If there’s one thing we know about the shoreline, it’s that we have excellent taste. Luckily, the next few weeks are filled with opportunities to indulge this taste, whether it’s with a relaxing dinner at Burberry Hill Farm or an afternoon of wine at Bishops Orchards.
With Permission
The Saxtet
For non-edible entertainment, check out the dense lineup of local music festivals (including Woofstock on the Green!). Tonight’s “Saxtet” on the Green has been cancelled because of weather concerns. It is expected to be rescheduled. Or go nature’s way with events from the Branford Land Trust and the Hammonasset Nature Center.
Thursday, August 11
Branford Jazz on the Green: “The Saxtet,” Darren Litzie, Director.
Formed in 2012 by a group of friends who met studying music at Western Connecticut State University, this eight-person saxtet honors the large jazz ensemble tradition of swing while also updating the genre with fresh, bold arrangements. The group will eventually take the stage on the Branford Green. But not tonight. For more info on the band, check out: http://branfordjazz.com/page/28733-The-Saxlet For a full schedule of Jazz on the Green, click here.
Thursday, August 11-Sunday, August 14
Dinner at the Farm at Burberry Hill Farm
Support your local farms and your local humanitarian organizations with a multi-course farm-fresh feast at Barberry Hill Farm in Madison CT, located at 353 Boston Post Road.
Guests will be treated to an orchard fruit cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, and a tour of the farm before sitting down beneath a candle-lit tent for a six- to seven-course dinner with other members of the community, as well as some of the people who helped produce the food they’ll be eating.
Dinner begins at 6 p.m., with dinner served at 7. Tickets cost $125 per person on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and $150 on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit http://www.dinnersatthefarm.com/Dinners_at_the_Farm/Welcome.html.
Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival
From August 11 – 14, Podunk’s Hebron Fairgrounds will come alive with the sounds of local, regional, and national bluegrass acts. The festival’s main stage will welcome popular bluegrass artists such as Del McCoury, Alison Brown, and Claire Lynch, while its acoustic stage will feature a lineup of multi-genre Connecticut based acoustic acts, beginning with the On Deck Sound Studio Showcase Thursday evening.
Attendees are invited to park on site, stay at the host hotel or come for the day or night using our close, ample parking. In addition to the music, there will be plenty of family fun activities, camping, and vendors. Tickets cost between $5 and $10. To reserve one, or to find out more, visit http://podunkbluegrass.com
Friday, August 12-Sunday, August 14
Mystic Blues Festival
Hosted at the North Stonington Fairgrounds, the Mystic Blues Festival features a unique blend of blues and roots-based music. The festival will be headlined by six-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Dr. John and the Nite Trippers, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. this Friday. Ticket prices vary depending on seating and duration of stay. To reserve one, visit http://mysticbluesfestival.com/.
Saturday, August 13-Sunday August 14
10th Annual Shoreline Wine Festival
Wine (and dine!) with Connecticut’s wineries and vineyards at the 10th annual Shoreline Wine Festival, hosted this weekend at Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market & Winery. The event will feature a range of local wines and local foods. It will be held from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets costs $35 for adults, $70 for a VIP pass, and $10 for a designated driver.
For tickets and more information http://www.shorelinewinefestival.com/
Pixelmania: A Minecraft Celebration
Revel in all that is square and cubic at the Connecticut Science Center, located at 250 Columbus Blvd, in Hartford, CT. In addition to a series of ongoing Minecraft tournaments, the festivities will feature Minecraft-inspired activities including Live Science, paper crafts, and a special appearance by Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob Squarepants. Tickets cost $60 for tournament players, $12 for spectator players, and $14.95 for youth general admission. Adult general admission costs $21.95. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. To reserve one, or to find out more information on the event, visit https://www.ctsciencecenter.org/pixelmania/
Saturday, August 13
Woofstock on the Branford Green
Branford is going to the dogs this weekend at the annual “Woofstock” festival, a day of peace and music hosted to benefit Branford’s Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter.
The annual event will feature not only live acts such as “Chewy and the Grateful Friends,” but also a Woof Walk for homeless pets, a Hippie Dog contest, a dunk tank, a raffle, a children’s area with a bouncy castle and obstacle course, and vendors selling plenty of food and goodies for you and your furry friends.
Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person that will go towards animal rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing. For more information, or to register for the Woof Walk or the Hippie Dog contest, visit the event’s website at http://www.woofstockonthebranfordgreen.org/
Intro to 3‑D printing at the Blackstone Library
Learn how to make read-to-print 3‑D files with a free introductory tutorial at the Blackstone Library, hosted by instructor Jim Davis from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Participants will be using the free 3D modeling software 123Design, from the makers of AutoCAD. Space is limited. To register, call 203 – 488-1441 x 318. The event is open to all ages.
Tilde Cafe at the Blackstone Library
The oldest continuously running science cafe in Connecticut, Tilde Cafe meets in Branford, CT about once every 4 – 6 weeks to discuss topics ranging from
physical sciences, to life sciences and social sciences. Its upcoming meeting will feature a discussion on “making modern vaccines to prevent the next pandemic: from flu to Zika,” led by Rachael Felberbaum, PhD.
The discussion is open to all curious minds, regardless of age or background in the discussion topic. To learn more about Tilde Cafe, visit their website at http://www.tildecafe.org/
Sunday, August 14
Live Reptile Program at Meig’s Point
Join Ranger Russ and his scaly, slithery friends for a live reptile program at Hammonasset State Park’s brand new Meigs Point Nature Center. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1742446942664641/
Wednesday, August 17
East Haven Rotary Golf Tournament
Join the East Haven Rotary Club for their eighth annual benefit golf tournament, hosted New Haven’s Alling Memorial Golf Club on Wednesday, August 6th.
The tournament, recently renamed the Pasquale “Pat” Romano Memorial, Tournament in memory of Rotarian Romano who passed away in 2011, will begin with a continental breakfast at 8:00 a.m. before the first tee-off at 9 a.m.
The tournament’s $100 entry fee also includes 18 holes of golf (including cart) and a steak dinner at Anastasio’s Italian Steak House at 640 – 656 Silver Sands Road in East Haven, where participants are invited to go after the tournament. Nominal prizes will be awarded and a 50/50 raffle will be held.
To reserve a place in the tournament, or to purchase a Tee Sponsorship for $100, contact Frank Gentilesco, Jr. at 203 – 627-0602. Proceeds from the event will be put towards scholarships and other free events offered to the community.
Thursday, August 18-Sunday, August 21 (and more)
Shakespeare in the Park: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
There will be magic in the woods next weekend at New Haven’s Edgerton park, as Elm Shakespeare Company kicks off its summer series of Shakespeare in the Park with a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In addition to next weekend, the production will also be showing from August 23 – 28, August 30 – 31, and September 1 – 4. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit http://www.elmshakespeare.org/#!free-summer-shakespeare/c1yzj
Friday, August 19 — Saturday, August 27
CT Open Tennis Tournament
From August 19 – 27, the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale will be hosting superstar female tennis players at the annual CT Open Tennis Tournament. The tournament includes five different competitions including WTA qualifying, WTA singles, WTA doubles, PowerShares Legends, and the US Open National Playoffs Championship. The Connecticut Open is prominently featured domestically on ESPN2 and is also broadcast in 160 countries around the world. For match times, tickets, and more information, visit http://www.ctopen.org/
Sunday, August 21
Taste the Shoreline on the Guilford Green
Join local restaurants and food establishments for a festival of flavors at Taste the Shoreline, hosted on the Guilford Green from noon to 6 p.m. next Sunday. The event, organized by Guilford Parks & Recreation and sponsored by the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, will also feature family entertainment, children’s activities, a business expo, and silent auction. For more info, call 203 – 453-8068
Monday, August 22
Branford Land Trust Environmental Camp
Children ages 5 – 9 are invited to a day of hands-on learning at the Branford Land Trust’s Environmental Day Camp on Monday, August 22. Activities, which will be held from approximately 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
will include touch tanks, woodland and Long Island Sound exploration, nature crafts, and more.
Upon registration and payment participants will receive a full day’s agenda, map, and list of what to bring. Registration costs $45.00 (additional children, same family $35.00), or $35 for Land Trust members. Scholarships available. Registration deadline is Friday, Aug.19.
For more information contact Martha Rice at 203 – 314-7128 or [email protected], or visit http://branfordlandtrust.org/environmental-day-camp-for-kids/. The registration form can be found at: http://www.branfordlandtrust.org/wp-cont3nt/uploads/2016/06/EnvironmentalDayCamp16.pdf
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