Open Your Eyes Studio Tour & Showcase in Litchfield Hills

L. Petrocine - Wetlands

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

Artists will open their creative spaces to the public on Saturday and Sunday along the tour route to show their work and discuss their creative processes.  The artists’ media represented on the tour include painting, printmaking, sculpting, photography, metal sculpture, woodworking, wool spinning, dying & weaving, installation work, bookmaking, digital art, drawing, ceramics, and jewelry.  

M. Everett

The artists are Terri Tibbatts, Bill Merklein, Silver Sun Studio, Michael Everett, Linda Petrocine, Peter Kirkiles, Alison Palmer, Peter Kukresh, Lauri Zarin, Scott Bricher, Naya Bricher, Mary Terrizzi, Ed Martinez, Deborah Chabrian, Jill Scholsohn, Richard Stalter, Susan Grisell, Barbara Dull, Stephen Dull, Elizabeth Mullins, Susan Millins, Kathleen L’Hommedieu, Peter Catchpole, Patrick Purcell, Chris Osborne, Joel Spector, Anda Styler, Lynn WEllings, and Diane Dubreuil.

Chabrin - Artists Desk

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

SS Studios

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

Steamin with Sadie at the Railroad Museum of New England

This June, Steamin' With Sadie will be the star attraction at the Railroad Museum of New England's Thomaston Station as restored Lehigh Valley Coal Company Engine #126 leads weekend trips over our scenic railroad between June 8 through 23, including Father's Day Weekend. Sadie, an 0-6-0 coal-fired steam engine and big sister to Hank the Tank, will be pulling their vintage train cars on hour-long trips along the Naugatuck River. For more information http://www.rmne.org.  For area information www.litchfieldhills.com.

All trips are on Saturdays and Sundays for three weekends beginning June 8 at 10 AM, 12 PM and 2 PM, boarding at historic 1881 Thomaston Station. They will also have extra displays, story book readings, live music and activities for kids of all ages at the Station. Tickets are Adults $20 and Children $15 (ages 3 – 12), age 2 and under are free. Purchase tickets online or call (860) 283-7245 to purchase from their agent. This is a special event you will not want to miss!

Between the 1830s and 1960, steam locomotives carried passengers and freight to every corner of America. They became part of our national history, a symbol of mobility and change. Over the years, steam locomotives became larger and more efficient. But technology advances after World War II changed the face of railroading forever. By 1948, steam engines were gone from the Naugatuck Valley, replaced by modern diesel locomotives on the New Haven Railroad from Bridgeport to Winsted, ending an important era in modern industrial history.

Lehigh Valley Coal Company #126 is a 40 ton coal-fired steam locomotive built by Vulcan Iron Works and put in service in 1931. It worked in Pennsylvania coal mines and was purchased by father and son team John and Barney Gramling from Indiana in 1993. Gramling Locomotive Works fully restored #126 to operating condition, completing it June 2011. Since then, #126 has traveled as far as Michigan, Illinois, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and now to Connecticut as a living, breathing Ambassador of Steam.

About the Railroad Museum of New England

The Railroad Museum of New England is a not for profit historical and educational organization and an all-volunteer organization. We are located in historic 1881 Thomaston Station at 242 East Main St., Thomaston, CT. Our mission is to tell the story of the region's rich railroad heritage through our educational exhibits and operation of the Naugatuck Railroad. The museum concept is more than artifacts; it's also the story of the region and the development of society around the railroad. We offer an entertaining and scenic train ride along the Naugatuck River with vintage locomotives and restored passenger cars, also featuring displays of freight equipment and cabooses.

Lime Rock Starts Summer Racing Season May 24-26

Lime Rock Park located on Rte. 112 in Lime Rock CT kicks off the summer racing season with several exciting events. The Memorial Day Race weekend Friday, May 24, Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 (no Monday event) will be jam-packed with top rank sports car series races topped off by a fabulous car show.

New this year, the sports car race series will feature the newly revitalized SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series.  This is Detroit’s big “iron” that includes Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes going head to head with each other while fending off advances of some of Europe’s best sports cars.  In addition to this, there will be the added excitement of heart pounding Formula F and F2000 races.

