Torrington House Tour Sept. 23

On September 23, 2017,  from 10 am - 3 pm. the Torrington Historical Society is hosting the  Torrington House Tour that will highlight six historic homes and one garden.  Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the tour. Tickets may be purchased online at www.torringtonhousetour.org. 

The Torrington House Tour provides a unique opportunity to learn about Torrington’s history and to see how historic homes have been preserved and adapted for the 21st century. The house tour is also designed to highlight positive achievements in the community and increase awareness of the city's heritage.   

The homes and garden that will be open to the public on September 23, 2017 include:

Owen Cummings House located at 251 Crestwood Road 

This Tudor-revival house constructed in 1938 is impressively sited on a large lot with a beautifully landscaped back yard and patio.  The current owners have preserved the home’s exterior charm while adding more living space and a modern kitchen. 

 William Danaher House located at 54 Adelaide Terrace

 This “California-Modern” home was built in 1974.  The open, yet cozy first floor opens onto a patio and inground pool. The house has many original interior details including a double-sided fireplace and cathedral ceiling in the living room.

Hotchkiss-Fyler House located at 192 Main Street

 Built in 1900, this grand Victorian-style home has been operated by the Torrington Historical Society as a house museum since 1956. The home is remarkably well-preserved and is furnished as it was in 1956.

 

William Burns House located at 17 Wilson Avenue

 This house was built ca. 1895 as a clapboard-covered wood frame house.  In 1926 it was totally remodeled according to plans drawn up by noted Torrington architect William E. Hunt and a brick façade was added.  The house retains many of the interior details designed by the architect.

William E. Hunt House located at 59 Wilson Avenue

 This gambrel-roofed home was built in the late 19^th century but was totally remodeled by William E. Hunt when he purchased it in 1920 for his private residence.  The exterior has been restored by the current owners and the interior is well preserved featuring many of the architect’s signature touches. 

First Church Parsonage located at 380 University Drive 

 This historic Greek-Revival style home was constructed as the parsonage for the First Congregational Church in 1845.  The current owners have retained the clapboard exterior and original window sash while adding a new kitchen, large family room and master bedroom suite.

Edmund Wooding House 1845 located at 52 Norfolk Road

GARDENS ONLY

 This historic home is situated on the West Branch of the Naugatuck River.  The gardens are behind the house and along the river.  These formal gardens have a park-like setting with stone walls, boxwood topiary and yews.   The gardens have a European feel and can be enjoyed year-round.

Tour participants can take a shuttle bus or drive their own vehicles. The tour begins at the Chamber of Commerce at 333 Kennedy Drive where participants will receive a program guide and map.  On Friday, September 22^nd a House Tour Preview Party will include a bus tour of the 6 homes from 5-7 p.m. followed by a reception with refreshments and entertainment from 7-9 p.m. 

Last Taste of Summer in Greenwich Sept. 30

The Last Taste of Summer Craft Beer Fest takes place this year at the scenic Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, overlooking Greenwich Harbor on September 30 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The gates will open at 12 noon for VIP ticket holders. Early bird tickets are available online and at the gate on the day of the event.

Festival goers will enjoy a fabulous afternoon with family and friends at this zero-waste, craft beer festival that features brews and pours from over 30 of Connecticut's finest craft breweries, live music, a variety of delicious food, an array of exhibitors, games and activities, making this the perfect finale to the summer craft beer festival season.

Confirmed Brewers include: Armada Brewing, Ballast Point, Charter Oak Brewery, Lock City Brewing Company, New England Cider, New Belgium Brewing, Owls Brew Raddler, Shiner, Spiked Seltzer, Stony Creek, Tito's Vodka, and Thimble Island. It is best to check the website for updated lists of breweries.

Festival goers will not go hungry with a line up of five of the state's top food trucks including Bobby Q's, Cowabunga, Lobster Craft, Melt Mobile, and Wendy's Weenies. To add to the fun, participants will listen to the cool summer sound of Wilton Steel Community Band, blues, funk and rock & roll from The Clams, and Sacred Fire a Santana tribute band. Try your hand at games and activities, visit exhibits and enjoy the picturesque views of Greenwich Harbor. The Last Taste of Summer is the perfect finale for the Summer Craft Beer season.

Parking for this event is free at Island Beach and Horseneck Parking lots, Greenwich Plaza and all street parking in the area. The event is three blocks from Greenwich Metro North Station. Everyone should have a photo ID for admittance and must be 21+ for tastings.

