Shelton Historical Society's Vintage Vehicles Antique & Classic Car Show June 17

Enjoy a day with Dad and Granddad peeking under the hoods of the cars they remember from their youth at the Shelton Historical Society's Vintage Vehicles Antique and Classic Car Show on Father's Day, June 19th.  Two wheels or four, from Model T's to muscle cars, there's bound to be something that will trigger a memory or maybe a chuckle from every visitor.  The event will take place at Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Rd. from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Best In Show 2011

Past shows have featured everything from a 1928 Rolls Royce Phantom, to a restored rickshaw that was used as an ambulance in the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, to a 1911 wood paneled Model T. A Locomobile produced locally in Bridgeport in 1921 was a one-of-a- kind entry last year. Nearly every decade of automotive history from the 20th century has been illustrated on the shaded grounds of the Shelton History Center with more recent muscle cars, Mustangs, and Army Jeeps joining many Ford Model A’s and T’s. All vehicle owners generously share information, their cars, and their hobby with the public.

There is still time for owners of antique and classic vehicles of all kinds to register to participate in this special event. Entry forms may be found at www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org or by calling (203) 925-1803. Pre-registration costs $8.00 but will be $10.00 on the day of the event.

Awards in five categories will be presented to crowd favorites. Visitors will enjoy tours of the buildings at Shelton History Center, refreshments, and voting for their favorite vehicles. Admission is $1 for dads, $5/adults and $10/family. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs of the Shelton Historical Society. For additional information including directions, please call (203) 925-1803 or visit www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.  For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Pirelli World Challenge and Royals Car Show at Lime Rock Park Memorial Day Weekend

Lime Rock's traditional Memorial Day Weekend is featuring the Pirelli World Challenge in all Six Divisions & the Sunday Royals Car Show Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 27-29, 2016 that promises to be one of the highlights of the season. New this year is that kids 16 and under get in free with one adult paying general admission! 

 The SCCA Pirelli World Challenge has been a long time favorite of Lime Rock Park fans and  after a three year absence, the PWC is roaring back!  There are multiple races because all the classes want to shine from  GT/GTS-A/GT Cup/TC/TCA/TCB !  They are all stars with power and this will be a veritable hotbed of production and production based classes.

The  GT's are big bad and mean; the CTS series are closer to street spec while the GT Cup class is comprised of all Porshe 911s in the popular Porsche CT3 Cup series that supports many Formula 1 races around the globe. In TC it's about Mustangs and BMW128s and many other cars while the TCA class is have everything from Honda Civics and Fits to Mini Coopers.  In the TCB class you'll see Chevy Sonics, Fiat 500s, Mazda 2s and many other models. For a complete schedule check the website. 

Sunday is the seventh annual Sunday Royals Car Show, Connecticut's best "workingman's" show, the anti-concours concours; great cars of every kind, from hot rods to sports cars and everything in between.  Tickets are just $5 for this show.   If you want to enter your car, just show up at the gate on May 29 there is no pre-registration.  If it's cool, it's at Lime Rock Park located on Rte. 112 in Lime Rock Connecticut.  For more information, tickets  and a complete schedule of events visit http://www.limerock.com.

For more area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Valentines Day Gift Idea Caribbean Cruise Series Cooking Classes at Jones Family Farm

If you are looking for a memorable gift for Valentine's Day, and can't afford a cruise to the islands, consider the next best thing, the  Caribbean Cruise series of cooking classes being offered by Jones Family Farm in Shelton!

Jones Family Farm located on 606 Walnut Hill Road in Shelton is a popular vineyard as well as a pick your own  and Christmas tree farm.  In keeping with the farm to table movement, Jones Family Farm has been offering cooking classes over the past few years that are limited to just 12 lucky participants.

To kick off 2016, Jones Family Farms is offering a Caribbean Cruise Series of cooking classes that will take place in April and May.  Registration for the classes begins on February 2, 2016 and each class offered is $90 and runs from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Participants will receive an apron to take home as well as recipes.  Classes fill up quickly, so if you want to go on a cruise, sign up soon by visiting the website.

The concept for these classes are to explore the "pepper pot" of various island cuisines. Jones Family Farm's instructor will highlight the local food specialties that evolved from their heritage countries of influence.

The first "cruise" is Celebrating Passover in Curacao on April 23, 2016. Participants will make Charoset Balls, Fried Red Snapper, Hot Cucumber and Radish Salad, Baked Plantains, Stuffed Dates, and Panlevi Cookies.