On Sunday, May 26 one of the most popular events, the 4^th annual Royals Car Show will return to the historic Lime Rock track again this year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  It is exciting to be able to get out on the track to view all the fantastic cars that will be showing off.  Participating vehicles include muscle cars, tuners and imports, street rods, motorcycles, classic cars, antiques, antique trucks, race cars, exceptional contemporary cars and fire trucks – the list is endless.   The car show entry fees is $10 for adults, $5 for military, and kids 12 and under are free. Proceeds raised from the car show at Lime Rock Park benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

For tickets for the Trans-Am Races and Royals Car Show visit  http://tickets.limerock.com.  For general information on Lime Rock Park http://www.limerock.comhttp://www.limerock.com.  For area information www.litchfieldhills.comwww.litchfieldhills.com.

About Lime Rock Park

Dreamed up in 1956 by Jim Vaill and with the help of John Fitch and Cornnell Aeronautical Labs, Lime Rock is 1.50 miles of up hill and down dale, a track that looks deceivingly simple but is immensely challenging to drive at high speeds. Its setting is in a village in the heart of the Litchfield Hills renowned for its great natural beauty and cultural heritage.

In its 55 year existence, almost all of the sport’s greats have raced here: Andretti, Moss, Gurney, Posey, Rodriguez, Hobbs, Hill, Donohue, Ward, Fitch…the list of great drivers who’ve raced here is endless.

Lime Rock has also seen virtually every kind of racecar grace its corners and straights…from ground-pounding NASCAR stock cars to Can-Am, Camel GTP, F5000, Trans-Am and Atlantic, this list also goes on and on.

Today, Lime Rock is the leading edge of American LeMans Series and Grand-Am with their own stars and cars that are writing history. 

Daffodils in Litchfield Hills

Daffodils beginning to bloom in Litchfield at Laurel Ridge

As the winter snow melts and the days become warmer and longer daffodils, the heralds of spring in New England's Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County slowly begin to emerge.

The best place in the state to watch the sea of yellow unfold is at the Laurel Ridge Foundation located on Wigwam Road in the Northfield section of Litchfield Connecticut. For information about the Foundation visit www.litchfielddaffodils.com.

The Foundation, located on a winding country road in the scenic Litchfield Hills is open to everyone from sunrise to sunset during the time period daffodils are in bloom which is typically late March through early May. The fields are closed the rest of the year. Visitors are encouraged to take photos of the field and are invited to submit their photos on the Laurel Ridge website a t www.litchfielddaffodils.com/gallery.phpwww.litchfielddaffodils.com/gallery.php. Bulky photography equipment however is discouraged. The Foundation is on private property; picnics and household pets are not allowed.

A walk among the daffodils at Laurel Ridge Foundation is a rare early spring outing in an unspoiled oasis. The wild natural landscape of gently sloping woodland, fields and aged stonewalls overlooks a small lake dotted with two tiny islands. The park land and one of the islands is completely carpeted with gold and white blossoms, a glorious sight that is nirvana for photographers.

In Wilton, located in Fairfield County visit Weir Farm National Park located on 735 Nod Hill Rd. which has daffodils in bloom amid its many stone walls and in fields. For information on Weir Farm visit www.nps.gov/wefa/index.htmwww.nps.gov/wefa/index.htm. Weir Farm, Connecituct's only National Park was once the home of and workplace of J. Alden Weir (1852-1919) and is now considered to be the best preserved landscape associated with American Impressionism.

The Art of Advertising to Open at the Litchfield History Museum

Taking a walk through Litchfield’s center you can’t help but notice the businesses lining West Street. Brightly colored window displays catch your eye. Perhaps you smell lunch being served in a nearby restaurant. To distinguish themselves from each other, each business has a sign hanging outside the door.

While many things have changed over the past two hundred years, one thing has remained the same: Litchfield is dotted with signs. Opening on Saturday, April 13, the Litchfield Historical Society’s new exhibition, The Art of Advertising: Signs around Town, will explore these symbols that mark the retailers, museums, schools, and establishments that make up the community. These beautifully crafted objects let us know what can be found behind each door, and each has something to reveal about the establishments that have helped create this charming community.

Visitors and residents alike will enjoy this new exhibit of 19th- and 20th- century signs from the museum collection while learning about the businesses that helped shape Litchfield’s past. This exhibit will be on view through the end of June, 2013.

The Litchfield History Museum is located at 7 South Street, Litchfield, CT. The History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 pm. For more information, please call (860) 567-4501 or see www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.orgwww.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org. 

For area information www.litchfieldhills.com.

