Story Book PJ Party at Stepping Stones Museum for Children

The life size Berenstain Bears will be the highlight at the Pajama Party hosted on Friday, Sept. 12 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk located on 303 West Ave.  So put on your most furry or comfy pajamas, perfect for hibernating like a bear (!), and head over to the Museum!

Stepping Stones is excited to bring this classic, lovable Bear Family who recently celebrated their 50th anniversary to their museum. Participants will hear the tale “The Berenstain Bears Go To School.” In the story, Sister Bear, nervous about entering kindergarten, overcomes her fears when she discovers that school is really fun.

After the story, kids will have the opportunity to meet Brother and Sister Bear!  The museum's friends at  Berenstain Bears describes these two lovable characters:

Sister Bear is a highly-competitive, born-to-win, self-reliant third-grader, who is often braver than she imagines. She loves acting, her Bearbie dolls and the color pink.  Sister is very outdoorsy and sports-minded, but she also loves fairytales,  writing and jump rope

Brother Bear is 10-years old and a stand-up guy.  He is very sports- minded, with his favorite being soccer. He is also a big fan of T.  Rex dinosaurs, model airplane building, and "wheels" of all kinds.  Brother is computer literate and into video games. He often acts as protector and stands  up for Sister and the smaller cubs at school.

In addition to listening to the story and meeting Sister Bear and Brother Bear, pajama party guests can participate in a variety of school-related activities throughout the evening. Practice packing a backpack with school supplies and have fun with apple stamping – stamp real apples with paint! Make a 3-D bus model out of paper and “Be the Teacher” using white boards and markers to draw and write like a teacher.

Kids can even create  their own text book cover by tracing an illustration of the Berenstain Bears using a light table. In the bedtime story corner, kids can enjoy a quiet family snuggle time reading other Berenstain books while relaxing on beanbags.

At the end of the evening, kids are invited to hold their  3-D bus model high as they march and sing along with the Wheels on the Bus Parade.  Then, it’s time to go home for a little hibernation, like bears do in the winter, but only for the night – and maybe some extra sleep because it’s the weekend!

Tickets for this event cost $10 per person for museum members and $15 per person for non-members.  Children under the age of one will be admitted for free.  Storybook Pajama Party tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.  Registration is required.  Space is limited and tickets are selling briskly, so register early.  Call 203 899 0606, ext. 264 or http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/ to register.

Stepping Stones is located at 303 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT, exit 14 North and 15 South off I-95. Museum hours are: Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday—Sunday and select holiday Mondays from 10 am-5pm; and  Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Sunday from 10 am-5 pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. To learn more, visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.

Renowned Author to Lecture on Celebrated Gilded Age Romance at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum

On Wednesday, September 10, 2014, 11 a.m., at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 295 West Avenue in Norwalk, CT, author Jean Zimmerman will give a talk entitled, Love Fiercely: A Gilded Age Romance. A book signing courtesy of Elm Street Books in New Canaan will follow the lecture.

A famous John Singer Sargent portrait inspired Ms. Zimmerman to research its subjects and write their love story. Edith Minturn was a beautiful heiress and Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes, a wealthy young architect. Contemporaries of the Astors and the Vanderbilts, Stokes became a passionate preserver of New York history, Minturn the supermodel of their day, and together they battled on behalf of New York's poor and powerless as reformers. This lecture will explore the couple's era and their world, one of fantastic wealth, when a Madison Avenue scion was moved to create model tenements and a beautiful heiress found herself cast in gold, floating above the modern landscape of America.

This will be the fourth in a series of lectures entitled, Lockwood-Mathews Mansion: Seventy-Four Years of Culture - Art, Life, and Love, 1864-1938 by curators and experts in the field of Victorian era material life. The lectures are $25 for members, $30 for non-members per session. Please RSVP by Friday, September 5, 2014. The price includes lecture, lunch and a first floor Mansion tour. Lunch is courtesy of Michael Gilmartin's Outdoor Cookers. The chair of the Lecture Committee is Mimi Findlay of New Canaan. Please contact info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or 203-838-9799, ext. 4 to purchase tickets.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. For more information on schedules and programs please visit: www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799.

