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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T180000
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SUMMARY:Concert on the Green: Adam Lomeo & Marcus McLaurine Closes La Grua’s Outdoor Season With Jazz in Stonington Borough
DESCRIPTION:Concert on the Green: Adam Lomeo & Marcus McLaurine bring guitarist Adam Lomeo and veteran jazz bassist Marcus McLaurine together for their first performance as a duo Friday\, September 18\, on the Stonington Commons Green. \nThe free concert begins at 6 p.m. outside La Grua Center and closes La Grua’s five-concert outdoor season with an hour of jazz standards\, covers and original music. \nIt is an unusually intimate setup for two musicians with careers that stretch far beyond Stonington. \nLomeo has performed at New York jazz clubs including the Blue Note and toured internationally. McLaurine spent three decades playing with legendary trumpeter Clark Terry and has shared bandstands with musicians including Dizzy Gillespie\, Kenny Burrell\, James Moody and members of the Count Basie tradition. \nThere is another connection between them that makes Friday’s pairing particularly interesting. \nLomeo studied with McLaurine. \nFrom Teacher and Student to Duo Partners\nLomeo studied jazz at William Paterson University\, where guitarist Gene Bertoncini was among his teachers. \nMcLaurine has also spent decades teaching bass at William Paterson. \nOn McLaurine’s own website\, Lomeo describes studying with him and learning jazz standards through an ear-training approach that eventually had teacher and student playing the music together and transposing songs through all 12 keys. \nNow they’re taking that relationship onto the stage as a duo. \nLa Grua says Friday will mark their first performance together in that format. \nWithout drums\, piano or a horn section filling the spaces between them\, guitar and upright bass can create one of jazz’s most conversational combinations. \nThe bass doesn’t have to simply provide the bottom of the arrangement. It can answer the guitar\, carry melodies and turn a familiar standard into something much more spontaneous. \nThat should be particularly interesting with these two musicians. \nAdam Lomeo Has One Foot in Jazz and Another in a Much Wider Musical World\nLomeo is a professional jazz and classical guitarist whose playing reaches considerably beyond either description. \nHis repertoire and performance work encompass jazz\, classical music\, bossa nova and pop\, and he plays nylon-string and seven-string guitar in addition to steel-string acoustic and hollow-body jazz guitar. \nHe has performed professionally around the country and in New York jazz clubs\, including the Blue Note\, and has toured in China. \nLomeo also founded Music Dept\, an entertainment company that grew from his earlier Rum Runners Jazz operation. \nThat varied career makes the “covers” portion of Friday’s program particularly open-ended. \nLa Grua isn’t advertising a setlist. \nWhat it is promising is a mixture of jazz standards\, covers and original compositions\, giving the duo considerable freedom to move outside a strictly traditional jazz program. \nMarcus McLaurine Has Played With Some Serious Company\nMcLaurine’s résumé reaches deep into modern jazz history. \nBorn in Omaha\, Nebraska\, he initially played electric bass before an encounter with the sound of upright bassist Roland Haynes sent him searching for an acoustic instrument of his own. \nHis first upright bass cost $150 at a pawn shop. \nThe musical education that followed involved studying the work of Charlie Parker\, John Coltrane\, Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley while developing his own voice on the instrument. \nAfter serving in the U.S. Air Force and performing with the 590th Air Force Band\, McLaurine moved into the New York jazz world. \nThen came the phone call that changed his career. \nThirty Years With Clark Terry\nIn 1981\, trumpeter Clark Terry needed a bass player. \nMcLaurine was recommended for the job. \nHe initially thought the telephone call from Terry was a prank. \nIt wasn’t. \nMcLaurine joined him for engagements at the Blue Note and in Canada\, beginning a musical relationship that would last approximately three decades. \nTerry was no ordinary bandleader. \nThe trumpeter and flugelhorn player had worked with both Count Basie and Duke Ellington\, performed with generations of major jazz musicians and became one of the music’s most influential educators. \nPlaying night after night with someone like Terry gave McLaurine an extraordinary vantage point on the jazz tradition. \nHis career eventually included performances with Dizzy Gillespie\, Kenny Burrell\, James Moody\, Lou Donaldson\, Abbey Lincoln\, Joe Williams\, Jon Hendricks and the Count Basie Orchestra under Thad Jones. \nHe also performed with Terry at venues including the Village Vanguard\, where Oscar Peterson once joined the group. \nMcLaurine has spent years passing that experience to younger musicians through his work as an educator. \nOne of them was Adam Lomeo. \nJazz Doesn’t Need a Big Stage\nThere is a nice contrast between that history and Friday evening’s setting. \nNo major concert hall. \nNo complicated production. \nJust guitar and bass on a lawn in Stonington Borough. \nThe Stonington Commons Green sits beside La Grua Center at 32 Water Street\, giving the Concerts on the Green series the feeling of a neighborhood gathering rather than a formal jazz performance. \nThat has been the point of the series. \nLa Grua presented five outdoor concerts between May and September this year\, moving through a deliberately varied lineup that included Ed Fast and Conga Bop Supertet\, Amanda Pascali\, the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra and Bergin & Sarah before Friday’s finale. \nThe entire series has been offered free to the community with major support from the Stonington Village Improvement Association. \nBring a Chair and Make an Evening of It\nThe practical side of attending is simple\, but there are a few things worth knowing before heading into the Borough. \nSeating opens at 5 p.m.\, one hour before the concert. \nLa Grua does not provide chairs\, so bring a lawn chair or blanket. \nPicnics are welcome. \nOutside alcoholic beverages are not. \nDogs are also prohibited on the Stonington Commons Green. \nRestrooms are available inside La Grua Center during the concert. \nThe performance is expected to run for approximately one hour without an intermission\, making this a compact Friday-evening concert rather than an all-night event. \nParking Is the Part Worth Planning\nAnyone familiar with Stonington Borough probably knows the bigger logistical issue. \nParking. \nThe North Lot at Stonington Commons will be available for concertgoers until it fills. Parking immediately around the green is reserved for Stonington Commons residents\, so those spaces should not be used for the concert. \nLa Grua specifically encourages Borough residents to walk. \nFor everyone else\, arriving well before the 6 p.m. start should make the evening considerably easier. \nWhat Happens if It Rains?\nUnlike some outdoor concert series that simply cancel when the weather turns bad\, La Grua has an indoor backup plan for Friday. \nIf inclement weather threatens the outdoor performance\, organizers plan to make a decision by noon Friday about moving the concert indoors. \nThe event page will be updated with that decision. \nThat means the season finale should have a considerably better chance of happening regardless of what September weather decides to do. \nOne Last Evening on the Green\nThere is something appropriate about ending an outdoor concert season this way. \nNot with the largest band of the summer\, but one of the smallest. \nTwo musicians. \nA guitar. \nA bass. \nAnd enough shared musical language between a former teacher and student to see where the songs take them. \nFor a series designed around gathering the community on a lawn for an hour of music\, it is a fitting way to close out summer in Stonington Borough. \nDetails\nEvent: Concert on the Green: Adam Lomeo & Marcus McLaurine\nDate: Friday\, September 18\, 2026\nTime: 6–7 p.m.\nSeating Opens: 5 p.m.\nLocation: La Grua Center Commons Green\nAddress: 32 Water Street\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nPerformers: Adam Lomeo\, guitar; Marcus McLaurine\, bass\nProgram: Jazz standards\, covers and original music\nAdmission: Free and open to the public\nSeating: Bring a lawn chair or blanket; seating is not provided\nFood: Guests may bring their own food\nAlcohol: Outside liquor is not permitted\nDogs: Dogs are not permitted on the green\nRestrooms: Available inside La Grua Center\nParking: North Lot at Stonington Commons until full; spaces surrounding the green are reserved for residents\nRunning Time: Approximately one hour with no intermission\nWeather: If inclement weather threatens\, La Grua will decide by noon whether to move the concert indoors\nSeries Support: Stonington Village Improvement Association\nPhone: 860-535-2300 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/concert-on-the-green-adam-lomeo-marcus-mclaurine-closes-la-gruas-outdoor-season-with-jazz-in-stonington-borough/
LOCATION:La Grua Center\, 32 Water Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:La Grua Center
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T210000
DTSTAMP:20260921T030607Z
CREATED:20260914T013818Z
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UID:10007599-1789752600-1789765200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Raise a Pint to the Revolution Recreates the Night Westerly Chose the American Cause
DESCRIPTION:Raise a Pint to the Revolution will take Westerly back exactly 250 years on Friday\, September 18\, recreating a pivotal 1776 town meeting before shifting the celebration to Grey Sail Brewing for period music\, beer\, ale\, rum\, and a decidedly less serious round of Colonists-versus-Redcoats games. \nThis isn’t a generic Revolutionary War reenactment scheduled to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary. \nThe date is the point. \nOn September 18\, 1776\, Westerly men gathered and signed a declaration pledging allegiance to the newly independent American states. Contemporary town history records that 50 men enlisted in the Revolutionary forces after signing what was known as the Declaration or Test Act. \nOn September 18\, 2026\, Westerly will hold the meeting again. \nThe Evening Begins With the Meeting\, Not the Beer\nOrganizers are dividing the event into two parts: The Meeting and The Celebration. \nThe first is a period reenactment of the actual town event that took place 250 years earlier. \nActors portraying figures from Revolutionary-era Westerly will recreate the gathering and the decision facing local residents in 1776. \nVisitors won’t necessarily remain spectators. \nThe event invites modern-day “colonists” to sign their own allegiance to America before heading back for a pint. \nThe reenactment gives Raise a Pint to the Revolution something many semiquincentennial events can’t claim. \nWesterly isn’t simply commemorating something that happened somewhere in America during the Revolution. \nIt’s reenacting something that happened in Westerly\, on the same calendar date\, a quarter of a millennium later. \nWesterly Had Already Been Choosing Sides\nThe September 1776 gathering didn’t come out of nowhere. \nWesterly’s break with British policy had been developing for years. \nThe town’s own historical record notes that on February 2\, 1774\, local freemen met and adopted resolutions condemning oppressive measures imposed by Great Britain\, particularly the tax on tea. \nWesterly’s 1919 history even characterized the episode as the town’s own “tea party.” \nBy then\, resistance to British authority was spreading throughout Rhode Island. \nAnd Westerly had a particularly important connection to the emerging national movement through one of the most prominent political figures in colonial Rhode Island. \nSamuel Ward Took Westerly to the Continental Congress\nSamuel Ward was born in Newport but became closely identified with Westerly after settling there. \nHe served as governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and became an outspoken opponent of British taxation. \nIn 1774\, Rhode Island sent Ward and Stephen Hopkins to Philadelphia as delegates to the First Continental Congress. \nWard continued serving in the Continental Congress as the colonies moved toward independence. \nHe died in Philadelphia on March 25\, 1776\, only a few months before the Declaration of Independence was adopted. \nBut his family remained deeply connected to the war. \nHis son\, Samuel Ward Jr.\, served in the Continental Army\, becoming a captain in 1775 and major in 1776. He later served as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington and eventually became a lieutenant colonel. \nFor Westerly residents gathering in September 1776\, the Revolution wasn’t distant news arriving from Philadelphia. \nPeople from their own community were already part of it. \nSeptember 18\, 1776 Was a Dangerous Time to Pick a Side\nIt’s easy to look backward from 2026 and imagine American independence as inevitable. \nIt wasn’t. \nWhen Westerly’s men gathered on September 18\, the Declaration of Independence was barely two months old. \nAnd militarily\, things weren’t going particularly well. \nBritish forces had inflicted a major defeat on Washington’s army in the Battle of Long Island in late August. American forces withdrew from New York City in September\, and the British occupied the city. \nJust two days before Westerly’s meeting\, American and British troops had fought at Harlem Heights. \nWashington was still reporting on that engagement to the Continental Congress on September 18. \nSo the men gathering in Westerly weren’t signing onto a revolution whose outcome they knew. \nThey were choosing allegiance while the new nation was fighting for survival. \nThat makes the date considerably more interesting than simply saying Westerly supported independence. \nThey were committing themselves while the result was very much undecided. \nFifty Men Signed and Enlisted\nWesterly’s historical record describes what followed succinctly. \nOn September 18\, 1776\, 50 men enlisted in the Revolutionary forces after signing the Declaration or Test Act. \nThat was a significant commitment for a small colonial town. \nBy 1777\, Westerly’s population stood at only 1\,812 people. \nBy 1781\, the town had enrolled four companies of militia in addition to its quota serving in Continental battalions. \nA history prepared for Westerly’s 250th anniversary in 1919 estimated that the combined military commitment ultimately absorbed about one-fifth of the town’s population. \nThe Revolution was not an abstract political debate here. \nIt took people out of homes\, farms and businesses and put them into military service. \nRaise a Pint to the Revolution is built around the moment that commitment became formal. \nThen Comes the Party\nOnce Westerly has reenacted its revolutionary pledge\, the evening becomes considerably less solemn. \nThe celebration takes place at Grey Sail Brewing\, where organizers promise live period music\, beer\, ale and rum along with what they describe as “fuel for the Revolution.” \nThere will also be Colonist and Red Coat games. \nThe result should land somewhere between living history and a colonial tavern night. \nThat seems appropriate. \nTaverns were important gathering places in 18th-century America\, serving not merely as drinking establishments but as social centers where travelers exchanged news\, residents debated politics and communities conducted business. \nBeer\, ale\, cider\, punch and rum were thoroughly embedded in colonial social life. \nSo while nobody should mistake a modern craft brewery for an 18th-century tavern\, finishing a Revolutionary reenactment over a drink isn’t as historically incongruous as it might sound. \nRum Has a Particularly Good Claim to the Glass\nBeer gets top billing in the event’s title\, but rum may have the stronger Revolutionary-era New England credentials. \nThe triangular Atlantic trade made rum an important part of the colonial economy. \nNew England distilleries turned imported Caribbean molasses into enormous quantities of rum\, which became one of the region’s characteristic spirits. \nRhode Island was particularly involved in the colonial rum trade. \nThat history makes Grey Sail an unusually appropriate modern host. \nThe Westerly brewery shares its Canal Street property with South County Distillers\, giving the celebration access to both brewing and distilling traditions. \nThe drinks have changed considerably since 1776. \nThe idea of gathering together over them hasn’t. \nGrey Sail Has Its Own Westerly History\nGrey Sail Brewing is much younger than the event it is commemorating\, but its home has a history of its own. \nThe brewery opened in Westerly in 2011\, brewing its first batch of Flagship Ale on November 11 of that year. \nIts production facility occupies a brick industrial building at 63 Canal Street that was constructed near the end of the 1920s for the Westerly Macaroni Factory. \nThe building later served other commercial uses before Grey Sail transformed it into a brewery. \nNext door\, the Grey Sail Taproom and courtyard have developed into a gathering place for live music\, markets and community events. \nFor September 18\, the brewery becomes Westerly’s temporary Revolutionary tavern. \nThe Babcock-Smith House Connects the Celebration to 1776\nOne of the event sponsors is the Babcock-Smith House Museum\, and its connection to Revolutionary Westerly runs particularly deep. \nThe museum centers on the historic home of Dr. Joshua Babcock\, one of colonial Westerly’s most significant residents. \nThe Georgian house dates to around 1734\, putting it squarely within the world being recreated during Raise a Pint to the Revolution. \nBabcock was a physician\, public official and prominent citizen whose life stretched across Westerly’s transition from British colony to American town. \nHe was also Westerly’s first postmaster. \nThe town’s first post office was established in 1776\, the same year as the meeting being commemorated. \nIts first-year receipts totaled the wonderfully precise sum of one pound\, three shillings and eight pence. \nBefore that\, Westerly’s nearest post office had been in New London. \nToday the Babcock-Smith House preserves both that colonial history and another enormous chapter of Westerly’s story through its exhibits devoted to the local granite industry. \nThree Westerly Organizations Are Behind the Night\nRaise a Pint to the Revolution is sponsored by the Westerly 250th Commission\, Westerly Historical Society and Babcock-Smith House Museum. \nThat combination helps explain why the event goes beyond costumes and colonial-themed drinking. \nThe historical organizations have an actual local event to reconstruct. \nThe Westerly 250th effort\, meanwhile\, places it within the much larger America 250 commemoration marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. \nRhode Island is observing the anniversary through RI 250\, with events taking place throughout the state. \nBut September 18 gives Westerly something unusually specific to commemorate. \nExactly 250 years earlier\, townspeople were deciding what allegiance meant in a country that was only weeks old. \nYour $10 Ticket Buys More Than a Pint\nThe ticket covers participation in the commemorative event rather than functioning as a prepaid bar tab. Alcohol purchases should be expected to follow Grey Sail’s normal service rules\, including age and identification requirements. \nThe evening is scheduled from 5:30 to 9 p.m.\, with the recreated meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. \nThat leaves time to arrive\, settle in and get oriented before Westerly turns the clock back to 1776. \nThe Best Part Is Knowing How the Story Ends\nThe people at the original meeting didn’t have that luxury. \nThey couldn’t know that Washington would survive 1776. \nThey couldn’t know about Saratoga. \nThey couldn’t know France would enter the war. \nThey couldn’t know Cornwallis would surrender at Yorktown. \nThey couldn’t know there would someday be a United States celebrating its 250th birthday. \nAnd they certainly couldn’t know that 250 years to the day after their meeting\, another group of Westerly residents would gather on Canal Street\, raise glasses and reenact their decision. \nWe know what happened next. \nFor one evening\, Westerly gets to return to the moment when they didn’t. \nDetails\nEvent: Raise a Pint to the Revolution\nDate: Friday\, September 18\, 2026\nTime: 5:30–9 p.m.\nReenacted Meeting: 6:30 p.m.\nLocation: Grey Sail Brewing\nAddress: 63 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nOccasion: 250th anniversary of Westerly’s September 18\, 1776 Revolutionary-era meeting and pledge\nThe Meeting: Period reenactment of the historic Westerly town event with actors portraying Revolutionary-era figures\nAudience Participation: Guests will have an opportunity to sign an allegiance to America\nThe Celebration: Live period music\, beer\, ale\, rum and Colonist-versus-Redcoat games\nTickets: $10 base ticket price; online processing fees may apply\nFood & Drink: Available as part of the evening’s celebration; alcoholic beverages are subject to normal age and identification requirements\nSponsors: Westerly 250th Commission\, Westerly Historical Society and Babcock-Smith House Museum\nHistorical Date: September 18\, 1776\, exactly 250 years before the event\nHistorical Significance: Westerly history records that 50 men enlisted in the Revolutionary forces after signing the Declaration or Test Act on that date \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/raise-a-pint-to-the-revolution-recreates-the-night-westerly-chose-the-american-cause/
