nothin New Haven Independent | Cool Events This Weekend, Here & Beyond

Cool Events This Weekend, Here & Beyond

Temps in the 40s. How does that sound? Have we seen the last of the snow? Looks good for the next week or so. If you’ve been holding off on an outdoor excursion, now is the time. Explore Meigs Point and check out the eagles before they fly the coop. If you’re more the cozy-up type, take in a preview of Dvorak’s Rusalka and catch up on some classic literature by southern women. Revelers anticipating St. Patrick’s Day will have their day at Bar80, as will those who enjoy art and a brew or two.

Saturday, Feb. 18

Nature/Archaeology Hike

Friends of Hammonasset will sponsor a Nature/Archaeology Hike at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, from Meigs Point Nature Center led by Gary Nolf and Don Rankin, representing Friends of the Office of State Archaeology and Friends of Hammonasset.

It is hoped that seals will be spotted sunning themselves off Meigs Point. No pets are allowed on the hike.

Archaeology exhibits will be available in the Nature Center from noon to 3 p.m.; folks can bring their own artifacts for interpretation. The atlatl will be demonstrated. Folks participate at their own risk and should dress for wintry conditions. For more information, call 203 – 245-9192.

Sunday, Feb. 19

Birds of Prey Show

A Live Birds of Prey Show will be offered on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 4 p.m. at the Centerbrook Meeting House, 51 Main St., Centerbrook, sponsored by the Connecticut River Museum and Horizon Wings Raptor Rehabilitation Organization.

The show features a bald eagle and several other species of raptors. Visitors will be able to get an up close look at the birds while learning more about the lifecycle and ecology of these magnificent animals. This event is free to the public.

For details, go to www.ctrivermuseum.org or call 860 – 767-8269.

Tuesday, Feb. 21

Opera Preview: Rusalka

A Metropolitan Opera Preview of Dvorak’s Rusalka, with Marc Verzatt, recently retired from the faculty of the Yale School of Music, will be shown at the Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., on Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The event is sponsored by Shoreline Village Connecticut. (See top photo)
Verzatt, who recently retired as lecturer in Voice and Opera at the Yale School of Music, will lead the discussion.
Rusalka, Op. 114, is an opera by Antonín Dvořák. The Czech libretto was written by the poet Jaroslav Kvapil based on the fairy tales of Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová. The title character of Rusalka is an immortal water nymph, who falls in love with a mortal man, a prince who finds himself repeatedly drawn to the quiet lake where Rusalka lives. Rusalka decides to give up her immortality to pursue true love. The prince ultimately leaves Rusalka, leaving her to a hellish life of eternal solitude.
This talk is presented prior to the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD” movies series, which will be shown at Branford’s Regal Cinemas on Saturday, Feb. 25, at noon.

Literature of the American South

Literature of the American South: Four Novels by Women” will be presented by Mark Schenker, senior associate dean of Yale College and dean of Academic Affairs, Spring 2017, at the Willoughby Wallace Library, 146 Thimble Island Road, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe will be discussed.

The series continues on Tuesday, March 21, with Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston; Tuesday, April 18, with The Optimist’s Daughter” by Eudora Welty; and Tuesday, May 16, with Salvage the Bones” by Jesmyn Ward.

The discussions are free and open to all. Copies of the books available at the Circulation Desk.

Wednesday, Feb. 22

What is the Long Island Sound Blue Plan? 

Photo by Jen Payne

Learn about the Long Island Sound Blue Plan at the Branford Land Trust’s February Lecture to be held on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. at the Blackstone Memorial Library in Branford. Nathan Frohling, director of the Connecticut Coastal and Marine Initiatives at The Nature Conservancy, and Brian Thompson, director, Land and Water Resources Division at Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, will discuss the Long Island Sound Blue Plan, a new State and stakeholder initiative to better guide future uses of the Sound.

The Blue Plan is intended to protect the Sound’s natural resources and its traditional human uses such as boating, fishing, recreation and maritime commerce. Come learn about the Blue Plan process, watch a short documentary film, Ocean Frontiers II, and join the conversation about what the Plan will accomplish.

Visit www.branfordlandtrust.org for details on additional dates and speakers in the Winter/Spring Lecture Series presented by the Branford Land Trust. All are free to the public.

