Seaport Association’s Margaritaville @ the Beach August 12th Let the Good Times Roll

 Is there anything more American than BBQ, casual beachside living, flip-flops, sea breezes, and sunsets? With that in mind, the Seaport Association is hosting a fundraiser, “Margaritaville on the Beach,” on Saturday, August 12, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Norwalk’s Calf Pasture Beach. For tickets to this event visit http://www.seaport.org

BBQ @ Calf Pasture Beach - Seaport Style!

Back in the day, BBQ’s were a family affair with plaid plastic tablecloths, homemade lemonade, and hotdogs and burgers on the grill. Today, this tradition has continued and evolved into a Saturday night bash with the Seaport Association that folks look forward to every year. “Gathering good friends and fans of the Sheffield Island Lighthouse for a party on the beach and alfresco dining is what summer is all about,” said Mike Reilly, President of the Seaport Association. “It gives people the chance to catch up with one another and to find out what the Seaport Association is all about in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.”

BBQ Seaport Style for a good cause!

The center of every BBQ is the food, of course, and the Seaport Association with the help of Chef Clyde from of Ripka’s Beach Café has cooked up a menu that is incredibly delicious. The event will feature a variety of scrumptious dishes to please just about every palette with meat being the king of the grill along with a wide assortment of non-meat alternatives and veggies. Think of slow-cooked beef brisket, smoked pork shoulder, tasty BBQ chicken, oysters, fresh off the boat, corn on the cob, baked beans, zesty tomato salad, coleslaw, pizzas, focaccia, bruschetta, cookies, and watermelon…what a mouthwatering feast! There will be signature cocktails with two drink tickets per person as well as mocktails, and a cash bar.

 An essential part of any beach BBQ is the right mix of music. This is where DJ Matt Zako comes in. Zako will be spinning tunes sure to get you up and dancing in the sand! Even though grilling, music, and mingling are the main events of the evening there will be an assortment of beach games like corn hole, giant Jenga, spike ball, and can jam to add to the fun.

Celebrate with friends old and new

A beautiful sunset, great food and drinks, seeing friends, and a lively DJ are all part of summer fun Seaport style. This event does require advance reservations and is limited to 125 people. Tickets are available online at seaport.org or by calling the Seaport Office at 203-838-9444, so get them today so you don’t miss out on the fun. Proceeds from this event will be used in the maintenance of Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Connecticut’s Maritime Icon.

Sheffield Island Lighthouse - CT's Maritime Icon

About the Seaport Association

 

The Seaport Association in Norwalk was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for the environment and how the preservation of historic buildings contributes to our quality of life. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment, and our maritime heritage.

 

Tips for Visiting the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival This Summer

One of the summer's pleasures in the Litchfield Hills is attending a concert at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. This summer concert series began in the 1880s and has become a treasured tradition in this hilltop town. There are several wonderful places to stay in Norfolk to add to the fun including the Manor House Bed and Breakfast, and Husky Meadows Farm, a unique 300-acre certified organic farm that offers farm stays and cooking classes.

The Historic Music Shed

What is the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival?

Hosted in Norfolk on the grounds of the Ellen Battell-Stoeckel Estate, this summer music festival traces its roots to the 1880s when the Battell family started to host concerts on the village green. Today, it is part of the Yale Summer School of Music and Art, and it hosts more than 30 concerts each summer featuring musicians, conductors, guest artists, and performers from around the globe, as well as Yale students and Fellows.

The Music Shed 

The Music Shed was commissioned by Ellen and Carl Stoeckel and was designed by New York architect, E.K. Rossiter. The Music Shed opened in 1906 and went on to host performances by such renowned artists as Rachmaninoff, Sibelius, and Padrewski. The Music Shed is built of cedar and lined with hand-picked California redwood. The Shed’s amazing acoustics and beautiful patina is attributed to the redwood. Today it comfortably seats 1500 people and is air-conditioned. 