LOCATION:Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island\, 63 Canal St\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T210000
DTSTAMP:20260918T032818Z
CREATED:20260918T032818Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T032818Z
UID:10008458-1789750800-1789765200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Mitchell Farm Music Festival Brings Three Days of ’70s-Rooted Music to a Horse Sanctuary
DESCRIPTION:Mitchell Farm Music Festival Brings Three Days of ’70s-Rooted Music to a Horse Retirement Sanctuary Sept. 18–20\, pairing Jon Pousette-Dart\, Laurel Canyon\, Broken Arrow and Mystic Dead with a setting unlike the typical weekend concert venue: a working sanctuary where aged and infirm horses have come to spend the rest of their lives. \nNow in its 19th year\, the annual fundraiser takes place at Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement in Salem\, about 20 miles from Mystic. The weekend stretches from a Friday evening concert through two afternoon performances Saturday and Sunday\, with proceeds helping support the horses\, ponies and donkeys living at the nonprofit farm. \nIt is part music festival\, part picnic and part introduction to a place built around a simple idea: retirement should mean retirement for horses\, too. \nThree Days of Music\nThe festival opens Friday at 7 p.m. with the Jon Pousette-Dart Acoustic Duo. \nPousette-Dart emerged nationally in the 1970s as leader of the Pousette-Dart Band\, blending folk\, country and soft rock during a period when artists such as James Taylor\, the Eagles and Little Feat were expanding the boundaries of American singer-songwriter music. The band released a series of albums for Capitol Records and became a fixture of the era’s college and concert circuit. \nSaturday’s music begins at 2:30 p.m. with Laurel Canyon and Broken Arrow\, a pairing firmly rooted in the music of the late 1960s and 1970s. \nLaurel Canyon celebrates the music associated with the famed Los Angeles neighborhood that became a creative center for singer-songwriters and folk-rock musicians during that period. \nBroken Arrow turns the focus toward the music of Neil Young\, drawing from the electric and acoustic sides of a catalog that stretches from intimate folk songs to the raw guitar sound associated with Crazy Horse. \nSunday belongs to Mystic Dead\, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The southeastern Connecticut band has built its shows around the music of the Grateful Dead\, making the final afternoon a natural fit for a festival that openly embraces the sounds of the 1970s. \nWhere Retired Horses Get to Be Horses Again\nThe setting gives the weekend considerably more meaning than a typical outdoor concert. \nMitchell Farm Equine Retirement was founded by Dee Doolittle in August 2004 and received federal nonprofit status the following year. It became fully accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries in 2012 and says it has provided permanent sanctuary to more than 127 horses during its 22 years of operation. \nIts mission is to provide a safe and comfortable retirement for aged and infirm horses while educating the public about equine welfare. The farm describes retirement there as an opportunity for horses to have the time and space to simply be horses again. \nThat distinction matters. \nThese aren’t horses being maintained so they can continue working\, performing or carrying riders. Mitchell Farm exists as their final home\, providing the food\, shelter and specialized care that older animals may need after their working lives have ended. \nAnd demand for that kind of retirement is substantial. Mitchell Farm’s admissions information currently estimates a waiting period of two to four years for horses needing placement. \nWhere the Festival Money Goes\nThe Music Festival is one of the events that helps make that retirement possible. \nMitchell Farm says proceeds from its fundraising events go directly toward feed\, veterinary care and farrier expenses for horses in its care. \nThat means the connection between buying a festival ticket and supporting the animals is unusually direct: a weekend spent listening to music on the farm helps pay for the everyday necessities of caring for an aging herd. \nFestivalgoers will be able to see the place their money supports while they’re there. \nBring a Chair\, a Picnic and Settle In\nThe atmosphere is deliberately informal. \nGuests are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair\, and they’re welcome to pack a picnic and BYOB. Food will also be available on site. According to the farm’s current festival information\, the concerts take place under a tent and are scheduled rain or shine. Dogs are not permitted. \nThe farm’s social media announcement lists The Grill by Kay as Friday’s food vendor\, with Rustic StrEats on site Saturday and Sunday. \nFriday parking opens at 5 p.m.\, with gates opening at 6 p.m. before the 7 p.m. concert. Saturday and Sunday parking opens at noon\, followed by gates at 1:30 p.m. and music at 2:30 p.m. \nTickets are available at the gate. \nFor a Beacon reader in the Mystic area\, this one requires a little more driving than most of our weekend picks. But roughly half an hour up Route 85 leads to something that’s difficult to duplicate closer to the coast: three days of music from the ’70s and the artists it inspired\, performed at a farm devoted to giving old horses a comfortable place to spend their final years. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: 19th Annual Mitchell Farm Music Festival\nDates: Friday\, Sept. 18–Sunday\, Sept. 20\, 2026\nLocation: Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement\nAddress: 300 East Haddam Road (Route 82)\, Salem\, CT 06420\nWeather: Rain or shine; tented event\nSeating: Bring a blanket or lawn chair\nFood: Picnics welcome; food vendors available\nBeverages: BYOB permitted\nDogs: Not permitted\nBeneficiary: Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement; fundraising proceeds help pay for feed\, veterinary care and farrier costs for horses in its care. \nFriday\, Sept. 18: Jon Pousette-Dart Acoustic Duo at 7 p.m.; parking opens 5 p.m.; gate opens 6 p.m.; gate admission $42 or $40 cash. \nSaturday\, Sept. 19: Laurel Canyon and Broken Arrow at 2:30 p.m.; parking opens noon; gate opens 1:30 p.m.; gate admission $72 or $70 cash. \nSunday\, Sept. 20: Mystic Dead at 2:30 p.m.; parking opens noon; gate opens 1:30 p.m.; gate admission $32 or $30 cash. \n\n\nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/mitchell-farm-music-festival-brings-three-days-of-70s-rooted-music-to-a-horse-sanctuary/2026-09-18/
LOCATION:Mitchell Farm\, 300 E Haddam Rd\, Salem\, 06420\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mitchell Farm
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T200000
DTSTAMP:20260921T030623Z
CREATED:20260914T005844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T030623Z
UID:10007598-1789750800-1789761600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Studio Love Grand Opening Introduces a New Club
DESCRIPTION:Studio Love Grand Opening welcomes the community into a new women-owned Pilates\, yoga and social wellness club in Groton on Friday\, September 18\, with drinks\, bites\, live music and dancing from 5 to 8 p.m. and an official ribbon cutting at 6 p.m. \nBut founders Annie Chapman and Maggie Skinner are opening something they hope will be more than another place to squeeze in a workout. \nThe mother-daughter team has designed Studio Love around Pilates\, yoga\, meditation and mindful movement\, but also around something that can be surprisingly difficult to find in fitness spaces: a place where people actually want to stay. \nTheir philosophy is summed up in five words: \nLove is the root\, not the reward. \nA Mother and Daughter Build Their Own Studio\nChapman and Skinner aren’t newcomers to the local wellness community. \nBoth have spent years teaching yoga and Pilates\, and Studio Love brings their experience together at 70 Bridge Street in Groton. \nChapman is an E-RYT 500 yoga teacher whose training includes 300 hours through the Baptiste Institute and an additional 300 hours of Recovery Yoga training. \nSkinner combines yoga and Pilates training\, including 300 hours of Baptiste teacher training and comprehensive 800-hour Pilates teacher training. Her background also includes ballet and a particular interest in anatomy. \nNow mother and daughter are putting those experiences under one roof. \nStudio Love describes the new business as a “love letter to the community that raised us.” \nThe September 18 grand opening is the community’s first big invitation inside. \nThe Idea Starts With Changing How People Think About Exercise\nPlenty of fitness businesses promise results. \nStudio Love is asking people to reconsider what a result actually means. \nIts philosophy explicitly rejects exercise as punishment for what someone ate or as a transaction undertaken to earn a different-looking body. \nInstead\, Chapman and Skinner describe movement as a form of self-care and a way of making your body a more comfortable place to live. \nStrength still matters. \nSo do mobility\, balance\, endurance and proper technique. \nBut the goal isn’t to make people feel that the person walking through the door needs to be fixed before beginning. \nThat distinction influences how Studio Love describes nearly everything it offers. \nThe studio says its classes are intended for different ages\, body shapes\, backgrounds and experience levels\, including complete beginners and people returning to exercise after time away. \nPilates Goes Beyond the Mat\nPilates will be one of the major pieces of Studio Love. \nThat includes Reformer Pilates\, using the familiar sliding carriage\, springs\, straps and resistance system that allow exercises to be scaled in dramatically different ways. \nA reformer can add resistance to make a movement more challenging. \nIt can also provide assistance. \nThat’s one reason Pilates equipment can be useful across such a wide range of experience levels. \nStudio Love also incorporates Tower Pilates\, expanding the exercise possibilities through spring-loaded equipment and attachment points. \nFor people who prefer the simplest version\, mat Pilates remains part of the program as well. \nThe emphasis throughout is on controlled movement\, alignment\, mobility and functional strength rather than simply moving as quickly as possible. \nThere’s Plenty of Yoga\, Too\nYoga at Studio Love ranges from energetic to deliberately slow. \nAt the more athletic end are heated power and vinyasa-style practices. \nOther classes slow things considerably through approaches including slow flow\, restorative and yin yoga. \nThat gives members the ability to choose a practice according to what their body needs that day rather than treating every visit as another maximum-intensity workout. \nSome people may come to sweat. \nOthers may come because they’ve spent eight hours sitting at a desk and would simply like their back to forgive them. \nBoth belong. \nMeditation and Breathwork Are Part of the Club\nStudio Love’s definition of wellness extends beyond exercise. \nMeditation\, breathwork and other mindful practices are incorporated alongside Pilates and yoga. \nWorkshops and specialty programming can take that further\, with the studio planning experiences such as Yoga Nidra\, sound-focused practices\, guest instruction and educational workshops. \nStudio Love has also connected with Heartfulness\, an international nonprofit meditation organization\, to help interested members access complimentary Heartfulness Meditation experiences with trainers. \nIt’s another indication that the word “wellness” isn’t being used simply as a fashionable substitute for “fitness.” \nThe studio is trying to create a broader practice. \nWhy Call It a Social Wellness Club?\nThis may be the most interesting part of Studio Love. \nChapman and Skinner don’t want everyone grabbing their keys and disappearing the moment class ends. \nThe space is intentionally designed to let people linger. \nHave some tea. \nRefill a water bottle. \nAnswer an email. \nTalk to the person you’ve been practicing next to for the past month. \nSit for a few minutes before returning to the rest of the day. \nComplimentary tea and filtered water are part of the experience\, along with small touches such as infused water and cool lavender cloths following hot classes. \nThe idea is to create some of the social connection that can disappear when exercise becomes another appointment to complete as efficiently as possible. \nThat’s where the “social wellness club” description comes from. \nThe class is only part of the reason to walk through the door. \nBeginners Get Their Own Starting Point\nBoutique fitness can be intimidating. \nEveryone else appears to know where to stand. \nThey understand the equipment. \nThey know the terminology. \nAnd you’re quietly trying to figure out which way the mat goes. \nStudio Love has created a Start Here Series specifically to address that. \nThese classes emphasize foundations\, technique and slower instruction\, with room to ask questions and learn how things work. \nFrom there\, classes are organized partly by the experience someone wants. \nThe Power Series is faster and more athletic. \nThe Flow Series uses continuous\, intelligently sequenced movement at a more moderate pace. \nThe Restore Series slows things down with an emphasis on recovery\, mobility and relaxation. \nThe Feature Series is reserved for workshops\, pop-ups and specialty programming. \nThat structure gives someone a more useful question than simply\, “Do I want yoga or Pilates?” \nThe question becomes\, “What do I need today?” \nThere’s Even a Blind Date\nNew members can try Studio Love through something called the Blind Date Membership. \nIt’s a 14-day introductory program providing 55 credits and two guest passes. \nThe idea is to give someone enough freedom to experiment before deciding what they actually like. \nTry the reformer. \nTake a mat class. \nBring a friend. \nTry something else. \nStudio Love’s regular memberships operate on the same credit philosophy. \nRather than buying a membership that locks someone into one particular kind of class\, members receive monthly credits that can be spent across different Studio Love experiences. \nA Reformer class currently uses 15 credits. \nA mat class uses 10 credits. \nA workshop uses 15 credits. \nDrop-in classes are also available for people who don’t want a membership. \nThe Studio Is Designed to Grow With Its Members\nStudio Love says its schedule will include morning\, midday and evening options. \nMore importantly\, Chapman and Skinner aren’t treating the opening schedule as permanent. \nThey plan to add and adjust class times and formats according to what members actually use and request. \nThat’s a small but meaningful difference between opening a business with a predetermined formula and opening one intended to become part of a community. \nIf the 10 a.m. class fills and another time doesn’t\, they can respond. \nIf members want more restorative work\, the schedule can evolve. \nIf workshops prove popular\, there can be more of them. \nThe grand opening is the beginning rather than the finished product. \nThis Is Also Becoming a Yoga School\nStudio Love already has its next major project scheduled. \nBeginning in January 2027\, the studio will become home to Sangha Yoga School\, offering a Yoga Alliance-registered 200-hour yoga teacher training program. \nThe six-month program runs through June and combines monthly in-person training weekends at Studio Love with Wednesday evening online sessions. \nAnd it’s considerably broader than learning how to lead people through poses. \nThe curriculum includes yoga philosophy and origins\, anatomy\, alignment\, Ayurveda\, meditation\, Sanskrit\, chanting\, restorative yoga\, yin\, teaching methodology and assisting. \nDaily spiritual practice and community are built into the program as well. \nChapman is the school’s founder and lead instructor. \nSkinner serves as a lead instructor with an emphasis on anatomy. \nThe program is open not only to aspiring yoga teachers but also to people who want to deepen their own practice without necessarily planning to teach. \nSangha Explains a Lot About Studio Love\nThe word sangha traditionally refers to a community devoted to spiritual practice. \nThat makes it an appropriate name for the school\, but it also helps explain the larger Studio Love concept. \nChapman describes returning to yoga following the death of her mother and needing both a safe place to land and a community. \nThat experience informs what she is trying to create now. \nExercise can be individual. \nCommunity can’t. \nA reformer\, yoga mat or meditation cushion may be the tool that gets someone into the building\, but Studio Love’s larger ambition is to make people feel that they belong once they arrive. \nThe Grand Opening Is the Easy Way to See It\nNobody needs to understand Pilates before walking into the September 18 celebration. \nYou don’t need to own a yoga mat. \nYou don’t need to know the difference between vinyasa and yin. \nAnd you’re not being asked to demonstrate anything involving flexibility in front of strangers. \nThe grand opening is a party. \nFrom 5 to 8 p.m.\, Studio Love will welcome visitors with drinks\, bites\, live music and dancing. \nAt 6 p.m.\, the official ribbon cutting will mark the opening with the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce and City of Groton. \nIt’s an opportunity to see the space\, meet the people behind it and find out what they’re offering without committing to a class. \nAnd for Chapman and Skinner\, it’s a chance to introduce the community to something they’ve clearly thought about beyond the equipment and class schedule. \nA New Kind of Fitness Space for Groton\nThere are plenty of places where you can exercise. \nStudio Love is betting that people are looking for something more specific. \nGood instruction without intimidation. \nChallenging movement without punishment. \nPilates without requiring someone to already understand a reformer. \nYoga without requiring someone to already be flexible. \nA quiet practice when that’s what you need. \nA sweaty one when that’s what you want. \nAnd perhaps a cup of tea and another human being to talk to when class is over. \nThat’s a considerably larger ambition than opening another workout studio. \nOn September 18\, Groton gets its first look. \nDetails\nEvent: Studio Love Grand Opening\nDate: Friday\, September 18\, 2026\nTime: 5–8 p.m.\nRibbon Cutting: 6 p.m.\nLocation: Studio Love\nAddress: 70 Bridge Street\, Groton\, CT 06340\nFounders: Annie Chapman and Maggie Skinner\nBusiness: Women-owned Pilates\, yoga and social wellness club\nGrand Opening Activities: Drinks\, bites\, live music and dancing\nRegular Offerings: Reformer and apparatus Pilates\, mat Pilates\, yoga\, meditation\, breathwork\, workshops and specialty programming\nBeginner Options: Start Here Series provides slower\, foundational instruction for newcomers and those returning to movement\nIntroductory Offer: Blind Date Membership provides new clients with 55 credits for 14 days and two guest passes\nClass Credits: Reformer classes use 15 credits; mat classes use 10; workshops use 15\nVeterans: Studio Love offers a 10% veteran discount with valid identification\nMat Rentals: $2 for mat-based classes; no equipment is required for apparatus Pilates classes\nContact: 860-530-4800\nEmail: namaste@studiolovecollective.com\nComing in 2027: Sangha Yoga School’s Yoga Alliance-registered 200-hour teacher training begins in January \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/studio-love-grand-opening-introduces-a-new-pilates-yoga-and-social-wellness-club-to-groton/
LOCATION:Studio Love Groton\, 70 Bridge Street\, Groton\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Studio Love Groton
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T193000
DTSTAMP:20260905T014202Z
CREATED:20260905T014202Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260905T014202Z
UID:10007470-1789749000-1789759800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Nick Bosse Returns to Mystic Seaport Museum
