Cool Events This Weekend, Here & Beyond

Autumn has officially arrived and with it are all sorts of opportunities for enjoying everything the shoreline has to offer. Fairs and festivals continue throughout the area, including the much-heralded Big E (funnel cake fries, chocolate and bacon-covered fries, blueberry pierogi sundae, maple waffle breakfast sandwich, sweet potato dessert fries, a centennial frozen banana, anyone?). Here at the Eagle, we’re looking forward to our own favorite event on Oct. 2, Animal Awareness Day with the Blessing of the Animals. And running a little late this year is the ever-popular Friends of the Library Book Sale, a veritable feast for bibliophiles, planned for mid-October.

Saturday, Sept. 24

Nature Walk – Red Hill Woods

The final public walk at Red Hill Woods, sponsored by the Branford Land Trust, takes place this Saturday. The walk will begin at 10 a.m.
The land trust’s goal is to raise $200,000 to preserve and protect this stunning property, along with Spectacle Island, for generations to come. The walks are approximately one mile in length, and will take about an hour. Walkers should expect moderate terrain, with some sloping trails and inclines. Bring water. Walking sticks welcome.
DIRECTIONS: From Leetes Island Road, turn onto Red Hill Road and continue past Van Wie Pond to the very end of the road. Park along the gravel lane.
Visit www.branfordlandtrust.org today to learn more about Red Hill Woods and to make a donation.

Legacy Theatre Gala: Music of the Night

The Legacy Theatre will host a gala entitled Music of the Night featuring a live orchestra and Broadway performers at Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre in Chester from 6 to 10 p.m. to benefit the Legacy Theatre and the restoration of the historic Stony Creek Puppet House.

Broadway performer Sasha Weiss (pictured left) will be featured. 

The fourth annual gala is a black tie event that includes a reception, silent auction, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and music honoring the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber, performed by an orchestra and singers from the Legacy Theatre and Broadway stage.

The Legacy Theatre was established in June 2011 and purchased the 1903 Stony Creek Puppet House theater in March 2013. Since its purchase, professionals have been working to obtain approvals and are now finalizing designs to outfit this historic building with a theater.

Tickets are $125 each. Click here for reservations.

Sunday, Sept. 25

Tour de Branford 2016

BCTV’s ​“Tour de Branford 2016” will feature two different tours, beginning and ending at the Stony Creek Brewery, 5 Indian Neck Avenue. The 40-mile tour starts at 8:30 a.m. and there is a rest stop at the Sugar Loaf Recreation Area at the 20-mile mark with water, snacks, and restrooms. The 15-mile tour starts at 9:30 a.m.
Post event, there will be beer and food from gourmet food for purchase.Registration is $50 for the 40-mile tour and $30 for the 15-mile tour.

The first Tour de Branford in 2015 attracted 200 cyclists from more 40 municipalities throughout Connecticut, as well as out-of-state cyclists. Participants were able to take a beautiful tour throughout picturesque shoreline scenery in Branford, as well as fall scenery in Guilford and North Branford. Proceeds from the event will support BCTV’s production facilities, enabling Branford residents to promote their own personal interests, non-profit organizations, school, and to air local government meetings.

Fairs and Festivals this weekend

In addition to the fairs listed below, the Eastern State Exposition (also known as the Big E) runs through Oct. 2 in West Springfield, Mass. If you go, be sure to check out the Swifty Swine Racing Pigs and the 1960s singing group, The Cowsills.

Durham Fair: Sept. 22 through 25, Main Street and Fowler Avenue, Durham
Oktoberfest at Quassy: Sept. 22 through 25, Fieldside Pavilion, Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury
Norwalk Boat Show: Sept. 22 through 25, Norwalk Cove Marina, Norwalk
Pipes in the Valley Celtic Festival: Sept. 24, Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, 300 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford
Guilford Civic Women’s 35th Annual Harvest Festival: Sept. 24, Guilford Green, Guilford

Saturday, Oct. 1

Mystery Buildings Tour

The Guilford Keeping Society, owners of the Thomas Griswold House Museum and the Medad Stone Tavern Museum, will sponsor a self-guided ​“Mystery Buildings Tour” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The tour will feature 13 buildings and barns, including the Griswold Museum, corn cribs, a bowling alley, Guilford’s Regicide Cellar, a cider mill, and other historic buildings in downtown Guilford that are usually not open to the public.

Tickets are $10, free for children 16 and under, and are available in advance tickets at Breakwater Books on the Guilford Green, the Guilford Visitors Information Kiosk on Church Street, and the Medad Stone Tavern on Three Mile Course. On the day of the event, programs and tickets will be available at the Thomas Griswold Museum, 170 Boston St.

The Thomas Griswold house, built in 1774, is white saltbox home featuring furniture and china of the period along with an extensive collection of clothing. The property includes a working blacksmith shop with demonstrations, a three-hole privy, otherwise known as an outhouse, corncribs and a barn. Among the buildings are barns, some in the English tradition and nine of which are on the list of ​“Historic Barns in Connecticut.” In addition, there are corn cribs, a bowling alley, Guilford’s Regicide Cellar, and a cider mill.

