Music! Music! Music! There are various opportunities coming up, depending on your taste – folk/bluegrass, jazz, Broadway, classical, and even the Whiffenpoofs. There are outdoor events as well – bird lovers will remember Dr. Noble Proctor – an artists’ reception, and events that celebrate the spirit of the season. If you have kids, don’t forget the OPEN event at Branford High School with BMX pro Tony Hoffman. Got a cool event? Email [email protected].
Saturday, Oct. 13
Fabrique/Women in Business
Designer Bag Sample Sale to benefit the Branford Community Dining Room, which provides 60,000 meals annually, takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 11 Research Drive. More than 2,000 bags will be featured, including computer cases, tablets, folios, backpacks, rollers, ladies bags, and luggage. For more information, call 203 – 481-5400 or email [email protected].
Honoring Noble Proctor
Branford Open Space Authority will honor Dr. Noble S. Proctor (1942 – 2015), renowned naturalist and resident at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. A Stony Creek Granite bench (above) will be dedicated in his honor at the Supply Pond beside the Orange Trail (beyond the old foundation). Rain date Sunday, Oct. 14.
Opening Reception at BAC
An opening reception for Holly Whiting and Candace Klein will be held at the Branford Art Center, 1229 Main St., Branford, on Saturday, Oct 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. Free refreshments.
Gallery artist Holly Whiting uses reactive metallic paints to achieve extraordinary and unusual art. Her paintings will be featured in the studio gallery through the end of October. Another gallery painter, Candace Klein, will display her line of Upcycle Clothing in the front window through Oct 15. Klein designs a combination of different textured and patterned fabrics to create a range of unique fall clothing.
Fall classes have also begun for children and adults.
For more information, email Yvonne Gordon-Moser, [email protected] or call 860 – 334-4642 or visit branfordartcenterct.com. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
An Evening with the Spirits
An Evening with the Spirits, presented by Blackstone Library and Branford Wine & Liquor, features a variety of whiskeys and other spirits to sample, plus psychics and mediums to help discover otherworldly spirits.
Psychic Chrystyne McGrath will conduct a large group reading at 7:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. — one session or the other can be attended. Additionally, psychics will be available throughout the evening to sit one-on-one for a brief individual reading.
Tickets are $40 per person, open to ages 21+.
Appetizers included with ticket. No physical tickets will be issued, check-in at the door. Silent auction will also be held.
This fundraiser benefits the Blackstone Library, supporting the innovative programs and crucial services we offer to the Branford community.
For more information and to buy tickets, go to http://www.blackstone.lioninc.org/eveningspirits/.
Dulcimer Virtuoso at Branford Folk Music Society
Walt Michael, an influential figure during the revival of the hammered dulcimer in folk music in the 1970s, will appear with his ensemble on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. at the Branford Folk Music Society. The concert will take place in the auditorium of the First Congregational Church of Branford, 1009 Main St., on the Town Green.
Throughout his more than four decades as a hammered dulcimer virtuoso, Maryland’s Walt Michael has virtually “played it all.” He’s appeared at The White House, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the closing ceremonies of the XIII Olympics Winter Games at Lake Placid, New York. And with his ensemble, Walt Michael & Co., he’s also appeared at major folk festivals throughout America, Canada and Europe and enjoyed appearances on a multitude of national television and radio stations.
Admission is $20 for non-members, $17 for members and $5 for children age 12 and under. For more information, call 203 – 488-7715 or access the society’s Web page at www.branfordfolk.org/.
Sunday, Oct. 14
Virtual Treasure Hunt
Photo by Jen Payne
Branford Land Trust and the First Congregational Church will host a Virtual Treasure Hunt at Killam’s Point, on Sunday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m. This is the final of four 2018 outdoor events co-sponsored by the two groups; it is free and open the public.
Educator and environmentalist Jim Goggin will lead a family-oriented walk that will show why Killam’s Point is so special. Bring cameras and binoculars to enjoy the crisp air, the ospreys feeding for their long migration, the granite bluffs against the sparkling Sound, schools of bunker fleeing a bluefish frenzy, chipmunks and squirrels harvesting acorns.
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. Space is limited. To register, call 203 – 747-4184.
Music from South of the Border
Elaine Thoma, flute, and Neal Fitzpatrick, guitar, will perform “Suite Buenos Aires” by Maximo Diego Pujol, and other Latin American classics, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, at the First Baptist Church of Branford, 975 Main St.
Thoma, a flute faculty member at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, studied with Jean-Pierre Rampal and James Galway and holds degrees from Syracuse University, Boston University, and the Tanglewood Institute.