Baby Clothing from 1800- 1950 Exhibition at the Wilton Historical Society

The Wilton Historical Society's fall show called White Linen and Lace, Baby Clothing from 1800- 1950 that will be on display through October 4. Pure yet practical, white has been the traditional choice for baby clothing for hundreds of years. In this small exhibition, tiny garments made with love and lavished with fine needlework are on display. There are christening gowns and slips, night gowns, caps, bonnets, bibs, dresses and petite shoes created between 1800 and 1950. The delicate attire is shown with some of the furnishings of childhood – a cradle, blankets, highchair, silver mugs and utensils, baby bottles and rattles.

A circa 1870 sewing box reminds us of the countless hours women spent laboring over their precious snowy creations, working by the light of candles, oil lamps, or by rays of sunlight through a window. Exquisite clothing with nearly invisible stitches, tiny tucking, tatting, crochet, soutache, cutwork, drawn work and embroidery -- their needle skills are remarkable.

Of particular interest are the family connections many of these heirlooms have with Wilton. Do these names sound familiar? Sturgis, Hurlbutt, Ambler, Belden, Davenport, Evans, Nash, Marvin, Parisot, Rounds – many are now memorialized as road names, while others still boast descendants living in town today.

Another exhibition, Changing Times: Hand Tools Before the Industrial Revolution, features Connecticut Tools of the Trades from the Walter R.T. Smith Collection.  Mounted on the walls of the Burt Barn Gallery, the setting compliments the sculptural appearance of the old tools. They have an almost folk-art quality, with their worn wood and rather eccentric shapes. The machines that supplanted them in the Industrial Revolution would never have the soul of these antique implements.

Both exhibitions will continue through October 4, 2014. The Wilton Historical Society is located on 224 Danbury Road and is open Tuesday—Saturday, 10:00-4:00.  There are house tours every day at 2:00, and by appointment.  For more information http://www.wiltonhistorical.org

The Abbott Blacksmith Shop, also on the property, with a working blacksmith, is open most Saturdays, except in winter.

Jiggle a Jelly at Maritime Aquarium Norwalk

Apparently it's a lot of fun to touch jellyfish when you know you won't be stung. "Jiggle A Jelly" has become a permanent offering at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. It's free with Aquarium admission.

 Visitors will be able to experience the unusual sensation of touching jellies making Jiggle A Jelly' one of the Aquarium regular hands-on features, along with their Intertidal Touch Tank and our Shark & Ray Touch Pool.

Visitors can safely touch live moon jellyfish, one of the most common species in Long Island Sound. Maritime Aquarium volunteers staff the exhibit, encouraging visitors to use two fingers to gently touch the top of the jellyfishes' gelatinous body or "bell."

 Moon jellies (Aurelia aurita) do have tentacles but their stings are generally benign to people. A common species in Long Island Sound, they grow to dinner-plate size during the warmth of summer. Short tentacles rim their bell, and four "oral arms" extend underneath. Moon jellies are colorless and translucent, except for four central horseshoe-shaped reproductive organs.

Letting visitors get close to jellyfish is nothing new for The Maritime Aquarium. A mesmerizing gallery featuring moon jellies, sea nettles, lion's mane and other live species of jellyfish is now in its 19th year at the Aquarium and remains among the most popular and memorable exhibits.

Plus, displays of jellies in their various life stages in the Jellyfish Culture Lab let visitors see how the Aquarium keeps a year-round supply of the seasonal creatures on exhibit. But "Jiggle A Jelly" is the first time visitors have been able to touch them.

Learn more about the Aquarium's exhibits, IMAX® movies and programs at www.maritimeaquarium.org or by calling (203) 852-0700.  For information on Fairfield County visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Coffee House at Westport Historical Society

On August 29 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. join songwriter Suzanne Sheridan and other local musicians for an evening of Civil Rights and Vietnam War protest songs in tribute to the late folk icon Pete Seeger.

The writer of such Sixties anthems as "If I Had a Hammer," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "Turn, Turn, Turn," Seeger was also an environmental activist and co-founder of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater project. He died Jan. 28 at the age of 94.