DESCRIPTION:Nick Bosse returns to Mystic Seaport Museum on Friday\, September 18\, after weather forced the postponement of his August performance at Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern. \nThe southeastern Connecticut singer-songwriter will now close out the Museum After Hours: Summer Music Series\, performing beside the Mystic River in the outdoor setting that has hosted live music throughout the summer. The series runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.\, with free public entry to Mystic Seaport Museum beginning at 5 p.m. through the North Entrance. \nFor Bosse\, the rescheduled date provides another chance to bring his blend of country\, southern rock and bluegrass to a hometown-area audience in one of Mystic’s more unusual live music settings. \nThe Rain Check Is Now September 18\nBosse had originally been scheduled to perform at Spouter Tavern on August 21\, but rain had other plans. \nRather than canceling the appearance altogether\, the show was moved to Friday\, September 18. \nThe new date also extends the Museum’s summer music calendar later into September. Mystic Seaport Museum’s current schedule lists Bosse as the performer for September 18 and describes his solo shows as showcases for his gritty baritone and emotionally driven songwriting. \nThe setting remains the same: the lawn outside Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern inside Mystic Seaport Museum’s historic village. \nGuests can bring blankets or lawn chairs\, although the Museum warns that seating is limited and can fill quickly. \nOutside alcohol is not permitted. \nA Southeastern Connecticut Country Artist With a Growing Audience\nBosse is a Nashville recording artist and singer-songwriter from southeastern Connecticut who has spent years building an audience both locally and beyond the region. \nHis sound draws from country\, southern rock and bluegrass\, with traditional country storytelling sitting at the center. \nBosse has cited influences ranging from Merle Haggard to Tyler Childers\, an old-meets-new combination that helps explain his approach. The music can reach back toward traditional country without treating the genre as something frozen in the past. \nHis path into the regional music scene began with local cover gigs in 2013. Not long afterward\, he formed The Northern Roots\, the backing band that has accompanied him through much of his career. \nBosse has since performed at venues including Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun and throughout the New England country circuit. \n“What Happened to Country” Became His Breakthrough Song\nThe song most closely associated with Bosse is “What Happened to Country.” \nReleased in 2021\, the track asks a question that has become increasingly common among listeners who feel mainstream country has drifted away from the genre’s traditional sound. \nThe record connected. \nBy 2026\, “What Happened to Country” had surpassed 2 million streams\, a substantial milestone for an independent New England country artist. \nThe subject also reflects a larger theme running through Bosse’s work: an interest in country music as storytelling rather than simply a collection of familiar production techniques. \nThat traditional streak doesn’t mean his sound is strictly retro. Southern rock and bluegrass influences give the music room to move outside conventional country boundaries. \nA Solo Performance at Spouter Tavern\nThe September 18 appearance is billed as Nick Bosse\, rather than a full Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots concert. \nThat makes the Spouter Tavern setting particularly well suited to the show. \nBosse’s full-band performances can bring considerably more country-rock weight\, but the solo format strips the songs down and puts more emphasis on his baritone voice\, guitar and songwriting. \nIt’s also a different way to hear an artist who regularly appears with The Northern Roots at larger regional shows and festivals. \nAt Mystic Seaport\, the backdrop isn’t a traditional concert stage. \nIt’s the Museum’s recreated 19th-century seaport village and the Mystic River. \nSpouter Tavern Has Its Own Maritime History\nSchaefer’s Spouter Tavern looks as though it has been sitting in the village for generations\, but its history is a little more complicated. \nThe tavern was created at Mystic Seaport Museum in 1956 as a recreation of a 19th-century public house. \nHistoric architectural elements used in the building came from the Central House Inne in Stoddard\, New Hampshire\, dating to about 1833. Doors\, windows\, flooring\, wainscoting\, benches\, bar elements and a fireplace helped give the reconstructed tavern its period character. \nToday it operates as both a museum dining location and one of the most atmospheric places on the grounds to spend a summer evening. \nOutdoor seating opens toward the river and the Museum’s historic waterfront\, including the area near the Charles W. Morgan\, the 1841 whaleship that has become the signature vessel of Mystic Seaport Museum. \nThe Friday music series takes advantage of that setting by moving the entertainment outside. \nMuseum After Hours Opens the Gates for Free\nThe Summer Music Series offers something that makes these Friday performances different from a normal visit to Mystic Seaport Museum. \nPublic entry becomes free beginning at 5 p.m. \nGuests enter through the Museum’s North Entrance and can head toward Spouter Tavern for the music. \nThat means a regular daytime Museum admission ticket isn’t required to attend the evening portion of the series after free entry begins. \nThe music series itself runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. \nVisitors are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair and find a place on the lawn. Because seating is limited\, arriving earlier can provide more options. \nFood and drinks are available at Spouter Tavern during the series\, while outside alcohol is prohibited. \nOne More Friday on the Mystic River\nThere’s something appropriate about Bosse’s rain date becoming the final scheduled performance of the series. \nMuseum After Hours has occupied Friday evenings through much of the warmer season\, turning the area around Spouter Tavern into an informal waterfront music venue after the regular Museum day begins winding down. \nSeptember 18 pushes that summer tradition almost to the official beginning of fall. \nAnd after losing the original August date to the weather\, Bosse gets another shot at the waterfront. \nThis time\, assuming the weather cooperates\, he’ll also get to close the season. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Nick Bosse at Museum After Hours: Summer Music Series\nDate: Friday\, September 18\, 2026\nSeries Hours: 4:30–7:30 p.m.\nFree Museum Entry: Beginning at 5 p.m. through the North Entrance\nVenue: Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern at Mystic Seaport Museum\nAddress: 75 Greenmanville Avenue\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nPerformer: Nick Bosse\nMusic: Country\, southern rock and bluegrass influences\nAdmission: Free public entry beginning at 5 p.m.\nSeating: Bring a blanket or lawn chair; seating is limited\nOutside Alcohol: Not permitted\nOriginally Scheduled: August 21; postponed because of weather \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/nick-bosse-returns-to-mystic-seaport-museum/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T190000
DTSTAMP:20260621T233508Z
CREATED:20260621T233508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260621T233508Z
UID:10006140-1789747200-1789758000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bozrah Farmers Market
DESCRIPTION:Bozrah Farmers Market returns each Friday with a season-long lineup of themed events that combine local shopping\, food\, entertainment\, and community fun. While visitors can always expect fresh produce\, local vendors\, and a welcoming atmosphere\, each market date brings a unique theme designed to give guests something new to experience throughout the summer and fall. \nFrom pickle tastings and berry celebrations to classic cars\, tacos\, chocolate\, and even a Renaissance-themed evening\, the weekly themes add an extra layer of fun to one of the region’s most popular community markets. Whether you’re stopping by to shop local\, grab dinner from a food truck\, or enjoy one of the special activities\, every Friday offers a different reason to visit. \nFamilies\, food lovers\, and shoppers alike will find plenty to enjoy as the market transforms throughout the season with themed activities\, special vendors\, and community celebrations. \nEvent Details \nWhen: Fridays \nLocation: Bozrah Farmers Market \n2026 Theme Schedule \nJuly 3\nPickle Festival \nJuly 10\nTractor Night \nJuly 17\nMakers Market \nJuly 24\nClassic Car Night \nJuly 31\nBerry Festival \nAugust 7\nDog Days \nAugust 14\nKids Entrepreneur Day \nAugust 21\nClassic Car Night \nAugust 28\nFood Truck Night \nSeptember 4\nChocolate Night \nSeptember 11\nTaco Festival \nSeptember 18\nAmerica 250 Celebration \nSeptember 25\nVintage Vibes \nOctober 2\nMakers of the Realm (Renaissance Theme) \nOctober 9\nTent-or-Treat \nAdditional Information \n\nWeekly Friday market\nLocal vendors and artisans\nFresh produce and farm products\nFamily-friendly atmosphere\nRotating seasonal themes and activities\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/bozrah-farmers-market/2026-09-18/
LOCATION:Bozrah Farmers Market\, 45 Bozrah Street\, Bozrah\, 06344\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bozrah Farmers Market
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006479-1789729200-1789750800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art explores the history of textiles in southeastern Connecticut\, tracing how fabrics\, fashion\, and craftsmanship have shaped the region from the precolonial era through the present day. On view from June 26 through October 11\, 2026\, the exhibition brings together historic artifacts and contemporary works to examine how textiles reflect labor\, immigration\, cultural identity\, and changing ideas of luxury. \nInspired by southeastern Connecticut’s once-thriving velvet industry\, the exhibition features a collaboration between Mystic Museum of Art\, Historic Stonington\, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\, Mystic Seaport Museum\, and the Connecticut Region of the Studio Art Quilt Associates. Visitors will encounter an extensive collection of beadwork\, embroidery\, quilts\, velvet\, fashion\, and textile art drawn from partner institutions and the museum’s own collection. \nThe exhibition also highlights contemporary fashion designers with Connecticut connections\, including Xarea Lockhart\, Toriana Sauro\, Christian Siriano\, and Peter Som. Their work connects the region’s textile heritage with modern fashion\, demonstrating how clothing and material culture continue to influence art\, identity\, and design. Throughout the exhibition\, the museum will present lectures\, artist conversations\, and hands-on workshops that further explore these themes. \nExhibition Details\n\nExhibition: Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways\nVenue: Mystic Museum of Art\nDates: June 26-October 11\, 2026\nLocation: Mystic\, CT\n\nExhibition Highlights\nVisitors will experience: \n\ns\nWorks from Mystic Museum of Art’s permanent collection\nLoans from regional museums and organizations\n\nFeatured Partners\nThe exhibition includes contributions from: \n\nHistoric Stonington\nMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\nMystic Seaport Museum\nStudio Art Quilt Associates\, Connecticut Region\n\nFeatured Designers\nThe exhibition showcases work by designers with Connecticut ties\, including: \n\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\nChristian Siriano\nPeter Som\n\nAdmission\n\nGeneral Admission: $12\nNew London County residents: $10\nSeniors (65+): $10\nStudents with valid ID: $10\nFree:\n\nMystic Museum of Art members\nYouth ages 17 and under\nMilitary personnel and veterans\n\n\n\nExhibition Programs\nPublic programs are held on select Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. \nTuesday\, July 7\nMystic Mudlarking: The River and the Rossie Velvet Mill \n\nGuest speaker: Mary Hendrickson\n\nTuesday\, July 21\nImmigration and Industry \n\nGuest speaker: Chelsea Mitchell\, Library Director & Collections Manager\, Historic Stonington\n\nTuesday\, September 1\nConversation with Alana Ryder and Emerging Designers \nFeaturing: \n\nAlana Ryder\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\n\nWorkshops\nAll workshops take place in KTJ Studios. \nSaturday\, September 19\nFrom Textile to Art: Felt Collage Workshop \nSaturday\, September 26\nIntroduction to Sewing Workshop \n\nFeatured designer: Toriana Sauro\n\nSaturday\, October 10\nRelief Printing on Silk Scarf Workshop \nWhy Visit\nLuxe CT examines how textiles have connected communities across centuries while reflecting the region’s history of manufacturing\, immigration\, craftsmanship\, and artistic innovation. By pairing historical artifacts with contemporary fashion and fiber art\, the exhibition offers visitors a deeper understanding of southeastern Connecticut’s cultural heritage and its continuing influence on today’s artists and designers. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/luxe-ct-velvet-mills-to-modern-runways-at-mystic-museum-of-art/2026-09-18/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000485-1789729200-1789750800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks
DESCRIPTION:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks drops visitors into centuries of maritime mystery and disaster at Mystic Seaport Museum.. The internationally touring exhibition combines massive LEGO® ship recreations with real maritime history\, creating an experience that feels part museum exhibit\, part interactive adventure. As the first American stop for the exhibition\, Mystic Seaport becomes the latest host for a showcase that has previously appeared at major maritime museums in Europe and Australia. \nThe exhibit features eleven detailed LEGO® models recreating famous shipwrecks and maritime disasters spanning thousands of years\, including the Titanic\, the Vasa\, Franklin’s Arctic expedition ships Terror and Erebus\, and the ancient Uluburun trading vessel. Created in partnership with LEGO® Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught\, the displays combine historical storytelling with surprisingly intricate engineering and visual detail. Some models even include cross-section cutaways revealing what happened beneath the waterline. \nInteractive experiences throughout the exhibit invite visitors to test survival scenarios\, operate a remote underwater vehicle\, experiment with ship stability\, and build LEGO® creations of their own. Alongside the models are replica artifacts\, archaeological tools\, and multimedia displays exploring how modern researchers investigate shipwrecks and what those discoveries reveal about trade\, exploration\, disaster\, and human history. The result is an exhibit that works equally well for families\, history buffs\, LEGO® fans\, and anyone who still secretly wants to touch every museum display. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/brickwrecks-sunken-ships-in-lego-bricks-3/2026-09-18/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007320-1789722000-1789754400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill 2026: Complete Guide
DESCRIPTION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is now open for the 2026 season\, beginning another fall of fresh-pressed sweet cider\, cider donuts\, traditional hard cider\, apple wine and one of the most unusual pieces of working history in Connecticut. \nThe family-owned Old Mystic landmark opened for the season September 1 and is currently scheduled to operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 129 North Stonington Road. \nBut calling Clyde’s a cider shop doesn’t quite explain why generations of families make a trip here every fall. \nThe mill has been family-owned since 1881. Fourth\, fifth and sixth generations of the family still work in the business. Apples are still crushed and pressed using historic machinery powered by steam. Visitors can watch the machinery operate\, descend into the cellar for traditional hard cider tastings\, sample apple wines in a converted grist mill and leave with a bag of cider donuts. \nClyde’s calls itself the oldest steam-powered cider mill in the United States. \nMore precisely\, it is the last operating steam-powered cider mill in the country\, according to the mill\, and its historic cider-making machinery has been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. \nIt isn’t a reproduction of an old cider mill. \nIt’s the real thing. \nA Mystic Fall Tradition Since 1881\nThe story begins with Benjamin F. Clyde. \nIn 1881\, Clyde began producing cider from apples he had pressed at other local mills. He eventually rented a press before purchasing his own mill in 1897. \nThe equipment that followed would become the heart of the operation visitors still come to see. \nClyde purchased a screw press manufactured by Boomer & Boschert of Syracuse\, New York. The company also supplied the apple grater\, elevator and cider pump\, along with plans for the mill building. \nThe machinery was installed in 1898. \nAt the time\, cider mills were hardly unusual in rural America. \nThey served much the same role for apple growers that grist mills did for farmers growing grain. Orchards could bring surplus apples to a centrally located mill\, where the fruit could be processed and pressed into juice. Some of that juice could then be fermented into hard cider. \nMost of those community mills disappeared. \nClyde’s didn’t. \nThe Steam-Powered Mill Is Still Working\nThat’s what makes a visit different from touring a preserved historic building. \nThe machinery still has a job. \nApples enter the cider-making system and are elevated to a grinder\, where they’re reduced to pulp. That pulp is prepared for pressing\, and the historic screw press applies the tremendous pressure needed to extract the juice. \nThe technology was impressive for its era. \nAccording to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers\, the all-steel screw press could apply pressure at three speeds and represented one of the last generations of screw presses before hydraulic presses became widespread during the 20th century. \nASME designated B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994\, recognizing the machinery as a rare survivor of an industry that was once common throughout America’s apple-growing regions. \nMore than a century after the equipment was installed\, Clyde’s still uses the mill to make cider. \nWhen Can You Watch Clyde’s Press Cider?\nVisitors don’t have to settle for looking at the machinery. \nClyde’s runs it during the season. \nThe mill’s typical pressing schedule is: \nTuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.–noon\nSaturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.–noon \nThe schedule can vary because Clyde’s presses according to production needs\, so the machinery isn’t guaranteed to be running continuously throughout those periods. \nEven when the press isn’t operating\, visitors are welcome to look inside the historic press building. \nFor anyone specifically interested in seeing the steam-powered machinery at work\, a pressing morning is the best time to plan a visit. \nHow Clyde’s Makes Sweet Cider\nFresh sweet cider is the product that started everything. \nClyde’s purchases its apples from small orchards rather than operating a pick-your-own orchard of its own. The apples are processed at the mill and pressed into cider using the historic equipment. \nThe finished sweet cider is flash pasteurized on the property. \nVisitors can buy cider to take home or drink it while visiting\, and seasonal cider drinks have become part of the experience alongside the mill’s baked goods. \nThat combination has helped turn what was originally a working agricultural business into a fall destination. \nYou can come to learn how a 19th-century cider press works. \nYou can also come because you want cider and a donut. \nNeither is the wrong reason. \nAbout Those Clyde’s Cider Donuts\nFor plenty of visitors\, the steam engine has competition. \nClyde’s cider donuts have become almost as closely associated with the mill as the cider itself. \nThe store sells its well-known cider donuts along with other baked goods and seasonal treats. The selection can vary\, but the broader shop also carries jarred products\, honey from local beekeepers\, candied apples made by the family and other locally produced goods. \nIt’s part bakery\, part country store and part historic attraction. \nAnd on a busy fall weekend\, the line is evidence that plenty of people know exactly what they came for. \nThen There Is the Cider Downstairs\nThe word “cider” gets considerably more complicated at Clyde’s. \nSweet cider is only part of the story. \nClyde’s also makes traditional hard cider using a process very different from the sweeter\, carbonated canned ciders that have become common in supermarkets and bars. \nThe hard cider begins with apple juice and ferments before aging in oak whiskey barrels. \nThe process from juice to finished hard cider typically takes about a year. \nAfter fermentation and aging\, the hard cider receives relatively little filtration before being sold. That preserves more of the raw\, oaky character produced by the barrel. \nThe result is considerably stronger than many commercial hard ciders. \nClyde’s hard ciders and apple wines generally contain 12 to 14 percent alcohol. \nHard Cider vs. Apple Wine: What’s the Difference?\nThis is one of the more interesting parts of Clyde’s operation because the two products begin in essentially the same place. \nBoth the hard cider and apple wine start as fermented apple juice aged in oak whiskey barrels. \nWhat happens afterward separates them. \nClyde’s hard cider is only lightly filtered to remove sediment. That leaves it with a bolder flavor\, more pronounced oak character and more bite. \nThe apple wine receives considerably more filtration. \nThat additional processing produces a smoother\, somewhat sweeter product that is also shelf stable before opening. \nSo someone expecting Clyde’s hard cider to taste like a modern canned hard cider may be surprised. \nThis is closer to an older cider-making tradition. \nWhat’s in the Hard Cider Cellar?