Antique Machinery Fall Festival in Litchfield HIlls

This year marks the 30th annual Fall Festival hosted by the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association on 31 Kent Cornwall Rd. in Kent on September 26, 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

This event features special demonstrations, vendors and food along with  the many permanent exhibits of the Association that includes Industrial Hall, a mining museum, a tractor hall, a narrow gage working railroad and the Cream Hill Agricultural School.

Highlights of this event include an American #1 sawmill with plenty of logs to be cut into planks.There will be demonstrations throughout the weekend of the sawmill, as well as other wood handling machinery including an antique planer, a splitter, and maybe even a drag saw.

Another popular spot is the blacksmith's shop headed up by Skip Kern who will be showing visitors the art of blacksmithing. In the Industrial Hall of Steam, Conrad Milster will be giving talks and live demonstrations of  various antique steam engines. The Association hopes to see their Nagle-Corliss engine in operation for this show. A highlight in Industrial Hall is the Associations newest acquisition, a very early (possibly Ames) engine, on loan from the New York Hall of Science.

In the Industrial Hall of Steam, Conrad Milster will be giving talks and live demonstrations of the Association's various antique steam engines. The Association hopes to see their Nagle-Corliss engine in operation for this show. Visitors will also see the Association's newest acquisition, a very early (possibly Ames) engine, that came to them in beautiful condition, on loan from the New York Hall of Science.

There will be Lumber Jack/Jill demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday of the Festival, featuring Shannon Strong, a well-known local fitness trainer and Lumber Jill. The show will feature demonstrations of handsaw and ax skills and is always very entertaining. Shannon is also a personal trainer, strength trainer, specializing in core training, and mind-body fitness. Demonstration times will be announced at the show.

Don't miss the Friday evening spaghetti w/meatballs and sausage. There's a limited number of tickets available, so buy them in advance at the food pavilion. The dinner is from 5:30 to 7:00 PM and will be held at the picnic pavilion unless inclement weather forces it inside the Industrial Hall. Tickets are $10 per person. Menu includes spaghetti with meatballs and sausage, salad, Italian bread, soft drinks, coffee and dessert. All proceeds benefit the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association.

Parking is free in the lower parking field and a free shuttle bus will bring you to the main gate.

For more information http://www.ctamachinery.com and for area information www.litchfieldhills.com

West Cornwall Scenery, Shopping & More

There are many reasons to visit the bucolic village of West Cornwall.  The West Cornwall Covered Bridge is a wooden lattice truss bridge built around 1864 that spans the Housatonic River.  This is one of two bridges that can actually be crossed by auto traffic.  Many visitors to West Cornwall take photos of this iconic covered bridge.

In the heart of the village there are several interesting shops to explore.  Cornwall Bridge Pottery http://www.cbpots.com owned by Todd Piker, one of the country's most prolific potters produces high quality wood fired pots for everyday use.  In his shop you will find lamps, planters, mugs, plates, bowls and much more.  In addition to pottery, you will also find an official Shaker Furniture Room.

If you are a book lover, don't miss Barbara Farnsworth Bookseller http://www.farnsworthbooks.com.  This shop is located in an old masonic hall and has over 45,000 books !  There are large selections in literature, biography, poetry, diaries and letters, art, architecture, photography, fashion and costume, natural history, cookbooks, children's books, and many other categories.

The Wish House is a gorgeous shop that offers a wide array of gift items and clothes.  The gallery at the Wish House exhibits the artwork of local artists and hosts author events.  The West Cornwall Farmers Market is also held here on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through October.

On Saturday, August 10 from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m., The Wish House is hosting a book signing with Cornwall Author and Illustrator Valorie Fisher and her new children's book I CAN DO IT MYSELF to benefit the Cornwall Child Center.  This beautifully illustrated book is the ideal all-in-one concept book for children, teaching them how to tie their shoes, brush their teeth, and much more. Award-winning author-illustrator Fisher uses bright, gorgeous photos to illustrate these topics in a completely fresh way, which is sure to delight parents and their children who are newly reveling in the joy of independence.

Beautiful Dogwood Festival Blossoms Help Celebrate 375th Anniversary of Fairfield, in Western Connecticut

A steepled church, a village green, and colonial homes enveloped in clouds of pink blossoms are a traditional sign of spring in Fairfield, one of Western Connecticut’s oldest and loveliest towns. Fairfield’s Dogwood Festival has been a tradition for 79 years, celebrating the hundreds of trees that light up the lanes of the town’s historic Greenfield Hill neighborhood. This year’s event takes place Friday May 2 through Sunday, May 4.

