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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260922T110000
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SUMMARY:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art explores the history of textiles in southeastern Connecticut\, tracing how fabrics\, fashion\, and craftsmanship have shaped the region from the precolonial era through the present day. On view from June 26 through October 11\, 2026\, the exhibition brings together historic artifacts and contemporary works to examine how textiles reflect labor\, immigration\, cultural identity\, and changing ideas of luxury. \nInspired by southeastern Connecticut’s once-thriving velvet industry\, the exhibition features a collaboration between Mystic Museum of Art\, Historic Stonington\, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\, Mystic Seaport Museum\, and the Connecticut Region of the Studio Art Quilt Associates. Visitors will encounter an extensive collection of beadwork\, embroidery\, quilts\, velvet\, fashion\, and textile art drawn from partner institutions and the museum’s own collection. \nThe exhibition also highlights contemporary fashion designers with Connecticut connections\, including Xarea Lockhart\, Toriana Sauro\, Christian Siriano\, and Peter Som. Their work connects the region’s textile heritage with modern fashion\, demonstrating how clothing and material culture continue to influence art\, identity\, and design. Throughout the exhibition\, the museum will present lectures\, artist conversations\, and hands-on workshops that further explore these themes. \nExhibition Details\n\nExhibition: Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways\nVenue: Mystic Museum of Art\nDates: June 26-October 11\, 2026\nLocation: Mystic\, CT\n\nExhibition Highlights\nVisitors will experience: \n\ns\nWorks from Mystic Museum of Art’s permanent collection\nLoans from regional museums and organizations\n\nFeatured Partners\nThe exhibition includes contributions from: \n\nHistoric Stonington\nMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\nMystic Seaport Museum\nStudio Art Quilt Associates\, Connecticut Region\n\nFeatured Designers\nThe exhibition showcases work by designers with Connecticut ties\, including: \n\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\nChristian Siriano\nPeter Som\n\nAdmission\n\nGeneral Admission: $12\nNew London County residents: $10\nSeniors (65+): $10\nStudents with valid ID: $10\nFree:\n\nMystic Museum of Art members\nYouth ages 17 and under\nMilitary personnel and veterans\n\n\n\nExhibition Programs\nPublic programs are held on select Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. \nTuesday\, July 7\nMystic Mudlarking: The River and the Rossie Velvet Mill \n\nGuest speaker: Mary Hendrickson\n\nTuesday\, July 21\nImmigration and Industry \n\nGuest speaker: Chelsea Mitchell\, Library Director & Collections Manager\, Historic Stonington\n\nTuesday\, September 1\nConversation with Alana Ryder and Emerging Designers \nFeaturing: \n\nAlana Ryder\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\n\nWorkshops\nAll workshops take place in KTJ Studios. \nSaturday\, September 19\nFrom Textile to Art: Felt Collage Workshop \nSaturday\, September 26\nIntroduction to Sewing Workshop \n\nFeatured designer: Toriana Sauro\n\nSaturday\, October 10\nRelief Printing on Silk Scarf Workshop \nWhy Visit\nLuxe CT examines how textiles have connected communities across centuries while reflecting the region’s history of manufacturing\, immigration\, craftsmanship\, and artistic innovation. By pairing historical artifacts with contemporary fashion and fiber art\, the exhibition offers visitors a deeper understanding of southeastern Connecticut’s cultural heritage and its continuing influence on today’s artists and designers. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/luxe-ct-velvet-mills-to-modern-runways-at-mystic-museum-of-art/2026-09-22/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Luxe-CT-Velvet-Mills-to-Modern-Runways-at-Mystic-Museum-of-Art-daily-11am-5pm.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260922T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260922T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
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SUMMARY:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks
DESCRIPTION:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks drops visitors into centuries of maritime mystery and disaster at Mystic Seaport Museum.. The internationally touring exhibition combines massive LEGO® ship recreations with real maritime history\, creating an experience that feels part museum exhibit\, part interactive adventure. As the first American stop for the exhibition\, Mystic Seaport becomes the latest host for a showcase that has previously appeared at major maritime museums in Europe and Australia. \nThe exhibit features eleven detailed LEGO® models recreating famous shipwrecks and maritime disasters spanning thousands of years\, including the Titanic\, the Vasa\, Franklin’s Arctic expedition ships Terror and Erebus\, and the ancient Uluburun trading vessel. Created in partnership with LEGO® Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught\, the displays combine historical storytelling with surprisingly intricate engineering and visual detail. Some models even include cross-section cutaways revealing what happened beneath the waterline. \nInteractive experiences throughout the exhibit invite visitors to test survival scenarios\, operate a remote underwater vehicle\, experiment with ship stability\, and build LEGO® creations of their own. Alongside the models are replica artifacts\, archaeological tools\, and multimedia displays exploring how modern researchers investigate shipwrecks and what those discoveries reveal about trade\, exploration\, disaster\, and human history. The result is an exhibit that works equally well for families\, history buffs\, LEGO® fans\, and anyone who still secretly wants to touch every museum display. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/brickwrecks-sunken-ships-in-lego-bricks-3/2026-09-22/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Brickwrecks-Sunked-Ships-in-Lego-Bricks.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260922T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260922T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007324-1790067600-1790100000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill 2026: Complete Guide
DESCRIPTION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is now open for the 2026 season\, beginning another fall of fresh-pressed sweet cider\, cider donuts\, traditional hard cider\, apple wine and one of the most unusual pieces of working history in Connecticut. \nThe family-owned Old Mystic landmark opened for the season September 1 and is currently scheduled to operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 129 North Stonington Road. \nBut calling Clyde’s a cider shop doesn’t quite explain why generations of families make a trip here every fall. \nThe mill has been family-owned since 1881. Fourth\, fifth and sixth generations of the family still work in the business. Apples are still crushed and pressed using historic machinery powered by steam. Visitors can watch the machinery operate\, descend into the cellar for traditional hard cider tastings\, sample apple wines in a converted grist mill and leave with a bag of cider donuts. \nClyde’s calls itself the oldest steam-powered cider mill in the United States. \nMore precisely\, it is the last operating steam-powered cider mill in the country\, according to the mill\, and its historic cider-making machinery has been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. \nIt isn’t a reproduction of an old cider mill. \nIt’s the real thing. \nA Mystic Fall Tradition Since 1881\nThe story begins with Benjamin F. Clyde. \nIn 1881\, Clyde began producing cider from apples he had pressed at other local mills. He eventually rented a press before purchasing his own mill in 1897. \nThe equipment that followed would become the heart of the operation visitors still come to see. \nClyde purchased a screw press manufactured by Boomer & Boschert of Syracuse\, New York. The company also supplied the apple grater\, elevator and cider pump\, along with plans for the mill building. \nThe machinery was installed in 1898. \nAt the time\, cider mills were hardly unusual in rural America. \nThey served much the same role for apple growers that grist mills did for farmers growing grain. Orchards could bring surplus apples to a centrally located mill\, where the fruit could be processed and pressed into juice. Some of that juice could then be fermented into hard cider. \nMost of those community mills disappeared. \nClyde’s didn’t. \nThe Steam-Powered Mill Is Still Working\nThat’s what makes a visit different from touring a preserved historic building. \nThe machinery still has a job. \nApples enter the cider-making system and are elevated to a grinder\, where they’re reduced to pulp. That pulp is prepared for pressing\, and the historic screw press applies the tremendous pressure needed to extract the juice. \nThe technology was impressive for its era. \nAccording to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers\, the all-steel screw press could apply pressure at three speeds and represented one of the last generations of screw presses before hydraulic presses became widespread during the 20th century. \nASME designated B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994\, recognizing the machinery as a rare survivor of an industry that was once common throughout America’s apple-growing regions. \nMore than a century after the equipment was installed\, Clyde’s still uses the mill to make cider. \nWhen Can You Watch Clyde’s Press Cider?\nVisitors don’t have to settle for looking at the machinery. \nClyde’s runs it during the season. \nThe mill’s typical pressing schedule is: \nTuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.–noon\nSaturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.–noon \nThe schedule can vary because Clyde’s presses according to production needs\, so the machinery isn’t guaranteed to be running continuously throughout those periods. \nEven when the press isn’t operating\, visitors are welcome to look inside the historic press building. \nFor anyone specifically interested in seeing the steam-powered machinery at work\, a pressing morning is the best time to plan a visit. \nHow Clyde’s Makes Sweet Cider\nFresh sweet cider is the product that started everything. \nClyde’s purchases its apples from small orchards rather than operating a pick-your-own orchard of its own. The apples are processed at the mill and pressed into cider using the historic equipment. \nThe finished sweet cider is flash pasteurized on the property. \nVisitors can buy cider to take home or drink it while visiting\, and seasonal cider drinks have become part of the experience alongside the mill’s baked goods. \nThat combination has helped turn what was originally a working agricultural business into a fall destination. \nYou can come to learn how a 19th-century cider press works. \nYou can also come because you want cider and a donut. \nNeither is the wrong reason. \nAbout Those Clyde’s Cider Donuts\nFor plenty of visitors\, the steam engine has competition. \nClyde’s cider donuts have become almost as closely associated with the mill as the cider itself. \nThe store sells its well-known cider donuts along with other baked goods and seasonal treats. The selection can vary\, but the broader shop also carries jarred products\, honey from local beekeepers\, candied apples made by the family and other locally produced goods. \nIt’s part bakery\, part country store and part historic attraction. \nAnd on a busy fall weekend\, the line is evidence that plenty of people know exactly what they came for. \nThen There Is the Cider Downstairs\nThe word “cider” gets considerably more complicated at Clyde’s. \nSweet cider is only part of the story. \nClyde’s also makes traditional hard cider using a process very different from the sweeter\, carbonated canned ciders that have become common in supermarkets and bars. \nThe hard cider begins with apple juice and ferments before aging in oak whiskey barrels. \nThe process from juice to finished hard cider typically takes about a year. \nAfter fermentation and aging\, the hard cider receives relatively little filtration before being sold. That preserves more of the raw\, oaky character produced by the barrel. \nThe result is considerably stronger than many commercial hard ciders. \nClyde’s hard ciders and apple wines generally contain 12 to 14 percent alcohol. \nHard Cider vs. Apple Wine: What’s the Difference?\nThis is one of the more interesting parts of Clyde’s operation because the two products begin in essentially the same place. \nBoth the hard cider and apple wine start as fermented apple juice aged in oak whiskey barrels. \nWhat happens afterward separates them. \nClyde’s hard cider is only lightly filtered to remove sediment. That leaves it with a bolder flavor\, more pronounced oak character and more bite. \nThe apple wine receives considerably more filtration. \nThat additional processing produces a smoother\, somewhat sweeter product that is also shelf stable before opening. \nSo someone expecting Clyde’s hard cider to taste like a modern canned hard cider may be surprised. \nThis is closer to an older cider-making tradition. \nWhat’s in the Hard Cider Cellar?\nThe hard cider cellar sits underneath the press building. \nThat’s where visitors can taste Clyde’s traditional hard ciders and where the product has been made for generations. \nAvailability changes throughout the season\, but Clyde’s 2026 lineup includes several recurring varieties. \nThe Original is the starting point. It’s dry\, without added fruit flavors competing with the oak character of the barrel. \nLucky Lion is also dry and crisp\, with a character Clyde’s says some drinkers compare to Scotch. \nBlackout goes even further in that direction. It’s Clyde’s most popular hard cider and wine flavor\, with strong oak notes that the mill describes as almost reminiscent of whiskey. \nThen things get fruitier. \nBoomerang combines apple and cranberry for a tart\, sweeter cider. \nGoodfella adds blackberry and lands on the sweeter end of the lineup. \nYellow Jacket combines apple and orange\, producing some sweetness with a citrus bite. \nCherry Bomb adds another fruit-driven option. \nBecause Clyde’s rotates its hard ciders\, individual varieties can change during the season. \nThe Apple Wine List Goes Much Further\nThe wine side of the operation offers even more variety. \nClyde’s currently lists 14 apple wines\, ranging from dry expressions of apple to much sweeter fruit combinations. \nApple Wine is the driest of the wine lineup. \nSpiced Apple uses mulling spices for a distinctly fall-oriented version. \nSpider Cider combines sweetness with pumpkin spices and can be warmed or used in a hot toddy. \nStrawberry Bliss is the sweetest wine in the lineup\, combining apple and strawberry. \nBlueberry Spinner combines apple and blueberry. \nApple Raspberry leans sweet but tart. \nCider House Blend combines apple\, orange and cranberry. \nSeveral of the hard cider varieties\, including Original\, Lucky Lion\, Blackout\, Boomerang\, Goodfella and Yellow Jacket\, are also produced as wines. \nThe distinction comes back to filtration. \nSame roots. \nDifferent finish. \nYes\, You Can Taste Them for Free\nClyde’s offers separate hard cider and wine tastings throughout its season. \nAnd the tastings are free. \nNo purchase is required and no reservation is necessary. \nVisitors can sample up to four hard ciders and up to four wines at their respective tasting locations. \nHard cider tastings take place in the cellar beneath the press building. \nWine tastings are held in the tasting room\, which has its own connection to the property’s history: the building is a converted grist mill once used to produce johnnycake meal. \nTastings are first-come\, first-served. \nCurrent tasting hours are: \nMonday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\nSunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. \nEveryone participating in a tasting must show a valid ID\, regardless of age or appearance. Clyde’s does not accept expired IDs or photographs of identification. \nConnecticut alcohol rules also mean Clyde’s cannot sell its hard cider or wine before 10 a.m. on Sundays. \nA Few Clyde’s Flavors to Know Before You Taste\nIf you don’t know where to start\, the tasting bottles are generally arranged from driest to sweetest\, and the staff can help narrow the choices. \nFor something dry: Original or Apple Wine. \nFor strong oak character: Blackout. \nFor dry and crisp: Lucky Lion. \nFor tart cranberry: Boomerang. \nFor something sweeter: Goodfella. \nFor fall spice: Spiced Apple or Spider Cider. \nFor very sweet fruit: Strawberry Bliss or Blueberry Spinner. \nOne warning for anyone accustomed to mass-market hard cider: remember the alcohol content. \nAt 12 to 14 percent ABV\, Clyde’s hard cider is much closer to wine strength than a typical bottle or can of commercial cider. \nCan You Bring Back a Clyde’s Growler?\nYes. \nClyde’s sells 64-ounce growlers of hard cider and offers growler refills. \nThere are a couple of important rules. \nClyde’s refills growlers rather than exchanging them\, so customers should clean their growler before bringing it back. The mill can only refill glass growlers that have a stamped or imprinted 64-ounce measurement. \nWine cannot be used for growler fills. \nThe refill program is for hard cider. \nHard cider should also be kept cool after purchase. Clyde’s recommends refrigeration. \nThere’s More Than Cider\nThe tasting room also contains Clyde’s gift shop\, with merchandise and locally made products that can include handmade earrings\, postcards and art prints. \nElsewhere at the mill\, visitors can browse honey produced by local beekeepers\, jarred foods\, family-made candied apples\, baked goods and other seasonal products. \nThat makes it possible to spend considerably more time at Clyde’s than simply buying a gallon of cider and heading home. \nWatch the press. \nGet cider and donuts. \nExplore the store. \nGo downstairs for a hard cider tasting. \nVisit the wine tasting room. \nBrowse the gift shop. \nIt’s effectively several different experiences spread across the historic property. \nIs B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill Good for Kids?\nYes. \nClyde’s welcomes children of all ages. \nThe working mill is also an opportunity to show kids a piece of machinery doing the job it was actually designed to do more than a century ago. \nThere is no alcohol involved in the regular sweet cider\, and the bakery\, cider and mill demonstration make Clyde’s an easy family fall stop. \nJust don’t confuse the two kinds of cider. \nThe traditional hard cider and apple wines are 12 to 14 percent alcohol and are strictly for adults 21 and older. \nCan You Pick Apples at Clyde’s?\nNo. \nThis is one of the most useful things to know before making the trip. \nB.F. Clyde’s is a cider mill\, not a pick-your-own orchard. \nThe mill purchases apples from small orchards and uses them to produce its cider. \nIf apple picking is part of your fall plans\, you’ll need to visit an orchard separately. \nCan You Bring a Dog?\nYes\, with restrictions. \nLeashed pets are permitted on the grounds. \nThey aren’t allowed inside the buildings or on the porch\, and visitors need to bring whatever they need to clean up after their pets. \nParking Can Be the Hardest Part of a Fall Visit\nClyde’s popularity comes with one predictable problem. \nIt gets busy. \nThe main parking lot can fill during peak periods\, particularly on fall weekends. \nClyde’s asks visitors to try the main lot first and to respect posted no-parking areas and neighboring properties if parking along nearby roads. \nAn auxiliary lot is available at 49 North Stonington Road. It’s approximately four-tenths of a mile from the mill\, so visitors using it should expect a walk. \nIf your schedule is flexible\, a weekday visit can make the entire experience easier. \nIf you’re coming specifically to see the press operate\, Tuesday or Thursday morning offers the combination of a weekday visit and a scheduled pressing window. \nClyde’s Isn’t a Museum\, and That’s the Point\nThere are plenty of places where historic machinery survives behind ropes. \nClyde’s is different. \nBenjamin Clyde started making cider in 1881. \nHe acquired his own mill in the 1890s. \nThe equipment installed in 1898 survived the arrival of hydraulic presses\, mass food production\, supermarkets\, interstate highways and more than a century of changes in how Americans buy their food. \nThe family survived with it. \nToday\, fourth\, fifth and sixth generations are involved in the operation. \nEvery September\, the doors open again. \nApples arrive. \nThe steam-powered machinery starts moving. \nFresh cider begins flowing. \nAnd people line up for cider donuts. \nThat’s why B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is more than another place to add to a Connecticut fall checklist. It’s a piece of New England’s agricultural and industrial history that never stopped doing its job. \n2026 Visitor Guide\nAttraction: B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\n2026 Season Opening: September 1\, 2026\nCurrent Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\, seven days a week\nLocation: 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: Free\nChildren: Welcome\nPets: Leashed pets allowed on the grounds; not inside buildings or on the porch\nApple Picking: No\nSweet Cider: Available\nCider Donuts and Baked Goods: Available\nHard Cider: Available for adults 21+\nApple Wine: Available for adults 21+\nAlcohol Content: Hard cider and wine are generally 12–14% ABV\nTastings: Free; no reservation required\nHard Cider Tastings: Cellar beneath the press building\nWine Tastings: Tasting room\nTasting Hours: Monday–Saturday\, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday\, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nTypical Pressing Schedule: Tuesday\, Thursday\, Saturday and Sunday\, 10 a.m.–noon\nParking: Main lot plus auxiliary parking at 49 North Stonington Road\nThanksgiving: Closed\nShipping: Not available\nPreorders/Call-Ahead Orders: Not available \nHard Cider Menu\nAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers History \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/b-f-clydes-cider-mill-2026-complete-guide/2026-09-22/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T220000
DTSTAMP:20260603T224938Z
CREATED:20260602T005710Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T224938Z
UID:10004383-1790010000-1790028000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Martini Monday at Milestone