Sharon Art Walk on Sept. 16

Sharon Connecticut is a quintessential New England town in the Litchfield Hills with a long village green bordered by perfectly manicured white clapboard colonial homes. On Saturday, Sept. 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. visitors to Sharon are in for an "artistic" treat.

Darren Winston Bookseller, Hotchkiss Library of Sharon, The Gallery @the SHS of Sharon Historical Society & Museum and Sharon Town Hall Art Gallery are collaborating to present the first Sharon Art Walk.  Each of the participating galleries will be open from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Saturday, September 16, 2017 and will host a reception with light refreshments for artists and visitors. 

Darren Winston Bookseller will display “Picture Book: New Works by Jeff Joyce” (on view September 14 through September 30). 

Hotchkiss Library of Sharon will exhibit a solo show of artwork by Danielle Mailer entitled “Tiny Tremors: Paintings, Prints, Sculpture” (on view September 4 through October 31). 

Sharon Historical Society & Museum will present an invitational group show of multimedia landscape art called “The Land We Love” featuring the work of area artists Basia Goldsmith, Norma Kimmel, Ellen Moon, Patty Mullins, Ray Olsen and Babs Perkins (on view September 16 through October 27). 

The Sharon Town Hall Art Gallery will display “Female Perspective,” a group show of recent work by local women artists including Linda Amerighi, Eve Biddle, Purdy Eaton and Tara Lisa Foley. 

In addition to gallery hopping among the participating galleries, visitors will have an opportunity to visit Standard Space and The Porchlight and to view art by Sharon artists Theresa Kenny, KK Kozik and Will Trowbridge, who will open their studios to the public during the Sharon Art Walk.

All participating galleries are convenient to the Sharon Town Green: Darren Winston Bookseller at 81 Main Street; Hotchkiss Library of Sharon at 10 Upper Main Street; The Gallery @the SHS, located at Sharon Historical Society & Museum at 18 Main Street; and Sharon Town Hall at 63 Main Street.  A list of addresses and locations of artists’ studios will be available at each participating gallery and studio.

The Gargoyles of Yale University

The David M. Hunt Library on 63 Main Street in Falls Village is hosting a lecture on gargoyles by Mathew Duman on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.

Photographer Mathew Duman's lecture and slideshow will be about the gargoyles found throughout the buildings of Yale University’s campus in New Haven. Using original photographs from his book, “An Education in the Grotesque,” he explores the artistic, historic, architectural and even humorous significance of these decorative sculptures and their role in communicating the identity of Yale University as a place of learning and enlightenment.   

Mathew Duman grew up in Bethany, Ct & works as a photographer & graphic designer at the Knights of Columbus in New Haven. He attended the gargoyle-free campus of Central Connecticut State University but while studying abroad, became fascinated with the architectural detail of the cathedrals of Britain. Mathew has since taken photographic trips to Italy, Africa, Australia & New Zealand.

This event is free and open to the public.  For seating and more information contact the library at 860-824-7424 or visit www.huntlibrary.org. 

Find out about the First Great Awakening in Kent Sept. 17

The Kent Historical Society is presenting a special Sunday lecture series that will be held at the Kent Town Hall located on 41 Kent Green Blvd. just off Rte. 7 in the center of Kent. On September 17 at 2 p.m. the Sunday Series will bring guests a program titled, "The First Great Awakening — Fervor and Ferment". 

In the 1730s, a wave of religious revivals, sponsored by the established clergy of the Reformed Churches, swept the Thirteen Colonies. The fervor disrupted the connection between church and state in New England. These revivals involved extreme emotional displays by the thousands of people who heard the sermons of Jonathan Edwards and various itinerant preachers. Though there was little lasting impact on the religious commitment of the colonies, the ideas presented probably moved the colonies closer to declaring independence from Great Britain.

Tom Key, the presenter studied engineering, was a flight officer in the US Navy and retired as a Commander in the US Naval Reserves. His professional career was with an international engineering firm, designing and constructing nuclear and fossil power plants, steel mills, and chemical plants. He's also had a career as a landscape painter exhibiting in over thirty galleries and invitational/juried shows from Delaware to Maine.

This lecture, as well as future Sunday Series events in 2017, helps give context to the Kent Historical Society's exhibit in the summer of 2017, "The Founders of Kent," on the emergence of one New England town in the 18th century. 

