorikeets Arrive at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

This summer the The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk will welcome colorful exhibit of lorikeets that are native to the south Pacific. Visitors will step into a lush aviary to share a laugh and a squawk with beautiful tropical birds that will sip food right out of your hands !

Aquar.twolorikeets

“Lorikeets” will be open from May 25 through Sept. 2 on the Aquarium’s riverfront courtyard and will feature about a dozen varieties of lorikeets, which are colorful medium-sized parrots native to the south Pacific (SE Asia, eastern Australia, Polynesia). They’re naturally found in rainforests and woodlands, but also in wooded urban areas, where they primarily feed on the nectars of various blossoms and fruits.

Aquar.lorikeet_feeding

Visitors will be invited to purchase a small cup of nectar before you go into the exhibit, that will encourage the lorikeets to land on your hand, or your arm, or even your head to get to your nectar.

Lorikeets are specially adapted to their sweet diet through their specialized tongue. Tiny hair-like appendages called papillae form a U shape on the end of the tongue. When the tongue is extended, these papillae stand up like bristles on a brush, expanding the tongue’s surface area and allowing the birds to easily soak up nectar. Unique to lorikeets, these papillae have earned the birds the nickname “brush-tongued parrots.”

Aquar.lorikeet
Entry into “Lorikeets” will be free with Aquarium admission. There will be a small fee for the nectar cups.

For visitors with an aversion to close encounters with birds, viewing of the lorikeets will be possible from outside the aviary.

The Aquarium is located on 10 N. Water St. in Norwalk. FOR INFORMATION: Call (203) 852-0700 or go online to www.maritimeaquarium.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

May 25, 2013April 4, 2013

JanetLeave a comment

Lime Rock Starts Summer Racing Season May 24-26

lime rock copy

Lime Rock Park located on Rte. 112 in Lime Rock CT kicks off the summer racing season with several exciting events. The Memorial Day Race weekend Friday, May 24, Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 (no Monday event) will be jam-packed with top rank sports car series races topped off by a fabulous car show.

New this year, the sports car race series will feature the newly revitalized SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series. This is Detroit’s big “iron” that includes Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes going head to head with each other while fending off advances of some of Europe’s best sports cars. In addition to this, there will be the added excitement of heart pounding Formula F and F2000 races.

On Sunday, May 26 one of the most popular events, the 4th annual Royals Car Show will return to the historic Lime Rock track again this year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is exciting to be able to get out on the track to view all the fantastic cars that will be showing off. Participating vehicles include muscle cars, tuners and imports, street rods, motorcycles, classic cars, antiques, antique trucks, race cars, exceptional contemporary cars and fire trucks – the list is endless. The car show entry fees is $10 for adults, $5 for military, and kids 12 and under are free. Proceeds raised from the car show at Lime Rock Park benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

For tickets for the Trans-Am Races and Royals Car Show visit http://tickets.limerock.com. For general information on Lime Rock Park http://www.limerock.com. For area information www.litchfieldhills.com.

lime rock track copy

About Lime Rock Park

Dreamed up in 1956 by Jim Vaill and with the help of John Fitch and Cornnell Aeronautical Labs, Lime Rock is 1.50 miles of up hill and down dale, a track that looks deceivingly simple but is immensely challenging to drive at high speeds. Its setting is in a village in the heart of the Litchfield Hills renowned for its great natural beauty and cultural heritage.

In its 55 year existence, almost all of the sport’s greats have raced here: Andretti, Moss, Gurney, Posey, Rodriguez, Hobbs, Hill, Donohue, Ward, Fitch…the list of great drivers who’ve raced here is endless.

Lime Rock has also seen virtually every kind of racecar grace its corners and straights…from ground-pounding NASCAR stock cars to Can-Am, Camel GTP, F5000, Trans-Am and Atlantic, this list also goes on and on.

Today, Lime Rock is the leading edge of American LeMans Series and Grand-Am with their own stars and cars that are writing history.

May 20, 2013April 18, 2013

JanetLeave a comment

May at Audubon Greenwich

The Greenwich Audubon, http://greenwich.audubon.org
is celebrating May in style with a series of events that will be fun and educational for lovers of nature.

On two Wednesdays, May 15 and May 22, there is a bird walk from 7 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. at Fairchild Wildflower Garden on North Porchuck Road. For this free event RSVP to 203-869-5272 x230 and don’t forget to bring your binoculars and camera

On Saturday, May 18 and May 25 there will be a bird walk at the Main Sanctuary on Riversville Rd. from 7 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Morning bird walks are a spring tradition at the Audubon and participants are asked to RSVP to 203-869-5272 x230 and to meet at the Greenwich parking area on Riversville Road.

Also on Saturday, May 18, the Audubon is hosting a program from 2 pm. – 3:30 p.m. called Fast Food Feasts for Songbirds. As neo-tropical migrants return from their wintering areas, emerging insects and other invertebrates provide them with essential foods. Participants will search for feeding birds visit local plant life in search of insects, spiders, and other creatures that make quick treats for spring’s hungry avian travelers.

To finish up the month of May, on the 25th the Audubon Greenwich is hosting Turtle Time with Ted Gilman from 2 p.m. – 3:30. Participants will learn about turtle natural history, nesting behavior, how to help protect turtles, and meet some of our local turtle species. The program is finished with a hike to Mead Lake in search of nesting turtles. This program is appropriate for all ages. Please. RSVP to 203-869-5272 x230.

When visiting the Audubon, don’t miss the Birds of New England now on display in in Kiernan Hall at Audubon Greenwich through July 16th. While in New England and the North Atlantic coast, John James Audubon observed many, possibly hundreds of species of birds that lived or migrated here. Audubon painted many of these species, 52 of them while actually on location in New England, and 34 prints are included in this exhibition.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com