Next, in the series is the beautiful island of Jamica on April 30. Pumpkin Soup, Curried Lamb with Mango Chutney, Coconut Rice and Peas, and Duckunoo (Sweet Potato Dessert) are on the menu.

The French Island of Martinque is the next island on the cooking cruise that takes place May 7. Participants will learn how to make such specialties as: Hearts of Palm Vinaigrette, Callaloo with Crab, Sautéed Corn & Snow Peas, and Beignets de Banane.

The final stop in the cruise series is the island of Cuba on May 14.  Specialties on this menu includes: Pollo con Pina (Chicken with Pineapple), Moros y Cristianos (Beans & Rice), Roast Calabaza, and Coconut Flan.

Please note that the the menu items above are tentative, and subject to change based on what's seasonally available! For more area information on where to go and what to see and do visit http://www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

26TH ANNUAL BOAR'S HEAD FESTIVAL - WINSTED

First Church of Winsted located on 95 North Main Street in Winsted will present the 26th Annual Boar's Head Festival on Saturday, January 9th at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, January 10th at 3:30 p.m.. The Festival is "An Ancient Processional Celebrating Epiphany." It takes place in true medieval fashion complete with period costumes, live animals, and grandeur worthy of welcoming the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! The Festival features continuous music with full choir, madrigal singers, organist, and brass ensemble. There are also a number of tooters, whistlers, fiddlers, pipers, dancers and drummers. The featured musical selections include Rutter's "Gloria," Adam Dressler's "O Holy Night," and Morten Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" along with many traditional carols.

This ancient processional musical celebration of the Epiphany will feature: Medieval Pomp & Royalty, Herald Trumpeters
Carolers, Family Gentry, Woodsmen & Peasants, Good King Wenceslas & his Page, Monks, Shepherds & Their Sheep, The Holy Family & Donkey, and The Three Wise Men.  There will be performances by the Laurel City Singers, the Boar's Head Brass Ensemble and the The Boar's Head Carolers. There will also be a piper and a sword dancer.

Laurel City Singers under the direction of Adam Atkins is the featured festival choir with organist Christopher King. Also appearing will be The Boar's Head Carolers, Scottish Sword Dancer Karen LaVallee- Tente and Highland dancer Krysten McGhee with piper Ken Storrs.

Tickets are $15 Adults, $12 Senior and $9 Child 12 and under and may be purchased by calling 860-379-8966, or mail your payment and seating requests to: First Church of Winsted, ATTN: Boar's Head Festival, 95 North Main Street, Winsted, CT 06098. Make checks payable to: First Church of Winsted. Groups of 20 or more may deduct $3 from each ticket price. Doors open one half hour before each performance.

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Sessions Woods is calling all runners!

If you enjoy walking and running on beautiful nature trails then join the Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA) for the 4th. Annual Run for the Woods on Saturday, September 19 at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area located on Rte. 69 about three miles south of Rte. 4 in Burlington Connecticut.

courtesy Miranda Linsky

CFPA advocates for people that love the outdoors  with the support of the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection have organized a 10K Trail Race that begins at 8:30 a.m., a 5K Trail Race at 9 a.m. and a 5K walk at 9:00 a.m. at Sessons Woods. 

Participants will walk or jog on beautifully maintained trails and will pass by wetlands, meadows, and a beaver pond.  Lucky participants may even catch a glimpse of a pileated woodpecker, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse or a majestic broad-winged hawk.

Registration fees are $25 for the 5K run or walk, and $35 for the 10k run. Registration increases by $5 on the day of the race. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the race. If you can’t join in the events, and love the outdoors, you might consider making a general donation to CFPA or dedicating it to one of the runners or walkers. All donations go to the protection of Connecticut forests and trails. For more information, registration, and pledging guidelines visit http://www.ctwoodlands.org/runforthewoods2014

courtesy William Breck

This year CFPA’s Run for the Woods has joined the Blue-Blazed Trail Running Series. The races, which are run primarily on the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails (BBHT), are organized and directed by a variety of running enthusiasts and clubs across the state. The Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA) is grateful for their cooperation and support in making this series possible. The goals of the series are to promote and create greater awareness of trail running on the BBHT System, attract more runners to Connecticut trail running races, strengthen the running community, raise awareness for CFPA’s trail maintenance efforts and enhance the experience for the runners who already support our races through series points and recognition. To learn more about the Blue-Blazed Trail Running Series, please visit http://www.ctwoodlands.org/run-for-the-woods

About Sessions Woods

The biggest threat facing CT’s wildlife is the loss of habitat.  Since more than 90% of land in CT is privately owned, the Wildlife Division established the Sessions Woods Management Area to begin to meet the needs of the State’s wildlife.