But Greenfield Hill is just one of three historic districts in this Fairfield County town celebrating an impressive 375^th anniversary this year.  So after enjoying one of spring’s most colorful celebrations, visitors can enjoy the celebration taking place in the rest of the town.

The Dogwood Festival

Fairfield’s first dogwood trees were planted back in 1705, when Isaac Bronson, a retired Revolutionary War surgeon-turned-farmer, decided his Greenfield Hills property would be enhanced if he transplanted some of the native wild dogwood trees blooming in the nearby woods. Bronson propagated and so did his trees. By 1895, the blooms were so outstanding that the Greenfield Hill Village Improvement Society took on care of the dogwoods as an official project, adding many new plantings that continue to grow. 

In 1935 the Greenfield Hills Congregational Church held the first Dogwood Festival, and like the trees, it has grown prodigiously with time.  Besides taking in the beauty of the blossoms, guests can visit tents where some 40 juried New England artisans and crafters will be showing their creations, see an art show, hunt for treasures at a tag sale, enjoy free musical entertainment and pick up prize plants that make perfect Mothers’ Day gifts. Walking tours of the historic lanes will be available and kids will have their own craft tent, bounce house, and face painter, plus cotton candy, and carnival games with prizes. Proceeds from the festival benefit more than 30 local, national and international charities. For details, see www.greenfieldhillschurch.com

                                    The 375^th Anniversary

In the second historic district in the center of town, the first sign of something special going on this year will be the fire hydrants, painted in historic garb like the Colonial soldiers who once marched here.

At the Fairfield Museum and History Center, a new hands-on exhibit explores the doings in town over its colorful past. Creating Community: Exploring 375 years of Our Past lets visitors look inside a Native American wigwam, climb into an American Revolution fort, watch a video depicting the Burning of Fairfield by the British in 1779, decipher a spy code, and sit on a 19^th century trolley. In six chronologically organized sections, it shows how people worked, lived, and built communities over time by exploring original objects, individual stories, and engaging activities like trying on wardrobes from different periods.

The corner of the Museum block, Beach and Old Post Road, was the center point of the original “four squares” of the town laid out in 1639. Only four original homes survived the British fires, but a pleasant hour can be spent exploring the area’s many beautiful post-Revolutionary homes, historic churches and the town hall, whose central section remains as it was rebuilt in 1790

Southport, the picturesque harbor area, is the third historic area. Boats laden with onions from Greenfield Hill farms used to sail out of this harbor before the British did their damage. Now it is home to yachts and country clubs and exclusive residential areas in the hills surrounding the tiny village.

Fairfield is planning many special events in the months ahead to mark its special birthday.  See www.fairfield375.com for a complete calendar.

For more information about lodging and other activities in the area and a free copy of UNWIND, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in Fairfield County and the Litchfield Hills of Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitwesternct.com

Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound at The Bruce Museum

Found in estuaries around the world, oysters play a significant role in ecosystems and economies. These bivalve mollusks have sustained Native Americans and created waterside cultures. The Long Island Sound’s native oyster, the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), is a keystone species in the local environment, providing critical habitat and food for many other species, recycling nutrients, cleaning the water as it feeds, and driving an industry. Its value lies in these worthy attributes rather than in its potential for jewels. Like other true oysters, the Eastern oyster rarely produces a pearl. If it does make one, the pearl lacks the lustrous quality of those produced by pearl oysters, which are in a different family.

The Bruce Museum celebrates the Eastern oyster in the exhibition Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound, running through March 23, 2014.

The exhibition will explore the science and history of the Eastern oyster in Long Island Sound, examining how its nutritional and commercial values have made the Eastern oyster a popular commodity for residents along the Sound for eons.

 Native Americans harvested oysters from mile-long natural beds and collected individual oysters that were up to a foot long. By the early 1800s, the natural beds had become depleted and oysters were cultivated on artificial beds.

The oyster industry was a powerful force in the local economy by the end of the 19th century. However, overfishing, pollution, natural disasters, and disease brought about a decline and the industry was seriously threatened through the early to mid-20th century.

In recent years, the oyster trade has experienced resurgence as a result of improved aquaculture techniques and oysters’ popularity among food connoisseurs who enjoy their distinctive flavor, which varies with each local environment.