\nThe hard cider cellar sits underneath the press building. \nThat’s where visitors can taste Clyde’s traditional hard ciders and where the product has been made for generations. \nAvailability changes throughout the season\, but Clyde’s 2026 lineup includes several recurring varieties. \nThe Original is the starting point. It’s dry\, without added fruit flavors competing with the oak character of the barrel. \nLucky Lion is also dry and crisp\, with a character Clyde’s says some drinkers compare to Scotch. \nBlackout goes even further in that direction. It’s Clyde’s most popular hard cider and wine flavor\, with strong oak notes that the mill describes as almost reminiscent of whiskey. \nThen things get fruitier. \nBoomerang combines apple and cranberry for a tart\, sweeter cider. \nGoodfella adds blackberry and lands on the sweeter end of the lineup. \nYellow Jacket combines apple and orange\, producing some sweetness with a citrus bite. \nCherry Bomb adds another fruit-driven option. \nBecause Clyde’s rotates its hard ciders\, individual varieties can change during the season. \nThe Apple Wine List Goes Much Further\nThe wine side of the operation offers even more variety. \nClyde’s currently lists 14 apple wines\, ranging from dry expressions of apple to much sweeter fruit combinations. \nApple Wine is the driest of the wine lineup. \nSpiced Apple uses mulling spices for a distinctly fall-oriented version. \nSpider Cider combines sweetness with pumpkin spices and can be warmed or used in a hot toddy. \nStrawberry Bliss is the sweetest wine in the lineup\, combining apple and strawberry. \nBlueberry Spinner combines apple and blueberry. \nApple Raspberry leans sweet but tart. \nCider House Blend combines apple\, orange and cranberry. \nSeveral of the hard cider varieties\, including Original\, Lucky Lion\, Blackout\, Boomerang\, Goodfella and Yellow Jacket\, are also produced as wines. \nThe distinction comes back to filtration. \nSame roots. \nDifferent finish. \nYes\, You Can Taste Them for Free\nClyde’s offers separate hard cider and wine tastings throughout its season. \nAnd the tastings are free. \nNo purchase is required and no reservation is necessary. \nVisitors can sample up to four hard ciders and up to four wines at their respective tasting locations. \nHard cider tastings take place in the cellar beneath the press building. \nWine tastings are held in the tasting room\, which has its own connection to the property’s history: the building is a converted grist mill once used to produce johnnycake meal. \nTastings are first-come\, first-served. \nCurrent tasting hours are: \nMonday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\nSunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. \nEveryone participating in a tasting must show a valid ID\, regardless of age or appearance. Clyde’s does not accept expired IDs or photographs of identification. \nConnecticut alcohol rules also mean Clyde’s cannot sell its hard cider or wine before 10 a.m. on Sundays. \nA Few Clyde’s Flavors to Know Before You Taste\nIf you don’t know where to start\, the tasting bottles are generally arranged from driest to sweetest\, and the staff can help narrow the choices. \nFor something dry: Original or Apple Wine. \nFor strong oak character: Blackout. \nFor dry and crisp: Lucky Lion. \nFor tart cranberry: Boomerang. \nFor something sweeter: Goodfella. \nFor fall spice: Spiced Apple or Spider Cider. \nFor very sweet fruit: Strawberry Bliss or Blueberry Spinner. \nOne warning for anyone accustomed to mass-market hard cider: remember the alcohol content. \nAt 12 to 14 percent ABV\, Clyde’s hard cider is much closer to wine strength than a typical bottle or can of commercial cider. \nCan You Bring Back a Clyde’s Growler?\nYes. \nClyde’s sells 64-ounce growlers of hard cider and offers growler refills. \nThere are a couple of important rules. \nClyde’s refills growlers rather than exchanging them\, so customers should clean their growler before bringing it back. The mill can only refill glass growlers that have a stamped or imprinted 64-ounce measurement. \nWine cannot be used for growler fills. \nThe refill program is for hard cider. \nHard cider should also be kept cool after purchase. Clyde’s recommends refrigeration. \nThere’s More Than Cider\nThe tasting room also contains Clyde’s gift shop\, with merchandise and locally made products that can include handmade earrings\, postcards and art prints. \nElsewhere at the mill\, visitors can browse honey produced by local beekeepers\, jarred foods\, family-made candied apples\, baked goods and other seasonal products. \nThat makes it possible to spend considerably more time at Clyde’s than simply buying a gallon of cider and heading home. \nWatch the press. \nGet cider and donuts. \nExplore the store. \nGo downstairs for a hard cider tasting. \nVisit the wine tasting room. \nBrowse the gift shop. \nIt’s effectively several different experiences spread across the historic property. \nIs B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill Good for Kids?\nYes. \nClyde’s welcomes children of all ages. \nThe working mill is also an opportunity to show kids a piece of machinery doing the job it was actually designed to do more than a century ago. \nThere is no alcohol involved in the regular sweet cider\, and the bakery\, cider and mill demonstration make Clyde’s an easy family fall stop. \nJust don’t confuse the two kinds of cider. \nThe traditional hard cider and apple wines are 12 to 14 percent alcohol and are strictly for adults 21 and older. \nCan You Pick Apples at Clyde’s?\nNo. \nThis is one of the most useful things to know before making the trip. \nB.F. Clyde’s is a cider mill\, not a pick-your-own orchard. \nThe mill purchases apples from small orchards and uses them to produce its cider. \nIf apple picking is part of your fall plans\, you’ll need to visit an orchard separately. \nCan You Bring a Dog?\nYes\, with restrictions. \nLeashed pets are permitted on the grounds. \nThey aren’t allowed inside the buildings or on the porch\, and visitors need to bring whatever they need to clean up after their pets. \nParking Can Be the Hardest Part of a Fall Visit\nClyde’s popularity comes with one predictable problem. \nIt gets busy. \nThe main parking lot can fill during peak periods\, particularly on fall weekends. \nClyde’s asks visitors to try the main lot first and to respect posted no-parking areas and neighboring properties if parking along nearby roads. \nAn auxiliary lot is available at 49 North Stonington Road. It’s approximately four-tenths of a mile from the mill\, so visitors using it should expect a walk. \nIf your schedule is flexible\, a weekday visit can make the entire experience easier. \nIf you’re coming specifically to see the press operate\, Tuesday or Thursday morning offers the combination of a weekday visit and a scheduled pressing window. \nClyde’s Isn’t a Museum\, and That’s the Point\nThere are plenty of places where historic machinery survives behind ropes. \nClyde’s is different. \nBenjamin Clyde started making cider in 1881. \nHe acquired his own mill in the 1890s. \nThe equipment installed in 1898 survived the arrival of hydraulic presses\, mass food production\, supermarkets\, interstate highways and more than a century of changes in how Americans buy their food. \nThe family survived with it. \nToday\, fourth\, fifth and sixth generations are involved in the operation. \nEvery September\, the doors open again. \nApples arrive. \nThe steam-powered machinery starts moving. \nFresh cider begins flowing. \nAnd people line up for cider donuts. \nThat’s why B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is more than another place to add to a Connecticut fall checklist. It’s a piece of New England’s agricultural and industrial history that never stopped doing its job. \n2026 Visitor Guide\nAttraction: B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\n2026 Season Opening: September 1\, 2026\nCurrent Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\, seven days a week\nLocation: 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: Free\nChildren: Welcome\nPets: Leashed pets allowed on the grounds; not inside buildings or on the porch\nApple Picking: No\nSweet Cider: Available\nCider Donuts and Baked Goods: Available\nHard Cider: Available for adults 21+\nApple Wine: Available for adults 21+\nAlcohol Content: Hard cider and wine are generally 12–14% ABV\nTastings: Free; no reservation required\nHard Cider Tastings: Cellar beneath the press building\nWine Tastings: Tasting room\nTasting Hours: Monday–Saturday\, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday\, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nTypical Pressing Schedule: Tuesday\, Thursday\, Saturday and Sunday\, 10 a.m.–noon\nParking: Main lot plus auxiliary parking at 49 North Stonington Road\nThanksgiving: Closed\nShipping: Not available\nPreorders/Call-Ahead Orders: Not available \nHard Cider Menu\nAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers History \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/b-f-clydes-cider-mill-2026-complete-guide/2026-09-18/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T220000
DTSTAMP:20260915T233120Z
CREATED:20260915T233120Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T233120Z
UID:10007873-1789675200-1789682400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Erykah Badu & Special Guests Bring De La Soul\, The Alchemist and Smino to Mohegan Sun Arena
DESCRIPTION:Erykah Badu & Special Guests brings together several generations of soul and hip-hop at Mohegan Sun Arena on Thursday\, September 17\, with Badu joined by De La Soul\, The Alchemist and Smino for the Connecticut stop of her 2026 LIVE tour. \nThe concert begins at 8 p.m. in Uncasville and is one of a limited series of North American dates built around Badu and producer The Alchemist\, with different guests joining them along the way. \nFor Mohegan Sun\, the lineup is particularly deep. Hip-hop pioneers De La Soul are officially billed for the show\, while Mohegan Sun’s tour announcement specifically confirms rapper and songwriter Smino for the Connecticut date. \nNearly 30 years after Baduizm introduced Badu to a mass audience\, she remains difficult to fit neatly into any one musical category. That may be exactly why this particular collection of artists makes sense. \nBaduizm Changed the Conversation in 1997\nWhen Baduizm arrived in 1997\, mainstream R&B was already thriving. \nBadu sounded different. \nHer music drew from soul\, jazz\, hip-hop and funk without sounding like a deliberate exercise in combining genres. The arrangements could be sparse and groove-heavy\, leaving unusual amounts of room for her voice. \nThen there was the voice itself. \nOn & On became Badu’s breakthrough single\, while Baduizm went multi-platinum and helped establish what became known as neo-soul. \nThe label would eventually encompass artists including D’Angelo\, Maxwell\, Jill Scott and others who drew heavily from classic soul while refusing to simply recreate it. \nBadu became one of the movement’s defining figures. \nShe also won Grammys for Baduizm and On & On\, beginning a career that has produced five Grammy Awards. \nThen Came Mama’s Gun\nIf Baduizm introduced Badu\, Mama’s Gun demonstrated how far she was willing to push the idea. \nReleased in 2000\, the album included Bag Lady and Didn’t Cha Know? while moving deeper into funk\, jazz and increasingly adventurous songwriting. \nGreen Eyes stretched beyond ten minutes. \nBadu wasn’t structuring everything around radio. \nThat willingness to let songs expand has carried directly into her concerts. Her performances can involve improvisation and reinterpretation rather than simply reproducing the studio recordings note for note. \nMohegan Sun describes the LIVE tour as a celebration of creativity\, collaboration and improvisation. \nThat’s particularly appropriate for Badu. \nHer catalog provides the framework. \nWhat happens with it onstage can be something else. \nThe Alchemist Connects This Tour to Badu’s Next Chapter\nThe Alchemist isn’t simply an opening act attached to the tour. \nThe veteran producer and Badu have been working together on new music. \nBorn Alan Maman\, The Alchemist has spent decades building one of hip-hop’s most respected production catalogs\, working with artists ranging from Mobb Deep and Nas to Kendrick Lamar\, Freddie Gibbs\, Earl Sweatshirt and Action Bronson. \nHis production often favors unusual samples\, atmospheric loops and deliberately imperfect textures rather than glossy pop construction. \nThat aesthetic makes his collaboration with Badu particularly intriguing. \nThe two released Next to You as part of their developing joint project\, Abi & Alan\, and their 2026 touring has increasingly brought their musical worlds together. \nThat means Thursday’s concert isn’t simply Badu revisiting the 1990s. \nThere’s new music in the equation. \nDe La Soul Brings Nearly Four Decades of Hip-Hop History\nThen there’s De La Soul. \nThe Long Island trio of Posdnuos\, Trugoy the Dove and Maseo changed expectations for what a hip-hop group could sound and look like with the 1989 release of 3 Feet High and Rising. \nAt a moment when hip-hop imagery was moving in several very different directions\, De La Soul arrived with dense sampling\, humor\, surrealism and an album structured almost like its own strange little universe. \nMe Myself and I became the group’s best-known early hit\, but its influence went much deeper. \nDe La Soul became central to the Native Tongues collective alongside A Tribe Called Quest\, Jungle Brothers and others\, helping establish an alternative branch of hip-hop that prized experimentation as much as commercial formulas. \nThe group later won a Grammy through its collaboration with Gorillaz on Feel Good Inc. \nTrugoy\, born David Jolicoeur\, died in 2023. \nPosdnuos and Maseo have continued De La Soul\, making the group’s appearance Thursday both a celebration of its catalog and the continuation of a story that began nearly four decades ago. \nSmino Adds Another Generation to the Bill\nMohegan Sun’s original announcement also confirms Smino as a special guest specifically for the September 17 performance. \nThe St. Louis-born rapper and singer represents a considerably younger branch of the same musical family tree. \nHis work moves between hip-hop\, R&B\, funk and soul\, often treating singing and rapping as parts of the same vocabulary rather than separate modes. \nAlbums including blkswn and Luv 4 Rent established his elastic vocal style and preference for unconventional production. \nThat makes the Mohegan Sun lineup span an unusual amount of musical history. \nDe La Soul emerged in the late 1980s. \nBadu broke nationally in the 1990s. \nThe Alchemist’s production career stretches from that era into contemporary hip-hop. \nSmino represents a generation that grew up with all of it already available. \nBadu and Hip-Hop Have Always Been Closely Connected\nPutting Badu on a bill with hip-hop artists isn’t really crossing genres. \nHip-hop has been embedded in her music from the beginning. \nShe collaborated with The Roots on You Got Me\, which won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. \nCommon appeared on Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)\, a song whose title makes the relationship explicit. \nHer records have always treated soul\, jazz and hip-hop less like separate departments and more like neighboring rooms with the doors left open. \nThat helps explain why a producer such as The Alchemist can become a creative partner rather than simply remixing her existing work. \nIt also explains why De La Soul doesn’t feel like a nostalgia act bolted onto an R&B concert. \nThere are decades of musical connections running through this lineup. \nThursday’s Set Could Reach Across Badu’s Career\nBadu’s recent performances have been drawing from both familiar material and her collaboration with The Alchemist. \nThat makes songs such as On & On\, Didn’t Cha Know? and Green Eyes reasonable parts of the musical vocabulary of the current tour\, alongside newer collaborative material. \nBut Badu’s emphasis on improvisation makes predicting an exact Mohegan Sun setlist a bad bet. \nThat’s part of the appeal. \nA Badu concert has never been solely about checking famous songs off a list. \nThe songs can stretch. \nArrangements can change. \nTransitions can become performances themselves. \nThe current tour is being explicitly framed around that live unpredictability. \nOne Night at Mohegan Sun\nThe show arrives at Mohegan Sun Arena\, the resort’s roughly 10\,000-seat concert venue. \nFree self-parking is available in Mohegan Sun’s garages and Winter Lot. Reserved parking in the Riverview Garage can also be purchased in advance. \nArena guests should pay particular attention to the bag policy. \nBackpacks\, string bags\, diaper bags\, shopping bags\, messenger bags\, briefcases and rolling-style bags are prohibited. Anyone planning to carry a bag should check Mohegan Sun’s current arena policy before leaving home. \nTickets remain available through the official ticketing link. \nNearly 40 Years of Musical Evolution on One Stage\nThere is an obvious nostalgia angle to Thursday’s show. \n3 Feet High and Rising is 37 years old. \nBaduizm is approaching 30. \nBoth records belong to eras of hip-hop and R&B that now have their own histories\, anniversaries and generations of younger musicians who grew up studying them. \nBut the more interesting thing about this lineup is that none of the artists needs to remain trapped there. \nDe La Soul is still performing. \nThe Alchemist remains deeply involved in contemporary hip-hop. \nSmino belongs entirely to a later generation. \nAnd Badu is touring with a producer who has helped her make new music rather than simply mounting an anniversary tour around an old album. \nThat’s a pretty good representation of what happens when influential music survives long enough. \nEventually the past\, present and whatever comes next all end up sharing the same stage. \nDetails\nEvent: Erykah Badu & Special Guests\nDate: Thursday\, September 17\, 2026\nTime: 8 p.m.\nVenue: Mohegan Sun Arena\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nHeadliner: Erykah Badu\nSpecial Guests: De La Soul\, The Alchemist and Smino\nTour: LIVE\nMusic: R&B\, neo-soul\, hip-hop\, soul\, jazz and funk influences\nTickets: Ticketed event; current prices and availability vary by seat\nParking: Complimentary self-parking is available in Mohegan Sun’s three garages and Winter Lot; reserved Riverview Garage parking is also available for purchase\nBag Policy: Backpacks\, string bags\, diaper bags\, shopping bags\, messenger bags\, briefcases and rolling-style bags are not permitted inside Mohegan Sun Arena\nGeneral Information: 1-888-226-7711 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/erykah-badu-special-guests-bring-de-la-soul-the-alchemist-and-smino-to-mohegan-sun-arena/
LOCATION:Mohegan Sun Arena\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T220000
DTSTAMP:20260915T230403Z
CREATED:20260915T230403Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T230403Z
UID:10007872-1789675200-1789682400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood Bring Connecticut Blues Power to the Wolf Den
DESCRIPTION:Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood bring one of Connecticut’s longtime blues guitarists back to the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun on Thursday\, September 17\, for a free night of Texas blues\, rock\, soul\, and rhythm and blues. \nThe show begins at 8 p.m. inside the Wolf Den\, where admission is free and seating is first come\, first served. The venue is limited to guests 21 and older. \nFor Pitchell\, this is essentially a hometown show. The Hartford-born guitarist has spent decades building a career that stretches well beyond Connecticut\, recording and performing with musicians including J. Geils\, Clarence Clemons\, Dave Mason\, Rick Derringer and James Cotton. \nBut the names on his résumé tell only part of the story. \nThe reason Pitchell has been able to share stages with musicians of that caliber is much simpler: the guy can play guitar. \nIt Started With a 15-Year-Old Connecticut Guitarist\nPitchell’s career goes back to an unusually early accomplishment. \nAt 15\, he won a competition naming him the best guitarist in Connecticut. \nThe young player was absorbing the blues through musicians including B.B. King\, Buddy Guy\, Robert Cray\, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. \nThose influences remain audible decades later. \nPitchell doesn’t approach blues as a museum piece. His music uses the blues as a foundation before pushing outward into rock\, soul\, funk and R&B. \nThat distinction is important if the word “blues” makes you picture a quiet guitarist playing slow 12-bar standards in the corner of a club. \nTexas Flood is not that band. \nTexas Flood Is Built to Hit Hard\nThe band’s name provides a pretty substantial clue about its musical DNA. \nTexas Flood was the title track of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s landmark 1983 debut album\, although the song itself originated decades earlier with bluesman Larry Davis. \nPitchell’s band emerged in the 1990s with the electric Texas-blues tradition as one of its foundations. \nToday\, the core Texas Flood lineup includes Steve Peck on drums\, Dave Natale on bass and Dan Fontanella on keyboards and B3 organ\, with Pitchell handling guitar and vocals. \nThe combination gives Pitchell plenty of room to work. \nBass and drums provide the muscle. The organ can fill the space around the guitar without fighting it. Pitchell can then move from rhythm playing into extended leads while the band keeps the song underneath him. \nThe result is what Pitchell’s own biography describes as a mixture of rhythm and blues\, rock\, soul\, pop\, funk and Texas blues. \nIn other words\, expect considerably more than one shade of blue. \nHeavy Hitter Put Pitchell on the National Chart\nPitchell’s breakthrough recording arrived with Heavy Hitter. \nReleased through Pyramid Records/EMI in 2002\, the album reached No. 7 on Billboard’s blues chart. \nIt also demonstrated the company Pitchell was beginning to keep. \nHis recordings have featured musicians including Clarence Clemons\, the saxophonist whose sound became inseparable from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band; Dave Mason\, co-founder of Traffic; blues harmonica great James Cotton; and guitarist Rick Derringer. \nPitchell later worked with another particularly important figure in Connecticut music history: J. Geils. \nGeils appeared on Pitchell’s American Girl\, which was produced by David Z\, whose credits included work with Prince and Etta James. \nPitchell wasn’t simply collecting famous names for album covers. \nThose collaborations increasingly connected the Connecticut guitarist to several generations of American blues and roots music. \nJohn Mayall Eventually Recorded a Pitchell Song\nOne of the more interesting endorsements came through songwriting rather than guitar playing. \nPitchell wrote An Eye for an Eye\, a song that earned recognition in the International Songwriting Competition. \nThen John Mayall recorded