DESCRIPTION:Raise your glass. Monday is once again here\, but thanks to Martini Monday at Milestone restaurant in downtown Mystic\, there’s something to celebrate. Every Monday evening from 5 p.m. to closing\, Milestone is offering house-made martinis for $10. Come in and explore our ever-changing selection of specialty martinis in a casual neighborhood setting. \nCurrently\, we are featuring Espresso Martinis\, Lemon Drop Martinis\, Dirty Martinis\, Cosmopolitans\, and other classic and seasonal favorites. Whether it’s your after-work gathering with friends\, a casual date night\, or you just want a night off from cooking at home\, stop by Milestone on Monday and skip the wait until the weekend to enjoy an artisanal cocktail. And don’t forget about industry night! As part of Milestone’s weekly industry night promotion\, restaurant and hospitality professionals receive a discount on their entire bill. Come enjoy discounted drinks\, delicious food and friendly company on Monday nights at Milestone. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/martini-monday-at-milestone/2026-09-21/
LOCATION:Milestone\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Martini-Mondays-at-Milestone-5pm-to-10-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T210000
DTSTAMP:20260705T023526Z
CREATED:20260609T022239Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T023526Z
UID:10005377-1790006400-1790024400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Dock 9 Family Mondays
DESCRIPTION:Dock 9 Family Mondays offers an affordable way for families to enjoy a night out together in Stonington with food specials\, games\, and drink discounts throughout the evening. Held every Monday from 4 p.m. until close\, the weekly promotion is designed to give parents and kids a reason to gather around the table and spend time together after the start of a busy week. \nThe centerpiece of the promotion is a kids-eat-free offer\, allowing one free kids meal with each adult entrée purchased\, with a maximum of three complimentary meals per family. Children can choose from a menu that includes favorites such as cheeseburgers\, grilled cheese\, pasta\, chicken tenders\, quesadillas\, and mozzarella sticks. Open darts are available all night\, adding a fun activity for guests of all ages. \nFamily Mondays is ideal for parents looking for a casual weeknight dinner option that won’t break the budget. Adults can also take advantage of happy hour specials featuring discounted house wine and draft beers while kids enjoy a meal and some friendly competition around the dartboards. \nAdditional Details\n\nLocation: Dock 9\nAddress: u Stonington\, CT\nSchedule: Every Monday\nTime: 4 p.m. to close\n\nKids Eat Free \n\nOne free kids meal with each adult entrée purchased\nMaximum of three free kids meals per family\n\nKids Menu \n\nCheeseburger\nGrilled Cheese\nPasta\nChicken Tenders\nQuesadilla\nMozzarella Sticks\n\nActivities \n\nOpen darts all night\n\nHappy Hour Specials \n\n$5 House Wine\n$2 Off All Drafts\nFamily-friendly weekly dining promotion\nFood and drink specials subject to change by the venue
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/dock-9-family-mondays/2026-09-21/
LOCATION:Dock 9\, 22 Bayview Avenue\, Suite 49\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dock 9
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dock-9-Family-Mondays-from-4pm-to-close-in-the-Velvet-Mill-Stonington.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T210000
DTSTAMP:20260913T020703Z
CREATED:20260913T020703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260913T020703Z
UID:10007556-1789990200-1790024400@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/2026-09-21/
LOCATION:Jealous Monk\, 27 Coogan Blvd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jealous Monk
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006482-1789988400-1790010000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art explores the history of textiles in southeastern Connecticut\, tracing how fabrics\, fashion\, and craftsmanship have shaped the region from the precolonial era through the present day. On view from June 26 through October 11\, 2026\, the exhibition brings together historic artifacts and contemporary works to examine how textiles reflect labor\, immigration\, cultural identity\, and changing ideas of luxury. \nInspired by southeastern Connecticut’s once-thriving velvet industry\, the exhibition features a collaboration between Mystic Museum of Art\, Historic Stonington\, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\, Mystic Seaport Museum\, and the Connecticut Region of the Studio Art Quilt Associates. Visitors will encounter an extensive collection of beadwork\, embroidery\, quilts\, velvet\, fashion\, and textile art drawn from partner institutions and the museum’s own collection. \nThe exhibition also highlights contemporary fashion designers with Connecticut connections\, including Xarea Lockhart\, Toriana Sauro\, Christian Siriano\, and Peter Som. Their work connects the region’s textile heritage with modern fashion\, demonstrating how clothing and material culture continue to influence art\, identity\, and design. Throughout the exhibition\, the museum will present lectures\, artist conversations\, and hands-on workshops that further explore these themes. \nExhibition Details\n\nExhibition: Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways\nVenue: Mystic Museum of Art\nDates: June 26-October 11\, 2026\nLocation: Mystic\, CT\n\nExhibition Highlights\nVisitors will experience: \n\ns\nWorks from Mystic Museum of Art’s permanent collection\nLoans from regional museums and organizations\n\nFeatured Partners\nThe exhibition includes contributions from: \n\nHistoric Stonington\nMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\nMystic Seaport Museum\nStudio Art Quilt Associates\, Connecticut Region\n\nFeatured Designers\nThe exhibition showcases work by designers with Connecticut ties\, including: \n\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\nChristian Siriano\nPeter Som\n\nAdmission\n\nGeneral Admission: $12\nNew London County residents: $10\nSeniors (65+): $10\nStudents with valid ID: $10\nFree:\n\nMystic Museum of Art members\nYouth ages 17 and under\nMilitary personnel and veterans\n\n\n\nExhibition Programs\nPublic programs are held on select Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. \nTuesday\, July 7\nMystic Mudlarking: The River and the Rossie Velvet Mill \n\nGuest speaker: Mary Hendrickson\n\nTuesday\, July 21\nImmigration and Industry \n\nGuest speaker: Chelsea Mitchell\, Library Director & Collections Manager\, Historic Stonington\n\nTuesday\, September 1\nConversation with Alana Ryder and Emerging Designers \nFeaturing: \n\nAlana Ryder\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\n\nWorkshops\nAll workshops take place in KTJ Studios. \nSaturday\, September 19\nFrom Textile to Art: Felt Collage Workshop \nSaturday\, September 26\nIntroduction to Sewing Workshop \n\nFeatured designer: Toriana Sauro\n\nSaturday\, October 10\nRelief Printing on Silk Scarf Workshop \nWhy Visit\nLuxe CT examines how textiles have connected communities across centuries while reflecting the region’s history of manufacturing\, immigration\, craftsmanship\, and artistic innovation. By pairing historical artifacts with contemporary fashion and fiber art\, the exhibition offers visitors a deeper understanding of southeastern Connecticut’s cultural heritage and its continuing influence on today’s artists and designers. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/luxe-ct-velvet-mills-to-modern-runways-at-mystic-museum-of-art/2026-09-21/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000488-1789988400-1790010000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks
DESCRIPTION:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks drops visitors into centuries of maritime mystery and disaster at Mystic Seaport Museum.. The internationally touring exhibition combines massive LEGO® ship recreations with real maritime history\, creating an experience that feels part museum exhibit\, part interactive adventure. As the first American stop for the exhibition\, Mystic Seaport becomes the latest host for a showcase that has previously appeared at major maritime museums in Europe and Australia. \nThe exhibit features eleven detailed LEGO® models recreating famous shipwrecks and maritime disasters spanning thousands of years\, including the Titanic\, the Vasa\, Franklin’s Arctic expedition ships Terror and Erebus\, and the ancient Uluburun trading vessel. Created in partnership with LEGO® Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught\, the displays combine historical storytelling with surprisingly intricate engineering and visual detail. Some models even include cross-section cutaways revealing what happened beneath the waterline. \nInteractive experiences throughout the exhibit invite visitors to test survival scenarios\, operate a remote underwater vehicle\, experiment with ship stability\, and build LEGO® creations of their own. Alongside the models are replica artifacts\, archaeological tools\, and multimedia displays exploring how modern researchers investigate shipwrecks and what those discoveries reveal about trade\, exploration\, disaster\, and human history. The result is an exhibit that works equally well for families\, history buffs\, LEGO® fans\, and anyone who still secretly wants to touch every museum display. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/brickwrecks-sunken-ships-in-lego-bricks-3/2026-09-21/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007323-1789981200-1790013600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill 2026: Complete Guide
DESCRIPTION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is now open for the 2026 season\, beginning another fall of fresh-pressed sweet cider\, cider donuts\, traditional hard cider\, apple wine and one of the most unusual pieces of working history in Connecticut. \nThe family-owned Old Mystic landmark opened for the season September 1 and is currently scheduled to operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 129 North Stonington Road. \nBut calling Clyde’s a cider shop doesn’t quite explain why generations of families make a trip here every fall. \nThe mill has been family-owned since 1881. Fourth\, fifth and sixth generations of the family still work in the business. Apples are still crushed and pressed using historic machinery powered by steam. Visitors can watch the machinery operate\, descend into the cellar for traditional hard cider tastings\, sample apple wines in a converted grist mill and leave with a bag of cider donuts. \nClyde’s calls itself the oldest steam-powered cider mill in the United States. \nMore precisely\, it is the last operating steam-powered cider mill in the country\, according to the mill\, and its historic cider-making machinery has been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. \nIt isn’t a reproduction of an old cider mill. \nIt’s the real thing. \nA Mystic Fall Tradition Since 1881\nThe story begins with Benjamin F. Clyde. \nIn 1881\, Clyde began producing cider from apples he had pressed at other local mills. He eventually rented a press before purchasing his own mill in 1897. \nThe equipment that followed would become the heart of the operation visitors still come to see. \nClyde purchased a screw press manufactured by Boomer & Boschert of Syracuse\, New York. The company also supplied the apple grater\, elevator and cider pump\, along with plans for the mill building. \nThe machinery was installed in 1898. \nAt the time\, cider mills were hardly unusual in rural America. \nThey served much the same role for apple growers that grist mills did for farmers growing grain. Orchards could bring surplus apples to a centrally located mill\, where the fruit could be processed and pressed into juice. Some of that juice could then be fermented into hard cider. \nMost of those community mills disappeared. \nClyde’s didn’t. \nThe Steam-Powered Mill Is Still Working\nThat’s what makes a visit different from touring a preserved historic building. \nThe machinery still has a job. \nApples enter the cider-making system and are elevated to a grinder\, where they’re reduced to pulp. That pulp is prepared for pressing\, and the historic screw press applies the tremendous pressure needed to extract the juice. \nThe technology was impressive for its era. \nAccording to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers\, the all-steel screw press could apply pressure at three speeds and represented one of the last generations of screw presses before hydraulic presses became widespread during the 20th century. \nASME designated B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994\, recognizing the machinery as a rare survivor of an industry that was once common throughout America’s apple-growing regions. \nMore than a century after the equipment was installed\, Clyde’s still uses the mill to make cider. \nWhen Can You Watch Clyde’s Press Cider?\nVisitors don’t have to settle for looking at the machinery. \nClyde’s runs it during the season. \nThe mill’s typical pressing schedule is: \nTuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.–noon\nSaturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.–noon \nThe schedule can vary because Clyde’s presses according to production needs\, so the machinery isn’t guaranteed to be running continuously throughout those periods. \nEven when the press isn’t operating\, visitors are welcome to look inside the historic press building. \nFor anyone specifically interested in seeing the steam-powered machinery at work\, a pressing morning is the best time to plan a visit. \nHow Clyde’s Makes Sweet Cider\nFresh sweet cider is the product that started everything. \nClyde’s purchases its apples from small orchards rather than operating a pick-your-own orchard of its own. The apples are processed at the mill and pressed into cider using the historic equipment. \nThe finished sweet cider is flash pasteurized on the property. \nVisitors can buy cider to take home or drink it while visiting\, and seasonal cider drinks have become part of the experience alongside the mill’s baked goods. \nThat combination has helped turn what was originally a working agricultural business into a fall destination. \nYou can come to learn how a 19th-century cider press works. \nYou can also come because you want cider and a donut. \nNeither is the wrong reason. \nAbout Those Clyde’s Cider Donuts\nFor plenty of visitors\, the steam engine has competition. \nClyde’s cider donuts have become almost as closely associated with the mill as the cider itself. \nThe store sells its well-known cider donuts along with other baked goods and seasonal treats. The selection can vary\, but the broader shop also carries jarred products\, honey from local beekeepers\, candied apples made by the family and other locally produced goods. \nIt’s part bakery\, part country store and part historic attraction. \nAnd on a busy fall weekend\, the line is evidence that plenty of people know exactly what they came for. \nThen There Is the Cider Downstairs\nThe word “cider” gets considerably more complicated at Clyde’s. \nSweet cider is only part of the story. \nClyde’s also makes traditional hard cider using a process very different from the sweeter\, carbonated canned ciders that have become common in supermarkets and bars. \nThe hard cider begins with apple juice and ferments before aging in oak whiskey barrels. \nThe process from juice to finished hard cider typically takes about a year. \nAfter fermentation and aging\, the hard cider receives relatively little filtration before being sold. That preserves more of the raw\, oaky character produced by the barrel. \nThe result is considerably stronger than many commercial hard ciders. \nClyde’s hard ciders and apple wines generally contain 12 to 14 percent alcohol. \nHard Cider vs. Apple Wine: What’s the Difference?\nThis is one of the more interesting parts of Clyde’s operation because the two products begin in essentially the same place. \nBoth the hard cider and apple wine start as fermented apple juice aged in oak whiskey barrels. \nWhat happens afterward separates them. \nClyde’s hard cider is only lightly filtered to remove sediment. That leaves it with a bolder flavor\, more pronounced oak character and more bite. \nThe apple wine receives considerably more filtration. \nThat additional processing produces a smoother\, somewhat sweeter product that is also shelf stable before opening. \nSo someone expecting Clyde’s hard cider to taste like a modern canned hard cider may be surprised. \nThis is closer to an older cider-making tradition. \nWhat’s in the Hard Cider Cellar?\nThe hard cider cellar sits underneath the press building. \nThat’s where visitors can taste Clyde’s traditional hard ciders and where the product has been made for generations. \nAvailability changes throughout the season\, but Clyde’s 2026 lineup includes several recurring varieties. \nThe Original is the starting point. It’s dry\, without added fruit flavors competing with the oak character of the barrel. \nLucky Lion is also dry and crisp\, with a character Clyde’s says some drinkers compare to Scotch. \nBlackout goes even further in that direction. It’s Clyde’s most popular hard cider and wine flavor\, with strong oak notes that the mill describes as almost reminiscent of whiskey. \nThen things get fruitier. \nBoomerang combines apple and cranberry for a tart\, sweeter cider. \nGoodfella adds blackberry and lands on the sweeter end of the lineup. \nYellow Jacket combines apple and orange\, producing some sweetness with a citrus bite. \nCherry Bomb adds another fruit-driven option. \nBecause Clyde’s rotates its hard ciders\, individual varieties can change during the season. \nThe Apple Wine List Goes Much Further\nThe wine side of the operation offers even more variety. \nClyde’s currently lists 14 apple wines\, ranging from dry expressions of apple to much sweeter fruit combinations. \nApple Wine is the driest of the wine lineup. \nSpiced Apple uses mulling spices for a distinctly fall-oriented version. \nSpider Cider combines sweetness with pumpkin spices and can be warmed or used in a hot toddy. \nStrawberry Bliss is the sweetest wine in the lineup\, combining apple and strawberry. \nBlueberry Spinner combines apple and blueberry. \nApple Raspberry leans sweet but tart. \nCider House Blend combines apple\, orange and cranberry. \nSeveral of the hard cider varieties\, including Original\, Lucky Lion\, Blackout\, Boomerang\, Goodfella and Yellow Jacket\, are also produced as wines. \nThe distinction comes back to filtration. \nSame roots. \nDifferent finish. \nYes\, You Can Taste Them for Free\nClyde’s offers separate hard cider and wine tastings throughout its season. \nAnd the tastings are free. \nNo purchase is required and no reservation is necessary. \nVisitors can sample up to four hard ciders and up to four wines at their respective tasting locations. \nHard cider tastings take place in the cellar beneath the press building. \nWine tastings are held in the tasting room\, which has its own connection to the property’s history: the building is a converted grist mill once used to produce johnnycake meal. \nTastings are first-come\, first-served. \nCurrent tasting hours are: \nMonday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\nSunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. \nEveryone participating in a tasting must show a valid ID\, regardless of age or appearance. Clyde’s does not accept expired IDs or photographs of identification. \nConnecticut alcohol rules also mean Clyde’s cannot sell its hard cider or wine before 10 a.m. on Sundays. \nA Few Clyde’s Flavors to Know Before You Taste\nIf you don’t know where to start\, the tasting bottles are generally arranged from driest to sweetest\, and the staff can help narrow the choices. \nFor something dry: Original or Apple Wine. \nFor strong oak character: Blackout. \nFor dry and crisp: Lucky Lion. \nFor tart cranberry: Boomerang. \nFor something sweeter: Goodfella. \nFor fall spice: Spiced Apple or Spider Cider. \nFor very sweet fruit: Strawberry Bliss or Blueberry Spinner. \nOne warning for anyone accustomed to mass-market hard cider: remember the alcohol content. \nAt 12 to 14 percent ABV\, Clyde’s hard cider is much closer to wine strength than a typical bottle or can of commercial cider. \nCan You Bring Back a Clyde’s Growler?\nYes. \nClyde’s sells 64-ounce growlers of hard cider and offers growler refills. \nThere are a couple of important rules. \nClyde’s refills growlers rather than exchanging them\, so customers should clean their growler before bringing it back. The mill can only refill glass growlers that have a stamped or imprinted 64-ounce measurement. \nWine cannot be used for growler fills. \nThe refill program is for hard cider. \nHard cider should also be kept cool after purchase. Clyde’s recommends refrigeration. \nThere’s More Than Cider\nThe tasting room also contains Clyde’s gift shop\, with merchandise and locally made products that can include handmade earrings\, postcards and art prints. \nElsewhere at the mill\, visitors can browse honey produced by local beekeepers\, jarred foods\, family-made candied apples\, baked goods and other seasonal products. \nThat makes it possible to spend considerably more time at Clyde’s than simply buying a gallon of cider and heading home. \nWatch the press. \nGet cider and donuts. \nExplore the store. \nGo downstairs for a hard cider tasting. \nVisit the wine tasting room. \nBrowse the gift shop. \nIt’s effectively several different experiences spread across the historic property. \nIs B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill Good for Kids?\nYes. \nClyde’s welcomes children of all ages. \nThe working mill is also an opportunity to show kids a piece of machinery doing the job it was actually designed to do more than a century ago. \nThere is no alcohol involved in the regular sweet cider\, and the bakery\, cider and mill demonstration make Clyde’s an easy family fall stop. \nJust don’t confuse the two kinds of cider. \nThe traditional hard cider and apple wines are 12 to 14 percent alcohol and are strictly for adults 21 and older. \nCan You Pick Apples at Clyde’s?\nNo. \nThis is one of the most useful things to know before making the trip. \nB.F. Clyde’s is a cider mill\, not a pick-your-own orchard. \nThe mill purchases apples from small orchards and uses them to produce its cider. \nIf apple picking is part of your fall plans\, you’ll need to visit an orchard separately. \nCan You Bring a Dog?\nYes\, with restrictions. \nLeashed pets are permitted on the grounds. \nThey aren’t allowed inside the buildings or on the porch\, and visitors need to bring whatever they need to clean up after their pets. \nParking Can Be the Hardest Part of a Fall Visit\nClyde’s popularity comes with one predictable problem. \nIt gets busy. \nThe main parking lot can fill during peak periods\, particularly on fall weekends. \nClyde’s asks visitors to try the main lot first and to respect posted no-parking areas and neighboring properties if parking along nearby roads. \nAn auxiliary lot is available at 49 North Stonington Road. It’s approximately four-tenths of a mile from the mill\, so visitors using it should expect a walk. \nIf your schedule is flexible\, a weekday visit can make the entire experience easier. \nIf you’re coming specifically to see the press operate\, Tuesday or Thursday morning offers the combination of a weekday visit and a scheduled pressing window. \nClyde’s Isn’t a Museum\, and That’s the Point\nThere are plenty of places where historic machinery survives behind ropes. \nClyde’s is different. \nBenjamin Clyde started making cider in 1881. \nHe acquired his own mill in the 1890s. \nThe equipment installed in 1898 survived the arrival of hydraulic presses\, mass food production\, supermarkets\, interstate highways and more than a century of changes in how Americans buy their food. \nThe family survived with it. \nToday\, fourth\, fifth and sixth generations are involved in the operation. \nEvery September\, the doors open again. \nApples arrive. \nThe steam-powered machinery starts moving. \nFresh cider begins flowing. \nAnd people line up for cider donuts. \nThat’s why B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is more than another place to add to a Connecticut fall checklist. It’s a piece of New England’s agricultural and industrial history that never stopped doing its job. \n2026 Visitor Guide\nAttraction: B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\n2026 Season Opening: September 1\, 2026\nCurrent Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\, seven days a week\nLocation: 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: Free\nChildren: Welcome\nPets: Leashed pets allowed on the grounds; not inside buildings or on the porch\nApple Picking: No\nSweet Cider: Available\nCider Donuts and Baked Goods: Available\nHard Cider: Available for adults 21+\nApple Wine: Available for adults 21+\nAlcohol Content: Hard cider and wine are generally 12–14% ABV\nTastings: Free; no reservation required\nHard Cider Tastings: Cellar beneath the press building\nWine Tastings: Tasting room\nTasting Hours: Monday–Saturday\, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday\, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nTypical Pressing Schedule: Tuesday\, Thursday\, Saturday and Sunday\, 10 a.m.–noon\nParking: Main lot plus auxiliary parking at 49 North Stonington Road\nThanksgiving: Closed\nShipping: Not available\nPreorders/Call-Ahead Orders: Not available \nHard Cider Menu\nAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers History \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/b-f-clydes-cider-mill-2026-complete-guide/2026-09-21/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T203000