The evening kicks off with a set by Weston's Bruce Taylor, a retired teacher and maker of string instruments who was a friend of Seeger's. Taylor specialized in the "Seeger- style" 12- string guitar and the long-neck five-string banjo that he created just for Seeger. He and Seeger collaborated on a few songs and also performed together, usually in support of the Clearwater project.

Sheridan, who began her music career writing jingles for such companies as Pepsi, Hasbro toys and Texaco and writing music for The Electric Company and PBS television, has been traveling the world the last three years doing tributes to the music of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. In addition to Seeger's "If I Had a Hammer," she will perform other favorites of the Counterculture era.

Also joining the songfest will be Westport keyboardist Bob Cooper. Cooper played piano in the John Mooney Blues Band from 1978 to 1981, and keyboard for Harvey Robbins' Doo-Wop Hall of Fame concerts from 2000 to 2009.

So, if you were wondering where all the flowers had gone back in the Sixties, or just love great music, come out to the Westport Historical Society on August 29 for an evening that combines Seeger's songs with a bit of recent U.S. history.

Admission is $15 and reservations are recommended. Light refreshments will be served. For more information and to reserve, call (203) 222-1424.

For more information on the Westport Historical Society http://westporthistory.org.

Sunflowers are out at the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens

Sunflowers are at their brilliant peek at the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens located on  151 Brookdale Rd. in Stamford.   Bright yellow with chocolate centers,  sunflowers or Helianthus annus are native to the dry plains, meadows and foothills of the Western United States.  Known for their delicious edible seeds and cooking oil, sunflowers also support  birds and butterflies. The popularity of sunflowers has led to extensive hybridization, creating varying heights and colors for your garden.  The common name, sunflower was given to Helianthus annus as the flowers tend to follow the track of the sun throughout the day.

Photo courtesy of Elaine Hjelte

If you want to discover your inner artist, join Kathie Milligan on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. to learn how to draw natural forms of life.  These sessions focus on developing an individual drawing style by using nature as your subject.  Through close observation participants will examine various types of organic forms and explore their unique qualities.  Movement, use of positive and negative space, exaggeration, choice of composition and employment of light are some of the means of imparting individual character to natural forms. Water color, pencil, pen and ink and charcoal are the materials that will be used. The cost is $20.  Please email Kathie Milligan at swyzzer@aol.com for more information.

On September 14, the Bartlett is hosting a vegetable garden tour and presenting a canning demonstration beginning at 11 a.m.  The tour will be led by master gardeners that are responsible for the design and maintaince of the Bartlett's vegetable gardens.  After the tour, there will be a canning demonstration in the Silver Education Center on the grounds of the Bartlett. 

The Bartlett is also offering a UConn Master Composters Certification beginning  October 4, for five consecutive Saturdays. Classes will be approximately from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The program covers a variety of composting systems, including commercial, farm and worm composting, but has an emphasis on residential composting; classes will cover in detail the science of composting. Master Gardener certification or prior composting experience is not necessary. Registration is limited to 24 interns and the slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis based on receipt of a completed registration form mailed to the Home & Garden Center at UConn Storrs, accompanied by a check for $100. If you wish to obtain a syllabus that details the lectures, dates and locations, and a registration brochure, please contact Greg Moonie, State Coordinator, UConn Master Composter Program at moonie@optonline.net.

For more information on the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens visit http://bartlettarboretum.org/

Larry Silver/Westport Visions: Four Decades of Photography at Westport Historical Society

Today, some 40 years since his earliest forays into Connecticut, Larry Silver is sharing his retrospective of Westport photographs at the Westport Historical Society, located on 25 Avery Place in Westport through October 18, 2014. The exhibition, titled Larry Silver/Westport Visions, features images of the town's favorite haunts, quiet spots and humorous encounters of everyday life in this culturally dynamic community along the shore of Long Island Sound and mouth of the Saugatuck River.

Larry Silver spent decades photographing the neighborhoods and public spaces of Westport, and the coming exhibit features images of its beaches, open fields, parks and downtown that are indicative of a love affair with his adopted town. This personal, creative journey began in 1973, when Larry Silver and his family moved from New York City to Westport.

