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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T110000
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DTSTAMP:20261005T192735Z
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SUMMARY:Harp & Dragon First Sunday Brunch Buffet
DESCRIPTION:Harp & Dragon First Sunday Brunch Buffet brings an expansive all-you-can-enjoy brunch experience to downtown Norwich on the first Sunday of every month. Combining breakfast favorites\, seafood\, comfort food\, carving stations\, and desserts\, the buffet is designed for families\, groups\, and anyone looking to settle in for a leisurely Sunday meal. \nThe menu features everything from made-to-order waffle creations and classic breakfast staples to shrimp cocktail\, clam chowder\, fish\, salads\, and a prime rib carving station. With options ranging from sweet to savory\, the buffet offers something for every appetite while creating a relaxed atmosphere perfect for gathering with family and friends. \nWhether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a hearty Sunday brunch\, the First Sunday Brunch Buffet has become a popular monthly tradition in Norwich. Reservations are strongly recommended due to limited seating and high demand. \nEvent Details \nWhen: First Sunday of Every Month \nTime: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. \nLocation:\nHarp & Dragon Pub\n130 Main Street\nNorwich\, CT \nAdmission \n\nAdults: $49.95\nChildren Under 10: $25\nChildren Under 3: Free\n\n2026 Dates \n\nJuly 5\nAugust 2\nSeptember 6\nOctober 4\nNovember 1\nDecember 6\n\nMenu Highlights \n\nFresh fruits and vegetables\nCharcuterie selection\nShrimp cocktail\nClam chowder\nCheddar broccoli soup\nAssorted breads and muffins\nScrambled eggs\nBacon and sausage\nPancakes\nFrench toast\nWaffle station\nCorned beef hash\nHome fries\nPretzels and cottage chips\nMashed potatoes\nMac and cheese\nChicken tenders\nSalads\nVegetable medley\nFish\nDesserts\nPrime rib carving station\n\nAdditional Information \n\nMonthly brunch buffet\nFamily-friendly\nReservations strongly recommended\nWide variety of breakfast and lunch offerings\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/harp-dragon-first-sunday-brunch-buffet-2/
LOCATION:Harp & Dragon\, 130 Main Street\, Norwich\, 06360\, United States
CATEGORIES:Harp & Dragon
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Harp-and-Dragon-First-Sunday-Brunch-Buffet-First-Sundays-11am-2pm.jpg
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LAST-MODIFIED:20260913T020703Z
UID:10007569-1791109800-1791147600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Oktoberfest at Jealous Monk Brings Five Weeks of Bavarian Food\, Seasonal Beer and Live Music to Mystic
DESCRIPTION:Oktoberfest at Jealous Monk isn’t a one-day festival. Mystic’s European-style beer hall is turning much of fall into Oktoberfest\, beginning Saturday\, September 19 and continuing through Saturday\, October 24\, with a special German-inspired menu\, seasonal beers\, live entertainment\, and Oktoberfest competitions and activities. \nThe extended celebration is something Jealous Monk has been doing for years\, and the restaurant takes the inspiration more seriously than the lederhosen-and-pretzel graphics might suggest. \nJealous Monk says members of its team have made annual research trips to Munich during Oktoberfest\, bringing ideas from the world’s most famous beer festival back to Mystic. \nThey even use the German word that helps explain what they’re trying to recreate: Gemütlichkeit. \nThere isn’t a perfect English translation. It’s a combination of warmth\, friendliness\, comfort\, good cheer\, and the feeling of enjoying yourself in good company. \nIn other words\, it’s pretty much the reason beer halls have big tables. \nMore Than a Single Oktoberfest Party\nJealous Monk’s 2026 celebration begins September 19\, but don’t read that as the date of the entire event. \nThe restaurant’s announcement calls this an “extended” Oktoberfest season running September 19 through October 24. \nThroughout that period\, Jealous Monk plans a special seasonal food menu and Oktoberfest beers along with a changing schedule of musicians and other entertainment. \nContests are part of the celebration as well\, including the most recognizable American Oktoberfest test of endurance: stein hoisting. \nThe restaurant is still completing its detailed 2026 entertainment schedule and Oktoberfest menu\, so individual performers\, contest dates and this year’s complete food and beer lineup have not all been announced yet. \nThat’s worth knowing before making plans around a particular weekend. \nBut the larger celebration is already confirmed. \nJealous Monk Was Practically Built for This\nThere are plenty of restaurants that can put bratwurst on the menu for three weeks and call it Oktoberfest. \nJealous Monk has a bit of a head start. \nThe locally owned restaurant describes itself as Mystic’s only beer garden\, and its home in Olde Mistick Village was designed as a contemporary interpretation of a European beer hall. \nInside\, there’s a barrel-vaulted ceiling\, old-world artwork and long communal tables rather than a dining room filled exclusively with little two- and four-person islands. \nOutside is an expansive beer garden with picnic tables\, games and gathering spaces. \nThen there are the taps. \nJealous Monk maintains 32 rotating draft lines\, allowing the restaurant to shift a significant portion of its beer selection as seasonal Märzens\, Festbiers and other fall releases arrive. \nIts regular menu already leans European in places\, too. Belgian frites\, a Bavarian-style pretzel\, bratwurst and schnitzel live comfortably alongside burgers\, wings\, chowder and other American pub food. \nOktoberfest isn’t much of a costume change here. \nThe Food Gets More German for the Season\nThe complete 2026 Oktoberfest menu has not yet been published\, but previous Jealous Monk Oktoberfest menus give a much better indication of what “special menu” means here. \nLast year’s seasonal offerings included Schweinshaxe\, the German pork knuckle strongly associated with Bavarian cooking. \nJealous Monk prepared its version braised and served it with spätzle\, rotkohl and beer au jus. \nSpätzle are small\, soft egg noodles or dumplings common throughout southern Germany and neighboring parts of Central Europe. \nRotkohl is braised red cabbage\, usually cooked until tender with a balance of sweet and acidic flavors. \nAnother recent Oktoberfest dish was Brathendl\, Bavarian-style roast chicken\, served at Jealous Monk with rotkohl and mashed potatoes. \nThose dishes went considerably further into Bavarian cooking than simply putting mustard on a sausage. \nUntil the restaurant releases this year’s finished menu\, however\, those should be treated as examples from previous celebrations rather than promises for 2026. \nSome Oktoberfest Food Is Available Even Before Oktoberfest\nA few things don’t have to wait until September 19. \nJealous Monk’s regular menu currently includes its Big A Pretzel\, a large Bavarian-style pretzel served with spicy and sweet mustards\, with bier cheese available to add. \nThere’s also a Bavarian Bratwurst\, available traditionally with sauerkraut and spicy mustard or prepared panini-style with Swiss cheese. \nThe regular Chicken Schnitzel is a less traditional Jealous Monk interpretation: crispy breaded chicken with Swiss cheese\, grilled onions and peppers and chipotle aioli\, served with house-cut Belgian frites. \nThose staples give the regular menu a European foundation before the temporary Oktoberfest dishes arrive. \nThen Come the Oktoberfest Beers\nBeer is where an extended celebration makes particularly good sense. \nOktoberfest beer doesn’t describe just one modern style. \nFor much of the 20th century\, Americans came to associate Oktoberfest with Märzen\, an amber German lager with a malty character and clean finish. \nThe beer traditionally had a practical connection to the brewing calendar. Before refrigeration\, brewing during warm summer weather was difficult and potentially dangerous for the beer. Märzen\, meaning “March beer\,” could be brewed in March\, stored through the summer and consumed in autumn. \nModern Munich Oktoberfest has shifted toward Festbier\, generally paler\, lighter in body and extremely drinkable despite retaining enough malt character to stand up to festival food. \nOnly beer from Munich’s six traditional breweries can officially be served at the Oktoberfest in Munich: Augustiner\, Hacker-Pschorr\, Hofbräu\, Löwenbräu\, Paulaner and Spaten. \nJealous Monk’s 32 rotating taps give the Mystic restaurant considerable room to explore both imported German beer and American interpretations of Oktoberfest styles. \nThe exact 2026 seasonal tap list is still developing\, so anyone hunting for a particular brewery should check the current list closer to their visit. \nThe Real Oktoberfest Isn’t Actually in October\nJealous Monk’s September 19 start also lines up almost perfectly with Munich. \nThe 2026 Oktoberfest in Munich runs September 19 through October 4. \nThat often surprises people who understandably assume a festival named Oktoberfest should happen primarily in October. \nIt used to. \nThe original Oktoberfest was held in October 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. \nThe public celebration included horse racing and proved popular enough to return. \nOver time\, the festival grew and its schedule moved earlier to take advantage of September’s generally better weather and longer daylight. \nThe October name stayed. \nJealous Monk begins its Mystic celebration on the same Saturday that Munich opens its 2026 festival\, then keeps going for another three weeks after Munich has packed up the tents. \nA Royal Wedding Started All of This\nThat first celebration took place on fields outside Munich’s city gates. \nThe site became known as Theresienwiese\, or Therese’s Meadow\, in honor of the bride. Munich residents still commonly shorten the name of Oktoberfest itself to the Wiesn. \nWhat began as a royal wedding celebration evolved into an enormous annual festival of beer\, Bavarian food\, music\, rides\, costumes and communal drinking. \nToday’s Oktoberfest bears little resemblance in scale to the 1810 event. \nMillions of people attend during a typical year. \nThe enormous beer tents can accommodate thousands of guests apiece. \nTraditional Bavarian clothing\, particularly lederhosen and dirndls\, has become inseparable from the modern image of the festival. \nAnd the beer arrives by the liter. \nAbout That Stein-Hoisting Contest\nJealous Monk says contests will be part of the 2026 festivities\, with stein hoisting among the activities being promoted. \nThe rules vary by competition\, but the basic concept is wonderfully uncomplicated. \nTake a full beer stein. \nHold it straight out in front of you with one arm. \nDo not bend the elbow. \nDo not lower the arm. \nDo not spill it. \nWait for everyone else to regret entering. \nA full one-liter glass stein weighs roughly five pounds\, so what seems fairly easy for the first few seconds becomes progressively less pleasant. \nIt’s become a staple of American Oktoberfest celebrations\, combining German beer-hall imagery with the very American instinct to turn practically anything into a contest. \nLive Music Will Rotate Through the Celebration\nThe other major piece still being assembled is the entertainment calendar. \nJealous Monk says live musicians will perform throughout the extended Oktoberfest season\, rather than concentrating entertainment into a single opening-day party. \nThat follows the format the restaurant has used in previous years. Its 2024 Oktoberfest\, for example\, featured live music on several dates spread between late September and late October. \nThe restaurant’s September 12 announcement says it is currently putting the finishing touches on its 2026 list of musicians and will add specifics to its events calendar as they are finalized. \nSo this is an event worth checking more than once. \nSeptember 19 is the beginning\, not the whole story. \nWhy Jealous Monk Works as a Beer Hall\nOktoberfest also makes some of Jealous Monk’s design choices easier to understand. \nTraditional beer halls aren’t designed around privacy. \nThey’re designed around gathering. \nLong tables put strangers next to one another. Food is hearty. Beer comes in substantial quantities. Music and conversation create enough noise that nobody expects a hushed dining room. \nJealous Monk borrowed that social model for its Mystic restaurant. \nThe indoor hall includes large communal tables\, while the outdoor beer garden uses picnic-style seating. Board games\, pinball and old-school video games add to the idea that customers are supposed to stay for a while rather than simply eat and leave. \nThe restaurant’s full name says it plainly: \nJealous Monk Social Hall & Beer Garden. \nFor five weeks beginning September 19\, the “beer garden” part gets to take center stage. \nYou Don’t Have to Drink Beer\nDespite the name and the Oktoberfest theme\, Jealous Monk isn’t exclusively for beer drinkers. \nThe restaurant also maintains wine\, liquor and cocktail selections\, and its food menu includes burgers\, sandwiches\, salads\, seafood and vegetarian options alongside the more obvious beer-hall fare. \nIt’s also a restaurant rather than a ticketed beer festival. \nThe currently announced Oktoberfest season does not carry a general admission charge. Customers visit Jealous Monk normally and order food and drinks\, while special entertainment and activities occur throughout the run. \nThat makes this fundamentally different from the one-afternoon Oktoberfests where admission buys a tasting glass and a fixed number of pours. \nYou can go once. \nOr you can go back as the taps\, menu specials and entertainment change. \nFive Weeks Gives You Time to Do It Properly\nThat’s really the advantage of Jealous Monk’s approach. \nOktoberfest doesn’t have to be crammed into one Saturday afternoon. \nThe first visit might be for the seasonal menu. \nAnother could coincide with live music. \nA third might involve a Märzen you haven’t tried. \nAnd eventually someone is going to convince you that holding a five-pound glass at arm’s length sounds like fun. \nThe 2026 celebration opens September 19. \nBy the time it ends October 24\, Mystic will be deep into foliage\, Olde Mistick Village will have shifted from late-summer visitors toward its fall crowds\, and Jealous Monk will have spent more than a month doing what a beer garden was designed to do. \nGather people around a table. \nPour the beer. \nBring out the food. \nProst. \nDetails\nEvent: Oktoberfest at Jealous Monk\nDates: Saturday\, September 19 through Saturday\, October 24\, 2026\nVenue: Jealous Monk Social Hall & Beer Garden\nLocation: Olde Mistick Village\, Building 20\nAddress: 27 Coogan Boulevard\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: No general admission charge announced; food and beverages purchased separately\nFood: Special Oktoberfest menu planned for the season; complete 2026 menu is still being finalized\nBeer: Seasonal Oktoberfest beers plus Jealous Monk’s rotating draft selection\nDrafts: 32 rotating taps\nEntertainment: Live musicians throughout the Oktoberfest run; individual performers and dates are still being announced\nActivities: Oktoberfest contests and activities\, including stein-hoisting festivities\nIndoor/Outdoor: Indoor social hall and outdoor beer garden\, weather permitting\nRegular Hours: Monday–Thursday\, 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday\, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday\, 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.\nPhone: 860-536-6665 \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/oktoberfest-at-jealous-monk-brings-five-weeks-of-bavarian-food-seasonal-beer-and-live-music-to-mystic/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:Jealous Monk\, 27 Coogan Blvd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jealous Monk
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T180000
DTSTAMP:20260903T140908Z
CREATED:20260903T140908Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T140908Z
UID:10007449-1791109800-1791136800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 Guide
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 transforms the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds into a sprawling 16th-century fantasy village for nine weekends of jousting\, comedy\, live music\, costumed characters\, artisan shopping\, food\, games and themed adventures. \nThe Faire runs from August 29 through October 25 at 122 Mack Road in Lebanon\, with regular hours from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. It also opens on holiday Mondays\, including Labor Day and Columbus Day. \nFor 2026\, the Faire is advertising more than 40 shows each day across 13 stages\, along with dozens of games and activities and more than 200 artisans\, food vendors and other merchants. \nAnd this isn’t an event where you simply watch from the sidelines. \nWalk through the gates and you enter a village populated by kings\, queens\, knights\, fairies\, musicians\, rogues and other characters who interact with visitors throughout the day. You can watch armored combat\, cheer at the joust\, throw an axe\, shop for a handmade sword or drinking horn\, take the kids on human-powered rides\, eat a turkey leg and end up in a conversation with a member of the royal court on the way to your next show. \nHere’s how to plan a day at the 2026 Connecticut Renaissance Faire. \nWhen Is the Connecticut Renaissance Faire?\nThe 2026 season runs from August 29 through October 25. \nThe Faire is generally open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.\, with special openings on Labor Day and Columbus Day. \nThe season is divided into themed weekends\, so the experience changes as fall progresses. Themes for 2026 include Dragons & Dungeons\, Roses & Romance\, Shirefolk\, Faerie Ring Revels\, Pirates & Vikings\, Time Travelers\, All Hallows and the new Merry Macabre weekend. \nLabor Day weekend\, September 5–7\, is Dragons & Dungeons\, a fantasy-focused weekend built around quests\, heroes and legendary characters. \nCostumes aren’t required to attend. Some visitors arrive in everyday clothes\, while others treat the themed weekends as an opportunity to build elaborate Renaissance\, fantasy\, pirate\, Viking or other character costumes. \nHow Much Are Connecticut Renaissance Faire Tickets?\nGeneral admission for the 2026 season is $18 for adults and $10 for youth\, while children in the Faire’s child admission category enter free. \nAdmission covers the Faire itself and its regular stage performances. Certain games\, rides\, food\, drinks and premium experiences cost extra. \nOne useful change from the way some fairs and festivals operate is that there are no food tickets. Food and beverages are purchased directly from individual merchants. \nSame-day re-entry is also permitted with a handstamp\, so leaving the grounds doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your Faire day. \nStart With the Shows\nTrying to see everything at the Connecticut Renaissance Faire in one day is probably the wrong approach. \nThere are simply too many performances. \nThe 2026 Faire uses 13 stages and advertises more than 40 shows daily. Entertainment ranges from music and comedy to acrobatics\, combat demonstrations\, theatrical performances and interactive shows. \nOne of the biggest spectacles is the armored combat demonstration from the Knights of Gore. These aren’t performers simply swinging lightweight theatrical weapons around one another. The demonstrations feature fighters in plate armor engaging in full-contact medieval-style combat. \nThe Knights of Gore also present educational demonstrations throughout the day covering subjects such as medieval helmets\, the roles of knights and squires and siege weapons including the trebuchet. \nThe Joust Remains a Centerpiece\nIt’s difficult to imagine a Renaissance faire without knights charging toward one another on horseback. \nJousting remains one of the major attractions in Lebanon. \nThe 2026 season includes jousting from Roundtable Productions and Equus Nobilis\, both listed among the Faire’s new entertainment additions this year. \nThe joust combines horsemanship\, theatrical storytelling and medieval-style competition on a scale that’s difficult to replicate on one of the smaller stages. \nIf seeing a joust is high on your list\, check the schedule when you arrive and build the rest of the day around it rather than assuming you’ll simply stumble across the right performance. \nThere Is Plenty of Comedy\nNot everything involves swords and armor. \nComedy is scattered throughout the Faire\, sometimes on a stage and sometimes walking directly toward you in the lanes. \nThe Norfolk Theatricals specialize in interactive theatrical comedy\, presenting deliberately chaotic original plays with audience members sometimes pulled into the performance. \nBone Dallaire roams the grounds as a self-important thespian and playwright whose opinion of his own talent may exceed everyone else’s. \nThe Faire’s cast of Crown Players adds another layer of continuous theater. Instead of performing only at scheduled times\, characters inhabit the village and interact with guests throughout the day. \nThat distinction is important for first-time visitors. \nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire isn’t simply a collection of scheduled shows surrounded by food booths. The space between the stages is part of the performance. \nMusic Runs From Celtic Traditions to Sea Chanteys\nLive music is another major part of the day. \nThe 2026 roster includes performers working with Celtic music\, traditional folk\, sea chanteys and other styles that fit naturally into the Faire setting. \nJesse Ofgang and the Diaspora\, new for 2026\, combine Scottish and Irish musical traditions with contemporary rhythms using instruments including bagpipes\, whistles and guitars. \nNemeton: Folk Fantasy Music and Dance brings an especially unusual collection of instruments to the Faire\, including bagpipes\, drums\, double flutes\, penny whistles\, English concertina\, medieval small pipes\, rauschpfeife and hurdy-gurdy. \nNew England’s Misfits of Avalon draw from Celtic music with hammered dulcimer\, mandolin\, guitar and violin. \nOther weekends bring different musicians\, including the maritime and Celtic sounds of the Crimson Pirates and southeastern Connecticut’s Bards of Gungywamp. \nBecause performers vary by themed weekend\, it’s worth checking the schedule for the specific date you’re attending. \nSome of the Best Entertainment Is Strange\nRenaissance faires have always left room for acts that don’t fit neatly into a category. \nThat’s part of the fun. \nFor 2026\, Fly by Night joins the Connecticut Faire with a combination of comedy\, juggling\, whip cracking and sideshow skills. The duo of Steve King and Ryan Roberts has been performing since 1990 and appeared as semifinalists on the fourth season of America’s Got Talent. \nCircus Stella puts rescued dogs into a circus environment alongside Dextre Tripp\, mixing canine tricks with juggling\, ladder balancing\, rope walking and unicycling. \nElsewhere\, visitors can encounter puppetry\, dance\, storytelling\, magic and roaming performers without necessarily planning to see them. \nLeave some empty space in the schedule. \nAt a Renaissance faire\, getting distracted is part of the itinerary. \nGames and Rides Go Beyond the Stages\nThere’s plenty to do when you want to participate rather than watch. \nThe Faire’s games and activities include old-fashioned and Renaissance-inspired challenges\, physical games and human-powered attractions. \nSome activities carry an additional fee. \nYou’ll find opportunities to test skill and strength\, explore the Royal Maze and take part in attractions spread throughout the village. \nFor families with younger children\, this can provide a useful break between longer stage performances. \nFor adults\, it can become surprisingly competitive. \nEat the Turkey Leg\, But Don’t Stop There\nYes\, there are giant turkey legs. \nThe Faire’s Turkey Legs and More stand serves the oversized roasted festival staple along with turkey sundaes\, mac and cheese\, smoked chicken\, lemonade and fried dough. \nBut the food selection has grown far beyond the Renaissance-faire stereotype. \nThe 2026 Faire lists 37 food merchants and seven pubs and taverns\, with meals\, desserts\, snacks and beverages distributed throughout the grounds. \nThere are burgers and hot dogs\, chicken sandwiches\, baked goods\, fried seafood\, sweets and a broad assortment of festival food. \nThe Faire also identifies vendors offering vegetarian\, vegan\, gluten-free and dairy-free choices. \nEvery food merchant is required to offer at least one item priced at $7\, an attempt to keep at least one lower-priced choice available at each location. \nOutside snacks and nonalcoholic drinks are also permitted. \nYou Can Walk the Faire With a Drink\nThere are no isolated beer tents requiring guests to remain inside a designated drinking area. \nAdults can purchase alcoholic beverages from the Faire’s pubs and taverns and carry their drinks while exploring the grounds. \nValid identification is required for alcohol purchases. \nThat also makes the taverns part of the atmosphere rather than simply concession stands. \nFor visitors looking for something more structured\, the Faire offers two separate 21-and-over experiences. \nThe Pub Crawl Is a 90-Minute Quest\nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire Pub Crawl isn’t simply four drink tickets stapled together. \nThe approximately 90-minute experience is hosted by Fae Frostwhiperer and takes a group of no more than 15 participants through four Faire taverns. \nThere are four alcoholic drinks along the way\, but participants also complete challenges\, play games\, sing\, chant and interact with their guide. \nOne stop at Shattered Shield includes Liar’s Dice\, a vegetable platter and an exclusive small-batch mead that isn’t sold from the tavern’s regular menu. \nAnother stop includes a Test of Strength at King’s Inn Crossing. \nPub Crawls depart twice each Faire day\, at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. \nThe price is $75\, plus a processing fee when purchased online. Tickets can also be purchased at Shattered Shield without the online processing fee\, although each crawl is limited to 15 participants and can sell out. \nParticipants must be 21 or older with valid identification. \nRegular Faire admission is not included with the Pub Crawl. \nWhiskey Tastings Offer a Quieter Break\nFor adults who prefer sipping to crawling\, guided whiskey tastings offer a considerably calmer experience. \nThe approximately one-hour sessions explore a curated selection of whiskies\, with hosts discussing origins\, production methods\, flavor profiles and techniques for nosing and tasting. \nCharcuterie is served alongside the pours. \nThe experience is designed for both beginners and experienced whiskey drinkers\, and advance reservations are strongly recommended because seating is intentionally limited. \nParticipants must be 21 or older and bring valid government-issued photo identification. \nLike the Pub Crawl\, a whiskey tasting is an additional experience. Regular Connecticut Renaissance Faire admission must be purchased separately. \nShopping Is a Major Part of the Faire\nDon’t treat the merchant area as an afterthought. \nThe Faire says the 2026 season includes 213 artisans\, games and food vendors\, with 32 new shops joining the grounds this year. \nThe marketplace is where the fantasy world starts becoming something you can take home. \nDepending on the merchant\, visitors can find clothing\, leatherwork\, jewelry\, drinking vessels\, artwork\, fantasy accessories\, home décor and handcrafted goods. \nSome merchants make items that are specifically useful for people building Renaissance or fantasy costumes\, while others sell pieces that work perfectly well outside the Faire. \nFor someone arriving without a costume\, the marketplace also provides an easy way to gradually become more appropriately dressed as the day progresses. \nYou may enter in jeans. \nThere is no guarantee you will leave without a cloak. \n2026 Is a Significant Expansion Year\nThe Faire has added a substantial amount of new material for 2026. \nIts official count includes 11 new shows\, 32 new shops and seven new food offerings. \nAmong the new entertainment are the two jousting productions\, Fly by Night and Jesse Ofgang and the Diaspora. \nThe Faire is also introducing Merry Macabre\, a new themed weekend for October 24–25 that takes the season into darker territory just before Halloween. \nThat expansion matters even to people who have attended in previous years. \nThe basic formula remains recognizable\, but the Faire is deliberately designed so returning on another weekend doesn’t simply reproduce the same day. \nBringing Kids to the Connecticut Renaissance Faire\nChildren don’t have to understand Renaissance history to