New Saturday Night Sunset Cruises Offered by the Seaport Association

While many enjoy the summer and early autumn sunset from the shoreline, there is something very special about seeing the sunset on the water where the horizon seems endless. The Seaport Association has long offered Friday evening cruises, and, new this year, they are also offering sunset cruises on Saturday nights.

The Seaport Association's vessel is roomy and comfortable with plenty of space for passengers to unwind as they glide through the historic Norwalk Harbor and catch glimpses of sea life, birds, and the necklace of islands in Long Island Sound. Passengers are encouraged to BYOB and snacks, making this cruise the perfect way to end the workweek.

The sunset cruise is also ideal for a romantic night out. There is nothing more relaxing - and romantic than watching the sun dip beyond the horizon while gazing at the beautiful Connecticut coastline with a glass of wine or Champagne in hand and the sea breeze in your hair. This on the water excursion is the perfect way to step away from the hustle and bustle you find on land and enjoy a picture-perfect sunset…on the water.

Friday night cruise dates are Friday, August 23 and 30, and September 13 and 20. For Friday night cruise tickets click here.  The Saturday night cruises are offered on August 31, and September 14, 21, and 28.  For Saturday Night tickets click here. The boat departs Norwalk Harbor at 6:30 p.m. for a two-hour cruise. 

Live Birds of Prey @ Institute for American Indian Studies Aug. 24

On August 24 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. the Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut is welcoming staff from the Sharon Audubon Center for a program featuring live birds of prey.

Native American people revere birds of prey for their majestic appearance as well as for their hunting prowess. Native people wear or carry bird of prey feathers to invoke the spirit of these powerful and magnificent predators. Of special interest is the beauty of black and white tail feathers of golden eagles and the wing feathers of hawks and falcons with their beautiful patterns that are reminiscent of arrowheads. Across the United States, Native American culture celebrates these predators in art, jewelry, crafts, beadwork, and basketry.

This joint program hosted by the Institute and the Sharon Audubon strives to increase public understanding of these North American birds of prey and their importance to Native American culture in the Eastern woodlands.  A highlight of this program is that visitors will be able to meet these fascinating creatures up close and watch them being handled by a Sharon Audubon educator.

This special event is included in the price of admission to the Institute of American Indian Studies. Adults are $10, Seniors are $8, and children are $6; members of the Institute are free. For more information visit the website or call 860-309-9215.

THE ANNUAL SALE OF RARE AND UNUSUAL PLANTS RETURNS TO WASHINGTON, CT SEPTEMBER 7-8th

Hollister House Garden invites garden enthusiasts for the annual ‘Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants’ Saturday, September 7^th and Sunday, September 8^th.  Attendees are invited to discover unique plants, tools and garden accessories from thirteen vendors from throughout New England exhibiting at the sale.  Interested plant sale attendees can choose from two options ‘Preview Buying’ on Saturday, September 7^th includes garden admission and cocktail party $65/pp 4-6:30 pm or enjoy the ‘All-Day Plant Sale’ only $10/pp (includes admission to the garden) on Sunday, September 8^th from 9am-3pm.   

The thirteen vendors that will be on premises for the ‘Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants’ include; Broken Arrow Nursery, Cricket Hill Garden, Falls Village Flower Farm, Garden Vision Epimediums, Green Spot, Issima, Meadowbrook Gardens, O’Brien Nurserymen, Oesco, Shakespeare’s Garden, Snug Harbor Farm, Toho Studio, and Young’s at Three Rivers.  New this year, a certified arborist from SavATree will be onsite to share his knowledge and expertise on topics related to keeping your trees, shrubs and lawn beautiful, healthy and safe.  Attendees are encouraged to bring along your landscape questions and concerns. 

The Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants ‘Early Buying and Cocktails in the Garden’ tickets for Saturday, September 7^th are $65 for non-members and $50 for HHG members, available through reservation at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/events/cocktails-and-preview-buying-at-the-sale-of-rare-and-unusual-plants/ /.  Tickets for the ‘All-Day Plant Sale and Garden Admission will be available for $10 purchase at the gate.   Please visit www.hollisterhousegarden.com for more information.  