To sign up for a  free monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills or Fairfield County on things to do and see and special deals visit  www.litchfieldhills.com 

Living History Bus Tour First World War in Norwalk

If you are a WWI history buff and wonder what role the city of Norwalk played in this war, then you might want to take the living history bus tour of Norwalk on Sept. 17 from  1 p.m. to 5 p.m. that will explore the the social, artistic and architectural heritage from that tumultuous time period.

Over Here is the Seventh Annual Living History Tour conducted by the Norwalk Preservation Trust. he "War to End War" reshaped the world in many ways, and Norwalk was no exception. While Europe took the brunt of the horrific battles, the American home front was also irrevocably changed. What did that mean in Norwalk?

Tour participants will visit the homes, monuments, and memorials that tell the story of Norwalk during the Great War and its participation in the expansive industrialization that fueled America's growth as a world power.

The tour will visit houses of that era and take a trip back in time at the recently restored Wall Street Theater (opened 1914). Docents will discuss the impact of European architectural themes and the emergence of a true American architecture. The tour will also provide information about the WWI cannon on the Green — why was it given to Norwalk by France? Other sites visited will include memorials to the fallen of WWI.

Costumed re-enactors will bring the historic period to vibrant life and an architectural historian will provide insight into the areas of Norwalk that the tour visits. Tour attendees will travel in comfortable buses and enjoy a reception at the conclusion. Light refreshments will be served.

Tickets are $60 until September 10, and $70 after that date.

World War I program at Torrington Historical Society

Are you interested in learning more about World War I?   Here is an opportunity to understand one of the most significant events of the 20^th century and the catalysts that led to ‘The Great War’.  History teacher and scholar Todd Bryda will give two separate presentations at the Torrington Historical Society, 192 Main Street.  The public is invited to attend.   

The first presentation will take place on Wednesday, September 13^th at 6:30 p.m.    Todd Bryda will discuss the role of imperialism, militarism, and nationalism and how it impacted the war.  He will also discuss the initial years of the war as well as the effect of technology on this conflict.  The second presentation, which will take place on October 11^th, will focus on the U.S. after it entered the war in 1917.

Todd Bryda is a full-time history professor at Northwestern Connecticut Community College where he has been teaching since 1999.  Prior to that, he taught at several other schools including Southern Vermont College in Bennington. Professor Bryda received his M.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Both programs will take place at 6:30 in the Torrington Historical Society Carriage House, 192 Main Street, Torrington.  Torrington Historical Society members are free; there is a suggested donation of $2 for non-members.  For information on becoming a member, please visit www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org .

40 Years -- Go to the --Oyster Festival in Norwalk

Fun for families and friends from nine to ninety, the 40th annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival will be held this year on Friday, September 8 through Sunday, September 10. This year's entertainment highlights include music from nationally known-bands. Festival goers will enjoy a wide variety of rides, cooking competitions, arts and crafts and a diverse assortment of attractions and entertainment that promise unforgettable fun.

A festival favorite will feature the action packed Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show that will feature world champion lumberjacks demonstrating their log rolling, axe throwing, chopping, sawing, tree climbing and dragster chainsaw skills. This show will take place on Saturday and Sunday. There is also a 65 - ft Gondola Ferris wheel, the Nerveless Nocks Thrill Show, and more.The New England Seaport Village offers demonstrations, samples and displays and, the International Food Court offers a diverse selection of dining choices to add to the fun. Harbor tours are a highlight of this event.THE ENTERTAINMENTThe 2017 Oyster Festival will feature live music from dozens of bands on multiple stages. Friday night's musical highlight on the main stage is the Billy Joel tribute band, Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot. DelGuidice was hand picked and hired by Billy Joel himself, and is currently on tour with Billy Joel playing rhythm guitar and vocals, along with other members of Big Shot. Saturday's entertainment will include Latin Rock Santana tribute band, Sacred Fire, and Desert Highway, a band celebrating the music of the Eagles. On Sunday, Eight To The Bar, a colorful mix of forties jazz and swing, fifties jump blues, and their own swing-influenced music, will hit the main stage. Other musical acts during the weekend include Ripchord, of the Connecticut National Guard 102nd Army Band, singer/songwriter Alex Shillo, the VMI Commanders Jazz Band, and Funky Dawgz Brass Band.FOR THE KIDSThe festival's Kids Cove will wow children of all ages. The Kids' Cove includes games, rides and entertainment. Sunday is Family Day with special family and children's packages for entrance, rides and meals. The perk of family day on Sunday is that one child under 12 gets in free with each adult paid admission and for a mere $15 can ride all the amusement rides free from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. To round out the family fun there will be special live shows for kids on the festival's main stage plus kids' specials at many of the food booths.