Beautiful Grounds to Enjoy

 Concert Tips 

 Dress comfortably. Your experience is what is most important so wear whatever makes you comfortable; whether it is a suit and tie or blue jeans and a button-up shirt. The choice is yours! 

Arrive Early. The grounds of the Battell-Stoeckel Estate are beautifully landscaped and it is fun to explore them. There is a picture-perfect stone bridge over a fresh mountain stream, a rock grotto, a hilltop gazebo, and chairs scattered about the lawn. An added benefit of arriving early is that it gives you time to park and make your way to the Music Shed. 

Be Social. A big part of the summer concert experience is the social aspect. Many people bring a picnic to enjoy before the concert begins, as the grounds are absolutely idyllic. Husky Meadows Farm is happy to pack a special gourmet picnic for you to enjoy, or you can buy snacks on the grounds of the Estate. There are large areas of grass and stands of shade trees that offer perfect picnic spots. Bring a blanket or use one of the picnic tables on the grounds…and enjoy! 

Shaded Wooden Pavilion

Get a Snack. There is a concession booth located just outside the Music Shed that opens at 6 p.m. and remains open through intermission. They offer baked goods, ice cream, tea, and sparkling water. 

Applause Etiquette. Holding one’s applause until the end of a complete work evolved in music halls around the world in the early 20th century. As a rule of thumb, wait until the performers stand and face the audience, signaling the end of a performance. 

Social Etiquette. Cell phones, cameras, and tablets are prohibited in the Music Shed. Naturally, talking over the music and other distracting noises is discouraged.

For the Love of Music in Norfolk

Today, it is hard to believe that the village of Norfolk, set in the foothills of the Berkshires, was once a bustling manufacturing hub as well as a thriving farming community with more than 228 farms. Blessed with waterpower, early industry utilized the waterfalls and rivers for mills and iron ore production. Farmers raised sheep, cows, and even silkworms, in addition to cultivating the land. Records show that in the 1840s more than 200,000 pounds of cheese was made in Norfolk annually, and shipped to nearby cities. Husky Meadows Farm, one of the few working farms still operating and thriving, is proud to carry on Norfolk's farming tradition on our historic 300-acre property.

Husky Meadows Farm, a Working Organic Farm - where Norfolk's agricultural traditions thrive

Norfolk's Transformation

Norfolk slowly transformed from a manufacturing hub and farming community to a posh summer resort when the railroad came to Norfolk in 1871. The railway station, constructed of native granite had a sign in brass letters that proudly read, "Norfolk, the Highest Railroad Station in Connecticut." 

Norfolk's welcoming RR Station

Along with the railroad, came a steady stream of visitors lured by brochures promoting Norfolk's natural beauty, pure mountain air, and fresh spring water. The Eldridge Gymnasium (now the Town Hall), the Norfolk Library, a gift from Isabella Eldridge, and the Norfolk Golf Links offered entertainment and recreation. Large hotels were built and boarding houses, a popular alternative to hotels, were opened. Today, the hotels, known as Norfolk Inn and Robbins Battell's Hillhurst, are gone, but two of the boarding houses, located on Maple Avenue are still standing. They are now private residences that are proudly and meticulously maintained.  One of them, Fairlawn, located at 44 Maple Ave. was one of the most popular where guests enjoyed croquet on the lawn and outdoor concerts on summer evenings. A drive down Maple Ave. brings back memories of how the gilded age influenced this quintessential mountain village.

Still a Gathering Place - the  Norfolk Library was built in 1888, a gift of Isabella Eldridge

Most visitors stayed in Norfolk for the entire summer, with many building summer homes. Among the many residents, three prominent families, the Battells, the Eldridge sisters, and Stoeckels became benefactors of  Norfolk. These families are responsible for not only erecting several of Norfolk's most notable buildings but, are also responsible for creating what the town is best known for, the Yale School of Music's  Norfolk Chamber Music Festival located on the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Estate, an iconic landmark in the center of Norfolk. 