it. \nThat’s significant company for any blues guitarist. \nMayall’s Bluesbreakers served as one of the great incubators of British blues\, with a revolving cast that included Eric Clapton\, Peter Green and Mick Taylor before each moved on to another chapter of rock history. \nHaving Mayall record one of his compositions put Pitchell’s songwriting alongside the guitar playing that had originally brought him attention. \nThen Came the Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon\nOne of Pitchell’s career highlights happened in New York in 2014. \nHe joined the Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon Theatre. \nIt would be difficult to design a setting more appropriate for his style of guitar playing. \nThe Allman Brothers built their music from blues\, rock\, jazz\, country and improvisation\, many of the same musical borders Pitchell has spent his career crossing. \nHis performance with the band was subsequently released. \nPitchell has also appeared on bills or stages with an extensive collection of artists including B.B. King\, Buddy Guy\, Bo Diddley\, Johnny Winter\, Gregg Allman\, Warren Haynes\, Derek Trucks\, Kenny Wayne Shepherd\, Elvin Bishop\, Joe Cocker and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. \nHe has toured internationally as well\, including appearances with The Commitments. \nThe Connecticut Blues Hall of Fame Eventually Came Calling\nConnecticut formally recognized that career in 2018\, when Pitchell was inducted into the Connecticut Blues Hall of Fame. \nBy then\, he’d come a long way from the teenager winning a statewide guitar competition. \nTexas Flood has earned its own regional recognition\, including being named a top blues act in a six-state New England vote. \nPitchell has continued recording rather than turning the band into a nostalgia act. \nMore recent projects include Playin’ With My Friends and Brown Eyed Blues\, the latter involving another impressive group of collaborators. \nHis output reflects the same pattern that has defined the live band: blues at the center\, but plenty of room around it. \nThe Wolf Den Is Made for a Band Like This\nThere are shows where an arena makes sense. \nJeff Pitchell and Texas Flood may be more interesting when you’re close enough to watch what Pitchell’s hands are doing. \nThe Wolf Den sits in the middle of Mohegan Sun’s Casino of the Earth and has built its identity around intimate\, free performances. \nThere isn’t a distant upper deck. \nThat makes it a particularly good environment for blues\, where the small details of a performance matter. You can watch a guitarist bend a note\, see the band respond and hear an improvisation develop in real time. \nAnd Pitchell is very much a live player. \nHis career was built on performing\, not simply recording. \nFree Comes With One Important Catch: Get There Early\nThere are no tickets to purchase for Thursday’s show. \nWolf Den concerts are free. \nBut free does not mean guaranteed admission. \nThe venue has limited seating\, and seats are distributed first come\, first served. Guests may begin lining up no earlier than three hours before the performance. \nFor an 8 p.m. show\, that means the line can begin forming at 5 p.m. \nOne person may hold as many as four places in line\, but everyone must be physically present when seating is assigned. \nThe Wolf Den is also strictly 21 and older\, and the venue is non-smoking. \nThose rules make arriving early considerably more useful than searching for a ticket that doesn’t exist. \nA Connecticut Guitar Player Comes Home\nThere’s something fitting about seeing Jeff Pitchell at the Wolf Den. \nHis career has taken him onto stages with musicians whose records helped define American blues and rock. \nHe’s played with the Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon. \nHe’s recorded with Clarence Clemons\, J. Geils\, Rick Derringer\, Dave Mason and James Cotton. \nJohn Mayall recorded one of his songs. \nBut Pitchell’s story started here\, as a 15-year-old Connecticut kid who was apparently already pretty dangerous with a guitar. \nMore than four decades later\, he’s still playing. \nOn Thursday night\, you don’t have to travel very far to hear why. \nDetails\nEvent: Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood\nDate: Thursday\, September 17\, 2026\nTime: 8 p.m.\nVenue: Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nAdmission: Free\nAge: 21+\nSeating: First come\, first served; limited seating available\nLineup: Guests may line up no earlier than three hours before the show\nLine Policy: One person may hold up to four places\, but everyone must be present when seats are assigned\nMusic: Blues\, rock\, soul\, R&B\, funk and Texas blues\nSmoking: Wolf Den is a non-smoking venue\nGeneral Information: 1-888-226-7711\nSchedule: Times and performers are subject to change \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/jeff-pitchell-and-texas-flood-bring-connecticut-blues-power-to-the-wolf-den/
LOCATION:Wolf Den\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvs\, Uncasville\, CT\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Jeff-Pitchell-and-Texas-Flood-Bring-Connecticut-Blues-Power-to-the-Wolf-Den.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T210000
DTSTAMP:20260908T005412Z
CREATED:20260908T005412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T005412Z
UID:10007511-1789673400-1789678800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Almost\, Maine at the Granite Theatre
DESCRIPTION:Almost\, Maine at the Granite Theatre opens Friday\, September 11\, for a two-week run of John Cariani’s romantic comedy about love found\, lost and occasionally turned upside down beneath the northern lights. \nThe Granite Theatre production runs September 11–20 in downtown Westerly\, with 7:30 p.m. performances on Thursdays\, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. Tickets are $30–$35. \nRather than following one couple through a conventional love story\, Almost\, Maine tells nine interconnected stories about the residents of a tiny fictional community in northern Maine. During the course of one cold Friday night\, relationships begin\, end\, stumble and take some wonderfully strange turns. \nWelcome to Almost\nAlmost isn’t technically a town. \nIn Cariani’s fictional geography\, it’s an unorganized community so far north in Maine that it’s almost in Canada. On a clear winter night\, with the aurora borealis overhead\, its residents experience a series of encounters that revolve around falling in love\, falling out of it or discovering that what they thought they understood about another person wasn’t quite right. \nThe structure is closer to a collection of short stories performed on stage than a traditional beginning-to-end narrative. \nMost of the scenes involve just two characters\, with different residents moving in and out of focus as the evening progresses. The stories stand on their own\, but the shared place\, time and themes gradually turn them into a portrait of one small community. \nCariani also gives the play a touch of magical realism. \nEmotions sometimes become physical things. Characters carry the consequences of love in ways that couldn’t happen in the real world\, yet the feelings behind those moments remain recognizable. That lets Almost\, Maine move quickly between comedy\, absurdity\, heartbreak and tenderness without becoming a conventional romantic comedy. \nA Play That Almost Disappeared\nThe story behind Almost\, Maine is nearly as unlikely as some of the stories inside it. \nJohn Cariani developed the play at the Cape Cod Theatre Project in 2002. It received its world premiere at Portland Stage Company in Maine in 2004\, where it broke box-office records. \nBy then\, Cariani was already familiar to Broadway audiences as an actor. He earned a Tony Award nomination for playing Motel the tailor in the 2004 Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof and had appeared on television in Law & Order. \nAlmost\, Maine reached New York next\, opening Off-Broadway at the Daryl Roth Theatre in January 2006. \nThat production lasted only about a month. \nOrdinarily\, that might have been the end of the story. Instead\, after the play was published and became available to other theaters\, something unexpected happened. \nSmall professional theaters began producing it. Then community theaters picked it up. Colleges and high schools followed. \nAnd they kept doing it. \nFrom Short Off-Broadway Run to Thousands of Productions\nToday\, Almost\, Maine has become one of the most frequently produced contemporary American plays. \nThe play’s official site reports that more than 6\,000 theater companies in the United States have staged it\, along with more than 100 international companies. It has also repeatedly ranked among the most-produced plays in North American high schools. \nPart of the appeal is built into Cariani’s unusual structure. \nWith largely self-contained two-person scenes\, directors can distribute substantial material among an ensemble rather than building an entire production around one or two leading roles. Each vignette gives its actors a complete little story to develop. \nAudiences get something different from that structure\, too. One scene may land as broad comedy while the next turns unexpectedly bittersweet. Not every relationship works out\, and the title itself becomes something of a running idea. \nThings in Almost are frequently close. \nAlmost a town. Almost Canada. Almost together. Almost over someone. Almost happy. \nBut not quite. \nJohn Cariani Wrote About the Maine He Knew\nThe fictional setting wasn’t chosen at random. \nCariani grew up in Presque Isle in Aroostook County\, the enormous and sparsely populated region at the northern end of Maine. He has said those years shaped his affection for the landscape\, language and people that eventually found their way into Almost\, Maine. \nThe setting is intentionally remote. The cold matters. The darkness matters. So does the northern sky. \nAgainst that isolation\, the small interactions between people become bigger. A conversation on a bench\, an unexpected visitor at the door or an encounter between two neighbors can become the most important thing happening for miles. \nCariani eventually returned to the world he created in another form. In 2022\, he adapted Almost\, Maine into a novel\, expanding the interconnected stories and characters beyond what audiences see on stage. \nBut the theatrical version remains the work that made Almost into a place thousands of actors and audiences have visited. \nInside Westerly’s Historic Granite Theatre\nThe setting for this production has its own story. \nGranite Theatre occupies a restored Greek Revival building at 1 Granite Street in downtown Westerly. Long before actors performed there\, the building was a church. \nThe congregation that became the Broad Street Christian Church was organized in 1843\, and the building was completed in 1849. Its prominent classical façade and columns remain part of one of downtown Westerly’s distinctive historic structures. \nThe building eventually found a second life as a performance space\, reopening as the Granite Theatre in 2000. \nToday\, Renaissance City Theatre operates the Granite as a nonprofit theater\, presenting plays\, musicals\, family productions\, educational programs and special events throughout the year. \nIt’s also an intimate room. With roughly 140 seats\, the audience is close to the performers rather than watching from the distance of a large regional theater. That should suit a play built around small conversations and two-person encounters particularly well. \nOpening Night Begins a Seven-Performance Run\nAlmost\, Maine opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday\, September 11. \nA second evening performance follows Saturday\, September 12\, before the first Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. September 13. \nThe production returns the following Thursday and continues through Sunday\, September 20\, for seven performances in all: \n\nFriday\, September 11 at 7:30 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 12 at 7:30 p.m.\nSunday\, September 13 at 2 p.m.\nThursday\, September 17 at 7:30 p.m.\nFriday\, September 18 at 7:30 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 19 at 7:30 p.m.\nSunday\, September 20 at 2 p.m.\n\nTickets range from $30 to $35. \nAccessibility at the Granite\nBecause the Granite occupies a historic 19th-century building\, accessibility comes with some limitations. \nThe theater performance space itself is wheelchair accessible\, but the Granite notes that its lobby and restrooms are not fully accessible. \nA small number of accessible parking spaces are available behind the building and need to be reserved. The theater recommends that anyone who needs accessible parking or has mobility concerns call ahead rather than relying on availability when arriving for a performance. \nDetails\nEvent: Almost\, Maine\nPlaywright: John Cariani\nOpening Night: Friday\, September 11\, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.\nRun: September 11–20\, 2026\nEvening Performances: 7:30 p.m.\nSunday Matinees: 2 p.m.\nNumber of Performances: Seven\nGenre: Romantic comedy\nVenue: Granite Theatre\nAddress: 1 Granite Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nTickets: $30–$35\nBox Office: 401-596-2341\nAccessibility: Theater space is wheelchair accessible; lobby and restrooms are not fully accessible\nAccessible Parking: Limited spaces are available and should be reserved in advance \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/almost-maine-at-the-granite-theatre/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:The Granite Theater\, 1 Granite Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Granite Street Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Almost-Maine-at-the-Granite-Theatre.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T210000
DTSTAMP:20260921T030638Z
CREATED:20260912T013223Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T030638Z
UID:10007551-1789666200-1789678800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Seasonal Shifts Opens a New Velvet Mill Artists Group Show in Stonington
DESCRIPTION:Seasonal Shifts brings the work of artists based at Stonington’s Velvet Mill together for a new group exhibition opening Thursday\, September 17\, with an evening reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. \nThe exhibition will be installed in the Velvet Mill Gallery\, upstairs from the building’s main entrance near Zest Fresh Pastry\, and will remain on view through the holiday season. \nThat extended run makes the opening party more than a one-night event. It’s the introduction to a fall and early-winter exhibition showcasing artists who work inside the enormous former textile mill\, a building that has gradually developed into one of southeastern Connecticut’s more unusual creative communities. \nOne Building\, Many Artists\nThe Velvet Mill can be confusing if you’ve never explored it. \nIt isn’t one gallery. \nIt’s an enormous former industrial building filled with individual studios\, galleries\, shops\, makers\, restaurants and other small businesses. Some artists maintain spaces that function as both working studios and miniature galleries\, while others primarily use their rooms to make art. \nSeasonal Shifts pulls members of that scattered community into a shared exhibition. \nInstead of opening one studio door at a time\, visitors can see work by multiple Velvet Mill artists together in the Mill’s upstairs gallery. \nThe group format is particularly useful in a place like this. Artists working only a corridor or staircase apart can have dramatically different approaches\, materials and subjects. \nThe Theme Is Right in the Title\nSeasonal Shifts arrives almost exactly as summer turns to fall. \nThe autumnal equinox follows just days after the opening\, but “seasonal shifts” offers artists considerably more room than simply painting fall foliage. \nA shift can be environmental. \nIt can be emotional. \nIt can involve light\, color\, weather\, aging\, growth\, loss or transition. \nAnd an exhibition that remains up through the holidays will itself live through a substantial seasonal shift. Visitors seeing it in September will encounter the work in a different context than someone walking into the gallery in December. \nThe promotional artwork\, by Dennis Caruso\, reinforces that freedom of interpretation with an abstract composition of loosely defined forms\, energetic black marks and areas of white\, cream\, blue\, pink and muted yellow. \nIt’s not a postcard version of autumn. \nThat’s probably the point. \nThe Velvet Mill Has Become an Arts Destination Almost by Accident\nThe setting is part of the story. \nThe enormous brick complex at 22 Bayview Avenue was built in the late 19th century and became associated with the American Velvet Company\, which manufactured textiles in Stonington for generations. \nWhen industrial production ended\, the question facing the property was familiar throughout New England: what do you do with a huge old factory that no longer has a factory inside it? \nIn Stonington\, part of the answer became art. \nLarge industrial windows\, high ceilings and adaptable rooms made the former manufacturing spaces particularly suitable for studios. \nArtists moved in. \nThen makers\, galleries and small retailers followed. \nToday you can walk through the Mill and encounter painters and photographers alongside letterpress printing\, coastal art\, handmade goods\, antiques\, furniture\, food\, a brewery and other independent businesses. \nThe building still feels industrial. \nIt just produces very different things now. \nThere Are Galleries Hidden Throughout the Building\nThe artists’ group show also offers an introduction to a larger visual-arts scene inside the Mill. \nThere are individual artist studios as well as dedicated gallery spaces scattered throughout the complex. \nDennis Sirrine Gallery showcases the work of longtime Velvet Mill painter Dennis Sirrine. \nCoastal Arts Gallery & Studio #85 concentrates on coastal and New England-inspired work\, including original art\, prints and smaller gift pieces. \nStudio 87 – Nautical by Nature similarly draws inspiration from the region’s maritime environment. \nAllgood Studios and Gallery takes a less conventional approach\, combining gallery and creative studio space with an arcade component. \nShuttle Press & Bindery expands the definition further. Its Studio 77 is a working letterpress shop and bookbindery\, where traditional printing and bookmaking techniques become part of the Mill’s broader maker culture. \nThe result is less like visiting a conventional museum complex and more like exploring an arts neighborhood that happens to be contained inside one very large building. \nAn Opening Party Changes the Experience\nThe September 17 opening provides something that visiting the exhibition later won’t. \nThe artists are part of the event. \nOpening receptions are useful precisely because gallery exhibitions can otherwise separate the finished work from the person who made it. \nAt a group opening\, viewers have the opportunity to encounter multiple artists\, ask questions and hear how individual pieces relate to the exhibition’s theme. \nFor people who enjoy art but feel they don’t know enough to talk about it\, there really isn’t a prerequisite. \nFind something that stops you. \nLook at it. \nAsk the artist about it. \nThat’s enough. \nMake Sure You Head Upstairs\nThe Velvet Mill is big enough that knowing where you’re going matters. \nThe Velvet Mill Gallery is upstairs from the main entrance near Zest Fresh Pastry. \nVisitors entering the building for the first time shouldn’t assume the exhibition is in one of the retail galleries along the main corridors. \nThe opening begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday\, September 17. \nAfter opening night\, Seasonal Shifts remains on view through the holidays\, giving visitors several months to catch the exhibition even if they can’t attend the reception. \nA Particularly Busy September at the Mill\nThe opening also arrives during an active stretch at the Velvet Mill. \nTwo days later\, on September 19 and 20\, participating businesses throughout the building will hold the End-of-Season Indoor Sidewalk Sale\, moving sale and clearance merchandise into the hallways outside their shops. \nSaturday mornings also bring the Stonington Village Farmers Market into the Mill. \nThat makes Seasonal Shifts easy to combine with a larger visit. \nSomeone coming for the art can end up exploring shops. \nSomeone coming for the market can discover a gallery upstairs. \nSomeone arriving for lunch can find an exhibition they didn’t know was there. \nThat’s one of the advantages of putting art in a building where people are already doing other things. \nYou don’t necessarily have to decide you’re going to an art gallery. \nSometimes you just walk upstairs. \nDetails\nExhibition: Seasonal Shifts\nEvent: Opening Party\nDate: Thursday\, September 17\, 2026\nTime: 5:30 p.m.\nPresented By: Velvet Mill Artists\nVenue: The Velvet Mill\nGallery: Velvet Mill Gallery\nAddress: 22 Bayview Avenue\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nLocation in Building: Upstairs from the main entrance near Zest Fresh Pastry\nAdmission: No admission charge is indicated for the opening or exhibition\nFormat: Group exhibition featuring Velvet Mill artists\nExhibition Run: September 17 through the holiday season\nPoster Artwork: Dennis Caruso\nOpening Reception: Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/seasonal-shifts-opens-a-new-velvet-mill-artists-group-show-in-stonington/
LOCATION:Velvet Mill\, 22 Bayview Ave\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Velvet Mill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Seasonal-Shifts-Opens-a-New-Velvet-Mill-Artists-Group-Show-in-Stonington.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T203000