find things to do here. \nThere are family-oriented performances\, interactive games\, rides and characters throughout the village. \nOne particularly memorable experience is the Knighting Ceremony with the King and Queen\, where children can present themselves before King Basil and Queen Gwendolyn Genevieve and receive royal recognition before the parade. \nThere are also quests and interactive encounters with the Knights of Gore. \nThe Faire’s combination of structured shows and wandering characters means children can become involved in the fantasy rather than spending the entire day watching adults perform. \nYes\, You Can Bring Your Pet\nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire has an unusually broad pet policy. \nWell-behaved dogs\, cats\, rabbits\, ferrets\, rats and lizards are permitted. \nPet admission is $5 per animal\, while service animals enter free. \nDogs and cats must have proof of current rabies vaccination. A veterinarian’s letter\, email or current rabies tag can serve as proof. \nPets must remain on a non-retractable leash no longer than six feet and owners are responsible for cleaning up after them. \nLivestock\, horses\, donkeys\, mules and other large animals aren’t permitted. \nThe Faire advises owners to bring food and water for their animals. Water bowls may be available from merchants\, but pet food isn’t sold on the grounds. \nPets are also permitted on the parking shuttles. \nParking Has Changed for 2026\nThis is one section worth reading before leaving home. \nThe Faire has a new parking system for 2026. \nVisitors who want to park directly at the Faire grounds at 122 Mack Road can purchase Premium Parking for $10 per vehicle. \nThere are only 525 Premium Parking spaces available each Faire day\, and they must be purchased online in advance for the specific date you’re attending. \nYou cannot purchase Premium Parking when you arrive at the lot. \nVIP admission includes Premium Parking. \nThere are also 125 free ADA parking spaces at the main Faire site for vehicles displaying a valid handicapped placard or plate. These spaces can’t be reserved and are available on a first-available basis. \nMotorcycles can park at the main site for free. \nFree Parking and Shuttles Are Available\nYou don’t have to pay to park. \nThe Faire operates free satellite parking with continuous shuttle service beginning at 9:30 a.m. \nOne free lot is located at 744 Trumbull Highway in Lebanon. \nAdditional parking is available at Lebanon Middle School\, 891 Exeter Road\, and Lyman Memorial High School\, 917 Exeter Road. \nThere is one important wrinkle with the school lots: the shuttles do not pick up directly at the schools. \nGuests parking at either school walk to the Mobil station located between the two schools\, which serves as the shuttle pickup and drop-off point. \nThe last shuttle leaves the Faire 30 minutes after closing. \nAnd don’t blindly follow your GPS. \nThe Faire specifically warns visitors not to use Barker Road\, which police close to through traffic on Faire weekends. \nWhere to Stay\nFor visitors coming from farther away\, the Faire maintains a list of nearby lodging options rather than operating an on-site campground. \nBecause the event runs for nine weekends\, staying overnight can also make sense for visitors who want to attend both Saturday and Sunday without making the drive twice. \nCheck lodging availability early for popular themed weekends\, particularly as the season moves toward October and foliage season in eastern Connecticut. \nWhat First-Time Visitors Should Know\nThe easiest mistake is approaching the Connecticut Renaissance Faire like an attraction where everything follows one obvious route. \nIt doesn’t. \nThere are performances happening simultaneously\, characters wandering the lanes\, merchants to explore\, food to try and activities that can consume far more time than expected. \nCheck the day’s performance schedule first and choose the handful of shows you really don’t want to miss. \nThen allow the rest of the day to happen around them. \nYou might stop for lunch and encounter a roaming performer. \nYou might head toward a stage and spend 30 minutes shopping instead. \nYou might intend to watch one song and stay for an entire set. \nThat’s not poor planning. \nThat’s pretty much how a Renaissance faire is supposed to work. \nConnecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 Details\nEvent: Connecticut Renaissance Faire\nSeason: August 29–October 25\, 2026\nRegular Days: Saturdays and Sundays\, plus Labor Day and Columbus Day\nHours: 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m.\nLocation: Lebanon Country Fairgrounds\nAddress: 122 Mack Road\, Lebanon\, CT 06249\nAdult General Admission: $18\nYouth Admission: $10\nChild Admission: Free\nEntertainment: More than 40 shows daily across 13 stages\nMarketplace: More than 200 artisans\, food vendors\, games and other merchants\nFood: 37 food merchants and seven pubs and taverns\nPremium On-Site Parking: $10\, advance date-specific purchase required\nFree Parking: Satellite lots with shuttle service\nPet Admission: $5; service animals free\nSame-Day Re-Entry: Permitted with handstamp\nOutside Food: Snacks and nonalcoholic drinks permitted \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \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/connecticut-renaissance-faire-2026-guide/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:Lebanon Fair Grounds\, 122 Mack Road\, Lebanon\, 06249\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lebanon Fairgrounds
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Connecticut-Renaissance-Faire-2026-Guide.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T170000
DTSTAMP:20260930T021030Z
CREATED:20260930T020946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260930T021030Z
UID:10009205-1791109800-1791133200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Jonathan Edwards Winery Celebrates 25 Years With Its Biggest Harvest Fest Yet
DESCRIPTION:Jonathan Edwards Winery Celebrates 25 Years With Its Biggest Harvest Fest Yet Oct. 4\, when the North Stonington vineyard turns its annual end-of-harvest celebration into a 25th anniversary party with three bands\, food trucks\, an artisan market\, hayrides\, children’s activities\, yard games and one of the winery’s most enduring traditions: adults climbing into a barrel to stomp grapes.\n\nThe festival runs from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.\, essentially turning the vineyard grounds into an outdoor fall fair for the day. \nAnd this year’s Harvest Fest arrives at an appropriate moment. \nJonathan Edwards Winery opened to the public in 2001\, making 2026 its 25th year in North Stonington. The winery’s story actually began a little earlier\, when the Edwards family became interested in the emerging Northeastern wine industry and eventually looked west as well. A trip to Napa Valley in 1999 led to their first California harvest in 2000 and ultimately to an unusual model: a Connecticut winery producing wines connected to vineyards on both coasts. \nTwenty-five years later\, they’re throwing a party in the vineyard. \nThree Bands Take the Stage\nThe music starts with The John Fries Trio\, and Fries himself describes Harvest Fest as a show his band will open. \nFries is a singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music sits at the intersection of blues\, soul and roots music. His stated influences range from Eric Clapton and the Black Crowes to John Prine\, Amos Lee\, D’Angelo\, Martin Sexton and Chris Whitley\, which gives a pretty good indication of the territory he occupies: guitar-driven music with blues underneath it but enough soul and songwriting to keep it from becoming a straight blues set. \nAlso playing is The Fake Experience\, a familiar name on the southeastern Connecticut winery and club circuit. If you’ve spent much time following outdoor music around Mystic and Stonington\, there’s a decent chance you’ve encountered them before. \nThe third act is Sugar\, completing a lineup designed to keep live music running through the festival rather than treating the band as background entertainment. \nJonathan Edwards has confirmed all three bands\, although it has not published individual 2026 set times beyond John Fries indicating that his trio opens the show. \nYes\, You Can Stomp the Grapes\nHarvest Fest also brings back the winery’s adult grape-stomping contest. \nIt’s exactly what it sounds like. \nGrape stomping reaches back thousands of years as one of the earliest methods of crushing grapes for winemaking. Modern wineries have long since replaced feet with considerably more efficient equipment\, but the old method has survived as one of harvest season’s more entertaining traditions. \nAt Jonathan Edwards\, it’s become part of the festival. \nThe winery is also advertising hayrides\, yard games and free children’s activities\, giving families considerably more to do than sit on the lawn while the adults sample wine. An artisan market will bring local makers onto the grounds as well. \nFood trucks are scheduled throughout the day. Jonathan Edwards has not yet published the names of the 2026 trucks\, so that’s one detail worth watching as Oct. 4 gets closer. \nAnd bring some extra cash. The winery specifically tells guests to bring pocket change for its “Truck Stop\,” the festival’s food-truck area. \nWhat Your $30 Actually Gets You\nAdvance admission is $30 per adult\, increasing to $35 at the gate if the festival hasn’t sold out. \nThat includes admission\, all three bands\, festival activities\, free parking\, a keepsake Jonathan Edwards glass and one complimentary glass of wine. \nThat last part is worth emphasizing: this isn’t an unlimited wine-tasting ticket. \nAdditional wine can be purchased during the festival. The outdoor bar is cash only\, while the winery’s tasting room accepts both cash and credit cards. There is no ATM on the property\, so anyone planning to use the outdoor bar or buy from vendors should arrive accordingly. \nThe winery is also promoting Connecticut craft beer as part of the celebration\, giving non-wine drinkers another option. \nGuests younger than 21 are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed parent\, guardian or adult. They’ll receive a different-colored wristband identifying them as underage. \nBring a Chair and Make a Day of It\nThis is the kind of event where a little planning makes a difference. \nJonathan Edwards provides some tables and chairs\, but seating is limited and available first come\, first served. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets\, and pop-up tents are permitted in designated areas on the grounds. \nOutside alcohol and beverages aren’t allowed. That includes coffee cups\, cans and twist-top bottles. Coolers will be inspected at the entrance\, while water will be sold at the bars and water-filling stations will be available. \nLeave the dog home for this one\, too. Although Jonathan Edwards ordinarily welcomes leashed dogs in portions of the property\, the winery specifically prohibits dogs during Harvest Fest because of the size and activity level of the event. \nThe festival happens rain or shine\, and tickets are nonrefundable. \nPerhaps the best way to approach it is to treat Harvest Fest less like a quick winery visit and more like a day on the lawn: arrive when the gates open\, find a place to settle in\, hear three bands\, wander through the artisan tents\, grab lunch from a food truck\, take the kids for a hayride and watch otherwise sensible adults remove their shoes and discover how much work it once took to turn grapes into wine. \nTwenty-five years after Jonathan Edwards Winery opened its doors in North Stonington\, that’s a pretty appropriate way to celebrate another harvest. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Jonathan Edwards Winery Harvest Fest & 25th Anniversary Celebration\nDate: Sunday\, Oct. 4\, 2026\nTime: 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.\nLocation: Jonathan Edwards Winery\nAddress: 74 Chester Main Road\, North Stonington\, CT 06359\nAdvance Admission: $30 per adult\nGate Admission: $35 per adult\, if not sold out\nUnder 21: Free with a ticketed adult\, parent or guardian\nAdmission Includes: One complimentary glass of wine\, keepsake glass\, parking\, three bands and festival activities\nBands: The John Fries Trio\, The Fake Experience and Sugar\nActivities: Adult grape-stomping contest\, hayrides\, yard games\, artisan market and free children’s activities\nFood: Food trucks will be on site; the 2026 truck lineup has not yet been published\nDrinks: Wine and Connecticut craft beer available; additional wine may be purchased\nSeating: Limited tables and chairs; guests may bring lawn chairs\, blankets and pop-up tents for the grounds\nOutside Beverages: Not permitted; coolers will be checked\nWater: Available for purchase and at water-filling stations\nDogs: Not permitted during Harvest Fest\nWeather: Rain or shine\nTickets: Nonrefundable\nParking: Free\nATM: None on site\nPhone: 860-535-0202 \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/jonathan-edwards-winery-celebrates-25-years-with-its-biggest-harvest-fest-yet/
LOCATION:Jonathan Edwards Winery\, 74 Chester Maine Rd\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jonathan Edwards Winery
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Jonathan-Edwards-Winery-Celebrates-25-Years-With-Its-Biggest-Harvest-Fest-Yet.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T130000
DTSTAMP:20261005T194405Z
CREATED:20260902T004318Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T194405Z
UID:10008655-1791109800-1791118800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas at the Jealous Monk in the Olde Mistick Village
DESCRIPTION:Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas at the Jealous Monk every Sunday morning in Mystic\, when the European-style social hall better known for its 32 beer taps trades Saturday night for eggs\, home fries\, and a steady stream of sparkling orange cocktails. \nBrunch runs from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday\, making this one of those rare CT Beacon events without a real ending date. It isn’t a holiday brunch\, monthly special or seasonal promotion. Jealous Monk and the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce continue to list it as a standing Sunday event. \nAnd the bottomless mimosas aren’t merely an occasional special attached to the meal. Olde Mistick Village itself calls Sunday brunch with bottomless mimosas a local favorite. \nThat’s reason enough to give this recurring Mystic tradition a proper place on the calendar. \nA Beer Hall Does Brunch Differently\nJealous Monk occupies Building 20 at Olde Mistick Village\, but step inside and the inspiration is considerably farther from Connecticut. \nThe restaurant was designed as a contemporary take on the European beer hall and social garden. There’s a huge barrel-vaulted ceiling overhead\, old-world paintings on the walls and long communal tables intended to make the room feel more social than a conventional restaurant dining room. \nIts regular identity revolves around beer. Jealous Monk maintains 32 rotating draft lines\, supplemented by bottles\, cans\, wine and cocktails\, while the kitchen leans into comfort food with Belgian frites\, house-made sausages\, burgers and dishes influenced by the beer-hall setting. \nSunday morning changes the equation. \nThe doors open at 10:30 a.m. — an hour earlier than on most weekdays — specifically as brunch begins. \nInstead of trying to turn itself into a delicate brunch cafe for a few hours\, Jealous Monk largely keeps its personality intact. It’s still a social hall\, only now the table might be covered with eggs and breakfast potatoes while the drinks are coming from a mimosa rather than a beer tap. \nMore Than a Mimosa Stop\nThe brunch menu is its own thing rather than the regular lunch menu with a couple of eggs added. \nJealous Monk’s current website confirms a dedicated Sunday brunch menu\, although the restaurant presents that menu as an image and individual dishes can change. Current online ordering also lists a breakfast sandwich made with bacon\, egg and American cheese on a toasted bun with home fries. \nPast published brunch menus show how Jealous Monk has traditionally approached the meal: familiar breakfast food mixed with the restaurant’s German and beer-hall influences. Dishes have included Belgian waffles\, steak and eggs\, breakfast burritos\, Benedicts\, short-rib hash\, biscuits and gravy and house-made sausage alongside items such as weisswurst\, schnitzel and bratwurst. \nBecause menus and prices change\, those older dishes shouldn’t be treated as a guarantee of what will be served on any particular Sunday. What hasn’t changed is the idea behind the brunch: hearty food rather than a stripped-down continental breakfast. \nThen there are the mimosas. \nThe restaurant and Olde Mistick Village both currently advertise bottomless mimosas as part of Sunday brunch. Neither current official page publishes the mimosa price online\, so that’s one detail worth checking with the restaurant before arriving rather than relying on an old menu or social-media post. \nA Social Hall Built for Lingering\nThe setting may be as important to this particular brunch as the menu. \nJealous Monk’s large communal tables were deliberately designed for conversation\, and the restaurant adds board games\, pinball and old-school video games to the indoor space. \nOutside is an expansive beer garden with picnic-table seating\, games and a distinctive fire-pit rock. \nThat gives Sunday brunch a different personality depending on the season. A cold-weather visit can mean settling beneath the barrel-vaulted ceiling with a group around one of the large tables. During warmer weather\, the garden makes considerably more sense for anyone inclined to turn brunch into a longer Sunday outing. \nIt’s also a brunch that doesn’t require everyone at the table to participate in the mimosa part. Jealous Monk is a full restaurant\, and its location in Olde Mistick Village makes the event workable for mixed groups spending the day together. \nBrunch in a Village That Wasn’t Supposed to Exist\nThere’s a bit of local history outside the restaurant doors. \nThe property beneath Olde Mistick Village was once farmland. Martin Olson purchased it in 1963 with plans to construct a conventional shopping mall\, only to be advised that the local population wasn’t large enough to support one. \nHis children\, twins Jerry and Joyce Olson\, eventually pursued something much stranger and more distinctive. \nConstruction began in 1972 on a shopping village modeled after a 1720s New England community\, complete with a meeting house\, town green\, duck pond\, gazebo and individually designed buildings. The walking paths and landscaping were deliberately planned\, and no two buildings were supposed to look exactly alike. \nOlde Mistick Village officially opened Sept. 11\, 1973\, with more than 400 people attending the dedication. \nMore than half a century later\, the experiment has grown into a walkable collection of more than 40 shops and eateries and one of Mystic’s busiest visitor destinations. \nThat makes the location particularly useful on a Sunday. \nBrunch doesn’t have to be the day’s entire plan. \nThe 1 p.m. Problem Solves Itself\nJealous Monk stops serving brunch at 1 p.m.\, but you’re already inside Olde Mistick Village. \nWalk the paths. Browse the independent shops. Circle the duck pond. Grab something sweet. Or cross the road and continue the day at Mystic Aquarium. \nThat’s arguably what makes this recurring event more useful than the original calendar description suggested. \nBottomless mimosas are the hook\, but the location turns brunch into the beginning of a Mystic Sunday rather than its destination and endpoint. \nFor locals\, it can become the kind of ritual that doesn’t require checking an events calendar at all. \nFor visitors\, it’s an easy answer to a more complicated question: what do we do Sunday morning before spending the rest of the day in Mystic? \nStart with brunch. \nThe mimosas can keep coming until 1. \nMore information and the current brunch menu are available at the Event Website link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Sunday Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas\nSchedule: Every Sunday\nTime: 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.\nVenue: Jealous Monk\, Building 20 at Olde Mistick Village\nAddress: 27 Coogan Blvd.\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nBrunch: Dedicated Sunday brunch menu with bottomless mimosas available\nBottomless Mimosa Price: Not currently published on Jealous Monk’s official website; check with the restaurant for current pricing and terms\nSetting: European-style social hall and beer garden with communal tables\, games and outdoor seating\nParking: Free parking is available throughout Olde Mistick Village\nRestaurant Sunday Hours: 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.\nPhone: 860-536-6665\nChamber Event Contact: Park Hersant\, 646-647-9452\nEmail: operations@jmmystic.com \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/brunch-with-bottomless-mimosas-at-the-jealous-monk-2-2/
LOCATION:Jealous Monk\, 27 Coogan Blvd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jealous Monk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Brunch-with-Bottomless-Mimosas-at-the-Jealous-Monk.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T180000
DTSTAMP:20261001T020837Z
CREATED:20261001T020837Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T020837Z
UID:10009214-1791108000-1791136800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut International Auto Show Adds an Off-Road Adventure to Mohegan Sun
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut International Auto Show Adds an Off-Road Adventure to Mohegan Sun Oct. 3 and 4\, filling the Earth Expo Center with the newest cars\, trucks\, SUVs\, hybrids and EVs alongside luxury vehicles\, exotics\, customs and classics. \nBut this year’s show isn’t staying entirely on the pavement. \nFor 2026\, organizers are adding the Overland Connecticut Exhibit\, a new section devoted to the increasingly popular world of vehicle-based outdoor travel. Adventure-ready trucks and SUVs will share space with off-road builds\, camping setups\, outdoor equipment and accessories designed for people whose idea of a road trip includes the point where the road ends. \nIt substantially broadens a show traditionally built around one simple pleasure: walking through a huge room full of vehicles and being allowed to get close to them. \nThis Is a Car Show You Can Climb Into\nThe Connecticut International Auto Show isn’t structured like a velvet-rope concours where visitors admire rare automobiles from a safe distance. \nMuch of the show floor is essentially an enormous automotive showroom. \nVisitors can sit inside participating new vehicles\, inspect interiors\, compare passenger and cargo space and move directly between competing models without driving from dealership to dealership. \nProduct specialists and automotive representatives will be on the floor to explain technology and features and answer questions. \nThat makes the show useful for two very different audiences. \nSomeone considering a new vehicle can compare models in one place. \nSomeone who simply likes cars can spend hours moving between everything from practical family transportation to vehicles that aren’t particularly practical at all. \nNew for 2026: Overland Connecticut\nThe most significant addition this year reflects a part of automotive culture that has exploded well beyond traditional off-roading. \nOverlanding combines vehicles\, camping and self-contained travel\, typically using trucks or SUVs equipped to carry people and equipment into places where hotels and paved parking lots aren’t necessarily part of the plan. \nThe new Overland Connecticut Exhibit brings that culture inside the Expo Center. \nOrganizers say the display will include adventure-ready vehicles\, custom off-road builds\, camping configurations\, outdoor equipment and accessories. \nThat means visitors interested in trucks and SUVs aren’t limited to seeing them as they arrived from the factory. The exhibit provides a look at what those vehicles can become when they’re configured for camping\, trail travel and extended outdoor trips. \nIt’s a different world from the polished luxury cars elsewhere on the floor\, which is precisely why it makes the show more interesting. \nGas\, Hybrid and Electric Under One Roof\nThe modern auto show has also become a place to watch the industry’s transition happening in real time. \nConventional gasoline vehicles now share show floors with hybrids\, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles\, often from manufacturers pursuing very different ideas about what comes next. \nThat gives visitors an opportunity to compare more than styling. \nScreens and software have replaced many traditional dashboard controls. Driver-assistance systems continue to expand. Electric vehicles have created different approaches to interior space because there’s no conventional engine occupying the front of the vehicle. Hybrids offer another solution for drivers who want improved efficiency without relying entirely on charging. \nFor someone who hasn’t seriously shopped for a vehicle in five or ten years\, simply sitting in several current models can be an education in how quickly automobiles have changed. \nThen There Are the Cars Nobody Needs an Excuse to Look At\nNot everything on the floor has to be a potential purchase. \nThe show also incorporates luxury vehicles\, exotic cars\, customs and classics\, providing a counterweight to the practical side of comparison shopping. \nThat mixture has always been part of the appeal of a large auto show. \nYou can inspect something sensible enough for the school run\, move to an electric vehicle packed with new technology\, study a lifted off-road truck built for the woods and then find yourself standing beside an exotic car that exists primarily because somebody decided automobiles should occasionally be outrageous. \nThe floor plan and specific automotive exhibitors can change\, so anyone attending specifically to see a particular manufacturer or model should check the show’s current floor plan before heading to Uncasville. \nMore Than 100\,000 Square Feet of Cars\nThe venue helps explain the scale. (Map of car manufacturers) \nMohegan Sun’s Earth Expo Center provides roughly 125\,000 square feet of contiguous\, column-free exhibition space\, making it possible to create a single enormous automotive floor rather than breaking the show into a collection of small rooms. \nThe facility was designed for events that need to bring genuinely large objects indoors. Its infrastructure includes multiple loading docks and grade-level drive-in doors capable of accommodating vehicles and trucks. \nFor an auto show\, that’s essentially a very large blank canvas. \nThe Connecticut International Auto Show is owned by the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association and produced by Steve Freeman Events. Organizers say it attracts thousands of visitors annually. \nMake Sunday a Cars-and-Concert Day\nSunday’s show also happens to fall in the middle of an unusually busy weekend at Mohegan Sun. \nThe Auto Show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday\, Oct. 4\, while the Foo Fighters play Mohegan Sun Arena that evening as part of the resort’s 30th birthday celebration. \nThe Arena and Earth Expo Center are separate venues within the resort\, so the concert is not included with Auto Show admission. But for someone interested in both\, the timing makes it possible to spend the afternoon looking at cars and stay at Mohegan Sun for the concert that night. \nThat’s going to make Sunday particularly busy around the property\, so allowing extra time for parking and getting around the resort would be sensible. \nThe Cheapest Tickets Are for Kids — and Some Visitors Pay Nothing\nAdmission remains relatively inexpensive for a large indoor show. \nAdults are $14\, seniors are $10\, and children ages 6 through 12 are $6. Children younger than 6 are admitted free. \nActive and retired military personnel also receive free admission with appropriate military identification. The official ticket information says accompanying guests of eligible military members receive $2 off when tickets are obtained at the box office. \nThe ticket prices listed by the show include additional fees and services. \nParking is also free. \nThe Winter Garage is the closest garage to the Earth Expo Center\, making it the most convenient place to start if the Auto Show is the primary reason for the visit. \nMohegan Sun has more than 13\,000 parking spaces across the property\, with additional garages and lots available when needed. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Connecticut International Auto Show\nDates: Saturday\, Oct. 3 and Sunday\, Oct. 4\, 2026\nSaturday Hours: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.\nSunday Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nVenue: Mohegan Sun Earth Expo Center\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nFeatured Vehicles: New cars\, trucks\, SUVs\, hybrids and EVs\, plus luxury vehicles\, exotics\, customs and classics\nNew for 2026: Overland Connecticut Exhibit featuring adventure vehicles\, off-road builds\, camping setups\, outdoor gear and accessories\nAdult Admission: $14\nSeniors: $10\nChildren Ages 6–12: $6\nChildren Under 6: Free\nMilitary: Free for active and retired military with appropriate ID; accompanying guests receive $2 off at the box office\nParking: Free\nRecommended Parking: Winter Garage\, immediately adjacent to the Earth Expo Center\nShow Floor: Exhibitors and vehicles are subject to change; check the current floor plan if you’re attending for a specific brand\nSecurity: Bags are subject to search and magnetometers may be in use\nAccessibility: The Earth Expo & Convention Center is accessible; accessible restrooms and elevators are available throughout Mohegan Sun\, and wheelchairs are available on a limited first-come\, first-served basis \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/connecticut-international-auto-show-adds-an-off-road-adventure-to-mohegan-sun/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:Rainmaker Expo\, 350 Trolley Line Boulevard\, Mashantucket\, 06338\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T170000