Fitzpatrick has performed with the New Haven Symphony, the Aspen Music Festival, and the 92nd Street Y in New York. He teaches from his studio in Branford, both classical and jazz guitar.
The concert is free; donations are welcome. The event is sponsored by Musical Art Society of Branford, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 to support and promote music in the community. The concert begins the society’s 99th musical season.
Sunday Jazz at Home
Enjoy jazz at Home Restaurant’s Living Room on Sundays from 5 to 8 p.m. Chris Morrison and Jamie Finegan are featured on Sunday, Oct. 14; the Preston “Mad Dog Murphy Duo will perform Sunday, Oct. 21; and Jeff Fuller and Joe Carter will appear Sunday, Oct. 28.
Seating is first come, first served. For more information, call 203 – 483-5896 or visit HomeRestaurantCT.com.
Monday, Oct. 15
Swing Into Rotary Golf
The Branford Rotary Club’s seventh annual Golf Classic takes place Monday, Oct. 15, at the Wallingford Country Club, 195 Long Hill Road, Wallingford, located off I‑91 and just minutes from Route 15. The schedule for the tourney is as follows – 7:30 a.m., registration; 8 a.m., continental breakfast; 9:30 a.m., shotgun start; 1 p.m. BBQ buffet, cocktail hour (open bar) raffle, and auction. Prizes will be awarded.
The event will benefit the Branford Counseling Center Basic Needs Program, Cosgrove Animal Shelter, local veterans’ groups, Soundview YMCA Annual Campaign, and the Orchard House.
Registration is $150 per golfer. Appropriate attire and spikeless shoes are required; jeans are prohibited. Spectators are welcome. Cocktail party and lunch buffet available for non-golfers at $30. For more information, call or email Ed Vescovi, 203 – 415-9191 or [email protected]; or Doug Shaw, 203 – 494-8510 or [email protected]. Register online at www.branfordrotary.org. Register online at www.branfordrotary.org.
Wednesday, Oct. 17
OPEN Presents BMX Pro, Olympian Coach Tony Hoffman
BMX Pro and Olympian Coach Tony Hoffman will host a special community event sponsored by OPEN – Branford Counseling Center’s Local Prevention Council Opiate/Prescription Drug Education Network – on Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Branford High School, 185 East Main St.
The family event features a casual supper, a BMX Bike Door Prize, and a keynote presentation by guest speaker Tony Hoffman. Childcare will be provided. The event is free and open to the public.
A former BMX pro and Olympic coach, Hoffman is also a recovering addict. His presentation, “One Choice Can Change the Rest of Your Life,” will engage the audience with its inspiring story, from Tony’s early teenage struggles with mental health to his active years of substance abuse, from his time in prison through the years of recovery that helped him achieve his current success.
Hoffman has seen some of the highest highs and the lowest lows. Today, he is the founder and director of The Freewheel Project, a non-profit organization that mentors thousands of youth through action sports: BMX, skateboarding, and after-school programs. The Freewheel Project focuses on teaching kids leadership skills and making healthy life choices, including substance abuse prevention. He is also working on his first book, Coming Clean.
Students in seventh grade and older are welcome to attend the presentation. Students in sixth grade and younger should register for childcare as the topic and presentation may not be age appropriate.
Pre-registration is required. Call 203 – 833-4809.
Friday, Oct. 19
Broadway in Branford
Branford based Broadway production company Seaview Productions will present the fifth annual “pay what you can” Broadway in Branford on Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. on the Branford Green. Proceeds from the evening support Legacy Theatre’s efforts to restore the historic Stony Creek Puppet House in Branford.
For reservations go to www.LegacyTheatreCT.org. Anyone donating of $20 or more will receive reserved seating (chairs provided) closest to the stage.
Saturday, Oct. 20
Uncover Branford
Join the Uncover Branford group Saturday, Oct. 20, from 10:30 to noon at the Blackstone Library to share favorite Branford places and stories, then, plan a group outing to a special spot. As they go out into the community to explore and uncover new places, they can make new friends, have lots of fun, and discover the hidden gems of Branford.
At the planning meeting, they will talk about favorite places in town, and plan where they will venture to next.
RSVP at meetup.com.
Classic Whiffenpoofs
Classic Whiffenpoofs will sing in a benefit concert at Trinity Church on the Green in Branford on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m.
Made up of 13 former Yale Whiffenpoofs, the Classic Whiffenpoofs include alumni from the Classes of 1962 – 1972. They have performed together since 2011, with their classic ensemble sound and rich renditions of traditional Whiffenpoof repertoire.
