Coming Full Circle: Greenwich Art Society Celebrates 100 Years at the Bruce Museum

Neapolitan Fisherboy by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux. On the occasion of its Centennial this year, the Bruce Museum is mounting an exhibition of recent and promised gifts to the permanent collection. Featuring paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints and photographs, the show spans the ages – offering a variety of examples including the Old Masters, American paintings and Contemporary art – and reflects the diversity of taste among local collectors and supporters of the Museum. According to Executive Director Peter Sutton, the exhibition highlights the remarkable donations received in recent years. "The Museum has benefitted from collectors who are as generous as they are discerning." The splendidly tranquil luminist landscape, Sunlight on Newbury Marshes, by the American 19th-century painter Martin Johnson Heade underscores the truth of this observation; as do the 19th-century European works Faun and Bacchante by William-Adolphe Bouguereau and a fine bronze sculpture of a Neapolitan Fisherboy by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux. Gifts of Modern and Contemporary sculpture have been especially welcome and include the intimately scaled maquette by Henry Moore as well as large-scale works like Robert Rauschenberg's  Greyhound Nightmare sculpture and the promised gift of the exuberantly monumental Keith Haring sculpture Untitled (Three Dancing Figures) Version A. The fastest growing collections at the Bruce are of works on paper, which include recent donations of pieces by Signac and Cuevas, and one of O. Winston Link's most famous photos, Hotshot Eastbound. Sutton notes that the permanent art collection of the Bruce Museum includes more than 15,000 objects representing a wide variety of world cultures, with special strengths in American and European art. "These are essential to the many object-based educational programs offered at the Museum and serve to inspire the shows that we organize." Installed in the Arcade Gallery, the exhibition will be presented in two successive shows of approximately 50 objects each. The first show will be on view through July 8. The second show opens July 21.

Explore Art and Science at the Bruce Museum. 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. The Bruce Museum is located at One Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut. For additional information, call (203 869-0376) or visit the website (www.brucemuseum.org).

New Canaan CT Nature Center Announces Annual Secret Gardens Tour

The Annual Secret Gardens Tour benefiting the New Canaan Nature Center will take place on Friday, June 8.  The popular tour is a fund-raiser for the New Canaan Nature Center and an opportunity for homeowners, gardeners and anyone who appreciates the beauty of the outdoors to be inspired by several outstanding garden settings.  The self-guided tour takes place between 10:00a.m. – 4:00p.m., allowing attendees to visit the gardens at their own pace and on their own schedule.

Kelp Denis Folz

The First Annual Sculpture Exhibit and Culture Fest is being hosted by Peter Lawrence Gallery located on the banks of the Housatonic River on Rte. 7 in Gaylordsville through June 17th on Saturdays and Sundays plus Memorial Day.  This exhibit will feature works by locally, nationally and internationally recognized sculptors. This fun-filled cultural event will include an artist walk and talk, musical entertainment performed by Broadway stars and jazz musicians, box lunches, wine tasting, and other artisanal delicacies. Visitors to the event can explore sculptures inside and outside.

The Inside Gallery will host an eclectic grouping of smaller works including those by: Suzanne Benton, listed in Who's Who of America and Who's Who of American Artists, an international artist whose works are in private collections worldwide; Jocelyn Braxton Armstrong, a critically acclaimed ceramic artist; Dalton Ghetti, a Brazilian-born pencil sculptor whose work is currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England; Michael Johnston, an artist who uses recycled electronics to build futuristic, steampunk-style sculpture; Justin Perlman, an internationally trained sculptor and winner of the Marquis Who's Who in American Art Reference Award; Derek Uhlman, recently accepted into the Copley Society of Art, is an award-winning sculptor who likes to push the envelope; and Patricia Warfield, recognized nationally as a consummate artist, is constantly experimenting with a wide variety of media.