DTSTAMP:20261001T154752Z
CREATED:20261001T154752Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T154752Z
UID:10009221-1791108000-1791133200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Stonington Literary Festival Turns James Merrill’s Centennial Into a Borough-Wide Celebration
DESCRIPTION:Stonington Literary Festival Turns James Merrill’s Centennial Into a Borough-Wide Celebration Oct. 2–4\, bringing more than 40 poets\, writers\, scholars and musicians to Stonington Borough for three days of readings\, concerts\, conversations\, workshops and unusually intimate encounters with the life and work of one of America’s most celebrated poets.\n\nThis isn’t a literary festival confined to a theater or conference center. \nThe Borough itself becomes part of it. \nPrograms spread through La Grua Center\, Borough Hall\, the Stonington Borough Fire House\, NESS and other locations. Visitors can walk the streets that found their way into James Merrill’s poetry\, tour the apartment where he did much of his writing\, visit the cemetery where he is buried\, hear musicians turn his poems into songs and listen to writers who knew him or have been shaped by his work. \nOrganizers expect more than 300 people for roughly 30 events across seven venues. \nThe occasion is a significant one: 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Merrill’s birth. \nAnd Stonington isn’t simply hosting his centennial. \nIt was his home. \nA Poet Who Made Stonington Part of His Work\nJames Ingram Merrill was born in New York in 1926\, the son of Charles Merrill\, co-founder of Merrill Lynch. \nHis life eventually took him around the world\, particularly to Greece and later Key West\, but Stonington became one of his creative anchors. \nMerrill and his longtime partner\, David Jackson\, made their home at 107 Water Street\, and Merrill owned the building from 1956 until his death in 1995. \nIt became much more than an address. \nMerrill produced virtually all of his major writing during the years he owned the Water Street home. Stonington’s people\, relationships\, houses\, streets and rhythms increasingly entered his work\, and the apartment became a gathering place for writers\, artists and intellectuals. \nOne of his poetry collections was simply called Water Street. \nMerrill eventually accumulated an extraordinary list of honors: the Pulitzer Prize\, two National Book Awards\, the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Bollingen Prize among them. \nHis Divine Comedies won the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. \nThe Water Street home was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016\, recognized for its association with one of the most significant American writers of the second half of the 20th century. \nThat relationship between writer and place is what gives this festival an unusual advantage. Attendees aren’t discussing Merrill in some distant convention hall. \nThey’re discussing him in the village where he lived and wrote. \nSaturday Turns the Borough Into a Literary Campus\nSaturday\, Oct. 3\, is the festival’s biggest day\, with programming divided into three blocks at 9 a.m.\, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. \nInstead of funneling everyone toward the same stage\, organizers have scheduled simultaneous small-group programs around the Borough. \nAt 9 a.m.\, choices include The Apartment Aesthetic\, a conversation about houses and their symbolic and literal roles in literature; Merrill in Stonington\, exploring his friendships\, writing and life in the village; and Objects & Poems\, an object-based writing workshop with Timothy Donnelly. \nParticipants in that workshop are encouraged to bring an object of their own\, while objects from the James Merrill House collection will also be used as writing prompts. \nThere’s also an Emerging Voices Open Mic\, hosted by Stonington Poet Laureate Christie Max Williams. \nThat structure continues at 11 a.m.\, when the subjects become even more revealing. \nGhosts\, Ouija Boards and Merrill’s Other World\nOne of the weekend’s most intriguing sessions examines a side of Merrill’s work that can surprise people who know him only by reputation. \nMerrill and Jackson spent years experimenting with a Ouija board. \nThose sessions eventually became central to Merrill’s enormous supernatural poetic project\, The Changing Light at Sandover\, in which communication with spirits develops into an elaborate cosmology populated by voices from another world. \nThe festival’s Ghosts\, Ouija & the Occult program explores Merrill’s engagement with mysticism\, spiritualism and the occult and its relationship to Sandover. \nThe session has already sold out\, with organizers directing interested attendees to a waitlist. \nIt’s an example of how deeply the festival is willing to venture into Merrill’s world. This isn’t simply a succession of people reading poems from a podium. \nQueer History\, Poetry of Place and the Yale Connection\nAt the same hour\, another panel places the James Merrill House within the larger story of 20th-century LGBTQ history. \nMerrill and Jackson shared the Water Street home for decades\, and the house’s National Historic Landmark designation recognizes a place associated not only with a major American writer but with a significant same-sex partnership during an era when gay lives were rarely preserved so visibly in the historic record. \nElsewhere\, Rachel Hadas and David Yezzi will explore Merrill’s poetry of place\, including his writing about Greece. \nLa Grua Center hosts another branch of Merrill’s legacy: his relationship with the Yale Series of Younger Poets. \nMerrill served as judge of the influential poetry prize from 1983 through 1989. The James Merrill House later established a partnership with Yale University Press through which Younger Poets Prize winners receive residencies at his Stonington home. \nThe festival panel brings together poets selected during Merrill’s years with the series and writers who later came to Stonington through the residency. \nThat program is free. \nThe Afternoon Gets Playful\nAt 2 p.m.\, one session looks at Merrill’s influence on later writers through Poetic Afterlives\, while another\, Close Encounters With James Merrill\, examines individual poems from different periods of his career. \nThen there’s Wordplay & Crosswords. \nAdrienne Raphel\, Christopher Spaide and Natan Last use Merrill’s fascination with language\, puns and form as the starting point for a program that crosses poetry with puzzles and includes a workshop component devoted to constructing poetic puzzles and puzzling poems. \nIt’s another glimpse of Merrill beyond the imposing literary résumé: a writer fascinated by games\, patterns\, hidden connections and the possibilities contained inside words. \nYou Can Actually Go Upstairs\nPerhaps the most unusual ticket of the weekend isn’t for a reading at all. \nFestival visitors can register for tours of the James Merrill House at 107 Water Street. \nThe third- and fourth-floor apartment remains remarkably close to the way Merrill left it. This is not a reconstructed writer’s room assembled decades afterward from photographs. \nIt is the place itself. \nVisitors enter the colorful\, idiosyncratic rooms in which Merrill and Jackson lived and where much of his major work took shape. \nThe building’s preservation extends to the atmosphere of the apartment\, its furnishings and personal objects. More than 100 writers have subsequently stayed at the house through its writer-in-residence program. \nThe tours are free but require registration and are deliberately small\, with a maximum of 20 people per session. \nThere’s an important limitation: the Merrill apartment is not wheelchair accessible and requires climbing steep stairs. \nWalk Through Merrill’s Stonington\nThe centennial also moves outside. \nHistoric Stonington is leading Stonington Village Literary Walking Tours\, beginning at the Stonington Lighthouse at 7 Water Street. \nThe $25 walks trace the village through its literary history\, including the community Merrill called home for more than four decades. \nThat distinction matters. This isn’t simply a Merrill walking tour. The idea is to place him within Stonington’s broader literary landscape and the writers connected to the village. \nTours are capped at 20 participants and require at least five people to run. \nThere are also Poets Corner Cemetery Tours through Stonington Cemetery during the weekend. \nMusic Gives Six Merrill Poems Another Life\nThe festival begins Friday evening with one of its most ambitious events. \nComposer and pianist Matthew Aucoin joins Grammy-winning tenor Nicholas Phan at La Grua Center for Merrill Songs\, Aucoin’s song cycle setting six Merrill poems to music. \nThe selections stretch across Merrill’s work and include A Downward Look\, The Kimono\, Grass\, Last Words\, Sonnet from Sandover and An Upward Look. \nAucoin received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2018 and has had operatic work presented by major companies including the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Phan is a Grammy-winning lyric tenor and co-founder of Art Song Chicago. \nA reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres follows the performance. \nTickets are $75\, with a $50 rate for former Merrill Fellows and session leaders. \nHenri Cole Takes the Centennial Stage\nSaturday’s daytime sessions lead into the festival’s keynote program. \nPoet Henri Cole\, a former Merrill Fellow\, delivers the keynote at 5 p.m. at La Grua Center. \nThe program is free and will also be livestreamed. \nThe evening then moves outside the Borough for the Centennial Celebration Dinner Honoring the Merrill Family at The Hounds. \nThe dinner recognizes the family’s role in sustaining Merrill’s legacy and the James Merrill House. Tickets are $175\, with a reduced $100 price for session leaders and former fellows. \nA complimentary shuttle will carry attendees between the village and The Hounds. \nSunday Brings Merrill’s World Together\nSunday morning may be the weekend’s broadest attempt to put Merrill into perspective. \nJames Merrill and His World\, Parts 1 and 2 brings together poets\, scholars and people closely connected to his work for two consecutive panels moderated by Stephen Yenser\, Merrill’s literary executor\, and Langdon Hammer\, author of a major Merrill biography. \nThe participants include Hilton Als\, Matthew Aucoin\, Jennifer Clarvoe\, Peter Dimock\, Rachel Hadas\, Ange Mlinko\, Jonathan Post\, Mary Jo Salter\, Willard Spiegelman and Lee Zimmerman. \nThe program runs from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at La Grua Center and costs $25. \nAt 2 p.m.\, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and writer Hilton Als reads from his introduction to Merrill’s memoir A Different Person\, exploring his own encounter with Merrill’s work\, gay domesticity and the losses of the AIDS era. \nThen the festival ends where Stonington and Merrill’s poetry meet most directly. \nAt 3 p.m.\, former Merrill Fellows gather for a reading of Water Street\, led by Rob Schlegel. \nThe event is free. \nA Festival That Could Only Really Happen Here\nThere’s also plenty happening between the scheduled sessions. \nBank Square Books is operating a pop-up bookstore at the festival’s NESS Centennial Hub. An exhibition runs at La Grua Center. Merrill and Merrill Fellow books will be displayed at the Stonington Free Library. \nThe New England Science & Sailing Foundation Centennial Hub at 70 Water Street serves as festival headquarters from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday\, with information\, assistance\, festival tote bags and keepsake programs while supplies last. \nMost daytime venues are close enough to navigate on foot\, which may be the festival’s smartest curatorial decision. \nPeople will leave a discussion about Merrill\, walk down the same narrow Borough streets he walked\, pass the building where he lived\, look toward the water that surrounded his daily life and then enter another room for another part of the story. \nFor one weekend\, the separation between literary festival\, historic house and historic village largely disappears. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets or register for free programs\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Stonington Literary Festival: James Merrill Centennial\nDates: Friday\, Oct. 2–Sunday\, Oct. 4\, 2026\nLocation: Multiple venues throughout Stonington Borough\nFestival Focus: Centennial celebration of poet James Merrill’s life\, work and legacy\nScale: More than 300 attendees expected\, 40-plus presenters and approximately 30 events across seven venues\nProgramming: Readings\, panel discussions\, writing workshops\, concerts\, open mic\, literary walking tours\, cemetery tours\, James Merrill House tours\, exhibition\, bookstore and community gatherings\nFriday: Merrill Fellows Reading\, followed by Matthew Aucoin and Nicholas Phan’s Merrill Songs concert and reception\nSaturday Sessions: 9–10 a.m.\, 11 a.m.–noon and 2–3 p.m.\, followed by Henri Cole’s 5 p.m. keynote and the Centennial Celebration Dinner\nSunday: James Merrill and His World panels at 10 a.m.; lunch; Hilton Als at 2 p.m.; Water Street reading at 3 p.m.\nCentennial Hub: NESS\, 70 Water Street\, Stonington\nHub Hours: Saturday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.\nIndividual Saturday Sessions: Generally $25; some programs are free\nFriday Concert: $75 general admission; $50 former fellows and session leaders\nSaturday Celebration Dinner: $175 regular admission; $100 session leaders and former fellows\nSunday Sessions: Generally $25 unless otherwise noted\nStudents: Complimentary admission to Saturday and Sunday daytime Centennial events with promo code STUDENT; valid student ID may be requested\nRegistration: Required for every event\, including free programs\nTicket Limit: Saturday block sessions are limited to two tickets per order\nSold-Out Events: Waitlist available when indicated\nLivestreaming: Many La Grua Center programs will be livestreamed\nWalking Tours: $25; generally capped at 20 participants with a five-person minimum\nMerrill Apartment Tours: Free with registration; maximum 20 per tour\nAccessibility: The Portuguese Holy Ghost Society\, NESS and James Merrill Apartment are listed by organizers as not wheelchair accessible\nMerrill House Accessibility: Apartment access requires climbing steep stairs; there is no elevator\nTransportation: Most daytime venues are within walking distance in Stonington Borough; complimentary shuttle service is available for the Saturday Celebration Dinner\nRefunds: Ticket sales are final; no refunds or exchanges\nSchedule: Programming is subject to change \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/stonington-literary-festival-turns-james-merrills-centennial-into-a-borough-wide-celebration/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:Various – Check description
CATEGORIES:Various
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T160000
DTSTAMP:20261001T183158Z
CREATED:20261001T183158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T183158Z
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SUMMARY:145 Juried Artists Take Over the Old Saybrook Town Green for a 62-Year Tradition
DESCRIPTION:145 Juried Artists Take Over the Old Saybrook Town Green for a 62-Year Tradition Oct. 3 and 4\, filling the center of Old Saybrook with paintings\, pottery\, glass\, jewelry\, photography\, sculpture\, fiber art\, metalwork\, woodcraft\, and enough mixed-media work to make a quick lap around the Green almost impossible. \nThe 62nd Annual Old Saybrook Arts & Crafts Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday on the Old Saybrook Town Green at 300 Main Street. \nAnd this is not an open-registration craft market where anybody with a folding table can buy a space. \nArtists and crafters apply to the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce\, submit photographs of their work\, and go through a jury process before being accepted. The Chamber says that process is intended to maintain both the quality and variety of the show. \nThe result this year is a sprawling roster of 145 artists and crafters working across nearly every medium you could reasonably expect to encounter at an outdoor art festival. \nThis One Rewards Browsing\nThere isn’t really one dominant art form here. \nTraditional painters are working in acrylics\, oils and watercolor. There are photographers and printmakers\, potters and ceramicists\, glass artists\, jewelers\, quilters\, woodworkers and metal artists. \nThen there are the exhibitors who don’t fit neatly into any of those boxes. \nThe mixed-media section alone contains nearly 30 exhibitors\, with coastal art\, maps\, shell work\, woodcraft\, decorative pieces and combinations of materials that explain why the Chamber needs a catch-all category in the first place. \nThat variety is one of the things separating a juried festival of this size from a smaller maker market. Someone looking for an original painting can spend the afternoon very differently from someone hunting for handmade jewelry\, stained glass\, pottery or something unusual for the house. \nSome Familiar Southeastern Connecticut Names Are Going West\nThere are exhibitors from well beyond Old Saybrook\, including some familiar names from southeastern Connecticut. \nMichelle Yozzo Drake of Drift by Stonington Designs is among the jewelry exhibitors. Her work draws heavily on the shoreline\, incorporating coastal influences into handcrafted jewelry. \nIan Evertson of Rogers Lake Woodworking is represented in the wood category\, while Devon Marsden of Oyster River Arts appears among the glass artists. \nThe broader roster stretches well beyond Connecticut as well. Weihong Liu Pan of Weih Fine Arts Studio in New York is among the acrylic painters\, one indication that the festival’s reach extends beyond the immediate shoreline. \nArtist Joseph Mushipi also independently lists the Old Saybrook festival on his 2026 exhibition schedule. \nPotter Robert Fishman is bringing a particularly broad collection of functional work. His current catalog includes mugs\, ramen bowls\, platters\, serving bowls\, goblets\, vases\, pitchers\, brie bakers\, cheese-and-cracker trays\, tagines and other handmade pieces. \nSo while “arts and crafts” can sometimes suggest primarily decorative work\, quite a bit here is intended to go home and actually be used. \nThe Festival Has Moved Into Fall\nLongtime residents may remember this as a summer event. \nThey’re remembering correctly. \nThe Old Saybrook Arts & Crafts Festival was traditionally held in July. The 55th edition\, for example\, took place in late July 2018. By the 58th festival in 2022\, the event had moved to the beginning of October. \nIt has stayed there. \nThe 2023 festival straddled September and October\, while the 2024\, 2025 and now 2026 editions have occupied the first weekend of October. \nThat gives today’s festival a noticeably different setting from its midsummer predecessor. Instead of being another event competing for attention during peak shoreline season\, it has become one of Old Saybrook’s major early-fall weekends. \nThere’s still some outdated information online describing the festival as a July event. For 2026\, the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber’s current schedule is definitive: Oct. 3 and 4. \nMore Than a Century of Art\, Spread Across One Green\nThe individual exhibitors are what make the weekend worth exploring\, and the Chamber has published its 2026 roster by medium. \nAcrylics: Andrew Armas — Andrew Armas Creations; Charlotte Leigh — Charleigh’s Web; Joseph Mushipi — Joseph Mushipi Visual Art; Weihong Liu Pan — Weih Fine Arts Studio\, NY; Zach Prosser — Zach Prosser Art; Lauren Sommerville — L. E. Sommerville Fine Art; Jeanette Vertentes — Jeanette Vertentes Fine Art; Iva Vranova — Iva’s Whimsical Art. \nCeramics: Megan McNivens — Knollwood Pottery; Missy Niemeyer — Missy’s Clayworks; Janet Osorio — Mill Court Ceramics; Kenneth Picard — Ken Picard Fine Arts. \nConsumables: Jo Atkinson — Muddy Mary’s Gourmet; Aimee Belknap — Cedar Island Candle Co.; Stacie Bourne — Gourmet Creations; Frances Bousquet — Crows Feet Primitive Candle Co.; Marlow Bull — Page of Wands Candles; Sahra Deer — Isankofa Skincare; Ryan and Grace O’Connor — Age of Grace CBD; Paul Scott — Seven Barrels; David Wallace — Bittersweet Herb Farm. \nEmbellishment: Claudia Cormier — Claudia Cormier; Linda Wojtasinski — Periwinkle Designs. \nFiber: Jessica Boyd — Krafty Corner; Eileen Breault — LeenB Bags; Jenny Csedrik — Lip Positive Threads; Sharon Gatzke — Now and Then; Robin Parker — Log Cabin Quilts; Tracy Pearson — Tracys Treasures; Judith Shaw — Pillows and Pillowcases; Sally Strasser — Taleo Handmade; Linda Yahyaoglu — Nayuka Design LLC. \nGlass: Rebecca Grills — Summer Glass; Constance Guerra — The Constance Collection; Beverly Hartmann — Blue Hearts Glass; India Kenyon — Cutie Curls Boutique; Devon Marsden — Oyster River Arts; Thomas O’Connell — Siena Stained Glass LLC; Cole Quinn — Blown Away Glass Studio; Marylee Schwarzer — Shattered Glass Studios. \nGraphics: Bill Dougal — DougalArt; James Polisky — James Polisky Silkscreen Art. \nJewelry: Brittany Bauer — Milly’s Clay Studio; Abigail Boeshans — Busy Bee Gallery; Alison Cargill — Alison Designs LLC; Linda Davidson — Quilibet; Laura Delvecchio — Bead Dangle Design; Melissa Fego — Fego Gioielli Jewelry; Sema Gurek — Floweredsky Designs; Robyn Hohenemser — Golden R Golden Designs; Daniel Kalisz — The Silver Seashell; Mackenzie Law — Edgeworth; Emily Munska — The Pirate’s Daughter; Karen Parker — K+T Jewelry & Accessories; Nick and Hillary Rezendes — M&D Fine Jewelry; Nancy Riley — String of Joy; Jill Scholsohn — Riverstone Jewelry; Davide Shapiro — American Princess; Julie Siegmund — Carnelian Knoll; Sharon Smith — Alling S Alling Jewelry Designs; Monique Sousa — MPearl; Gay Touma — Jewels Verne Jewelers; Wendy Waugaman — WLW Designs; Lina Wilder — Idle Gauds Jewelry & Metals; Michelle Yozzo Drake — Drift by Stonington Designs. \nLeather: Amy Corda — Amy Lee Bags; Michelle and Michael Vicino — Scarfbuckles. \nMetal: Troy Antoniewicz — Copper Rose Forge; Tiffany DeAngelo — Tiffany’s Trees; George Gabriel — Infinity Art; Rob Steinhilper — Rustic Iron Metalwork; James Takaki — Iron Arts. \nMixed Media: Stephen Allen — Shoreline Crafts LLC; Jennifer Avallone — Cahill JGA Creations; Andee Axe — Andee Axe; Jackie Barry — Jackie Art & Designs; Kristin Cafferty — Kristin Cafferty Art; Wendy Cole — Hydrangea Blue Design; Lora Congelosi — Lora’s Shell Decor; Chris Conti — Hadlyme GraphicWorks; Julie Cote — J. Cote Art and Coastal Creations; Gill Feng — Beadtopia; Maryann Gatheral — Designs By Maryann; Louise Gorsline — The Painted Lady; Don Hart — Hart Woodcrafts; Alexandra and Jeremiah Hazel — October Cult; Barbara Hernandez — Boot’s Creations USA; Emily Keating — Emily Keating Art; Amy Macy — 86 Pool Road; Christine McCarthy — Artful Intuition; Michael Michaud — Mijumi Art; Christine Montano — Shore-Line Creations; Kate and Bill Murphy — Vintage Times Maps; Sergei Novikov — Speaking Music; David Poppie — Oxbow Art and Design; Karen Preli — Karen Preli Design; Kim Previti — Beyond Beautiful by Kim; Michelle Sansevero — Beachling; Tammi Sauco — Grateful Heart Art; Esther Schiff — Salty Expressions; Margie Sleboda — Margie Sherman Design; Breanna Wentworth — Sea Bre’s Creations. \nOils: Julie Brayton — Julie Brayton Fine Art; Jeanne DeCoste — JeanneDeCosteART; Bob Ferraro — Bob Ferraro Studios; Fran Henderson — Henderson Studio; Catherine Johansen — Cathy Johansen; Frank Oggeri — Natural Settings Fine Art; Brian O’Malley — Brian C. O’Malley Artworks; Carlos Rios — Carlos Rios Gallery; Judith Shea — Jude Niosi Art. \nPhotography: Roger Charbonneau — Jr Roger’s Pix Photography; John and Marie Geary — JEMPV; Doug Hockman — Doug Hockman Photography; Hannah McAllister — Cladach Living; Nancy Nielsen — Nansea Studio; Eric Parnes; Jeffrey Payette — Ffej Photography. \nPottery: Rachel Brown — Deep Earth Pottery; Robert Fishman — Robert Fishman Pottery; Pat Shea-Orzechowski — Pottery by Shea. \nSculpture: Linda Hayden — Hayden Creations. \nWatercolors: Sakara Perry — Sakara Perry Studio. \nWood: Julianna Cameron — Julianna Design; Charles Clark — CB’s Creations; Ian Evertson — Rogers Lake Woodworking; Debi Hitter — Ms. Sticks; Fred Jakubiec — Birdhouse Accents; Judy and Dan Liddle — Old Tyme Toys; Peter Scotella — JAMShome Design LLC; Brahim Sehili — Unique-Touches. \nSaturday Has Another Reason to Walk Main Street\nThere’s an easy way to turn the festival into a larger Old Saybrook morning. \nThe Old Saybrook Farmers’ Market is scheduled for the same Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 210 Main Street\, a short distance from the festival. \nThat means early arrivals can start at the farmers market and continue to the Town Green when the art festival opens at 10. \nThe location also puts festival visitors directly on Old Saybrook’s Main Street rather than at an isolated fairground. Restaurants\, shops and the rest of downtown remain within walking distance once you’ve finished—or need a break from—the rows of booths. \nSixty-Two Years Is the Other Thing Worth Noticing\nThe scale is impressive\, but longevity may say more about this event. \nAn annual community festival doesn’t reach its 62nd edition because somebody found a successful social-media campaign. It gets there because generations of exhibitors and visitors continue putting it on the calendar. \nThe format is uncomplicated: put a large collection of juried artists on the Town Green\, give people most of two days to explore it and let the work do the selling. \nFor someone casually browsing\, that means plenty of relatively accessible handmade items and gifts. \nFor someone actually looking for art\, there are enough painters\, photographers\, potters\, glass artists and sculptors here to spend considerably more time comparing work than the words “craft festival” might suggest. \nAnd unlike a gallery exhibition\, there’s another advantage: in most cases\, the person standing behind the work is the person who made it. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nDetails\nEvent: 62nd Annual Old Saybrook Arts & Crafts Festival\nDates: Saturday\, Oct. 3 and Sunday\, Oct. 4\, 2026\nSaturday Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\nSunday Hours: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.\nLocation: Old Saybrook Town Green\nAddress: 300 Main Street\, Old Saybrook\, CT 06475\nAdmission: Free\nArtists and Crafters: 145 listed in the Chamber’s 2026 event registration; the festival page describes the event as featuring more than 150\nSelection: Juried; applicants submit photographs of their work for review\nArt and Craft Categories: Acrylics\, ceramics\, consumables\, embellishment\, fiber\, glass\, graphics\, jewelry\, leather\, metal\, mixed media\, oils\, photography\, pottery\, sculpture\, watercolor and wood\nFood: Food is available at the festival; current sources indicate local civic organizations have traditionally handled food service rather than a conventional lineup of commercial festival food vendors\nSaturday Nearby: Old Saybrook Farmers’ Market\, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.\, 210 Main Street\nParking: Free parking is reported for the festival; follow posted event parking directions on arrival\nAccessibility: The festival is outdoors on the Town Green; an event listing identifies accessible amenities\, but visitors needing specific accommodations should contact the Chamber before attending\nWeather: Outdoor event; check the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber for any weather-related changes\nOrganizer: Greater Old Saybrook Chamber\nContact: 860-388-3266 \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/145-juried-artists-take-over-the-old-saybrook-town-green-for-a-62-year-tradition/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:Old Saybrook Town Green\, 308 Main St\,\, Old Saybrook\, 06475\, United States