Drawn from hundreds of images of Westport, this exhibition includes over 50 gelatin silver prints, many vintage. Included are icons of Silver's career, such as the Compo Beach images Beach Showers (1980) and Dancing on the Jetties (1979), which depict isolated human figures in strongly composed, and graphic environments. This body of work is stylistically reminiscent of his earlier Photo League material, yet demonstrates the evolution of his lyrical and balanced compositions that define his trademark style. It also features images never exhibited or published before, including views of Sherwood Island State Park, the Gillespie Center (now Homes for Hope), town celebrations, local farms and neighborhoods, plus additional images of Compo, Longshore and downtown Westport. Silver shot the majority of these with a 35-millimeter Nikon, a 2 1/4 by 2 1/4 Hasselblad or a 4 x 5 view camera. However, in recent years, he has explored possibilities of digital cameras.

Westport Visions offers longtime residents, those new to the area, along with visitors an opportunity to pause and reflect upon the ever-evolving town, from its roots as an agrarian village to a summer resort and artistic community to a modern metropolitan suburb. Many of the places that Silver captured with his camera have changed or disappeared, yet, others, like views of commuters at the train station and bathers at Compo Beach, remain, at once timeless and familiar. This exhibition will provide audiences an opportunity to think about Westport's past and future, with its omnipresent call to improve and be vibrant.

Westport Historical Society is open Mon. - Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sat. 12 noon - 4 p.m. For additional information http://westporthistory.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Scents and Soles at the Westport Arts Center

Dedicated to both the visual and performing arts to inspire visitors to their lovely water front gallery, the Westport Arts Center is hosting a very special exhibition, Scents and Soles through September 7. Scents & Soles features 230 watercolor paintings by renowned photorealist painter, Robert Cottingham and 23 witty shoe sculptures by Nina Bentley.

Robert Cottingham has been an icon in the world of photorealism. He received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1974-75 and had a retrospective at the Smithsonian Museum in 1986.

Four years ago Cottingham turned his attention to the new subject matter of perfume bottles. "In my search for gifts over the years, perfume departments became standard destinations. At some point I began to envision these containers as subjects for a small exhibition that I would title, "TWENTY-FIVE SCENTS." Because of its fluidity and clarity, watercolor became the obvious choice of medium. I eliminated the product labels from the artworks in order to focus completely on the bottles' incredible range of designs... what began as a series of 25 watercolors has grown to 350 watercolors...and counting."

Much has been said of Cottingham's photorealist paintings, however it is easy to apply these thoughts to his perfume watercolors. Cottingham once remarked, "The more I drill down into these shapes, the distinctions between the image and the abstracted forms tend to merge into a cohesive 'thingness.' I can't really say more beyond realizing that each object possesses its "essence.

Nina Bentley is an assemblage artist who has lived in Westport for 21 years. She has exhibited in Europe and America, and has been featured in several juried shows including Art of the Northeast, the Mattatuck Museum, the Katonah Museum, the Discovery Museum in Bridgeport, and the Westport Arts Center on several occasions. In 2005 she had a solo exhibition at Silvermine Art Guild and was also chosen by Barney's New York in 2004 to be their featured artist in the annual show "Madison Avenue: Where Fashion Meets Art" in 2004. In 2001 she was a New/Now artist at the New Britain Museum of American Art, which has one of her large assemblage sculptures in their permanent collection.

Nina describes her work as being "conceptual in nature and concerned with social issues." She continues, "From early childhood I have been moved both by aesthetics and the human condition, not only matters affecting me personally but those evident on a broader social scale. I create art in order to gain some perspective on the world around me while trying to retain a sense of humor. In short, my work can be seen as multi-dimensional social commentary."