J B Armstrong Soul Sister

The outdoor sculpture is situated in a  idyllic four-acre garden along the Housatonic River.  On display in this beautiful rustic setting will be monumental works by Jan Abt, German-born, New York-based sculptor who creates abstract figurative pieces inspired by Picasso, Henri Moore and the ancient Greeks; Jennifer George Andrea, a kindergarten teacher by day and a large-scale sculpture artist in the off hours; Cindy Booth, a Hudson Valley artist creates large-scale copper and steel sculptures "beyond the thinking mind"; David Boyajian, an acclaimed master sculptor, founder of the Sculpture Barn in New Fairfield, CT who creates monumental works that are both conceptual and rationally accessible; Steven Brooks an award-winning architect turned sculptor loves the physicality of creating forms and shapes with his hands; Margie Cohen who is transfixed by creating whirling, spinning and rolling sculptures out of steel; Jim Felice, a master restorer and award-winning creator of sculptures that, in his use of scrap matter, redefine the use and purpose of industrial materials; Denis Folz an intentionally styleless artist whose works are informed by Van Gogh, Max Ernst and Andrew Wyeth, leaves it to the viewer to define his work; Lannie Hart whose sculptures evoke nature, religious images and cultural references with a strong feminine point of view; Peter Holmberg, a local sculptor whose works are among a collection situated on a private estate; David McNeil a former police sketch artist, now seeks to construct abstract shapes from nature created by a living thing and to capture its energy in its form; M. Meken-Silvestri an award-winning fused-glass artist who works with delicate fragments to create solid works that sparkle and dazzle; Justin Perlman, mentioned earlier; Richard Pitts, a professor at FIT in New York City and a multi-media sculptor who constructs abstract sculptures as metaphors for the  environment; Judy Rowley who currently uses debris from Hurricane Katrina as the substance of her sculpture to pay tribute to the resilient spirit of the people of the Gulf Coast ; and Marcia Spivak¸ one of the pre-eminent metal horse sculptors in the country.


In addition to sculpture, the Festival boasts live entertainment, and local artisan delicacies. The delicacies include a box lunch prepared by local Gaylordsville Country Store; chocolate truffles, hand-made in the French tradition by Carol Monnerat Artisan Truffles of Branford, CT; simply heavenly cakes baked with all natural, allergen-free ingredients by Izzi B's of Norwalk, CT; tasting rare raspberry, rhubarb and cassis wines from White Silo Farm and Winery of Sherman, CT, or traditional grape wines and sun-ripened berry wines from Jones Family Farm of Shelton, CT, both Connecticut Wine Trail Vineyards; and more. A Jazz ensemble from the Easton, CT Jazz Guild will be among the performers, as will Broadway stars Niki Scalera (Footloose, Hairspray, Tarzan, Jake's Women), Tevin Campbell (Hairspray and R&B recording star under the direction of Quincy Jones) and others.

Ghetti Elvis

The Sculpture Fest is a ticketed event. Admission includes entry to the sculpture garden and gallery, a box lunch and a glass of wine, a catalog and map of the garden, tours and talks conducted by sculptors, musical entertainment performed by Broadway stars and jazz musicians, and wine tasting.

The local artisanal delicacies will also be available for purchase. The events will take place on each Saturday and Sunday for the run of the show, and on Memorial Day Monday. There will be 2 sessions each day at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Only ticket holders will have access to the Garden and the activities taking place therein on Saturdays and Sundays.
The sculpture in the Gallery will, of course, be open to ticket holders and those without tickets, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In addition there will be Free Fridays: On Fridays, during the run of the Sculpture Fest, the Sculpture Garden can be viewed free of charge. There will be no other activities taking place on Fridays.

About Peter Lawrence Gallery

Peter Lawrence Gallery was originally established as a "showroom" for the live-edge furniture of award-winning woodcrafter Peter Lawrence Scalera and his wife, abstract artist Jill Caprio-Scalera (Jage). It was always their dream to have a gallery to show their work and the works of other artists. The gallery is tucked away a few miles south of the scenic village of Kent, CT, between the rolling hills of the Litchfield Hills and the Housatonic River. The Sculpture Festival, to run every weekend from through June 17, 2012, will be the crowning achievement for the inaugural year of the Peter Lawrence Gallery.