CATEGORIES:Old Saybrook Town Green
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T150000
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SUMMARY:Brunch Sundays Brings Southern Comfort Food With a Haitian Island Twist to New London
DESCRIPTION:Brunch Sundays – Southern Dishes With an Island Twist turns Sunday into a five-hour affair at Favorites Bistro Bar in downtown New London\, pairing brunch standards like chicken and waffles\, French toast\, and grits with the Haitian and Caribbean flavors that have become the restaurant’s calling card. \nThe weekly brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday at Favorites\, located at 90 Bank Street. \nAnd while plenty of restaurants serve brunch\, Favorites has a fairly compelling reason for adding the words “island twist.” \nOwner Majan Pierre grew up with Haitian cooking\, and the restaurant she and her husband Ederjson “EJ” Pierre created uses those flavors as a jumping-off point rather than treating them as rigid boundaries. \nThe result can put oxtail beside grits\, Haitian seasonings into familiar American comfort foods\, and a caramelized crème brûlée treatment onto French toast. \nIt’s brunch\, but not necessarily the brunch you already know. \nChicken and Waffles Gets the Favorites Treatment\nThe restaurant’s current Brunch Sundays promotion puts three dishes front and center: chicken and waffles\, oxtail and grits\, and crème brûlée French toast. \nChicken and waffles already lives comfortably at the intersection of sweet and savory. \nFavorites pushes further into that territory. \nThe restaurant’s broader approach incorporates the seasonings\, sauces and ingredients of Haitian and Caribbean cooking into recognizable American dishes rather than separating the menu into “traditional” and “island” sections. \nThat philosophy has helped chicken and waffles become one of the dishes frequently associated with Favorites since the restaurant began developing its brunch service. \nBut the oxtail and grits may be an even better example of what the restaurant is trying to do. \nOxtail and Grits Connects Two Comfort-Food Traditions\nOxtail has a long history in Caribbean cooking\, including Haitian cuisine\, where slow cooking turns a notoriously tough cut into something rich and deeply flavored. \nGrits come from a different culinary tradition but perform much the same job on the plate: warm\, uncomplicated comfort food capable of carrying an intensely flavored braise. \nPut them together and the combination makes immediate sense. \nFavorites has used oxtail elsewhere on its menu in inventive ways\, including oxtail rangoons. \nThat willingness to move ingredients between culinary traditions is central to the restaurant’s identity. \nPierre has described Favorites as Haitian street food\, but she’s also made clear that she doesn’t want the menu confined by that description. \nThe restaurant has served familiar dishes such as Caesar salad and pasta alongside Haitian staples and Caribbean-influenced creations. \nWhat connects them is often what happens in the kitchen. \nHaitian Flavor Is Built Into the Food\nOne of the building blocks is épis. \nThe Haitian seasoning base varies from kitchen to kitchen but generally combines fresh herbs\, peppers\, aromatics and spices into a concentrated mixture used to season meats\, seafood and other dishes. \nAt Favorites\, épis has been incorporated into dishes such as braised short ribs. \nThen there’s pikliz\, the sharp Haitian pickled vegetable condiment that can bring acidity\, crunch and heat to rich food. \nFavorites uses versions of it throughout its cooking. \nPierre told Connecticut food writer James Gribbon that the goal isn’t necessarily to make everything overwhelmingly hot. \nThe seasoning goes into the food from the beginning. \nThat’s a meaningful distinction. \nAdding a hot sauce to an otherwise conventional brunch dish creates heat. \nBuilding a dish around a different seasoning tradition changes its underlying flavor. \nFavorites is aiming for the second approach. \nThen There’s the Crème Brûlée French Toast\nIf oxtail and grits represents the savory side of the menu\, crème brûlée French toast heads in the opposite direction. \nThe basic idea borrows from the contrast that makes crème brûlée work: a rich\, soft interior against a caramelized exterior. \nApplied to French toast\, it turns one of brunch’s most familiar dishes into something closer to dessert. \nFavorites has served French toast in several forms\, and the dish has become one of the restaurant’s recognizable brunch offerings. \nIt’s also a good example of why “Southern dishes with an island twist” doesn’t tell the entire story. \nThere are Caribbean influences here\, certainly. \nBut there are also French influences\, Southern American comfort food and contemporary brunch culture colliding on the same menu. \nIn Haitian cooking\, that kind of overlap isn’t particularly strange. \nHaitian Cuisine Was Already a Fusion Cuisine\nHaiti’s food traditions developed from an unusually complicated history. \nWest African culinary traditions mixed with Indigenous Caribbean ingredients and techniques and European\, particularly French\, influences. \nThat history can still be seen in the language and food. \nFrench-derived culinary terms coexist with ingredients and cooking methods rooted elsewhere. \nSo a New London restaurant moving comfortably among Haitian food\, Southern comfort dishes and French-inspired brunch isn’t necessarily abandoning one tradition for another. \nIt’s continuing the mixing that created the cuisine in the first place. \nPierre has described Haitian food as difficult to reduce to a single definition because of those influences and because recipes can vary considerably between communities and households. \nHer own reference point is especially personal. \nBefore opening Favorites\, Pierre had never worked in a restaurant. \nShe learned food at home. \nMajan Pierre Went From Home Cooking to Restaurant Owner\nFavorites Bistro Bar opened in 2023\, making Pierre’s route into the restaurant business an unusual one. \nShe wasn’t a chef leaving someone else’s kitchen. \nShe wasn’t a longtime restaurant manager finally opening her own place. \nPierre told Gribbon that Favorites was her first restaurant job of any kind. \nHer culinary background came largely from watching her mother cook and from her own interest in food. \nShe and EJ Pierre nevertheless turned that home-cooking foundation into a downtown restaurant. \nBy April 2026\, Favorites was celebrating its third anniversary and a grand reopening\, along with an expansion of its lunch service. \nThe restaurant also brought Chef Bel into its culinary leadership. \nBrunch has become an increasingly important part of that evolution. \nSundays Have Become Their Own Thing\nFavorites now dedicates 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday to brunch. \nThat’s not merely an hour or two added onto lunch service. \nIt’s the Sunday service. \nThe restaurant’s Brunch Sundays promotion makes that clear\, presenting the meal as a recurring weekly event rather than a one-off special. \nThat gives diners considerably more flexibility than a traditional late-morning brunch. \nCome at 10 and it’s breakfast. \nArrive at noon and you’re firmly in brunch territory. \nShow up at 2 and it can function as a late lunch. \nThe restaurant’s drinks follow the same leisurely approach to Sunday\, with brunch cocktails among the offerings. \nFavorites Has One of Downtown’s More Interesting Locations\nThe restaurant occupies space in the historic granite Roberts Building along Bank Street. \nIts location puts it in the middle of downtown New London’s restaurant\, arts and waterfront district. \nHygienic Art is nearby\, and the Thames River waterfront is only a short walk away. \nInside\, Favorites is bright during the day\, with large windows bringing natural light into a dining room and bar designed to feel more contemporary than rustic. \nThere’s also outdoor seating with views toward the harbor. \nThat gives Sunday brunch an easy extension into the rest of downtown. \nEat first\, then walk Bank Street\, head toward the waterfront or see what’s happening in the surrounding arts district. \nParking Is Easier on Sunday Than You Might Expect\nFor people who avoid downtown New London because they’re worried about parking\, Sunday has an advantage. \nFavorites lists Bank Street and State Street among the nearby free parking options. \nThe O’Neill-Tilley Municipal Lot and Water Street Garage provide additional paid parking nearby. \nAs always downtown\, availability depends on what else is happening that day. \nBut Favorites sits in a walkable part of New London\, so there’s little reason to circle the restaurant looking for the closest possible space if other downtown parking is available. \nA Sunday Brunch That Actually Tells You Something About the Restaurant\nChicken and waffles is everywhere now. \nFrench toast certainly isn’t difficult to find. \nNeither are eggs\, mimosas or grits. \nSo the interesting question isn’t whether Favorites serves brunch food. \nIt’s what happens when those dishes pass through this particular kitchen. \nA Haitian-American owner who learned from her mother’s cooking opened her first restaurant on Bank Street. \nShe began combining the food she knew with dishes that belonged to other traditions. \nThree years later\, that experiment has developed into a Sunday brunch where oxtail can land on grits and French toast can arrive dressed like crème brûlée. \nThat’s a much better reason to go to brunch than simply because it’s Sunday. \nDetails\nEvent: Brunch Sundays – Southern Dishes With an Island Twist\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nRecurring: Every Sunday\nTime: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.\nLocation: Favorites Bistro Bar\nAddress: 90 Bank Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nFeatured Brunch Dishes: Chicken and waffles\, oxtail and grits\, crème brûlée French toast\nCuisine: Southern comfort food with Haitian and Caribbean influences\nOwners: Majan and Ederjson “EJ” Pierre\nPhone: 860-446-6188\nParking: Free parking is available on Bank Street and State Street; paid options include the O’Neill-Tilley Municipal Lot and Water Street Garage\nReservations: Favorites accepts reservations; advance reservations may be useful for Sunday brunch\nAccessibility: Contact the restaurant directly for specific accessibility needs or seating accommodations. \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/brunch-sundays-brings-southern-comfort-food-with-a-haitian-island-twist-to-new-london-2/
LOCATION:Favorites Bistro Bar\, 90 B Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Favorites Bistro Bar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Brunch-Sundays-Brings-Southern-Comfort-Food-With-a-Haitian-Island-Twist-to-New-London.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007336-1791104400-1791136800@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/2026-10-04/
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:20261004T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T170000
DTSTAMP:20260918T214807Z
CREATED:20260918T214807Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T214807Z
UID:10008466-1791104400-1791133200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Clark Farms Fall Festival Celebrates 250 Years of Rhode Island Farming
DESCRIPTION:Clark Farms Fall Festival Celebrates 250 Years of Rhode Island Farming with a corn maze devoted to the state’s agricultural history\, plus hayrides\, zip lines\, farm animals\, live music\, food\, and a full farm park in Matunuck\, 25 miles from Mystic. \nThe festival is underway for the fall season at Clark Farms\, where the 2026 theme connects one of New England’s quintessential autumn traditions to Rhode Island’s 250th anniversary. \nThis year’s corn maze is “250 Years of Farming in Rhode Island\,” and the farm uses the attraction to explore how agriculture has changed throughout the state’s history. The maze and farm park are open during the week\, but weekends expand into the full Fall Festival experience with additional attractions\, food\, and entertainment. \nMore Than a Corn Maze\nMaking it through the maze is only part of the day. \nAdmission also opens up a collection of farm attractions including pedal-powered go-karts\, a petting zoo\, corn pit\, straw maze\, giant Mountain Slide\, farm basketball and a Western Town shooting gallery. \nThen there’s the corn cannon\, which gives visitors a chance to launch ears of corn across the farm. \nWeekend festival days add zip lines\, food\, performances and live music\, along with one of the more traditional fall experiences: a hayride through the surrounding Matunuck countryside. Clark Farms says its newer hayride is wheelchair accessible. \nThe farm’s butterfly house is also expected to remain open through late September\, while pumpkins and fall decorations are appearing throughout the property. Gem mining is available for an additional charge. \nCelebrating Rhode Island’s Farming Story\nThe 2026 theme is especially appropriate for a farm whose own history began with vegetables. \nClark Farms was established in South Kingstown in 1989 as a vegetable farm. Over the decades it expanded into plants\, nursery operations and landscape design\, eventually adding its larger Matunuck location in 2008. \nToday\, the business operates both as a working garden center and landscaping operation and as a seasonal destination\, bringing visitors onto the property for events including its summer sunflower displays and annual Fall Festival. \nFor this year’s maze\, Clark Farms is looking farther back than its own history. The attraction showcases the evolution of Rhode Island agriculture across 250 years\, turning a trip through the corn into a little state history along the way. \nFood\, Music and This Weekend’s Schedule\nClark Farms runs its own farm canteen during the festival\, with food that includes fresh-cut fries made with Matunuck-grown red potatoes\, hot dogs\, doughboys and corn dogs. Fresh hot donuts are also available on busy weekends. \nFor the weekend of Sept. 19–20\, the farm has announced additional food and entertainment. \nSaturday\, Sept. 19\nDel’s Frozen Lemonade — 11 a.m.–4 p.m. \nSunday\, Sept. 20\nDrink Coffee — 9 a.m.–2 p.m.\nPot Cellar — Live music\, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nCalifornia Taco food truck — 11 a.m.–3 p.m.\nDel’s Frozen Lemonade — 11 a.m.–4 p.m. \nSaturday also marks the deadline for Clark Farms’ new Scarecrow Competition. The contest has been accepting entries throughout September\, with a $500 Clark Farms gift card going to the winner. \nWeekends Bring the Full Festival\nVisitors can tackle the corn maze and explore the farm park throughout the week\, but there’s an important distinction between a weekday visit and the weekend Fall Festival. \nWeekend admission is when Clark Farms adds attractions such as the hayride\, zip lines\, expanded food offerings\, performances and live music. \nWeekend Fall Festival admission is $20 per person\, with children age 2 and younger admitted free. Weekday admission to the corn maze and farm park is $15 per person. \nTickets can be purchased at the farm\, although Clark Farms recommends buying them online in advance to avoid the in-person ticket line. \nSturdy shoes aren’t a bad idea either. This is a real cornfield rather than a paved attraction\, and paths can get muddy after rain. \nDogs are permitted in some of Clark Farms’ shopping areas but are not allowed inside the farm park or Fall Festival area because of the animals. Service animals are permitted. \nFrom a corn maze tracing 250 years of Rhode Island agriculture to a hayride through present-day Matunuck farmland\, this year’s Fall Festival puts a little history behind the pumpkins\, cider donuts and traditional fall fun. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Clark Farms Fall Festival\nSeason: Sept. 19–Nov. 1\, 2026\nLocation: Clark Farms\nAddress: 2984 Commodore Perry Highway\, Matunuck\, RI 02879\n2026 Theme: 250 Years of Farming in Rhode Island\nWeekend Admission: $20 per person; children 2 and younger free\nWeekday Admission: $15 per person\nTickets: Available online or at the farm; advance online purchase is recommended\nIncluded Attractions: Corn maze\, petting zoo\, corn pit\, straw maze\, Mountain Slide\, pedal go-karts\, basketball\, Western Town shooting gallery\, corn cannon and other farm activities. (Most attractions are during Fall Fest on Sat & Sun\, not during the week)\nWeekend Extras: Hayrides\, zip lines\, food\, performances and live music\nPets: Dogs are not permitted in the farm park/Fall Festival area; service animals are permitted\nWhat to Wear: Sturdy footwear is recommended\, particularly after rain \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/clark-farms-fall-festival-celebrates-250-years-of-rhode-island-farming/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:Clark Farms\, 2984 Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry Memorial Hwy\, Matunuck\, RI\, 02879\, United States
CATEGORIES:Clark Farms
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Clark-Farms-Fall-Festival-Celebrates-250-Years-of-Rhode-Island-Farming.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T120000
DTSTAMP:20261001T141326Z
CREATED:20261001T141326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T141326Z
UID:10009216-1791104400-1791115200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Run for The Cove Turns Bluff Point Into a Memory Lane for Grieving Families
DESCRIPTION:Run for The Cove Turns Bluff Point Into a Memory Lane for Grieving Families Sunday\, Oct. 4\, bringing families to one of Groton’s most familiar outdoor spaces for a two-mile Memorial Walk\, children’s fun run\, and a morning built around remembering people who have died. \nThis isn’t really a competitive running event despite the “Run for The Cove” name. \nThere is no 5K at the Groton event. The centerpiece is a two-mile Memorial Walk through Bluff Point State Park\, accompanied by a short Kids Fun Run\, children’s arts and crafts\, snacks\, and opportunities for families to remember loved ones together. \nThe event begins at 9 a.m. and raises money for The Cove Center for Grieving Children’s free programs for children and families throughout Connecticut. \nMemory Lane Makes the Walk Personal\nThe most meaningful section of the route may be Memory Lane. \nFamilies participating in The Cove’s fundraising program could raise $30 to have a memorial sign created with a photograph of someone they lost. Those signs are displayed along the walk\, turning part of the route into a collective remembrance. \nThe deadline for requesting a personalized sign for the Groton event was Sept. 24\, so new signs can no longer be ordered for Sunday’s walk. \nBut Memory Lane remains part of the experience for everyone participating. \nThat changes the character of a two-mile walk through the park. Rather than simply counting miles\, participants pass the names and faces of people being remembered by the families around them. \nThe Kids Run Ends With a Medal\nChildren have an event of their own. \nThe Kids Fun Run is intentionally described as quick and easy rather than competitive\, and every participating child receives a medal. \nThere will also be arts and crafts for children\, along with snacks and time for families to gather before and after the walk. \nThat family-centered approach reflects what The Cove does throughout the year. \nThe organization works specifically with children and teenagers coping with the death of someone significant in their lives. Rather than treating grief as something children should simply move beyond\, its programs give them places to talk\, remember and spend time with other young people who understand the experience. \nThe Cove Isn’t a Therapy Group\nThere’s an important distinction in the organization’s approach. \nThe Cove describes its core program as peer-based mutual support rather than therapy. \nVolunteer facilitators are screened and receive 15 hours of training in childhood grief before beginning their work. They also meet with staff before and after program sessions for continuing education and supervision. \nChildren and teenagers are able to interact with peers who have also experienced a death while participating in age-appropriate activities designed around grief and remembrance. \nWhen a child appears to need clinical grief therapy\, The Cove says staff can work with caregivers to identify qualified therapists. \nThat allows its programs to occupy a different space: not replacing professional mental-health treatment\, but creating a community where grieving children don’t have to be the only child in the room who has lost someone. \nWhat Sunday’s Walk Supports\nMoney raised through the Groton event helps keep The Cove’s programs free for participating families. \nThose programs currently include the Family Program\, Camp Compassion\, Virtual Program and Summer Program\, along with professional development work. \nCamp Compassion offers one example of what those donations make possible. \nThe free weekend-long overnight bereavement camp serves Connecticut children and teenagers ages 6 through 17 who have experienced the death of someone significant. Campers participate in familiar camp activities while also taking part in therapeutic grief activities led by bereavement professionals and trained volunteers. \nThe idea is to give children room both to grieve and to simply be children. \nThey can remember the person they lost\, learn coping skills and meet other kids carrying something similar. \nSunday’s walk translates that same philosophy into a public community event. \nThree Connecticut Communities Are Walking for The Cove\nGroton is one of three communities hosting Cove walks this fall. \nThe first took place Sept. 13 at Winding Trails in Farmington. \nGroton follows Oct. 4 at Bluff Point. \nThe organization’s largest October event comes Oct. 18 at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison\, where the program expands to include a timed 5K along with the two-mile Memorial Walk and Kids Fun Run. \nThat distinction is worth emphasizing for anyone looking at the Groton event: Sunday at Bluff Point is the Memorial Walk and Kids Fun Run\, not the 5K. \nA Different Kind of Setting for a Grief Event\nBluff Point gives the Groton walk a particularly appropriate setting. \nInstead of gathering inside a ballroom or event hall\, families spend the morning outdoors\, walking together through the state park. \nAnd this isn’t an event that requires participants to arrive with a particular story. \nSome may be walking shortly after a loss. Others may be remembering someone who died years ago. Children can run\, make crafts and collect their medals while adults walk alongside people who understand why they’re there. \nThere doesn’t have to be a finish line for grief. \nOn Sunday morning\, there is simply a path through Bluff Point and a community willing to walk it together. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To register\, click the Event Registration link below. \nDetails\nEvent: 2026 Groton Memorial Walk & Kids Fun Run\nDate: Sunday\, Oct. 4\, 2026\nTime: 9 a.m.\nLocation: Bluff Point State Park\nAddress: 55 Depot Road\, Groton\, CT 06340\nOrganizer: The Cove Center for Grieving Children\nMemorial Walk: Two miles\nKids Fun Run: Short\, noncompetitive children’s run; participants receive a medal\nFamily Activities: Children’s arts and crafts and snacks\nMemory Lane: Memorial signs honoring loved ones will be displayed along the walk; the Sept. 24 deadline for new Groton signs has passed\nT-Shirts: Included with registration while supplies last; guaranteed-size deadline has passed\nFundraising: Participants can create or join fundraising teams to support The Cove’s programs\nWeather: Rain or shine\nRefunds: No refunds\nRegistration: Advance registration is encouraged; day-of registration is available at an increased price\nBeneficiary: The Cove Center for Grieving Children\nPrograms Supported: Family Program\, Camp Compassion\, Virtual Program\, Summer Program and professional development\nThe Cove Contact: 203-634-0500\nEvent Contact: Pat Vlamis\, pat@covect.org \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/run-for-the-cove-turns-bluff-point-into-a-memory-lane-for-grieving-families/
LOCATION:Bluff Point State Park\, 55 Depot Road\, Groton\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bluff Point State Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Run-for-The-Cove-Turns-Bluff-Point-Into-a-Memory-Lane-for-Grieving-Families.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T120000
DTSTAMP:20260929T222010Z
CREATED:20260929T222010Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T222010Z
UID:10009204-1791100800-1791115200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Safe Walk Turns a Morning at Waterford’s Duck Pond Into a Stand Against Abuse
DESCRIPTION:Safe Walk Turns a Morning at Waterford’s Duck Pond Into a Stand Against Abuse. Oct. 4\, Safe Futures brings families\, friends\, and community teams together for its annual walk during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. \nThe walk itself begins at 9 a.m.\, but this is more than a group making a lap around the park. \nBeginning at 8 a.m.\, Arnold Holm Jr. Memorial Park and the surrounding Waterford Duck Pond area become a small community gathering with a craft fair featuring local vendors\, basket raffles\, breakfast food trucks\, and activities surrounding the walk. \nThe goal is both symbolic and practical. \nSafe Futures hopes the event will raise at least $50\,000 to support free and confidential services for people in Southeastern Connecticut affected by domestic violence\, sexual assault\, stalking\, trafficking\, elder abuse\, and child abuse. \nThe Organization Behind the Walk\nSafe Futures is based in New London\, but its work extends throughout Southeastern Connecticut. \nFor someone experiencing abuse\, the organization can be a point of contact at virtually every stage of a crisis. \nSafe Futures operates a confidential hotline 24 hours a day\, 365 days a year. Its services include emergency shelter and safe-hotel placements\, transitional and supportive housing\, individual counseling\, court advocacy\, child and family advocacy\, assistance for victims working with law enforcement and prevention programs in area schools. \nThose services are provided free and confidentially. \nThat gives the Safe Walk a different significance than a typical Sunday-morning fundraiser. \nThe money raised doesn’t disappear into an abstract national campaign. It supports an organization working with people in this region who may need somewhere safe to sleep\, someone to accompany them through court\, help making a safety plan or simply a confidential person to call. \nWalk Together — or Build a Team\nAdults can register for $25\, while children under 18 and students participate free. \nWalkers can come individually\, gather family and friends or create fundraising teams. Participants receive fundraising tools through the event registration system\, and anyone who raises at least $100 receives a Safe Futures T-shirt. \nSame-day registration is available beginning at 8 a.m. \nThe morning’s craft fair also opens at 8\, giving people time to visit local vendors\, grab breakfast from the food trucks and enter the basket raffles before the walk gets underway. \nThen look for the purple balloon arch. \nThat’s the starting line\, positioned at the Waterford Public Library near the Duck Pond. Waterford Police will be on hand to assist pedestrians crossing the surrounding roads. \nWhy October Matters\nSafe Walk is deliberately held at the beginning of October. \nNational Domestic Violence Awareness Month is observed throughout the month\, with organizations across Connecticut holding walks\, vigils and community events intended both to support survivors and to make information about domestic violence and available services more visible. \nSafe Futures expands its mission beyond domestic violence alone. Its programs serve people affected by sexual assault\, stalking\, trafficking\, elder abuse and child abuse as well. \nAnd while Sunday’s event is designed to be welcoming and family-friendly\, the reason everyone is gathering at the Duck Pond is serious. \nSometimes awareness means knowing that help exists before you or someone you know needs it. \nSafe Futures’ confidential hotline is available around the clock at 860-701-6001. Connecticut’s statewide Safe Connect service can also be reached by calling or texting 888-774-2900. \nA Walk With a $50\,000 Destination\nSafe Futures has set a fundraising target of at least $50\,000 for this year’s walk. \nBut participation doesn’t require raising hundreds of dollars or assembling a large team. Someone can register\, show up and walk. Families can bring children. Students can participate free. Others can support friends who are fundraising\, shop the craft fair or donate without walking. \nParking will be available nearby at the Waterford Community Center\, Town Hall\, Waterford High School and Civic Triangle Park. The Waterford Public Library lot is reserved for craft-fair vendors and volunteers and will not be available for general parking \nOne other thing to leave home: the dog. Only service dogs and police dogs are permitted at Safe Walk. \nThe craft fair and registration open at 8 a.m.\, and the walk steps off at 9. \nFor Safe Futures\, however\, the destination is considerably farther away: a community where fewer people need the services the organization provides every day. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To register\, click the Event Registration link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Safe Walk 2026\nDate: Sunday\, Oct. 4\, 2026\nRegistration & Craft Fair: 8 a.m.\nWalk: 9 a.m.\nLocation: Arnold Holm Jr. Memorial Park / Waterford Duck Pond\nAddress: 37 Rope Ferry Road\, Waterford\, CT 06385\nAdmission: $25 adults; free for children under 18 and students\nSame-Day Registration: Available beginning at 8 a.m.\nFundraising Goal: $50\,000\nFundraising Incentive: Raise $100 or more and receive a Safe Futures T-shirt\nActivities: Community walk\, local craft vendors\, basket raffles and breakfast food trucks\nParking: Waterford Community Center\, Town Hall\, Waterford High School and Civic Triangle Park; no attendee parking at Waterford Public Library\nStarting Line: Purple balloon arch near the Waterford Public Library\nDogs: Service and police dogs only\nBeneficiary: Safe Futures\nSafe Futures 24/7 Confidential Hotline: 860-701-6001\nCT Safe Connect: Call or text 888-774-2900 \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/safe-walk-turns-a-morning-at-waterfords-duck-pond-into-a-stand-against-abuse/