DTSTAMP:20261005T193645Z
CREATED:20260916T010757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T193645Z
UID:10007877-1789930800-1789936200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours Takes Visitors Into One of Mystic’s Oldest Burial Grounds After Dark
DESCRIPTION:Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours turns a colonial burial ground into a lantern-lit journey through nearly four centuries of Mystic history on multiple nights this fall\, combining documented stories of war\, disease\, abolition\, slavery and early New England burial customs with the legends and reported paranormal activity that have accumulated around the cemetery. \nThe 1-hour-and-45-minute walking tours take place at Whitehall Burial Ground\, tucked just off Hendel Drive in Mystic. Rather than moving through downtown and stopping outside supposedly haunted buildings\, this Seaside Shadows tour spends the evening inside the historic cemetery itself. \nAnd this is not a one-night event. \nThe tours continue on Wednesday\, Friday and Sunday evenings through November\, with additional Saturday tours during October. September and October tours begin at 7 p.m.\, making this one CT Beacon event listing that can carry readers through much of the fall rather than disappearing after a single weekend. \nWhitehall Goes Back to the 1660s\nPart of what gives this particular ghost tour its atmosphere is that Whitehall Burial Ground really is old. \nThe burial ground dates to the 1660s\, when southeastern Connecticut was still a collection of small colonial settlements surrounded by a landscape that would have been almost unrecognizable to someone driving through Mystic today. \nFor generations\, Whitehall served as one of the area’s common burial places. \nThat changed during the 19th century as Americans began embracing the rural cemetery movement\, which replaced older\, compact burial grounds with larger landscaped cemeteries designed partly as places for reflection and remembrance. \nMystic’s Elm Grove Cemetery was established in 1853 during that transition. \nBy 1854\, Whitehall’s role as one of the community’s principal burial places was coming to an end. \nThe graves left behind\, however\, preserve a remarkably long stretch of local history. \nThis Is a Ghost Tour Built Around Real People\nSeaside Shadows describes the experience as a blend of history and mystery\, and that distinction matters. \nThis isn’t a haunted attraction filled with actors waiting behind tombstones. \nThe stories begin with actual people buried at Whitehall and events that shaped southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests hear about men connected to King Philip’s War\, the brutal 17th-century conflict between English colonists and Native peoples that devastated communities throughout New England. \nThe tour moves forward into the American Revolution and stories of Patriot defenders who met violent ends. \nIt also explores the lives of abolitionists\, enslaved and formerly enslaved people\, women and families whose stories provide a different perspective on Mystic’s early history than the familiar tales of ship captains and maritime commerce. \nThen things get stranger. \nYes\, There Are Vampires\nOne of the more unusual subjects woven into the tour is New England’s very real history of vampire scares. \nThese weren’t vampires in the Dracula sense. \nDuring outbreaks of tuberculosis\, then commonly called consumption\, some New England communities came to believe that a deceased family member might somehow be draining the life from surviving relatives. \nIn several documented cases during the 18th and 19th centuries\, bodies were exhumed and examined for signs that the dead were continuing to prey upon the living. \nSometimes organs were removed or burned. \nThe practices reflected communities trying to explain a devastating disease before modern medicine understood how tuberculosis spread. \nAgainst the backdrop of a centuries-old cemetery after dark\, it also provides the kind of history that doesn’t require much embellishment to become unsettling. \nGravestones Tell Their Own Stories\nVisitors aren’t simply hearing stories while walking past anonymous stones. \nEarly New England gravestones developed their own visual language. \nSkulls\, winged death’s heads\, cherubs and other carvings could communicate ideas about death\, mortality and the afterlife. The style and symbolism changed as religious beliefs and attitudes toward death evolved. \nThe tour uses the cemetery itself to introduce some of those burial traditions and grave markings. \nThat gives the walk another layer. \nYou’re not touring a recreation of colonial New England. \nThe objects you’re examining are the surviving pieces of it. \nThen History Gives Way to the Paranormal\nThis is still a ghost tour. \nSeaside Shadows incorporates accounts of paranormal experiences associated with Whitehall\, including reports of unexplained footsteps\, voices and apparitions. \nThe company’s guides also discuss experiences reported during previous tours. \nThose stories are presented alongside local folklore\, including the traditional figure of a Lady in White\, a recurring type of apparition found in legends throughout New England and far beyond it. \nWhether visitors interpret those accounts as paranormal activity\, folklore or the power of suggestion in a dark cemetery is entirely up to them. \nThe setting certainly does its share of the work. \nThere aren’t many environments naturally better suited to a ghost story than a colonial burial ground after sunset. \nCaptain John Gallup Connects Whitehall to a Violent Period of Colonial History\nAmong the historic figures associated with the tour is Captain John Gallup\, whose family was deeply connected to the early colonial history of the region. \nGallup served during King Philip’s War and was killed in 1675 during the Great Swamp Fight in Rhode Island\, one of the conflict’s bloodiest engagements. \nHis story opens the door to a much larger and more complicated period in New England history involving colonial expansion\, Native resistance\, warfare and the destruction of communities. \nOther stops explore the Woodbridge family\, Revolutionary War history and people whose lives intersected with abolition and emancipation. \nThe tour also includes the stories of Quash and Hannah Williams\, using their lives to explore Black history\, enslavement\, freedom and Native American history in the region. \nThat’s where the experience becomes considerably more interesting than simply compiling local ghost stories. \nThe cemetery becomes a timeline. \nMystic’s Ghost Tours Started With a Local Historian\nThe company behind the tour\, Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours\, was founded in 2013 by Connecticut author and historian Courtney McInvale Reardon. \nMcInvale wrote Haunted Mystic\, published the following year\, and built Seaside Shadows around the idea of combining historical research with local legends and paranormal accounts. \nThe company now operates several experiences\, including its Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour and haunted pub crawls\, but the graveyard tour is fundamentally different from walking through the village. \nDowntown Mystic still has traffic\, restaurants\, shops\, bars and people moving around. \nWhitehall after dark is another environment entirely. \nOctober Adds More Chances to Go\nThe schedule becomes more aggressive as Halloween approaches. \nDuring September and October\, the regular graveyard tours begin at 7 p.m. \nIn October\, Seaside Shadows adds Saturday performances at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.\, giving visitors another opportunity to experience the cemetery during the height of spooky season. \nThe price also changes. \nRegular-season admission is $30 per person. October admission increases to $35. \nBecause this is a recurring event\, readers should select their preferred date and confirm the available time when purchasing tickets rather than assuming every night follows exactly the same schedule. \nThis Is a Walking Tour in a Real Cemetery\nThat last point is important. \nWhitehall is not a paved theme-park attraction. \nParticipants will be walking through an old burial ground after dark\, where the terrain can include uneven ground and other natural obstacles. \nSeaside Shadows recommends the experience for guests 11 and older and asks visitors to dress appropriately for the weather. \nIts participation waiver specifically identifies potential hazards including uneven or slippery surfaces\, cemetery terrain\, low lighting and inclement weather. \nGood walking shoes make considerably more sense here than dressing for Halloween. \nTours operate outdoors\, and Seaside Shadows generally runs its experiences rain or shine. Tickets are final except when the company cancels a tour. \nNearly Two Hours Between the Headstones\nThe current Seaside Shadows description puts the Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tour at approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. \nThat’s enough time to move beyond a handful of ghost stories. \nThe tour can reach into colonial warfare\, the Revolution\, disease\, abolition\, slavery\, emancipation\, local folklore\, cemetery symbolism and burial practices while still leaving room for the paranormal accounts that put “ghost” in the name. \nThere is even a final spooky surprise that Seaside Shadows deliberately doesn’t explain in advance. \nProbably best to leave that one buried. \nDetails\nEvent: Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours\nSeason: Through November 29\, 2026\nSeptember Schedule: Wednesdays\, Fridays and Sundays\nSeptember Start Time: 7 p.m.\nOctober Schedule: Regular Wednesday\, Friday and Sunday tours\, plus additional Saturday tours\nOctober Saturday Times: 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.\nLocation: Whitehall Burial Ground\nMeeting Point: Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\nStreet: Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nTour Length: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes\nAdmission: $30 during the regular season; $35 in October\nRecommended Age: 11+\nFormat: Guided outdoor walking tour through a historic colonial burial ground\nTerrain: Cemetery terrain with uneven surfaces and low-light conditions\nWeather: Dress appropriately for outdoor conditions; tours generally operate rain or shine\nWhat to Wear: Comfortable walking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather\nTickets: Advance ticket purchase is recommended; select the specific tour date and time when booking\nOrganizer: Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours\nPhone: 860-754-8923\nEmail: info@seasideshadows.com \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/moonlit-mystic-graveyard-ghost-tours-takes-visitors-into-one-of-mystics-oldest-burial-grounds-after-dark/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\, Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T190000
DTSTAMP:20260915T215319Z
CREATED:20260915T215319Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T215319Z
UID:10007871-1789923600-1789930800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Swing Band Benefit Concert Brings Three Big Bands and a Dance Floor to the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Swing Band Benefit Concert fills the UNITED Theatre with brass\, reeds\, rhythm and the music of the big-band era on Sunday\, September 20\, as three regional jazz orchestras share the stage for a concert benefiting music education on both sides of the Connecticut-Rhode Island line. \nThe third annual benefit runs from 5 to 7 p.m. in the UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium in Westerly. This year’s lineup brings together the Time and Changes Jazz Orchestra\, As Time Goes By and the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra. \nThe music reaches back to Frank Sinatra\, Benny Goodman\, Glenn Miller and Count Basie\, but this isn’t being presented as a sit-down history lesson. \nThe UNITED’s invitation is considerably simpler: listen\, dance\, and donate. \nAnd the money raised goes back into music\, supporting the UNITED Music School and music programs in the Westerly and New London public schools. \nThree Bands\, One Concert\nThe structure gives the evening something closer to a miniature big-band festival than a conventional concert. \nTime and Changes Jazz Orchestra opens the show. \nThe group performs in the classic 17-piece big-band configuration\, the kind of lineup capable of producing the enormous ensemble sound associated with the swing era. \nNext comes As Time Goes By\, a local swing and jazz band that also organized the benefit. \nThen the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra closes the evening with another 17-piece ensemble drawing musicians from around New England. \nPut all three together and there will be a lot of musicians moving through the UNITED stage in two hours. \nThat’s appropriate for music that was built around scale. \nWhy 17 Musicians?\nThere’s a reason two of Sunday’s ensembles are specifically described as 17-piece bands. \nThe classic big-band format generally divides its musicians into sections: saxophones\, trumpets\, trombones and a rhythm section. \nRather than simply having everyone play simultaneously\, arrangers can move melodies and harmonies among those sections. \nSaxophones can carry one passage before trumpets answer. \nTrombones can add a darker layer underneath them. \nThe rhythm section keeps everything moving while individual musicians step forward for solos. \nThen the arranger can bring the entire ensemble together. \nThat’s where the sheer power of a big band comes from. \nA 17-piece jazz orchestra can whisper\, but when everybody arrives at the same musical destination at once\, it doesn’t stay quiet for long. \nTime and Changes Opens With the Classic Big-Band Sound\nThe Time and Changes Jazz Orchestra gets first crack at the room. \nIts billing as a classic 17-piece big band immediately establishes the musical vocabulary for the evening. \nThis is music descended from the large jazz orchestras that became one of America’s dominant forms of popular entertainment during the 1930s and ’40s. \nBefore rock bands filled arenas\, big bands filled ballrooms. \nAnd before recorded music became the default soundtrack for a night out\, people danced to actual orchestras. \nThat connection between jazz and dancing is important to Sunday’s concert because the UNITED isn’t asking audiences simply to admire the arrangements. \nDancing is part of the evening. \nAs Time Goes By Is the Band Behind the Benefit\nThe middle set belongs to As Time Goes By\, the local swing and jazz group that organized the Swing Band Benefit Concert. \nThat gives the band’s appearance a different role. \nThey’re not simply one of three acts on the bill. They’re helping bring the bands together around a common purpose. \nThis is now the event’s third year\, giving what began as a benefit concert the beginnings of an annual Westerly tradition. \nAs Time Goes By occupies the center position between two large jazz orchestras\, creating some musical variety while keeping the evening rooted firmly in swing and jazz. \nAnd its name couldn’t be much more appropriate for a concert drawing heavily from the American songbook. \nSean Nelson Jazz Orchestra Closes the Night\nThe final set belongs to the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra. \nLike Time and Changes\, Nelson’s group is a 17-piece jazz orchestra\, with the UNITED describing its membership as musicians drawn from across New England. \nNelson is a trombonist\, composer\, arranger and bandleader whose work spans jazz performance and large-ensemble writing. \nA jazz orchestra gives an arranger an unusually broad musical palette. \nInstead of thinking only about melody\, chords and rhythm\, the arranger can work with instrumental color: which section carries a line\, which instruments answer it\, where the ensemble pulls back and when the entire band comes roaring in. \nThat’s part of what separates hearing this music from a recording. \nA big band moves air. \nIn a live room\, you feel the brass as much as hear it. \nSinatra\, Goodman\, Miller and Basie Point Toward the Songbook\nThe UNITED is highlighting music associated with Frank Sinatra\, Benny Goodman\, Glenn Miller and Count Basie. \nThose four names cover a surprising amount of musical territory. \nGoodman’s orchestra helped push swing into the center of American popular culture during the 1930s. \nMiller developed one of the era’s most recognizable ensemble sounds\, producing recordings that became inseparable from the World War II generation. \nBasie’s orchestra approached swing differently\, with an extraordinary emphasis on rhythm\, space and blues. \nAnd Sinatra’s career connected the big-band era with the emergence of the modern solo pop vocalist. \nHe first became a national star singing with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras before establishing the solo career that eventually made him one of the defining American singers of the 20th century. \nSunday’s program isn’t advertised as a recreation of one specific orchestra or period. \nInstead\, those names provide the musical coordinates. \nThis Music Was Made for Dancing\nBig-band jazz eventually became something people often encountered in concert halls\, jazz festivals and record collections. \nThat can obscure its original function. \nPeople danced to it. \nSwing developed alongside an enormous social-dance culture\, and the relationship between dancers and musicians influenced the music itself. \nThe rhythm had to move. \nTempos mattered. \nArrangements needed momentum. \nA packed dance floor wasn’t a distraction from the orchestra. It was evidence that the orchestra was doing its job. \nThat’s why the UNITED’s “come listen\, dance and donate” description is more than a catchy invitation. \nDancing puts this music back into something resembling its original environment. \nNobody has to dance\, of course. \nBut the opportunity is there for anyone who hears a Basie-style rhythm section and finds sitting still increasingly difficult. \nThe Benefit Looks Forward While the Music Looks Back\nThe most important part of the concert may be what happens after the final note. \nProceeds from the 2026 event benefit the UNITED Music School\, along with music programs in the Westerly and New London public schools. \nThat gives the evening a nice symmetry. \nProfessional and experienced regional musicians are performing music with roots stretching back nearly a century to help younger musicians get access to instruments\, instruction and school music programs now. \nThe UNITED Music School operates as part of the theater’s broader educational mission\, offering music instruction and performance opportunities from its downtown Westerly campus. \nSupporting public-school programs extends the impact beyond the theater itself. \nAnd notably\, the beneficiaries cross the state line. \nWesterly is in Rhode Island. \nNew London is in Connecticut. \nMusic doesn’t care much about the border. \nThe UNITED Is an Appropriate Home for It\nThe setting also carries its own musical history. \nThe UNITED originally opened as a vaudeville theater in 1926\, placing its beginnings just before the big-band era exploded nationally. \nAfter decades as a movie theater and a long period of closure\, the building was extensively redeveloped and reopened in 2021 as a multidisciplinary arts center. \nToday it combines cinemas\, live-performance spaces and a music school under one roof. \nSunday’s concert brings all of those strands together particularly well. \nIt’s a live performance of music rooted in the first half of the 20th century\, presented inside a restored 1920s theater\, raising money to teach musicians who will carry music into the future. \nTwo Hours\, Three Bands and a Lot of Horns\nThere are easier ways to raise money. \nYou can hold a raffle. \nYou can sell baked goods. \nOr you can put three swing bands onstage\, assemble dozens of musicians\, clear some room for dancing and let Count Basie\, Glenn Miller\, Benny Goodman and Sinatra provide the inspiration. \nThe Swing Band Benefit Concert has chosen the latter. \nFor anyone who loves the sound of a full horn section\, Sunday evening should provide plenty of it. \nAnd every ticket helps make sure another generation gets the chance to learn how to make some noise of its own. \nDetails\nEvent: Swing Band Benefit Concert\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 5–7 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Theatre\, Black Box Auditorium\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nPerformers: Time and Changes Jazz Orchestra\, As Time Goes By and Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra\nMusic: Big band\, swing and jazz\, including selections associated with Frank Sinatra\, Benny Goodman\, Glenn Miller and Count Basie\nAdult Tickets: $22\nUnder 18: $12\nBeneficiaries: UNITED Music School and music programs in the Westerly and New London public schools\nDancing: Encouraged\nPhone: 401-388-8208\nEmail: info@unitedtheatre.org\nAccessibility: The UNITED’s cinemas are wheelchair accessible. The theater recommends contacting the box office before purchasing live-performance tickets to discuss the best accessible seating location. Assistive listening devices are also available.\nTicket Policy: UNITED event tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. \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/swing-band-benefit-concert-brings-three-big-bands-and-a-dance-floor-to-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T190000