A Taste of Litchfield Hills Aug. 25 - 27

From comfort food to gourmet dishes and live entertainment to an outdoor shopping bazaar, the 27th annual Taste of The Litchfield Hills will offer a menu of fine fare and fun at a new location. New England's oldest food and wine festival will be held Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 25-26, 2012, at its new location, Harwinton Fairgrounds, 150 Locust Road, Harwinton, Conn. Since 1985, the festival has annually attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region's food and wine, plus upscale shopping and live entertainment. This year's menu will feature such dishes as BBQ pulled pork, braised short ribs, chicken and black bean chili, fresh prosciutto Panini, lamb shawama pita wrap, lobster hush puppies, lobster mac and cheese, grilled pizza, New England clam chowder, seared sea scallops, sesame chicken and many other items. Sweet offerings will include apple cider cinnamon donuts, banana & toffee pie, fruit smoothies, old fashioned kettle corn, white chocolate apricot squares and many other delicious desserts. The 2012 Menu is available for download at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com. Foodies will enjoy "grazing-sized" portions of house specialties prepared by chefs from regional restaurants, bistros and other purveyors of fine food with prices ranging from $4.00 to $8.00 per item. Table seating will be available in the festival's Culinary Tent and outdoor picnic pavilions. Plus, guests are invited to picnic on the grounds with their own lawn chairs and blankets. Participating culinary vendors will include @ The Corner (Litchfield), Backstage Restaurant (Torrington), Faddy's Donuts & Ice Cream (Bloomfield), The Green Room Café (Winsted), Indochine Pavilion (New Haven), Infinity Bistro (Norfolk), Jake's Wayback Burgers (Torrington), Kelly's Kitchen (Winsted), KJ' Grilled Pizza (Torrington), La Cupola Ristorante & Inn (Litchfield) and Noujaim's Specialty Foods (Torrington). An assortment of imported Italian wines from Don Tomasi Winery will be available for purchase by the glass. Samuel Adams Boston Lager beer, plus a variety of soft drinks also will be available for purchase. Live entertainment will include country singer-songwriter Courtney Drummey (Saturday, 12-3 p.m.), jazz recording artists The Christine Spero Group (Saturday, 4-7 p.m.) and blues artists The Andy James Band (Sunday, 1-4 p.m.). Guests will also enjoy an upscale shopping experience in the festivals outdoor bazaar featuring such unique gift items as artisan-crafted jewelry, gourmet food products, kitchenware and other products and services. Hours for A Taste of the Litchfield Hills will be 12 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, and 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Ticket prices are Adult (age 12-64): $10 On-Site or $8 Advance Purchase; Senior (age 65+): $8 On-Site or $6 Advance Purchase; and Child (Under 12): Free admission. Advance tickets and more information are available at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com. Admission does not include food and beverage, which are purchased separately. Harwinton Fairgrounds is located off Route 4 on Locust Road in Harwinton, Conn., just a few minutes from the intersection of Routes 8 & 118 and is an easy day-trip from Albany, The Berkshires, Hartford, The Hudson Valley, Metro New York, New Haven and Springfield. With its antique shops, art galleries, covered bridges and quaint villages, the Litchfield Hills is an ideal vacation destination for the three-day holiday weekend. Lodging options include dozens of bed and breakfasts, country inns, resorts, hotels and motels. Tourism information is available from the Western Conn. Convention & Visitors Bureau at 860-567-4506 or www.LitchfieldHills.com. About A Taste of The Litchfield Hills Since 1985, A Taste of The Litchfield Hills has annually attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region's food and locally-produced wine, plus live entertainment and upscale shopping. More Info: www.LitchfieldFestivals.com

Kent Singers Concert Celebrates Spring

Kent Singers

The Kent Singers return for the Spring Concert of the 39^th season on April 15, 2012, at St. Andrew’s Church in Kent, and on April 22 at St. Mark’s Bridgewater. Both concerts are scheduled for 3 p.m.

The highly acclaimed group features singers from throughout Northwest Connecticut performing mostly four-part classical compositions. They have built a reputation for presenting some of the finest choral music. They are all volunteers, including Music Director, Mark Brooks.

Brass Valley: Made in America

The Sharon Historical Society located on 18 Main Street in Sharon CT in the historic Gay-Hoyt House is hosting the work of artist Emery Roth. The show will run through April 25. Roth’s work will be displayed in the Society’s Gallery that is open Wednesday-Friday, from 10 to 4 pm and by appointment.

Emery Roth is an accomplished photographer. This exhibit melds contemporary photography of the industry of Connecticut’s Naugatuck Valley, with text and objects from the museum’s collection that tell the stories of Sharon’s industrial past. The exhibit evolved as Mr. Roth began following the old railroad tracks through the Naugatuck Valley and photographing what was left of its industrial past.