Sessions Woods is more than a tract of natural land set aside for wildlife, it also introduces visitors to wildlife and natural resources management through a variety of educational programs, demonstration sites, displays and self-guided hiking trails.

When you walk the trails here, you experience more than just the benefits of a healthy hike in the fresh outdoor air. Along the sides of the Beaver Pond Trail, Forest Meadow Trail and in the Backyard Habitat Demonstration Area you will find demonstrations of wildlife and habitat management practices.

About CFPA

The CFPA is Connecticut’s first nonprofit conservation organization that was established back in 1895 and is best known for maintaining the 825-mile Blue Blaze hiking system.  Their mission is to protect forests, parks, walking trails, and open spaces for future generations by connecting people to the land. CFPA directly involves individuals and families, educators, community leaders, and volunteers to enhance and defend Connecticut's rich natural heritage. CFPA is a private, non-profit organization that relies on members and supporters to carry out its mission.

CFPA envisions Connecticut as a place of scenic beauty whose cities, suburbs, and villages are linked by a network of parks, forests, and trails easily accessible for all people to challenge the body and refresh the spirit. They picture a state where clean water, timber, farm fresh foods, and other products of the land make a significant contribution to our economic and cultural well being.

Music Mountain's 86th Summer Music Season in Litchfield Hills

This year marks the 86th Season of Music Mountain and concert aficionados from around the country will want to make room on their summer calendars for Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, this summer. Music Mountain will continue their season past Labor Day – making this season, once again, one of the longest running seasons since the 1930s! The summer will include many favorite returning chamber ensembles, first time guests, the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series featuring Jazz, Country, and Folk Music, and the first Great Artist Recital Series. Concerts are scheduled through September 27.

In 2015, 28 works will be given their Music Mountain premiere. Including compositions of Dutilleux, Penderecki, Kurtag and Caroline Shaw. However, the core schedule remains what Music Mountain has long been known for: wonderful performances of the great string quartets, played by world famous artists. In addition, in a tribute to Music Mountain's illustrious past, 12 works from the founding 1930 season will be reprised.

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series begins on June 20 (6:30PM) with The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players and continues with Cantata Profana (June 27);Jeff Newell's New-Trad Quartet (July 4); Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks (July 11); The New Black Eagle Jazz Band (July 18); Swingtime Big Band (July 25); The Galvanized Jazz Band (August 15); Peter & Will Anderson with Alex Wintz (August 22); Michael Berkeley (August 29); The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival presenting Spuyten Duyvil (September 12); and Jive By Five (September 19). Special pre-concert themed dinners will also return as part of the Twilight Series.

The 86th season will also feature the first Great Artist Recital Series on select Friday evenings ---- visiting Master Teachers Daniel Phillips, Kim Kashkashian, and Colin Carr will each perform a unique and exclusive program including works by Mozart, Bach, Brahms, and Kashkashian's Grammy Award winning solo performance of György Kurtág: Signs, Games and Messages for Solo Viola.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Food, wine & beer are also available for purchase.

Tickets for the Season Opening Concert & Reception on Sunday, June 14 are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2015 concert. Tickets for the Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception on Sunday, September 6 are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2015 or 2016 concert. Two specially priced concerts on Sunday, June 28 with the Juilliard String Quartet and on Sunday, July 12 with Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu are $60.

Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Friday Evening Great Artist Recital Concerts are $35 at the door and $30 in advance. Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE for ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday Twilight Concerts are at 6:30pm. Chamber Music concerts are at 3pm on Sundays, unless otherwise noted. Group rates and pre season ticket vouchers are available. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit www.musicmountain.org or call 860-824-7126.

