The word ‘o the weekend is pumpkin. They’re appearing on doorsteps, at the Branford Alps Farmers Market (in blue, even!), in garden centers, and at harvest festivals. Of course, there ’s the now-ubiquitous Pumpkin Latte at Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. And Ashley’s Ice Cream on Main Street has its annual pumpkin indulgences – pumpkin gingersnap and pumpkin oreo. Grab a spoon!
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. 12, 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].
Calan Performs at Branford Folk Music Society
Fiddles, guitar, Welsh harp, accordion, bagpipes and step dancing explode into life when Welsh group Calan takes the stage at 8 p.m. This is the first time in 43 years that BFS has welcomed a Welsh group to its stage.
Calan gathers together the talents of five young musicians who give a fresh and vibrant sound to traditional Welsh music. With a contemporary and lively approach they breathe new life into the old traditions through their sparkling melodies, foot tapping tunes and spirited and energetic performances of Welsh step dancing. They blast their way through some of the old favorite reels, jigs and hornpipes with fast paced and uplifting arrangements before melting into some of the most beautiful and haunting songs.
Following release of their 2008 debut album Bling, the five-piece band has been playing to large audiences and rave reviews at concerts and festivals around Britain and Europe, including the coveted Cambridge Festival and Celtic Connections soirees. Concert tours have taken them to Italy, Austria, Brittany and Belgium. They released their second album Dinas last year.
Admission: $20 non-members; $17 members, $5 children 12 and under. For more information, call 203 – 488-7715.
Sunday, Oct. 9
Voices, an Art Show
Meet the artists behind “Voices” at an art show and opening Sunday Oct. 9, 1 to 3 p.m., at Branford Art Center, 1229 Main St. Voices is an experiential art exhibit representing the work of more than 30 talented young people affected by mental health challenges.
The goal of the exhibit is to expose and destroy the myths surrounding mental illness thereby reducing the stigma, negative attitudes, and hurtful behavior toward youth living with mental health challenges.
The show is sponsored by Ann Nelson Advocacy, NAMI Shoreline, and Branford Art Center. For more information email Ann Nelson at [email protected].
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.
Wednesday, Oct. 12
Impact of Sea-level Rise On Coastal Marshes of Long Island Sound
Menunkatuck Audubon Society
The Menunkatuck Audubon Society will present a program on Long Island Sound’s salt marshes at the Blackstone Library, 785 Main St. from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. presented by David Kozak, senior coastal planner for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Office of Long Island Sound Programs.
The salt marshes provide critically important habitat for a variety of water birds, yet are the among the most vulnerable habitats to climate change. To effectively evaluate coastal marsh conservation and management opportunities through the lens of climate change, a basic understanding of the science of climate change, saltmarsh ecology and the models used to predict a marsh’s potential response to climate change, particularly sea level rise (SLR), is necessary.
This presentation will provide an overview of saltmarsh ecology, how saltmarshes respond to a rising sea, marshes most and least resilient to sea-level rise, the factors leading to such change and the benefits and uncertainties associated with using computer models for conservation planning. Included will be a demonstration of the EPA Long Island Sound’s SLR Affecting Marshes (SLAMM) marsh conservation planning tool.
For more information, call Carl R. Harvey at 203 – 389-6076 or email [email protected].
Friday, Oct. 13, to Sunday, Oct. 16
Blackstone 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.
Saturday, Oct. 15
Pumpkins Ablaze at The Stand
Carve a pumpkin at the Pumpkins Ablaze Event (top photo) at The Stand from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., across from Lenny’s Seafood Restaurant, South Montowese Street. More than 100 pumpkins have been carved by Branford Art Center artists and you carve your own for $5. Enter to win a cash prize and a trophy for best pumpkin. Then join the free festivities that evening to celebrate the fall season and Halloween with the community at The Stand.
For more information call Yvonne Gordon-Moser at 860 – 334-4642 or email [email protected].
Saturday, Oct. 22
Killam’s Point Fall Foliage Walk
Jen Payne Photo
Enjoy a guided trail walk through the autumn woods at Killam’s Point, courtesy of the Branford Land Trust and the First Congregational Church of Branford, at 10 a.m. Local naturalist Martha Rice leads a walk through Killam’s Point’s rich habitat. The event is free and open to the public.
Killam’s Point, an ecological treasure owned by the church, has healthy forests, secluded beaches, wide salt marshes, granite bluffs, and a fascinating array of flora and fauna. Those taking advantage of the collaborative effort of the two organizations will have the opportunity to enjoy one of the largest, privately owned undeveloped tracts on Long Island Sound.
Killam’s Point is located along Shore Drive just west of the Orchard House Adult Day Care Center. Drive slowly to the end of the road to the parking area. Bring water. Walking sticks welcome. For details, call 203 – 747-4184 or visit www.branfordlandtrust.org.
Sunday, Oct. 23
Peabody Crystals Exhibit
A 2,000-pound Namibian quartz crystal will greet visitors to David Friend Hall, the state-of-the-art gem and mineral gallery opening on Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven.
The massive amber-colored crystal, which visitors will be allowed to touch, is one of more than 150 of the world’s premier mineral and gem specimens that will be on display, drawn from the some of the most significant private collections in the United States. The hall will use custom lighting to emphasize each specimen’s unique, and often other worldly, features. The gallery’s opening celebrates the Peabody’s 150th anniversary.
Admission to the museum during the Oct 22 – 23 anniversary weekend is free.
Remember Hepburn at The Kate
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook, will welcome WTNH television personality Ann Nyberg for the launch of her new book, Remembering Katharine Hepburn: Stories of Wit and Wisdom About America’s Leading Lady, on Sunday, Oct. 23, at 4:30 p.m. Nybert is also vice president of the board of trustees of The Kate.
Published by Globe Pequot Press, the book will be released Oct. 15. It’s described as a sweet and captivating look at Katharine Hepburn. Proceeds will go toward The Kate’s diverse programming and community arts engagement.
A ticket to the event will include a copy of Remembering Katharine Hepburn, a reception with light snacks and wine, an excerpt reading with Nyberg and conversations about the book, and will conclude with a book signing. Tickets are $40 (plus applicable fees) in advance or at the door, space permitting. The event will begin promptly at 4:30 p.m. and will be general seating. Call 877 – 503-1286 or visit http://katharinehepburntheater.org/.
Wednesday, Oct. 26
“Genius, Grit, and Sacrifice”
Historian and author Diana Ross McCain will speak on “Genius, Grit, and Sacrifice: Connecticut’s Role in the American Revolution” at 7 p.m. at the Blackstone Library, 785 Main St.
The courage, daring, and ingenuity of Connecticut soldiers and civilians were key to winning the war for American independence. McCain will recount three examples of the state’s role in the fight for liberty in a lively, compelling talk.
McCain will draw on her book It Happened in Connecticut for these inspiring stories. Copies of the book, and others by McCain, will be available for purchase and autographing after the program.
McCain is a partner in Come Home to Connecticut, which provides historical and genealogical research services, programming, and consulting to individuals, organizations, and companies. She has been researching, writing, and speaking about Connecticut history for more than 30 years. She was on the staff of the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford for 25 years.
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