Peter Lawrence Gallery is located at 703 Kent Road (Rt. 7), Gaylordsville, Connecticut. It is a part of The Basket Shop and Carriage Barn complex, two delightful country gift shops selling New England Americana. The Gallery will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Memorial Day Monday from 11:00pm to 5:00pm, or by appointment. To purchase tickets for the Sculpture Fest or for more information please contact Peter Lawrence Scalera 203-746-5533, visit www.sculpturefest2012.com., or www.peterlawrencegallery.com, or email peterlawrencegallery@ymail.com.

Art in Parking Places Opens Exhibit at Maritime Garage Gallery Senses of SoNo Begins May 16

Fishermans Restaurant, SoNo

The Norwalk Parking Authority will be launching another Art in Parking Places when The Maritime Garage Gallery opens The Senses of SoNo, Anatomy of a Bustling Hub with an opening reception on Wednesday, May 16 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. The event is free and open to the public and parking will be free for the event.  The Gallery is located at 11 North Water Street in the Maritime Parking Garage in South Norwalk.

Senses of SoNo exhibit, which runs through July 27, kicks off a yearlong series of exhibits themed on a variation of the traditional five senses: sight= urban elements, smell= food, touch=music, taste= fashion, hearing (sound)= LI Sound. Senses of SoNo includes works of all media from selected artists, including Dana Laird, Joan Jardine, Phyllis Sinrich, Lisa Black, Donna Cassarro Hughes, John Hetzel, Jana Ireijo, David Hollier, Jane Bennett, Loren DePalma, Lynn Stevens Massey, Lorraine Ryan, Mari Gyorgyey, Debra Schaffer, Ellen Hackl Fagan, and Mary Jo Lombardo.

Jardine

Norwalk Parking Authority Director Kathryn Hebert said, “This exhibit is another exciting project of the Authority’s ‘Art In Parking Places’ series that is being implemented in various parking venues around Norwalk.  The Parking Authority and the City of Norwalk are delighted to be bringing artistic creative place making activities for residents and visitors to Norwalk to enjoy.”   Currently, another Art in Parking Places exhibit is being installed at the South Norwalk Railroad Station.

The Maritime Garage Art Gallery is collaboration between the Norwalk Parking Authority and the Norwalk Arts Commission in an effort to support art in public spaces. The gallery is free and open to the public from 9:00am -5:00pm daily.  For more information call 203- 831-9063 or e-mail: maritimegallery@norwalkpark.org.

The Norwalk Parking Authority is a financially self-sustaining organization responsible for the operation and maintenance of the municipal parking system in Norwalk.  It is not financed by taxpayer dollars.  The Authority is committed to collaborating with community organizations while providing exceptional customer service to parking customers.  The Norwalk Parking Authority can be reached at (203) 831-9063 or at the website: www.norwalkpark.org

Sound!

Beardsley Zoo Invites Public to Share 90 Years of Photo Memories!

To help kick off its 90th birthday, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo launched “Picture Yourself at the Zoo,” a new program that invites the public to share favorite photos, both new and old. Both amateur and professional photographers are invited to participate and photos of people, animals, and scenery are welcome.

Throughout the year, the Zoo will select photos to feature on its Web site, www.beardsleyzoo.com and on their Facebook page, and winners will receive a Family Four Pack of tickets to the Zoo.

“It never ceases to amaze me what fond memories folks have of the Zoo, from generation to generation, and these memories are often captured in cherished family photo albums that only a handful of people ever see,” stated Gregg Dancho, Zoo director. “What better way for us to showcase these special moments than by creating a community photo album for all to participate in and enjoy?”

Anyone may enter by e-mailing photos with the photographer’s name, e-mail address, and any details about the photo he/she would like to share publicly to PictureYourself@BeardsleyZoo.org. By submitting photo(s), the photographer retains ownership but gives Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo permission to use and publish the pictures without restriction in the future.

About Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo celebrates its 90th birthday in 2012 and is closer than you think! Connecticut's only zoo features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won't want to miss the Amur (Siberian) tigers, Brazilian ocelots, Red wolves, and Golden Lion tamarins. Other highlights include  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 a colorful carousel. For more information, visit www.beardsleyzoo.org www.beardsleyzoo.org

GARDENERS CAN GARNER PRIZE PLANTS AT THE 12th ANNUAL TRADE SECRETS SHOW IN THE LITCHFIELD HILLS

Gardeners in the know mark their calendars a year in advance. The Trade Secrets sale in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills is a rare chance to shop for treasures from nearly 60 important growers and vendors of unique plants and garden antiques. The sale, scheduled for Saturday, May 19th at LionRock Farm in Sharon, is followed on Sunday with a tour of four exquisite private gardens.

  Many celebrities are among the shoppers seeking the unique from specialized growers and some of the nation's best known small nurseries, as well as furniture, antiques, and garden statuary from the finest dealers in garden antiques, wrought-iron fencing and other exceptional decorations for the garden.

Visitors to the show will enjoy a presentation by owner, Marina Marchese of Red Bee Honey, a boutique farm known for a spectacular edible garden as well as its honeybees. 

The Sunday tour will feature two perennial favorites, the spectacular gardens of Bunny Williams and John Rosselli and the 41-acre futuristic estate of Jack Hyland and Larry Wente.  Two new gardens this year are the Linden Hill Farm owned by Richard deBart and Debra Blair, owner of Debra Blair Associates in New York City, and Hawk Hill Farm owned by Robert & Jane Keiter.         

For the 12^th year, all proceeds from the annual event go directly to Women's Support Services, an organization aiding victims of domestic violence.

Tickets for the rare plant and garden antique sale on Saturday are $35 for regular admission from 10am to 3pm and $100 for "early buying" tickets.  Tickets for Sunday's garden tours are $70 ($60 in advance).  Advance tickets will be available for order beginning April 1^st from the event web site, www.tradesecretsct.com.

Study Cruises at Maritime Aquarium Opens May 5- June 20

Share a memorable boat ride with crabs, fish, lobsters and other creatures brought up right out of Long Island Sound right before your eyes in a new season of hands-on study cruises with The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

The Aquarium’s exciting Marine Life Study Cruises will depart on Saturdays at 1 p.m. May 5-June 30. They’ll push off at 1 p.m. daily in July and August.

The recent ‘FINtastic RefurbFISHment,’at The Maritime Aquarium’s exhibits are devoted to teaching visitors about Long Island Sound. The best exhibits can’t top the immediacy and impact when study-cruise participants see these animals come up onto the boat right in front of them.

During each 21/2-hour Marine Life Study Cruise aboard the research vessel Oceanic, animals are collected from different water levels and bottom habitats of the Sound. A video microscope provides a magnified look at wriggly plankton gathered at the sunlit surface. Tiny crabs and worms emerge from a sampling of the anaerobic muddy bottom. A biodredge reveals a hidden world of sponges, snails and mollusks. And everyone inspects the trawl net’s bounty – varieties of fish and crabs, lobsters, sea stars, squid and always a few surprises.

Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Hosts Victorian Tea May 6

Lockwood Mathews Mansion Norwalk CT

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum at 295 West Avenue will host its fourth Annual Victorian Tea, May 6, 2012 at 2 p.m. in the Rotunda of the Mansion. The event will feature English tea ceremony expert and celebrity caterer Carol Timpanelli, owner of the Royal Tea Company of Trumbull, CT. She has catered for Martha Stewart and Tommy Hilfiger among others. Ms. Timpanelli’s English tea will include a wide selection of desserts, sandwiches, traditional scones and cream and her signature chocolate toffee trifle.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is one of the most significant Gilded Age mansions in the U.S. and a very elegant venue for a formal tea,” said Publisher of Cottages & Gardens Publications, Marianne Howatson, event chair. “LMMM's annual Victorian tea is also a delightful event where families and friends get together to enjoy a cherished tradition while supporting a National Historic Landmark.”

The event will also feature harpist Katie Critelli. Katie has received two prestigious Gold Cup awards for excellence from the American Harp Society at Fairfield University’s Young Musicians Festival. Before leaving Darien to attend University of Pennsylvania, she was a harpist with the Norwalk Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra for three and a half years, played in the Western Regional Orchestra in 2009 and was a member of the Darien High School Orchestra.