2015 CHAMBER MUSIC SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 3PM
Calidore String Quartet
Daniel Phillips, Viola

Schubert: Quartettsatz in C Minor, D. 703 (1820) (8)
Caroline Shaw: Entr'acte (2011) (1)
Mendelssohn: String Quartet in F Minor Opus 80 (1847) (5)
Brahms: Viola Quintet in G Minor, Opus 111 (1890) (16)

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 3PM
Juilliard String Quartet
All Tickets: $60
Underwritten by an Anonymous Donor

Haydn: String Quartet in G Major, Op. 33 No. 5 (1781) (2)
Webern: Five Movements for String Quartet, Op. 5 (1909) (5)
Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810 "Death and The Maiden" (1824) (30)

SUNDAY, JULY 5, 3PM
Arianna String Quartet
Colin Carr, Cello

Mozart: String Quartet in D Minor, K.421 (1783) (13)
Boccherini: Cello Concerto in G Major, G. 480 (1770) (1)
Grieg: String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27 (1877) (6)

SUNDAY, JULY 12, 3PM
Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu, Piano, 4 Hands
All Tickets: $60
Underwritten by an Anonymous Donor

Schumann-Bizet: 6 Etudes in Canonical Form for Pedal-Piano, Opus 56 (1845; 1873) (1)
Bizet: Selections from Jeux d'Enfants, Opus 22 (1871) (1)
Mozart: Sonata in B Flat Major, K. 358 (1733-4) (1)
Schubert: Lebensturme in A Minor, D.947 (1828) (1)
Schubert: Theme & Variations in B Flat Minor, D. 603 (1824?) (1)
Schubert: Rondo in A Major. 951 (1828) (1)
Brahms: Four Hungarian Dances. WoO 1 (1869) (1)

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 3PM

Enso String Quartet
Soyeon Kate Lee, Piano
Moravec: Dialogue with the Past I (2015)
(commissioned by Music Mountain; world premiere)
Schumann: String Quartet in A Major, Opus 41, No. 3 (13)
Dohnanyi: Piano Quintet #1 in C Minor, Opus 1 (1895) (22)

SUNDAY, JULY 26 3PM
Avalon String Quartet
Jan Opalach, Bass-Baritone
Jonathan Yates, Piano

Fauré: Mandoline, Opus 58 #1 (1891) (1)
Debussy: Mandoline, L. 29 (1882) (1)
Debussy: Fêtes Galantes II, L. 104 (1869) (1)
Debussy: String Quartet in G Minor, Opus 10 (1890) (36)
Lili Boulanger: Elle était descendue au bas de la prairie (1913-1914) (1)
Ravel: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée (1932-33) (1)
Ravel: String Quartet In F (1903) (44)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 3PM
Penderecki String Quartet
Matt Haimowitz, Cello
Dedicated to the memory of Michael Janeway

Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008 (1717-1723) (1)
Beethoven: String Quartet in C Sharp Minor Opus 131 (1825) (16)
Schubert: Cello Quintet in C Major, Opus 163. D. 956 (1828) (25)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 3PM
St. Petersburg String Quartet
Pamela Mia Paul, Piano
Sulkhan Tsintsadze: 5 Miniatureson Jewish Folk Tunes for String Quartet (1990) (3)
Arensky: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 35 (1894) (4)
Shostakovich: Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 57 (1945) (26)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 3PM
St. Petersburg String Quartet
Daniel Austrich, Violin
Melvin Chen, Piano
Prokofiev: String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 92 (1941) (11)
Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 (1923-27) (1)
Chausson: Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet in D Major, Op. 21 (1889-91) (14)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 3PM
Harlem String Quartet
Francine Kay, Piano
Beethoven: Scherzo from String Quartet In C Minor, Opus 18#4 (1798-1800) (24)
Turina: La Oración del Torero (1925) (25)
Bartok: Scherzo from String Quartet # 2 Opus 17, SZ 67 (1915-7) (4)
Borodin: Nocturne from String Quartet No. 2 in D major (1881) (25)
Dvorak: Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81 (1887) (45)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 3PM
Dover String Quartet
Alexander Fiterstein, Clarinet
Dutilleux: Ainsi La Nuit (1976) (3)
Dvorak: String Quartet in F major, Op. 96 "American" (1893) (24)
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581 (1789) (14)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 6:30PM
Shanghai String Quartet
Haydn: String Quartet in D Major, Opus 20#4 (1772) (12)
Beethoven: String Quartet in F Minor, Opus 95 "Serioso" (1810) (33)
Penderecki: String Quartet No. 3 "Leaves from an unwritten diary" (2008) (2)
Beethoven: String Quartet in B Flat Major, Opus 18 # 6 (1798-1800) (30)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 3PM
Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception: All Tickets: $75
(Includes a Voucher for any Regularly Priced 2015 or 2016 Concert)
Shanghai String Quartet
Gilbert Kalish, Piano
Jonathan Yates, Piano
Brahms: Selected Waltzes for Piano, 4 Hands, Opus 39 (1865) (1)
Beethoven: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 (1806) (39)
Brahms: Piano Quintet in Minor, Op. 34 (1864) (45)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 3PM
Cassatt String Quartet
Ursula Oppens, Piano
Clara Schumann: Romance Variée for Solo Piano in C Major, Op. 3 (1833) (1)
Mendelssohn: String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 13 (1827) (10)
Schumann: Piano Quintet in E-Flat Major, Op. 44 (1842) (41)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 3PM
Borromeo String Quartet
Bach: Fugue in C# Minor from the Well Tempered Klavier, Book 1, BWV 849 (1722) (1)
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 12 in D-Flat Major, Op. 133 (1968) (2)
Beethoven: String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 130/133 (1825-6) (15; 10)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 3PM
Amernet String Quartet
Vivek Kamath, Viola
Edward Arron, Cello
Haydn: String Quartet in D Minor, Op. 76 No. 2 (1796-7) (11)
Bartok: String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85 (1927) (4)
Tchaikovsky: Souvenir of Florence, String Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70 (1890) (7)
2015 TWILIGHT SERIES SCHEDULE
(subject to change)
Saturday, June 20, 6:30PM
The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players
The Wandr'ing Ministrels and H.M.S. Pinafore, plus G&S Favorites!