Organized with the assistance of scientists and historians and developed in cooperation with the Town of Greenwich Shellfish Commission, Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound features hands-on, interactive displays, videos, specimens of bivalves from around the world, and historical objects that appeal to all ages. Objects from the Bruce Museum collection are supplemented by loans of shells, oystering tools, food-related items, and boat models from local collectors including oysterman Norm Bloom and institutions such as the Yale Peabody Museum, Rowayton Historical Society, National Gallery of Art, Grand Central Oyster Bar, and Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Milford Laboratory.

Complementing the exhibition will be a science lecture series in the fall and a history lecture series in the winter in addition to a variety of programs suitable for all ages.

About the Bruce Museum

Explore Art and Science at the Bruce Museum, located at One Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm; closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for students up to 22 years, $6 for seniors and free for members and children under 5 years. Individual admission is free on Tuesday. Free on-site parking is available and the Museum is accessible to individuals with disabilities.  For additional information, call the Bruce Museum at (203) 869-0376 or visit the website at www.brucemuseum.org.  For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Get Real at the Bruce Museum

Martin Lewis (American, 1881-1962) Above the Yards, Weehawken, 1918 Aquatint and etching, 17 ½ x 23 ¼”

Collection of Dr. Dorrance T. Kelly ©Estate of Martin Lewis

Highlighting the work of nine American artists who at the beginning of the twentieth century were inspired by the world around them to realistically depict everyday scenes, the Bruce Museum presents the new exhibition Telling American History: Realism from the Print Collection of Dr. Dorrance T. Kelly from August 31 through December 1, 2013.

The show features more than 40 original fine art prints including lithographs and etchings that chronicle daily life – the bustle of urban streets, boisterous moments of leisure, modern modes of transportation, and bucolic rural images – by leading artists who approached their subject matter through the lens of realism: George Bellows (1882-1925), Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975), Edward Hopper (1882-1967), Martin Lewis (1881-1962), Reginald Marsh (1898-1954), John Sloan (1871-1951), Benton Murdoch Spruance (1904-1967), Stow Wengenroth (1906-1978), and Grant Wood (1891-1942).

The artworks present visitors with a snapshot of America from 1905 through 1967. Each print featured in the exhibition was chosen for its subject matter and artistic merit and placed together they present windows into scenes of America's past. Set amid a backdrop of events such as World War I, the Great Depression, New Deal programs, and World War II, the country was experiencing changes in its cultural, geographic, and demographic nature. The nation experienced a great upheaval as citizens and immigrants alike flocked to urban areas in hopes of greater economic prospects. At the same time, advances in technology and transportation were transforming rural regions.

Martin Lewis - Misty Night, Danbury, 1949

Drawn from different areas of the country, the artists shared a similar goal of creating artwork that was available to all. They embraced realism, using it to capture images of modern American society as it quickly changed around them.   This distinguished their work from the traditional, idealized and romanticized work of European art. By illustrating everyday scenes, the artists featured in this show created connections for the average American and invited them to become part of the artistic dialog,because their images appealed through accessible subject matter and to the pocketbook of the everyday person.

A fully illustrated catalogue of the show will be available in the Bruce Museum Store. A series of public programs will be offered to complement the show, including Monday morning lectures, hands-on printmaking workshops for adults and students, a program for families with toddlers and one for seniors suffering from memory loss, as well as school tours.

   

Wengenroth Grand Central, Lithograph, 1949

About the Bruce Museum

Explore Art and Science at the Bruce Museum, located at One Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm; closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for students up to 22 years, $6 for seniors and free for members and children under 5 years. Individual admission is free on Tuesday. Free on-site parking is available and the Museum is accessible to individuals with disabilities. For additional information, call the Bruce Museum at (203) 869-0376 or visit the website at www.brucemuseum.org.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Coming to America: Washington's Swedish Immigrants

The Gunn Memorial Museum on 5 Wykeham Road in Washington Connecticut is exploring its' European roots with a new exhibit that runs through January 12, 2014 called Coming to America: Washington's Swedish Immigrants.  This exhibition shares the little-known story of Swedish immigration to this small New England town.

Known for their superior agricultural skills, 1.3 million Swedes immigrated to America during the 19th and 20th centuries, escaping conscription, famine, and poverty. Washington, Connecticut became one of their new homes, where many found employment as laborers and servants on local farms and estates owned by wealthy New Yorkers.