For reservations contact: info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or call 203-838-9799 ext. 4. Admission: $45 non-members $35 members.

Westport Country Playhouse Opens Season With “Into the Woods"

Into the Woods Laren Kennedy, Erik Liberman and Danielle Ferland

A 25^th anniversary production of the imaginative, fractured-fairy tale musical “Into the Woods” by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim will be staged at the theater where Sondheim was an apprentice in 1950, Westport Country Playhouse, in Westport, CT, May 1 through May 26.  Directed by Mark Lamos, the Playhouse’s artistic director, the musical will open the historic theater’s 82^nd season. It is co-produced with Baltimore’s CENTERSTAGE.

A multiple Tony Award winner, “Into the Woods” takes the audience to a beguiling and dark place inspired by the Grimm fairy tales. Among the classic characters that wander the woods searching for fulfillment of their wishes are Cinderella and her wicked stepsisters, Little Red Ridinghood and the Wolf, Rapunzel and her Prince, and Jack of beanstalk fame.  As their fanciful tales intertwine, they are forced to confront the harsh reality of what actually happens after “happily ever after.”

Director Mark Lamos, who also serves as Westport Country Playhouse artistic director, has helmed Playhouse productions of “Twelfth Night, or What You Will”; “Lips Together, Teeth Apart”; “Happy Days”; “She Loves Me”; “The Breath of Life”; “That Championship Season”; and “Of Mice and Men.” His extensive New York credits include “Our Country’s Good,” for which he received a Tony Award nomination. A former artistic director at Hartford Stage, he received the 1989 Tony Award for the theater’s body of work.

The performance schedule is Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.  Special series feature A Taste of Tuesday, Previews, LGBT Night Out, Opening Night, Thursday TalkBack, Sunday Symposium and Backstage Pass. In addition, the Playhouse will offer an open captioned performance on Sunday, May 13, 3 p.m., for the hearing impaired.
For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org.

About the Playhouse


Westport Country Playhouse is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, professional theater under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management leadership of Michael Ross.  The Playhouse creates five live theater experiences, produced at the highest level, from April through November. Its vital mix of works—dramatic, comedic, occasionally exploratory and unusual—expands the audience’s sense of what theater can be.  The depth and scope of its productions display the foremost theatrical literature from the past—recent as well as distant—in addition to musicals and premieres of new plays.  During the summer, the Playhouse is home to the Woodward Internship Program, renowned for the training of aspiring theater professionals.  Winter at the Playhouse, from November through March, offers events outside of the main season—Family Festivities presentations, Script in Hand play readings and a Holiday Festival.  In addition, businesses and organizations are encouraged to rent the handsome facility for their meetings, receptions and fundraisers.

Quassy Amusement Park Opens April 28, 2012!

Tea Cup Ride - New This Year! Quassy Amusement Park is putting a new spin on family fun when the lakeside facility opens on April 28. A tea cup ride from Italian manufacturer Zamperla will be introduced at Quassy for the park's 104th year. The ride features six family-sized cups with individually controlled spinning action all revolving on a rotating platform. The end result will be an interactive, fun experience for all age groups. The new ride will be located adjacent to Quassy's Carousel Court and ice cream parlor. Quassy will feature its traditional $35 carload weekend special April 28 and 29. The price includes all-day ride wristbands from noon to 6 p.m. for up to 10 persons in a vehicle. The parking fee is included. The carload special continues the weekend of May 5 and 6. The annual Egg Hunt for Prizes returns to Quassy at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 29. Youngsters are split up into age groups to hunt for candy and eggs in the great lawn area of the park. Toddlers participate in a goody bag version held at the Carousel Theatre stage. Quassy will also kick off its annual "Ready To Read" program the first two weekends with meet and greet sessions by young reader favorites "Biscuit" and "Clifford" The Big Red Dog. "Biscuit," courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers, will be on hand at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. April 28 and 29. "Clifford," courtesy of Scholastic Books, has the same schedule on May 5 and 6. Coastermania Wooden Warrior

Philip Johnson Glass House Annouces “A Modern Picnic”

The annual dining and culinary event at The Philip Johnson Glass House will take place on June 9, 2012. The Philip Johnson Glass House is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The event is called,  “A Modern Picnic”, and will provide event goers a repertoire of  unique dining and culinary experiences. Participants will be  invited to meet award-winning chefs and artisans from across the country; and explore the buildings, grounds and art collections of the 29-acre Glass House site. This event takes place from 12 noon to 3 PM.