Pre-Concert Dinner at The Falls Village Inn
(Limited to 70)
Dinner (5pm) & Concert (6:30PM): $65
Concert Only: $30 at the door. $27 in Advance
Must Reserve for Dinner by Friday, June 19

Saturday, June 27, 6:30 PM
Cantata Profana

A wildly gifted young ensemble performing two 20th century masterpieces

Stravinsky: Sacre du Printemps, (arr. for Piano, Four Hands) (1917) (1)
Stravinsky: L'histoire du Soldat (1918) for narrator, strings, winds & percussion (1)

Saturday, July 4, 6:30
Jeff Newello's New-Trad Quartet
Historic American music re-iomagined. Sousa, Foster, old hymns & more Allin Celebration of July 4.
"compelling..original " -Chicago Tribune

Saturday, July 11, 6:30PM
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
(Underwritten by Norman Fields)

"The Finest of the Big Bands"
Grammy Award Winners
"An erupting wellspring of Euphoria. That would describe the Vintage Swing emanating from Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks".... NY Times

Pre-Concert Dinner at The Falls Village Inn
(Limited to 70)
Dinner (5pm) & Concert (6:30PM): $65
Concert Only: $30 at the door. $27 in Advance
Must Reserve for Dinner by Friday, July 10

Saturday, July 18, 6:30PM
The New Black Eagle Jazz Band, With Dancing!

That soulful New Orleans Sound from the 1920's and 1930's
"So far ahead of other traditional Bands...there is scarcely any basis for comparison".. NY Times

Pre-Concert Dinner at The Falls Village Inn
(Limited to 70)
Dinner (5pm) & Concert (6:30PM): $65
Concert Only: $30 at the door. $27 in Advance
Must Reserve for Dinner by Friday, July 17

Saturday, July 25, 6:30PM
Swingtime Big Band, With Dancing!

Their 8th Annual Music Mountain appearance bringing back the music of Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and others

Pre-Concert Dinner at The Falls Village Inn
(Limited to 70)
Dinner (5pm) & Concert (6:30PM): $65
Concert Only: $30 at the door. $27 in Advance
Must Reserve for Dinner by Friday, June 24

Saturday, August 1, 6:30PM
The Sharon Playhouse
Broadway at Music Mountain!

Show tunes from the popular musical theatre repertoire of yesterday and today!
Guest Performers to be announced!

Pre-Concert Dinner at The Falls Village Inn
(Limited to 70)
Dinner (5pm) & Concert (6:30PM): $65
Concert Only: $30 at the door. $27 in Advance
Must Reserve for Dinner by Friday, July 31

Saturday, August 8, 6:30PM
"Trios Fur Zwei – Trios for Two"
Ensemble Les Inégales - Rodrigo Tarraza, Traverso
Christine Gevert, obligato Harpsichord

Bach: Sonata in B minor, BWV 1030
Plus Sonatas by his contemporaries Georg Philipp Telemann, Johann Joachim Quantz & C.P.E. Bach

Saturday, August 15, 6:30PM
The Galvanized Jazz Band, With Dancing!

