Tag: things to do in CT

Tequila Tasting to Benefit the Weston History & Culture Center

Start your Cinco de Mayo fun a week early at the Weston History & Culture Center’s Tequila and Mezcal Tasting Party on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 7pm – 10pm. Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased at: https://westoncthistory.org.

Ticket includes a variety of tequila and mezcal samples, a tasting talk led by the publisher and editor of Modern Distillery Age, Gregg Glaser, hearty appetizers by Old Mill Market & Cafe, specialty cocktails, beer and wine service. Bid on fabulous silent auction items that include JetBlue tickets, an overnight stay at the Union League Club, and more! All to support the Weston History & Culture Center’s mission to discover, collect, and preserve Weston’s history! Sponsored by Diageo. Attendees must be 21 and over. IDs will be checked at the door.

About the presenter: Gregg Glaser is the Publisher/Editor of Modern Distillery Age, a weekly trade magazine covering the spirits business; Editor in Chief Emeritus of Yankee Brew News, a bimonthly consumer newspaper covering craft beer in the Northeast; and the founder and producer of the Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition, the largest such professional competition on the East Coast. For many years he was a contributing editor for Modern Brewery Age, a trade magazine for the beer business established in 1934, and also a News Editor for All About Beer Magazine, a consumer magazine. Gregg has a degree in Communications with concentrations in Cinema, Television, and Radio from Ithaca College. He studied comparative media in Britain at the BBC, IBA, and Pinewood Film Studios and in Italy at RAI and Cinecittà.

The Weston History & Culture Center is located at 104 Weston Road Weston, CT. Parking and entrance is on High Acre Road. The Weston Historical Society D/B/A The Weston History and Culture Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Center would like to thank its annual sponsors: Fairfield County Bank and KMS Team at Compass as well as the Daniel E. Offutt, III Charitable Trust. For more information and how to donate, visit www.WestonCTHistory.org email: info@westoncthistory.org or call: 203-226-1804.

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Tap into a Native American Tradition @ Maple Sugar Festival @ Institute for American Indian Studies March 2

Maple syrup has long enjoyed pride of place on many breakfast tables. The origin of this sweet spring elixir isn’t part of a trendy branding campaign; it is the widely unknown discovery of Native Americans, who have tapped trees for maple syrup since time immemorial. On March 2, the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, Connecticut is hosting its annual Maple Sugar Festival, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate the original legacy of maple syrup.

Indigenous communities in the Northeast and Canada harvested sap from maple trees, boiling down sap and turning it into sugar water and maple syrup long before European contact. Special sugar camps were set up in groves of sugar maple trees and much like this festival, sugaring became a social event. “At the Institute’s Maple Sugar Festival, families will see firsthand how Native Americans harvested this sugary delight, a process that has been passed on through stories and demonstrations from generation to generation,” said Chris Combs, Executive Director of the Institute. “Most importantly, they’ll learn why this process is such an important part of Native American culture,” Combs added.

At this event, IAIS Educator and Ecologist, Susan Scherf will demonstrate various traditional Native American techniques of collecting sap and boiling it down into syrup and sugar. Visitors will learn the importance of maple sugar to the diet of Native Americans as well as its usefulness as an item of trade, and even as medicine.

In keeping with the fun-filled traditions surrounding Native American sugar camps, children are invited to listen to Native American stories and play traditional family-friendly games that will take place throughout the day, adding to this culturally enriching experience. To satiate your taste buds, maple syrup, samples from the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine are being offered. And, if you want to bring some of this delicious amber nectar home, head to the Institute’s gift shop which is stocked up with maple syrup made by the Passamaquoddy Tribe.

The cost of participation is $15 for adults, $10 for children, and $5 for members of the Institute. To pre-register head to The Institute for American Indian Studies Museum & Research Center, email events@iaismuseum.org, or call (860) 868-0518.

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, in Washington, Connecticut.

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The Magic of Courting Flutes @ Institute for American Indian Studies Feb. 17

The Institute of American Indian Studies at 38 Curtis Road in Washington has a wonderful way to end Valentine’s Day week. On Saturday, February 17, beginning at 1 p.m., Ojibway artist, and musician Allan Madahbee will explain the cultural significance and demonstrate the hauntingly beautiful sound of the Native American courting flute. A highlight for participants is to learn why the courting flute is deeply rooted in the traditions of many Native American Cultures.

Today, makers of Native American Flutes like Ojibway artist and musician Allan Madahbee craft their style and sound into their creations. Madahbee began to research the Chippewa flute culture and was influenced and mentored by Joseph Firecrow of the Cheyenne Nation. “We became friends and he provided guidance and feedback and explained some of his methods of flute making. With his passing, we have all lost a great Native American flute maker and musician. I am proud to continue our flute-making traditions.” The sound of the courting flute, which is usually made of cedar, has an uncommon scale for Western music and is entrancing.

Participants will listen to this haunting music performed by Madahbee, hear the legend of the courting flute, and examine the unique construction of a collection of flutes on display. There will also be a limited number of original, one-of-a-kind handmade courting flutes for purchase. Space is limited and pre-registration is requested. To reserve a spot head to http://www.iaismuseum.org, email events@iaismuseum.org, or call (860) 868-0518. The price of participation is $5 for IAIS Members and $15 for Non-Members.