In his photographs, he was searching for rust and a glimpse of another age. He admits that he never expected to find himself in a time warp, photographing where giant hydraulics are still hissing, steel clanking, hot, glowing metal flying through the air, where the steam still rises from old pickling vats, and men charge furnaces in buildings where the soot has had more than a hundred years to cake. He never dreamed such a place still existed and took the photographs to prove that it does still exist in Connecticut. This is a show about those places.

A highlight of this show is a guided walk through the exhibit by the photographer on Sunday April 1 at 3 pm. All are invited. For additional information, contact the Sharon Historical Society at 860-364-5688 or via email sharonhistoricalsociety@yahoo.com, or our website, www.sharonhist.org.

About the Sharon Historical Society

Ride a Vintage Train to Visit the Easter Bunny !

The Danbury Railway Museum is planning to greet the Easter Bunny once again this spring. The Easter Bunny will make his home in an authentically restored train car where he will greet young and old alike on special weekends this March and April !

 To reach the Easter Bunny you will first enter the historic Danbury Railroad Station where you will board a vintage train that will take you on a fun filled ride through the historic railyard to the Easter Bunny. The short train ride in a fully-restored 1953 New Haven RR Rail Diesel Car (Budd RDC), will take visitors past the fully operational turntable, over 70 vintage railroad cars and locomotives, and many unique pieces of railroad history, including a Boston & Maine steam locomotive built in 1907.

Of special note is the museum's beautifully restored circa-1910 Railway Post Office (RPO) car that will also be open. The train ride will stop at the Easter Bunny's special railroad car. Each child will receive a small gift from the Bunny making this a great time for memorable photos that will be cherished though out the years.

 An extra treat for those visiting the Easter Bunny are the exhibits inside the restored 1903 Danbury Station that include a coloring station, temporary tattoos, Thomas® play table, and operating model train layouts. A fully-stocked gift shop will also be open.

 This popular annual family event will take place on Sunday, March 25; Saturday and Sunday, March 31 and April 1; and Friday & Saturday, April 6 & 7. Museum hours are 10:00-4:30 on Friday and Saturday; noon-4:30 on Sunday; trains leave every 30 minutes from 12:30 to 3:30. Admission is $9.00 (age 2 and up).

Maple Sugaring March 10 & 11 and March 17, 19

The Maple Calendar

How Sweet It Is – March 3 & 4 at Stamford Museum and Nature Center

This family favorite returns to the Stamford Museum & Nature Center with plenty to do for the whole family on Saturday, March 3 and Sunday March 4th from 11 am - 3 pm.  This year marks the 12th anniversary First County Bank has sponsored this family festival highlighting the New England tradition of maple sugaring.

This event offers a  multitude of activities sure to please everyone in the family! Visit the little red sugar house on Heckscher Farm and see firsthand how sap is turned into sweet maple syrup.  See how trees are tapped and sap is collected, make a maple-themed craft, enjoy the popular pancake brunch, go on a scavenger hunt, get your face painted and more.  A special treat is to watch  local chefs create delicious dishes using maple syrup in a winner-takes-all maple cook-off!

On Saturday, watch four local chefs create delicious dishes using SM&NC maple syrup and vote for your favorite in a winner-takes-all maple cook-off. Competing Chefs include David Cingari from David's Soundview Catering, Susan Kane from Susan Kane Catering, Jonathan Mathias, owner of A Dash of Salt and the Glekas owners of Eos Greek Cuisine.

On Sunday, enjoy the popular pancake brunch. Don’t forget to purchase a pint of your very own fresh maple syrup, made from our very own trees at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center.
Daily Admission Fees: Members: $5; Non-Members: $10; Family Plus Members and above levels and all children 3 & under: FREE; Pancake Brunch (SUNDAY only, 11am – 2pm) Additional $5 fee. For more information, call 203.977.6521, or visit www.stamfordmuseum.org.

Additionally, people can help support the Maple Sugar Education Program at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center with their Sponsor-A-Bucket program! Your support will be acknowledged with a personalized name tag that will hang on your personal sap bucket throughout the season...with a "sweet" end result! At the end of the season each Sponsor will receive a pint of SM&NC's very own pure Connecticut Maple Syrup. Each sponsorship opportunity is $100. To sponsor a bucket, call Kristen at 203.977.6548 or order online at www.stamfordmuseum.org.