Dynamic and Energetic New Orleans, Dixieland Jazz, Blues, Stomps, Struts & Spirituals!

Saturday, August 22, 6:30PM
Peter & Will Anderson, Saxophone & Clarinet
with Alex Wintz, Guitar

Thrilling audiences with their broad repertoire of swing, Latin, and original works. Direct from touring Europe, South America, and Asia.

The Washington Post: (about their recent album) "imaginatively unfolding in ways that consistently bring a fresh perspective to classic jazz and pop."

"You dudes are the future!" Quincy Jones

"Virtuosos on both clarinet and saxophone." (NY Times)

Saturday, August 29, 6:30PM
Michael Berkeley presents "There is no Tune like a Show Tune"
(Underwritten By an Anonymous Donor)

Celebrate the Golden Age of Broadway with Michael Berkeley & Friends in the acoustically perfect Music Mountain Concert Hall. Thrill to your favorite show tunes in this nostalgic and fast-paced musical revue!

Pre-Concert Dinner at The Falls Village Inn
(Limited to 70)
Dinner (5pm) & Concert (6:30PM): $65
Concert Only: $30 at the door. $27 in Advance
Must Reserve for Dinner by ??

Saturday, September 12, 6:30PM
The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Presents Spuyten Duyvil, With Dancing!

A leading & very popular folk band returns to Music Mountain with the Falcon Ridge Spirit! Spuyten Duyvil, a mighty 7-piece powerhouse of soaring vocals & traditional jug band energy join us for a barn-burning romp through the last 100 years of American Roots music.

Saturday, September 19, 6:30PM
Jive By Five, With Dancing!

This Connecticut favorite returns with the Sizzling Dance Music of the Jazz Age. From the Charleston to the Two-Step & the Fox Trot - the wild rhythms of the 1920's for your listening & dancing pleasure!

GREAT ARTIST RECITALS

Friday, June 19, 7:30PM
Daniel Phillips, Violin
Jonathan Yates, Piano

Mozart: Violin Sonata in E Flat Major, K.380 (1781)
Bach: Sonata # 1 for Solo Violin in G Minor, BWV 1001 (1720) (3)
Eugene Phillips: Fantasy Étude (1913) (1)
Brahms, Sonata for Violin & Piano #1 in G Major, Opus 78 (1878-9) (5)
Wieniawski: Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Opus 4 (1852) (1)

Friday, June 26, 7:30PM
Kim Kashkashian, Viola

György Kurtág: Signs, Games and Messages for Solo Viola (1998-2005) (1)
(Grammy Award winning performance)
Interwoven with Bach: excerpts from Six Suites for Solo Cello 1-6, BWV 1007-1012 (1717-1723)

Friday, July 3, 7:30PM
Colin Carr, Cello
Jonathan Yates, Piano

Bach: Suite # 1 for Solo Cello in G Major, BWV 1007 (1717-1723) (2)
Beethoven: Sonata for Cello & Piano #3 in A Major, Opus 69 (1808) (5)
Bach: Suite # 6 for Solo Cello in D Major, BWV 1012 (1717-1723) (1)

All programs subject to change

Torrington Historical Society Open through Oct. 31

The Torrington Historical Society, located at 192 Main Street, is open for the season and will remain open through October 31st. The Society is home to three cultural attractions: the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum, the permanent exhibit, No Place Like Home: The History of Torrington, and the Hendey Machine Shop exhibit Pursuit of Precision: The Hendey Machine Shop 1870-1954. The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum and the two exhibit areas are open to the public Wednesday - Saturday, 12-4 p.m.

Fodor's Guide to New England described the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum as "one of the better house museums in Connecticut". Built in 1900, this grand Victorian mansion was commissioned by Orsamus and Mary Fyler and was designed by New Haven architect William H. Allen. The house was built by Hotchkiss Brothers Company, a Torrington firm. The Torrington Historical Society acquired the home in 1956 when Gertrude Fyler Hotchkiss, daughter of the original owners, bequeathed the house and its contents to the Society. Today, visitors to the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum can see the home as it was when last occupied by Gertrude Fyler Hotchkiss. This grand home is rich in details: mahogany paneling, ornate carvings, stenciled walls, murals, parquet floors and ornamental plaster. Family furnishings include impressive collections of porcelain, glass and oriental carpets as well as paintings by Ammi Phillips, Winfield Scott Clime, E. I. Couse, George Lawrence Nelson and Albert Herter. Guided tours of the house museum are available for $5 per person; children 12 and under are free. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12-4; the last tour is at 3:30 p.m.

