A “Journey” Worth Taking - Entertainment @Norwalk Oyster Festival 2018

Three days of fun, food, entertainment on multiple stages, plus special events for families and friends, from nine to ninety marks just some of the activities to be found at the 2018 Norwalk Oyster Festival hosted by the Seaport Association on Friday, September 7, Saturday, September 8, and Sunday, September 9, 2018 at the 35-acre Veterans Memorial Park in Norwalk.  “This is a special year for the Seaport Association, we have entered our 41^st year as an organization and we are also celebrating the 150^th anniversary of Sheffield Island Lighthouse.  Our mission has always been to preserve our maritime heritage, the environment of Long Island Sound, and to have children experience Sheffield Island Lighthouse,” says Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival.

Headliner of Oyster Festival Steve Augeri, Journey, former lead singer, Sept. 8

Get ready to take a musical “journey” with Steve Augeri, the former lead vocalist for Journey who will perform on Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. at the 2018 Oyster Festival. Expect fan friendly audience interactions, a strong stage presence, soaring vocals and hit after hit of iconic classic rock songs like Don’t Stop Believing, Anyway You Want It, Faithfully, Loving, Touching, Feeling and many other hits.  Fans may even be in for an exclusive treat if Augeri decides to include an original new song or two in the mix that have thrilled audiences worldwide.

The musicians in Augeri’s band really deliver in duplicating the guitar riffs and solos of Journey that launched millions of radio spins.  “We are thrilled to bring Steve Augeri former lead vocalist of Journey; one of the most popular American rock bands of all time to this year’s Oyster Festival on Sept. 8.  We would like to acknowledge that First County Bank is our presenting sponsor for the eighth year in a row.” says Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival.

Hailing from the heart of Brooklyn, Augeri debuted on Journey’s seven times platinum Armageddon soundtrack continuing the legacy of this supergroup from 1998 to 2006.  For nearly a decade, Augeri recorded three additional albums with Journey and performed on multiple world tours to millions of adoring fans.  At present, Augeri is releasing new music and touring nationally and internationally with his band.  

Main Stage Performances Sept. 7, 8, & 9

Music on the Main Stage is scheduled for all three days and features a variety of crowd-pleasing musical entertainment. “The Oyster Festival is the last big thing that takes place before the end of the summer.  This is the perfect time for folks to come to the Festival and say goodbye to the summer of 2018, and to help us celebrate 150 years of the Sheffield Island Lighthouse,” says Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival.

Main Stage -Funky Dawgz, Sept. 7

On Friday, Sept. 7, the first night of the festival, audiences will be entertained by the high-energy horns of Funky Dawgz, one of today’s premier touring acts on the live music scene.  Funky Dawgz, the opening act of the night is plugging in at 7 p.m. They have traveled from coast to coast selling out shows. Their exuberant performance combines a contagious upbeat mix of traditional New Orleans R&B, original music, hip-hop, funk, and today’s top hits played with a brass twist.  This music will have you tapping your feet and, dancing as the sun sets!  After hearing them play, you will understand why they were chosen as one of the “Live for Live” Music’s Brass Bands You Need to Know.

Main Stage - Deep Banana Blackout, Sept. 7

The Headliner Act, Deep Banana Blackout takes the Main Stage on Sept. 7 @ 9 p.m. and are a special treat because they all hail from Connecticut and have traveled far and wide to great national and international acclaim.  This amazing New Orleans style jazz- funk band is a force to be reckoned with!  The Norwalk Oyster Festival audience will be treated to Grade A+ funk. This eight piece musical ensemble is a legendary musical force on the East Coast underground funk, jazz and jam scenes and considered by many to be one of the hottest, hippest live shows to be heard in the Northeast.

Performing since 1995, they have released a couple of CDs and have toured endlessly throughout the United States developing a large and loyal fan base, the “Funk Mob.” Their soulful groove and tight horn section is deeply rooted in funk that carries the torch of great funk bands like Tower of Power, Sly and the Family Stone, and James Brown into the 21^st century.  The music of Deep Banana Blackout is sure to have you grooving and moving for the rest of the night!

Main Stage Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band, Sept. 9

Great ready to escape to “Margaritaville” at the Oyster Festival on Sunday, September 9, beginning at 4 p.m. when the ultimate beach party tribute band, Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band plugs in and lights up the stage...after all, it is almost 5 o’clock! 

The good-time vibe of the Jimmy Kenny Band will put you in an endless summer state of mind.  So put on your best “Parrothead” gear - your favorite Hawaiian shirt, straw hat, and flip-flops, grab some food and drinks from one of our nearby vendors and get ready to sing and dance along to some of the best of Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney and the Zac Brown Band plus a variety of country favorites, summer pop, reggae and tropical classics that are the perfect finale to the 2018 Oyster Festival. 

