Tag: New England

Summer Concerts at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk

Summer nights in Norwalk mean music by the Sound, and there is no better place to enjoy a concert as the sunsets than at Calf Pasture Beach. In addition to music, four concert evenings begin with a classic car show organized by The Coachmen for several hundred-car buffs from throughout the tri-state area.

Billy Genuario
Billy Genuario

On July 3, Norwalk will celebrate its annual Independance Day Celebration (rain date July 5). Dance to the Music with DJ Nuxxo opens Shady Beach entertainment at 6 p.m. and family fun at Calf Pasture Beach starts at 5:30 p.m. with The Amazing Andy Show. Bill Genuario, one of the most popular vocalists in the tri-state area, headlines at 8:00 p.m. at Shady Beach. He will be joined by his band, Destiny, which includes Tommy Hartlett (keyboard and vocals), Linda Fakundiny (guitar/vocals), Johnny Mennonna (bass guitar) and Ron Nihoff (drums). Parking will be available at Calf Pasture Beach only.

On July 10 at 6:30 p.m. concertgoers will enjoy Curious Creatures, a hands on exhibit of exotic animals followed by Scarborough Fair. With voices that blend effortlessly into that Simon & Garfunkel signature sound, brothers Jeb and Jock Guthrie pay tribute to the famous musical duo.

A Classic Car Show beginning at 6:00 p.m. on July 17 is followed by the music of The Royal Kings. This musical ensemble features vocalists Joey Bennett, Douglas Dorsey, Timmy Hayes, Tommy Talercio and Richard “Cookie” Thomas. These performers have opened for headlining acts from the 50s, 60s and 70s that include Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Little Anthony, AWB and the Flamingos. They continue to perform on the Oldies Rock and Roll circuit, as well as concerts and special events, and have two CDs, “Dreamin’ Through the Years” and “Dreamin’ at Christmas.”

Fleetwood Macked
Fleetwood Macked

The final July concert on July 24 headlines Fleetwood Macked at 7 p.m. This tribute band recreates the musical experience of Fleetwood Mac’s most popular line-up — Mick Fleetwood (Frank Saitta), John and Christine McVie (Bobby Trombley and Sue Rowe), Stevie Nicks (Hillary Epstein) and Lindsey Buckingham (Mike Epstein).

The Facts
Each Wednesday night throughout the summer, area residents look forward to packing a picnic and a blanket and heading to the beach to enjoy a relaxing evening of music beside Long Island Sound. A $5.00 parking fee is charged for cars without a Norwalk beach sticker. For updates and additional information call the Norwalk Recreation and Parks Office at 203-854-7807. All concerts have a rain date of the following day. For cancellation information call 203-854-7938. A $20.00 parking fee is charged for cars without a Norwalk beach sticker.

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Treasures of the Jazz Age at the American Clock and Watch Museum

The American Clock & Watch Museum located on 100 Maple Street in Bristol has announced the opening of its latest exhibition Art Deco Timepieces: Treasures of the Jazz Age. This exhibit will be on view through December 8, 2013.

clocks

In the 1920’s after the “war to end all wars”, with prosperity on the horizon, people wanted to sport their fashions. Watchmakers were not left behind in this fashion craze that saw the introduction of wristwatches with cushion, tonneau, and large curved cases. Today, vintage art deco watches of the 1920’s and 1930’s are highly sought after by collectors and some of today’s large watch houses have replicated them because of their style and elegant look.

artpendant1

If you are an admirer of anything Art Deco, this is a must see exhibition that is a celebration of their triumph, the ‘Golden Age’ of timepieces and design. The exhibit that has been guest curated by Strickland Vintage Watches of Tampa showcases vintage watches and celebrates the design elements portrayed in the timepieces and advertisements of the 1920s and 1930s.

bristolingraham

The global phenomenon of Art Deco was brilliant, pervasive, and influential. It was a class distinction that rose above class and could be found on the wrists and in the pockets of anyone during that golden era. Watch manufacturers — specifically the great American watch houses — produced exquisite and attainable examples of Art Deco mastery. Art Deco design exudes sophistication and grace whether it’s portrayed in furniture, fine art, clothing styles, advertising, or timepieces. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through December 8.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN CLOCK AND WATCH MUSEUM

Learn about American clock & watchmaking with particular emphasis on Connecticut, once the clock capital of the US. The museum holds one of the largest displays of American clocks and watches in the world, over 5,500! As visitors travel through the museum’s eight galleries, these timekeeping devices chime and strike upon the hour. Located in the historic “Federal Hill” district of Bristol, the museum is housed in an 1801 Federal-style home with a sundial garden. For more information www.clockandwatchmuseum.org.