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

The festival offers a wide array of attractions the whole family will enjoy, including continuous entertainment by local musicians and national acts. A multitude of fine artists and crafters display whimsical as well as practical items that appeal to all tastes, budgets and ages. For on the water fun, head to the festival docks to tour historic vessels and to cruise the scenic and historic Norwalk Harbor. For thrills, don't miss the Nerveless Nocks Thrill Show with motorcycles performing daredevil stunts.

Food demonstrations and competitions, including the always-popular chowder and chili cook-offs will take place throughout the festival. A highlight of the Festival is the wide variety of great food from around the world that is available at the International Food Court. There will be a craft beer tent with more than 40 beers. This culinary fare is prepared by dozens of local nonprofit organizations allowing them to raise vital funds for their charitable causes. At the Oyster Pavilion, learn about Norwalk's oystering history while watching slurping and shucking contests. The celebrity Slurpoff will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. in front of Oyster Pavilion.

The event is held at Veteran's Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday. Senior tickets are $10 all days. Children 5-12 year's old are $5. Children under 5 and U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. Sunday is Family Day with special pricing on that day only -- 1 child (age 5-12) free with each paid adult admission. Tickets can be purchased at www.seaport.org. Free Parking and Free Shuttle Bus service is provided from four (4) local parking lots, just follow the signs to Oyster Festival Parking. Festival hours are Friday

Save on Metro-North Railroad/Norwalk Oyster Festival Tickets
Festival goers can save on admission and rail fare when they purchase the Metro-North Railroad/Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival discount package. Packages are available at all ticket offices and ticket machines (except South Norwalk Station). On sale starting July 15. Package price from GCT/Harlem-125th Street: Adults, $27; Seniors, persons with disabilities and individuals receiving Medicare, $21; Children 12, $22; Children 5-11, $5; Children under 5, free. There is also other pricing from other stations. For more information visit Metro North online.

Calling all garden lovers to rare plant sale @ Hollister House

Hollister House Garden opens their gates for the annual 'Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants' Saturday, September 9th and Sunday, September 10th. Garden enthusiasts are invited to discover plants from vendors around the greater northeast at the sale. From local Connecticut based nurseries, to specialty nurseries from Maine to Pennsylvania, twelve vendors will be on the premises selling plants and sharing their expertise. Interested plant lovers can choose from two options 'Preview Buying' on Saturday, September 9th includes garden admission and cocktail party $45/pp 4-6:00 pm or enjoy the 'All-Day Plant Sale' only $10/pp (includes admission to the garden) on Sunday, September 10th from 9am-3pm.

The timing of the annual fall plant sale is ideal for autumn garden planting, since there is plant of time to get plants in the ground before cold weather sets in. "This is a great opportunity to find some very special plants not generally offered in the nursery trade," says George Schoellkopf of Hollister House Garden. Specialist growers offer the latest hybrids in addition to hard-to-find classic shrubs, trees and herbaceous perennials. Participants are encouraged to tour the garden after shopping.

The twelve nurseries that will be on premises for the 'Rare and Unusual Plant Sale' include; Broken Arrow Nursery, Cricket Hill Garden, Falls Village Flower Farm, Garden Vision Epimediums, Huntington & Hope, Linden Hill Gardens, McCue Gardens, Meadowbrook Gardens, Oesco, Inc, Opus Plants, Rare Find Nursery and Snug Harbor Farm. "The annual fall plant sale at Hollister House offers an unrivaled selection of rare plants with the splendid backdrop of the garden in its full late season glory. It's like Trade Secrets, but in time for fall planting and bit more mellow. Cricket Hill Garden will be bringing some fantastic peonies and pawpaws and persimmons." says Dan Furman of Cricket Hill Garden.

The Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants 'Preview Buying and Cocktails in the Garden' tickets for Saturday, September 10th are $45 and available through reservation at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/events/preview-buying-sale-rare-unusual-plants-cocktails-garden 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 7. Friday hours are 2-5PM 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.

