Tag: Litchfield Hills

Don’t Miss One of the State’s Oldest Country Fairs in Goshen Aug. 31- Sept 2

Chain Saw Demo - courtesy Goshen Fair
Chain Saw Demo – courtesy Goshen Fair

‘Tis the season. In Connecticut’s rural Litchfield Hills, harvest time means the region’s favorite end-of-summer celebrations, old-fashioned country fairs. In the quiet hamlet of Goshen, one the largest agricultural fairs in the State will be taking place from August 31 through September 2 for the 101 time!

Many events featured at this country fair have been attracting families for generations. Baking contests, horse shows, and displays of prized sheep, swine, goats, cattle, cows, oxen, and draft horses offer a rare chance for city and suburban youngsters to see fine farm animals close-up. Live entertainment, mouth-watering food, a colorful midway and a multitude of displays and imaginative entertainment rounds out the fun.

This year’s celebration includes an Adult Spelling Bee, Fireworks, Hay Bale Toss Contest, a colorful Parade, Pie Eating Contest, Skillet Throwing Contest, Vater’s Monster Truck Show and performances by Hypno Lorezo, Changes in Latitudes: a Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band, Nashville Drive, and Apricot Brandy to name
a few.

Horse Show, courtesy Goshen Fair
Horse Show, courtesy Goshen Fair

There are some new additions for kids as well this year. Near the Antique Barn, be on the look out for the Frozen T-shirt Contest that will take place on Saturday at 3 pm. On Monday, at 11 a.m. Jester Jim will be on the scene with a show sure to delight youngsters. A special treat for kids on Monday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. is the offer of a $30 wristband for unlimited rides (admission not included).

Special highlights of the fair also include a draft horse show at 8:30 a.m. on Sat. Aug. 31, a Lumberjack Contest and woodcutting demonstration from 12 noon – 3 p.m. followed by the Hay Bale Throw Contest at 4:30 and fireworks at 9 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 1, some of the highlights include a Junior Open Dairy Show at 9 a.m., a 11 a.m. parade down the midway, a 1 p.m. horse draw exhibit, pie eating contest at 3 p.m., a skillet toss at 4:30 p.m. and Vater’s Monster Truck Show at 7:30 p.m. On Monday, Sept. 2 there will be Dairy Show and Dog Agility Demonstrations at 9 a.m., a woodcutting contest at noon and the adult spelling bee at 2 p.m and much more. For a complete list of entertainment check out the website.

Pie Eating Contest - courtesy Goshen Fair
Pie Eating Contest – courtesy Goshen Fair

Admission to the Goshen Fair is $8 for adults, children under 12 are free. Senior admission will be $5 on Sat. only. Visit http://www.goshenfair.org/coupon.htm for a discount coupon saving $1 off admission on Monday, Sept. 2 only. The Goshen Fairgrounds are located on the right approximately ½ miles south of the center of Goshen on Rte. 63. The GPS address is 116 Old Middle Street, Goshen, CT. For an up to the minute schedule visit http://www.goshenfair For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Step Back to the Summer of 1863 at the Civil War Reenactment in Woodbury

Woodbury, well known as Connecticut’s antiques Capitol will host well over 350 Civil War reenactors from all over New England as well as from points south. The reenactors will be camping out in Strong Preserve Park off of Rte. 6 on Scratchville Road on August 24 and 25.

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Visitors are invited to step back in time to the summer of 1863 and immerse themselves in this tumultuous period of American history. Begin your walk through history by strolling through replicas of period military camps as well as the civilian town of Unity. Camp layouts are garrison in style with formal company streets and include all of the amenities that one would expect to find in a military camp such as wood, water and hay for horses.

There will examples of both Union and Confederate camps. Along the way, reenactors will engage you with the trials and tribulations of their day — you may even meet some well known personalities. Listen to period music and enjoy the tales of well versed speakers and authors that make this event come alive. For family fun, kids are invited to take part in a scavenger hunt that will teach them about the American Civil War. Don’t miss the 19th century goods for sale on Sutlers Row while enjoying a treat from one of the food vendors.

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The camp comes alive with many special demonstrations that include battlefield medicine and surgery as well as period toys and games. The highlight of the event includes the colorful drills that take place and the roar of cannons during the orchestrated battles that are scheduled. This reenactment features unique and elaborate battle scenarios that are not found at other events.

Special battles times have been scheduled for Saturday, August 24 at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 25 at 1:30 p.m.