One of the favorite activities of this event takes place at 6:30 PM. The event’s culmination is the popular  “Food Festival Under the Stars”.  It is pure magic to experience the Glass House as the sun sets, while watching and tasting what’s on screen as the Food Festival presents a multi-sensory experience.  Visitors are offered the added  bonus of meeting  the filmmakers, artisans and chefs behind these award winning food and dining films.

Earth Day Celebrations Provide Plenty of Family Fun!

Party for the Planet at Beardsley Zoo

Earth Day, originating in 1970 has continued to grow and evolve throughout the United States.  This movement lead to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Act. Today, Earth Day is an important focal point for people world-wide to demonstrate their commitment to the environment.  In Connecticut there are many Earth Day events to choose from.

Celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 22 with a visit to Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens and view their beautiful grounds and listen to some incredible jazz from 2PM to 4 PM.   This concert will feature a performance by four renowned Jazz performers; guitarist Gene Bertoncini and special guests drummer Joe Corsella; violinist Sara Caswell and bassist Michael Moore.  Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members; space is limited. Call 203-322-6971 or visit www.bartlettarboretum.org.

The Sharon Audubon Center on 325 Cornwall Bridge Rd. in Sharon CT is hosting a free session at 2:00 PM on Rain Gardens and why every drop of water counts.  Participants will learn why you should plant a rain garden and how one can help your property and the environment. To register for this event, or for more information call 860-364-0520 or visit www.sharon.audubon.org.

The Darien Nature Center located on 120 Brookside Rd. will celebrate Earth Day with the Opening Reception of Earthworks, a collaborative exhibit by area artists Heidi Lewis Coleman, Lucy Krupenye and Nancy Woodward and curated by Ann Hart. The reception will be held on Earth Day, Sunday, April 22 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. and will be on view through June 8th in the Nature Center’s Wetherstone Gallery.  In this stunning exhibit inspired by nature, each artist pays homage to the beauty of the current, the remnants of the past and the wonder of the unknown future. The assembled works are a celebration of nature’s simplicities and complexities. For more information call 203-655-7459 or visit www.dariennaturecenter.org.

 At the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Rd. in Washington, visitors are invited to celebrate Earth Day with Atka, a live artic gray wolf at 1PM. Atka is being welcomed back from the Wolf Conservation Center of South Salem, N.Y. and is their oldest and most traveled ambassador wolf.  The center staff will share facts, history and dispel many misconceptions about wolves and our role in protecting the future of wolves. There is limited seating so reserve and pay in advance. The fee is $10 for adults and $6 for kids. For information, call 860-868-0518 or visit www.iaismuseum.org.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo located on 1875 Noble Ave in Bridgeport is celebrating Earth Day by throwing a Party for the Planet! As part of the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, the Zoo is offering environmental education activities, amazing animal encounters, and fun for the whole family. This conservation themed bash will take place on Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm and will shine a light on initiatives that make our planet a more sustainable place to live. This event is FREE with paid admission to the Zoo. For more information visit http://www.beardsleyzoo.org.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children on 303 West Ave. in Norwalk, is celebrating Earth Day on Sunday, April 22, with drop-in activities in the Community Garden 10 am – 1 pm. Go on a nature scavenger hunt, experiment with tools to measure weather, paint en plein air and plant seeds to take home and watch grow. At 11 am the museum presents The Attainable Sustainable Energy Show, a wacky, action-packed live science show that will inspire excitement in renewable energy. Free with $15 museum admission. For more information, call (203) 899-0606 or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.