DTSTAMP:20260609T180833Z
CREATED:20260609T180833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260609T180833Z
UID:10005640-1789666200-1789677000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Thirsty Thursdays at Deans Mill Farm
DESCRIPTION:Thirsty Thursdays at Deans Mill Farm bring together live music\, food trucks\, and refreshing drinks for a weekly gathering in Stonington. Held throughout the season\, the event offers a relaxed outdoor setting where visitors can unwind after work\, enjoy local entertainment\, and spend an evening with family and friends on the farm. \nEach week features performances by local musicians alongside a rotating selection of food trucks serving a variety of menu options. Guests can also enjoy signature drinks and cold beverages while taking in the farm atmosphere. The combination of live entertainment\, food\, and open-air surroundings makes the event a popular way to enjoy a summer evening on the shoreline. \nThe series is well suited for families\, groups of friends\, and anyone looking for a casual community gathering. Whether you’re stopping by for the music\, grabbing dinner from a food truck\, or simply enjoying a drink outdoors\, Thirsty Thursdays offers a welcoming\, family-friendly environment throughout the season. \nAdditional Details\n\nSchedule: Every Thursday\nSeason: May 7 through October 29\nTime: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.\nLocation: Deans Mill Farm\, 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\nLive music from local artists\nFood trucks serving a variety of food options\nSignature drinks and cold beverages available\nFamily-friendly event\nFree admission\nNo animals permitted\nNo outside alcohol permitted\nWeather permitting\nTimes and activities subject to change
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/thirsty-thursdays-at-deans-mill-farm/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:Deans Mill Farm\, 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Deans Mill Farm
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Thirsty-Thursdays-at-Deans-Mill-Farm-Thursdays-530-pm-to-830-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T193000
DTSTAMP:20260921T030650Z
CREATED:20260511T012734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T030650Z
UID:10000876-1789666200-1789673400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Thursdays Aboard ARGIA: Sea Music with Geoff Kaufman
DESCRIPTION:Thursdays Aboard ARGIA: Sea Music with Geoff Kaufman brings traditional sea music and maritime storytelling onto the water aboard ARGIA for a uniquely coastal live music experience in Mystic. Guests sail through the harbor and surrounding waters while enjoying performances by Geoff Kaufman\, longtime former Foreman of Interpretive Music Programs at Mystic Seaport Museum and director of the museum’s renowned Sea Music Festival. \nKnown throughout the maritime folk music world\, Kaufman specializes in sea chanteys\, sailor ballads\, and traditional music connected to working life on the water. His performances blend music\, storytelling\, humor\, and historical context into an atmosphere that feels deeply tied to New England’s seafaring history. Hearing these songs aboard a traditional sailing vessel adds an authenticity that turns the evening into something closer to a living maritime tradition than a standard concert. \nGuests are encouraged to bring a picnic basket and a bottle of wine\, helping create a relaxed sunset atmosphere while the schooner moves through the Mystic area under sail. The combination of live folk music\, ocean air\, and historic surroundings makes the experience especially appealing for visitors looking for something quieter and more atmospheric than a typical night out. Booking information is available through the ARGIA website by selecting the appropriate sailing date and time. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/thursdays-aboard-argia-sea-music-with-geoff-kaufman-2/
LOCATION:Argia Mystic Cruises\, Steamboat Wharf\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Argia Mystic Cruises
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Sail-on-the-Argia-with-Live-Music.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T230000
DTSTAMP:20260609T181949Z
CREATED:20260609T181949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260609T181949Z
UID:10005661-1789664400-1789686000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Ladies' Night with Tito's at Milestone
DESCRIPTION:Ladies’ Night with Tito’s at Milestone offers a weekly excuse to gather friends\, share a meal\, and unwind with cocktails after a busy day. Held every Thursday from 5 p.m. until close\, the promotion combines drinks and food into a package designed for a casual night out in a relaxed setting. \nGuests can choose between two Tito’s martinis or two classic margaritas\, paired with a Caesar salad and a pizza to share. The combination creates an easy option for catching up with friends\, enjoying a date night\, or simply taking a break from cooking at home. The weekly special is designed to encourage guests to linger\, socialize\, and enjoy an evening out together. \nWhether you’re meeting coworkers after work\, planning a girls’ night out\, or looking for a low-key evening with friends\, Ladies’ Night with Tito’s provides an affordable way to enjoy cocktails and dinner. The shareable format and straightforward menu make it an easy choice for a Thursday night gathering. \nAdditional Details\n\nSchedule: Every Thursday\nTime: 5 p.m. to close\nLocation: Milestone\n\nSpecial Offer – $38 \nIncludes: \n\nTwo Tito’s Martinis or\nTwo Classic Margaritas\nCaesar Salad\nPizza to Share\nWeekly dining and cocktail special\nIdeal for groups\, friends\, and casual nights out\nFood and beverage selections subject to change\nAvailable during promotion hours only\nTax and gratuity not included unless specified by the venue
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/ladies-night-with-titos-at-milestone/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:Milestone\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Milestone
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ladies-Night-with-Titos-at-Milestone-Thursdays-5pm-to-close.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T190000
DTSTAMP:20260627T004627Z
CREATED:20260511T100526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260627T004627Z
UID:10001165-1789664400-1789671600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Mystic Ukulele Strummers
DESCRIPTION:Mystic Ukulele Strummers brings together music lovers of all skill levels for weekly ukulele gatherings at Union Baptist Church in Mystic. Designed to be welcoming\, relaxed\, and community-focused\, the group invites beginners\, longtime players\, and curious first-timers alike to spend an evening strumming familiar songs and learning together in a casual social atmosphere. \nThe gatherings focus less on formal music instruction and more on participation\, encouragement\, and shared enjoyment of music. Players can practice chords\, improve rhythm\, learn new songs\, or simply join in for the fun of playing alongside others. Because the ukulele is approachable and easy to pick up\, the sessions tend to attract a wide mix of ages and experience levels\, creating an environment where newcomers don’t feel intimidated. \nWhat makes the Mystic Ukulele Strummers stand out is the sense of community built around the music itself. The group offers a low-pressure way for people to connect\, laugh\, and unplug for a while\, whether they are serious musicians or someone dusting off a ukulele for the first time in years. For locals looking for a creative weekly tradition\, it’s the kind of simple community gathering that feels increasingly rare and valuable. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/mystic-ukulele-strummers/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:Union Baptist Church\, 119 High Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Union Baptist Church
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Mystic-Ukulele-Strummers.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T180000
DTSTAMP:20260519T233530Z
CREATED:20260519T233530Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T233530Z
UID:10002517-1789657200-1789668000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Niantic Farmers Market
DESCRIPTION:Niantic Farmers Market returns June 18 through October 22\, bringing fresh produce\, artisanal foods\, and shoreline community atmosphere to downtown Niantic every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. Held rain or shine in the Methodist Street parking lot\, the weekly market has become one of the shoreline’s most popular seasonal gatherings\, drawing residents and visitors looking to shop local while enjoying the relaxed energy of summer and early fall in SE Connecticut. With the waterfront only steps away\, the market blends small-town charm\, local food culture\, and coastal New England atmosphere into a weekly downtown tradition. \nThe Niantic Farmers Market features fresh produce\, baked goods\, artisanal foods\, specialty products\, and locally made items from regional vendors throughout the season. Shoppers can browse booths filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables while also exploring prepared foods\, handmade products\, and specialty items that reflect the growing local food and maker scene across eastern Connecticut. The late afternoon timing also gives the market a social feel\, with many visitors turning a quick stop into an evening stroll through downtown Niantic’s restaurants\, shops\, and shoreline streets. \nSet against the backdrop of one of Connecticut’s most walkable shoreline downtowns\, the Niantic Farmers Market captures the easygoing atmosphere that defines summer evenings along the coast. Whether stopping by for fresh ingredients\, local products\, or simply the experience of spending time outdoors near the water\, the weekly market continues to serve as both a shopping destination and a community gathering place throughout the season. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/niantic-farmers-market/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:Methodist Street Parking Lot\, Methodist Street\, Niantic\, 06357\, United States
CATEGORIES:Methodist Street Parking Lot
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Niantic-Farmers-Market-June-18-through-October-22.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T173000
DTSTAMP:20260606T215009Z
CREATED:20260606T215009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260606T215009Z
UID:10005309-1789655400-1789666200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Mystic Food Tours: 6 Stops in 3 Hours
DESCRIPTION:Did you know that Mystic has quietly become one of New England’s hottest culinary destinations? If not\, Mystic Food Tours is here to fill you in. This food and history walking tour showcases what brings locals and visitors alike to downtown Mystic. Loaded with local lore\, delectable food tastings\, and three hours of exploration around historic downtown Mystic guided by a resident who has lived in town for years. This food tour takes guests to six restaurants and samples some of the cuisine responsible for putting Mystic on the map. \nGuests will sample everything from fresh caught seafood and oysters\, to house-made pasta\, smoked brisket\, and locally family recipes. Throughout the tour guests will enjoy food and history about how Mystic became a premier seaside town\, how the restaurant landscape has changed over the years\, and will meet some of the locals who work in downtown Mystic’s most loved kitchens. Walking approximately 1.8 miles through downtown Mystic. \nPerfect for tourists and locals alike who want to see Mystic through a new lens. Food tour guests are sure to leave with a happy belly\, new favorite restaurants\, cocktails\, desserts and even some locally owned shops that they can visit the next time they find themselves hungering for something new in Connecticut. \nEvent Details \n\nEvent: Mystic Food Tours: 6 Stops in 3 Hours\nWhen: Thursdays at 2:30 p.m. (times may vary; check event link for current availability)\nLocation: Downtown Mystic\, CT\nDuration: Approximately 3 hours\nWalking Distance: About 1.8 miles\nRestaurant Stops: 6\nIncludes: Sit-down tastings\, food history\, local storytelling\, and personalized recommendations\nFood Highlights: Oysters\, lobster\, brisket\, bolognese\, pasta\, and other local specialties\nGood to Know: Tour includes uneven terrain\, cobblestones\, gravel\, and stairs; comfortable shoes recommended\n\nMeta Description:\nExplore downtown Mystic through six restaurant stops in three hours. Mystic Food Tours combines local food\, history\, seafood\, pasta\, and storytelling in a guided culinary adventure.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/mystic-food-tours-6-stops-in-3-hours/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:Downtown Mystic\, West Main Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Downtown Mystic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Mystic-Food-Tours-6-Stops-in-3-Hours-Thursdays-at-230-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006478-1789642800-1789664400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art explores the history of textiles in southeastern Connecticut\, tracing how fabrics\, fashion\, and craftsmanship have shaped the region from the precolonial era through the present day. On view from June 26 through October 11\, 2026\, the exhibition brings together historic artifacts and contemporary works to examine how textiles reflect labor\, immigration\, cultural identity\, and changing ideas of luxury. \nInspired by southeastern Connecticut’s once-thriving velvet industry\, the exhibition features a collaboration between Mystic Museum of Art\, Historic Stonington\, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\, Mystic Seaport Museum\, and the Connecticut Region of the Studio Art Quilt Associates. Visitors will encounter an extensive collection of beadwork\, embroidery\, quilts\, velvet\, fashion\, and textile art drawn from partner institutions and the museum’s own collection. \nThe exhibition also highlights contemporary fashion designers with Connecticut connections\, including Xarea Lockhart\, Toriana Sauro\, Christian Siriano\, and Peter Som. Their work connects the region’s textile heritage with modern fashion\, demonstrating how clothing and material culture continue to influence art\, identity\, and design. Throughout the exhibition\, the museum will present lectures\, artist conversations\, and hands-on workshops that further explore these themes. \nExhibition Details\n\nExhibition: Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways\nVenue: Mystic Museum of Art\nDates: June 26-October 11\, 2026\nLocation: Mystic\, CT\n\nExhibition Highlights\nVisitors will experience: \n\ns\nWorks from Mystic Museum of Art’s permanent collection\nLoans from regional museums and organizations\n\nFeatured Partners\nThe exhibition includes contributions from: \n\nHistoric Stonington\nMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\nMystic Seaport Museum\nStudio Art Quilt Associates\, Connecticut Region\n\nFeatured Designers\nThe exhibition showcases work by designers with Connecticut ties\, including: \n\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\nChristian Siriano\nPeter Som\n\nAdmission\n\nGeneral Admission: $12\nNew London County residents: $10\nSeniors (65+): $10\nStudents with valid ID: $10\nFree:\n\nMystic Museum of Art members\nYouth ages 17 and under\nMilitary personnel and veterans\n\n\n\nExhibition Programs\nPublic programs are held on select Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. \nTuesday\, July 7\nMystic Mudlarking: The River and the Rossie Velvet Mill \n\nGuest speaker: Mary Hendrickson\n\nTuesday\, July 21\nImmigration and Industry \n\nGuest speaker: Chelsea Mitchell\, Library Director & Collections Manager\, Historic Stonington\n\nTuesday\, September 1\nConversation with Alana Ryder and Emerging Designers \nFeaturing: \n\nAlana Ryder\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\n\nWorkshops\nAll workshops take place in KTJ Studios. \nSaturday\, September 19\nFrom Textile to Art: Felt Collage Workshop \nSaturday\, September 26\nIntroduction to Sewing Workshop \n\nFeatured designer: Toriana Sauro\n\nSaturday\, October 10\nRelief Printing on Silk Scarf Workshop \nWhy Visit\nLuxe CT examines how textiles have connected communities across centuries while reflecting the region’s history of manufacturing\, immigration\, craftsmanship\, and artistic innovation. By pairing historical artifacts with contemporary fashion and fiber art\, the exhibition offers visitors a deeper understanding of southeastern Connecticut’s cultural heritage and its continuing influence on today’s artists and designers. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/luxe-ct-velvet-mills-to-modern-runways-at-mystic-museum-of-art/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Luxe-CT-Velvet-Mills-to-Modern-Runways-at-Mystic-Museum-of-Art-daily-11am-5pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000484-1789642800-1789664400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks
DESCRIPTION:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks drops visitors into centuries of maritime mystery and disaster at Mystic Seaport Museum.. The internationally touring exhibition combines massive LEGO® ship recreations with real maritime history\, creating an experience that feels part museum exhibit\, part interactive adventure. As the first American stop for the exhibition\, Mystic Seaport becomes the latest host for a showcase that has previously appeared at major maritime museums in Europe and Australia. \nThe exhibit features eleven detailed LEGO® models recreating famous shipwrecks and maritime disasters spanning thousands of years\, including the Titanic\, the Vasa\, Franklin’s Arctic expedition ships Terror and Erebus\, and the ancient Uluburun trading vessel. Created in partnership with LEGO® Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught\, the displays combine historical storytelling with surprisingly intricate engineering and visual detail. Some models even include cross-section cutaways revealing what happened beneath the waterline. \nInteractive experiences throughout the exhibit invite visitors to test survival scenarios\, operate a remote underwater vehicle\, experiment with ship stability\, and build LEGO® creations of their own. Alongside the models are replica artifacts\, archaeological tools\, and multimedia displays exploring how modern researchers investigate shipwrecks and what those discoveries reveal about trade\, exploration\, disaster\, and human history. The result is an exhibit that works equally well for families\, history buffs\, LEGO® fans\, and anyone who still secretly wants to touch every museum display. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/brickwrecks-sunken-ships-in-lego-bricks-3/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Brickwrecks-Sunked-Ships-in-Lego-Bricks.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007319-1789635600-1789668000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill 2026: Complete Guide