LOCATION:Arnold Holm Jr. Memorial Park / Waterford Duck Pond\, 37 Ropeferry Road\, Waterford\, 06385\, United States
CATEGORIES:Arnold Holm Jr. Memorial Park / Waterford Duck Pons
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Safe-Walk-Turns-a-Morning-at-Waterfords-Duck-Pond-Into-a-Stand-Against-Abuse.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T223000
DTSTAMP:20261005T193645Z
CREATED:20260916T010757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T193645Z
UID:10007884-1791061200-1791066600@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/2026-10-03/2/
LOCATION:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\, Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Moonlit-Mystic-Graveyard-Ghost-Tours-Takes-Visitors-Into-One-of-Mystics-Oldest-Burial-Grounds-After-Dark.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T230000
DTSTAMP:20261001T211608Z
CREATED:20261001T211608Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T211608Z
UID:10009232-1791057600-1791068400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Charlestown Rathskeller Turns Oktoberfest Into a Three-Day Party With German Food\, Live Music and Big Prizes
DESCRIPTION:Charlestown Rathskeller Turns Oktoberfest Into a Three-Day Party With German Food\, Live Music and Big Prizes Oct. 2–4\, filling the historic wooded tavern with German-inspired food\, cold beer\, three days of live music and a raffle lineup that ranges from gift cards to beer for a year and a Vermont getaway. \nThis isn’t a Saturday-afternoon Oktoberfest squeezed into a few hours. \nThe Rathskeller is making a weekend of it\, with festivities running Friday through Sunday at its Old Coach Road property in Charlestown. A special menu brings the German flavors\, while a different band takes over each day and raffle prizes are drawn throughout the weekend. \nThe restaurant’s own pitch gets right to the point: “Come for the Oktoberfest. Stay for the prizes.” \nConsidering what’s being given away\, that’s not much of an exaggeration. \nStart With the German Food\nThe Rathskeller is supplementing its regular offerings with an Oktoberfest menu built around dishes that go well beyond adding a pretzel to the bar menu. \nCurrywurst brings one of Germany’s great street foods to Charlestown: sausage served with the distinctive curry-spiced sauce that became a postwar favorite in Berlin. \nThere are Rathskeller soft pretzels\, along with frikadellen\, the German seasoned meat patties that land somewhere between a meatball and a small hamburger. \nFor something more substantial\, the menu includes cider-braised pork shank and sauerbraten\, the traditional German pot roast known for its sweet-and-sour character and long marinating process. \nAnd because this is still an American fall festival in Rhode Island\, there are funnel cakes for dessert. \nAdd cold beer\, and the Rathskeller has the food-and-drink side of Oktoberfest well covered. \nThree Days\, Three Bands\nThe music changes every day\, giving each part of the weekend a different personality. \nFriday: AD/HD\nAD/HD kicks off the music Friday from 8 to 11 p.m. \nThe AC/DC tribute act draws from both major periods of the Australian band’s career\, covering music associated with original frontman Bon Scott as well as the Brian Johnson era. \nThat opens Oktoberfest with hard rock rather than polka. \nAdmission for the performance is listed at $10 in advance and $15 at the door\, plus applicable advance ticketing fees. \nSaturday: Wicked Peach\nSaturday belongs to a band plenty of southeastern Connecticut music fans already know. \nWicked Peach performs from 8 to 11 p.m. \nThe regional rock band dates to 1996 and has built its following through decades of shows around southeastern Connecticut and southern New England. \nIts repertoire stretches across several generations of rock and pop-rock\, making the Saturday night show less about a single artist or era than the kind of recognizable songs designed to keep a weekend crowd moving. \nTickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. \nSunday: Timeless\nThe weekend shifts gears for its finale. \nTimeless performs Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m.\, turning the final day into more of an afternoon and early-evening party. \nThe Rhode Island-based group has been performing since 2016\, mixing classic rock\, pop\, country and dance music. Its résumé includes appearances at venues including Bally’s Twin River and Hard Rock Boston. \nSunday’s show is also listed at $10 in advance and $15 at the door. \nTogether\, the three bookings give Oktoberfest three very different musical flavors: an AC/DC tribute Friday\, regional rock favorites Wicked Peach Saturday and a broad party-band mix from Timeless Sunday. \nThen There Are the Prizes\nThis is where the Rathskeller’s Oktoberfest gets unusually ambitious. \nRaffle drawings take place throughout all three days\, and the prizes grow substantially beyond T-shirts and promotional swag. \nOrganizers are advertising hundreds of dollars in Rathskeller gift cards\, Oktoberfest merchandise and DownBack tickets alongside some much larger prizes. \nFriday’s festivities build toward a $500 Rathskeller gift card drawing at midnight. \nSaturday brings one of the weekend’s attention-getters: Beer for a Year. Another prize offers a dinner for two and wine every month for a year. \nSunday answers with Wine for a Year and perhaps the weekend’s most distinctive prize\, a two-night getaway for two to the von Trapp family’s Vermont resort and brewery\, including a brewery tour and a $200 dining credit. \nThere’s also a 2027 DownBack VIP pass among the prizes. \nThe raffle rules make entering relatively easy. There is no purchase necessary\, but participants must be 21 or older and must physically visit the Charlestown Rathskeller on the day of the drawing to enter. \nEntries are valid only for that day’s drawings and don’t carry over into the following day. \nVisitors don’t have to spend the entire day waiting to see if they’ve won. Winners can be contacted by email after the drawing. \nThat makes it possible to stop in during the afternoon\, enter the raffle\, have something to eat and return later for the night’s band without spending eight hours guarding a raffle ticket. \nOktoberfest at a Place That Dates to 1933\nThe setting gives the weekend considerably more character than a temporary beer tent in a parking lot. \nThe Charlestown Rathskeller traces its history to 1933\, the same year Prohibition ended nationally. \nIts secluded location in the woods became part of its identity\, and the property has long traded on the atmosphere of an old roadside tavern tucked away from the main coastal route. \nToday’s Rathskeller is considerably larger than a single historic dining room. \nThe property combines the restaurant and tavern with patios\, outdoor gathering spaces\, games including cornhole and bocce and the seasonal DownBack entertainment area. \nDownBack adds outdoor bars\, food\, a large fire pit and a concert stage to the wooded property. \nIts regular music season runs through the warmer months into October\, making Oktoberfest an appropriate way to push the outdoor-party atmosphere into fall. \nThree Days Instead of One Big Rush\nThe format also gives visitors options. \nSomeone interested primarily in the food and raffles doesn’t necessarily need to arrive for an 8 p.m. concert. AC/DC fans have a reason to choose Friday. Wicked Peach followers can make Saturday their night. Families or people who don’t want to stay out late can take advantage of Timeless’ earlier Sunday performance. \nAnd because raffle prizes are spread across the weekend\, there’s a reason to return. \nThat makes this less like a conventional Oktoberfest with a fixed four-hour program and more like the Rathskeller temporarily changing its personality for an entire weekend. \nGerman-inspired food provides the theme. \nThe beer certainly helps. \nBut between three bands\, three days of drawings and prizes that include everything from gift cards to a Vermont brewery getaway\, the Rathskeller has built plenty around the beer steins. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets for the individual live music performances\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Charlestown Rathskeller Oktoberfest\nDates: Friday–Sunday\, Oct. 2–4\, 2026\nLocation: Charlestown Rathskeller\nAddress: 489A Old Coach Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813\nOktoberfest Menu: Currywurst\, Rathskeller soft pretzels\, frikadellen\, cider-braised pork shank\, sauerbraten and funnel cakes\nFriday Music: AD/HD\, 8–11 p.m.\nSaturday Music: Wicked Peach\, 8–11 p.m.\nSunday Music: Timeless\, 4–7 p.m.\nMusic Tickets: $10 advance/$15 at the door for the listed performances; advance ticketing fees may apply\nRaffles: Drawings throughout all three days\nMajor Prizes: Rathskeller gift cards\, Beer for a Year\, Wine for a Year\, monthly dinner-and-wine package\, 2027 DownBack VIP pass and a two-night Vermont getaway\nRaffle Admission: No purchase necessary\nRaffle Age: 21+\nRaffle Rules: Entrants must visit the Rathskeller in person on the applicable day; entries do not carry over to subsequent days\nSetting: Historic tavern\, restaurant and wooded outdoor entertainment property with the seasonal DownBack area\nWeather: Outdoor portions of the weekend may be affected by weather; check with the Rathskeller for any day-of changes \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/charlestown-rathskeller-turns-oktoberfest-into-a-three-day-party-with-german-food-live-music-and-big-prizes/2026-10-03/
LOCATION:Rathskeller\, 489A Old Coach Rd\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Rathskeller
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T213000
DTSTAMP:20260929T215135Z
CREATED:20260929T215135Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T215135Z
UID:10009203-1791057600-1791063000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Monophonics Bring Heavy Soul and Psychedelic Rock Back to the Knick
DESCRIPTION:Monophonics Bring Heavy Soul and Psychedelic Rock Back to the Knick Oct. 3\, when the San Francisco band returns to Westerly with the kind of music that can make a modern club feel like somebody just opened a forgotten door into 1971. \nIf you haven’t heard Monophonics before\, start with the ingredients. \nTake the emotional weight of classic soul\, add the deep grooves and horns of funk\, layer in psychedelic guitars and vintage keyboards\, and put Kelly Finnigan out front with a voice that sounds remarkably at home in another musical era. \nThe result isn’t a tribute act and it isn’t a band simply reproducing old records. Monophonics write contemporary songs using a musical vocabulary built from late-’60s and early-’70s soul\, psychedelic rock and R&B. \nThat’s also what makes the Knick Music Lab an especially good room for them. \nOld Soul Without Becoming a Museum Piece\nMonophonics formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-2000s\, but the band’s defining era began when singer\, songwriter\, producer and keyboardist Kelly Finnigan joined the group. \nFinnigan helped push Monophonics toward the sound that has become its calling card: big analog textures\, emotionally charged vocals\, horns\, psychedelic flourishes and arrangements that can move from intimate soul ballads to explosive funk-rock. \nThere are plenty of historical reference points. \nYou can hear echoes of Curtis Mayfield and the cinematic side of soul\, the psychedelic experiments of late-’60s Motown\, vocal groups such as the Delfonics and the expansive pop of bands like the Zombies. \nBut Monophonics don’t treat those influences as artifacts. \nThe songs themselves deal with recognizable subjects — love\, loss\, perseverance\, isolation and the messy business of trying to get through life — while the production deliberately reaches backward to an era when records sounded warm\, imperfect and human. \nThat combination helped songs including “Last One Standing\,” “It’s Only Us\,” “Chances\,” “Lying Eyes\,” “Promises” and their interpretation of “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” find audiences far beyond the retro-soul scene. \nIf You Want to Know What They Sound Like\, Check Into the Sage Motel\nTheir 2022 album Sage Motel may be the best introduction to the Monophonics world. \nIt’s a concept album built around an imaginary motel that supposedly began as a roadside stop in the 1940s\, became a bohemian destination during the 1960s and ’70s and then slowly deteriorated. \nPeople pass through its rooms carrying dreams\, broken relationships and turning points in their lives. \nMusically\, it gives Monophonics room to blend heavy soul with psychedelic rock and cinematic arrangements\, with Finnigan’s voice holding the stories together. \nBy that point the band had already developed a substantial following. Its previous album\, It’s Only Us\, accumulated tens of millions of streams\, while Monophonics built its reputation the old-fashioned way as well: touring. \nThe group has performed across the United States and in cities throughout Europe and beyond\, including London\, Paris\, Amsterdam\, Athens and Istanbul. \nAnd live performance matters with this band. \nThe Horns Are Coming Too\nThe current Monophonics lineup is constructed to deliver considerably more than a stripped-down touring approximation of the records. \nFinnigan handles vocals and keyboards\, backed by drummer Austin Bohlman\, bassist Max Ramey and guitarist Aquilles Magaña. \nThen comes the horn section\, led by trumpeter Ryan Scott with Jason Cressey on trombone. \nThat’s important because the horns aren’t decorative in this music. They’re part of what gives Monophonics its scale\, moving between tight rhythmic punches and sweeping soul arrangements while the rhythm section provides the groove underneath. \nThe UNITED describes the band’s live performances as energetic\, and years of international touring have made the stage as important to Monophonics’ identity as the studio. \nFor people who like soul but don’t necessarily want a nostalgia show\, this is where the distinction becomes clear. \nMonophonics aren’t pretending it’s still 1970. \nThey’ve simply decided that some of the things musicians knew how to do in 1970 were worth keeping. \nA Big Sound in an Intimate Westerly Room\nSaturday’s concert isn’t inside the UNITED’s main theater. \nIt’s at the Knick Music Lab\, the performance space at 35 Railroad Avenue that continues the musical life of Westerly’s historic Knickerbocker Music Center. \nThat should put Monophonics considerably closer to the audience than a traditional theater presentation would. \nThe night also includes support from Taylor Williams\, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and music beginning at 8. \nTickets are $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the show\, with fees included. The concert is open to all ages. \nFor anyone whose record collection wanders through classic soul\, psychedelic rock\, funk and modern artists who still believe a horn section and a deep groove can solve an awful lot of problems\, this is one worth investigating. \nAnd if you’ve never heard Monophonics\, give “Last One Standing” a few minutes before deciding. \nSeven minutes later\, you’ll have a much better idea of what Saturday night in Westerly is going to sound like. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Monophonics\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nDoors: 7:30 p.m.\nShow: 8 p.m.\nVenue: Knick Music Lab\nAddress: 35 Railroad Ave.\, Westerly\, RI\nAdmission: $30 advance; $35 day of show\, inclusive of fees\nAge: All ages\nSupport: Taylor Williams\nSeating: General admission\nFood & Drink: Prepackaged concession snacks and soft drinks available for purchase; limited bar with prepackaged beer\, wine and canned cocktails\nTicket Policy: Tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable \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/monophonics-bring-heavy-soul-and-psychedelic-rock-back-to-the-knick/
LOCATION:Knickerbocker Music Center\, 35 Railroad Ave\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T230000
DTSTAMP:20260528T144458Z
CREATED:20260528T144458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260528T144458Z
UID:10002633-1791055800-1791068400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Dance Saturday at THE MISFIT CLUB
DESCRIPTION:Dance Saturday at THE MISFIT CLUB brings late-night dance energy to downtown Mystic every Saturday with DJs\, theme nights\, and a growing nightlife crowd looking for something a little louder after dinner hours wind down around town. Doors open early in the evening before the dance floor fully shifts into party mode at 7:30 p.m.\, with modern dance music and big-city club energy taking over the space for the rest of the night. \nWhile Mystic is often associated with quieter waterfront evenings and laid-back coastal bars\, spots like THE MISFIT CLUB are helping carve out a younger nightlife scene built around DJs\, dancing\, themed parties\, and late-night social crowds. The venue leans into a more playful and high-energy atmosphere than many traditional shoreline spots\, with rotating themes like “Pink Underground” adding an extra layer of unpredictability from week to week. \nFor anyone looking to trade vineyard sunsets and seafood dinners for flashing lights\, dance music\, and a packed floor later in the evening\, Dance Saturday offers one of the more nightlife-focused experiences happening around southeastern Connecticut right now. Organizers encourage guests to follow the club’s Instagram page for updates on upcoming themes\, music\, and special event nights. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/dance-saturday-at-the-misfit-club/2026-10-03/
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:20261003T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T220000
DTSTAMP:20260927T214052Z
CREATED:20260927T210320Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260927T214052Z
UID:10008614-1791054000-1791064800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Ghost of Black Sam Turns a Real Pirate Shipwreck Into a Haunted Trail
DESCRIPTION:The Ghost of Black Sam Turns a Real Pirate Shipwreck Into a Haunted Trail begins Oct. 1 at Mystic KOA\, where one of New England’s most remarkable pirate stories becomes the inspiration for a monthlong nighttime Halloween attraction. \nThe outdoor trail runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays throughout October at the Mystic KOA Holiday campground in North Stonington. The premise is straightforward: visitors enter the darkness and walk a trail where\, according to the attraction’s story\, the ghost of pirate Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy still roams. \nBut unlike the invented killers and monsters behind many haunted attractions\, Black Sam was real. \nSo was his ship. \nAnd what happened to it during a violent New England storm in 1717 has become one of the great archaeological stories of the Golden Age of Piracy. \nThe Pirate Behind the Ghost\nSamuel Bellamy’s career as a pirate was remarkably short. \nBorn in England in 1689\, Bellamy emerged as a pirate captain during the early 18th century and spent roughly a year capturing ships in the Caribbean and along the Atlantic. \nHe was only 28 when he died. \nYet during that brief career\, Bellamy and his crew captured more than 50 vessels. His greatest prize came in early 1717 when his pirates seized the Whydah Gally near the Bahamas. \nThe Whydah had a darker history before Bellamy ever stepped aboard. \nBuilt in London\, the ship had been designed for the transatlantic slave trade. On its maiden voyage\, it sailed to the West African coast\, transported hundreds of enslaved people to the Caribbean and was returning toward England with the proceeds of that voyage when Bellamy captured it. \nIts size\, speed and firepower made it an ideal pirate flagship. \nBellamy took command. \nHe would have it for only about two months. \nA Nor’easter Off Cape Cod\nOn April 26\, 1717\, Bellamy and the Whydah were sailing north along the New England coast when they encountered a powerful nor’easter. \nThe ship was driven onto the shoals off what is now Wellfleet\, Massachusetts. \nThe Whydah broke apart. \nNearly everyone aboard died. \nThe wreck disappeared beneath Cape Cod’s shifting sands along with weapons\, coins\, silver and the accumulated possessions of Bellamy’s crew. \nFor generations\, the Whydah became part history and part legend. \nThen\, in 1984\, underwater explorer Barry Clifford and his team found the wreck off Wellfleet. The discovery was authenticated after divers recovered the ship’s bell bearing the name THE WHYDAH GALLY and the date 1716. \nThe Whydah became the first authenticated Golden Age pirate shipwreck ever recovered. \nArtifacts from the wreck continue to preserve a remarkably tangible connection to Bellamy and his crew more than 300 years after the storm. \nThat history gives The Ghost of Black Sam something most Halloween trails don’t have. \nIts monster once lived. \nFrom Shipwreck to Ghost Story\nThe haunting\, of course\, belongs to folklore rather than documented history. \nStories surrounding Bellamy have accumulated for centuries\, particularly around Cape Cod\, where the pirate’s death became entangled with tales of lost treasure\, restless spirits and a supposed doomed romance. \nModern retellings often connect Bellamy with a Cape Cod woman named Maria Hallett and describe him returning north to reunite with her when the Whydah was destroyed. \nIt’s a wonderfully gothic story. \nIt’s also one that historians have increasingly cautioned against treating as established fact. The romanticized Maria Hallett narrative developed long after Bellamy’s death\, and some details commonly repeated as pirate history are better understood as folklore. \nFor a haunted attraction\, however\, that collision of history and legend is precisely the point. \nThe Ghost of Black Sam takes the documented core — a young pirate captain\, a captured ship\, treasure\, a catastrophic nor’easter and a wreck beneath the waters of Cape Cod — and asks visitors to imagine that Bellamy never really left. \nHalloween Begins Oct. 1\nThe attraction opens Thursday\, Oct. 1\, effectively starting Halloween month on its first night. \nThe trail operates from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday throughout October\, culminating on Halloween night\, Saturday\, Oct. 31. \nMystic KOA Holiday sits at 118 Pendleton Hill Road in North Stonington\, providing the attraction with something difficult to manufacture inside a warehouse: actual woods and nighttime darkness. \nThe promotional material promises a spooky trail experience based on the legend of Black Sam Bellamy\, with lanterns\, pirates and the suggestion that something may still be wandering the trail. \nAdmission listed by the event is $20 for adults\, $10 for ages 11–16 and free for children under 10. The attraction is also free with a KOA campsite during a valid night of stay. \nIt’s a Halloween story with an unusually strong historical anchor. \nBlack Sam Bellamy doesn’t need an elaborate fictional origin story. \nMore than three centuries ago\, his pirate ship really did disappear into a nor’easter off New England. \nThe wreck really was found. \nAnd the treasure really was still there. \nWhat happens after dark in North Stonington is where history gives way to Halloween. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nDetails\nEvent: The Ghost of Black Sam\nOpening Night: Thursday\, Oct. 1\, 2026\nRun: Thursdays through Sundays throughout October\, through Oct. 31\nTime: 7–10 p.m.\nVenue: Mystic KOA Holiday\nAddress: 118 Pendleton Hill Road\, North Stonington\, CT 06359\nAdmission: Adults $20; ages 11–16 $10; children under 10 free\nKOA Guests: Free with a KOA campsite during a valid night of stay\nExperience: Outdoor spooky trail inspired by the legend of pirate Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy\nEvent Contact: Mystic KOA Campground\, 860-599-5101 \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/the-ghost-of-black-sam-turns-a-real-pirate-shipwreck-into-a-haunted-trail/2026-10-03/
LOCATION:Mystic KOA\, 118 Pendleton Hill Rd\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic KOA
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T203000
DTSTAMP:20261005T193645Z
CREATED:20260916T010757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T193645Z
UID:10007883-1791054000-1791059400@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/2026-10-03/1/
LOCATION:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\, Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T230000
DTSTAMP:20260929T031152Z
CREATED:20260929T031152Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T031152Z
UID:10009202-1791050400-1791068400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Garde Turns Back the Clock 100 Years to Recreate Its 1926 Opening Night