DTSTAMP:20260915T213824Z
CREATED:20260915T213703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T213824Z
UID:10007870-1789920000-1789930800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Take It To The Bridge (Trio) at the Charlestown Rathskeller Turns an Eight-Piece Party Band Into a Sunday Afternoon Groove
DESCRIPTION:Take It To The Bridge (Trio) at the Charlestown Rathskeller takes a band normally built for packed dance floors and pares it down to three musicians for a free Sunday afternoon show in Charlestown. \nThe trio plays Sunday\, September 20\, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Charlestown Rathskeller\, bringing acoustic arrangements of songs drawn from the funk\, soul\, pop and rock repertoire of the full Take It To The Bridge. \nAdmission is free\, although the Rathskeller is asking guests to RSVP in advance. \nIt’s also an interesting change of scale. The full Take It To The Bridge is an eight-piece Rhode Island event band designed to make a lot of sound. \nThe trio has to accomplish the same basic mission with considerably less machinery. \nTake It To The Bridge Usually Arrives With Eight Musicians\nTake It To The Bridge has been performing around Rhode Island and southern New England since 2014. \nThe full band works primarily in the event and wedding circuit\, where versatility matters. Its repertoire moves across decades and genres rather than attempting to establish one narrowly defined sound. \nFunk can lead into soul. Pop can give way to rock & roll. Older songs can sit beside contemporary material. \nThe band’s full configuration uses eight musicians\, giving it the personnel to create the kind of layered arrangements\, vocal harmonies and rhythmic punch expected from a large event band. \nThat’s the version that played the Rathskeller just nine days before this trio appearance. \nOn September 11\, Take It To The Bridge brought the full eight-piece band to the venue for a Friday-night concert. \nSunday’s show is deliberately different. \nThree Musicians Changes More Than the Volume\nThe Rathskeller describes the trio as three members of the main band performing “stripped-down” versions of familiar songs. \nThat’s more significant than simply turning down the amplifiers. \nSongs arranged for a large band have places for multiple instruments\, vocals and rhythm parts. Reduce that to three musicians and someone has to decide which pieces of the original arrangement are essential. \nA horn line might disappear. \nA guitar or keyboard can suddenly have considerably more room. \nBacking vocals become more exposed. \nAnd the rhythm has to work without all the layers that normally help propel a large dance band. \nThe result can reveal something about a familiar song that gets lost in a bigger arrangement: whether the melody and groove still work when most of the decoration is gone. \nTake It To The Bridge calls its trio performances soulful interpretations of familiar hits rather than simply miniature versions of its full-band show. \nThe Groove Is Still the Point\nDon’t mistake “acoustic” or “stripped down” for background music. \nTake It To The Bridge built its reputation as a dance-oriented band. \nThe full group’s repertoire is rooted heavily in music where rhythm matters\, particularly funk and soul\, while stretching into pop and rock & roll. \nThe trio format preserves that emphasis. \nInstead of trying to reproduce every element of the eight-piece arrangements\, the smaller lineup can lean harder on the groove underneath them. \nThat makes the Sunday-afternoon format a natural fit. \nThe goal isn’t necessarily the all-out energy of a Friday-night dance floor. It’s familiar music played closely enough that you can pay attention to what the musicians are doing while still having enough rhythmic life to keep the afternoon moving. \nThis Is One of Several Trio Dates on the Band’s Calendar\nThe Rathskeller show isn’t a one-time experiment. \nTake It To The Bridge has been using the trio as a distinct version of the band\, with additional 2026 trio performances appearing on its schedule. \nThe group returns to the smaller format at Sakonnet Vineyard in Little Compton on October 4\, while the larger band continues handling weddings\, private events and public performances. \nThe schedule illustrates the difference between the two configurations. \nOne weekend can find the full group working a large wedding or gala. Another afternoon can put three members outdoors at a vineyard or tavern. \nIt’s the same musical catalog adapted to a very different room and audience. \nThe Rathskeller Has Already Become Familiar Territory\nTake It To The Bridge has been a recurring presence at the Charlestown Rathskeller. \nThe full band appeared there on September 11\, while the trio also played the venue earlier this summer on July 26. \nThat makes Sunday’s show less of an introduction than another variation on an established relationship between the band and the venue. \nAnd the Rathskeller’s outdoor setup is particularly well suited to the trio version. \nThe property sits back from Old Coach Road in a wooded setting\, with its seasonal Down Back entertainment area providing space for live music\, outdoor seating\, lawn games and the venue’s large fire pit. \nA Sunday afternoon there doesn’t have to function like a conventional concert. \nYou can arrive for food\, find a place outside\, have a drink and let the music become part of the afternoon. \nMake Dinner the Second Half of the Show\nThe timing works particularly well for anyone who wants to combine the concert with a meal. \nThe Rathskeller opens at noon on Sunday\, four hours before the music begins\, and remains open until 10 p.m. The kitchen is also scheduled until 10. \nThat gives you several options. \nCome early for a late lunch and stay for the band. \nArrive around showtime and eat while the trio plays. \nOr treat the 4-to-7 concert as the first half of the evening and move inside for dinner afterward. \nThe Rathskeller’s menu leans into hearty tavern food with burgers\, seafood and pub standards\, along with dishes including New England clam chowder\, calamari\, mussels\, fish and chips\, steak frites and other substantial plates. \nThe venue is also known for its fries\, which can be considerably more elaborate than the phrase “side of fries” suggests. \nSunday Is Free\nThere’s another substantial difference between Sunday’s trio performance and the full band’s September 11 Rathskeller concert. \nThe earlier eight-piece show was ticketed at $10 in advance and $15 at the door. \nThe trio show is free. \nThe Rathskeller and Eventbrite both list free admission for September 20. \nThe venue is nevertheless accepting advance RSVPs through Eventbrite. That doesn’t turn the afternoon into a paid ticketed event\, but registering gives the venue an idea of attendance. \nWith outdoor seating generally operating on a first-come basis\, arriving early remains sensible if you care where you sit. \nIt’s the Quieter Cousin of a Saturday Night at the Rathskeller\nThe Rathskeller has a particularly busy live-music weekend planned. \nFriday brings ’80s tribute band Aquanett. \nSaturday belongs to Blizzard of Ozz and the music of Ozzy Osbourne. \nThen Sunday afternoon changes the temperature completely. \nInstead of big hair\, metal riffs and a full-scale nighttime concert\, Take It To The Bridge arrives with three musicians and a collection of songs rearranged for a smaller setting. \nThat’s one of the advantages of a venue programming music across an entire weekend. \nNot every show needs to operate at maximum volume. \nSometimes a few musicians\, a good song and a Sunday afternoon in the woods are enough. \nDetails\nEvent: Take It To The Bridge (Trio) at the Charlestown Rathskeller\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 4–7 p.m.\nLocation: The Charlestown Rathskeller\nAddress: 489A Old Coach Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813\nAdmission: Free\nRSVP: Advance RSVP requested through Eventbrite\nMusic: Acoustic and stripped-down interpretations of funk\, soul\, pop and rock hits\nBand: Three members of the eight-piece Take It To The Bridge\nVenue Opens: Noon\nSunday Closing: 10 p.m.\nKitchen: Noon–10 p.m.\nPhone: 401-792-1000\nGeneral Contact: info@rathskellertavern.com\nMusic Contact: music@rathskellertavern.com\nSetting: Outdoor seasonal live-music area; seating is generally first come\nWeather: Check the venue’s current event information if weather could affect the outdoor performance. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo reserve your spot\, click the Event Registration 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/take-it-to-the-bridge-trio-at-the-charlestown-rathskeller-turns-an-eight-piece-party-band-into-a-sunday-afternoon-groove/
LOCATION:Rathskeller\, 489A Old Coach Rd\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Rathskeller
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T173000
DTSTAMP:20260716T173134Z
CREATED:20260716T173134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260716T173134Z
UID:10006853-1789914600-1789925400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Sunday Jam Sessions at Deans Mill Farm
DESCRIPTION:Sunday Jam Sessions at Deans Mill Farm return every Sunday through the season\, bringing live local music\, food trucks\, and refreshing drinks to one of Stonington’s favorite outdoor gathering spots. Held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.\, the free weekly series offers a relaxed afternoon where families\, friends\, and music lovers can unwind while enjoying performances from talented local musicians in the scenic setting of Deans Mill Farm. \nEach Sunday features a different performer\, giving visitors something new to experience throughout the season. Along with live entertainment\, food trucks serve a variety of favorites while the farm offers signature drinks and other cold beverages. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs\, settle in for the afternoon\, and enjoy a casual community atmosphere. The event is family-friendly\, although outside alcohol and pets are not permitted. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Sunday Jam Sessions\nSchedule: Every Sunday\nTime: 2:30-5:30 p.m.\nSeason: Through October (Weather Permitting)\nVenue: Deans Mill Farm\nAddress: 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\nAdmission: Free\n\nWhat to Expect\n\nLive music from local performers\nRotating food trucks\nSignature drinks and cold beverages\nFamily-friendly outdoor atmosphere\n\n2026 Concert Schedule\nJuly 19 \n\nBig Lux\n\nJuly 26 \n\nT. Ray Taylor\n\nAugust 2 \n\nBen Freiert\n\nAugust 9 \n\nFrankenphil\n\nAugust 16 \n\nBen Freiert\n\nAugust 23 \n\nRobbed By Locals\n\nAugust 30 \n\nJames Harris\n\nSeptember 6 \n\nTo Be Announced\n\nSeptember 13 \n\nFrankenphil\n\nSeptember 20 \n\nTo Be Announced\n\nSeptember 27 \n\nJonny Debit\n\nOctober 4 \n\nKGB\n\nOctober 11 \n\nFrankenphil\n\nOctober 18 \n\nDan Watson\n\nOctober 25 \n\nJames Harris\n\nKnow Before You Go\n\nFamily-friendly event\nNo outside alcohol\nNo pets\nWeather permitting\nTimes are subject to change\n\nWhy Attend\n\nFree weekly live music\nRotating lineup of local musicians\nFood trucks and beverages\nRelaxed outdoor setting\nGreat Sunday afternoon tradition\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/sunday-jam-sessions-at-deans-mill-farm/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Deans Mill Farm\, 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Deans Mill Farm
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T153000
DTSTAMP:20260908T005412Z
CREATED:20260908T005412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T005412Z
UID:10007514-1789912800-1789918200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Almost\, Maine at the Granite Theatre
DESCRIPTION:Almost\, Maine at the Granite Theatre opens Friday\, September 11\, for a two-week run of John Cariani’s romantic comedy about love found\, lost and occasionally turned upside down beneath the northern lights. \nThe Granite Theatre production runs September 11–20 in downtown Westerly\, with 7:30 p.m. performances on Thursdays\, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. Tickets are $30–$35. \nRather than following one couple through a conventional love story\, Almost\, Maine tells nine interconnected stories about the residents of a tiny fictional community in northern Maine. During the course of one cold Friday night\, relationships begin\, end\, stumble and take some wonderfully strange turns. \nWelcome to Almost\nAlmost isn’t technically a town. \nIn Cariani’s fictional geography\, it’s an unorganized community so far north in Maine that it’s almost in Canada. On a clear winter night\, with the aurora borealis overhead\, its residents experience a series of encounters that revolve around falling in love\, falling out of it or discovering that what they thought they understood about another person wasn’t quite right. \nThe structure is closer to a collection of short stories performed on stage than a traditional beginning-to-end narrative. \nMost of the scenes involve just two characters\, with different residents moving in and out of focus as the evening progresses. The stories stand on their own\, but the shared place\, time and themes gradually turn them into a portrait of one small community. \nCariani also gives the play a touch of magical realism. \nEmotions sometimes become physical things. Characters carry the consequences of love in ways that couldn’t happen in the real world\, yet the feelings behind those moments remain recognizable. That lets Almost\, Maine move quickly between comedy\, absurdity\, heartbreak and tenderness without becoming a conventional romantic comedy. \nA Play That Almost Disappeared\nThe story behind Almost\, Maine is nearly as unlikely as some of the stories inside it. \nJohn Cariani developed the play at the Cape Cod Theatre Project in 2002. It received its world premiere at Portland Stage Company in Maine in 2004\, where it broke box-office records. \nBy then\, Cariani was already familiar to Broadway audiences as an actor. He earned a Tony Award nomination for playing Motel the tailor in the 2004 Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof and had appeared on television in Law & Order. \nAlmost\, Maine reached New York next\, opening Off-Broadway at the Daryl Roth Theatre in January 2006. \nThat production lasted only about a month. \nOrdinarily\, that might have been the end of the story. Instead\, after the play was published and became available to other theaters\, something unexpected happened. \nSmall professional theaters began producing it. Then community theaters picked it up. Colleges and high schools followed. \nAnd they kept doing it. \nFrom Short Off-Broadway Run to Thousands of Productions\nToday\, Almost\, Maine has become one of the most frequently produced contemporary American plays. \nThe play’s official site reports that more than 6\,000 theater companies in the United States have staged it\, along with more than 100 international companies. It has also repeatedly ranked among the most-produced plays in North American high schools. \nPart of the appeal is built into Cariani’s unusual structure. \nWith largely self-contained two-person scenes\, directors can distribute substantial material among an ensemble rather than building an entire production around one or two leading roles. Each vignette gives its actors a complete little story to develop. \nAudiences get something different from that structure\, too. One scene may land as broad comedy while the next turns unexpectedly bittersweet. Not every relationship works out\, and the title itself becomes something of a running idea. \nThings in Almost are frequently close. \nAlmost a town. Almost Canada. Almost together. Almost over someone. Almost happy. \nBut not quite. \nJohn Cariani Wrote About the Maine He Knew\nThe fictional setting wasn’t chosen at random. \nCariani grew up in Presque Isle in Aroostook County\, the enormous and sparsely populated region at the northern end of Maine. He has said those years shaped his affection for the landscape\, language and people that eventually found their way into Almost\, Maine. \nThe setting is intentionally remote. The cold matters. The darkness matters. So does the northern sky. \nAgainst that isolation\, the small interactions between people become bigger. A conversation on a bench\, an unexpected visitor at the door or an encounter between two neighbors can become the most important thing happening for miles. \nCariani eventually returned to the world he created in another form. In 2022\, he adapted Almost\, Maine into a novel\, expanding the interconnected stories and characters beyond what audiences see on stage. \nBut the theatrical version remains the work that made Almost into a place thousands of actors and audiences have visited. \nInside Westerly’s Historic Granite Theatre\nThe setting for this production has its own story. \nGranite Theatre occupies a restored Greek Revival building at 1 Granite Street in downtown Westerly. Long before actors performed there\, the building was a church. \nThe congregation that became the Broad Street Christian Church was organized in 1843\, and the building was completed in 1849. Its prominent classical façade and columns remain part of one of downtown Westerly’s distinctive historic structures. \nThe building eventually found a second life as a performance space\, reopening as the Granite Theatre in 2000. \nToday\, Renaissance City Theatre operates the Granite as a nonprofit theater\, presenting plays\, musicals\, family productions\, educational programs and special events throughout the year. \nIt’s also an intimate room. With roughly 140 seats\, the audience is close to the performers rather than watching from the distance of a large regional theater. That should suit a play built around small conversations and two-person encounters particularly well. \nOpening Night Begins a Seven-Performance Run\nAlmost\, Maine opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday\, September 11. \nA second evening performance follows Saturday\, September 12\, before the first Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. September 13. \nThe production returns the following Thursday and continues through Sunday\, September 20\, for seven performances in all: \n\nFriday\, September 11 at 7:30 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 12 at 7:30 p.m.\nSunday\, September 13 at 2 p.m.\nThursday\, September 17 at 7:30 p.m.\nFriday\, September 18 at 7:30 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 19 at 7:30 p.m.\nSunday\, September 20 at 2 p.m.\n\nTickets range from $30 to $35. \nAccessibility at the Granite\nBecause the Granite occupies a historic 19th-century building\, accessibility comes with some limitations. \nThe theater performance space itself is wheelchair accessible\, but the Granite notes that its lobby and restrooms are not fully accessible. \nA small number of accessible parking spaces are available behind the building and need to be reserved. The theater recommends that anyone who needs accessible parking or has mobility concerns call ahead rather than relying on availability when arriving for a performance. \nDetails\nEvent: Almost\, Maine\nPlaywright: John Cariani\nOpening Night: Friday\, September 11\, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.\nRun: September 11–20\, 2026\nEvening Performances: 7:30 p.m.\nSunday Matinees: 2 p.m.\nNumber of Performances: Seven\nGenre: Romantic comedy\nVenue: Granite Theatre\nAddress: 1 Granite Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nTickets: $30–$35\nBox Office: 401-596-2341\nAccessibility: Theater space is wheelchair accessible; lobby and restrooms are not fully accessible\nAccessible Parking: Limited spaces are available and should be reserved in advance \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/almost-maine-at-the-granite-theatre/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:The Granite Theater\, 1 Granite Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Granite Street Theater
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260817T031056Z
CREATED:20260817T030947Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T031056Z
UID:10007207-1789909200-1789923600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Grey Sail Fall Market
DESCRIPTION:The Grey Sail Fall Market takes place Sunday\, September 20\, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island in Westerly. The market brings local makers and small businesses together with food\, drinks and live music from Casey Rivers & High Plains\, an elemental folk and Americana band. \nGrey Sail is particularly well suited for this kind of event. Alan and Jennifer Brinton founded the Westerly brewery in 2011\, converting a 1920s building that originally housed the Westerly Macaroni Factory. The first batch of Grey Sail’s Flagship Ale was brewed there on November 11\, 2011. \nToday\, the Canal Street property has grown into considerably more than a production brewery. Next door is Grey Sail’s taproom\, housed in another historic building and surrounded by an outdoor beer garden with picnic and bistro tables\, lawn space\, bocce and cornhole. The taproom serves Grey Sail beers along with wine\, nonalcoholic choices and cocktails from sister company South County Distillers. \nFor the Fall Market\, that indoor-outdoor setup becomes a gathering place for shopping\, food and music as Grey Sail celebrates the beginning of fall. \nThe vendor lineup shown by Grey Sail includes Sun & Sage\, Salty Sea Decor\, Wood & Ink\, Bruto’s Sandwiches\, Pretty & Pink Bakery\, Michelle Zito Art\, Coastal Cure\, Sippy Pretty\, Elegance and Mr.\, Pompelmo Gelateria\, My Claire Marie\, Freedom Farm\, The Cheese Corner\, Coastline Lettering\, Hauser Chocolates\, One of One Athletics\, High Tide Juice Co. and others. \nThe promotional material also lists a food truck\, locally made goods\, cocktails and beer alongside the market vendors. Based on Grey Sail’s current setup\, visitors can expect the event to spread through a space designed for lingering rather than simply walking down a row of vendor tables. Grey Sail describes its property as family-friendly\, with board games and outdoor yard games available. \nEvent Details\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 1–5 p.m.\nLocation: Grey Sail Brewing\nAddress: 63 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\nAdmission: No admission charged\nFeaturing: Local vendors\, food\, beer\, cocktails and live music\nLive Music: Casey Rivers & High Plains \nMore information about the brewery and taproom is available from Grey Sail Brewing. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-grey-sail-fall-market/