Hollister House Garden is open to visitors through October 12th. Wednesday and Friday hours are 1-4PM and Saturdays 10-4PM. Private group visits are welcome weekdays by appointment only.  Directions to the garden’s 300 Nettleton Hollow Road location are also available on the website.  Contact:  Pamela Moffett, 860-868-2200 office@hollisterhousegarden.org

Celebrate the Music of Billy Joel with Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot @Norwalk Oyster Festival 2019

Three days of fun, food, and dazzling free entertainment on multiple stages, plus a myriad of special events for families and friends, from nine to ninety marks just some of the activities planned for the 2019 Norwalk Oyster Festival hosted by the Seaport Association on Friday, September 6, Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8, 2019 at the 35-acre Veterans Memorial Park in Norwalk. “Our 42^nd annual festival is packed with value-added extras especially when you consider that all the entertainment including the headliners Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot, and Brian Howe, former lead singer of Bad Company are included in the ticket price,” said Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival. “This season has been one of our best with the addition of a free-standing timber pavilion on Sheffield Island that will host parties and events for years to come. Our mission has always been to preserve and share our maritime heritage, to help with the environment of Long Island Sound, and to have children experience our 151 year-old Lighthouse and Gate Keepers Cottage and, this festival helps us do just that,” adds Reilly. For tickets click here https://www.seaport.org.

Headliner of Oyster Festival, Sept. 7 – Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot @ 8:30 pm

The late summer tradition of the Norwalk Oyster Festival is one of Connecticut’s most iconic festivals which is why Mike DelGuidice, a multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist touring internationally with Billy Joel is taking a night off from his touring schedule to perform with his band, Big Shot on Sept. 7 at 8:30 pm. In addition to producing two of his own albums, one of DelGuidice’s original songs, “Ordinary Guy” was the theme song for actor/comedian Kevin James sitcom, “Kevin Can Wait.” Kevin James also stars in DelGuidice’s new music video featuring his new original song, Mona Lisa, https://youtu.be/TvOZNVW_nsc.

DelGuidice has spent the last 18 years building and perfecting his encyclopedic knowledge of Joel’s musical catalogue. After Billy Joel heard Mike sing, he hired him, literally on the spot to be in his band. Mike is probably one of the few artists around where the front guy of the band is actually in the band of the artist his band covers. DelGuidice’s band, Big Shot includes other current long-time members of Billy Joel’s touring band including guitarist Tommy Byrnes and drummer Chuck Burgi, along with John Scarpulla, Carmine Giglio, and Nick Dimichino, who also have impressive resumes.

DelGuidice and Big Shot packs hit after chart topping hit in an amazingly high-energy show that leaves audiences wanting more. “We are thrilled that DelGuidice is taking a night off from touring with Billy Joel and performing at this years’ Oyster Festival. DelGuidice stature as a well -known worldwide performer makes his band highly sought after because they are such crowd-pleasers. After all, DelGuidice was handpicked by Billy Joel himself and hired, and on Saturday night he will be rocking the Oyster Fest. We would also, once again, like to acknowledge that First County Bank is our presenting sponsor for the ninth year in a row.” says Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival.

Main Stage Performance – Sept. 7 @ 7:30 p.m.

To get Saturday night rocking, Alex Shillo takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. with his eclectic brand of rock and country music with a nod to his hero, Bruce Springsteen. Growing up in a musical household has its advantages. One super advantage is that Shillo grew up in a home with a recording studio where a variety of musicians had sessions. Needless to say, Shillo has been enthralled by music since a very early age and his performances show a depth of style and experience well beyond his years. Shillo finds inspiration in his father and is following in his footsteps. Shillo’s dad was the founder/lead singer/songwriter of the late 70s and 80s band SILVERADO that had songs on the Billboard charts. Recently Shillo released his first CD, “Had It All, ” that shows his sound is matched by his excellent songwriting skills.