Multiple Stage Performances Sept. 7, 8 & 9

In addition to Main Stage performances, the 2018 Oyster Festival features dozens of local and regional acts on multiples stages.  For a complete list of multiple stage performers check out our website https://seaport.org/Entertainment.

About the Oyster Festival

Proceeds go to The Norwalk Seaport Association (a not-for-profit 501 C3 organization) that is wholly responsible for organizing and financing the annual Oyster Festival. Funds raised from the Oyster Festival allow the Seaport Association to continue its educational programs, stewardship for the 1868 Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Norwalk Islands, habitat restoration projects with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and other services.  The First County Bank has been a presenting sponsor for eight years.

Flanders’ Nature Centers Goat Yoga Classes

Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury, Connecticut has announced several upcoming dates for goat yoga sessions at their North Barn. Come stretch, laugh, and cuddle with the goats  at  a yoga session you will find both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time and are not soon to forget!

Classes are scheduled for Sunday, August 12^th at 10AM as well as Sunday, September 9^th at 10AM and Sunday, September 16^th at 9AM.  Experienced yoga instructors will be leading guests during these one-hour gentle yoga classes which are suitable for all ages. Adorable Nigerian dwarf goats will be frolicking & cuddling with guests as they flow through gentle poses at the picturesque Flanders farm.

Participants should keep in mind that they’ll be practicing with live animals and some degree of messiness (and a LOT of silliness) may be involved so they should dress accordingly, wearing comfortable clothes and bringing along a yoga mat or towel.

The programs will be held at the Flanders North Barn which is located at 644 Flanders Road in Woodbury just beyond the intersection of Flanders and Church Hill Road. The cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members for adults and $10 for ages 15 and under accompanied by an adult. Rain cancels the classes.  Check the Flanders facebook page for any weather announcements.  Guests will have the option of attending a rescheduled date or a refund.

 Proceeds of goat yoga go to the Flanders farming program. Space is limited and those interested need to register online at www.flandersnaturecenter.org or call 203-263-3711, ext. 10, for more information.

                                               About Flanders

Flanders is a community organization dedicated to preserving our environment and history through land acquisition, conservation and management, and using its stewardship of land to foster better understanding and appreciation of nature, art and the wonders of the natural world. Our vision is a future in which our important forests, wet lands, agricultural lands and wildlife habitats are preserved forever, and in which we follow best practices for land stewardship, be a leading center for environmental education for all ages, partner with all levels of government and private organizations to conserve our natural heritage, and insure the financial resources needed to achieve these goals.

Call for Entries – Seaport Photo Contest Through August 25

Do you know what an award-winning photo looks like for Sheffield Island Lighthouse?  To find out the Seaport Association of Norwalk is calling for entries to the “150 Anniversary Celebration Photo Contest” of the Sheffield Island Lighthouse that is taking place through August 25, 2018.

Get your camera ready.  It doesn’t matter if you are a first time visitor or, one that puts Sheffield Island on your bucket list every summer, the Seaport Association can't wait to see the images that connect people to Sheffield Island's 150-year-old history. 

Perhaps it is a moment of family fun on the beach looking for shells with our classic lighthouse in the background or the first time you stepped foot onto Sheffield Island in full pirate garb watching pirates cavort in the shadows cast by our lighthouse. 

Maybe your image will be the best view of the lighthouse tower and lantern or one that shows the pier and its natural surroundings that is a testament to why we have treasured this maritime landmark for 150 years and counting.

It could be as simple as capturing the architectural beauty of the stonework of the lighthouse, reflections on water, or a birds-eye view of Norwalk’s coastline.  The choice is yours.

Contest Rules

The rules to enter our contest are simple. The Seaport Association's Photo Contest in celebration of Sheffield Island's 150 Anniversary is open to all photographers, beginners, amateurs, and pros are invited to submit their photos that discover and captivate the ecological beauty and cultural heritage of Sheffield Island on one of our cruises to the Sheffield Island Lighthouse.

To Enter follow @SheffieldIsland on Instagram. Tag @SheffieldIsland and use #SILH150. 

There is one entry per contestant. The First Place Prize is $250, the Second Place Prize is $100 and the Third Place Prize is $50.

This is your chance to submit your most beautiful and creative photos of the lighthouse. Winners will be announced at the Norwalk Oyster Festival. 