DESCRIPTION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is now open for the 2026 season\, beginning another fall of fresh-pressed sweet cider\, cider donuts\, traditional hard cider\, apple wine and one of the most unusual pieces of working history in Connecticut. \nThe family-owned Old Mystic landmark opened for the season September 1 and is currently scheduled to operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 129 North Stonington Road. \nBut calling Clyde’s a cider shop doesn’t quite explain why generations of families make a trip here every fall. \nThe mill has been family-owned since 1881. Fourth\, fifth and sixth generations of the family still work in the business. Apples are still crushed and pressed using historic machinery powered by steam. Visitors can watch the machinery operate\, descend into the cellar for traditional hard cider tastings\, sample apple wines in a converted grist mill and leave with a bag of cider donuts. \nClyde’s calls itself the oldest steam-powered cider mill in the United States. \nMore precisely\, it is the last operating steam-powered cider mill in the country\, according to the mill\, and its historic cider-making machinery has been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. \nIt isn’t a reproduction of an old cider mill. \nIt’s the real thing. \nA Mystic Fall Tradition Since 1881\nThe story begins with Benjamin F. Clyde. \nIn 1881\, Clyde began producing cider from apples he had pressed at other local mills. He eventually rented a press before purchasing his own mill in 1897. \nThe equipment that followed would become the heart of the operation visitors still come to see. \nClyde purchased a screw press manufactured by Boomer & Boschert of Syracuse\, New York. The company also supplied the apple grater\, elevator and cider pump\, along with plans for the mill building. \nThe machinery was installed in 1898. \nAt the time\, cider mills were hardly unusual in rural America. \nThey served much the same role for apple growers that grist mills did for farmers growing grain. Orchards could bring surplus apples to a centrally located mill\, where the fruit could be processed and pressed into juice. Some of that juice could then be fermented into hard cider. \nMost of those community mills disappeared. \nClyde’s didn’t. \nThe Steam-Powered Mill Is Still Working\nThat’s what makes a visit different from touring a preserved historic building. \nThe machinery still has a job. \nApples enter the cider-making system and are elevated to a grinder\, where they’re reduced to pulp. That pulp is prepared for pressing\, and the historic screw press applies the tremendous pressure needed to extract the juice. \nThe technology was impressive for its era. \nAccording to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers\, the all-steel screw press could apply pressure at three speeds and represented one of the last generations of screw presses before hydraulic presses became widespread during the 20th century. \nASME designated B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994\, recognizing the machinery as a rare survivor of an industry that was once common throughout America’s apple-growing regions. \nMore than a century after the equipment was installed\, Clyde’s still uses the mill to make cider. \nWhen Can You Watch Clyde’s Press Cider?\nVisitors don’t have to settle for looking at the machinery. \nClyde’s runs it during the season. \nThe mill’s typical pressing schedule is: \nTuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.–noon\nSaturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.–noon \nThe schedule can vary because Clyde’s presses according to production needs\, so the machinery isn’t guaranteed to be running continuously throughout those periods. \nEven when the press isn’t operating\, visitors are welcome to look inside the historic press building. \nFor anyone specifically interested in seeing the steam-powered machinery at work\, a pressing morning is the best time to plan a visit. \nHow Clyde’s Makes Sweet Cider\nFresh sweet cider is the product that started everything. \nClyde’s purchases its apples from small orchards rather than operating a pick-your-own orchard of its own. The apples are processed at the mill and pressed into cider using the historic equipment. \nThe finished sweet cider is flash pasteurized on the property. \nVisitors can buy cider to take home or drink it while visiting\, and seasonal cider drinks have become part of the experience alongside the mill’s baked goods. \nThat combination has helped turn what was originally a working agricultural business into a fall destination. \nYou can come to learn how a 19th-century cider press works. \nYou can also come because you want cider and a donut. \nNeither is the wrong reason. \nAbout Those Clyde’s Cider Donuts\nFor plenty of visitors\, the steam engine has competition. \nClyde’s cider donuts have become almost as closely associated with the mill as the cider itself. \nThe store sells its well-known cider donuts along with other baked goods and seasonal treats. The selection can vary\, but the broader shop also carries jarred products\, honey from local beekeepers\, candied apples made by the family and other locally produced goods. \nIt’s part bakery\, part country store and part historic attraction. \nAnd on a busy fall weekend\, the line is evidence that plenty of people know exactly what they came for. \nThen There Is the Cider Downstairs\nThe word “cider” gets considerably more complicated at Clyde’s. \nSweet cider is only part of the story. \nClyde’s also makes traditional hard cider using a process very different from the sweeter\, carbonated canned ciders that have become common in supermarkets and bars. \nThe hard cider begins with apple juice and ferments before aging in oak whiskey barrels. \nThe process from juice to finished hard cider typically takes about a year. \nAfter fermentation and aging\, the hard cider receives relatively little filtration before being sold. That preserves more of the raw\, oaky character produced by the barrel. \nThe result is considerably stronger than many commercial hard ciders. \nClyde’s hard ciders and apple wines generally contain 12 to 14 percent alcohol. \nHard Cider vs. Apple Wine: What’s the Difference?\nThis is one of the more interesting parts of Clyde’s operation because the two products begin in essentially the same place. \nBoth the hard cider and apple wine start as fermented apple juice aged in oak whiskey barrels. \nWhat happens afterward separates them. \nClyde’s hard cider is only lightly filtered to remove sediment. That leaves it with a bolder flavor\, more pronounced oak character and more bite. \nThe apple wine receives considerably more filtration. \nThat additional processing produces a smoother\, somewhat sweeter product that is also shelf stable before opening. \nSo someone expecting Clyde’s hard cider to taste like a modern canned hard cider may be surprised. \nThis is closer to an older cider-making tradition. \nWhat’s in the Hard Cider Cellar?\nThe hard cider cellar sits underneath the press building. \nThat’s where visitors can taste Clyde’s traditional hard ciders and where the product has been made for generations. \nAvailability changes throughout the season\, but Clyde’s 2026 lineup includes several recurring varieties. \nThe Original is the starting point. It’s dry\, without added fruit flavors competing with the oak character of the barrel. \nLucky Lion is also dry and crisp\, with a character Clyde’s says some drinkers compare to Scotch. \nBlackout goes even further in that direction. It’s Clyde’s most popular hard cider and wine flavor\, with strong oak notes that the mill describes as almost reminiscent of whiskey. \nThen things get fruitier. \nBoomerang combines apple and cranberry for a tart\, sweeter cider. \nGoodfella adds blackberry and lands on the sweeter end of the lineup. \nYellow Jacket combines apple and orange\, producing some sweetness with a citrus bite. \nCherry Bomb adds another fruit-driven option. \nBecause Clyde’s rotates its hard ciders\, individual varieties can change during the season. \nThe Apple Wine List Goes Much Further\nThe wine side of the operation offers even more variety. \nClyde’s currently lists 14 apple wines\, ranging from dry expressions of apple to much sweeter fruit combinations. \nApple Wine is the driest of the wine lineup. \nSpiced Apple uses mulling spices for a distinctly fall-oriented version. \nSpider Cider combines sweetness with pumpkin spices and can be warmed or used in a hot toddy. \nStrawberry Bliss is the sweetest wine in the lineup\, combining apple and strawberry. \nBlueberry Spinner combines apple and blueberry. \nApple Raspberry leans sweet but tart. \nCider House Blend combines apple\, orange and cranberry. \nSeveral of the hard cider varieties\, including Original\, Lucky Lion\, Blackout\, Boomerang\, Goodfella and Yellow Jacket\, are also produced as wines. \nThe distinction comes back to filtration. \nSame roots. \nDifferent finish. \nYes\, You Can Taste Them for Free\nClyde’s offers separate hard cider and wine tastings throughout its season. \nAnd the tastings are free. \nNo purchase is required and no reservation is necessary. \nVisitors can sample up to four hard ciders and up to four wines at their respective tasting locations. \nHard cider tastings take place in the cellar beneath the press building. \nWine tastings are held in the tasting room\, which has its own connection to the property’s history: the building is a converted grist mill once used to produce johnnycake meal. \nTastings are first-come\, first-served. \nCurrent tasting hours are: \nMonday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\nSunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. \nEveryone participating in a tasting must show a valid ID\, regardless of age or appearance. Clyde’s does not accept expired IDs or photographs of identification. \nConnecticut alcohol rules also mean Clyde’s cannot sell its hard cider or wine before 10 a.m. on Sundays. \nA Few Clyde’s Flavors to Know Before You Taste\nIf you don’t know where to start\, the tasting bottles are generally arranged from driest to sweetest\, and the staff can help narrow the choices. \nFor something dry: Original or Apple Wine. \nFor strong oak character: Blackout. \nFor dry and crisp: Lucky Lion. \nFor tart cranberry: Boomerang. \nFor something sweeter: Goodfella. \nFor fall spice: Spiced Apple or Spider Cider. \nFor very sweet fruit: Strawberry Bliss or Blueberry Spinner. \nOne warning for anyone accustomed to mass-market hard cider: remember the alcohol content. \nAt 12 to 14 percent ABV\, Clyde’s hard cider is much closer to wine strength than a typical bottle or can of commercial cider. \nCan You Bring Back a Clyde’s Growler?\nYes. \nClyde’s sells 64-ounce growlers of hard cider and offers growler refills. \nThere are a couple of important rules. \nClyde’s refills growlers rather than exchanging them\, so customers should clean their growler before bringing it back. The mill can only refill glass growlers that have a stamped or imprinted 64-ounce measurement. \nWine cannot be used for growler fills. \nThe refill program is for hard cider. \nHard cider should also be kept cool after purchase. Clyde’s recommends refrigeration. \nThere’s More Than Cider\nThe tasting room also contains Clyde’s gift shop\, with merchandise and locally made products that can include handmade earrings\, postcards and art prints. \nElsewhere at the mill\, visitors can browse honey produced by local beekeepers\, jarred foods\, family-made candied apples\, baked goods and other seasonal products. \nThat makes it possible to spend considerably more time at Clyde’s than simply buying a gallon of cider and heading home. \nWatch the press. \nGet cider and donuts. \nExplore the store. \nGo downstairs for a hard cider tasting. \nVisit the wine tasting room. \nBrowse the gift shop. \nIt’s effectively several different experiences spread across the historic property. \nIs B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill Good for Kids?\nYes. \nClyde’s welcomes children of all ages. \nThe working mill is also an opportunity to show kids a piece of machinery doing the job it was actually designed to do more than a century ago. \nThere is no alcohol involved in the regular sweet cider\, and the bakery\, cider and mill demonstration make Clyde’s an easy family fall stop. \nJust don’t confuse the two kinds of cider. \nThe traditional hard cider and apple wines are 12 to 14 percent alcohol and are strictly for adults 21 and older. \nCan You Pick Apples at Clyde’s?\nNo. \nThis is one of the most useful things to know before making the trip. \nB.F. Clyde’s is a cider mill\, not a pick-your-own orchard. \nThe mill purchases apples from small orchards and uses them to produce its cider. \nIf apple picking is part of your fall plans\, you’ll need to visit an orchard separately. \nCan You Bring a Dog?\nYes\, with restrictions. \nLeashed pets are permitted on the grounds. \nThey aren’t allowed inside the buildings or on the porch\, and visitors need to bring whatever they need to clean up after their pets. \nParking Can Be the Hardest Part of a Fall Visit\nClyde’s popularity comes with one predictable problem. \nIt gets busy. \nThe main parking lot can fill during peak periods\, particularly on fall weekends. \nClyde’s asks visitors to try the main lot first and to respect posted no-parking areas and neighboring properties if parking along nearby roads. \nAn auxiliary lot is available at 49 North Stonington Road. It’s approximately four-tenths of a mile from the mill\, so visitors using it should expect a walk. \nIf your schedule is flexible\, a weekday visit can make the entire experience easier. \nIf you’re coming specifically to see the press operate\, Tuesday or Thursday morning offers the combination of a weekday visit and a scheduled pressing window. \nClyde’s Isn’t a Museum\, and That’s the Point\nThere are plenty of places where historic machinery survives behind ropes. \nClyde’s is different. \nBenjamin Clyde started making cider in 1881. \nHe acquired his own mill in the 1890s. \nThe equipment installed in 1898 survived the arrival of hydraulic presses\, mass food production\, supermarkets\, interstate highways and more than a century of changes in how Americans buy their food. \nThe family survived with it. \nToday\, fourth\, fifth and sixth generations are involved in the operation. \nEvery September\, the doors open again. \nApples arrive. \nThe steam-powered machinery starts moving. \nFresh cider begins flowing. \nAnd people line up for cider donuts. \nThat’s why B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is more than another place to add to a Connecticut fall checklist. It’s a piece of New England’s agricultural and industrial history that never stopped doing its job. \n2026 Visitor Guide\nAttraction: B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\n2026 Season Opening: September 1\, 2026\nCurrent Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\, seven days a week\nLocation: 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: Free\nChildren: Welcome\nPets: Leashed pets allowed on the grounds; not inside buildings or on the porch\nApple Picking: No\nSweet Cider: Available\nCider Donuts and Baked Goods: Available\nHard Cider: Available for adults 21+\nApple Wine: Available for adults 21+\nAlcohol Content: Hard cider and wine are generally 12–14% ABV\nTastings: Free; no reservation required\nHard Cider Tastings: Cellar beneath the press building\nWine Tastings: Tasting room\nTasting Hours: Monday–Saturday\, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday\, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nTypical Pressing Schedule: Tuesday\, Thursday\, Saturday and Sunday\, 10 a.m.–noon\nParking: Main lot plus auxiliary parking at 49 North Stonington Road\nThanksgiving: Closed\nShipping: Not available\nPreorders/Call-Ahead Orders: Not available \nHard Cider Menu\nAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers History \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/b-f-clydes-cider-mill-2026-complete-guide/2026-09-17/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BF-Clydes-Cider-Mill-2026-Complete-Guide.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T230000
DTSTAMP:20260601T231401Z
CREATED:20260601T231401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T231401Z
UID:10003480-1789592400-1789599600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Karaoke Night at Friar Tuck’s
DESCRIPTION:  \nWednesday nights are packed with MUSIC\, FRIENDS\, and GOOD TIMES at Karaoke Night at Friar Tuck’s. The weekly karaoke party starts at 9 p.m. and features brave souls taking the stage to belt out their favorite tunes. \nFrom karaoke pros to amateur artists who only sing when alone in their car\, everyone is welcome to join in the fun! Whether you’re in it to win it or there to cheer on your friends (with a delicious appetizer in hand)\, Friar Tuck’s has something for you. Rock classics\, country jams\, pop songs\, guilty pleasures; you name it\, they’ll sing it. \nKaraoke is perfect for groups of friends\, date night\, or just about anything in between. Whether you think you can sing or you think you can’t\, get up there and give it a try! \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/karaoke-night-at-friar-tucks/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Friar Tuck’s Tavern\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Friar Tuck's Tavern
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Karaoke-Night-with-DJ-Deelish-and-Sweet-Time-Entertainment-at-Friar-Tucks-Wednesdays-9pm-to-11-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T220000
DTSTAMP:20260906T033008Z
CREATED:20260906T033008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260906T033008Z
UID:10007481-1789588800-1789596000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bad Movie Night at The Oasis Pub: September 2026 Lineup
DESCRIPTION:Bad Movie Night at The Oasis Pub every Wednesday in September with five gloriously questionable pieces of cinema ranging from bargain-basement purgatory and sorority vampires to killer bees and a teenage Paul Walker trapped inside a robotic Tyrannosaurus rex. \nThe weekly cult-film night begins at 8 p.m. every Wednesday at the downtown New London pub. Admission is free\, with donations accepted toward keeping the screenings going. \nThe Oasis has made Bad Movie Night a regular part of its Wednesday schedule\, fitting alongside the live music\, games and offbeat programming that have helped make the small Bank Street bar a gathering place for more than two decades. \nSeptember’s selections lean heavily into the strange end of horror\, science fiction and action cinema. \nSeptember Bad Movie Night Schedule\n\nWednesday\, September 2 at 8 p.m. — Despiser (2003)\nArtist Gordon Hauge is fired\, dumped by his wife and then killed in a car crash\, only to discover that death has somehow made his situation even worse. He lands in Purgatory\, where monstrous Shadowmen and Ragmen serve a mysterious evil known as the Despiser. Gordon joins a ragtag collection of dead freedom fighters from different periods of history and sets out across a surreal afterlife to confront its ruler. Written and directed by Philip J. Cook\, Despiser mixes horror\, fantasy\, science fiction\, digital effects and an impressively strange vision of the afterlife.\nWednesday\, September 9 at 8 p.m. — Fit to Kill (1993)\nDirector Andy Sidaris delivers an action movie built around international intrigue\, assassins and a stolen Russian imperial diamond. Chinese businessman Chang plans to return the Alexa Diamond\, taken from Russia during World War II\, but international arms dealer Kane has other plans. L.E.T.H.A.L. agents Donna and Nicole are pulled into the fight to recover it\, leading to gun battles\, explosions\, seduction and even lethal remote-controlled helicopters. The movie stars Dona Speir\, Roberta Vasquez\, Bruce Penhall and Julie Strain.\nWednesday\, September 16 at 8 p.m. — Vampire Time Travelers (1998)\nFour college women trying to pledge a decidedly unusual sorority find themselves fighting vampires and other supernatural creatures instead. Director Les Sekely’s 65-minute horror comedy throws its characters into a deliberately chaotic mixture of bloodsuckers\, bizarre humor\, unexplained jumps through time and increasingly absurd situations. The obscure shot-on-video movie received renewed attention in 2026 with a collector’s edition release after years of obscurity.\nWednesday\, September 23 at 8 p.m. — Tammy and the T-Rex (1994)\nYes\, the premise really is what it sounds like. A mad scientist takes the brain of high-school student Michael\, played by a young Paul Walker\, and implants it inside a robotic Tyrannosaurus rex. The newly conscious T-Rex escapes\, takes revenge on Michael’s tormentors and tries to reunite with his girlfriend Tammy\, played by Denise Richards. Directed by Stewart Raffill\, the science-fiction horror comedy has become a cult favorite thanks to a premise so bizarre that explaining it almost spoils the fun.\nWednesday\, September 30 at 8 p.m. — The Bees (1978)\nSouth American killer bees are illegally brought into the United States\, where the situation becomes considerably worse when the insects mutate into an increasingly intelligent threat. As enormous swarms begin attacking cities\, scientists race to stop a disaster capable of spreading across the world. The 83-minute disaster-horror movie arrived during the 1970s cycle of nature-run-amok films and stars John Saxon\, Angel Tompkins and John Carradine.\n\nFive Wednesdays of Movies That Went Wrong in Just the Right Way\nThere is a pretty good mission statement hidden inside that lineup. \nBad Movie Night isn’t programming five merely unsuccessful movies. September jumps between movies that are interesting because of their excesses\, strange decisions\, improbable premises or sheer audacity. \nDespiser tries to construct an entire digital purgatory on an independent-film budget. Fit to Kill delivers the particular combination of espionage\, action and exploitation that became director Andy Sidaris’ signature. Vampire Time Travelers embraces the chaotic world of late-’90s shot-on-video horror. \nAnd then there is Tammy and the T-Rex\, a movie in which Paul Walker’s brain is transplanted into a mechanical dinosaur. \nBy the time intelligent killer bees arrive on the final Wednesday of September\, they almost seem reasonable. \nBad Movie Night at The Oasis\nThe Oasis Pub has been part of downtown New London’s nightlife for more than two decades\, operating from 16 Bank Street with a focus on craft beer\, live music and unconventional events. \nBad Movie Night is one of its regular weekly fixtures\, taking place every Wednesday at 8 p.m. \nThat communal setting is an important part of the concept. These aren’t necessarily movies demanding reverent silence in a dark theater. They’re movies made considerably more entertaining by experiencing the weirdness with a room full of other people. \nSeptember provides five chances to do exactly that. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Bad Movie Night: September Lineup\nDates: Wednesdays\, September 2\, 9\, 16\, 23 and 30\, 2026\nTime: 8 p.m. each Wednesday\nVenue: The Oasis Pub\nAddress: 16 Bank Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nAdmission: Free; donations accepted\nSeptember 2: Despiser\nSeptember 9: Fit to Kill\nSeptember 16: Vampire Time Travelers\nSeptember 23: Tammy and the T-Rex\nSeptember 30: The Bees \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/bad-movie-night-at-the-oasis-pub-september-2026-lineup/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Oasis Pub\, 16 Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Oasis Pub
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T220000
DTSTAMP:20260602T013627Z
CREATED:20260602T013627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T013627Z
UID:10004904-1789587000-1789596000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bingo Bongo at THE MISFIT CLUB
DESCRIPTION:Bring your friends to Bingo Bongo at THE MISFIT CLUB every Wednesday night downtown Mystic! The iconic game of Bingo mixed with outrageous games\, plenty of laughs\, and great prizes. \nJoining forces with area favorite hosts Matt and Laura\, Bingo Bongo offers both traditional Bingo mixed with unpredictable shenanigans\, audience participation\, and non-stop entertainment. Every Wednesday night from 7: 30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (excluding the first Wednesday of the month)\, there’s no entry fee to play\, and prizes are given out all night long. Perfect for those midweek smiles and giggles. \nDoors open at 5 p.m.\, so come hungry because we only have snacks! Purchase your food and drinks before the fun begins. \nLet’s BINGO! \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/bingo-bongo-at-the-misfit-club/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:The Misfit Club\, 12 Water St APT 12\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Misfit Club