Beginning in 1870, over one hundred Swedish families settled in Washington and built two churches across the street from each other. One, the Salem Covenant Church, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. Swedes made up 22% of Washington's population in 1910, and many of their descendants still reside in town today. This exhibit tells their story.

The Gunn Museum is located at 5 Wykeham Road, at the intersection of Wykeham Road and Rt. 47, on Washington Green. The Museum is open to the public Thursday through Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday from 12pm-4pm. Call the Museum at 860-868-7756 or view www.gunnlibrary.org for more information.

October Fun in Stamford

October is a busy month at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and many family fun activities to celebrate the fall are planned. On October 13 for example, the Stamford Nature Center is planning a scarecrow-making contest that will take place from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.  Families are invited to create a life-size scarecrow that will be exhibited and entered in the scarecrow contest at Harvest Festival on Oct. 19 & 20. Materials are provided but families are encouraged to bring clothing or accessories to help with their creation.

On Monday, October 14 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. visitors are invited to explore the lives of the Woodland Indians that lived in Connecticut, as well as native cultures throughout the country.  Start the day off with a tour of the galleries and the newest exhibition, By Her Hand, to view Native art and the photographs of Edward S. Curtis. Stories will be told and a special hike on the trails will be offered that will highlight how Woodland Indians used the land, what food they ate and even how they brushed their teeth! Kids can create their own totem animal necklace, pinch pot and talking stick. The day will end around a campfire with a favorite campfire treat – S’mores!

On Friday, October 18 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., the Museum and Nature Center will host an Oktoberfest on the Meadow that will feature Oktoberfest brews, Oktoberfest food favorites from Old Heidelberg, and live music from The Bavarian Boys, everyone’s favorite oompah band!  Each advance ticket purchased includes a commemorative SM&NC Oktoberfest 2013 pilsner glass. Advance tickets must be purchased by midnight on October 17.  In advance:SM&NC Member: $60 | Non-Member: $75 at the door: SM&NC Member $70 | Non-Member $85.  This event is for adults only.

The Harvest Festival is taking place this year on Oct. 19 and 20 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and celebrates the fall season with a multitude of autumn themed events. Apple cider demonstrations, a scarecrow contest, pumpkin carving, a costume parade, and an apple slingshot contest are sure to provide fun for the whole family. Farm animal demonstrations, face-painting, live music, storytelling, children’s crafts, hayrides and much more round out the fun.  New this year at the Festival are food trucks including: Cowabunga, Hot off the Grille, LobsterCraft, Maddy's Food Truck, Skinny Pines and The Spud Stud. Daily Admission Fees: Members: $5 per person. Non-Members: $10 per person. Family PLUS and Director’s Circle Members and all children 3 & under: Free.

On Friday, October 25, the SM&NC will host a Spooktacular Animal Adventure from 6-6:45 for ages 3-6 and 7:15 – 8:15 for kids 6 and older.  Naturalists from Animal Embassy will introduce kids to some of the animals that haunt their dreams, make their "skin crawl," and the hair stand up on the back of their necks!  Naturalists will demystify these amazing creatures and help families to cross the line from fear to respect and appreciation. Members $5 per person/ Non-members $8 per person. 

On Sunday, October 27, from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. don your Halloween costume and head up to Heckscher Farm to trick or treat with your favorite farm friends! Grab a map and head off in search of different “treats” at the trick or treating stations around Heckscher Farm and find out what Dakota the Clydesdale, the calves Moose and Monty, or the new little piglets have to offer. Then, celebrate all things creepy and crawly at the annual “Ick Fest” at Overbrook Nature Center building where you can visit snakes, tarantulas, lizards, worms and other animals!

Stamford Museum & Nature Center

Stamford Museum & Nature Center, a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity and interaction, seeking to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, promote environmental stewardship and nurture an appreciation for lifelong learning through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that enhance the visitor’s experience of its unique site.

Stamford Museum & Nature Center is located at 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT (3/4 mile North of Merritt Parkway Exit 35.) For more information call 203.322.1646 or visit www.stamfordmuseum.orgwww.stamfordmuseum.org.

Hours: Heckscher Farm, daily 9 am – 5 pm; Animal Embassy, Tues. – Sun. 10 am – 2 pm; Nature’s Playground, daily 9 am – 5 pm; Bendel Mansion (main building), Mon. – Sat. 9 am – 5 pm; Sun. 11 am – 5 pm.