LOCATION:Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island\, 63 Canal St\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T150000
DTSTAMP:20260912T020930Z
CREATED:20260912T020930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T020930Z
UID:10007552-1789909200-1789916400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Salsa on the Thames Brings Colombian and Puerto Rican Music to a New London Harbor Cruise
DESCRIPTION:Salsa on the Thames turns a Thames River Heritage Park boat into a floating Latin music venue Sunday\, September 20\, with musicians Alessandra Gonzalez and Daniel Villegas performing aboard two one-hour cruises in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. \nThe cruises depart from City Pier in New London at 1 and 3 p.m.\, carrying passengers onto the Thames River for an unusual combination of live music\, cultural celebration and sightseeing. \nTickets are $40 for adults and $5 for children. \nAnd the two performers aren’t simply musicians hired to play a collection of Latin standards. Gonzalez and Villegas are childhood friends whose Puerto Rican and Colombian backgrounds\, longtime musical collaboration\, and shared connection to New York’s Latino community are central to the event. \nTwo Childhood Friends Reunited Through Music\nThames River Heritage Park describes Alessandra Gonzalez and Daniel Villegas as childhood friends whose Indigenous heritage and “Nuyorican way of thinking” connect Colombia and Puerto Rico. \nTheir musical relationship has continued well into adulthood. \nGonzalez has appeared on several Villegas recordings\, and the two have performed together at Latin and Hispanic heritage events in New York’s Hudson Valley. \nTheir collaborations include Orgullo y Dolor\, Mi Otra Mitad and Yo Nací Pa’ Esto. \nMore recently\, they joined forces with Mexican rapper and poet Bocafloja on Villegas’ 2026 recording Destination Protocol. \nFor Salsa on the Thames\, however\, the emphasis isn’t on putting a recording on the boat’s speakers. \nIt’s live music. \nAlessandra Gonzalez Found Her Way Back to the Stage\nGonzalez’s story includes a lengthy interruption. \nBorn in New York and raised in Puerto Rico\, she began performing as a child and participated in television programs\, competitions and theater productions on the island. \nShe later studied music education at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. \nThen life moved in another direction. \nAfter becoming a mother and settling in New York\, Gonzalez stepped away from performing for more than a decade. \nHer son eventually asked her why she didn’t start singing again. \nThat question changed things. \nGonzalez returned to music in 2017\, initially singing with La Super Latina radio in Poughkeepsie before gradually moving back into public performances. \nSmall community appearances led to festivals\, cultural celebrations\, university performances and increasingly ambitious live shows. \nToday she describes herself as a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and Latin fusion artist\, blending Caribbean musical traditions with contemporary influences. \nHer recent performances have included Hispanic Heritage celebrations across several states\, SUNY Orange\, Warwick’s Juneteenth Concert Series\, Applefest\, Poughkeepsie PorchFest and other Hudson Valley events. \nHer Music Is Rooted in Puerto Rico\nGonzalez’s recorded work makes that connection particularly clear. \nHer debut single\, Como Te Olvido\, arrived in 2023. \nIn 2025 she released Noche en la Parguera\, a song rooted in Puerto Rican imagery and named for the coastal community of La Parguera in Lajas. \nHer influences include some formidable names in Latin music. \nGonzalez has cited Celia Cruz and Olga Tañón among the artists who helped shape her musical identity\, alongside contemporary Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny. \nCruz\, in particular\, provides an obvious connection to Sunday’s event. \nYou can’t tell the story of salsa without her. \nSalsa Was Born From Cultural Collision\nSalsa isn’t a single traditional folk style that appeared fully formed in one place. \nIt grew from an extraordinary mixture of musical cultures. \nCuban son\, mambo and other Afro-Cuban forms played central roles. Puerto Rican musicians brought their own rhythms and traditions. Jazz added another influence. \nThen those sounds collided in New York City\, particularly within Puerto Rican\, Cuban and other Latino communities during the mid-20th century. \nBy the 1960s and ’70s\, the word “salsa” had become associated with the explosive New York sound being developed by musicians including Tito Puente\, Willie Colón\, Héctor Lavoe\, Ray Barretto and others. \nThe Fania label helped carry it around the world. \nCelia Cruz became its Queen. \nSo when Thames River Heritage Park describes Gonzalez and Villegas through their Latin American roots and Nuyorican perspective\, that’s not incidental to a salsa cruise. \nNew York’s Latino experience is embedded in the music’s history. \nDaniel Villegas Brings Colombia\, Poetry and Percussion Into the Mix\nVillegas comes to the cruise from a somewhat different musical direction. \nHe is a Latino poet\, writer\, instructor\, recording artist and conga player\, with work that crosses poetry\, hip-hop\, percussion and Latin music. \nHis catalog includes the albums Poetry Meets Slam\, Emcee Scrolls and 2024’s Evolution Gold. \nIn 2026 he released Beats and Lyrics\, Vol. 1: Music Makes the World Go Round\, a 14-track project incorporating hip-hop\, spoken-word and collaborative work. \nVillegas’ music frequently crosses cultural and stylistic borders rather than remaining inside a single genre. \nThat makes percussion especially important. \nThe conga itself carries a history stretching from African musical traditions through Cuba and into the broader vocabulary of salsa and Latin popular music. \nOn a boat where there isn’t much distance between musician and listener\, percussion should be particularly immediate. \nYou’re not watching from the back row. \nYou’re on the same deck. \nGonzalez and Villegas Already Know How to Build a Latin Celebration\nThe two have also shared stages specifically designed around Latino culture. \nIn May 2026\, Gonzalez and Villegas appeared together at La Casita: A Celebration of Latin Heritage in Newburgh\, New York\, alongside Cuboriqua and Drés Tiago. \nEarlier performances have placed them at Hispanic heritage festivals and community cultural celebrations throughout the Hudson Valley. \nThat experience matters here because Salsa on the Thames isn’t being presented simply as a concert with a Spanish-language playlist. \nIt’s part of Hispanic Heritage Month\, which runs nationally from September 15 through October 15. \nThe cruise is meant to celebrate culture as much as music. \nWhy Hispanic Heritage Month Starts in the Middle of September\nThe unusual September 15 start date is deliberate. \nSeveral Latin American nations celebrate independence anniversaries during the same period. \nCosta Rica\, El Salvador\, Guatemala\, Honduras and Nicaragua commemorate independence on September 15. \nMexico follows on September 16. \nChile follows on September 18. \nThe United States first established Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. It was expanded into a monthlong observance in 1988. \nThat makes September 20 an especially appropriate date to put Colombian and Puerto Rican musical traditions on the river. \nThe Thames Becomes the Venue\nThe other half of this event is the setting. \nThames River Heritage Park isn’t a conventional park contained behind a gate. It connects historic and cultural sites along the New London and Groton sides of the Thames River\, using the water itself as the thread between them. \nIts boats are part of that history. \nThe Park operates refurbished former U.S. Navy utility boats\, once used to transport sailors between ships and shore. \nToday they carry passengers past a waterfront dominated by centuries of maritime history. \nDepending on the route and conditions\, a Thames River cruise can offer views of New London’s waterfront\, Fort Trumbull\, Groton’s shoreline and the working river. \nOn September 20\, however\, the soundtrack changes. \nThis Isn’t a Dance Floor\, and That’s Part of the Fun\nThe name Salsa on the Thames might conjure up an enormous dance floor floating down the river. \nThat’s not quite what this is. \nThese are historic utility boats\, not ballroom cruise ships. \nThe experience is a one-hour intimate music cruise\, with Gonzalez and Villegas performing close to the passengers. \nToe tapping is specifically encouraged. \nAnything more ambitious may depend on available deck space and the captain’s opinion of your footwork. \nThe intimacy is actually one of the attraction’s strengths. \nA large concert can put hundreds of feet between an audience and a performer. \nHere\, everyone is sharing one relatively small boat. \nKnow the Boat Before You Book\nThere are some practical considerations that matter\, particularly for visitors with mobility limitations. \nThames River Heritage Park states that its boats are not ADA compliant. \nPassengers must be able to negotiate four steps and board and disembark independently\, although crew members can provide limited courtesy assistance. \nThere is also no restroom aboard the boat. \nGuests may bring snacks and beverages\, but glass containers aren’t permitted. \nThose details matter more on a specialty cruise than they might sound on paper. Once the boat leaves City Pier\, the venue is moving. \nPlan accordingly. \nAn Hour of Music With New London Moving Past\nThe concept is wonderfully simple. \nTake two longtime friends whose music reflects Puerto Rico\, Colombia\, New York and the larger Latin American experience. \nPut them aboard a historic Navy boat. \nLeave City Pier. \nAnd spend an hour listening while the New London and Groton waterfronts move past. \nThere are only two opportunities to do it. \nOne at 1. \nOne at 3. \nFor one Sunday afternoon\, the Thames gets a little salsa. \nDetails\nEvent: Salsa on the Thames\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nCruise Times: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.\nDuration: One hour\nDeparture: City Pier\, New London\nCity Pier Address: 1 Waterfront Park\, New London\, CT 06320\nPresented By: Thames River Heritage Park\nOccasion: Hispanic Heritage Month\nPerformers: Alessandra Gonzalez and Daniel Villegas\nMusic & Culture: Puerto Rican and Colombian influences with live Latin music and percussion\nAdult Tickets: $40\nChildren: $5\nBoat: Refurbished former U.S. Navy utility vessel\nRestroom: No restroom aboard\nAccessibility: Boats are not ADA compliant; passengers must navigate four steps and be able to board and disembark independently with minimal courtesy assistance\nFood & Drink: Passengers may bring snacks and beverages; no glass containers\nWeather: Cruises are subject to weather and river conditions\nBoat Operations: 860-407-5655 \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/salsa-on-the-thames-brings-colombian-and-puerto-rican-music-to-a-new-london-harbor-cruise/
LOCATION:New London City Pier\, 1 Waterfront Park\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:New London City Pier
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260918T032818Z
CREATED:20260918T032818Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T032818Z
UID:10008460-1789905600-1789923600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Mitchell Farm Music Festival Brings Three Days of ’70s-Rooted Music to a Horse Sanctuary
DESCRIPTION:Mitchell Farm Music Festival Brings Three Days of ’70s-Rooted Music to a Horse Retirement Sanctuary Sept. 18–20\, pairing Jon Pousette-Dart\, Laurel Canyon\, Broken Arrow and Mystic Dead with a setting unlike the typical weekend concert venue: a working sanctuary where aged and infirm horses have come to spend the rest of their lives. \nNow in its 19th year\, the annual fundraiser takes place at Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement in Salem\, about 20 miles from Mystic. The weekend stretches from a Friday evening concert through two afternoon performances Saturday and Sunday\, with proceeds helping support the horses\, ponies and donkeys living at the nonprofit farm. \nIt is part music festival\, part picnic and part introduction to a place built around a simple idea: retirement should mean retirement for horses\, too. \nThree Days of Music\nThe festival opens Friday at 7 p.m. with the Jon Pousette-Dart Acoustic Duo. \nPousette-Dart emerged nationally in the 1970s as leader of the Pousette-Dart Band\, blending folk\, country and soft rock during a period when artists such as James Taylor\, the Eagles and Little Feat were expanding the boundaries of American singer-songwriter music. The band released a series of albums for Capitol Records and became a fixture of the era’s college and concert circuit. \nSaturday’s music begins at 2:30 p.m. with Laurel Canyon and Broken Arrow\, a pairing firmly rooted in the music of the late 1960s and 1970s. \nLaurel Canyon celebrates the music associated with the famed Los Angeles neighborhood that became a creative center for singer-songwriters and folk-rock musicians during that period. \nBroken Arrow turns the focus toward the music of Neil Young\, drawing from the electric and acoustic sides of a catalog that stretches from intimate folk songs to the raw guitar sound associated with Crazy Horse. \nSunday belongs to Mystic Dead\, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The southeastern Connecticut band has built its shows around the music of the Grateful Dead\, making the final afternoon a natural fit for a festival that openly embraces the sounds of the 1970s. \nWhere Retired Horses Get to Be Horses Again\nThe setting gives the weekend considerably more meaning than a typical outdoor concert. \nMitchell Farm Equine Retirement was founded by Dee Doolittle in August 2004 and received federal nonprofit status the following year. It became fully accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries in 2012 and says it has provided permanent sanctuary to more than 127 horses during its 22 years of operation. \nIts mission is to provide a safe and comfortable retirement for aged and infirm horses while educating the public about equine welfare. The farm describes retirement there as an opportunity for horses to have the time and space to simply be horses again. \nThat distinction matters. \nThese aren’t horses being maintained so they can continue working\, performing or carrying riders. Mitchell Farm exists as their final home\, providing the food\, shelter and specialized care that older animals may need after their working lives have ended. \nAnd demand for that kind of retirement is substantial. Mitchell Farm’s admissions information currently estimates a waiting period of two to four years for horses needing placement. \nWhere the Festival Money Goes\nThe Music Festival is one of the events that helps make that retirement possible. \nMitchell Farm says proceeds from its fundraising events go directly toward feed\, veterinary care and farrier expenses for horses in its care. \nThat means the connection between buying a festival ticket and supporting the animals is unusually direct: a weekend spent listening to music on the farm helps pay for the everyday necessities of caring for an aging herd. \nFestivalgoers will be able to see the place their money supports while they’re there. \nBring a Chair\, a Picnic and Settle In\nThe atmosphere is deliberately informal. \nGuests are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair\, and they’re welcome to pack a picnic and BYOB. Food will also be available on site. According to the farm’s current festival information\, the concerts take place under a tent and are scheduled rain or shine. Dogs are not permitted. \nThe farm’s social media announcement lists The Grill by Kay as Friday’s food vendor\, with Rustic StrEats on site Saturday and Sunday. \nFriday parking opens at 5 p.m.\, with gates opening at 6 p.m. before the 7 p.m. concert. Saturday and Sunday parking opens at noon\, followed by gates at 1:30 p.m. and music at 2:30 p.m. \nTickets are available at the gate. \nFor a Beacon reader in the Mystic area\, this one requires a little more driving than most of our weekend picks. But roughly half an hour up Route 85 leads to something that’s difficult to duplicate closer to the coast: three days of music from the ’70s and the artists it inspired\, performed at a farm devoted to giving old horses a comfortable place to spend their final years. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: 19th Annual Mitchell Farm Music Festival\nDates: Friday\, Sept. 18–Sunday\, Sept. 20\, 2026\nLocation: Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement\nAddress: 300 East Haddam Road (Route 82)\, Salem\, CT 06420\nWeather: Rain or shine; tented event\nSeating: Bring a blanket or lawn chair\nFood: Picnics welcome; food vendors available\nBeverages: BYOB permitted\nDogs: Not permitted\nBeneficiary: Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement; fundraising proceeds help pay for feed\, veterinary care and farrier costs for horses in its care. \nFriday\, Sept. 18: Jon Pousette-Dart Acoustic Duo at 7 p.m.; parking opens 5 p.m.; gate opens 6 p.m.; gate admission $42 or $40 cash. \nSaturday\, Sept. 19: Laurel Canyon and Broken Arrow at 2:30 p.m.; parking opens noon; gate opens 1:30 p.m.; gate admission $72 or $70 cash. \nSunday\, Sept. 20: Mystic Dead at 2:30 p.m.; parking opens noon; gate opens 1:30 p.m.; gate admission $32 or $30 cash. \n\n\nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/mitchell-farm-music-festival-brings-three-days-of-70s-rooted-music-to-a-horse-sanctuary/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Mitchell Farm\, 300 E Haddam Rd\, Salem\, 06420\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mitchell Farm
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T150000
DTSTAMP:20260712T235944Z
CREATED:20260531T024717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260712T235944Z
UID:10003095-1789905600-1789916400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Denison Farmers Market
DESCRIPTION:Denison Farmers Market returns for its 22nd season on Sunday\, June 7\, bringing fresh Connecticut-grown products and a vibrant community atmosphere to Mystic. The popular weekly market showcases local farmers\, food producers\, and artisans\, offering residents and visitors an opportunity to shop directly from the people who grow and make the products they bring to market. \nThroughout the season\, shoppers can browse a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables\, along with locally produced foods and specialty items sourced from across Connecticut. The market has become a seasonal tradition for many families\, providing access to high-quality local products while supporting regional agriculture and small businesses. The 2026 season runs every Sunday from June 7 through October 25. \nWhether you’re stocking up on fresh produce\, discovering new local products\, or simply enjoying a Sunday afternoon in Mystic\, the Denison Farmers Market offers something for everyone. It’s an ideal destination for food lovers\, home cooks\, and anyone who appreciates supporting local farms and producers. \nEvent Details \nEvent: Denison Farmers Market 2026 \nDates: Every Sunday\, June 7 – October 25\, 2026 \nTime: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. \nLocation: Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center \nTown: Mystic\, CT \nAdmission: Free \nMarket Highlights \n\nConnecticut-grown fruits and vegetables\nLocal farmers and food producers\nFresh baked goods and specialty foods\nArtisan and handcrafted products\nSeasonal offerings throughout the summer and fall\nFamily-friendly community atmosphere\n\nWhy Attend \n\nShop directly from local farmers and makers\nSupport Connecticut agriculture and small businesses\nFind fresh\, seasonal ingredients\nDiscover unique local foods and artisan goods\nEnjoy a relaxing Sunday morning in Mystic\n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/denison-farmers-market/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Denison Homestead Musuem\, 120 Pequotsepos Rd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Denison Homestead Museum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Denison-Farmers-Market-Sundays-12-to-3-through-October-25.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T130000
DTSTAMP:20260917T165240Z
CREATED:20260917T165240Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T165240Z
UID:10007928-1789905600-1789909200@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/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Pequot Lighthouse\, Pequot Avenue\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Pequot Lighthouse
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T180000
DTSTAMP:20260915T031528Z
CREATED:20260907T034359Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T031528Z
UID:10007496-1789902000-1789927200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Olde Mistick Village Garlic Festival