The Torrington History Museum, adjacent to the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum, contains an award-winning permanent exhibit, No Place Like Home: The History of Torrington. This self-guided exhibit explores the city's history while showcasing photographs and artifacts from the Society's collection. Audio and video components and hands-on interactive stations are featured in this exhibit. Admission is $2; children 12 and under are free. Another exhibit, Pursuit of Precision: The Hendey Machine Company 1870-1954, is located in the Carriage House. This exhibit features an operational belt-driven machine shop, a video kiosk, and a photographic history of the Hendey Machine Company, a former Torrington manufacturer of lathes, shapers and milling machines. Admission is free.

The John H. Thompson Memorial Library houses archives pertaining to Torrington history. Researchers may visit the library Wednesday-Friday 1-4, or by appointment. For more information about the Society or to become a member, please visit www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org or contact the Society at (860) 482-8260.

Two new exhibitions at Fairfield Museum and History Center

The Fairfield Museum and History Center located on 370 Beach Road in Fairfield has organized two special exhibitions that are sure to please art lovers. 

The 7th annual juried photography exhibition, IMAGES runs through July 19 and showcases the exceptional work of talented regional photographers.  The IMAGES photography competition offers a wonderful venue to highlight the work of up-and-coming regional photographers. The exhibition features roughly fifty photographs, usually picked from about 1,000 submissions, of photographers active in Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.  Photos are judged in the following categories: landscape, portrait, architecture, nature and abstract to be displayed in this show.  This is a juried show with a jury that is made up of prominent photographers including Howard Schatz, Suzanne Chamlin, LaTanya S. Autry, and Jeremy Frost. 

The Fairfield History Center has also launched a second exhibition called, Howard Schatz: 25 Years of Photographs.  The exhibition celebrates the remarkable twenty-five year career of Connecticut-based photographer Howard Schatz.  This exhibition displays highlights of his work. Schatz is primarily known for his dynamic and intimate portraits of the human body, and his photographs make up a veritable catalog of body types and personalities, from newborns and mothers, to athletes and bodies underwater. His photographs have been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, Sports Illustrated, Time, and Life, among others, as well as displayed in museums and galleries worldwide. This exhibition runs through August 31.

For more information visit http://www.fairfieldhistory.org.

National Train Day and Mother’s Day at the Danbury Railway Museum

The Danbury Railway Museum has joined in the celebration of National Train Day on Saturday, May 9.  At the Danbury Railway Museum this promises to be a day full of educational activities and FREE train rides for the whole family. The fun will begin at 10:00am and end at 4:00pm. Museum admission is $6.00 for adults; $5.00 for seniors; $4.00 for ages 3-12; under 3, free.
However, current and former railroad employees will receive free museum admission (proper ID required). Trains will begin running hourly at 10:30 with the last train departing at 2:30.

The museum's Rail Yard Local will be operating — a short trip on a vintage train pulled by a 68 year old locomotive, with locomotive cab rides also available. As a National Train Day gift to all the friends of the Danbury Railroad, all train rides will be free on this day! As a special educational treat, periodically during the day, demonstrations of railroad signaling and coupling/uncoupling train cars will take place, and other educational talks will be given. In addition, the historic New Haven Railroad Cedar Hill forge is expected to be operating with a blacksmith making various items, and train riders will have an opportunity to take a spin on the
operating turntable, followed by a tour of the water tower pump house.

In the Danbury museum building, visitors can explore railroad history exhibits, operating electric train layouts, static model displays of the station and rail yard, many one-of-a-kind artifacts of railroading history, a wonderful gift shop, a coloring table and other children's activities, and many other items of interest. The museum's Research Library will hold a used book and model sale
with some great bargains.

Outside in the historic rail yard, guests will find walk-through exhibits, and a vast assortment of train cars and locomotives -
many that ran in Danbury during its railroading heyday.

On Sunday, May 10, the Danbury Railway Museum is offer free rides on the Rail yard local to commemorate –Mother's Day. Trains will run from 12 noon to 4 p.m. 