Proceeds will benefit two Outreach Programs of Trinity Church: BHcares Shoreline and Columbus House. Tickets are $25 at the door. Reception follows. For more information, call 203 – 533-7439.
Wednesday, Oct. 24
“Get Happy”
Branford Counseling Center will be offering a free showing of the award-winning documentary, “Happy,” on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Branford Fire Department headquarters, 45 N. Main St. 2nd floor.
Moving from the bayous of Louisiana to the deserts of Namibia, from the beaches of Brazil to the villages of Okinawa, “Happy” is a film that explores some of the non-material roots of happiness, and in the process shows that while there isn’t a formula for it, everyone can become happier.
A panel discussion and informational materials will be provided following the film. Refreshments will be provided. Call the Branford Counseling Center with any questions: 203 – 481-4248.
Find Abundance
A collection of new paper cuttings by Branford artist Martha Link Walsh will be on display at the Willoughby Wallace Library, 146 Thimble Island Road from Friday, Oct. 26 to Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Walsh and fine art photographer Gaile Ramey will host an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, as part of this joint exhibit sponsored by the Friends of the Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library.
Walsh will also give an Artist’s Talk at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15, to discuss her inspiration and process for the two dozen images on display.
Ramey’s photographs highlight her observations of the vital, sublime power of natural phenomena surrounding us.
For more information, call Martha Link Walsh, 203 – 481-3505, www.marthalinkwalsh.com.
Saturday, Oct. 27
Halloween Hysterics At Henry’s
Learn the secrets that lurk behind the formidable stone walls of Connecticut’s oldest house on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. when the Henry Whitfield State Museum presents Halloween Hysterics at Henry’s.
Participants can see the 379-year-old Whitfield House in a new light – or rather, in no light. The lights will be off as visitors explore the entire building. The basement, usually closed to the public, will have a few surprises for those brave enough to venture there. Bring a flashlight to investigate all the nooks and crannies.
In the museum’s Visitor Center, enjoy some candy, craft a gravestone or gargoyle out of clay, and do some coloring. In the Education Center, learn about the Guilford Green graveyards, the Whitfield connection to the Salem witch trials, and the origins of Halloween traditions in the display “Holidaze: The Real Story of Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas.”
This program is recommended for ages 6 and older. Admission is $6 and free for ages 12 and younger. Parking is free at the museum, located at 248 Old Whitfield Street. For more information, call 203 – 453-2457, e‑mail [email protected], visit www.cultureandtourism.org, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/henrywhitfieldstatemuseum.
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Halloween Pawty
A Dress Up Halloween Pawty for adults to benefit the homeless animals at Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter takes place from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, at Rossitto’s Ristorante, 284 E. Main St.
The cost is $30 per ticket, which includes hors d’oeurves and one glass of wine. There will be a 50/50 and prizes for costumes. For more information, go to Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter on Facebook.
Haunted Isle
Shoreline Trolley Museum in East Haven gets into the Halloween season with its Haunted Isle, which begins Friday, Sept. 28, and continues from 7 to 10 p.m. on weekends, Oct. 12 and 13, 19 and 20, 26 and 27.
The Haunted Isle experience consists of a short trolley car ride (about 5 minutes each way), which will drop off participants at the Isle itself, where they will be walking along an unlit trail through the woods where ghouls, goblins and ghosts will do their best to scare them. Plan to spend at least an hour at the Isle exclusive of time spent waiting in line. See the online information for cautionary
Local food trucks will serve food and beverages on site. General admission tickets are $13 each online, $15 at the door. Express and VIP tickets are available online. For details, go to shorelinetrolley.org/special-events/haunted-isle/.
Sunday, Nov. 4
Bluegrass Band Plays Branford
The Korey Brodsky Band, honored by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), will perform with his band Sunday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m. at Pilgrim Hall, First Congregational Church of Branford, 1009 Main St. The event is a scholarship fundraiser sponsored by the Musical Art Society of Branford. The Alice Collins Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a Branford student majoring in music. Tickets are $15 for the general public, $12 for members of the Society, and $6 for students.
Just 19 years old and a perennial contest winner, Brodsky plays guitar and mandolin. He released his debut album “Cruizin’” in October 2016. Joining Brodsky will be his father, Rick Brodsky, who has played bass for numerous regional and national bluegrass bands, and fiddlers Ella Jordan and Ethan Hawkins.
The Musical Art Society of Branford is a non-profit organization founded in 1920 to support and promote music in the community. Information on future programs is available from Barbara Shaw at 203 – 481-2819 or https://sites.google.com/site/musicalartsocietyofbranford/