The Gallery is open Mon.- Thurs. 10 - 5, Fri. 10-2 and Sat. & Sun. 12 - 4.  The Westport Arts Center is located on 51 Riverside Ave. in Westport.  For more information http://westportartscenter.org/

September Workshops at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking

Located in Norwalk on  299 West Ave., the Center for Contemporary Printmaking has organized a series of workshops for  advanced participants as well as beginners.  On September 5-7 for example, Large Prints from a small press will be featured and participants will explore monoprinting methods that defy the size limitations of our presses. Participants create painterly and stencil-raised plates that can be fixed or repositioned. Chine collé techniques will expand the range of imagery and color in the one-of-a-kind prints. Rinsed prints will be demonstrated. All levels.

On September 13-14, Jeanine Espito will show how handmade paper is one of the  most versatile materials around, yet it has not been fully explored as a sculpture medium.  In this workshop you will learn how to make and use handmade paper to create sculpture.  You will learn what kinds of pulp can be used, how to control it and work with it “in the air” and how to dry it.  You will explore a wide variety of techniques including draping, layering, casting over armatures, imbedding, sewing, etc.  The focus of this class will be on learning the basics of handmade paper sculpture and experimenting with as many techniques as possible in the 2 days.  Some prior knowledge of basic papermaking is suggested but not required. All levels.

There will be a three day workshop on Sept. 19-21 with Carolyn Muskat that will focus on aluminum plate lithos.  This workshop will be an intensive introduction to some of the possibilities within lithography.  One of the more challenging of the printmaking mediums, lithography offers the artist an almost unlimited range of mark-making. Working on aluminum plates, we will cover various drawing and image-making methods, processing with greener, more eco-friendly materials, and printing, including printing in color and registration. Whether you have never tried this exciting medium before, or you want to update your litho skills, this class is for you.  All levels.

To round out the month, Ron Pokrasso will run a five day workshop from September 22- 26 that covers a wide range of techniques possible in the monotype process. Through demonstrations, portfolio presentations, lectures and extensive hands on work time participants will come away with a wealth of information and many new tools for their working process. Using all non-toxic water based Akua products, learn to modify, mix, and layer inks with additive and subtractive approaches, including ink rolling methods, the use of stencils and templates, the reworking of the ghost, contact monotype, viscosity, plate and paper registration, chine colle and collage, drawing, and multiple plate projects. The approach is open as each participant’s individual style will help to dictate the direction of the workshop. All levels.

For more information visit http://www.contemprints.org.  For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Being, Nothingness and More: Roz Chast Beyond the New Yorker at the Bruce Museum

The Bruce Museum located on One Museum Dr. in Greenwich is presenting a new exhibiton of 30 works by the well known Roz Chast.  A highlight of this exhibition will be examples of of Chast's iconic work from The New Yorker magazine, as well as prints and drawings from other projects. Also on display will be tapestries and painted eggs in the pysanky tradition decorated with the artist’s signature images. This exhibit runs through October 19.

Roz Chast
Painted Egg
© Roz Chast

Roz was born in Flatbush Brooklyn and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her cartoons first began appearing in New York City in publications includingThe Village Voice.  

Since the late 1970s, her work has been featured frequently in The New Yorker, and in 1986 her work was featured on the cover of that magazine for the first time.

Roz Chast
Yes - No - MaybeTextile
© Roz Chast

She has written or illustrated more than a dozen books, includingUnscientific Americans, Parallel Universes, Mondo Boxo, Proof of Life on Earth, The Four Elementsand The Party After You Left: Collected Cartoons 1995–2003 (Bloomsbury, 2004). In 2006, Theories of Everything: Selected Collected and Health-Inspected Cartoons, 1978–2006 was published, collecting most of her cartoons from The New Yorker and other periodicals.

Roz Chast
Peas and CarrotsTextile
© Roz Chast

Her most recent book, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant (published in May), chronicles her relationship with her parents as they each approached the end of life.

The Bruce Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm - 5 pm, Doors close 1/2 hour before closing, and the last admission 4:30 pm.  For more information about the Bruce Museum visit www.brucemuseum.org

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Lorikeets at the Maritime Aquarium.... sweet surrender!

Step into a lush aviary to share a laugh and a squawk with beautiful tropical birds that will sip food right out of your hands as "Lorikeets" returns as the special summer exhibit at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk now through September 1.