DESCRIPTION:The Garde Turns Back the Clock 100 Years to Recreate Its 1926 Opening Night Oct. 3\, when New London’s surviving movie palace celebrates its centennial by attempting something considerably more ambitious than a birthday party: recreating the kind of night audiences experienced when the theater first opened its doors a century ago. \nFor five hours\, the Garde Arts Center will become a version of itself from 1926. \nClassic automobiles will line the street\, with cocktails and strolling entertainers in the lobby\, tarot readers and a wandering magician\, an organ processional\, vaudeville\, a jazz orchestra\, dancing\, a vintage-style newsreel\, and a silent movie with live organ accompaniment. \nThen\, after the theater presentation ends\, everyone is invited onto the stage for a speakeasy with live jazz and dancing until 11 p.m. \nThe evening is called A Night to Remember\, and it’s the centerpiece of the Garde’s Centennial Season. \nThis isn’t simply a Roaring Twenties-themed party being held inside an old theater. \nIt’s a party about this particular theater and the night New London first discovered it. \nImagine State Street in 1926\nThe Garde opened on Sept. 22\, 1926\, during the great American movie-palace boom. \nMovies were silent. Television didn’t exist. Going to the movies could mean far more than sitting down\, watching a feature and going home. \nThe grand urban movie palaces were designed to make the entire evening feel like an event. \nThe Garde was built as a “photoplay house” under the direction of Arthur S. Friend\, a New York movie-industry attorney associated with the company that became Paramount Pictures. New London architect Arland W. Johnson designed the theater\, which was named for businessman Walter Garde. \nInside\, audiences entered an elaborate world of Moroccan and Middle Eastern-inspired decoration\, murals and architectural ornamentation. \nThe opening attraction was The Marriage Clause\, a silent romantic drama starring two major screen names of the era\, Francis X. Bushman and Billie Dove. \nBut a night at the Garde wasn’t necessarily just a movie. \nLike other theaters of its era\, the Garde combined motion pictures with live entertainment. Vaudeville performers could share the program with feature films\, comedy shorts and newsreels\, giving audiences a variety show and a movie in the same visit. \nOne hundred years later\, that’s the experience the Garde is trying to bring back. \nThe Night Begins Before Anyone Takes a Seat\nThe centennial celebration starts at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception\, and the theater itself becomes part of the performance. \nGuests will encounter classic automobiles\, strolling performers and a wandering magician\, along with photo opportunities and a mystical lounge with tarot card readers and live piano music. \nIt’s meant to create the sense that something is happening everywhere rather than asking guests to arrive\, find their seats and wait for a curtain. \nPeriod dress isn’t required\, but 1920s-inspired clothing is encouraged for anyone who wants to become part of the scenery. \nThen\, at 7:30 p.m.\, everyone heads into the theater. \nVaudeville\, Silent Film and a Mighty Organ\nThe feature presentation is constructed as a recreation of a 1926 theater program rather than a conventional stage show. \nAn organ processional and audience sing-along open the proceedings. Historical figures Arthur S. Friend and Walter Garde make appearances as characters in the evening\, reconnecting the celebration to the men behind the original theater. \nA symphonic jazz orchestra supplies the sound of the period\, while an Arthur Murray dance showcase and vaudeville performances bring back forms of live entertainment that would have been familiar to audiences entering a movie palace in the 1920s. \nThere’s even a vintage-style newsreel. \nAnd then the clock rolls all the way back to the era before movies talked. \nA silent film will be presented with live organ accompaniment and Foley sound effects — the sounds created to accompany actions on screen. \nThat’s particularly fitting inside the Garde. \nThe theater’s history spans the enormous technological transition that transformed movies at the end of the 1920s. Just three years after the Garde opened\, Warner Bros. purchased the theater as part of its expansion during the arrival of talking pictures. \nThe reported purchase price in 1929 was $1 million. \nThe building celebrating silent film in 2026 survived the revolution that made silent film obsolete. \nThen Everybody Gets Invited Onto the Stage\nAt 9 p.m.\, the formal presentation ends. \nThe party doesn’t. \nThe Garde will turn its stage into a speakeasy\, with guests invited up for a live jazz quartet\, dancing and additional surprises until 11 p.m. \nThat final portion changes the relationship between audience and theater in a wonderful way. \nFor most of the past century\, generations of New Londoners have looked at the Garde’s stage. \nOn this night\, they’ll get to party on it. \nThe building they’re celebrating almost didn’t make it to its 100th birthday. \nAfter decades as one of southeastern Connecticut’s major movie theaters\, the Garde closed in 1977 amid the enormous changes reshaping downtown movie houses across America. The nonprofit Garde Arts Center was established in 1985\, beginning the long process of saving and restoring the theater rather than losing another movie palace to demolition or redevelopment. \nToday\, the Garde once again hosts concerts\, movies\, comedy\, theater and community events beneath the elaborate interior created for audiences a century ago. \nThat makes A Night to Remember more than an exercise in nostalgia. \nOn Oct. 3\, people won’t be celebrating a vanished theater by looking at old photographs of it. \nThey’ll be standing inside it. \nAnd for one night\, the Garde gets to be 1926 again. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: A Night to Remember: 1926 Opening Night Reenactment\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nTime: 6–11 p.m.\nLocation: Garde Arts Center\nAddress: 325 State Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nAdmission: $26 and $126\, plus fees\n6–7 p.m.: Cocktail reception with signature cocktails\, classic automobiles\, strolling performers\, wandering magician\, photo opportunities\, tarot readers and live piano\n7:30 p.m.: Opening Night Reenactment and feature presentation\nFeature Presentation: Organ processional and sing-along\, Arthur S. Friend and Walter Garde appearances\, symphonic jazz orchestra\, Arthur Murray dance showcase\, vaudeville\, vintage-style newsreel and silent film with live organ accompaniment and Foley effects\n9–11 p.m.: Speakeasy on the Garde stage with live jazz quartet and dancing\nAttire: 1920s-inspired clothing encouraged but optional\nVIP: Includes additional benefits such as a drink ticket and live caricature portrait\nPhone: 860-444-7373\nEmail: info@gardearts.org \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/the-garde-turns-back-the-clock-100-years-to-recreate-its-1926-opening-night/
LOCATION:Garde Arts Center\, 325 State Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Garde Arts Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/The-Garde-Turns-Back-the-Clock-100-Years-to-Recreate-Its-1926-Opening-Night.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T210000
DTSTAMP:20260929T024550Z
CREATED:20260929T024550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T024550Z
UID:10009184-1791046800-1791061200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Pumpkin Passage Turns The Dinosaur Place Into a Glowing Halloween Playground
DESCRIPTION:Pumpkin Passage Turns The Dinosaur Place Into a Glowing Halloween Playground beginning Oct. 3\, when the dinosaurs stay up after dark\, and The Dinosaur Place in Montville transforms its prehistoric trails into a month-long Halloween world filled with glowing dinosaurs\, illuminated pumpkins\, mythical creatures\, live entertainers\, inflatables\, games\, and marshmallows around the fire. \nAnd despite all the ingredients that could make this terrifying — darkness\, enormous dinosaurs and Halloween — Pumpkin Passage is deliberately aimed at families with young children. \nThis is the eighth year for the annual event at Nature’s Art Village\, and rather than building a haunted attraction around jump scares and monsters\, the park uses its existing dinosaurs as the backdrop for a nighttime Halloween adventure kids can explore with their parents. \nThe result lands somewhere between a Halloween light walk\, an outdoor carnival\, and a visit to The Dinosaur Place after everybody forgot to tell the dinosaurs it was bedtime. \nWait Until the Sun Goes Down\nThe centerpiece is the illuminated trail. \nFamilies walk among glowing dinosaurs\, pumpkins and mythical creatures as Halloween lighting transforms the wooded attraction after dark. The Dinosaur Place is already home to more than 100 life-sized dinosaurs\, including animatronic creatures\, spread across its trails and attractions. Once daylight disappears\, those familiar prehistoric residents become part of the Halloween scenery. \nBut walking the trail is only part of the night. \nPumpkin Passage spreads activities throughout the grounds\, including the Jurassic Jungle bounce house\, a towering 20-foot Funhouse Super Slide\, an inflatable corn maze and other inflatables. \nThere are also lawn games and activities\, including inflatable axe throwing\, cornhole\, Connect 4 and Who’s Your Pumpkin. \nThen there are the pumpkins. \nAmong the more unusual attractions is an original performance by a family of singing animatronic pumpkins — which seems exactly like the sort of wonderfully odd Halloween creation children will either talk about for the rest of the month or insist on seeing again immediately. \nEvery Night Adds Live Entertainment\nPumpkin Passage isn’t exactly the same experience every night. \nThe Dinosaur Place is scheduling live entertainers throughout the run\, with the entertainment changing depending on the date. The lineup includes face painting and glitter tattoos\, balloon twisting\, a petting zoo\, DJs\, light performers\, stilt walkers and other specialty entertainment. \nThat means families planning around a particular performer should check the night’s entertainment schedule before choosing a date rather than assuming every attraction appears at every performance. \nThe regular attractions\, however\, give families plenty to do beyond the scheduled shows. \nOne of the simplest may also be one of the nicest on a cool October night: free marshmallow roasting around the fire pit\, including marshmallows and roasting sticks. S’mores kits\, hot apple cider and cocoa are available as extras. \nFood trucks rotate through Pumpkin Passage as well\, with different vendors scheduled during the month. The published lineup includes pizza\, barbecue\, burgers\, tacos\, Mexican street food\, ice cream\, shaved ice and other festival food. \nAnd because this is Halloween\, costumes are encouraged. \nHalloween for Kids Who Aren’t Looking to Be Terrified\nThe most important word in Pumpkin Passage may be friendly. \nThe event is specifically promoted as toddler- and kid-friendly. This isn’t the place to take a child who wants chainsaws\, blood\, actors leaping from behind trees and a terrifying haunted maze. \nIt’s almost the opposite. \nThe attraction uses the visual language of Halloween — darkness\, glowing pumpkins\, unusual creatures and dramatic lighting — without turning the night into a scare attraction. \nThat makes Pumpkin Passage an option for families whose children are excited about Halloween but aren’t ready for a traditional haunted house. \nIt also gives parents something considerably more substantial than walking around a parking lot collecting candy. Families can make an evening of it\, moving between the illuminated trail\, inflatables\, entertainment\, games\, food trucks and fire pit. \nAnd for a dinosaur-obsessed child\, there’s an obvious bonus: Halloween doesn’t replace the dinosaurs. \nIt joins them. \nThere Are 18 Chances to Go\nOpening night is Saturday\, Oct. 3\, but Pumpkin Passage continues throughout October and even spills into November. \nThe regular schedule includes Fridays\, Saturdays and Sundays beginning Oct. 3\, plus Columbus Day on Monday\, Oct. 12\, and three specially priced Thursday nights on Oct. 15\, 22 and 29. The final night is Sunday\, Nov. 1. \nPumpkin Passage begins at 5 p.m. each night. Friday and Saturday dates generally continue until 9 p.m.\, while Sundays\, the holiday Monday and specially scheduled Thursdays run until 8 p.m. \nOne caution when planning: some outside event calendars show slightly different times. The Dinosaur Place’s own current schedule says Pumpkin Passage begins at 5 p.m.\, so that’s the schedule we would use when planning a visit. \nThe Thursday nights are also less expensive than the regular weekend dates\, giving families some incentive to visit before Halloween weekend. \nOnline ticketing is required\, and reservations are strongly recommended because individual dates can sell out. \nFor families who already love The Dinosaur Place\, Pumpkin Passage offers something genuinely different from a daytime visit. And for children who want Halloween to feel magical rather than frightening\, glowing dinosaurs\, singing pumpkins\, bounce houses and marshmallows may be a pretty good place to start. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: 8th Annual Pumpkin Passage\nOpening Night: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nFinal Night: Sunday\, Nov. 1\, 2026\nLocation: The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village\nAddress: 1650 Hartford-New London Turnpike\, Montville\, CT 06370\nRegular Dates: Fridays\, Saturdays and Sundays beginning Oct. 3\nAdditional Dates: Monday\, Oct. 12; Thursdays\, Oct. 15\, 22 and 29; Sunday\, Nov. 1\nStart Time: 5 p.m.\nFriday & Saturday Hours: Generally 5–9 p.m.\nSunday & Select Weeknight Hours: Generally 5–8 p.m.\nRegular Admission: Children ages 2–12\, $29; ages 13+\, $27; children under 2 free\nSpecial Thursday Pricing: Reduced admission applies Oct. 15\, 22 and 29; check current ticketing for final price before purchasing\nTickets: Online ticketing only; advance reservations strongly recommended\nIncluded: Illuminated Halloween trail\, glowing dinosaurs and pumpkins\, inflatables\, lawn games\, singing animatronic pumpkins\, marshmallow roasting\, photo opportunities and scheduled entertainment\nFood: Rotating food trucks; additional treats and drinks available for purchase\nCostumes: Encouraged\nAudience: Designed as a kid- and toddler-friendly Halloween event\nParking: Free\nWeather: Outdoor event; management may close attractions because of adverse weather. If Pumpkin Passage is forced to close because of rain or lightning at the scheduled visit time\, ticket holders may be offered a rain check to rebook.\nPhone: 860-443-4367 \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/pumpkin-passage-turns-the-dinosaur-place-into-a-glowing-halloween-playground/2026-10-03/
LOCATION:The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village\, 1650 Hartford-New London Tpke\, Montville\, 06370\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Dinosaur Place
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T230000
DTSTAMP:20261001T161601Z
CREATED:20261001T161601Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T161601Z
UID:10009223-1791043200-1791068400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bison Brook Rodeo Brings Bulls\, Broncs and a $14\,000 Purse to North Stonington
DESCRIPTION:Bison Brook Rodeo Brings Bulls\, Broncs and a $14\,000 Purse to North Stonington Oct. 2 and 3\, turning a field on Button Road into a two-night rough-stock arena with professional bull riding\, ranch broncs\, country music\, food\, drinks and vendors. \nAnd this isn’t simply a Western-themed festival with a little riding thrown in. \nThe North Stonington competition is sanctioned by Elite Bullriders Association\, with $5\,000 added to the bull-riding purse each night and another $2\,000 added for ranch bronc riding each night. Winners also leave with buckles. \nThat puts $14\,000 in added money across the two nights and gives the riders considerably more incentive than applause from the grandstands. \nThe public side of the event runs Friday and Saturday\, Oct. 2–3\, at 42 Button Road in North Stonington\, with food\, drinks\, vendors and music surrounding the rodeo itself. \nThis Is Rough-Stock Rodeo\nThere are no timed barrel races or team-roping competitions on the North Stonington card published by Elite Bullriders Association. \nThe focus is on two of rodeo’s rough-stock events: bull riding and ranch bronc riding. \nBoth share a simple underlying idea that becomes considerably less simple once the gate opens: stay aboard an animal that has absolutely no interest in letting you do so. \nBull riding puts the competitor on the back of a bucking bull\, gripping a flat braided rope with one hand. A qualified ride lasts eight seconds\, with the rider judged along with the animal. The harder and more athletic the bull bucks\, spins and changes direction\, the greater the potential score if the cowboy can stay aboard. \nRanch bronc riding has different roots. \nIt grew from the practical riding skills of working cowboys and ranch hands and developed into a competitive event distinct from the more stylized saddle bronc riding familiar from traditional rodeo. \nAt Bison Brook\, the two disciplines divide the purse accordingly. \nThe Elite Bullriders Association lists $5\,000 in added money for sanctioned bull riding each night\, with a buckle going to each night’s winner. \nRanch bronc competitors have $2\,000 added each night\, again with a winner’s buckle on the line. \nFor competitors\, entry fees are listed at $100 plus a permit for nonmembers in bull riding and $75 plus a permit for nonmembers in ranch broncs. \nFor everybody else\, the assignment is easier: stay on your side of the fence. \nThe Rodeo Starts at 7\, but the Evening Starts Earlier\nThe sanctioned competition is scheduled from 7 to 11 p.m. both Friday and Saturday\, according to Elite Bullriders Association. \nBut the larger Bison Brook event begins before the first chute opens. \nThe organizers describe the weekend as two nights of rodeo action surrounded by food\, drinks\, vendors and music. Other regional listings place the public event beginning around 4 p.m.\, making this more of an evening at the farm than a show where everyone arrives five minutes before the first bull comes out. \nFriday has an especially local connection. \nNick Bosse & The Northern Roots perform at 5 p.m. Friday\, giving the rodeo a North Stonington country soundtrack before the competition begins. \nNick Bosse Is Playing in His Hometown\nBosse isn’t being imported from Nashville to provide generic country music before a Connecticut rodeo. \nHe’s from North Stonington. \nThe singer-songwriter and his Northern Roots band have built their sound around older-school and outlaw country\, drawing on the tradition of artists including Merle Haggard\, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash while writing contemporary songs about working people\, rural life and the direction of modern country music. \nBosse began playing local bar gigs in 2013 before forming The Northern Roots. Since then\, he has recorded in Nashville\, headlined shows at both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun and won a New England Music Award for Best Vocalist. \nHis song “What Happened to Country” has accumulated more than 2 million streams\, according to his official biography. \nThere aren’t many venues where that material fits more naturally than a rodeo a few miles from home. \nBosse’s own tour schedule confirms the band at Bison Brook Rodeo at 5 p.m. Friday\, Oct. 2. \nHe is not listed for Saturday; his schedule puts him in Vermont that evening. \nYou Can Build a Cowboy Hat While You’re There\nAt least one of the vendors is leaning completely into the occasion. \nThe Hat Social\, a sister-owned custom hat business\, has announced that it will be at Bison Brook both nights with its mobile hat bar. \nVisitors choose a felt or straw hat and then customize it with combinations of bands\, ribbons\, feathers\, pins and other details. Branding can add letters\, dates\, initials or symbols directly to the finished hat. \nAppointments are recommended\, although the company says walk-ups will be accepted when availability allows. \nIt’s the sort of vendor that makes considerably more sense beside a rodeo arena than it would at the average Saturday craft fair. \nThe Bulls and Broncs Are Part of a Larger Circuit\nThe Elite Bullriders Association schedule provides another useful piece of context. \nNorth Stonington isn’t an isolated demonstration. The Bison Brook competition sits on an active October schedule of sanctioned bull and bronc events stretching through the Southeast. \nThe association has other competitions scheduled the same weekend in Florida\, followed by rodeos in Georgia and additional Florida dates later in October. \nThat matters because “sanctioned” has a specific implication here: riders aren’t simply being recruited locally for an exhibition. Bison Brook is appearing on the same competition calendar as the association’s other bull-riding and ranch-bronc events. \nThe prize structure reinforces that. \nA rider who wins on Friday doesn’t simply receive bragging rights. There’s money and a championship-style buckle attached to the result\, and Saturday starts the contest again with another purse and another buckle. \nTwo Nights\, Two Separate Competitions\nAnyone considering which night to attend should understand that Friday isn’t a preliminary round leading to a Saturday final. \nElite Bullriders Association lists added prize money and a winner’s buckle each night. \nThat gives each performance its own stakes. \nFriday has the additional attraction of the 5 p.m. Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots performance. Saturday offers the same sanctioned bull-and-bronc format without Bosse\, who is booked elsewhere that evening. \nThe Eventbrite listing describes the event as all ages\, making this one of the relatively unusual opportunities in southeastern Connecticut to take kids to an actual rough-stock rodeo rather than a Western-themed attraction. \nThey should also understand what they’re going to see. \nBull riding and bronc riding are loud\, fast and inherently physical sports involving large animals and riders being thrown to the ground. For some children\, that’s precisely what makes a rodeo exciting. Others may find the noise and intensity overwhelming. \nNorth Stonington Goes a Little Bit West\nThere’s something slightly improbable about finding sanctioned bull riding in the woods and farm country between Mystic and the Rhode Island line. \nBut North Stonington may be one of the Connecticut towns where it makes the most sense. \nThis is still a rural part of southeastern Connecticut\, a landscape of working farms\, stone walls\, fields and winding back roads sitting only minutes from the casinos and the busy shoreline. \nFor two evenings\, Button Road gets something considerably louder. \nThere will be country music before the gates open\, vendors and food around the grounds\, riders competing for money and buckles\, ranch broncs coming out of the chutes and bulls trying to end an eight-second ride considerably earlier than the cowboy would prefer. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Bison Brook Rodeo\nDates: Friday\, Oct. 2 and Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nLocation: The Overpass Arena\nAddress: 42 Button Road\, North Stonington\, CT 06359\nPublic Event: Regional listings indicate activities begin around 4 p.m.\nSanctioned Rodeo: 7–11 p.m. each night\nRodeo Sanction: Elite Bullriders Association\nCompetition: Bull riding and ranch bronc riding\nBull Riding Purse: $5\,000 added each night; buckle to each night’s winner\nRanch Bronc Purse: $2\,000 added each night; buckle to each night’s winner\nTotal Added Money: $14\,000 across both nights\nFriday Live Music: Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots at 5 p.m.\nSaturday: Nick Bosse is not scheduled to perform Saturday\nOther Attractions: Food\, drinks\, vendors and music\nCustom Hat Bar: The Hat Social is scheduled for both nights; appointments recommended\, with walk-ups subject to availability\nAges: All ages\nTickets: Multiple ticket levels are offered through Eventbrite\, including VIP options; check the ticketing page for current prices and availability\nRefunds: No refunds\nWeather: Check the organizer’s Eventbrite page for its current weather policy before attending\nParking: Check the Eventbrite FAQ for current parking information\nAlcohol: The event FAQ includes alcohol information; attendees should check the current ticketing page for service rules and restrictions\nGate Sales: Check Eventbrite for current ticket availability and whether tickets remain available at the gate \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/bison-brook-rodeo-brings-bulls-broncs-and-a-14000-purse-to-north-stonington/2026-10-03/
LOCATION:The Overpass Arena\, 42 Button Road\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T170000
DTSTAMP:20261001T144010Z
CREATED:20261001T143905Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T144010Z
UID:10009217-1791041400-1791046800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:All Things Pumpkin Magic Show Puts the Kids in Charge of the Tricks
DESCRIPTION:All Things Pumpkin Magic Show Puts the Kids in Charge of the Tricks Saturday\, Oct. 3\, when magician Ed Pop brings an afternoon of comedy\, storytelling and audience-participation magic to the Mystic & Noank Library. \nThis isn’t designed as a show where children are expected to sit quietly while a magician performs trick after trick from the front of the room. \nEd Pop builds his family shows around the audience\, with children becoming part of the performance and\, as the library puts it\, becoming the stars who help “make the magic happen.” \nThe free program begins at 3:30 p.m. and is recommended for children ages 3 and older. No registration is required. \nA Magic Show Built Around Stories\nEd Pop takes a somewhat different approach to children’s magic. \nRather than simply performing an illusion and moving to the next one\, he builds stories around the tricks. Some are quick setups; others become longer stories that lead into the magic. \nComedy and audience participation are central to the performance. \nThat means children shouldn’t be surprised if Pop starts looking for volunteers. \nKids invited up to help with a trick receive a souvenir afterward\, giving some young audience members something to take home besides trying to figure out how he did it. \nThe library has opened the program to a particularly broad family audience\, listing babies and toddlers\, children\, families and teens among its age groups while specifying that the magic show itself is appropriate for ages 3 and older. Adults should plan to remain with their children and participate in the program with them. \nPumpkins\, Magic and an October Afternoon\nThe timing turns the show into an easy early-October family outing. \nThe program is scheduled for the library lawn\, giving the performance an outdoor setting if the weather cooperates. \nAnd because this is New England in October\, there’s already a backup plan. \nIf weather prevents an outdoor performance\, the show will move upstairs to the library’s Ames Room. Indoor seating will then be available first come\, first served until the room reaches capacity. \nThat makes the weather worth checking before leaving home. An outdoor show offers considerably more flexibility than an indoor performance with limited seating. \nThere Will Be Treats\, Too\nThe magic isn’t the only thing waiting for families. \nThe Friends of the Mystic & Noank Library will serve treats during the event and are sponsoring the afternoon’s program. \nThe Friends organization supports library programming and other services\, helping make events like this one available without charging families admission. \nAnd there is no registration hurdle for this particular afternoon. \nFamilies can simply come to the library for the 3:30 p.m. show\, although arriving early would be particularly worthwhile if questionable weather pushes the event into the Ames Room. \nIt’s an uncomplicated fall afternoon: magic\, pumpkins\, treats\, plenty of comedy and a very real possibility that one of the kids arrives expecting to watch the show and winds up becoming part of it. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nDetails\nEvent: All Things Pumpkin Magic Show with Magic by Ed Pop!\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nTime: 3:30–5 p.m.\nLocation: Mystic & Noank Library\nAddress: 40 Library Street\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nPlanned Location: Library Lawn\nRain Location: Ames Room\, upstairs in the library\nAdmission: Free\nRegistration: Not required\nRecommended Ages: 3 and older\nFormat: Family comedy magic show with storytelling and extensive audience participation\nChildren’s Participation: Children may be invited to help perform tricks; each child who comes onstage as a helper receives a souvenir\nTreats: Served by the Friends of the Mystic & Noank Library\nWeather: The show moves indoors to the Ames Room in inclement weather\nIndoor Seating: First come\, first served until capacity is reached\nAdults: Accompanying adults should remain and participate with their children\nAccessibility: Families needing accommodations should contact the library in advance\nPhone: 860-536-7721\nProgram Contact: Roberta Donahue\, rdonahue@mysticnoanklibrary.org \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/all-things-pumpkin-magic-show-puts-the-kids-in-charge-of-the-tricks/
LOCATION:Mystic & Noank Library\, 40 Library Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic & Noank Public Library
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/All-Things-Pumpkin-Magic-Show-Puts-the-Kids-in-Charge-of-the-Tricks.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T180000
DTSTAMP:20261005T192801Z
CREATED:20260913T030059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T192801Z
UID:10007591-1791039600-1791050400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Sun BrewFest Brings 200+ Pours\, Food\, Live Music and Festival Games to Mohegan Sun