The Danbury Railway Museum is a non-profit organization, staffed solely by volunteers, and is dedicated to the preservation of, and education about, railroad history. The museum is located in the restored 1903 Danbury Station and rail yard at 120 White Street, Danbury, CT. For further information, visit the Web site at http://www.danburyrail.org, or call the museum at 203-778-8337.

Torrington's Five Points Gallery features three artists

Torrington's Five Points Gallery has a new show called Inside Out that will be running through May, 23. Inside Out features the work of  three artists: Mia Westerlund Roosen, Kim Sobel and Janice La Motta.

Mia Westerlund Roosen is an established artist who began her career in the late 1960s. Early on in her career she chose organic subject matter, unusual at a time when the industrial, geometric aesthetic of the Minimalist movement was dominant. For this show at Five Points Gallery, Westerlund Roosen will be exhibiting a variety of work chosen from the past 20 years. According to the artist, these works were created " using a variety of materials and processes that depict bodily systems, metamorphized architecture, and abstracted images of the feminine."

Kim Sobel is a painter who, in the last fifteen years, has exhibited widely in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. The combinations of marks, colors, and atmospheric areas on the canvas create paintings, which, for the artist, record a "never ending search to make sense of the world. 

The work of Connecticut artist Janice La Motta will be on display in the TDP Gallery at Five Points Gallery. La Motta's exhibition, "Chandeliers & Candelabrum" premiers a selection of drawings and paintings from this new series. According to the artist, in this body of work, she is "interested in the associative qualities of light and the artisanal ways to contain and deliver it." Small works on paper in ink, pencil and chine colle serve as studies for the examination of various chandelier armatures and take on a wide-ranging approach to the forms. In an accompanying group of paintings the artist explores the qualities of light, and the deeper, underlying reference to memory.

Five Points Gallery is located at 33 Main Street, Torrington, CT. Hours are Thursdays through Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. The gallery is also open by appointment. For more information please visit www.fivepointsgallery.org.

Catch the BIG ONE at the Riverton Fishing Derby on the Farmington River.

April 11, the official opening of the fishing season in the Nutmeg State is the day when fly-fishing aficionados from near and far flock to the Annual Riverton Fishing Derby in the Riverton section of Barkhamsted located in the beautiful Litchfield Hills. 

The day starts before daybreak with a hearty breakfast beginning at 4 a.m. at the Riverton Fire Department on 3 Riverton Rd. in the center of town.  Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be available at the Riverton General Store located in the center of town in a mid.-19^th century building that is the hub of activity for this village. Green mountain coffee, made to order sandwiches, homemade soups, chili, salad and pastries are just some of the things offered here. For more information on Riverton General Store  www.rivertongeneralstore.com.

This exciting Litchfield Hills event takes place on April 11^th on the West branch of the Farmington River, a Nationally designated “Wild and Scenic” river that is known to host an abundance of rainbow, brown and brook trout.  As a matter of fact, on Friday afternoon before this event, over 100 fish are purchased and released into the Farmington River adding even more incentive to catch the “big one.” The contest, complete with prizes, begins at 6 a.m. and lasts for about four hours, ending at 10 a.m. and it’s all-free; and there is no registration or fee required.

The public is always welcome to attend this event and to cheer on their favorite fisherman.  Last year some 500 enthusiasts participated in the derby. An even bigger crowd is expected this year.  Prizes include items donated by local merchants as well as by Orvis and Cabela’s.  The coveted grand prize is a village chair of Riverton donated by the Hitchcock Chair Company.  The Hitchcock Chair Company Store is located in Riverton and stocks an excellent selection of this classic hand stenciled furniture.  For information about the Hitchcock Chair Company visit www.hitchcockchair.com.

A bit further upriver a section of the flowing waters especially stocked for the occasion, is set aside for the "Kid' Derby".  Any tot under 16 who is able to hold a fishing pole, can join in the fun.  Special prizes are awarded to kids.

To find out more about the Fishing Derby and other events in Riverton, visit http://rivertonct.com.

The easiest way of getting a fishing license is to visit the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s online sportsmen licensing at https://ct.outdoorcentral.net/InternetSales.  Fishing licenses are also available from town clerks and this website has a complete listing of town clerks and businesses that sell fishing licenses.  The website also has a weekly fishing report that runs from opening day through the end of November.  The report is a summary of fresh and saltwater fishing activity in the state as reported by tackle stores around the state.

For more information on Litchfield Hills, where to stay, dine and what to see and do visit www.litchfieldhills.com.