The gates to the event open at 8:30 a.m. giving guests ample time to see the many chores and activities of the reenactors as they begin their day. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, $4 for children 5 to 10 and kids under 5 are free. There is free parking and shuttles to the event. For up to the minute information www.woodburybattle.com. For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Coming to America: Washington’s Swedish Immigrants

Swedish Culture at the Gunn Museum in Washington CT
Swedish Culture at the Gunn Museum in Washington CT

The Gunn Memorial Museum on 5 Wykeham Road in Washington Connecticut is exploring its’ European roots with a new exhibit that runs through January 12, 2014 called Coming to America: Washington’s Swedish Immigrants. This exhibition shares the little-known story of Swedish immigration to this small New England town.

Known for their superior agricultural skills, 1.3 million Swedes immigrated to America during the 19th and 20th centuries, escaping conscription, famine, and poverty. Washington, Connecticut became one of their new homes, where many found employment as laborers and servants on local farms and estates owned by wealthy New Yorkers.

Swedish_Culture_Room_-_Dala_Horses

Beginning in 1870, over one hundred Swedish families settled in Washington and built two churches across the street from each other. One, the Salem Covenant Church, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. Swedes made up 22% of Washington’s population in 1910, and many of their descendants still reside in town today. This exhibit tells their story.

Ellis Island Room
Ellis Island Room

The Gunn Museum is located at 5 Wykeham Road, at the intersection of Wykeham Road and Rt. 47, on Washington Green. The Museum is open to the public Thursday through Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday from 12pm-4pm. Call the Museum at 860-868-7756 or view http://www.gunnlibrary.org for more information.

JanetLeave a comment

FAMILY FUN IS GUARANTEED, RAIN OR SHINE IN LITCHFIELD HILLS AND FAIRFIELD COUNTY

When the beach outing or the picnic is rained out, what to do with restless kids on a wet summer weekend? Plenty of possibilities await in Western Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County, where special indoor exhibits from bats to dinosaurs to a working carousel are guaranteed to bring smiles. Families can join a workshop learning how to make their own clocks or even have a “stay-cation” at a resort with an indoor water park.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY FUN
Fairfield County’s perennial family favorite museums are offering special don’t-miss exhibitions this summer.

meercats and kids copy

In Norwalk, the Maritime Aquarium is featuring Africa: From the Desert to the Sea, starring amazing creatures from exotic fish to adorable meerkats, geckos and awesome giant boas. Playful meerkats are a favorite, and special windows allow following them into their underground burrows. A viewing bubble even lets young visitors stand up right among the meerkats. www.maritimeaquarium.org.

Not far away in Norwalk at the Stepping Stones Museum for Children, Dinosaur Revolution, a special exhibit through September 8, lets youngsters uncover fossils and facts about dinosaurs as they navigate a giant maze. www.steppingstonesmuseum.org

Big Chicken by Clementine Hunter Minnesota Children’s Museum
Big Chicken by Clementine Hunter Minnesota Children’s Museum

The Stamford Museum and Nature Center has a new exhibit through September 2 called Masters of the Night, starring bats, those mysterious and often misunderstood mammals. Visitors can try out a variety of fun and informative interactive stations featuring life-like models, such as “Bat Ears,” “Feast in Flight,” and the “Echo – Echo Unit.” www.stamfordmuseum.org.

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In Greenwich, Eggs-hibition: Unscrambling Their History at the Bruce Museum through October 20 promises to enthrall all with its array of bird eggs, edible eggs, and eggs both ugly and beautiful. www.brucemuseum.org.

LITCHFIELD HILLS TREATS

A ride on an old-fashioned merry-go-round is a treat for all ages, and it is included in the price of admission at the Carousel Museum in Bristol. This unique museum offers one of largest collections of antique carousel pieces in the country in its “Golden Age of the Carousel” exhibit. Visitors also see the workshop where antique carousel creations are restored. Upstairs, a Museum of Fire history awaits and the museum includes a changing art gallery and a children’s craft center, as well. www.thecarouselmuseum.org.

New England Carousel Museum
New England Carousel Museum

Waterbury’s Timexpo: The Timex Museum is a fascinating place for older kids with its Time Tunnel and a colorful history of watch making. Fun for all is the museum’s Make A Clock workshops offered every Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Workshop participants choose among many designs, decorate and assemble their own working clock. http://timexpo.com.

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Waterbury also offers a unique splurge solution for a rainy weekend. It is always 84 degrees and sunny at the Coco Key Water Resort and Conference Center, where a 50,000 square foot indoor water playground offers an Adventure River, water slides, raft rides, activity pools with water basketball and the Parrot’s Perch Interactive Play Island with a special shallow Kiddie Entry Area. If you don’t want to stay the night, day passes are available. www.cocokeywaterbury.com.