20 Years of Chamber Music At Keeler Tavern Museum April 22 and May 20

Keeler Tavern a Colonial Gem

The Mid-Hudson Saxophone Quarter will perform in the Garden House of the Keeler Tavern Museum located on  132 Main Street in Ridgefield Connecticut on Sunday, April 22 at 3:00 PM. This is the first of two spring concerts scheduled as part of the Louise McKeon Chamber Music Concert Series held at the Museum for over 20 years. 

The saxophone musicians are Steven Kieley, soprano and alto, Deborah Tice, soprano and alto, Daniel Teare, tenor, and Charles W. Gray, baritone. They will perform a  variety of musical selections suited to this special instrument. All are performing or teaching in the Hudson Valley area schools and colleges and perform at a variety of conventions and with groups in the Hudson Valley and other areas along the Eastern Seaboard.  

Admission at the door is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $10 for children under 12. All guests are invited to meet with the musicians after the concert and enjoy light refreshments. 

The final concert of the season will take place Sunday, May 20th with members of the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestras performing in the Garden House at 3 PM For further information call 203-438-5484 or visit www.keelertavernmuseum.org.

About Keeler Tavern 

The Keeler Tavern Preservation Society, Inc. founded the Keeler Tavern Museum in 1966 as a living museum of colonial history within the town of Ridgefield, Connecticut.

It is the Society's mission to preserve and protect the Keeler Tavern, a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982, that embodies the life of the community from the early 19th century through the mid 20th century.

The Society is committed to promoting Ridgefield's history and heritage by providing educational and cultural programs that interpret the past for present and future generations.

The history of the Tavern and the Town of Ridgefield is reflected in the stories of the families who lived here. The archives of the Museum include extensive documentation and records from the Keeler, Resseguie and Gilbert families.

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.

STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN CELEBRATES IRELAND DURING VACATION WEEK APRIL 14-20

Stepping Stones Museum For Children

Stepping Stones Museum for Children will treat visitors to a taste of Ireland with a performance by the Tigh Na Coille Irish Youth Folklore Troupe from County Clare, Ireland, on Saturday, April 14.

The following week, the museum will also offer crafts, storytelling and other activities inspired by the Emerald Isle.  Made up of twelve young musicians and dancers from the heart of Ireland, the Tigh Na Coille Irish Youth Folklore Troupe brings traditional Irish music and dance to the museum. Award-winning master fiddler Denis Liddy will join the Troupe for this special Around the World performance at 2 p.m. in the museum's multimedia gallery.   Members of the Troupe will also lead an interactive workshop at 1 p.m.

Visitors are invited to meet, dance and sing with these talented young performers. The Troupe will demonstrate traditional Irish instruments and teach participants a bit of Gaelic. 

The museum continues its celebration of Irish history and culture April 16-20 with a different activity each day, such as making a Celtic pendant and a replica harp. Activities will occur at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.

The performance, workshop and vacation week activities are all free with museum admission.  

Irish Troupe to Perform at Stepping Stones

Vacation Week Schedule: 

Saturday, April 14, The Tigh Na Coille Irish Youth Folklore Troupe will lead an interactive workshop at 1 p.m., followed by a musical performance at 2 p.m. 

Monday, April 16, Listen to an original fairy tale about a clever young lady who triumphs over a greedy leprechaun king in Teresa Bateman's story Fiona's Luck. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

Tuesday, April 17, Make a Celtic pendant and learn about the symbols that have survived from the Iron Age. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

Wednesday, April 18, The harp is among the chief symbols of Ireland and was played as long ago as the  10th century. Listen to traditional Celtic folk music and create a replica harp.  11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

Thursday, April 19, Ireland is famous for its medieval castles scattered across the green countryside. Explore their history and create a castle to take home. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

Friday, April 20, Discover the work of Irish stained glass artist Harry Clarke (1889-1931) and create a replica stained glass window. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.  

About Stepping Stones Museum For Children

Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Conn., is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501(c)(3) children's museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. Located on five acres in Mathews Park, the recently expanded LEED Gold certified museum encompasses five hands-on galleries, state-of-the-art Multimedia Gallery, Family and Teacher Resource Center, café and retail store.