About Allan Madhbee
Born on Manitoulin Island, the Home of the Great Spirit, Allan Madahbee is a member of the Ojibway (Chippewa) Nation who has pursued the traditional arts and crafts of his ancestors. He has been making Native American flutes for about ten years. “I had always thought they were a product of the Southwest Indian tribes, but a book that I found that was written during the 1800s about Chippewa culture, had a passage about the Chippewa flutes, along with pictures. This made me realize that they were indeed a part of my Chippewa culture. Knowing that my ancestors constructed these flutes for hundreds of years has inspired me to continue this tradition. Also, the haunting sound from these mystical instruments is a large part of my inspiration.”

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 the 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.

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Valentine’s Day Gifts They’ll Fall in Love With @ Tina’s Baskets & Woven Art & Shop and Sip Event

This February Tina’s Baskets and Woven Art at Whiting Mills in Winsted is celebrating love in all its forms with a wonderful array of handmade baskets, bowls, woven wall hangings, and sculptures. These meticulously beautiful pieces of art are perfect to celebrate Valentine’s Day and the enduring bonds between close friends, family, and seldom-seen pals.

This amazing studio is filled to the brim with swoon-worthy art created by Tina Puckett, a national and international award-winning artist, known for her woven art and dimensional weaving. It is fun to visit a working art studio to explore this exquisite selection of thoughtful gifts that you’re nearest and dearest will be smitten with!

Not to be missed is the Second Annual Valentine’s Day “Shop and Sip” event at Whiting Mills on Sunday, February 11th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Whiting Mills will be buzzing with activity with more than 20 art studios and artisan shops open and offering complimentary refreshments and treats, along with one of a kind gift items perfect for Valentine’s Day. To add to the fun, there will be live acoustic music throughout the day in this festively decorated historic mill building that is Instagramable.

While browsing in Puckett’s studio, and chatting with Tina as she weaves her magic, enjoy chocolates and champagne. If you are on the hunt for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day gift basket to fill with goodies, this is the place, a real artist’s studio in fact, to check out! Tina’s Studio is open every weekend in February from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. or by appointment, Shopping for your Valentine has just become easy because a gift from Tina’s Baskets and Woven Art shows your special someone that you truly care.

About Tina’s Baskets
Tina Puckett is a nationally awarded weaver of baskets and woven art who is the owner of Tina’s Baskets which is located at Whiting Mills in Winsted, Connecticut. Tina has been weaving since 1981 using hand-dyed reeds, bittersweet, and a variety of objects like beads or seagrass. Her work is showcased at a variety of galleries across the United States as well as at her gallery/studio where you will often find her weaving on weekends from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Custom orders are accepted and appointments can be arranged by texting 860-309-6934.

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Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Invites the Public to Join Citizen Scientist FrogWatch USA

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo invites residents to become Citizen-Scientist volunteers and participate in a “FrogWatch” census in area wetlands. In a collaboration between the Zoo, The Maritime Aquarium, and Yale’s Peabody Museum of Natural History, volunteers will make regular visits to wetlands in their neighborhoods and keep a frog log to record the frog and toad calls they hear. Working with experts, volunteers will learn about local frog species, then visit wetlands once or twice a week for about 15 minutes each night this spring and summer.

The watch begins a half hour after sunset, making the watch ideal for families with older children. Observations are reported to a national online database to contribute to amphibian conservation efforts. FrogWatch coordinators at each facility keep up to date on data results for participants. This year, training will be presented online for the first session, and the second session will be offered either in person at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo or online. During this training, participants will learn about Citizen Science, the important role amphibians play in the ecosystem, and how to identify ten species of frogs heard in Connecticut. After the training, participants will be sent a virtual assessment to complete to become a certified FrogWatch Volunteer.

As of 2023, the Peabody Beardsley Maritime Chapter leads the nation in frog call acoustic observations. The chapter was responsible for 1,122 observations out of the 6,982 observations made nationwide, equaling 16.07% of collected data. “FrogWatch USA is a fantastic educational program that demonstrates how everyone can play a part in protecting wildlife,” explained Jim Knox, education curator at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Volunteers do not need any prior experience or knowledge about frogs. Only one training session is required, each from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Choose from A virtual training session on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024: 7-8:30 P.M. or a hybrid training session, either in-person at the Zoo or online on Monday, March 4, 2024, at 7-8:30 P.M. For more information and to register: www.beardsleyzoo.org/frog-watch

Why Frogs? Frogs and toads play a vital role, serving as both prey and predator, in wetland ecosystems and are considered indicators of environmental health. Many previously abundant frog and toad populations have experienced dramatic population declines both in the United States and around the world. Scientists must understand the scope, geographic scale, and cause of these declines. The data collected by FrogWatch USA volunteers is used to help inform conservation and management efforts.

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Hot Chocolate Festival @ White Silo Farm

There is no better way to warm up to winter than sipping on Hot Chocolate at White Silo Farm in Sherman. On Saturday, February 3, and Sunday, February 4 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. White Silo Farm is celebrating its third hot chocolate and s’mores festival!

Guests will have the chance to taste four types of hot chocolate – white, milk, dark, and Mexican. It is fun to top off your cups with homemade marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, and other fixings. They have also added homemade S’mores to eat with your hot chocolate(s). Bring your friends and enjoy a WARM afternoon in their winery, it is an ideal way to spend a cold winter day. Special food items to pair with your hot chocolate will be available to purchase To add to the fun, there will be live music on both days from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturday Al Rivoli will perform and on Sunday Don Lowe will be at the farm to entertain guests.

The price is $25 per person. It includes one glass of wine or nonalcoholic beverage to sip with your hot chocolate(s). They have scheduled two sessions each day, the first from 12 noon – 2 p.m. and the second from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Advance tickets are required and limited. We hope that you can join us. For tickets click here.

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