DESCRIPTION:Sun BrewFest returns to Mohegan Sun Saturday\, October 3\, with unlimited samples of more than 200 beers\, hard seltzers and canned cocktails\, chef-inspired food samples\, live music from The Rakes\, stein-hoisting contests\, line dancing and a cornhole tournament offering $1\,000 in cash prizes. \nThis year’s festival also has a new home. \nInstead of the Earth Expo & Convention Center used for last year’s event\, the 2026 BrewFest moves into the Uncas Ballroom\, with general admission running from 3 to 6 p.m. \nAnd Mohegan Sun has now released a substantial vendor lineup for the festival\, ranging from familiar national beer companies to Connecticut and Rhode Island craft breweries\, cideries\, distilleries\, food vendors and specialty exhibitors. \nThis Is More Than a Beer Festival Now\nSun BrewFest began in 2012 with beer at the center of the experience\, and beer remains a major part of it. \nBut the modern version has expanded considerably. \nMohegan Sun says there will be more than 200 varieties of beer\, seltzer and canned cocktails available for unlimited sampling during the three-hour general admission session. \nThat means visitors aren’t limited to traditional breweries. \nCider\, spirits\, ready-to-drink cocktails and newer alcoholic beverages are represented alongside IPAs\, lagers\, ales and other beer styles. \nFood has become a bigger component as well. Local culinary vendors will provide complimentary samples\, while larger portions will be available to purchase. \nAnd those vendors aren’t simply feeding the crowd. \nThey’re competing. \nYou Get to Pick the Best Food\nThe People’s Choice Food Competition puts participating culinary vendors head-to-head\, with BrewFest guests serving as the judges. \nVisitors can sample the competing dishes and cast a vote for their favorite. \nVoting closes at 5:45 p.m.\, with the winner scheduled to be announced at 6 p.m. \nMohegan Sun has not yet published the complete 2026 culinary lineup. The event page currently tells visitors to check back for participating food vendors\, so additional names should be expected as October approaches. \nOne food vendor already included in the broader published vendor list is PHYGIT Pretzels. \nThe current event page also features NoRA Cupcake Company imagery\, although NoRA is not presently included in Mohegan Sun’s published 2026 vendor list. Until Mohegan Sun adds it to that list\, it shouldn’t be treated as a confirmed 2026 participant. \nLast year’s event featured food from Hungry Lion\, Keifer’s Kettle Korn\, Knot of this World Pretzels\, NoRA Cupcake Company\, Philly’s\, Rubino’s Full Scoop\, Spuds Your Way and Whey Station\, but those were 2025 vendors and should not be assumed to be returning this year. \nThe Complete 2026 Vendor List So Far\nMohegan Sun’s current list includes beverage producers\, distributors\, food and specialty vendors\, automotive businesses and other exhibitors. Some distributors represent multiple beverage labels\, which helps explain how the festival reaches more than 200 individual beverages without listing 200 breweries. \n1013 Rustic Designs creates handcrafted rustic and decorative products. \n1911 Established Hard Cider comes from New York’s Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards and produces a broad family of hard ciders and flavored cider beverages. \n78 Brewing Co. joins the craft-beer side of the festival. \nBoston Beer Company brings one of the country’s largest craft-beverage portfolios. The company is behind Samuel Adams and also has brands including Truly Hard Seltzer\, Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard within its larger family. \nBoozy Candles adds a non-drinking option to the vendor floor with alcohol and cocktail-inspired candles and gifts. \nBrescome Barton Inc. is one of Connecticut’s major beverage distributors. Its presence means additional brands can appear at BrewFest under the distributor rather than being individually named in the vendor list. \nBully Boy Distillers is a Boston distillery producing whiskey\, rum\, gin\, vodka and ready-to-drink beverages. \nCampari America represents a large spirits portfolio that includes Campari\, Aperol and other internationally known labels. \nCharles Toyota is among the local automotive businesses participating in the event. \nCigar Nowhere joins the specialty-vendor side of BrewFest. \nConnecticut Cigar Company adds another cigar-related exhibitor. \nConstellation Brands / Beer Division represents one of the largest beer portfolios in the country\, including major imported brands. \nEquilibrium Brewing comes from Middletown\, New York\, and has built a substantial following among craft-beer drinkers\, particularly for its IPAs and other modern craft styles. \nFunny Water produces flavored alcoholic still water\, a lighter alternative to carbonated hard seltzer. \nGirard Ford is another southeastern Connecticut automotive participant. \nGood Boy Vodka produces vodka and canned ready-to-drink cocktails. \nGreenhouse Agency works with beverage brands on marketing\, promotion and consumer events and will be represented on the festival floor. \nGrey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island and Outer Light Brewing Company appear together on Mohegan Sun’s vendor list\, giving BrewFest two familiar breweries from The CT Beacon’s immediate coverage area. Grey Sail brews in Westerly\, while Outer Light operates in Groton. \nHeineken USA brings another major international beer portfolio to the tasting floor. \nI Got A Guy CT is among the non-beverage exhibitors scheduled for the festival. \nJack Daniel’s Canned Cocktails brings the Tennessee whiskey brand into the ready-to-drink side of BrewFest with its line of canned mixed drinks. \nLitchfield Distillery represents Connecticut-made spirits\, producing bourbon\, whiskey\, gin and vodka in Litchfield. \nMartignetti and Martignetti Companies of Connecticut are both included on Mohegan Sun’s published list. The major New England beverage distributor represents an extensive portfolio of wine\, spirits and other alcoholic beverages. \nNissan of Norwich joins Charles Toyota and Girard Ford among the local automotive businesses represented. \nOcean State Charity Events is also scheduled to participate. \nOwl’s Brew makes tea-based alcoholic beverages and ready-to-drink cocktails using ingredients including tea and botanicals. \nPHYGIT Pretzels brings food into the vendor mix with handmade pretzels. \nReed’s Inc. is best known for ginger beer and ginger beverages and also operates the Virgil’s craft soda brand. \nSpiked Ade joins the growing ready-to-drink portion of the festival. \nSuntory Global Spirits has one of the largest spirits portfolios represented at BrewFest. The company formerly known as Beam Suntory owns brands across whiskey\, tequila\, gin and other categories. \nTapped Apple Cidery & Winery provides another particularly local connection. The Westerly producer makes hard cider and wine using apples and other fruit. \nThese Guys Brewing Company comes from Norwich\, where the downtown brewery and restaurant has been part of the local craft-beer scene for years. \nTwo Roads Brewing Company represents Stratford and one of Connecticut’s most widely distributed craft breweries. \nWaypoint Spirits brings locally produced spirits from Bloomfield\, Connecticut. \nWhalers Brewing Company comes from Wakefield\, Rhode Island\, and is particularly well known for its Rise American pale ale. \nWormtown Brewery brings Massachusetts craft beer to the floor from its Worcester roots. \nThat list is current as of September 12\, and Mohegan Sun can still add participants before October 3. \nThere Are Some Strong Local Breweries in the Mix\nFor southeastern Connecticut and southwestern Rhode Island drinkers\, several names stand out. \nOuter Light is practically down the road in Groton. \nGrey Sail has been brewing in Westerly since 2011 and has become one of Rhode Island’s better-known craft breweries\, particularly through beers including Captain’s Daughter. \nTapped Apple also comes from Westerly but approaches fermentation through fruit rather than grain\, producing cider and wine. \nThese Guys gives Norwich a representative. \nWhalers comes from South Kingstown. \nAnd Two Roads gives the lineup one of Connecticut’s largest independent craft-beer names. \nThe larger distributors then dramatically expand the selection beyond the breweries named individually. \nThat’s how this becomes a tasting of 200-plus beverages rather than simply the three dozen businesses listed on the event page. \nThe Rakes Supply the Soundtrack\nConnecticut band The Rakes will provide live music during the festival. \nThe Rakes are a five-piece band built around rock and pop covers\, with a repertoire spanning decades rather than concentrating on a single artist or genre. \nThey’re familiar throughout Connecticut’s live-music circuit and have played festivals\, clubs\, private events and larger community celebrations around the state. \nFor BrewFest\, the band isn’t a separate ticketed performance. \nLive entertainment is included with admission. \nThen Someone Hands You a Full Stein\nSun BrewFest’s Stein Hoisting Competition returns with six sessions beginning every half hour from 3 through 5:30 p.m. \nEach round is limited to 10 contestants. \nThe concept is simple and increasingly painful: contestants hold a full stein straight out in front of themselves for as long as possible without dropping their arm or violating the competition rules. \nThe 2026 sessions begin at: \n3 p.m.\, 3:30 p.m.\, 4 p.m.\, 4:30 p.m.\, 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. \nMohegan Sun’s August announcement describes alternating men’s and women’s sessions\, beginning with the men’s competition at 3 p.m. \nParticipation is free for BrewFest attendees\, with registration taking place at the Stein Hoisting Stage on a first-come\, first-filled basis. \nEach winner receives a swag bag donated by festival sponsors. \nCornhole Gets Much More Serious\nThe cornhole tournament begins before general admission. \nReal Wicked Events runs the tournament from 2 to 6 p.m.\, with advance registration required. \nTournament participants receive access to BrewFest’s otherwise unavailable VIP hour\, entering before the 3 p.m. general admission crowd. \nThere’s real money involved\, too. \nFirst place receives $500 cash\, a future complimentary Mohegan Sun hotel stay and two tickets to a Mohegan Sun Arena performance\, subject to availability. \nSecond place gets $300. \nThird gets $200. \nThat’s $1\,000 in cash prizes before counting the hotel room and show tickets. \nAnyone interested in playing needs to register for the tournament separately in advance. This isn’t something to decide after the fourth IPA. \nLine Dancing and Games Fill Out the Afternoon\nThe festival also includes line dancing sessions and other games throughout the afternoon. \nThat makes the event structurally different from a tasting where guests simply move from brewery table to brewery table for three hours. \nThere’s always something else happening. \nListen to The Rakes. \nVote for food. \nEnter a stein-hoisting round. \nTry line dancing. \nWatch the cornhole tournament. \nThen return to the serious business of determining whether you really needed to sample another beer. \nMohegan Sun Online Casino Has Its Own Competition\nMohegan Sun Online Casino presents Spin to Win during BrewFest. \nParticipants must download the Mohegan Sun Online Casino app\, register an account and place a $25 wager on any game to unlock a spin. \nPrizes can include cash\, hotel stays\, in-app bonus credits and other rewards. \nParticipation is restricted to guests 21 and older\, and self-excluded individuals are not eligible. \nIt’s separate from the tastings and other included BrewFest activities because participating requires the qualifying wager. \nWho Are the Sponsors?\nThere’s an important distinction between the published vendor list and a formal sponsor list. \nAs of September 12\, Mohegan Sun has published the full current list of participating vendors but has not published a separate comprehensive 2026 sponsor roster on the event page. \nThe sponsors and event partners that are explicitly identifiable from the current material include Mohegan Sun Online Casino\, which presents Spin to Win\, and Real Wicked Events\, which partners with BrewFest on the cornhole tournament. \nMohegan Sun also states that stein-hoisting prizes are donated by “our sponsors\,” indicating additional beverage or event sponsors are involved\, but the current page doesn’t identify every one of those businesses by sponsor status. \nRather than label all 36 listed vendors as sponsors when Mohegan Sun itself doesn’t do that\, the safest distinction is: all of the businesses in the vendor list above are confirmed participants; Mohegan Sun Online Casino and Real Wicked Events are explicitly identified event partners/presenters. \nIf Mohegan Sun publishes a separate sponsor roster before October 3\, we’ll update the list. \nUnlimited Really Does Mean Unlimited Samples\nOne of the biggest changes from many beer festivals is that Sun BrewFest doesn’t operate with a fixed tasting-ticket system. \nMohegan Sun’s current FAQ specifically describes the alcohol tastings as unlimited. \nAdmission includes samples of beer\, cider\, hard seltzer and canned cocktails\, along with complimentary samples from participating culinary vendors. \nFull-size food portions will also be available for purchase. \nOf course\, unlimited availability doesn’t eliminate the usual practical consideration. \nThere are more than 200 beverages and only three hours. \nNobody needs to complete the collection. \nThis Year’s BrewFest Is 21+ Only\nUnlike some food-and-beverage festivals that offer designated-driver admission or allow younger guests\, Mohegan Sun’s published rules for the 2026 Sun BrewFest require everyone attending to be at least 21 years old. \nA valid photo ID and ticket or event wristband are required for entry. \nThat’s worth emphasizing because previous editions have offered designated-driver ticket options. The current 2026 event information does not advertise one. \nThe venue change also matters for returning guests. \nDon’t head automatically toward the Earth Expo Center because that’s where you remember BrewFest being held. \nThis year\, go to the Uncas Ballroom. \nDetails\nEvent: Sun BrewFest\nDate: Saturday\, October 3\, 2026\nGeneral Admission: 3–6 p.m.\nVenue: Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nAge: 21+ only; valid photo ID required\nBeverages: More than 200 varieties of beer\, cider\, hard seltzer and canned cocktails\nTastings: Unlimited beverage samples included with admission\nFood: Complimentary samples from participating culinary vendors; full-size portions available for purchase\nPeople’s Choice Food Competition: Voting closes at 5:45 p.m.; winner announced at 6 p.m.\nLive Music: The Rakes\nStein Hoisting: Six sessions from 3–6 p.m.; 10 contestants per session; free with admission and first come\, first filled\nCornhole Tournament: 2–6 p.m.; advance registration required through Real Wicked Events/Eventbrite\nCornhole VIP Access: Tournament participants receive access to the pre-general-admission VIP hour\nCornhole Prizes: $500 plus hotel stay and two Arena tickets for first; $300 second; $200 third\nOther Activities: Line dancing\, games and Spin to Win\nParking: Free; Mohegan Sun has more than 13\,000 on-site parking spaces\nCurrent Confirmed Vendors: 1013 Rustic Designs; 1911 Established Hard Cider; 78 Brewing Co.; Boston Beer Company; Boozy Candles; Brescome Barton Inc.; Bully Boy Distillers; Campari America; Charles Toyota; Cigar Nowhere; Connecticut Cigar Company; Constellation Brands/Beer Division; Equilibrium Brewing; Funny Water; Girard Ford; Good Boy Vodka; Greenhouse Agency; Grey Sail & Outer Light; Heineken USA; I Got A Guy CT; Jack Daniel’s Canned Cocktails; Litchfield Distillery; Martignetti; Martignetti Companies of CT; Nissan of Norwich; Ocean State Charity Events; Owl’s Brew; PHYGIT Pretzels; Reed’s Inc.; Spiked Ade; Suntory Global Spirits; Tapped Apple Cidery & Winery; These Guys; Two Roads Brewing Company; Waypoint Spirits; Whalers Brewing Company; Wormtown\nExplicitly Identified Event Partners/Presenters: Real Wicked Events and Mohegan Sun Online Casino\nAdditional Food Vendors: Mohegan Sun says the participating culinary list is still to come \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/sun-brewfest-brings-200-pours-food-live-music-and-festival-games-to-mohegan-sun/
LOCATION:Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T180000
DTSTAMP:20260929T021803Z
CREATED:20260929T021803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T021803Z
UID:10009183-1791036000-1791050400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Rum Rendezvous Brings a Caribbean-Style Rum Party to Foxwoods
DESCRIPTION:Rum Rendezvous Brings a Caribbean-Style Rum Party to Foxwoods Oct. 3\, turning the Rainmaker Expo Center into a four-hour celebration of rum\, live music and island-inspired entertainment — with unlimited vendor sampling\, a live cigar roller\, food\, games and a chance to win a trip to Puerto Rico. \nThe name undersells this one a little. \nFoxwoods isn’t setting up a few tables and calling it a tasting. Rum Rendezvous is designed more like an afternoon festival built around the spirit that runs through everything from daiquiris and mojitos to tiki drinks and centuries of Caribbean history. \nGeneral admission allows guests to sample from all participating rum vendors\, with light\, dark\, and spiced varieties represented. Foxwoods has not published a 2026 list of participating distilleries\, so exactly what will be poured remains a surprise for now. \nBut the rum is only part of the afternoon. \nRum\, Rhythms and a Little Taste of the Caribbean\nThe entertainment includes live music from Miami Sound Revue\, a band built around the tropical\, Latin and dance sounds associated with South Florida\, along with a live DJ. \nBetween pours\, guests can watch a master cigar roller at work in the cigar lounge\, hit the games and interactive experiences or step into a 360-degree selfie station. \nFood will also be available. Every general admission ticket includes one dessert item from the event menu\, with additional food available for purchase. A cash bar will serve specialty cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks. \nAnd there is one particularly appropriate grand prize. \nFoxwoods is giving attendees a chance to win a trip to Foxwoods El San Juan\, its sister property in Puerto Rico. The winner must still be at Rum Rendezvous when the prize is awarded to claim it. \nPut all of that together and this feels less like a technical spirits seminar and more like an indoor Caribbean party where the tasting glass happens to be your passport around the room. \nYou Don’t Have to Drink to Come Along\nFoxwoods has also created a designated-driver ticket\, which makes Rum Rendezvous considerably easier to turn into a group outing. \nThe $25 designated-driver admission includes entry to the event\, dessert\, games\, the selfie station\, attractions and entertainment. Those guests receive a special wristband and cannot sample from alcohol vendors or purchase alcoholic beverages. \nRegular general admission is currently $50. Foxwoods is also offering a Me + 3 promotion: buy three general-admission tickets and receive a fourth free. \nEveryone attending — including designated drivers — must be 21 or older. \nThere is no VIP tier\, so the general admission ticket provides access to sampling from all of the participating vendors rather than dividing the room into different tasting levels. \nFour Hours\, But Don’t Arrive Too Late\nRum Rendezvous runs from 2 to 6 p.m.\, but there are two times worth remembering if you’re thinking about making this a late-afternoon stop. \nThe doors close to new arrivals at 5:15 p.m. \nThe final rum pours happen at 5:30 p.m. \nThat gives the final half-hour a natural wind-down before the event ends at 6. \nFor anyone who likes rum but doesn’t necessarily want an event devoted entirely to standing at tasting tables discussing barrel finishes\, that may be the appeal here. There’s enough happening around the sampling — music\, food\, cigars\, games and the Puerto Rico theme — to make the afternoon feel like a party rather than a trade show. \nRum Rendezvous takes place Saturday\, Oct. 3\, at the Rainmaker Expo Center at Foxwoods Resort Casino. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Rum Rendezvous\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nTime: 2–6 p.m.\nLocation: Rainmaker Expo Center\, Foxwoods Resort Casino\nAddress: 350 Trolley Line Blvd.\, Mashantucket\, CT 06338\nAdmission: $50 general admission; $25 designated driver (plus fees)\nMe + 3 Deal: Buy three general-admission tickets and receive one free\nAge: 21+ only\, including designated drivers; valid government-issued identification required\nGeneral Admission Includes: Access to the event and sampling from participating vendors\, one dessert item\, 360-degree selfie station and interactive experiences\nEntertainment: Miami Sound Revue\, live DJ\, cigar lounge and live cigar rolling\, games and interactive experiences\nFood: One dessert included; additional food available for purchase\nDrinks: Vendor rum samples included for general-admission guests; specialty cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks available from the cash bar\nGrand Prize: Chance to win a trip to Foxwoods El San Juan in Puerto Rico; winner must be present to claim prize\nLast Entry: 5:15 p.m.\nLast Pour: 5:30 p.m.\nParking: Rainmaker Garage recommended\nBags: No shopping bags or backpacks; permitted bags are subject to search\nTickets: All sales final and nonrefundable\nParticipating Rum Brands: Foxwoods has not published a 2026 vendor list; offerings are subject to change \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/rum-rendezvous-brings-a-caribbean-style-rum-party-to-foxwoods/
LOCATION:Rainmaker Expo\, 350 Trolley Line Boulevard\, Mashantucket\, 06338\, United States
CATEGORIES:Foxwoods
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T160000
DTSTAMP:20261001T192544Z
CREATED:20261001T192544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T192544Z
UID:10009228-1791032400-1791043200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Thrift Finds & Vineyard Vibes Pairs a Community Thrift Market With Wine and Live Music
DESCRIPTION:Thrift Finds & Vineyard Vibes Pairs a Community Thrift Market With Wine and Live Music Oct. 3 at Stonington Vineyards\, where a three-hour secondhand shopping market gives way to an afternoon of acoustic music\, food and wine among the vines. \nThe Steal My Style Market runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday\, followed by an overlapping performance from Mystic singer-songwriter Izzy Malek from 3 to 6 p.m. Food for the afternoon comes from The Grill by Kay. \nThat overlap between 3 and 4 p.m. should be the sweet spot: thrift vendors still selling\, Malek beginning her set\, food being served and the vineyard open for wine. \nThis Is More Closet Sale Than Vintage Show\nThe thrift market is a little different from the artisan and vintage markets that have become fixtures on the fall calendar. \nSteal My Style Market is built around ordinary people opening up their closets and giving their clothes another life. Organizers describe sellers as neighbors\, students\, parents\, teachers\, coworkers and other members of the community rather than exclusively professional vintage dealers. \nShoppers can expect a broad mix that may include everyday clothing\, designer labels\, vintage pieces\, current styles\, shoes\, handbags and accessories. \nThat also means this isn’t a carefully standardized retail experience. Individual sellers determine what they bring\, and the inventory depends on whose closets are represented that afternoon. \nFor someone who enjoys thrifting\, that’s part of the appeal. There is no way to know what might be sitting on the next rack. \nThe market is open to all ages\, and parking is free. \nThen Izzy Malek Takes Over the Vineyard\nThe shopping doesn’t mark the end of the afternoon. \nAt 3 p.m.\, Izzy Malek begins a three-hour live set running until 6 p.m.\, giving market visitors an easy reason to stick around after making their last trip through the racks. \nMalek is a Mystic-area singer-songwriter who performs regularly around southeastern Connecticut\, with an acoustic sound suited to the vineyard’s outdoor weekend setting. \nThe timing also creates an hour when the two parts of the event happen simultaneously. From 3 to 4 p.m.\, visitors can continue shopping while the live music gets underway. \nAfter the thrift vendors wrap at 4\, Malek continues for another two hours. \nThe Grill by Kay Handles the Food\nThe Grill by Kay will be at the vineyard for the afternoon. \nThe family-owned food business operates both a mobile food trailer and a kitchen at JD’s Roadhouse in Baltic\, along with catering services. \nIts mobile menu is known for paninis and comfort-food dishes\, giving visitors something considerably more substantial than snacks while spending an afternoon at the vineyard. \nThe exact menu for Saturday has not been published\, so specific dishes shouldn’t be assumed in advance. \nNearly 40 Years of Winemaking in Stonington\nThe setting adds another dimension to what otherwise might be a simple afternoon thrift market. \nNick and Happy Smith purchased the property that became Stonington Vineyards in 1987\, establishing the vineyard on 58 acres in the Stonington Uplands. The winery followed in 1989. \nStonington went on to become one of the founding members of the Connecticut Wine Trail. \nWinemaker Mike McAndrew has been associated with the winery since its earliest years\, helping establish a wine program particularly known for its Chardonnay and proprietary blends. \nToday\, the property combines the working vineyard and winery with a tasting room and outdoor areas that regularly host musicians\, food vendors and seasonal pop-ups. \nOn Saturday\, the vineyard is scheduled to remain open from noon until 7 p.m.\, an hour before the thrift market begins and an hour after Malek’s performance ends. \nMake an Afternoon of It\nThis is one of those events where the schedule makes more sense as an afternoon than as a single stop. \nArrive after the market opens at 1 and spend some time going through the clothing and accessories. Grab something from The Grill by Kay. Visit the tasting room or settle outside with wine. At 3\, Malek starts playing. The thrift market continues until 4\, and the music carries the afternoon through 6. \nWine tastings are currently listed at $16 and include a keepsake glass. The vineyard also offers flights consisting of three 3-ounce pours\, although flights are weather-dependent. \nVisitors may bring their own food\, but outside alcohol is prohibited. Dogs are permitted in the outdoor areas when kept on a leash\, but aren’t allowed inside the tasting room or winery buildings. \nThe combination is pleasantly uncomplicated: hunt through somebody else’s closet\, find something you didn’t know you wanted\, order some food\, pour a glass of Connecticut wine and let the music take over from there. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Thrift Finds & Vineyard Vibes\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nLocation: Stonington Vineyards\nAddress: 523 Taugwonk Road\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nVineyard Hours: Noon–7 p.m.\nThrift Market: Steal My Style Market\, 1–4 p.m.\nLive Music: Izzy Malek\, 3–6 p.m.\nFood: The Grill by Kay\nMarket Merchandise: Secondhand clothing\, vintage pieces\, designer labels\, contemporary styles\, shoes\, handbags and accessories\nAges: All ages\nParking: Free\nWine Tastings: Currently $16 with a keepsake glass\nWine Flights: Three 3-ounce pours; availability is weather-dependent\nOutside Food: Permitted\nOutside Alcohol: Not permitted\nDogs: Leashed dogs permitted outdoors; not permitted inside the tasting room or winery buildings\nWeather: Some activities take place outdoors; check with the vineyard and event organizers for any weather-related changes \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/thrift-finds-vineyard-vibes-pairs-a-community-thrift-market-with-wine-and-live-music/
LOCATION:Stonington Vineyards\, 523 Taugwonk Rd\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonnington Vineyards
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Thrift-Finds-and-Vineyard-Vibes-Pairs-a-Community-Thrift-Market-With-Wine-and-Live-Music.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T140000
DTSTAMP:20260929T015539Z
CREATED:20260929T015539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T015539Z
UID:10009182-1791030600-1791036000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Lenny Pearce Turns Kids’ Songs Into a Toddler Rave at Foxwoods