DESCRIPTION:Olde Mistick Village Garlic Festival returns to Mystic on September 19 and 20 for its 19th year\, filling the Village with fresh garlic\, specialty foods\, regional farms\, artisans\, and live music during one of its longest-running fall traditions. \nThe two-day festival runs Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. \nMore than 50 vendors and 16 local bands and performers are expected for the 2026 festival\, transforming the walkways and greens of Olde Mistick Village into a sprawling celebration of the fall harvest. \nAnd\, as the name suggests\, there will be a lot of garlic. \nGarlic Is the Reason for the Weekend\nThe Garlic Festival was created around something that can get lost amid the food stands and live music: the agricultural cycle of garlic itself. \nGarlic is generally planted in Connecticut during the fall. It spends the winter underground\, resumes growing in spring and is harvested during the summer. After harvest\, growers cure the bulbs so they can be stored and sold well beyond the growing season. \nBy September\, local growers are arriving at the festival with garlic from that year’s harvest. \nVisitors can encounter different varieties of the bulb rather than the relatively limited selection usually found at a supermarket\, while farmers traditionally bring other parts of the season’s harvest as well. \nPast Garlic Festivals have included fresh vegetables and herbs alongside honey\, jams\, preserves\, syrups\, sauces and other locally produced foods. \nFor anyone who wants to take some of the festival home\, the farmers’ stands are as important as the prepared food. \nA Festival That Started With Farmers\nThe event’s roots stretch beyond its 19 years at Olde Mistick Village. \nThe Garlic Festival originated as a farmers market-style celebration at Adam’s Garden of Eden in Pawcatuck\, where the emphasis was on the fall harvest and locally grown garlic. \nIt eventually moved to Olde Mistick Village and grew considerably. \nBy 2020\, the festival was ordinarily attracting between 50 and 70 vendors and approximately 20\,000 visitors\, according to reporting at the time. What began with farmers and garlic had expanded to include food\, entertainment\, artists\, craftspeople and live music. \nEven as the festival has grown\, farmers remain part of its foundation. \nThat makes the weekend something of a hybrid: part harvest festival\, part food festival\, part artisan market and part outdoor music festival. \nCome Hungry\, and Don’t Expect Garlic to Stay in Its Lane\nOver the years\, vendors have demonstrated that there are very few foods into which someone won’t attempt to introduce garlic. \nPast festivals have offered everything from garlic fries and garlic fried dough to garlic fudge and garlic Italian ice. \nThose particular foods shouldn’t be considered a confirmed 2026 menu until this year’s individual vendors announce what they’re serving\, but they illustrate how far the festival has historically taken its central ingredient. \nPrepared-food vendors and Village restaurants participate alongside the growers\, and non-garlic choices are traditionally available for anyone who reaches their personal limit. \nBakers and specialty-food producers add another layer to the weekend\, while the Village’s permanent restaurants and food businesses remain open around the festival. \nThe result is less a single food court than a trail of things to eat spread throughout the property. \nMore Than 50 Vendors Fill the Village\nGarlic may provide the theme\, but the festival has grown well beyond food. \nThe 2026 event is expected to bring more than 50 vendors to Olde Mistick Village\, including farmers\, bakers\, crafters\, artisans and artists. \nTheir booths are incorporated into the Village itself\, lining paths between the shops\, restaurants\, duck pond and greens rather than occupying a separate fairground. \nThat layout is particularly suited to an event built around browsing. \nOlde Mistick Village was designed as a walkable interpretation of an early New England village\, with individual buildings arranged around pedestrian paths and landscaped common areas. It opened in 1973 and today contains more than 40 shops and boutiques along with restaurants and other businesses. \nDuring Garlic Festival weekend\, the visiting farmers and makers effectively add another temporary layer to the Village. \nSixteen Local Bands and Performers Bring Music to the Weekend\nFood isn’t the only reason to linger. \nThe 2026 Garlic Festival is expected to feature 16 local bands and performers across the two days. \nThe complete performance schedule has not yet been released by Olde Mistick Village\, but at least some of this year’s musicians have begun announcing their appearances independently. \nThe Rich Badowski Band is scheduled to perform Sunday\, September 20\, from noon to 3 p.m. \nBadowski is a familiar presence on the southeastern Connecticut music circuit\, performing blues and roots-oriented music at festivals\, restaurants\, breweries and other venues around the region. \nAnother Sunday performance has been announced by Liz Reed\, who is scheduled to appear as a duo with Dave at 3 p.m. \nAdditional performers and individual set times are expected as the festival approaches. \nLive music has become a substantial part of the Garlic Festival rather than background entertainment. Previous editions have placed performers at multiple locations around Olde Mistick Village\, allowing visitors to encounter different music as they move around the grounds. \nFrom Garlic Market to Major Fall Festival\nNineteen editions have given the Garlic Festival time to develop its own identity among Mystic’s increasingly crowded calendar of fall events. \nIts original agricultural purpose is still visible in the farmers selling freshly harvested garlic and produce\, but the festival now reaches considerably further. \nArtists sell original work. Crafters and makers set up along the pathways. Bakers and specialty-food businesses bring products that can be taken home. Prepared-food vendors turn garlic into lunch\, dinner and occasionally something that probably wasn’t meant to contain garlic in the first place. \nMeanwhile\, musicians perform throughout the Village. \nThe combination has previously earned the festival recognition from the American Bus Association\, which selected it for its list of top events in North America. \nIt has also become one of Olde Mistick Village’s signature annual events\, returning each September as summer gives way to the fall festival season. \nTwo Days to Explore Olde Mistick Village\nSaturday offers the longer festival day\, running from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. \nThe festival returns Sunday at 11 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m. \nBecause vendors and entertainment are distributed around the Village\, visitors can move between festival booths and Olde Mistick Village’s permanent shops and restaurants throughout the day. \nThere is no admission gate separating the festival from the rest of the property. \nVisitors can arrive for garlic and leave with local honey\, baked goods\, artwork or something they never intended to buy. They can stop for a band\, wander through the shops and return to the festival paths. \nOr they can simply follow the smell. \nEvent Details\nEvent: 19th Annual Garlic Festival\nDates: Saturday and Sunday\, September 19–20\, 2026\nSaturday Hours: 11 a.m.–7 p.m.\nSunday Hours: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.\nLocation: Olde Mistick Village\nAddress: 27 Coogan Boulevard\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: Free\nVendors: More than 50 expected\nEntertainment: 16 local bands and performers expected\nFeaturing: Local garlic and produce\, farms\, food vendors\, bakers\, specialty foods\, crafters\, artisans\, artists\, live music and family activities\nConfirmed Sunday Music: Rich Badowski Band\, noon–3 p.m.; Liz Reed with Dave\, 3 p.m. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n\n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/olde-mistick-village-garlic-festival/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Olde Mistick Village\, 27 Coogan Blvd\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Olde Mistick Village
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T180000
DTSTAMP:20260818T020946Z
CREATED:20260818T020946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T020946Z
UID:10007217-1789902000-1789927200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026
DESCRIPTION:Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026 celebrates the approaching fall season with two days of wine\, live music\, food trucks and local artisans on Saturday and Sunday\, September 19 and 20. \nThe annual festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days at the vineyard on Taugwonk Road in Stonington\, giving visitors a chance to spread out on the lawn\, listen to music\, explore local vendors and enjoy wine produced at one of Connecticut’s longtime vineyards. \nAnd Sunday’s music already has a familiar local name attached to it. \nWicked Peach takes the stage Sunday at 3 p.m.\, bringing one of southeastern Connecticut’s longest-running rock bands to the vineyard for the final afternoon of the festival. \nTwo Days at the Vineyard\nThis isn’t simply a Wicked Peach concert. \nThe Harvest Food & Wine Festival runs throughout the weekend\, with live bands\, food trucks and local artisans joining the vineyard’s wine offerings. \nMusic:\nSat: 11-2 Ben Freiert\nSat: 3-6  Nick Bosse Band\nSun: 11-2 Luke & Mike\nSun: 3-6 Wicked Peach \nFood:\nFlavors\nTaste House\nScoops T Ice Cream\nFresh Fire Food \nVendors:\nValomie Boutique\nDreaming Light Creations\nCandybox Watch Hill\nMade by Nowa\nSeacoast Alpacas\nWalking Tree Creations\nDipped by Britt\nMary Moonchild Candles\nGold Leaf Home Decor \nGuests are encouraged to make themselves comfortable. Bring lawn chairs and blankets\, or even a pop-up tent no larger than 10 feet by 10 feet for your group. \nThe festival takes place rain or shine. \nMusical Acts:\nBen Freiert — Saturday\, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nStonington-based musician Ben Freiert opens the Harvest Festival Saturday with a mix of indie\, folk\, alternative rock and acoustic music. \nFreiert has been making music for more than two decades\, beginning with trumpet before moving into guitar\, piano and songwriting. While in college\, he formed the original rock band Twenty Grand with his roommate\, playing shows near their school and in New York City. He later established himself as a regular performer around southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island\, both as a solo musician and alongside other area artists. \nHe’s also become particularly familiar to Stonington’s vineyard audiences. Freiert has performed repeatedly at Stonington Vineyards\, Saltwater Farm Vineyard and other area wineries\, and was part of Stonington Vineyards’ 2024 Kickoff to Summer celebration. In 2026\, he’s again part of the vineyard’s summer concert series before returning for Harvest Festival weekend. \nHis acoustic-driven sound makes him a natural fit for the festival’s opening hours\, when visitors are arriving\, finding a spot on the lawn and settling in for the weekend. \nNick Bosse Band — Saturday\, 3–6 p.m.\nSaturday afternoon shifts firmly toward country music with North Stonington singer-songwriter Nick Bosse and his band. \nBosse is a New England-based independent country artist and Nashville recording artist whose music draws heavily from traditional and outlaw country\, southern rock and bluegrass. His influences include Waylon Jennings\, Johnny Cash\, Merle Haggard\, Willie Nelson\, Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers. Rather than chasing contemporary pop-country\, Bosse has built his identity around a grittier\, working-class approach to the genre. \nHe began playing cover gigs in local bars in 2013 before forming his backing band\, The Northern Roots\, which has accompanied him for much of his career. His original song What Happened to Country has surpassed 2 million streams\, and Bosse has won a New England Music Award for Best Vocalist and headlined performances at both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. \nThere’s a particularly strong local connection here. Bosse grew up in North Stonington and has spent years playing venues throughout southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. In 2022\, Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots won Mohegan Sun’s Locals Live competition\, with judges considering originality\, stage presence\, musical presentation and audience response. \nThat makes the Saturday 3–6 p.m. slot considerably more substantial than the original festival post suggests. This isn’t simply background music from a local cover band. Bosse is an established regional country artist with original music and a following of his own. \nLuke & Mike open Sunday’s music with a three-hour set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.\nThe Mystic-based duo have become familiar faces at Stonington Vineyards\, returning regularly for concerts and special events. They’ve appeared at previous Harvest Festivals\, performed for the vineyard’s annual holiday celebration and are part of its 2026 Summer Concert Series. They’re also scheduled at nearby Saltwater Farm Vineyard during the 2026 summer season. \nIn fact\, this isn’t their first time helping provide the soundtrack for Harvest Festival weekend. Luke & Mike were among the performers at Stonington Vineyards’ 2019 Harvest Fest and returned for the festival again in 2022. \nWicked Peach Closes Out Sunday Afternoon\nIf you’ve been around southeastern Connecticut for any length of time\, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered Wicked Peach somewhere. \nThe New London-area band has been performing throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island since 1996\, building a following with high-energy sets drawing heavily from rock and pop-rock. \nThe current core lineup features Ernie Lewis on lead vocals and guitar\, Stan Smith on bass and Jonathan Souza on drums\, with Dan Watson and Corey Carter serving as alternating guitarists. \nTheir repertoire stretches across decades\, but ’90s hard rock remains a particular strength. The City of Groton describes the band as a staple of southeastern New England’s music scene\, mixing its ’90s material with songs from the ’70s\, ’80s and 2000s. \nThat makes Wicked Peach a natural fit for the Harvest Festival’s Sunday afternoon rather than a quiet acoustic set tucked into the corner of the vineyard. \nTheir scheduled 3 p.m. performance on September 20 is also confirmed on the band’s own 2026 tour schedule. \nWine Is Part of the Admission\nFestival admission includes more than entry. \nEach ticket includes a glass of Stonington Vineyards wine and a keepsake wine glass\, along with access to the weekend’s live music and festival amenities. Additional wine will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle. \nGuests may also bring their own food\, making a picnic on the vineyard lawn another option if you’d rather pack something from home than visit the food trucks. \nThere is one firm restriction: no outside alcohol is permitted. \nCoolers may be checked\, and the vineyard says outside alcohol will be confiscated. \nOne of Connecticut’s Established Vineyards\nThe festival setting has its own story. \nStonington Vineyards was established by Nick and Happy Smith in 1987 after they purchased 58 acres in the Stonington Uplands. The winery followed in 1989\, combining contemporary winemaking equipment with traditional oak-barrel fermentation. \nIt also became one of the founding members of the Connecticut Wine Trail. \nWinemaker Mike McAndrew has been with Stonington Vineyards since its early days\, developing a reputation for European-style wines. The vineyard is particularly associated with its barrel-fermented Chardonnay and proprietary blends. \nToday\, more than 10 of the property’s 58 acres are planted\, with annual production of approximately 6\,000 cases. Its current wine list includes Oak Chardonnay\, Sheer Chardonnay\, Seaport White\, Cabernet Franc\, Triad Rosé\, Riesling and Pawcatuck River Red. \nSo a harvest festival here isn’t just seasonal branding. Wine grapes have been growing on this property for decades. \nMake Yourself at Home on the Lawn\nThe Harvest Festival is designed for people to settle in rather than continually circulate through a traditional fairground. \nBring lawn chairs\, blankets or a small pop-up tent and establish a spot for the afternoon. \nOutside food is permitted\, so you can also pack a picnic while leaving room to try the food trucks. \nThe vineyard describes the festival as suitable for couples\, families and groups of friends. \nDogs are normally welcome on the vineyard grounds when leashed and supervised\, although I’d wait for festival-specific confirmation before putting that in the Event Details as a guarantee for this particular weekend. \nTickets\nOne-day advance admission is $30. \nTickets purchased on the day of the festival are $35. Two-day passes are also offered through the vineyard’s ticketing page. Tickets are non-refundable. \nBecause parking at the vineyard is limited\, organizers are asking festival visitors to carpool whenever possible. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026\nDates: Saturday\, September 19 & Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. daily\nLocation: Stonington Vineyards\nAddress: 523 Taugwonk Road\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nSunday Music: Wicked Peach at 3 p.m.\nFeaturing: Live music\, food trucks\, local artisans and Stonington Vineyards wines\nAdvance One-Day Admission: $30\nDay-of Admission: $35\nIncludes: Glass of wine\, keepsake wine glass\, live music and festival amenities\nWeather: Rain or shine\nOutside Food: Permitted\nOutside Alcohol: Prohibited\nWhat to Bring: Lawn chairs\, blankets or a pop-up tent no larger than 10′ x 10′ ( \nMore information is available through the Stonington Vineyards Harvest Festival page. \nTickets can also be purchased through the festival page above. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/stonington-vineyards-harvest-food-wine-festival-2026/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Stonington Vineyards\, 523 Taugwonk Rd\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonnington Vineyards
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006481-1789902000-1789923600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art explores the history of textiles in southeastern Connecticut\, tracing how fabrics\, fashion\, and craftsmanship have shaped the region from the precolonial era through the present day. On view from June 26 through October 11\, 2026\, the exhibition brings together historic artifacts and contemporary works to examine how textiles reflect labor\, immigration\, cultural identity\, and changing ideas of luxury. \nInspired by southeastern Connecticut’s once-thriving velvet industry\, the exhibition features a collaboration between Mystic Museum of Art\, Historic Stonington\, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\, Mystic Seaport Museum\, and the Connecticut Region of the Studio Art Quilt Associates. Visitors will encounter an extensive collection of beadwork\, embroidery\, quilts\, velvet\, fashion\, and textile art drawn from partner institutions and the museum’s own collection. \nThe exhibition also highlights contemporary fashion designers with Connecticut connections\, including Xarea Lockhart\, Toriana Sauro\, Christian Siriano\, and Peter Som. Their work connects the region’s textile heritage with modern fashion\, demonstrating how clothing and material culture continue to influence art\, identity\, and design. Throughout the exhibition\, the museum will present lectures\, artist conversations\, and hands-on workshops that further explore these themes. \nExhibition Details\n\nExhibition: Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways\nVenue: Mystic Museum of Art\nDates: June 26-October 11\, 2026\nLocation: Mystic\, CT\n\nExhibition Highlights\nVisitors will experience: \n\ns\nWorks from Mystic Museum of Art’s permanent collection\nLoans from regional museums and organizations\n\nFeatured Partners\nThe exhibition includes contributions from: \n\nHistoric Stonington\nMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\nMystic Seaport Museum\nStudio Art Quilt Associates\, Connecticut Region\n\nFeatured Designers\nThe exhibition showcases work by designers with Connecticut ties\, including: \n\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\nChristian Siriano\nPeter Som\n\nAdmission\n\nGeneral Admission: $12\nNew London County residents: $10\nSeniors (65+): $10\nStudents with valid ID: $10\nFree:\n\nMystic Museum of Art members\nYouth ages 17 and under\nMilitary personnel and veterans\n\n\n\nExhibition Programs\nPublic programs are held on select Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. \nTuesday\, July 7\nMystic Mudlarking: The River and the Rossie Velvet Mill \n\nGuest speaker: Mary Hendrickson\n\nTuesday\, July 21\nImmigration and Industry \n\nGuest speaker: Chelsea Mitchell\, Library Director & Collections Manager\, Historic Stonington\n\nTuesday\, September 1\nConversation with Alana Ryder and Emerging Designers \nFeaturing: \n\nAlana Ryder\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\n\nWorkshops\nAll workshops take place in KTJ Studios. \nSaturday\, September 19\nFrom Textile to Art: Felt Collage Workshop \nSaturday\, September 26\nIntroduction to Sewing Workshop \n\nFeatured designer: Toriana Sauro\n\nSaturday\, October 10\nRelief Printing on Silk Scarf Workshop \nWhy Visit\nLuxe CT examines how textiles have connected communities across centuries while reflecting the region’s history of manufacturing\, immigration\, craftsmanship\, and artistic innovation. By pairing historical artifacts with contemporary fashion and fiber art\, the exhibition offers visitors a deeper understanding of southeastern Connecticut’s cultural heritage and its continuing influence on today’s artists and designers. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/luxe-ct-velvet-mills-to-modern-runways-at-mystic-museum-of-art/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000487-1789902000-1789923600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks
DESCRIPTION:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks drops visitors into centuries of maritime mystery and disaster at Mystic Seaport Museum.. The internationally touring exhibition combines massive LEGO® ship recreations with real maritime history\, creating an experience that feels part museum exhibit\, part interactive adventure. As the first American stop for the exhibition\, Mystic Seaport becomes the latest host for a showcase that has previously appeared at major maritime museums in Europe and Australia. \nThe exhibit features eleven detailed LEGO® models recreating famous shipwrecks and maritime disasters spanning thousands of years\, including the Titanic\, the Vasa\, Franklin’s Arctic expedition ships Terror and Erebus\, and the ancient Uluburun trading vessel. Created in partnership with LEGO® Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught\, the displays combine historical storytelling with surprisingly intricate engineering and visual detail. Some models even include cross-section cutaways revealing what happened beneath the waterline. \nInteractive experiences throughout the exhibit invite visitors to test survival scenarios\, operate a remote underwater vehicle\, experiment with ship stability\, and build LEGO® creations of their own. Alongside the models are replica artifacts\, archaeological tools\, and multimedia displays exploring how modern researchers investigate shipwrecks and what those discoveries reveal about trade\, exploration\, disaster\, and human history. The result is an exhibit that works equally well for families\, history buffs\, LEGO® fans\, and anyone who still secretly wants to touch every museum display. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/brickwrecks-sunken-ships-in-lego-bricks-3/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T210000
DTSTAMP:20260913T020703Z
CREATED:20260913T020703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260913T020703Z
UID:10007555-1789900200-1789938000@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/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Jealous Monk\, 27 Coogan Blvd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jealous Monk
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T180000
DTSTAMP:20260903T140908Z
CREATED:20260903T140908Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T140908Z
UID:10007445-1789900200-1789927200@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/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Lebanon Fair Grounds\, 122 Mack Road\, Lebanon\, 06249\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lebanon Fairgrounds
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T180000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020116Z
CREATED:20260520T023536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020116Z
UID:10002546-1789898400-1789927200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Tree Trails Adventures Locals Day!