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Celebrate Henry Ward Beecher’s 200th Birthday with the Litchfield Historical Society

Henry Ward Beecher Courtesy of the Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library
Henry Ward Beecher Courtesy of the Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library

This year is the 200th anniversary of Litchfield native and famous preacher Henry Ward Beecher’s birth. Join the Litchfield Historical Society on Monday, June 24 at 7:00 pm for a celebration of Beecher’s birthday, as well as a discussion of Debby Applegate’s 2007 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher.

Led by retired Litchfield High School English teacher Jerry Geci, the conversation will focus on Beecher as a fascinating and complex man: celebrated in his own time, though not untouched by scandal. The Most Famous Man in America creates a powerful portrait of Beecher, highlighting both his charisma and his flaws. Applegate’s book has been touted as “Thoroughly researched, passionately written, and richly detailed” (Harry S. Stout). Joan Hendricks, a Harriet Beecher Stowe scholar calls it “A lively narrative of nineteenth-century religion, power, passion, and politics, as well as a perceptive study of the elusive preacher who rode them to the top.”

Whether you think Beecher was a saint or a scoundrel, please join us for a rousing book discussion. We will also view Beecher family-related items from the Historical Society’s collections and have birthday cake.

This event is free; a copy of the book can be purchased for $8 from the Historical Society. Please register by Friday, June 14, to receive a copy of the book. To register, call (860) 567-4501 or email registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org.

The Litchfield History Museum is located at 7 South Street, Litchfield, CT. For more information about this or upcoming programs, please call (860) 567-4501 or see www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org.

For area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com

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

Lookwood Mathews Mansion
Lookwood Mathews Mansion

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.

Lockwood Mathews Mansion
Lockwood Mathews Mansion

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

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Open Your Eyes Studio Tour & Showcase in Litchfield Hills

L. Petrocine - Wetlands
L. Petrocine – Wetlands

Artists in the Litchfield Hills are opening their doors to the public this summer on June 22 and 23 free of charge. In the Open your eyes Studio Tour sponsored by the Northwest CT Arts Council, twenty-nine artists and eight performers in New Milford and Kent will open their studios to the public.

Artists will open their creative spaces to the public on Saturday and Sunday along the tour route to show their work and discuss their creative processes. The artists’ media represented on the tour include painting, printmaking, sculpting, photography, metal sculpture, woodworking, wool spinning, dying & weaving, installation work, bookmaking, digital art, drawing, ceramics, and jewelry. The artists are Terri Tibbatts, Bill Merklein, Silver Sun Studio, Michael Everett, Linda Petrocine, Peter Kirkiles, Alison Palmer, Peter Kukresh, Lauri Zarin, Scott Bricher, Naya Bricher, Mary Terrizzi, Ed Martinez, Deborah Chabrian, Jill Scholsohn, Richard Stalter, Susan Grisell, Barbara Dull, Stephen Dull, Elizabeth Mullins, Susan Millins, Kathleen L’Hommedieu, Peter Catchpole, Patrick Purcell, Chris Osborne, Joel Spector, Anda Styler, Lynn WEllings, and Diane Dubreuil.

Tibbatts
Tibbatts

Performers for the Showcase on Saturday, June 22 from 5 – 9 pm on the New Milford Green will include TheatreWorks New Milford, musician Tom Hooker Hanford, Artists in Motion (dance), composer/pianist Sharon Ruchman, Larry Hunt from Masque Theatre, Buzz Turner on acoustic guitar, Rebecca Moore Dance, and True Jensen who perform rock and R & B cover music.