Saturday, Feb. 25

BCC Food, Supply Drive

The Branford Compassion Club Feline Rescue & Adoption Center, 2037 Foxon Road, will celebrate its sixth shelter anniversary with a winter food and supply drive to benefit shelter and feral cats on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Unopened canned and dry cat and kitten food, paper towels, kitchen trash bags, Tidy Cat clumping litter, laundry (HE) and dish detergent are especially needed. Join the volunteers for cake and refreshments.

For more information on the kitties’ wish list, visit the website at www.branfordcompassionclub.org.

Winter Animal Tracking Classes

An Animal Tracking class, sponsored by the Branford Land Trust’s Nature Explorer Program, will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 4. The class will be led by naturalists Tom Cleveland and Chris Woerner, who will help participants learn to recognize animal footprints and other signs of their passage through the woods.

The free events take place at the Lake Saltonstall Preserve. Meet at the Regional Water Authority parking lot on the north side of Hosley Avenue, down Hosley Avenue 0.3 miles from Brushy Plain Road. Expect moderate terrain, some sloping trails and inclines, rocky underfooting. Parents should be prepared to carry younger children if they get tired. Wear appropriate dress and comfortable, supportive walking shoes, and bring water. Walking sticks welcome.

Visit www.branfordlandtrust.org for details, and watch the land trust’s Facebook page for possible schedule changes. For questions, call Tom Cleveland at 203 – 981-9040.

Friday, March 3

Art & Craft Beer 

Sample some of Connecticut’s best craft brews at Guilford Art Center’s Art & Craft Beer event, scheduled for Friday, March 3, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St., Guilford.

Guests are invited to try a selection of beers from area breweries, including 30 Mile Brewing Company, Black Hog Brewing Company, Stony Creek Brewery, and Thimble Island Brewing Company. There will be bar food; wine and non-alcoholic beverages also will be served. Live music will be performed by One & Done, a local trio. 

Additionally, there will be a silent auction of brewery tours, growlers (large glass jugs for beer), and bar accessories designed by GAC staff and students. The GAC blacksmiths will be conducting live demonstrations in the blacksmith forge. 

The Art Center gallery will feature the Faculty & Student Exhibition: In Honor of 50 Years, a show of works by instructors and students across all media from the past two years. 

Reservations, which are limited, are $50 per person, with proceeds to benefit Guilford Art Center’s educational and community programs. Call 203 – 453-5947 or pay for reservations online at www.guilfordartcenter.org.

Saturday, March 4

A night of music from The Local Band: Just One More will take place at Bar80, 209 Foxon Road, North Branford, on Saturday, March 4, at 7 p.m., sponsored by the Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee.
Drink and bar specials will be available all evening. The $10 cover change will support the parade to be held Sunday, March 12, in New Haven.
For more information, call Bar80 or John Tolbert at 203 – 804-3205.

Saturday, March 11

Bird Photography Workshop 

On Saturday, March 11, at 2:30 p.m., award-winning photographer Stanley Kolber offers his annual Bird Photography Workshop at the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main St., Essex.

Kolber has been photographing birds for years, and enjoys sharing his experience with aspiring photographers of all levels, through anecdotes, slides, and question and answer. In addition to helping skills development, his greatest pleasure in giving workshops is the opportunity to kindle and encourage his audience’s interest in the natural world. For details, go to www.ctrivermuseum.org or call 860 – 767-8269.

Ongoing
28th Annual Eagle Watches on the Connecticut River (ongoing)

Audubon Shop owner Jerry Connolly will again lead the popular land-based excursions to view Bald Eagles along the Connecticut River, on Saturdays, Feb. 18, 25, and March 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Bald Eagles make their way down the Connecticut River from Canada every winter in search of ice-free fishing. Participants will observe these majestic birds from a variety of locations along the river. Ticket prices are $25, which includes a soup & sandwich luncheon at Otter Cove Restaurant in Old Saybrook following the field trip.

Reservations must be made in advance by calling 203 – 245-9056. Carpool from the shop at 907 Boston Post Road in Madison at 7:45 a.m. or meet at first stop (Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam) at 8:30 a.m.

Winter Wildlife, Bald Eagles

If you prefer to view Bald Eagles from the river, Connecticut River Expeditions of Haddam will offer cruises to view winter wildlife and nesting Bald Eagles through March 19.

Departures on Fridays are at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; on Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., leaving from the Connecticut River Museum dock in Essex.

RiverQuest has a heated cabin, but participates are urged to dress in warm layers since the best views will be from the open decks. Bring cameras and binoculars, which will also be available on board. Cost is $40 per person.

For more information visit www.ctriverquest.com or www.ctrivermuseum.org.
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