If you miss this event, take a trip to Lamothe's Sugar House, the state's largest sugar house in Burlington Connecticut. On weekends, through March, Lamothe’s offers free tours on their farm from 1 pm to 4:30 pm. Visitors will learn how maple syrup was discovered and how it developed over time and is made today. Delicious samples of maple syrup, complimentary coffee and hot cider is served.

Lamothe's Sugar House is located on 89 Stone Road, Burlington, CT (860-675-5043).  For more information visit their website at www.lamothesugarhouse.com.

Disney's Aladdin Jr at The Warner Theater Feb. 25 and 26

The Warner Theatre Center for Arts Education's students will present Disney's Aladdin Jr on Saturday, February 25 at 2 & 7pm and Sunday, February 26 at 2pm. Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin, Jasmine, and of course, the Genie. Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, audiences' spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy award-winning score with songs including "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me" will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come! This performance is part of the Young Actors Series and will be directed by the Warner Theatre Center for Arts Education's Director, Isabel Carrington. Tickets are $12.50 and can be purchased by calling the Warner box office at 860-489-7180 or online at www.warnertheatre.org. About the Warner Built by Warner Brothers Studios and opened in 1931 as a movie palace (1,772 seats), the Warner Theatre was described then as "Connecticut's Most Beautiful Theatre." Damaged extensively in a flood, the Warner was slated for demolition in the early 1980s until the non-profit Northwest Connecticut Association for the Arts (NCAA) was founded and purchased the theatre. The Warner reopened as a performing arts center in 1983, and restoration of the main lobbies and auditorium was completed in November 2002. In 2008, the new 50,000 square foot Carole and Ray Neag Performing Arts Center, which houses a 300 seat studio theatre, 200 seat restaurant and expansive school for the arts, was completed. Today, the Warner is in operation year-round with more than 160 performances and 100,000 patrons passing through its doors each season. Over 10,000 students, pre K-adult, participate in arts education programs and classes. Together, with the support of the community, the Warner has raised close to $17 million to revitalize its facilities. NCAA's mission is to preserve the Warner Theatre as an historic landmark, enhance its reputation as a center of artistic excellence and a focal point of community involvement, and satisfy the diverse cultural needs of the region. To learn more about the Warner Theatre, visit our website: www.warnertheatre.org.

Quassy’s New Roller Coaster Named Attraction Of The Year

Quassy Amusement Park’s “Wooden Warrior” roller coaster has been named Attraction of the Year in a poll conducted by the theme park enthusiasts’ Web site Behind The Thrills.In making the announcement today, Racheal and Erik Yates, who operate the popular site, said the “Wooden Warrior” has been a huge success for Quassy, a small family-owned park in Middlebury, Conn.

“We’re absolutely delighted by the news,” said Quassy President Eric Anderson. “We were up against some other fantastic attractions from throughout the world.”

Attraction of the Year was a new category added to a list of 10 awards presented by Behind The Thrills. Nominations for this distinguished award were submitted by readers.

“We received over a hundred different attractions (nominations) from parks all over the world,” the Yates said in announcing the honors. “Not all of the attractions were new. In fact, a lot of the new attractions barely made our top 30 to be placed on the ballot.”

Roller coasters, dark rides and some classic attractions at large theme parks were among the nominations.

The Yates went on to say: “The little roller coaster (“Wooden Warrior”) stood up against an army of bigger, meaner, more technologically advanced rides and came out victorious!”

Quassy’s new coaster captured 35 percent of the vote with * “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” TM, at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure, coming in second with 12 percent of the tally. “The Voyage” roller coaster at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Ind., placed third in the voting.

The “Wooden Warrior” has received praise from coaster and theme park enthusiasts since opening last April.

“The ride speaks for itself,” noted George Frantzis, a Quassy owner. “It’s a small ride that offers a fantastic experience for its size. We’ve been told that time and again by our guests and coaster experts who have traveled great distances to ride it.”

The 1,250-foot ride was designed by The Gravity Group of Cincinnati, Ohio, and is the first “junior coaster” in the firm’s portfolio. In addition, Quassy selected The Gravity Group’s sister firm, Gravitykraft, to provide its state-of-the-art Timberliner train for the ride. The “Wooden Warrior” is the first new coaster in the United States to feature the sleek train.

“The resulting ride is fast, smooth and a lot of punch for a little coaster,” the Yates said in their award statement.

Quassy Amusement Park will open its 104th season on April 28. For more information visit www.quassy.com.

Also, visit these related Web sites: www.behindthethrills.com and www.thegravitygroup.com.