DESCRIPTION:Tree Trails Adventures Locals Day! returns Sundays throughout the summer from June 21 through September 20 at TreeTrails Adventures Mystic\, giving residents from Mystic\, Stonington\, Groton\, and Ledyard discounted access to one of SE Connecticut’s most popular outdoor adventure attractions. The seasonal promotion was created specifically to encourage local families and residents to enjoy the aerial adventure park during the busy summer tourism season while making new summer memories close to home. \nGuests who live in Mystic (06355)\, Stonington (06378)\, Groton (06340)\, or Ledyard (06339) can use promo code BRNeighbor25 to receive $10 off Main Park tickets for up to four people. Valid ID is required for verification. The park’s aerial obstacle courses\, climbing elements\, rope bridges\, and zipline-style experiences have become a major summer attraction in the Mystic area\, offering a mix of outdoor recreation\, physical activity\, and family-friendly adventure surrounded by wooded scenery. \nTree Trails Adventures Locals Day! adds a community-focused layer to the park’s summer programming by reserving space and discounts specifically for nearby residents during one of the busiest times of year along the shoreline. Whether visiting with family\, friends\, or returning for repeat visits throughout the season\, the promotion offers local residents a chance to experience the adventure park at a reduced price while staying active outdoors during the summer months. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/tree-trails-adventures-locals-day/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:TreeTrails Adventures\, 715 Noank Ledyard Road\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:TreeTrails Adventures
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Tree-Trails-Adventures-Local-Day-Sundays-This-Summer.jpeg
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T150000
DTSTAMP:20260915T211951Z
CREATED:20260915T211951Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T211951Z
UID:10007609-1789898400-1789916400@thectbeacon.com
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/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Favorites Bistro Bar\, 90 B Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Favorites Bistro Bar
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T130000
DTSTAMP:20260911T223532Z
CREATED:20260911T223532Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T223532Z
UID:10007547-1789898400-1789909200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Giant Cuttlefish: Chameleon of the Sea Author Visit & Book Signing
DESCRIPTION:Giant Cuttlefish: Chameleon of the Sea Author Visit & Book Signing brings Connecticut children’s author Elaine M. Alexander to Mystic Aquarium on Sunday\, September 20\, for a three-hour celebration of one of the ocean’s strangest animals. \nAlexander will be in the aquarium’s Gift Store from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.\, meeting visitors and signing copies of her new nonfiction picture book\, Giant Cuttlefish: Chameleon of the Sea. Books will be available for purchase during the event. \nAnd Mystic Aquarium has added a particularly appropriate companion to the book signing. \nVisitors can head into the Main Gallery and see a flamboyant cuttlefish\, giving families a chance to meet one of the remarkable relatives of Alexander’s giant Australian subject. \nMeet the Author Behind the Cuttlefish\nElaine M. Alexander is a Connecticut author with a particular interest in introducing children to animals that don’t always receive the attention given to sharks\, dolphins and whales. \nHer previous picture book\, Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep\, took young readers into the deep ocean to explore the bizarre life of the anglerfish. \nThat book was illustrated by Fiona Fogg and published by Candlewick Press in 2022. \nAlexander has now moved from the darkness of the deep sea to an animal capable of creating an extraordinary visual display of its own. \nGiant Cuttlefish: Chameleon of the Sea again pairs Alexander with Fogg\, combining marine science with illustrations designed for young readers. \nThe subject this time is the Australian giant cuttlefish\, the largest cuttlefish species in the world. \nA Cuttlefish Isn’t a Fish\nThe name is misleading. \nCuttlefish aren’t fish at all. \nThey’re cephalopods\, making them relatives of octopuses\, squid and nautiluses. \nThat means an animal called a cuttlefish is actually more closely related to an octopus than to a cod\, tuna or striped bass. \nLike other cephalopods\, cuttlefish have sophisticated nervous systems\, large eyes and an impressive ability to manipulate their surroundings. \nThey also have eight arms and two longer feeding tentacles that can shoot outward to seize prey. \nHidden inside the body is another distinctive feature: the cuttlebone. \nUnlike the hard external shells of many mollusks\, the cuttlebone is internal. Its chambered structure helps the animal control buoyancy\, allowing it to move vertically through the water. \nAnyone who has owned a pet bird may have encountered a cuttlebone without ever thinking much about the animal it came from. Cuttlebones are commonly sold as calcium supplements for birds. \nTheir original owner was considerably more exotic. \nWhy Call It the Chameleon of the Sea?\nThe book’s subtitle gets to the spectacular part. \nCuttlefish can alter their appearance with astonishing speed. \nSpecialized pigment cells called chromatophores allow them to display different colors and patterns across their skin. Other structures contribute reflective and iridescent effects. \nThe result is a biological display system capable of changing almost instantaneously. \nA cuttlefish can use those changes for camouflage. \nIt can communicate. \nIt can threaten a rival. \nIt can advertise to a potential mate. \nAnd it doesn’t merely switch between a couple of colors. Cuttlefish can produce moving patterns\, bands\, spots and dramatic contrasts across their bodies. \nThey can even alter the apparent texture of their skin using structures called papillae\, helping them visually blend into complicated surroundings. \nCalling them chameleons of the sea may actually undersell what they can do. \nThe Giant Cuttlefish Really Is a Giant\nAlexander’s book focuses on Sepia apama\, the Australian giant cuttlefish. \nIt is the world’s largest known cuttlefish species. \nLarge individuals can reach roughly three feet in length and weigh more than 20 pounds. \nThey live in coastal waters around southern Australia\, where one population has become famous for an extraordinary annual gathering. \nEach winter in the Southern Hemisphere\, enormous numbers of giant cuttlefish congregate in shallow waters around the upper Spencer Gulf in South Australia to breed. \nThat produces intense competition among males. \nAnd this is where cuttlefish behavior becomes wonderfully strange. \nSome Males Win by Looking Like Females\nLarge male giant cuttlefish compete for access to females\, frequently using dramatic color displays to intimidate rivals. \nSmaller males face an obvious problem. \nThey can’t outmuscle the giants. \nSo some use deception. \nA smaller male can change his coloration and posture to resemble a female\, slip past a larger male guarding a mate and approach the female without triggering the same aggressive response. \nThen he attempts to mate. \nIt’s an unusually sophisticated reproductive strategy\, made possible by the cuttlefish’s extraordinary control over its appearance. \nResearchers have even observed males displaying different signals on opposite sides of their bodies simultaneously\, presenting courtship coloration toward a female while showing a less threatening appearance toward a nearby rival. \nOne animal. \nTwo audiences. \nTwo visual messages at the same time. \nMystic Aquarium Has a Smaller Show-Off Waiting\nThe aquarium’s flamboyant cuttlefish provides a great real-world companion to the book. \nIt isn’t the same species. \nThe flamboyant cuttlefish\, Metasepia pfefferi\, is much smaller and occurs in tropical Indo-Pacific waters. \nBut visually\, it lives up to its name. \nFlamboyant cuttlefish can produce striking displays of yellow\, white\, brown\, red and other contrasting colors and patterns. \nThey’re also unusual among cuttlefish because they frequently walk along the seafloor\, using their arms and specialized lobes rather than simply swimming above it. \nThe species is known for dramatic warning coloration and is one of the few cephalopods known to contain potent toxins in its tissues. \nMystic Aquarium’s new animal can be found in the Main Gallery\, giving families attending the signing an immediate opportunity to compare the science in Alexander’s book with a living cuttlefish. \nA Book Signing That Can Continue Into the Aquarium\nThat’s what makes this author visit particularly well matched to its venue. \nA child can meet the person who wrote a book about cuttlefish. \nOpen the book. \nLook at the illustrations. \nLearn what a chromatophore does. \nThen walk into the aquarium and look at an actual cuttlefish. \nFor children interested in animals\, that connection between page and living subject can turn an ordinary book signing into something much more memorable. \nAnd for parents who discover that their child has suddenly developed a cuttlefish obsession\, there is plenty more to learn. \nCephalopods are among the most neurologically complex invertebrates on Earth. \nThey solve problems. \nThey learn. \nThey remember. \nThey communicate visually. \nAnd cuttlefish accomplish all of that despite following an evolutionary path dramatically different from our own. \nThere is something living in the aquarium that can rapidly rewrite the appearance of its own skin. \nThat’s a pretty good reason to put the book down for a few minutes and go find it. \nDetails\nEvent: Giant Cuttlefish: Chameleon of the Sea Author Visit & Book Signing\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.\nAuthor: Elaine M. Alexander\nBook: Giant Cuttlefish: Chameleon of the Sea\nIllustrator: Fiona Fogg\nVenue: Mystic Aquarium\nLocation: Mystic Aquarium Gift Store\nAddress: 55 Coogan Boulevard\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: Author visit and book signing are free with general aquarium admission\nBooks: Copies will be available for purchase\nAdditional Attraction: A new flamboyant cuttlefish is on exhibit in the Main Gallery\nAges: Family-friendly; the book is intended for young readers and families\nAquarium Hours: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on September 20\nParking: Free on-site parking \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/giant-cuttlefish-chameleon-of-the-sea-author-visit-book-signing/
LOCATION:Mystic Aquarium\, 55 Coogan Blvs\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Aquarium
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Giant-Cuttlefish-Chameleon-of-the-Sea-Author-Visit-and-Book-Signing.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T120000
DTSTAMP:20260917T020124Z
CREATED:20260917T015955Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T020124Z
UID:10007926-1789898400-1789905600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Napatree Point Conservation Area Cleanup Brings Volunteers Together to Protect One of Rhode Island’s Best Beaches
DESCRIPTION:Napatree Point Conservation Area Cleanup brings volunteers to Watch Hill on Sunday\, September 20\, for two hours of hands-on work removing trash and marine debris from one of the most environmentally important stretches of shoreline in southwestern Rhode Island. \nThe cleanup runs from 10 a.m. to noon and is organized by the Ocean Recovery Community Alliance (ORCA) in partnership with the Watch Hill Conservancy. \nParticipants don’t need to arrive with cleanup equipment. Organizers say all cleanup supplies will be provided. \nWhat volunteers do need is a willingness to walk the sand\, look carefully at what has washed ashore or been left behind\, and carry it back out. \nAt Napatree\, that seemingly simple job matters. \nNapatree Is Much More Than a Beach\nWalk west from Watch Hill Village and the commercial shoreline quickly disappears. \nNapatree Point stretches into the water between Block Island Sound and Little Narragansett Bay\, creating a long barrier spit of beach\, dunes\, maritime vegetation\, tidal areas and wildlife habitat. \nThere are no beachfront restaurants. \nNo boardwalk. \nNo vehicles. \nNo lifeguard towers. \nThere aren’t even restrooms. \nThe area is managed as an ecological preserve and wildlife refuge by the Watch Hill Fire District and the Watch Hill Conservancy. \nThat makes Napatree unusual along a heavily developed stretch of the New England coast. \nIt also makes keeping trash out of the landscape particularly important. \nTrash on a Beach Doesn’t Necessarily Stay on the Beach\nA plastic bottle or piece of fishing line lying in the wrack may look like litter waiting for someone to pick it up. \nEcologically\, the problem is more complicated. \nWind and tides can move debris repeatedly between land and water. Plastics can break into progressively smaller pieces. Fishing line and other materials can entangle wildlife. \nA Rhode Island Natural History Survey ecological assessment of Napatree specifically identified trash as a management concern. \nResearchers noted debris accumulating in the wrack line and around dune vegetation and warned that shorebirds can ingest pieces of plastic and other material or inadvertently feed it to their young. \nThe report specifically recommended regular beach cleanups as a way to reduce accumulated debris\, protect wildlife and preserve Napatree’s scenic character. \nSunday’s volunteers are effectively carrying out that recommendation one piece at a time. \nORCA Has Removed More Than 63\,000 Pounds of Trash\nThe organization leading Sunday’s effort has been doing this on a much larger scale. \nThe Ocean Recovery Community Alliance was launched in 2020 as a service project of the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery. \nIts mission is straightforward: organize people to remove debris from coastlines while building a larger community around environmental stewardship. \nORCA reports that it has now completed 240 cleanups\, engaged more than 3\,000 volunteers and removed 63\,093 pounds of trash. \nThat’s more than 31 tons. \nIts work extends across Rhode Island and Connecticut\, with volunteers cleaning beaches and other coastal areas from community shorelines rather than waiting for somebody else to solve the problem. \nNapatree is the organization’s September 20 stop. \nThe Watch Hill Conservancy Knows This Beach Foot by Foot\nORCA is working alongside an organization with a particularly intimate relationship with the location. \nThe Watch Hill Conservancy has spent years protecting Napatree and educating visitors about its natural systems. \nIts work includes ecological monitoring\, wildlife protection\, naturalist programs\, research and public education. \nThroughout the warmer months\, Conservancy naturalists lead programs devoted to birds\, marine life\, plants\, tidal pools\, horseshoe crabs\, insects and the larger coastal ecosystem. \nThat makes a cleanup another form of conservation education. \nSpend two hours deliberately looking for things that don’t belong on a beach and you begin noticing the beach itself differently. \nThis Is Important Habitat for Shorebirds\nNapatree’s undeveloped shoreline makes it valuable to wildlife\, particularly birds. \nProtected nesting areas can appear along the beach during the breeding season\, and visitors are prohibited from entering areas roped off for nesting birds. \nSpecies associated with Napatree include piping plovers\, least terns\, American oystercatchers and osprey. \nSome live or breed here. \nOthers use the coastline during migration. \nAnd September is very much migration season. \nFor birds traveling along the Atlantic coast\, relatively undeveloped places where they can stop\, feed and rest become important pieces of a much larger geographic puzzle. \nThe plastic bag that blows across a parking lot somewhere else doesn’t understand any of that. \nIf it eventually reaches the ocean\, it goes wherever currents and wind take it. \nSometimes that’s Napatree. \nThe Beach Itself Is Always Moving\nNapatree may look permanent when you’re standing on it. \nIt isn’t. \nBarrier beaches are dynamic landscapes shaped continuously by waves\, tides\, wind and storms. \nSand migrates. \nDunes build and erode. \nInlets change. \nVegetation advances and retreats. \nNapatree’s history contains an especially dramatic demonstration of what the ocean can do. \nBefore the Great New England Hurricane of 1938\, Napatree wasn’t the undeveloped landscape visitors know today. Summer cottages stood along the point. \nThe hurricane devastated the area. \nHomes were destroyed\, lives were lost and the developed summer community on the point disappeared. \nNapatree was never rebuilt in the same way. \nThe result\, generations later\, is the rare stretch of relatively wild shoreline volunteers will be cleaning Sunday morning. \nThere’s Even a Fort Hiding at the End\nPeople willing to walk far enough eventually reach another layer of Napatree history. \nRemnants of Fort Mansfield survive near the western end of the point. \nThe coastal-defense installation was established around the turn of the 20th century as part of the network built to protect important American harbors. \nIts active military life proved relatively short. \nToday its surviving concrete structures sit within a landscape that has largely reclaimed them. \nIt makes for a peculiar progression during a long walk. \nWatch Hill Village falls behind. \nThe crowds thin. \nThe beach continues. \nThen pieces of an abandoned military installation begin appearing among the vegetation. \nSunday’s cleanup isn’t specifically a historical tour\, but Napatree has a way of making natural and human history difficult to separate. \nVolunteers Should Expect to Walk\nThis is worth knowing before arriving. \nNapatree doesn’t have a parking lot sitting beside the beach. \nAccess is on foot from Watch Hill Village\, and cleanup participants should be prepared for walking on sand while carrying collected material. \nThe Conservation Area itself has no restroom facilities. \nThere are also no vehicles or bicycles permitted on Napatree. \nParking is available in Watch Hill Village\, but the Conservancy cautions that Napatree has no dedicated visitor parking. Spaces in the village can be limited\, so arriving with enough time to park and walk to the meeting area is a sensible plan. \nThe event flyer identifies the location as Fort Road\, Westerly. \nThe Conservancy lists Napatree Point Conservation Area at the same location. \nDon’t Wander Across the Dunes Looking for Trash\nA beach cleanup doesn’t override the rules protecting the beach. \nVisitors should use the established access routes marked by yellow poles and should not cross dunes outside approved paths. \nAny wildlife-protection areas that are roped or posted remain off limits. \nVehicles\, bicycles and drones are prohibited. \nThe principle is simple. \nThe goal is to remove human impacts\, not create new ones while searching for old ones. \nSeptember Changes the Rules for Dogs\nBecause the cleanup occurs after Labor Day\, registered dogs are permitted on Napatree throughout the day. \nThey still must remain leashed at all times\, and owners must remove their waste from the beach. \nDogs\, like people\, cannot enter areas closed for wildlife protection. \nAnyone thinking of bringing a dog should also consider whether a two-hour cleanup involving trash collection\, other volunteers and potentially sharp or unpleasant debris is actually a good environment for that particular animal. \nYou Don’t Have to Solve Marine Pollution Sunday Morning\nA cleanup can feel almost absurdly small compared with the scale of ocean pollution. \nTwo hours. \nOne beach. \nA few bags of debris. \nThen look at ORCA’s numbers. \nMore than 63\,000 pounds removed. \nThat didn’t happen in one heroic environmental intervention. \nIt happened because people kept showing up. \nOne cleanup followed another. \nOne volunteer picked up one bottle\, one piece of rope\, one food wrapper or one fragment of plastic. \nThen somebody did it again. \nThat’s the practical idea behind Sunday’s event. \nNobody has to save the Atlantic Ocean between 10 a.m. and noon. \nJust leave Napatree cleaner than it was at 9:59. \nDetails\nEvent: Napatree Point Conservation Area Cleanup\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 10 a.m.–noon\nLocation: Napatree Point Conservation Area\nAddress: Fort Road\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nOrganizer: Ocean Recovery Community Alliance (ORCA)\nCommunity Partner: The Watch Hill Conservancy\nCost: No participation fee is listed\nRegistration: Advance registration is available through ORCA\nSupplies: All cleanup supplies will be provided\nParking: Napatree has no dedicated parking area; participants should use available parking in Watch Hill Village and walk to the Conservation Area\nRestrooms: There are no restroom facilities within Napatree Point Conservation Area\nTerrain: Beach and sand; participants should be prepared to walk\nDogs: Registered dogs are permitted after Labor Day but must remain leashed and outside any posted wildlife-protection areas\nConservation Rules: Stay on designated paths through the dunes and outside all roped or posted habitat areas \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo register\, click the Event Registration 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/napatree-point-conservation-area-cleanup-brings-volunteers-together-to-protect-one-of-rhode-islands-best-beaches/