Main Stage Performances Sept. 6, 7 and 8

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 2019; and to help us celebrate 151 years of the Sheffield Island Lighthouse,” says Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival.

Main Stage –Tim Curries Tumblin’Dice Band Sept. 6 @ 6:30 pm

On Friday, Sept. 6 the first night of the festival, Norwalk’s own Tim Curries will entertain audiences at 6:30 p.m. Get ready to rock out to the 1960s with songs by some of the best artists of the decade. The range of music played is amazing from Carol King and Guess Who to Lovin’ Spoonful, Grass Roots and many more. The music of the 1960s is contagious and will have you tapping your feet and, dancing as the sunsets! Tim is the drummer and is surrounded by some of the best musicians in the area that will bring you back to the summer of love.

Main Stage – Sacred Fire – Sept. 6 @ 8:30 p.m.

You are in for a treat if you like Latin music, because the headliner act, Sacred Fire is taking the Main Stage on Sept. 6 @ 8:30 p.m. They are a fantastic tribute band to Santana with an amazing repertoire. The robust energy of this band’s live performances makes Sacred Fire a band to be reckoned with! Sacred Fire is blistering six-piece Latin rock band considered by many to be one of the hottest, hippest live shows that perform the songs spanning the entire 50-year career of Carlos Santana. Sacred Fire brings a sound that sizzles with guitar, organ, percussion, and vocals.

Main Stage – Ripchord – September 7 @ 2 p.m.

Saturday afternoon kicks off with a Connecticut favorite, Ripchord, the Official Band of the Connecticut National Guard. The 102 Army Band plays a variety of music from classical and jazz to rock and patriotic; sure to please listeners of all ages. As goodwill Ambassadors of Connecticut and the nation, they perform at concerts, ceremonies, and parades all over the U.S. and around the world. 

Main Stage – Virginia Military Institute Commanders – Sept. 8 @ 1 p.m.

Get ready to swing into Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. with the Commanders that will perform music from the Big Band Era and beyond. Listening to the music of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, and Glen Miller you will be doing the Lindy Hop, (named after Charles Lindberg’s Trans-Atlantic flight) before you know it! The VMI Commanders have a long and distinguished history. They were first formed in 1917 as the Ramblin Keydets and have provided music for dances and social events since that time. The big band, is styled after Glenn Miller’s Band from the 1940s swing era and consists of 17 cadets at the “I” and a vocalist. Today this band travels all over the world performing at a variety of venues. The cadets in the band are from all majors and branches of the Military ROTC Department at the Virginia Military Institute.

Main Stage Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band, Sept. 8 @ 2 pm

Great ready to escape to “Margaritaville” at the Oyster Festival on Sunday, September 8, beginning at 2 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 somewhere! The goodtime 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. 

Main Stage – Bad Company former Lead Singer – Brian Howe @ 5 p.m.

Brian Howe, former Lead Singer of Bad Company will close out the 42^nd Norwalk Oyster Festival with style, exuberance, and a blast from the past of some of our favorite songs ever. Howe has one of rock’s most legendary voices and as he croons hit after hit he will have you dancing as the sun goes down. Howe fronted Bad Company between 1986 and 1994 and provided hit vocals on hit albums including Dangerous Age (1988) and Holy Water (1990). Today he is performing all the Bad Company hits like  “Feel Like Makin Love,” “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” “Can’t Get Enough,” and other hits. Howe has pursued his solo career with passion and enthusiasm, and he always ignites and entertains the crowds that he performs for.

Multiple Stage Performances Sept. 6,7,8

In addition to Main Stage performances, the 2019 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.

See Seabirds in the Wild with the Seaport Association of Norwalk August 17

If spotting seabirds are on your birding to-do list, don't miss the August 17 Birding Cruise organized by the Seaport Association in Norwalk that departs from the Seaport Dock on 4 North Water Street at 8 a.m. For tickets to this exclusive cruise click here.

This special three-hour summer cruise will be accompanied by birding expert and enthusiast, Preston Lust, who will help participants spot and identify seabirds. Preston is an officer in the Connecticut Young Birders Club who has a special interest in nocturnal migration and has conducted research on nocturnal flight calls for the last three years.  He has also participated in bird-watching competitions such as the World Series of Birding and the Megabowl of Birding (the latter of which placed first place for three years straight!).  