DESCRIPTION:Lenny Pearce Turns Kids’ Songs Into a Toddler Rave at Foxwoods Oct. 3\, bringing one of the stranger — and smarter — ideas in family entertainment to the Premier Theater: take the songs little kids already know\, give them thumping electronic beats\, lights\, characters\, and the energy of a dance festival\, then invite the parents to the party too. \nIf the name Lenny Pearce doesn’t immediately mean anything to you\, there’s a good chance someone under 6 would understand the concept. \nThe Australian DJ and entertainer is one of the people behind the rapidly growing world of “Toddler Techno” and family raves\, transforming songs such as “Heads\, Shoulders\, Knees & Toes” and “The Wheels on the Bus” into electronic dance tracks designed to get very small feet moving. \nAnd this isn’t a DJ playing children’s music in the corner of a community room. \nPearce has turned the idea into an international touring production\, moving more than 200\,000 tickets across Australia\, New Zealand\, the United States\, Canada\, Asia\, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. His social following has climbed into the millions\, while his music has led to collaborations with some of the biggest names in children’s entertainment\, including Disney\, Nickelodeon\, Blippi\, PAW Patrol and The Wiggles. \nFrom Australia’s Got Talent to Dad Life\nPearce had already spent years performing before toddlers became his audience. \nHe and his identical twin brother John were members of Justice Crew\, the Australian dance group that won Australia’s Got Talent in 2010 and subsequently became a successful pop act. Pearce eventually left the group and moved into DJing and music production. \nThen he became a father. \nAfter his daughter was born in 2022\, Pearce began experimenting with a problem familiar to generations of parents: children want to hear the same children’s songs over and over again\, while adults may be considerably less enthusiastic about the 400th trip around “The Wheels on the Bus.” \nHis solution was to make children’s music that he wanted to hear too. \nPearce began putting electronic beats behind familiar songs and posting videos of himself and his daughter dancing to them. Other parents started playing the tracks for their children and sharing their own videos. His 2023 techno version of “Heads\, Shoulders\, Knees & Toes” helped push the idea well beyond his own household. \nEventually\, the living-room dance party became a real one. \nThis Is a Rave Where Bedtime Still Wins\nPearce’s Toddler Rave World Tour borrows the spectacle and excitement of an electronic dance show without asking parents to bring their preschoolers into an adult nightclub. \nThere are big beats\, lighting\, dancing\, props and colorful recurring characters\, including Kuma the Monkey\, Bubbles the DJ Duck and Mr. Glow. Pearce works the stage rather than simply standing behind a DJ console\, interacting with children and turning familiar songs into opportunities to jump\, dance and play. \nThe audience is deliberately multigenerational. \nLittle kids get songs they recognize and a show built around their attention spans. Older siblings can join the dance floor. Parents get actual electronic dance music rather than spending an afternoon pretending they’re thrilled to hear another conventional children’s singalong. Grandparents\, aunts and uncles are welcome too. \nThat crossover may explain why the concept has traveled so well. \nPearce sold out dates during his earlier American tour\, and his family raves have expanded into a worldwide touring operation. His music has also crossed directly into one of children’s entertainment’s biggest institutions: The Wiggles\, where his twin brother John is now known to millions of children as the Purple Wiggle. \nFor families who already have Pearce\, The Wiggles or his remixes in regular rotation\, Foxwoods is a chance to step inside the screen and experience the music as a full-scale live show. \nFor everyone else\, think of it this way: \nIt’s baby’s first rave — except it’s at 12:30 in the afternoon\, the songs are familiar\, the grown-ups are invited and everybody can still be home before bedtime. \nLenny Pearce’s Toddler Rave World Tour comes to the Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Saturday\, Oct. 3. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nNOTE: At publication time\, ticket availability was down to singles.\nEvent: Lenny Pearce — Toddler Rave World Tour\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nTime: 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.\nVenue: Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino\nAddress: 39 Norwich-Westerly Road\, Mashantucket\, CT 06339\nAudience: Designed as an all-ages family show\, including babies\, toddlers\, older siblings\, parents and other family members\nChildren Under 1: May attend without a ticket when seated on a parent or guardian’s lap\nChildren 1 and Older: Require their own ticket\nUnder 18: Must be accompanied by a parent or guardian\nAdults: Parents and accompanying adults require tickets\nParking: Fox Tower is the recommended parking location\nBags: Shopping bags and backpacks are not permitted; permitted bags are subject to search \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/lenny-pearce-turns-kids-songs-into-a-toddler-rave-at-foxwoods/
LOCATION:Premier Theater at the Foxwoods Resort & Casino\, 39 Norwich-Westerly Rd\, Ledyard\, 06339\, United States
CATEGORIES:Foxwoods
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T200000
DTSTAMP:20261005T192831Z
CREATED:20260913T023652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T192831Z
UID:10007590-1791028800-1791057600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Outer Light Fall Fest Packs Oysters\, Axe Throwing\, Animals\, Cheese & Live Music Into a Groton Bash
DESCRIPTION:Outer Light Fall Fest takes over the Groton brewery Saturday\, October 3\, with eight hours of local food\, fresh oysters\, axe throwing\, live animals\, seasonal beer\, and live music from Austin Neal. \nThe party runs from noon to 8 p.m. at Outer Light Brewing Company on Bridge Street\, and the brewery has assembled a lineup that feels more like a small fall festival than a typical Saturday afternoon in the taproom. \nKingdom Axe rolls in with its mobile axe-throwing trailer. Carly’s Critters brings animals for an interactive encounter. Mystic Cheese supplies the local cheese. Sixpenny Oyster Farm handles the raw-bar side of the equation. Mr. Hot Dog takes care of something considerably less complicated. \nThen Austin Neal performs from 4 to 7 p.m. \nOuter Light will handle the beer. \nFall Fest Is Back\nThis isn’t Outer Light’s first attempt at a fall party. \nThe Groton brewery has turned Fall Fest into one of its seasonal community gatherings\, and the 2026 edition is scheduled for Saturday\, October 3 from noon until 8 p.m. \nOuter Light is promising seasonal releases alongside its year-round beers\, and its current draft lineup already offers a pretty substantial clue about what’s coming. \nFall Fest Märzen\, a 6.1% ABV Oktoberfest-style lager\, is currently pouring at the brewery. \nMärzen is the amber\, malt-forward German lager most Americans traditionally associate with Oktoberfest. The name literally refers to March\, when the beer was historically brewed before warm weather made brewing more difficult. It was stored through summer and ready to drink when fall arrived. \nIn Groton\, apparently\, it’s also good preparation for throwing an axe. \nKingdom Axe Brings the Targets to the Brewery\nFrom 1 to 3 p.m.\, Kingdom Axe brings its mobile axe-throwing setup to Fall Fest. \nThis isn’t a tabletop carnival game. \nThe Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut company operates a custom mobile trailer containing two separate throwing lanes\, enclosed with protective barriers and equipped with targets\, axes\, lighting and music. \nKingdom Axe also supplies instructors it calls “axe-perts” to teach participants how to throw and supervise the activity. \nThe company says its setup uses anti-bounce-back targets\, and its coaches are First Aid and CPR trained. \nThere is one important restriction for families: Kingdom Axe’s regular minimum throwing age is 12\, with adult supervision required for minors. \nOuter Light hasn’t published separate Fall Fest participation rules\, so families interested in throwing should follow the instructions being given by Kingdom Axe staff at the event. \nCarly’s Critters Brings a Completely Different Kind of Attraction\nAlso appearing from 1 to 3 p.m. is Carly’s Critters. \nIf axe throwing sounds like an odd thing to encounter at a brewery\, wait until you add a mobile farm. \nCarly’s Critters is an eastern Connecticut-based mobile mini farm and petting zoo that travels throughout Connecticut\, Rhode Island and Massachusetts for festivals\, schools\, parties and community events. \nIts larger operation includes goats\, pigs\, chickens\, ducks\, rabbits\, guinea pigs and ponies\, along with more unusual visitors. \nIt also has a separate “Creepy Crawly Critters” program featuring reptiles\, amphibians and invertebrates. \nExactly which animals Carly’s Critters will bring to Outer Light hasn’t been announced\, and the company notes that animal selections for traveling events can change according to availability\, weather and the event setup. \nSo don’t promise the kids a particular animal. \nYou can promise them there will be critters. \nSixpenny Oysters Are About as Local as Seafood Gets\nThe raw-bar portion of Fall Fest comes from Sixpenny Oyster Farm\, a small family-run aquaculture operation based in Noank. \nSixpenny grows its oysters in Beebe Cove near the mouth of the Mystic River\, making this a genuinely local brewery-and-oyster pairing. \nThe farm is operated by William Ceddia and Jason “Matt” Hamilton II\, two aquaculture professionals who met while working at Fishers Island Oyster Farm. \nCeddia grew up in Mystic and studied Aquaculture and Fisheries Technology at the University of Rhode Island. Hamilton came to southeastern Connecticut in 2012 and entered the aquaculture world through marine science fieldwork before eventually working professionally in oyster farming. \nThe pair turned Sixpenny into a full-time operation around the beginning of the pandemic. \nToday\, the farm sells directly to customers\, supplies restaurants and events\, operates catering and raw-bar services and has expanded into educational programs and guided kayak tours of its working oyster farm. \nWhat Does a Sixpenny Taste Like?\nSixpenny describes its oysters as distinctly briny\, with a smooth texture\, clean finish and mild mineral notes. \nThat reflects their environment. \nOysters don’t merely live in coastal water. Their flavor can carry characteristics of the water in which they’re grown\, producing differences in salinity\, minerality\, sweetness and finish from one growing area to another. \nWine drinkers have terroir. \nOyster people sometimes call the marine version merroir. \nSixpenny also puts considerable emphasis on the environmental side of oyster farming. The company participates in the Shellfish Grower’s Climate Coalition and works in education and sustainable aquaculture. \nThat’s particularly appropriate because oysters themselves perform useful ecological work. \nThey’re filter feeders\, drawing water across their gills as they feed on phytoplankton and suspended particles. Oyster reefs and farms can also provide habitat for other marine organisms. \nSo when Sixpenny arrives at Outer Light\, the distance from farm to pint glass isn’t particularly far. \nMystic Cheese Handles the Other Half of the Pairing\nThen there’s cheese. \nMystic Cheese Company is another southeastern Connecticut producer with a story considerably more interesting than simply buying wheels of cheese and cutting them into wedges. \nMystic Cheese actually makes the stuff. \nThe company began in 2013\, originally producing cheese inside converted shipping containers on a farm in Lebanon\, Connecticut. \nAs the business grew\, Mystic Cheese moved production to a purpose-built cheesemaking facility in Groton. \nIts cheese is made and aged locally using milk sourced exclusively from Connecticut farms. \nCurrent cheeses include Melinda Mae\, The Gray and Whaledale\, among others\, and the company has earned recognition for its increasingly ambitious aged cheeses. \nThe Gray\, a Cheshire-style cheese\, was named to Culture magazine’s Best of 2025 list. \nMystic Cheese also operates its retail shop at the Velvet Mill in Stonington\, selling its own cheeses alongside domestic and imported selections\, charcuterie and provisions. \nOuter Light has not yet announced what Mystic Cheese will be serving or selling at Fall Fest\, nor has it posted the vendor’s appearance time. \nMr. Hot Dog Keeps Things Simple\nFrom 1 to 6 p.m.\, Mr. Hot Dog joins the food lineup. \nOuter Light currently identifies the vendor simply as Mr. Hot Dog and has not published a Fall Fest menu. \nSo rather than invent a list of elaborate toppings\, we’ll stick with what we know. \nThere will be hot dogs. \nFor five hours. \nSometimes journalism is easy. \nAustin Neal Takes Over the Music From 4 to 7\nThe live-music portion of the day belongs to Austin Neal\, who performs from 4 to 7 p.m. \nNeal is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who works the regional brewery\, restaurant and event circuit and has become a recurring performer at Outer Light. \nIn fact\, Fall Fest isn’t his only Outer Light appearance this fall. \nHe’s also scheduled to play the brewery’s Groton Firefighters Fundraiser on September 26\, one week before Fall Fest. \nThat familiarity makes him a natural fit for the brewery’s big community events: live music that can carry an afternoon without turning the taproom into a formal concert venue. \nFall Fest is built for people to move around\, eat\, have a beer\, visit the vendors and come back to the music. \nOuter Light Has Been Brewing in Groton Since 2015\nThe host has now been part of Groton’s craft-beer scene for more than a decade. \nOuter Light Brewing Company opened in 2015\, establishing its brewery and taproom at 266 Bridge Street. \nIts beer lineup ranges widely rather than sticking to one style\, with IPAs\, lagers\, ales\, sours and seasonal releases moving through the taps. \nOne of its best-known beers is Lonesome Boatman\, an amber ale that has become a year-round fixture. \nThe current tap list illustrates just how broad things can get. Alongside Lonesome Boatman and the Fall Fest Märzen\, recent pours have included a passion-fruit New England IPA\, cherry-limeade sour\, orange hefeweizen collaboration and green-tea pale ale. \nFall Fest gives the brewery a reason to lean particularly hard into the seasonal side. \nThe Brewery Is Also a Coffee Shop Now\nHere’s something people who haven’t visited Outer Light recently may not know. \nThe brewery now opens in the morning as Outer Light Brewing Coffee. \nThe same industrial taproom that pours beer later in the day serves espresso drinks\, drip coffee\, cold brew\, cappuccino\, lattes\, chai\, matcha and other nonalcoholic drinks earlier in the day\, along with light food including bagels\, muffins and croissants. \nOuter Light’s Fall Fest promotion specifically says coffee will be available at the bar all day\, along with its seasonal beers and year-round favorites. \nThat makes this one brewery festival where “I don’t drink beer” doesn’t leave you holding a bottle of water for eight hours. \nIt Works as a Family Fall Festival\, Too\nThe combination of Carly’s Critters\, food vendors and afternoon activities makes Fall Fest much broader than a beer release. \nOuter Light itself is generally child friendly\, and the festival doesn’t carry a published 21-and-over restriction. \nKingdom Axe has its own age restriction for participating in axe throwing\, but families can still visit the animals\, get something to eat\, listen to the music and spend time at the brewery. \nOuter Light also has outdoor seating. \nDogs are permitted outside only\, according to the brewery’s current policy. Only service animals are allowed indoors. \nWith Carly’s Critters on the property\, that distinction may be especially worth remembering. \nStart With an Axe. Finish With an Oyster and a Märzen.\nThe schedule also makes it possible to plan the day without having to stay for all eight hours. \nThe festival opens at noon. \nAt 1 p.m.\, the activity ramps up when Kingdom Axe\, Carly’s Critters and Mr. Hot Dog get started. \nKingdom Axe and Carly’s Critters wrap at 3. \nAustin Neal begins at 4. \nMr. Hot Dog continues until 6. \nThe music carries the party until 7. \nOuter Light keeps Fall Fest going until 8. \nMystic Cheese and Sixpenny Oyster Farm are confirmed for the festival\, although Outer Light has not yet posted their specific serving times. \nThat gives the day a nice progression. \nCoffee if you’re early. \nAnimals and axes in the afternoon. \nOysters\, cheese and beer somewhere along the way. \nLive music into the evening. \nAnd\, because this is New England in October\, presumably at least one person wearing flannel who has been waiting since July for permission to wear it again. \nDetails\nEvent: Outer Light Fall Fest\nDate: Saturday\, October 3\, 2026\nTime: Noon–8 p.m.\nVenue: Outer Light Brewing Company\nAddress: 266 Bridge Street\, Unit 1\, Groton\, CT 06340\nAdmission: No admission charge is listed by Outer Light\nKingdom Axe: 1–3 p.m.\nCarly’s Critters: 1–3 p.m.\nMr. Hot Dog: 1–6 p.m.\nMystic Cheese: Confirmed; time TBD\nSixpenny Oyster Farm: Confirmed; time TBD\nAustin Neal: Live music\, 4–7 p.m.\nBeer: Seasonal releases\, including Fall Fest Märzen\, plus year-round Outer Light beers\nOther Drinks: Coffee available at the bar throughout the day\nFamilies: Outer Light is child friendly; individual attractions may have participation restrictions\nAxe Throwing: Kingdom Axe normally allows participants ages 12 and older\, with adult supervision for minors\nDogs: Permitted in Outer Light’s outdoor seating area only; service animals allowed indoors\nPhone: 475-201-9972 \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/outer-light-fall-fest-packs-oysters-axe-throwing-animals-cheese-and-live-music-into-one-big-groton-bash/
LOCATION:Outer Light Brewing Company\, 266 Bridge Street\, Groton\, CT\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Outer Light Brewing
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T150000
DTSTAMP:20261001T150233Z
CREATED:20261001T150233Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T150233Z
UID:10009218-1791028800-1791039600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Hygienic Art’s YART Sale Digs Into the Closets for an Art-Lover’s Treasure Hunt
DESCRIPTION:Hygienic Art’s YART Sale Digs Into the Closets for an Art-Lover’s Treasure Hunt Saturday\, Oct. 3\, when the New London arts institution empties its corners and storage spaces for three hours of abandoned artwork\, old posters\, prints\, T-shirts\, and whatever other creative oddities have accumulated over the years. \nThis isn’t a conventional gallery sale. \nHygienic is specifically pulling out unclaimed and abandoned artwork\, along with its own memorabilia and assorted odds and ends\, and offering it at what the organization describes as bargain-friendly prices. \nThere may be polished artwork worth hanging over the sofa. There may be a forgotten Hygienic poster from years ago. There may be something wonderfully strange for which no reasonable person has an immediate use. \nThat’s rather the point. \nThe YART Sale runs from noon to 3 p.m. at 79 Bank Street\, with cold adult beverages also available for purchase. \nWhat Exactly Is a YART Sale?\nThink yard sale\, except the attic belongs to an arts organization that’s been collecting things for decades. \nHygienic says it is clearing out closets\, corners and storage areas\, producing a sale that includes artwork that was never reclaimed as well as T-shirts\, posters\, prints\, merchandise and miscellaneous pieces of Hygienic history. \nThat makes this less predictable than walking into an art gallery knowing what’s currently hanging on the walls. \nThe organizers aren’t promising a neatly catalogued collection. They’re inviting people to dig. \nAnd at Hygienic\, decades of accumulation could make that interesting. \nThe Place Has Been Collecting Art Since 1979\nThe YART Sale makes more sense when you understand the institution holding it. \nHygienic Art traces its beginnings to 1979\, when a group of New London artists began staging an annual exhibition inside the old Hygienic Restaurant. \nThe idea was modeled on the independent salon tradition that challenged the gatekeepers of the established Paris art world. \nNew London’s version developed rules that remain central to Hygienic’s identity: no judge\, no jury\, no fees and no censorship. \nArtists could bring one piece and participate without first convincing a curator or selection committee that their work deserved a wall. \nIt became an annual tradition. \nThe restaurant eventually closed\, but the artists kept the exhibition alive at other locations. When the old Hygienic building itself was threatened with demolition in the 1990s\, the arts community organized to save it. \nHygienic Art ultimately acquired the property in 1998\, renovated it and reopened its galleries in 2000. \nToday the organization operates galleries\, artist live/work spaces and an outdoor Art Park while continuing the annual Hygienic Art exhibition that started the whole thing. \nSo when Hygienic says it has old art and assorted material tucked away in storage\, there is potentially quite a history behind those closets. \nSome of the Art Has Literally Been Left Behind\nThe phrase “unclaimed and abandoned artwork” is what separates this from a normal merchandise clearance. \nThese aren’t simply reproductions Hygienic ordered too many of. \nThey are pieces that\, for one reason or another\, remained behind. \nThe organization isn’t publishing a complete inventory in advance\, which preserves the garage-sale quality of the afternoon. Buyers won’t necessarily know what’s waiting until they start looking. \nHygienic itself sums up the mystery nicely: some pieces have stories\, some need new homes\, and some apparently fall into a category that requires seeing them in person. \nFor anyone who enjoys flea markets\, estate sales\, thrift shops or digging through record-store bins\, that uncertainty may be the best part. \nPosters and T-Shirts Can Be Little Pieces of New London History\nDon’t overlook the non-artwork. \nA poster from an old Hygienic event isn’t simply advertising once enough time has passed. It becomes an artifact from New London’s arts scene. \nHygienic’s annual exhibitions have been happening for more than four decades\, while the organization has also hosted concerts\, festivals\, performances and exhibitions throughout the year. \nIts Bank Street home has an even longer history. \nThe building predates Hygienic Art and was associated for decades with the Hygienic Restaurant\, once a fixture of downtown New London. The restaurant became the unlikely home of those early artist exhibitions before the nonprofit eventually took over the building itself. \nOld Hygienic shirts\, prints and posters can therefore carry a little of that history with them. \nExactly which years\, designs and events will turn up Saturday isn’t specified. That’s another part of the hunt. \nAn Art Sale That Fits Hygienic\nThere is something particularly appropriate about unwanted artwork getting another chance at Hygienic. \nThis is an organization whose best-known exhibition was built around removing barriers between artists and gallery walls. \nIts annual Salon des Indépendants has traditionally accepted work without judging whether it is fashionable\, marketable or worthy of inclusion. \nSaturday applies a similarly democratic principle to the other end of an artwork’s life. \nSomething was made. \nSomebody left it behind. \nNow somebody else gets to decide whether they love it. \nNo curator required. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nDetails\nEvent: YART Sale\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nTime: Noon–3 p.m.\nLocation: Hygienic Art\nAddress: 79 Bank Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nSale Includes: Unclaimed and abandoned artwork\, Hygienic Art T-shirts and merchandise\, posters\, prints\, odds and ends and other creative finds\nPrices: Described by Hygienic Art as bargain-friendly; individual prices have not been published\nAdult Beverages: Cold adult beverages will be available for purchase\nAdmission: No separate admission charge is listed for the sale\nPhone: 860-443-8001\nRegular Gallery Hours Saturday: 11 a.m.–7 p.m. \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/hygienic-arts-yart-sale-digs-into-the-closets-for-an-art-lovers-treasure-hunt/
LOCATION:Hygenic Art\, 79 Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Hygenic Art
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T130000
DTSTAMP:20260917T165240Z
CREATED:20260917T165240Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T165240Z
UID:10007931-1791028800-1791032400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Climb 116 Steps Inside New London Harbor Lighthouse on Weekend Tours
DESCRIPTION:Climb 116 Steps Inside New London Harbor Lighthouse on Weekend Tours for a rare look inside the historic 1801 tower\, with Saturday and Sunday tours taking visitors all the way to the lantern room overlooking Long Island Sound. \nThe New London Maritime Society is opening New London Harbor “Pequot” Light for 45-minute tours every weekend at noon through Feb. 28\, 2027. Groups are deliberately tiny\, limited to just five people\, turning the visit into something closer to a guided exploration than a typical historic-site tour. \nAnd there’s quite a bit waiting above those 116 steps. \nA Lighthouse That’s Been Watching the Harbor for Centuries\nNew London Harbor Light’s story stretches back to the colonial era. A lighthouse was established here in 1761 under King George III\, while the octagonal stone tower standing today was completed in 1801. \nAt 89 feet tall\, it’s the tallest lighthouse on Long Island Sound as well as its oldest. The U.S. Coast Guard still operates the light as an active aid to navigation. \nInside is another survivor: an 1850 fourth-order Fresnel lens that remains in use. \nVisitors climb the tower while learning about the lighthouse and the generations of keepers who tended it. At the top\, the lantern room opens up a view across New London Harbor\, the Thames River and Long Island Sound. \nThere are lighthouses everywhere you look. From Harbor Light\, it’s possible to spot at least seven others\, including New London Ledge Light\, Race Rock\, Little Gull Island\, Plum Island\, Little Dumpling\, Montauk and Avery Point. \nAnd then there’s the traffic below. \nNew London remains a working maritime port\, so the view can include ferries\, commercial vessels and Coast Guard traffic moving through the harbor. The Maritime Society makes one thing clear: they can’t promise you’ll see a submarine. \nBut in New London\, you never know. \nPart of New London’s Chain of Lights\nHarbor Light is one of three historic lighthouses owned and preserved by the New London Maritime Society. \nNew London Ledge Light\, completed in 1909\, stands offshore near the mouth of the Thames. Farther out\, Race Rock Light Station has guarded the notoriously difficult waters between Fishers Island and Long Island Sound since 1878. \nTogether with Harbor Light\, the three create a chain of beacons leading vessels from the Atlantic into the historic port of New London. \nThe Maritime Society took ownership of Harbor Light in 2010 through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Money raised through lighthouse tours supports the preservation and restoration of the area’s historic lights. \nBefore You Climb\nThis isn’t a lighthouse where visitors can simply walk onto the property. \nTours are limited to five people\, and reservations should be made at least 48 hours in advance. Children must be at least 8 years old. \nVisitors meet their guide on Pequot Avenue in front of the lighthouse and must wait there for the New London Maritime Society representative. Guests should not enter the lighthouse property or neighboring driveways on their own. \nThe climb also requires proper footwear. Sneakers or deck shoes are required; sandals and flip-flops aren’t permitted. \nTours are weather dependent\, so visitors should check their email before leaving home for any cancellation notice. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nNew London 24 hour Harbor Cam\nDetails\nDates: Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 28\, 2027\nTime: Noon–12:45 p.m.\nLocation: New London Harbor “Pequot” Lighthouse\, New London\nMeeting Point: Pequot Avenue in front of the lighthouse\nTour Length: Approximately 45 minutes\nCapacity: Maximum of five people per tour\nAdmission: $35 adults; $30 New London Maritime Society members; $25 children ages 8–18\nAge Requirement: Children must be at least 8 years old\nReservations: Reservations should be made at least 48 hours in advance\nClimb: 116 steps to the lantern room\nFootwear: Deck shoes or sneakers required; no sandals or flip-flops\nFood & Drink: Water is permitted; other food and beverages are not. Alcohol is prohibited.\nParking: Street parking is available on the west side of Pequot Avenue\, across from the lighthouse\nWeather: Tours are weather dependent. Check your email before departing for cancellation notices.\nCancellations: Must be made at least three days in advance. Payments are non-refundable except when a tour is canceled because of weather.\nLast-Minute Tickets: Call 203-444-2884 to ask whether space is available.\nImportant: Do not enter the lighthouse property or neighboring driveways without a New London Maritime Society representative. \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/climb-116-steps-inside-new-london-harbor-lighthouse-on-weekend-tours/2026-10-03/
LOCATION:Pequot Lighthouse\, Pequot Avenue\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Pequot Lighthouse
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