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T203000
DTSTAMP:20261005T193645Z
CREATED:20260916T010757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T193645Z
UID:10007875-1789585200-1789590600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours Takes Visitors Into One of Mystic’s Oldest Burial Grounds After Dark
DESCRIPTION:Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours turns a colonial burial ground into a lantern-lit journey through nearly four centuries of Mystic history on multiple nights this fall\, combining documented stories of war\, disease\, abolition\, slavery and early New England burial customs with the legends and reported paranormal activity that have accumulated around the cemetery. \nThe 1-hour-and-45-minute walking tours take place at Whitehall Burial Ground\, tucked just off Hendel Drive in Mystic. Rather than moving through downtown and stopping outside supposedly haunted buildings\, this Seaside Shadows tour spends the evening inside the historic cemetery itself. \nAnd this is not a one-night event. \nThe tours continue on Wednesday\, Friday and Sunday evenings through November\, with additional Saturday tours during October. September and October tours begin at 7 p.m.\, making this one CT Beacon event listing that can carry readers through much of the fall rather than disappearing after a single weekend. \nWhitehall Goes Back to the 1660s\nPart of what gives this particular ghost tour its atmosphere is that Whitehall Burial Ground really is old. \nThe burial ground dates to the 1660s\, when southeastern Connecticut was still a collection of small colonial settlements surrounded by a landscape that would have been almost unrecognizable to someone driving through Mystic today. \nFor generations\, Whitehall served as one of the area’s common burial places. \nThat changed during the 19th century as Americans began embracing the rural cemetery movement\, which replaced older\, compact burial grounds with larger landscaped cemeteries designed partly as places for reflection and remembrance. \nMystic’s Elm Grove Cemetery was established in 1853 during that transition. \nBy 1854\, Whitehall’s role as one of the community’s principal burial places was coming to an end. \nThe graves left behind\, however\, preserve a remarkably long stretch of local history. \nThis Is a Ghost Tour Built Around Real People\nSeaside Shadows describes the experience as a blend of history and mystery\, and that distinction matters. \nThis isn’t a haunted attraction filled with actors waiting behind tombstones. \nThe stories begin with actual people buried at Whitehall and events that shaped southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests hear about men connected to King Philip’s War\, the brutal 17th-century conflict between English colonists and Native peoples that devastated communities throughout New England. \nThe tour moves forward into the American Revolution and stories of Patriot defenders who met violent ends. \nIt also explores the lives of abolitionists\, enslaved and formerly enslaved people\, women and families whose stories provide a different perspective on Mystic’s early history than the familiar tales of ship captains and maritime commerce. \nThen things get stranger. \nYes\, There Are Vampires\nOne of the more unusual subjects woven into the tour is New England’s very real history of vampire scares. \nThese weren’t vampires in the Dracula sense. \nDuring outbreaks of tuberculosis\, then commonly called consumption\, some New England communities came to believe that a deceased family member might somehow be draining the life from surviving relatives. \nIn several documented cases during the 18th and 19th centuries\, bodies were exhumed and examined for signs that the dead were continuing to prey upon the living. \nSometimes organs were removed or burned. \nThe practices reflected communities trying to explain a devastating disease before modern medicine understood how tuberculosis spread. \nAgainst the backdrop of a centuries-old cemetery after dark\, it also provides the kind of history that doesn’t require much embellishment to become unsettling. \nGravestones Tell Their Own Stories\nVisitors aren’t simply hearing stories while walking past anonymous stones. \nEarly New England gravestones developed their own visual language. \nSkulls\, winged death’s heads\, cherubs and other carvings could communicate ideas about death\, mortality and the afterlife. The style and symbolism changed as religious beliefs and attitudes toward death evolved. \nThe tour uses the cemetery itself to introduce some of those burial traditions and grave markings. \nThat gives the walk another layer. \nYou’re not touring a recreation of colonial New England. \nThe objects you’re examining are the surviving pieces of it. \nThen History Gives Way to the Paranormal\nThis is still a ghost tour. \nSeaside Shadows incorporates accounts of paranormal experiences associated with Whitehall\, including reports of unexplained footsteps\, voices and apparitions. \nThe company’s guides also discuss experiences reported during previous tours. \nThose stories are presented alongside local folklore\, including the traditional figure of a Lady in White\, a recurring type of apparition found in legends throughout New England and far beyond it. \nWhether visitors interpret those accounts as paranormal activity\, folklore or the power of suggestion in a dark cemetery is entirely up to them. \nThe setting certainly does its share of the work. \nThere aren’t many environments naturally better suited to a ghost story than a colonial burial ground after sunset. \nCaptain John Gallup Connects Whitehall to a Violent Period of Colonial History\nAmong the historic figures associated with the tour is Captain John Gallup\, whose family was deeply connected to the early colonial history of the region. \nGallup served during King Philip’s War and was killed in 1675 during the Great Swamp Fight in Rhode Island\, one of the conflict’s bloodiest engagements. \nHis story opens the door to a much larger and more complicated period in New England history involving colonial expansion\, Native resistance\, warfare and the destruction of communities. \nOther stops explore the Woodbridge family\, Revolutionary War history and people whose lives intersected with abolition and emancipation. \nThe tour also includes the stories of Quash and Hannah Williams\, using their lives to explore Black history\, enslavement\, freedom and Native American history in the region. \nThat’s where the experience becomes considerably more interesting than simply compiling local ghost stories. \nThe cemetery becomes a timeline. \nMystic’s Ghost Tours Started With a Local Historian\nThe company behind the tour\, Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours\, was founded in 2013 by Connecticut author and historian Courtney McInvale Reardon. \nMcInvale wrote Haunted Mystic\, published the following year\, and built Seaside Shadows around the idea of combining historical research with local legends and paranormal accounts. \nThe company now operates several experiences\, including its Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour and haunted pub crawls\, but the graveyard tour is fundamentally different from walking through the village. \nDowntown Mystic still has traffic\, restaurants\, shops\, bars and people moving around. \nWhitehall after dark is another environment entirely. \nOctober Adds More Chances to Go\nThe schedule becomes more aggressive as Halloween approaches. \nDuring September and October\, the regular graveyard tours begin at 7 p.m. \nIn October\, Seaside Shadows adds Saturday performances at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.\, giving visitors another opportunity to experience the cemetery during the height of spooky season. \nThe price also changes. \nRegular-season admission is $30 per person. October admission increases to $35. \nBecause this is a recurring event\, readers should select their preferred date and confirm the available time when purchasing tickets rather than assuming every night follows exactly the same schedule. \nThis Is a Walking Tour in a Real Cemetery\nThat last point is important. \nWhitehall is not a paved theme-park attraction. \nParticipants will be walking through an old burial ground after dark\, where the terrain can include uneven ground and other natural obstacles. \nSeaside Shadows recommends the experience for guests 11 and older and asks visitors to dress appropriately for the weather. \nIts participation waiver specifically identifies potential hazards including uneven or slippery surfaces\, cemetery terrain\, low lighting and inclement weather. \nGood walking shoes make considerably more sense here than dressing for Halloween. \nTours operate outdoors\, and Seaside Shadows generally runs its experiences rain or shine. Tickets are final except when the company cancels a tour. \nNearly Two Hours Between the Headstones\nThe current Seaside Shadows description puts the Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tour at approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. \nThat’s enough time to move beyond a handful of ghost stories. \nThe tour can reach into colonial warfare\, the Revolution\, disease\, abolition\, slavery\, emancipation\, local folklore\, cemetery symbolism and burial practices while still leaving room for the paranormal accounts that put “ghost” in the name. \nThere is even a final spooky surprise that Seaside Shadows deliberately doesn’t explain in advance. \nProbably best to leave that one buried. \nDetails\nEvent: Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours\nSeason: Through November 29\, 2026\nSeptember Schedule: Wednesdays\, Fridays and Sundays\nSeptember Start Time: 7 p.m.\nOctober Schedule: Regular Wednesday\, Friday and Sunday tours\, plus additional Saturday tours\nOctober Saturday Times: 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.\nLocation: Whitehall Burial Ground\nMeeting Point: Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\nStreet: Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nTour Length: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes\nAdmission: $30 during the regular season; $35 in October\nRecommended Age: 11+\nFormat: Guided outdoor walking tour through a historic colonial burial ground\nTerrain: Cemetery terrain with uneven surfaces and low-light conditions\nWeather: Dress appropriately for outdoor conditions; tours generally operate rain or shine\nWhat to Wear: Comfortable walking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather\nTickets: Advance ticket purchase is recommended; select the specific tour date and time when booking\nOrganizer: Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours\nPhone: 860-754-8923\nEmail: info@seasideshadows.com \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/moonlit-mystic-graveyard-ghost-tours-takes-visitors-into-one-of-mystics-oldest-burial-grounds-after-dark/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\, Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T203000
DTSTAMP:20260621T021216Z
CREATED:20260621T012345Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260621T021216Z
UID:10006072-1789583400-1789590600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Westerly Walk or Run 5K
DESCRIPTION:Downtown Westerly Walk or Run 5K gives participants a chance to stay active\, meet new people\, and explore the heart of downtown Westerly in a fun and welcoming group setting. Held on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer\, the event encourages walkers and runners of all experience levels to get outside and enjoy the community. \nRather than a competitive race\, the weekly gathering focuses on fitness\, social connection\, and enjoying the local area. Participants can choose to walk or run the 5K route\, making it accessible to everyone from seasoned runners to those simply looking for an enjoyable midweek outing. \nWhether you’re training for a larger race\, looking to add some movement to your week\, or hoping to connect with fellow outdoor enthusiasts\, Downtown Westerly Walk or Run 5K offers a free and friendly way to spend a summer evening. \nEvent Details \nWhen: Every Wednesday \nTime: 6:30 p.m. \nLocation: One Of One Athletics Club\n26 High Street\nWesterly\, RI \nDistance: 5K \nAdmission: Free \nHighlights \n\nWalk or run at your own pace\nWeekly community event\nExplore downtown Westerly\nOpen to all fitness levels\nMeet fellow walkers and runners\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/downtown-westerly-walk-or-run-5k/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:One of One Athletics Club\, 26 High Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:One of One Athletics Club
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T193000
DTSTAMP:20260601T234947Z
CREATED:20260601T234844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T234947Z
UID:10003801-1789583400-1789587000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Trivia at Outer Light Brewing
DESCRIPTION:Weekly team trivia at Outer Light Brewing\, where you’ll find friendly competition and laughs at one of Groton’s favorite breweries every Wednesday. Compete for bragging rights and challenge your knowledge on a wide range of topics while enjoying locally brewed beer from the tap lines at Outer Light starting at 6:30 p.m. \nFrom the casual players who enjoy soaking up knowledge on a weeknight to the hardcore trivia nerds who know a little about every category\, there’s something for everyone at Trivia Night at Outer Light Brewing. Team-style trivia allows you to gather up your smartest friends or crew up with strangers and take home the coveted prize of trivia dominance. Questions range from easy to brain-melting on topics such as pop culture\, history\, sports\, music\, and more. \nTrivia at Outer Light Brewing is perfect for coworkers\, friend groups\, couples or anybody who enjoys a good challenge and a brew. Grab some friends\, order up your favorite drink\, and let’s get “vvtrivia’ing!” \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/trivia-at-outer-light-brewing/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Outer Light Brewing Company\, 266 Bridge Street\, Groton\, CT\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Outer Light Brewing
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T200000
DTSTAMP:20260907T010042Z
CREATED:20260907T010042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T010042Z
UID:10007485-1789581600-1789588800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:James Harris at Jeremiah’s Tavern in Mystic
DESCRIPTION:James Harris at Jeremiah’s Tavern for the month of September in downtown Mystic\, bringing two hours of acoustic rock\, jazz\, blues\, and audience requests to the Tavern from 6 to 8 p.m. \nThe September residency includes performances on September 2\, 9\, 16\, 23 and 30\, giving one of Mystic’s longtime working musicians a regular Wednesday home just steps from the Mystic River. \nFor Harris\, playing a weekly run in Mystic is familiar territory. The Stonington guitarist and vocalist has spent more than two decades performing around the area\, becoming a regular presence at restaurants\, pubs\, vineyards and even aboard some of Mystic’s historic and excursion vessels. \nMore Than 20 Years of Music Around Mystic\nJames Harris has been playing guitar and singing professionally for more than 20 years. \nHis repertoire is broad by design. Acoustic classic and modern rock form a large part of his performances\, but Harris also moves through jazz\, blues and other styles depending on the setting and the audience. \nThat versatility has made him particularly well suited to Mystic’s restaurant and tavern music scene\, where a musician may be providing atmosphere over dinner one moment and fielding requests from a room that has turned its attention toward the music the next. \nHarris has become a familiar performer at several Mystic venues over the years. His local schedule has included appearances at the Daniel Packer Inne\, Mystic Seaport Museum and aboard the schooner ARGIA. \nIn fact\, Harris has been performing aboard ARGIA for more than a decade\, playing acoustic classic and modern rock while the schooner sails the Mystic River and Fishers Island Sound. \nMystic Seaport Museum has similarly described him as a guitarist\, vocalist and entertainer specializing in classic and modern rock. \nA Musician Who Doesn’t Stay in One Lane\nThe Jeremiah’s flyer describes Harris simply enough: “Live Acoustic Rock\, Jazz\, Blues\, etc. Requests.” \nThe “etc.” may be doing a lot of work. \nHarris has built his local career around being able to move between styles rather than presenting a narrowly defined set of original music. That makes the request portion of his Jeremiah’s performances particularly appropriate. \nHis acoustic guitar remains the common thread\, but the material can move between generations and genres over the course of an evening. \nThat approach has helped Harris maintain an unusually busy schedule around Mystic. More than a decade ago\, local publication This Is Mystic was already describing him as a guitarist and vocalist with more than 20 years of experience who regularly performed around town. \nHe remains a fixture on Mystic music calendars in 2026. \nFive Wednesday Nights at Jeremiah’s Tavern\nThe September series takes place downstairs in the Tavern at Jeremiah’s Restaurant & Tavern. \nJeremiah’s operates as two distinct experiences at its 7 Water Street location in downtown Mystic. The upstairs restaurant leans toward an elevated New England dining experience\, while the Tavern is the more casual side of the operation\, with drinks\, comfort food and recurring entertainment. \nWednesday also happens to be Pasta Night and half-price wine night at the Tavern\, giving the weekly Harris performances a dinner component for anyone looking to make an evening of it. \nThe music runs early\, from 6 to 8 p.m.\, rather than occupying a late-night bar slot. \nFor September\, that means five consecutive Wednesdays of Harris behind the microphone. \nSeptember Performance Schedule\nWednesday\, September 2 — 6–8 p.m.\nJames Harris performs live acoustic rock\, jazz\, blues and requests at Jeremiah’s Tavern. \nWednesday\, September 9 — 6–8 p.m.\nThe Wednesday residency continues with Harris returning for another two-hour acoustic set. \nWednesday\, September 16 — 6–8 p.m.\nHarris reaches the midpoint of the September series with another evening of live music and audience requests. \nWednesday\, September 23 — 6–8 p.m.\nThe fourth September performance brings Harris back to the Tavern for an early-evening set. \nWednesday\, September 30 — 6–8 p.m.\nHarris closes out the month with the fifth and final Wednesday performance of the September residency. \nA Familiar Sound in a New Mystic Setting\nThere is something fitting about giving Harris an entire month of Wednesdays. \nHis career has been closely tied to the kind of live music Mystic does particularly well: a guitarist in the corner of a tavern\, music on the deck of a boat\, an outdoor set beside the river or a familiar voice returning to the same local rooms year after year. \nFor visitors\, the Jeremiah’s series offers an easy introduction to a musician who has spent years playing around Mystic. \nFor locals\, there’s a good chance the introduction happened a long time ago. \nEvent Details\nEvent: James Harris Live at Jeremiah’s Tavern\nDates: Wednesdays\, September 2\, 9\, 16\, 23 and 30\, 2026\nTime: 6–8 p.m.\nPerformer: James Harris\nMusic: Acoustic rock\, jazz\, blues and requests\nVenue: Jeremiah’s Restaurant & Tavern\nAddress: 7 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nLocation: The Tavern\nWednesday Special: Pasta Night and half-price wine \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/james-harris-at-jeremiahs-tavern-in-mystic/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Jeremiah’s Restaurant\, 7 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jeremiah's Restaurant
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T230000
DTSTAMP:20260602T012603Z
CREATED:20260602T012603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T012603Z
UID:10004647-1789578000-1789599600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Burger Night Special at Milestone
DESCRIPTION:Nothing eases the midweek hustle like Burger Night at Milestone. Every Wednesday starting at 5 p.m.\, locals and visitors can indulge in a classic burger-and-beer special right in downtown Mystic. From your hearty double-patty burger to your discounted draft beer\, Milestone has you covered while you soak up the laid-back vibes at one of Mystic’s best-loved neighborhood bars. \nMilestone’s Wednesday special features their signature burger topped with white American cheese and Milestone sauce for $14. Add tasty extras like bacon\, a fried egg\, caramelized onions\, lettuce\, tomato\, and onion. Wash it all down with $6 local draft beer all evening. \nHankering for a good burger? Need a deal for midweek dinner? Meeting friends for after-work drinks? Join them every Wednesday and make your belly happy again with Burger Night at Milestone. We’re glad to be your favorite local hangout for making Wednesday tradition in Mystic. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/burger-night-special-at-milestone/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Milestone\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Milestone
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END:VCALENDAR