The cider mill, dating from 1817, is in a typical 19th century English style barn. Its purpose was to house the equipment, cider presses, and the apple grinding mill that produced the cider. Since the mill used a horse-driven sweep, the barn needed ample space for the operation.

Another attraction is Guilford’s own Regicide Cellar on River Street. Regicide means killing a king. In the 1700s in England, during the reign of Charles I, a movement arose to kill the King. A death warrant was written and signed. Among the signers were three judges: John Dixwell, William Goffe, and Edward Whalley. When the plot was discovered, Charles II sent his emissaries to capture the judges, but by then they had fled to the New Haven Colony.

Sunday, Oct. 2

Animal Awareness Day Returns to Branford Green 

After a one-year hiatus, the Branford Compassion Club feline rescue and adoption organization is bringing back the popular Animal Awareness Day to the Branford Town Green, rain or shine, from noon to 4 p.m.Activities include live music, children’s activities with Branford Art Center and The Drunken Palette of Westbrook, food truck, live animals, kissing booth, bake sale, booths featuring a variety of animal care and rescue groups, businesses, vendors whom area pet owners patronize to give their animals the best life possible, plus many surprises.

The highlight of the day will be the Blessing of the Animals at 1:30 p.m., which is why the event is always held as close as possible to the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of all animals. In past years, dogs, cats, gerbils, horses, rabbits, birds and more have made their way through the line, and those who couldn’t make it in person often were represented in photos. It’s a gleeful as well as touching part of the day. This year, courtesy of the Stony Creek Quarry, visitors also will get the chance to bring home a unique piece of town history. The quarry has donated pieces of its famous classic pink granite, available for $25, with or without paw prints, with all proceeds going to BCC. Donors who give $100 or more will get a guided tour of the quarry, and a $250 or more donation garners a one-on-one tour of the Mesozoic Age gorge, which is rarely open to the public (cash or checks only, payable to Branford Compassion Club).

Saturday, Oct. 8 to Monday, Oct. 10

Connecticut Renaissance Faire

The Connecticut Renaissance Faire, taking place at the North Haven Fairgrounds, 290 Washington Ave., is an old-world amusement park with eight stages of non-stop entertainment, arts and crafts made by local artisans, a jousting tournament and feasting. Watch shows on stages around the faire, listen to minstrels playing in the streets, and experience the ageless, old-world charm of a 16th century village filled with laughter, romance, and good, old-fashioned family fun in Connecticut.
Tickets start at $15. Various special VIP packages are available. For details go to http://ctfaire.com/

Saturday, Oct. 8

Shoreline Harvest Art Festival

The 2nd Annual Shoreline Harvest Art Festival with 40 artists and artisans will take place on the Branford Green along Main Street, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., under the Big Tent, rain or shine. The event is free.

There will be live jazz music with John Brasil & Friends, pumpkin painting, and community garden displays and sale. The event is sponsored by the Branford Education Fund and Branford Art Center.

For more information call Yvonne Gordon-Moser at 860 – 334-4642 or email [email protected].

Sunday, Oct. 9

Columbus Day Parade in Hamden

The Columbus Day Parade is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m. in the Town of Hamden. Hamden Mayor Curt Balzano Leng recently met with Mayor Joseph A. Maturo, Jr., of East Haven, to receive the Italian Flag, an annual tradition that signifies the passing of the Columbus Day Parade festivities from the previous host, Town of East Haven, to the present host, Town of Hamden.

Friday, Oct. 13 to Sunday, Oct. 16

Blackstone Memorial Library Annual Book Sale

This is the event that local book lovers live for! The Friends of the James Blackstone Memorial Library will hold its Used Book Sale on the Branford Green on Main Street, Oct. 13 to 16. (Note the date change from previous years.)
More than 70,000 books from a variety of genres will be available including history, biography, sports, science, cooking, vintage, gardening, art, reference, religion, mystery, and other fiction, to over 10,000 volumes for children. Cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted.
Preview night is Thursday, Oct. 13, 5 to 8 p.m. Entrance is free to members of the Friends of the Library and professional dealers. There is a $15 entrance fee for others.
The general sale opens to the public and runs from Oct. 14 to 16. Free admission. Hours are as follows: Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.
Books are reasonably priced with trade paperback at $2; hardcover $3; coffee table $5, and pocket paperbacks 50 cents. DVDs and CDs are also available at modest prices. Children’s books are 50 cents and up.
Sunday is Bargain Day. Fill a bag for $10 with bags provided by Friends of Library. All products are in good to excellent condition.
Hot dogs, baked goods, lemonade, and water will also available for purchase at the Café Blackstone.
For further information call Mary Hally, book sale chair, 203 – 410-4951 or Hatsie Mahoney, club president, 203 – 481-4100.

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