For more information about family activities and a free copy of UNWIND, a full-color,
152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in
Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968,
Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.litchfieldhills.com and www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

JanetLeave a comment

Kent Historical Society presents art of George Laurence Nelson

Portrait of the Hirschberg/Nelson family by George Laurence Nelson
Portrait of the Hirschberg/Nelson family by George Laurence Nelson

The Seven Hearths, the Kent Historical Society Museum, will re-open this summer after being closed for two years with a series of new art exhibits focusing on the life and work of George Laurence Nelson. The Seven Hearths Museum is located on Rte. 7 north of Kent center on the corner of Studio Hill Road in Kent in the historic Flanders area that was once the original center of Kent.

George Laurence Nelson, trained at the Art Students League and the National Academy, and began teaching at the Art Students League in his early 20s. Nelson was among the founders of the Litchfield Hills Art Colony, and later one of the nine founders of the Kent Art Association.

The Litchfield Hills Art Colony played a meaningful role on a national scale in twentieth century American art. George Laurence Nelson’s studio in Seven Hearths is the only remnant of the colony that is open to the public today.

Set within Nelson’s beloved pre-Revolutionary Seven Hearths, which he donated to the Historical Society located on Rte. 7 in Kent Connecticut in the heart of the Litchfield Hills, the Historical Society is presenting three changing exhibits of Nelson’s work in August, September and October.

Nelson portrait of Arturo Toscanini Credit: Kent Historical Society
Nelson portrait of Arturo Toscanini Credit: Kent Historical Society

The August exhibit beginning on the 3rd and running through the 25th will feature large and interesting selection of Nelson portraits. He made his money by doing portraits, and the subjects range from well-known celebrities such as Arturo Toscanini, to NYC society dames, to familiar local faces such as Frank Goodsell as a child.

In September from the 1st to the 29th Nelson’s floral paintings will be on display. While he made money-painting portraits, his heart was devoted to stunning renditions of the lovely flowers that he and his wife Helen grew in their gardens at Seven Hearths. Some are exquisitely colored oil paintings and some are perfectly detailed pencil drawings. Some even are featured on the cover of matchboxes!

Floral painting by Nelson, Kent Historical Society
Floral painting by Nelson, Kent Historical Society

A show that will fill the Seven Hearths Museum with works by Nelson that are borrowed from private collections will be the final exhibit of the season and will take place from October 5 – 27.

The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the month.

Call the Historical Society office, 860-927-4587 or visit the web site for more information www.kenthistoricalsociety.org.

For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Music extravaganza at Music Mountain Aug. 17 & 18

Music Mountain located in the heart of the Litchfield Hills has planned a musical extravaganza this weekend. On Saturday, August 17 at 6:30 p.m. the Galvanized Jazz Band returns to this venue for the 20th year with their high energy, exciting Dixieland, Blues and Stomps.

The Galvanized Jazz Band
The Galvanized Jazz Band

The Galvanized Jazz Band with its sparkplug leader cornet player Fred Vigorito and a group of hard playing skilled and very experienced colleagues will deliver another great show as they have done at Music Mountain for 19 years. This will be their 20th year here and will feature two special guests: Bob Price, banjo and Jim Fryer, trombone.

Dover String Quartet
Dover String Quartet

On Sunday, August 18 at 3 p.m., the Dover String Quartet returns for their second appearance this summer. They bring with them their recent European touring partner Roberto Diaz, a wonderful violist and president of the Curtis Institute, from which all the members of the Dover Quartet graduated.

In keeping with our 2013 theme, they will play 2 pieces seldom played at Music Mountain. The concert opens with the Haydn String Quartet in B Flat Major, Opus 76 # 4, one of the last instrumental pieces that Haydn wrote, which will receive only its 7th Music Mountain performance. The concert will close with Roberto Diaz joining the quartet to play the Mendelssohn Viola Quintet in B Flat Major, Opus 87 for its 2nd Music Mountain performance.

The middle piece is the Beethoven String Quartet in E Minor, Opus 59 # 2. It is performed at Music Mountain regularly and is a basic part of our repertory. One of the three Rasoumovsky quartets, this is the one with the Russian theme from a patriotic hymn in its third movement, the same melody that can be found in the opera Boris Godunov and other works by Russian composers, including the Arensky Quartet for 2 cellos, which was played on August 4.

Tickets
Saturday, August 17, Tickets in Advance: $30 Tickets at the Door: $35
Sunday, August 18 Tickets in Advance: $30, Tickets at the Door: $35

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut, in the northwestern corner of the state, approximately 100 miles or 2 1/2 hours from New York City.

Entrances to Music Mountain Road are on Route 63 near the junction of Route 126, and on Route 7, across from the Housatonic Valley Regional High School From the Route 7 turnoff, bear left at every intersection.
From either entrance, a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Arrive early, bring a box lunch or dinner and enjoy a stroll around our lovely grounds.

Buy your tickets online at www.musicmountain.org or Call 860.824.7126. For area information www.litchfieldhills.com.

JanetLeave a comment