Danbury History Museum World War I Exhibit - The Great War: Danbury Answers the Call

This year the Danbury Museum has organized a new exhibit called The Great War: Danbury Answers the Call.  This is an exhibition of WWI and focuses on the contributions of Danbury citizens at home and abroad during the War.

All branches of service will be recognized and some of the topics covered include: Sacrifices on the Homefront, The Mallory War Garden, the role of Danbury Hat Factories, and the Old 8th Company.

Historic imagery of all kinds will be on display such as parades, war bond rallies, soldiers and other period images of Danbury. In addition to letters, artifacts such as uniforms, helmets, and ephemera items including posters, and memorabilia from the archives of the Old 8th Company donated by Mr. Frank Stone.

The Danbury Museum will be open Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through November 11, 2017. Check their website for additional programs offered through the summer and fall.

The Danbury Museum & Historical Society is a BLUE STAR MUSEUM offering free admission to the nation's active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

New Acquisitions @ Torrington Historical Society

The Carriage House on the grounds of the Torrington Historical Society located on 192 Main Street in downtown Torrington is hosting a new exhibition that is showing off the Society's new acquisitions. This collection showcases a variety of items that have been added to the Society's collection within the past few years.

What You Will See

Collections on display include: a guitar made in Torrington ca. 1856 by noted American luthier James Ashborn; photographs of the Conley Inn (later the Yankee Pedlar) taken in 1891 when the inn first opened; paintings of local people and places; photographs of Torrington from the 1850s through the 1950s; a machinist's toolbox used by Joseph Ruwet; products manufactured in our city including a 19th century Hendey lathe; and, one of the most popular items in the exhibit - a sign from The Sugar Shack, a 1970s gathering spot for local teens.

Hours

Admission to the Carriage House Gallery is free; the gallery is located behind the Hotchkiss Fyler House.  The Gallery and House are open Wed. - Sat. from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

A Taste of Litchfield Hills Sept. 10

This year, a Taste of Litchfield Hills is being held at South Farms on 21 Higbie Road in Morris on September 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. This is the culinary event of the year that will feature restaurants, specialty markets, winemakers, craft brewers, and others in the beautifully restored white barn and through out this beautiful 90-acre property.

Expect to be wowed at South Farms as  participants serve their signature cuisine, curated cocktails and beverages to foodies and fun-loving folk in the area. To add to the fun, there will be two live bands as well as engaging and convivial roving entertainment.

The pre-purchased general admission is $50, which includes food, drink, and entertainment all afternoon. A VIP pass is $100 and provides food, drink, entertainment, private parking, and access to a lounge with TV and food service. Children 15 and under are $20. Day-of-the event tickets are $60 for general admission and $110 for the VIP lounge. You do not have to be 21 to purchase a ticket, however, you do have to be 21 to drink alcohol, so don't forget to bring along your ID.

Parking is available at the facility. If you are directed to overflow parking there will be a shuttle to transport you to the event and back to your car.

Go to the Colebrook Fair Labor Day Weekend

As the summer season begins to come to an end, the country fair and festival season is just beginning. Once again, this year, the bucolic village of Colebrook located in the far northwest corner of the Litchfield Hills is hosting their annual Labor Day Weekend Festival on Sat. Sept. 2 from 9 am - 4 pm. Colebrook is an architectural gem; the heart of this village located at the crossroads of Rtes. 182A and 183 is a perfectly preserved reminder of Connecticut's architectural past.

The Colebrook Fair began as an event of the school children at the old Center School, a two-room schoolhouse once located at the foot of Schoolhouse Road. The year was 1943, and the country was embroiled in the sad events and worries of World War II. Ruth Bushnell, the teacher of the 5th through 8th grades, came up with the idea of a children’s fair to instill a sense of happiness when happiness was in short supply and, 73 years later, the Colebrook Fair is still providing family fun with lots of smiles.

This year, fair goers will enjoy unique crafters, a variety of vendors, great food, raffles, a flea market and more.  Kids can compete in pie eating or frog jumping contests, a pet show or the “make-your-own” Cardboard Boat Regatta.  

The frog jumping contest dates back to the first fair held in Colebrook and kids have fun competing in several categories in this time-honored tradition.   To round out the fun, kids will enjoy, face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides, games, the Fire Department’s “touch-a-truck” and smokehouse.

 The 5th Annual Car Show will feature an incredible array of antique and classic vehicles. There are several awards categories and cars run the gamut from antiques, muscle and classics to imports, trucks and, new and cool!

For additional information visit the website of the fair.