The exhibit will feature more than 50 free-flying lorikeets, which are colorful medium-sized parrots native to the south Pacific (SE Asia, eastern Australia, Polynesia). The birds come in a dazzling rainbow of colors – with feathers that almost radiate an iridescent glow when seen in full sunlight. Lorikeets are naturally found in rainforests and woodlands, but also in wooded urban areas, where they primarily feed on the nectars of various blossoms and fruits.

Visitors are invited to purchase a cup of nectar for $3 that will attract lorikeets to land on you while drinking creating an unforgettable experience and photo opportunity.

Lorikeets are specially adapted to their sweet nectar diet through their specialized tongue. Tiny hair-like appendages called papillae form a U shape on the end of the tongue. When the tongue is extended, these papillae stand up like bristles on a brush, expanding the tongue's surface area and allowing the birds to easily soak up nectar. Unique to lorikeets, these papillae have earned the birds the nickname "brush-tongued parrots."

Some other important items to note about "Lorikeets": • It will be handicapped-accessible but no strollers, please. • Guests will be asked to sanitize their hands before entering. • To encourage the birds to rest, the exhibit will close for a half-hour at 1:30 p.m. daily. • The exhibit will close 30 minutes before the rest of the Aquarium: at 5:30 p.m. in July and August.  

Get more details about "Lorikeets" and other summer offerings at The Maritime Aquarium, including the new IMAX movie "Journey to the South Pacific" (opening July 1), by calling (203) 852-0700 or logging onto www.maritimeaquarium.org.

August Concerts at Calf Pasture Beach Norwalk

Each Wednesday night throughout the summer, music lovers can head to scenic Calf Pasture Beach on Calf Pasture Beach Road in Norwalk (06851) to enjoy an evening of free musical entertainment. If you don’t have a parking sticker for this beach, not to worry, there is a  nominal $5.00 parking fee  charged for cars without a Norwalk beach sticker.

Cash Kings

To start off the month of August at 7 p.m. Cash is King is performing. Fans of the Man in Black will enjoy this recreation of performances by Johnny Cash & The Tennessee Three with June Carter Cash.

Deja Vu

The Classic Car Show is back on August 13 and begins at 6 p.m.  This gathering of than 100 vehicles is hosted by the Coachmen Rod and Custom Club, an organization of men and women who enjoy classic cars. Owners of 1981 and older cars can participate in the shows, which attract owners from throughout the tri-state area. Each car show participant is asked to contribute canned food or make a donation to the St. Vincent De Paul food bank.   At 7 p.m., Deja Vu will entertain the crowd.  For ten years, this popular group has been performing “golden oldies” at events from New Haven to New York.  The group includes Dominick Muro (lead vocals), Tony Masi (keyboards/lead vocals), Arthur Armstrong (lead vocals), George Gionios (saxophone/vocals), Rocco Castango (drums/vocals), John Skrensky (bass guitar/vocals) and Sal Salta (lead guitar/vocals).

Desert Highway

Curious Creatures kick off the August 20 event at 6:30 p.m. and is followed by a concert by Desert Highway.  This  is a passionate group of six talented professions who perform the rich vocal harmonies and intricate guitar styles made famous by The Eagles. The band includes Mike Green (lead vocals, guitars), Larry Lippman (lead vocals, drums), Carl Bova (bass, vocals), Rich Naso (guitars), Ed Betancourt (guitars, vocals) and Mitch Lieb (keyboards).

On August 27 at 7 p.m. Back to the Garden 1969 will entertain concert goers.  Spotlighting music from the Woodstock era, these seasoned musicians have toured, performed and recorded nationally. Each member of the band – Gary Adamson, Bob Fonseca, Mike Garner, Larry Kelly and Annie Masciando -- plays multiple instruments and also is a lead vocalist.  

For area information visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

August at the Beardsley Zoo a fun way to spend the last month of summer

August at the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport on 1875 Noble Ave. has a host of activities that promises fun for the whole family. Take the Rainforest Reptiles for example that are back at the Zoo by popular demand from August 1-17. These reptile shows feature exotic crawlers, unusual slitherers, and fascinating creepers, all of which are creatures of the rainforest. Participants will experience direct contact with live animals, artifacts, and hear fascinating stories about these unusual animals and their natural habitats. There are two shows daily Tuesdays – Thursdays and three shows on Friday – Sunday.