The historic Music Shed 

For the Love of Music

In the 1840s, Irene Battell from Norfolk moved to New Haven as the wife of a history professor at Yale University. Motivated by her love of music and the arrival of Gustave Jacob Stoeckel in 1847, she persuaded her brother, Joseph Battell, a successful merchant married to Sarah Robbins, daughter of Norfolk's first pastor, to fund an endowment for musical studies at Yale, with Stoeckel as the professor. The Battells continued this musical endowment and in 1890, Stoeckel was appointed, "Battell Professor of Music." Yale began to offer its first credits in music in 1891, and by 1894, the first class of students graduated with a degree in music. Several members of Norfolk's Battell family were Yale alumni and kept ties to the University, including funding the new music program. The love of music and a willingness to use privilege and inherited money for public good characterize the generations of giving by the Battell-Stoeckel family, which is relevant today.

Music Shed Interior, 1906

After his brother Joseph's death, Robbins Battell, an expert flutist and composer, managed the family's estate and businesses. His biggest contribution was to establish the Litchfield County Musical Association.  After his death in 1894, his only daughter, Ellen, was determined to carry on her family's love and dedication to music. Ellen Battell married Carl Stoeckel, a professor of Music at Yale, in 1895 that shared her love of music, and together they created a series of projects that enhanced the cultural life of the Norfolk area, that echoed worldwide. 

In 1897, musical philanthropists, Ellen and Carl began to sponsor English glee-singing, in their Norfolk home, the Whitehouse, which is a cherished centerpiece of today's Yale School of Music and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. In 1899, they founded the Litchfield County Choral Union, in memory of Ellen's father, Robbins Battell. Concerts became so popular that Carl and Ellen funded the construction of the Music Shed in 1906, whose excellent acoustics have been appreciated for more than a century. 

The Red-wood lined - Music Shed, is acoustically amazing

From 1900 until 1922, the Norfolk Music Festival, as it came to be known, presented some of America's and Europe's finest performers and musical works. Under the stewardship of Ellen and Carl, the Music Shed welcomed solo pianists, violinists, and singers, such as Sergei Rachmaninoff, Fanny Bloomfield-Zeisler, Maud Allan, Fritz Kreisler, Alma Gluck, and Louise Homer; pieces for chorus and an orchestra of close to a hundred, brought in by special train from New York (largely Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera players); and numerous compositions for orchestra alone. The Choral Union grew, through the creation of local choruses in various towns, which then joined forces for an annual Norfolk Music Festival to house it. 

The Norfolk Music Festival carefully curated by Ellen and Carl saw the premieres of American works by such composers as Victor Herbert, Henry Hadley, Charles Martin Loeffler, Horatio T. Parker, Frederick Stock, Henry F. Gilbert, David Stanley Smith, John Powell, and Victor Kolar. Foreign luminaries include Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Jan Sibelius,  Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Jan Ignace Paderewski. 

When Ellen's husband died in 1925, she lived on until her death in 1939, when she left her estate in trust for the use of the Yale School of Music. In 1941, the Yale Summer School of Music and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival were established, and their summer music series has been pleasing audiences from near and far ever since. Every summer the redwood-lined walls of the atmospheric Music Shed, known for its superlative acoustics, continue the music traditions started generations ago by the Battell - Stocekel family.

Imagine, as you sit in this storied venue that almost everyone who is anyone in the history of American music has performed at Norfolk's Music Shed  -- and -- that you are here!  Our advice is to sit back and relax - listen for every single nuance on stage, it's easy because of the acoustics. Concert goers remark that there isn't a bad seat in the house!  No matter what type of music you enjoy, this is an experience, that is unforgettable and, according to our many guests,  at Husky Meadows Farm - it is like stepping back in time on an enchanted evening in Norfolk.