Among the types of birds, you may see on these National Geographic styled cruises are nest sites and nesting colonies of ospreys and long-legged egrets with their graceful S-curved necks and long dagger-like bills.  Other seabirds passengers should watch for include American oystercatchers, herons, terns, gulls, cormorants, and many others.

The importance of Sheffield Island to wildlife, especially migratory birds is enormous, and these special bird cruises give passengers the chance to spot these magnificent creatures on and off the water at an awe-inspiring and safe distance with a knowledgeable guide.

The bird watching cruise will depart at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 17. Passengers are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. The boat leaves from the Seaport Dock at 4 North Water Street adjacent to the Stroffolino Bridge at the corner of Washington and Water Streets in South Norwalk.  Parking is available at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium Parking Lot. Tickets are Adult: $28, Members and seniors: $23, Children 4-12 years old: $16 and Children 3 and under are $7.  For Reservations contact 203-838-9444.  On the day of the cruise contact the dock phone at 203-838-2898.  For Tickets click here.

Celebrate Litchfield's 300th birthday with a live performance Aug. 22

Celebrate the 300th birthday of Litchfield Connecticut at a live theatrical performance with Tammy Denease, "Colonial Lives Through the Eyes of Freedwoman with Clo Pratt on August 22 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. 

Although born into slavery, Clo Pratt is willed her freedom by her late mistress. As a free woman, she earns her living by making clothes with her loom and cleaning local homes.

Join educator and performing artist Tammy Denease on a trip to colonial Connecticut, where you will learn about some of the events that led to freedom for the Colonies through the eyes of freedwoman Clo Pratt. She will recount important events such as the 1781 meeting between General George Washington and General Rochambeau in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where the two generals met at the home of Joseph Webb to map out their strategy for the Battle of Yorktown. Other stories will touch upon the trials and tribulations of being an enslaved person.

In her series “”Hidden Women,” storyteller, playwright, actor and living historian Tammy Denease brings to life fascinating women who have been hidden in history prominent in the United States and beyond. From her research, Tammy has developed one-woman performances that teach life lessons. Among her favorites are Bessie Coleman, first internationally licensed pilot in the world, Elizabeth Keckly, former enslaved woman who worked as a dressmaker in Lincoln’s White House, and Margru, an Amistad captive.

Through the Lens: Torrington Photographs 1870 - 1970 @ Torrington Historical Society

Photography takes an instant of time and captures that moment forever.  Historical images bring us back to the time and place where they were taken, it is part of an areas' cultural heritage. A new photography exhibition has just been mounted by The Torrington Historical Society that will be on display through October 31, 2019, called, Through the Lens: Torrington Photographs 1870-1970.

This exhibition focuses on the work of several local photographers, both professional and amateur, who are well represented in the Society’s collections.  Included in the exhibition is the work of Christie Siebert, F.O. Hills, Sidney Jennings, and Thomas Wootton.  Also featured in this exhibit are images from the Charles Harris Photo Album, acquired by the Society in 2018.  The album features approximately 80 photographs of downtown Torrington from the late 1900s through the early 1930s.

the highlight of this exhibition is that many of the images have been recently acquired by the Torrington Historical Society and are on display for the first time. Visitors will find images that depict scenes of daily life that include downtown Torrington in the 1870s with its wooden buildings, dirt roads, and early factories. Other images give visitors a bird’s-eye views of Torrington; a turn of the 20th-century birthday party; O&G truck moving a small building along a north end street as neighborhood children look on, and photos of various businesses from the late 19^th century through the 1970s. 

Water Street

The exhibition will be of special interest to photography buffs because of the variety of photography mediums on display. Original images, including albumen prints, glass-plate negatives, black and white prints, and color slides that were digitized and enlarged make it easy for visitors to study the fascinating details of these historic images.  

The Torrington Historical Society is located on 192 Main Street and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information visit their website.