Jill Scholsohn
Jill Scholsohn

For more information about Open Your Eyes Studio Tour & Showcase go to OpenYourEyesTour.org or contact the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council at (860) 618-0075 or mcartsnwct@gmail.com.

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Garden Club of America House and Garden Tour Celebrates 100 Years in Litchfield CT

“Garden of Margaret Hicks Gage, Litchfield Garden Club Archives, Litchfield Historical Society, Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library.”
“Garden of Margaret Hicks Gage, Litchfield Garden Club Archives, Litchfield Historical Society, Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library.”

To fete their 100- year anniversary, the Litchfield Garden Club is hosting a flower show and house and garden tour including two Smithsonian Gardens on June 15 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Flower Show will take place at the Litchfield Community Center located on 421 Bantam Rd. (Rte. 202) in Litchfield and will feature outstanding horticulture and three exhibits one on garden history and design including details on four Smithsonian gardens, a second on the history of the Litchfield Garden Club and a third conservation exhibit on organic food. A boutique offering special garden items will also be a highlight. The Flower Show at the Community Center is free and open to the public.

In conjunction with the Flower Show, the Litchfield Garden Club has organized a very special house and garden tour of five members’ homes and gardens that includes judged design classes in each home. Tour tickets and maps are available for purchase at the Community Center and are $50 per person. Tour goers may also purchase a box lunch at Breeze Hill Farm Gardens for an additional $18 and enjoy lunch on the grounds of this spectacular garden. For tickets in advance visit www.litchfieldgardenclub.org for a printable registration form.

Houses featured for this very special tour include some of Litchfield’s most interesting homes and gardens.

The Ozias Lewis house, built in 1806 is a perfect example of a late traditional center chimney, 5 bay Federal style dwelling. The garden has newly installed stonewalls, terraces and imaginative gardens, including extensive beds of peonies. The gardens provide extensive views of Chestnut Hill to the east.

The Lismolin House named after a castle in Tipperary in Ireland is a gracious Colonial Revival style house complete with a Palladian window. The gardens with elegant stonewalls and garden beds afford wonderful eastern views and contain a former owner’s pet cemetery.

Perhaps one of the most interesting houses featured on this tour is the Oliver Wolcott House, built by Oliver Wolcott, Senior, the Colonial High Sheriff of Litchfield, a member of the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Connecticut, in 1753-1754, is the oldest house in the Borough of Litchfield. Many of the leading figures of their day, including General George Washington, Lafayette and Alexander Hamilton were entertained here. During the Revolution, the statue of King George III, torn down by a mob from its pedestal in Bowling Green in New York City, was brought by oxcart to the orchard behind the house, where the women and children of Litchfield melted it and molded bullets for the Continental Army.

The current owners bought the house in 1978 and carried out extensive renovations under the direction of expert restorers. The house has the original, hand-routed, beaded clapboards on its exterior and oak floors with handmade nails throughout the first floor. The “keeping room” contains a cooking fireplace and beehive ovens. The delft tiles in the dining room were installed about 1790 and the paneling over the dining room fireplace is original 18th century work. The rear terrace overlooks extensive gardens that are breathtaking.

Another beautiful home on the tour is the Ethan Allen House, the birthplace of Revolutionary war hero Ethan Allen in 1738. Today the house boasts a renovated kitchen, breakfast area and garden room. A landscape design is in process including renovating the parterres off of the terrace, originally designed in the early 1950’s. The gardens offer an extensive eastern view of Chestnut Hill.

Breeze Hill was built in 1800 as a summer home and the Oldmsted brothers were hired to landscape the grounds. In 2012, the owners of Breeze Hill Farm joined a select group of Garden Club of America homeowners whose garden documentation was accepted into the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens. On June 15th, you are invited to pick up your reserved boxed lunch here and enjoy a pastoral picnic lunch in these bucolic meadows and gardens.

Another Smithsonian Garden featured on the tour is Chestnut Hill Gardens that consists of a 240-foot perennial border composed of deer-resistant and native plants. The border surrounds a large vegetable garden, herb gardens, a water garden, pinetum, fruit trees and native shrubs.

For area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com

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