LOCATION:Napatree Point\, Fort Road\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Napatree Point
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Napatree-Point-Conservation-Area-Cleanup-Brings-Volunteers-Together-to-Protect-One-of-Rhode-Islands-Best-Beaches.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007322-1789894800-1789927200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill 2026: Complete Guide
DESCRIPTION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is now open for the 2026 season\, beginning another fall of fresh-pressed sweet cider\, cider donuts\, traditional hard cider\, apple wine and one of the most unusual pieces of working history in Connecticut. \nThe family-owned Old Mystic landmark opened for the season September 1 and is currently scheduled to operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 129 North Stonington Road. \nBut calling Clyde’s a cider shop doesn’t quite explain why generations of families make a trip here every fall. \nThe mill has been family-owned since 1881. Fourth\, fifth and sixth generations of the family still work in the business. Apples are still crushed and pressed using historic machinery powered by steam. Visitors can watch the machinery operate\, descend into the cellar for traditional hard cider tastings\, sample apple wines in a converted grist mill and leave with a bag of cider donuts. \nClyde’s calls itself the oldest steam-powered cider mill in the United States. \nMore precisely\, it is the last operating steam-powered cider mill in the country\, according to the mill\, and its historic cider-making machinery has been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. \nIt isn’t a reproduction of an old cider mill. \nIt’s the real thing. \nA Mystic Fall Tradition Since 1881\nThe story begins with Benjamin F. Clyde. \nIn 1881\, Clyde began producing cider from apples he had pressed at other local mills. He eventually rented a press before purchasing his own mill in 1897. \nThe equipment that followed would become the heart of the operation visitors still come to see. \nClyde purchased a screw press manufactured by Boomer & Boschert of Syracuse\, New York. The company also supplied the apple grater\, elevator and cider pump\, along with plans for the mill building. \nThe machinery was installed in 1898. \nAt the time\, cider mills were hardly unusual in rural America. \nThey served much the same role for apple growers that grist mills did for farmers growing grain. Orchards could bring surplus apples to a centrally located mill\, where the fruit could be processed and pressed into juice. Some of that juice could then be fermented into hard cider. \nMost of those community mills disappeared. \nClyde’s didn’t. \nThe Steam-Powered Mill Is Still Working\nThat’s what makes a visit different from touring a preserved historic building. \nThe machinery still has a job. \nApples enter the cider-making system and are elevated to a grinder\, where they’re reduced to pulp. That pulp is prepared for pressing\, and the historic screw press applies the tremendous pressure needed to extract the juice. \nThe technology was impressive for its era. \nAccording to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers\, the all-steel screw press could apply pressure at three speeds and represented one of the last generations of screw presses before hydraulic presses became widespread during the 20th century. \nASME designated B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994\, recognizing the machinery as a rare survivor of an industry that was once common throughout America’s apple-growing regions. \nMore than a century after the equipment was installed\, Clyde’s still uses the mill to make cider. \nWhen Can You Watch Clyde’s Press Cider?\nVisitors don’t have to settle for looking at the machinery. \nClyde’s runs it during the season. \nThe mill’s typical pressing schedule is: \nTuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.–noon\nSaturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.–noon \nThe schedule can vary because Clyde’s presses according to production needs\, so the machinery isn’t guaranteed to be running continuously throughout those periods. \nEven when the press isn’t operating\, visitors are welcome to look inside the historic press building. \nFor anyone specifically interested in seeing the steam-powered machinery at work\, a pressing morning is the best time to plan a visit. \nHow Clyde’s Makes Sweet Cider\nFresh sweet cider is the product that started everything. \nClyde’s purchases its apples from small orchards rather than operating a pick-your-own orchard of its own. The apples are processed at the mill and pressed into cider using the historic equipment. \nThe finished sweet cider is flash pasteurized on the property. \nVisitors can buy cider to take home or drink it while visiting\, and seasonal cider drinks have become part of the experience alongside the mill’s baked goods. \nThat combination has helped turn what was originally a working agricultural business into a fall destination. \nYou can come to learn how a 19th-century cider press works. \nYou can also come because you want cider and a donut. \nNeither is the wrong reason. \nAbout Those Clyde’s Cider Donuts\nFor plenty of visitors\, the steam engine has competition. \nClyde’s cider donuts have become almost as closely associated with the mill as the cider itself. \nThe store sells its well-known cider donuts along with other baked goods and seasonal treats. The selection can vary\, but the broader shop also carries jarred products\, honey from local beekeepers\, candied apples made by the family and other locally produced goods. \nIt’s part bakery\, part country store and part historic attraction. \nAnd on a busy fall weekend\, the line is evidence that plenty of people know exactly what they came for. \nThen There Is the Cider Downstairs\nThe word “cider” gets considerably more complicated at Clyde’s. \nSweet cider is only part of the story. \nClyde’s also makes traditional hard cider using a process very different from the sweeter\, carbonated canned ciders that have become common in supermarkets and bars. \nThe hard cider begins with apple juice and ferments before aging in oak whiskey barrels. \nThe process from juice to finished hard cider typically takes about a year. \nAfter fermentation and aging\, the hard cider receives relatively little filtration before being sold. That preserves more of the raw\, oaky character produced by the barrel. \nThe result is considerably stronger than many commercial hard ciders. \nClyde’s hard ciders and apple wines generally contain 12 to 14 percent alcohol. \nHard Cider vs. Apple Wine: What’s the Difference?\nThis is one of the more interesting parts of Clyde’s operation because the two products begin in essentially the same place. \nBoth the hard cider and apple wine start as fermented apple juice aged in oak whiskey barrels. \nWhat happens afterward separates them. \nClyde’s hard cider is only lightly filtered to remove sediment. That leaves it with a bolder flavor\, more pronounced oak character and more bite. \nThe apple wine receives considerably more filtration. \nThat additional processing produces a smoother\, somewhat sweeter product that is also shelf stable before opening. \nSo someone expecting Clyde’s hard cider to taste like a modern canned hard cider may be surprised. \nThis is closer to an older cider-making tradition. \nWhat’s in the Hard Cider Cellar?\nThe hard cider cellar sits underneath the press building. \nThat’s where visitors can taste Clyde’s traditional hard ciders and where the product has been made for generations. \nAvailability changes throughout the season\, but Clyde’s 2026 lineup includes several recurring varieties. \nThe Original is the starting point. It’s dry\, without added fruit flavors competing with the oak character of the barrel. \nLucky Lion is also dry and crisp\, with a character Clyde’s says some drinkers compare to Scotch. \nBlackout goes even further in that direction. It’s Clyde’s most popular hard cider and wine flavor\, with strong oak notes that the mill describes as almost reminiscent of whiskey. \nThen things get fruitier. \nBoomerang combines apple and cranberry for a tart\, sweeter cider. \nGoodfella adds blackberry and lands on the sweeter end of the lineup. \nYellow Jacket combines apple and orange\, producing some sweetness with a citrus bite. \nCherry Bomb adds another fruit-driven option. \nBecause Clyde’s rotates its hard ciders\, individual varieties can change during the season. \nThe Apple Wine List Goes Much Further\nThe wine side of the operation offers even more variety. \nClyde’s currently lists 14 apple wines\, ranging from dry expressions of apple to much sweeter fruit combinations. \nApple Wine is the driest of the wine lineup. \nSpiced Apple uses mulling spices for a distinctly fall-oriented version. \nSpider Cider combines sweetness with pumpkin spices and can be warmed or used in a hot toddy. \nStrawberry Bliss is the sweetest wine in the lineup\, combining apple and strawberry. \nBlueberry Spinner combines apple and blueberry. \nApple Raspberry leans sweet but tart. \nCider House Blend combines apple\, orange and cranberry. \nSeveral of the hard cider varieties\, including Original\, Lucky Lion\, Blackout\, Boomerang\, Goodfella and Yellow Jacket\, are also produced as wines. \nThe distinction comes back to filtration. \nSame roots. \nDifferent finish. \nYes\, You Can Taste Them for Free\nClyde’s offers separate hard cider and wine tastings throughout its season. \nAnd the tastings are free. \nNo purchase is required and no reservation is necessary. \nVisitors can sample up to four hard ciders and up to four wines at their respective tasting locations. \nHard cider tastings take place in the cellar beneath the press building. \nWine tastings are held in the tasting room\, which has its own connection to the property’s history: the building is a converted grist mill once used to produce johnnycake meal. \nTastings are first-come\, first-served. \nCurrent tasting hours are: \nMonday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\nSunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. \nEveryone participating in a tasting must show a valid ID\, regardless of age or appearance. Clyde’s does not accept expired IDs or photographs of identification. \nConnecticut alcohol rules also mean Clyde’s cannot sell its hard cider or wine before 10 a.m. on Sundays. \nA Few Clyde’s Flavors to Know Before You Taste\nIf you don’t know where to start\, the tasting bottles are generally arranged from driest to sweetest\, and the staff can help narrow the choices. \nFor something dry: Original or Apple Wine. \nFor strong oak character: Blackout. \nFor dry and crisp: Lucky Lion. \nFor tart cranberry: Boomerang. \nFor something sweeter: Goodfella. \nFor fall spice: Spiced Apple or Spider Cider. \nFor very sweet fruit: Strawberry Bliss or Blueberry Spinner. \nOne warning for anyone accustomed to mass-market hard cider: remember the alcohol content. \nAt 12 to 14 percent ABV\, Clyde’s hard cider is much closer to wine strength than a typical bottle or can of commercial cider. \nCan You Bring Back a Clyde’s Growler?\nYes. \nClyde’s sells 64-ounce growlers of hard cider and offers growler refills. \nThere are a couple of important rules. \nClyde’s refills growlers rather than exchanging them\, so customers should clean their growler before bringing it back. The mill can only refill glass growlers that have a stamped or imprinted 64-ounce measurement. \nWine cannot be used for growler fills. \nThe refill program is for hard cider. \nHard cider should also be kept cool after purchase. Clyde’s recommends refrigeration. \nThere’s More Than Cider\nThe tasting room also contains Clyde’s gift shop\, with merchandise and locally made products that can include handmade earrings\, postcards and art prints. \nElsewhere at the mill\, visitors can browse honey produced by local beekeepers\, jarred foods\, family-made candied apples\, baked goods and other seasonal products. \nThat makes it possible to spend considerably more time at Clyde’s than simply buying a gallon of cider and heading home. \nWatch the press. \nGet cider and donuts. \nExplore the store. \nGo downstairs for a hard cider tasting. \nVisit the wine tasting room. \nBrowse the gift shop. \nIt’s effectively several different experiences spread across the historic property. \nIs B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill Good for Kids?\nYes. \nClyde’s welcomes children of all ages. \nThe working mill is also an opportunity to show kids a piece of machinery doing the job it was actually designed to do more than a century ago. \nThere is no alcohol involved in the regular sweet cider\, and the bakery\, cider and mill demonstration make Clyde’s an easy family fall stop. \nJust don’t confuse the two kinds of cider. \nThe traditional hard cider and apple wines are 12 to 14 percent alcohol and are strictly for adults 21 and older. \nCan You Pick Apples at Clyde’s?\nNo. \nThis is one of the most useful things to know before making the trip. \nB.F. Clyde’s is a cider mill\, not a pick-your-own orchard. \nThe mill purchases apples from small orchards and uses them to produce its cider. \nIf apple picking is part of your fall plans\, you’ll need to visit an orchard separately. \nCan You Bring a Dog?\nYes\, with restrictions. \nLeashed pets are permitted on the grounds. \nThey aren’t allowed inside the buildings or on the porch\, and visitors need to bring whatever they need to clean up after their pets. \nParking Can Be the Hardest Part of a Fall Visit\nClyde’s popularity comes with one predictable problem. \nIt gets busy. \nThe main parking lot can fill during peak periods\, particularly on fall weekends. \nClyde’s asks visitors to try the main lot first and to respect posted no-parking areas and neighboring properties if parking along nearby roads. \nAn auxiliary lot is available at 49 North Stonington Road. It’s approximately four-tenths of a mile from the mill\, so visitors using it should expect a walk. \nIf your schedule is flexible\, a weekday visit can make the entire experience easier. \nIf you’re coming specifically to see the press operate\, Tuesday or Thursday morning offers the combination of a weekday visit and a scheduled pressing window. \nClyde’s Isn’t a Museum\, and That’s the Point\nThere are plenty of places where historic machinery survives behind ropes. \nClyde’s is different. \nBenjamin Clyde started making cider in 1881. \nHe acquired his own mill in the 1890s. \nThe equipment installed in 1898 survived the arrival of hydraulic presses\, mass food production\, supermarkets\, interstate highways and more than a century of changes in how Americans buy their food. \nThe family survived with it. \nToday\, fourth\, fifth and sixth generations are involved in the operation. \nEvery September\, the doors open again. \nApples arrive. \nThe steam-powered machinery starts moving. \nFresh cider begins flowing. \nAnd people line up for cider donuts. \nThat’s why B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill is more than another place to add to a Connecticut fall checklist. It’s a piece of New England’s agricultural and industrial history that never stopped doing its job. \n2026 Visitor Guide\nAttraction: B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\n2026 Season Opening: September 1\, 2026\nCurrent Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.\, seven days a week\nLocation: 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nAdmission: Free\nChildren: Welcome\nPets: Leashed pets allowed on the grounds; not inside buildings or on the porch\nApple Picking: No\nSweet Cider: Available\nCider Donuts and Baked Goods: Available\nHard Cider: Available for adults 21+\nApple Wine: Available for adults 21+\nAlcohol Content: Hard cider and wine are generally 12–14% ABV\nTastings: Free; no reservation required\nHard Cider Tastings: Cellar beneath the press building\nWine Tastings: Tasting room\nTasting Hours: Monday–Saturday\, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday\, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nTypical Pressing Schedule: Tuesday\, Thursday\, Saturday and Sunday\, 10 a.m.–noon\nParking: Main lot plus auxiliary parking at 49 North Stonington Road\nThanksgiving: Closed\nShipping: Not available\nPreorders/Call-Ahead Orders: Not available \nHard Cider Menu\nAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers History \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/b-f-clydes-cider-mill-2026-complete-guide/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
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