Pirates Invade Sheffield Island July 22 and 23, 2023

 Pirates have been around for as long as people have sailed the world’s waters, and, in some parts of the world, they still exist. Scallywags of all ages can step into a world of pirates on Saturday, July 22, and, Sunday, July 23 when purchasing a ferry ride ticket to Sheffield Island for the Pirates Weekend hosted by the Seaport Association in Norwalk and back once again by popular demand. 

Swashbuckling rogues, dastardly villains, infamous she-pirates, and wicked wenches will find their sea legs and hop aboard the C.J. Toth Ferry for a cruise to Sheffield Island. Arriving on the Island, kids can hunt for treasure on the beach, play games, sing sea chanteys, watch swordplay, listen to tall tales of thrill and danger, and hear colorful stories of pirates near and far. Who knows what secrets they will reveal? 

This is the weekend to experience the freedom of a pirate’s life, and to learn about their lore and history! The pirates that invade Sheffield Island every summer are different. They enjoy taking a break from their adventures on the seven seas and come to Sheffield Island to have a boatload of fun with those lucky scallywags visiting during the Pirates Weekend. All pirate fun and games are free with the purchase of a ferry ticket. The ferry departs the dock at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It is best to arrive 30 minutes before the boat departs the dock located on 4 North Water Street in Norwalk in the parking lot of the Maritime Aquarium. Parking is available at the Maritime Garage. 

For tickets http://www.seaport.org 

 *This special event is not part of the Connecticut Summer Museum program. 

About the Seaport Association 

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Norwalk Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue, which strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for our environment and how the preservation of historic buildings and nature contributes to our quality of life.

Inspiration from the Garden – July Cooking Classes at Husky Meadows Farm

 

This July, if you are on a quest for sharpening your cooking skills, or feel like you need some inspiration from a pro, book a cooking class at Husky Meadows Farm, a certified organic working farm in Norfolk, Connecticut. The July line-up of classes are designed to help cooking dynamos learn techniques from professional chefs and guest instructors that know how to bring out the freshest flavors from the garden, with produce grown right on their bucolic 300-acre farm. 

Husky Meadows Farm’s cooking classes are open to all skill levels. The hands-on classes are small with no more than twenty participants. Tracy Hayhurst, the Culinary Director, has enjoyed over 25 years as a chef and organic farmer. Hayhurst’s passion is to share her deep understanding of fresh fruit, veggies, and locally grown products with participants and to teach them the best ways to cook them. “It gives me great joy to share my knowledge of creating delicious meals because I believe sharing a dinner or lunch together is a primal bonding experience that defines our humanity,” says Hayhurst. For more information and to book a cooking class, click here. 

On Saturday, July 15, Husky Meadows is hosting an interactive Mediterranean Feast Cooking Class that highlights summer vegetables and more infused with the sunny flavors of the Mediterranean. This is the next best thing to do besides buying a ticket to Tuscany! Participants will learn the secrets of using traditional ingredients, fresh veggies, and locally raised meats to create an unforgettable meal. Sipping a perfectly chilled glass of wine, you work in the kitchen with the Culinary Director; and learn how to balance the flavors in each dish so that you can easily make them at home. 

Food is medicinal and, that is what the July 29 Anti-Inflammatory cooking class is all about. This class takes a look at the nutritional side of the kitchen and dining table. During this class, participants will learn how to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into a meal as an alternative to typical inflammatory ingredients like dairy and wheat. As an added bonus, this class also incorporates non-alcoholic beverages for pairing dinners and lunches. 

The last cooking class in July, “Meet the Farmer Dinner with Ruby Farm” ends on a high note on July 30. Norfolk’s Lost Ruby Farm is well known for producing some of the best fresh chevre and aged goat cheeses around. At this dinner, guests will be privy to listening to how a farm transitions from one farmer to another as Lost Ruby Farm has a new owner and is moving to nearby Canaan. Participants will enjoy a dinner featuring Lost Ruby Farm cheeses around a communal table.