WIN- Weekend in Norfolk - Aug. 3,4,5

Norfolk, Connecticut, population 1600, is not a town that tends to blow its own horn.  In fact, many who live in this unspoiled hamlet in the Litchfield Hills rather like having their hometown’s New England charm and beautiful surroundings to themselves…but not during the first weekend every August when the organizations of this bucolic hamlet roll out the red carpet to visitors and resident alike.  This year, “A Weekend in Norfolk” on August 3, 4 and 5, offers more than 80 fun-filled events, most are free of charge and sure to delight folks of all ages.

On the weekend docket are concerts for every taste from chamber music by the Emerson String Quartet and the Frank Vignola Jazz Trio to Rock Groups and Free Concerts at Robertson Plaza in the center of town sponsored by Infinity Hall.

On all three days, art lovers will enjoy a variety of demonstrations hosted by the Artisans Guild of Norfolk and two art shows, one at the Norfolk Library featuring the work of Turi Rostad, and the 10th Anniversary Exhibition of at the Battell Stoeckel Gallery, that features a variety of work in a multitude of media. A special highlight for art lovers on all three days is the guided tour of the Battell Chapel, at the Church of Christ Congregational featuring the stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and Maitland Armstrong.  On Sunday, August 5, two more churches open their doors for tours of their stained glass windows on Saturday and Sunday.

Because of its location, Norfolk is one of the best places in Connecticut to stargaze. If you love astronomy, don’t miss the free Astronomy Night with Matthew Moore Johnson on August 4 starting at 8 p.m. at Dennis Hill State Park on Litchfield Road. Dennis Hill tops out at an elevation of 1627 feet and Norfolk doesn’t have any light pollution, making it an excellent spot to observe the nighttime sky. Before you go stargazing, you can attend a Do-Over Prom for adults, being held in the Botelle School gym, complete with prom king and queen, a photo booth and a great disk jockey.

To “win” an "Icebox of Connecticut t-shirt,” take the six-peak challenge offered by the Norfolk Landtrust by taking a selfie at the peak of all six hiking trails that surround Norfolk.  Trail information is available at the two WINformation centers, one on the Village Green and one inside the Hub downtown.  There is also a trail run taking place at noon on Sunday.
Foodies will enjoy a Farmer’s Market (including a church pie sale) on Saturday, two ice cream socials on Saturday and Sunday, plus a Saturday afternoon downtown food court and special deals and menus at the town’s restaurants all weekend. A special treat on Saturday is a variety of farm tours being offered at Husky Meadows Farm, Lost Ruby Farm, and Broad Field Farm.  This is a great chance to sample their farm to table goodies, literally fresh from the farm!

Make sure to bring the kids!  There are a number of activities that they will enjoy from two old-fashioned ice cream socials, face painting, games and a children’s concert to a kid’s fire hose water soccer game, a special leaf-printing workshop sponsored by Great Mountain Forest, a hand-sewing class with free materials supplied by the Historical Society, a free paint-a-chick and stamping workshop, and Dino’s Funky Puppet Show at the Norfolk Library.

Sports lovers should head to the Norfolk Curling Club that is offering an open house of their state of the art two-sheet facility.  There will also be a fly-fishing demonstration, two fly tying workshops and a tour of the nine-hole Norfolk Country Club’s Golf Course designed in the late 1920s by A.W. Tillinghast.

If you want to take a breather, Manor House Bed and Breakfast, a stately Tudor Mansion is offering house tours (be sure to check out the Tiffany windows in the dining room) and lemonade on the lawn.  Mountain View Green Retreat is offering a series of three complimentary stations highlighting a different aspect of wellness and rejuvenation from fresh pressed juices to a tea ceremony and healthy food from around the world.

Norfolk’s parks beckon this weekend and every weekend.  An easy trail to the summit of 240-acre Dennis Hill State Park rewards hikers with panoramic views and the observation tower at Haystack Mountain State Park can be reached by auto or a steep climb.  Campbell Falls State Park, a natural reserve area, offers views of the falls tumbling over craggy rock formations.

Visitors who stay overnight will discover some delightful local lodgings like the Blackberry River Inn, a 1761 Colonial; Mountain View Green Retreat, an elegantly restored Victorian; and Manor House, a romantic 1898 Tudor bed, and breakfast inn.

If the romantic spirit of the town inspires, you can make an appointment on Friday, August 3 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to be wed or renew your vows on the village green. The town’s first selectman will officiate; flowers, ring bearers and witnesses will be standing by. Please make a reservation (contact info@weekendinnorfolk.org) and, if you’re getting married, bring your license.

Check out the Weekend in Norfolk website www.weekendinnorfolk.org for the most up to date listing of events to plan your day or days of “WINning” fun in Norfolk.