There are two sessions of "Zoo Patrol", the first from August 4-8 and the second from August 11-15. The Zoo Patrol offers children ages 6 – 8 the opportunity to participate in keeper talks, behind-the-scenes tours, animal related games, and crafts. Hands-on lab activities and nature studies may also be a part of the program. Sessions run on zoo grounds Monday through Friday. Each week is $140/child for Zoo members and $165/child for non-members.Advance registration is required. For more information and to register, please call 203-394-6563.

On August 20, the Zoo is hosting a special evening lecture at 7 p.m. on Tree-Top Hideaways. Participants will learn about monkey movement and behavior with this month's guest lecturer Kevin McLean. A highlight is the rush hour report from Panama - it's a jungle out there! The  suggested donation is $5. Refreshments will be served. This lecture, taking place in the Hanson Exploration Station, is part of the Evening Lecture Series, sponsored by Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo Volunteer Association.

On September 1, Labor Day, Zoo goers will bid farewell to the Zoo's summertime guests, the three visiting camels. 

About Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Unplug and explore Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo! Connecticut's only zoo features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won't want to miss our Amur (Siberian) tigers and leopard, Brazilian ocelot, Mexican wolves, and Golden Lion tamarins. Other highlights include our South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with "pop-up" viewing areas, the New England Farmyard with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other barnyard critters, plus the hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, and more. Visitors can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove, and enjoy a ride on our colorful carousel. For more information, visit www.beardsleyzoo.org.

Maritime Cruise Experiences on Long Island Sound to Sheffield Island

The recipe for a perfect summer night out is available every Friday night in July and August thanks to a partnership between the Norwalk Seaport Association, Mama’s Boy restaurant and the Norwalk Parking Authority. “Maritime Cruise and Cuisine” Fridays are returning for a third year offering participants a cruise around the Norwalk Islands followed by dinner at Mama’s Boy and convenient, safe parking at the Maritime Garage.

 The Maritime Cruise and Cuisine package includes a Norwalk Harbor sunset cruise with the Norwalk Seaport Association’s “CJ Toth” ferry, leaving from Sheffield Island Dock (located on the corner of Water St and Washington St) at 6:00 pm and returning at 8:00 pm. Guests then walk one block to Mama’s Boy Restaurant, featuring a gourmet twist on Southern food, located at 19 North Water Street, for a three-course meal. The package price is $57 per person plus reduced price parking of $2 for the evening at the Maritime Garage. Cruise and Cuisine Fridays run through August 29^th.

The Norwalk Seaport Association is also offering up plenty of family fun in late July and early August with the pirates at the lighthouse!  The Pirates are coming to Sheffield Island on July 26 and 27 and August 2 and 3. Pirate Weekend activities are free, but participants must purchase round-trip ferry tickets to Sheffield Island. Tickets to the island are $22.00 for adults, $12.00 for children ages 4-12 and $5.00 for children age 3 and under, plus applicable service charge.

Bird watching Tours run through August 10 that offers visitors the experience to understand and explore the importance of Norwalk Islands and it’s many migratorial

bird species.  Larry Flynn, a master wildlife conservationist with DEEP will conduct these informative tours.

Scenic Cruises to Sheffield Island are offered through September. Trips to the island take visitors through the historic Norwalk Harbor area to the Island that offers unique views of the shoreline, a tour of the lighthouse and the chance to explore the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge or picnic on the beach.  Tickets can be purchased online or at the dock.  Remember to wear comfortable shoes with a closed heal or back strap; flip-flops are not allowed due to safety concerns.

The boat leaves from the Sheffield Island Lighthouse dock located at the corner of North Water Street and Washington Street in Historic South Norwalk. Parking is available adjacent to the dock and at the Norwalk Maritime Center Garage.

For information and reservations, please call the Norwalk Seaport Association, 203-838-9444 or buy tickets online at www.seaport.orgwww.seaport.org.

For special hotel and metro north deals and packages www.visitfarfieldcountyct.com