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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T220000
DTSTAMP:20260906T033008Z
CREATED:20260906T033008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260906T033008Z
UID:10007481-1789588800-1789596000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bad Movie Night at The Oasis Pub: September 2026 Lineup
DESCRIPTION:Bad Movie Night at The Oasis Pub every Wednesday in September with five gloriously questionable pieces of cinema ranging from bargain-basement purgatory and sorority vampires to killer bees and a teenage Paul Walker trapped inside a robotic Tyrannosaurus rex. \nThe weekly cult-film night begins at 8 p.m. every Wednesday at the downtown New London pub. Admission is free\, with donations accepted toward keeping the screenings going. \nThe Oasis has made Bad Movie Night a regular part of its Wednesday schedule\, fitting alongside the live music\, games and offbeat programming that have helped make the small Bank Street bar a gathering place for more than two decades. \nSeptember’s selections lean heavily into the strange end of horror\, science fiction and action cinema. \nSeptember Bad Movie Night Schedule\n\nWednesday\, September 2 at 8 p.m. — Despiser (2003)\nArtist Gordon Hauge is fired\, dumped by his wife and then killed in a car crash\, only to discover that death has somehow made his situation even worse. He lands in Purgatory\, where monstrous Shadowmen and Ragmen serve a mysterious evil known as the Despiser. Gordon joins a ragtag collection of dead freedom fighters from different periods of history and sets out across a surreal afterlife to confront its ruler. Written and directed by Philip J. Cook\, Despiser mixes horror\, fantasy\, science fiction\, digital effects and an impressively strange vision of the afterlife.\nWednesday\, September 9 at 8 p.m. — Fit to Kill (1993)\nDirector Andy Sidaris delivers an action movie built around international intrigue\, assassins and a stolen Russian imperial diamond. Chinese businessman Chang plans to return the Alexa Diamond\, taken from Russia during World War II\, but international arms dealer Kane has other plans. L.E.T.H.A.L. agents Donna and Nicole are pulled into the fight to recover it\, leading to gun battles\, explosions\, seduction and even lethal remote-controlled helicopters. The movie stars Dona Speir\, Roberta Vasquez\, Bruce Penhall and Julie Strain.\nWednesday\, September 16 at 8 p.m. — Vampire Time Travelers (1998)\nFour college women trying to pledge a decidedly unusual sorority find themselves fighting vampires and other supernatural creatures instead. Director Les Sekely’s 65-minute horror comedy throws its characters into a deliberately chaotic mixture of bloodsuckers\, bizarre humor\, unexplained jumps through time and increasingly absurd situations. The obscure shot-on-video movie received renewed attention in 2026 with a collector’s edition release after years of obscurity.\nWednesday\, September 23 at 8 p.m. — Tammy and the T-Rex (1994)\nYes\, the premise really is what it sounds like. A mad scientist takes the brain of high-school student Michael\, played by a young Paul Walker\, and implants it inside a robotic Tyrannosaurus rex. The newly conscious T-Rex escapes\, takes revenge on Michael’s tormentors and tries to reunite with his girlfriend Tammy\, played by Denise Richards. Directed by Stewart Raffill\, the science-fiction horror comedy has become a cult favorite thanks to a premise so bizarre that explaining it almost spoils the fun.\nWednesday\, September 30 at 8 p.m. — The Bees (1978)\nSouth American killer bees are illegally brought into the United States\, where the situation becomes considerably worse when the insects mutate into an increasingly intelligent threat. As enormous swarms begin attacking cities\, scientists race to stop a disaster capable of spreading across the world. The 83-minute disaster-horror movie arrived during the 1970s cycle of nature-run-amok films and stars John Saxon\, Angel Tompkins and John Carradine.\n\nFive Wednesdays of Movies That Went Wrong in Just the Right Way\nThere is a pretty good mission statement hidden inside that lineup. \nBad Movie Night isn’t programming five merely unsuccessful movies. September jumps between movies that are interesting because of their excesses\, strange decisions\, improbable premises or sheer audacity. \nDespiser tries to construct an entire digital purgatory on an independent-film budget. Fit to Kill delivers the particular combination of espionage\, action and exploitation that became director Andy Sidaris’ signature. Vampire Time Travelers embraces the chaotic world of late-’90s shot-on-video horror. \nAnd then there is Tammy and the T-Rex\, a movie in which Paul Walker’s brain is transplanted into a mechanical dinosaur. \nBy the time intelligent killer bees arrive on the final Wednesday of September\, they almost seem reasonable. \nBad Movie Night at The Oasis\nThe Oasis Pub has been part of downtown New London’s nightlife for more than two decades\, operating from 16 Bank Street with a focus on craft beer\, live music and unconventional events. \nBad Movie Night is one of its regular weekly fixtures\, taking place every Wednesday at 8 p.m. \nThat communal setting is an important part of the concept. These aren’t necessarily movies demanding reverent silence in a dark theater. They’re movies made considerably more entertaining by experiencing the weirdness with a room full of other people. \nSeptember provides five chances to do exactly that. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Bad Movie Night: September Lineup\nDates: Wednesdays\, September 2\, 9\, 16\, 23 and 30\, 2026\nTime: 8 p.m. each Wednesday\nVenue: The Oasis Pub\nAddress: 16 Bank Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nAdmission: Free; donations accepted\nSeptember 2: Despiser\nSeptember 9: Fit to Kill\nSeptember 16: Vampire Time Travelers\nSeptember 23: Tammy and the T-Rex\nSeptember 30: The Bees \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/bad-movie-night-at-the-oasis-pub-september-2026-lineup/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Oasis Pub\, 16 Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Oasis Pub
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T220000
DTSTAMP:20260602T013627Z
CREATED:20260602T013627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T013627Z
UID:10004904-1789587000-1789596000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bingo Bongo at THE MISFIT CLUB
DESCRIPTION:Bring your friends to Bingo Bongo at THE MISFIT CLUB every Wednesday night downtown Mystic! The iconic game of Bingo mixed with outrageous games\, plenty of laughs\, and great prizes. \nJoining forces with area favorite hosts Matt and Laura\, Bingo Bongo offers both traditional Bingo mixed with unpredictable shenanigans\, audience participation\, and non-stop entertainment. Every Wednesday night from 7: 30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (excluding the first Wednesday of the month)\, there’s no entry fee to play\, and prizes are given out all night long. Perfect for those midweek smiles and giggles. \nDoors open at 5 p.m.\, so come hungry because we only have snacks! Purchase your food and drinks before the fun begins. \nLet’s BINGO! \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/bingo-bongo-at-the-misfit-club/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:The Misfit Club\, 12 Water St APT 12\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Misfit Club
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Bingo-Bongo-at-the-Misfit-Club-Wednesdays-730-pm-to-10-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T203000
DTSTAMP:20261005T193645Z
CREATED:20260916T010757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T193645Z
UID:10007875-1789585200-1789590600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours Takes Visitors Into One of Mystic’s Oldest Burial Grounds After Dark
DESCRIPTION:Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours turns a colonial burial ground into a lantern-lit journey through nearly four centuries of Mystic history on multiple nights this fall\, combining documented stories of war\, disease\, abolition\, slavery and early New England burial customs with the legends and reported paranormal activity that have accumulated around the cemetery. \nThe 1-hour-and-45-minute walking tours take place at Whitehall Burial Ground\, tucked just off Hendel Drive in Mystic. Rather than moving through downtown and stopping outside supposedly haunted buildings\, this Seaside Shadows tour spends the evening inside the historic cemetery itself. \nAnd this is not a one-night event. \nThe tours continue on Wednesday\, Friday and Sunday evenings through November\, with additional Saturday tours during October. September and October tours begin at 7 p.m.\, making this one CT Beacon event listing that can carry readers through much of the fall rather than disappearing after a single weekend. \nWhitehall Goes Back to the 1660s\nPart of what gives this particular ghost tour its atmosphere is that Whitehall Burial Ground really is old. \nThe burial ground dates to the 1660s\, when southeastern Connecticut was still a collection of small colonial settlements surrounded by a landscape that would have been almost unrecognizable to someone driving through Mystic today. \nFor generations\, Whitehall served as one of the area’s common burial places. \nThat changed during the 19th century as Americans began embracing the rural cemetery movement\, which replaced older\, compact burial grounds with larger landscaped cemeteries designed partly as places for reflection and remembrance. \nMystic’s Elm Grove Cemetery was established in 1853 during that transition. \nBy 1854\, Whitehall’s role as one of the community’s principal burial places was coming to an end. \nThe graves left behind\, however\, preserve a remarkably long stretch of local history. \nThis Is a Ghost Tour Built Around Real People\nSeaside Shadows describes the experience as a blend of history and mystery\, and that distinction matters. \nThis isn’t a haunted attraction filled with actors waiting behind tombstones. \nThe stories begin with actual people buried at Whitehall and events that shaped southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests hear about men connected to King Philip’s War\, the brutal 17th-century conflict between English colonists and Native peoples that devastated communities throughout New England. \nThe tour moves forward into the American Revolution and stories of Patriot defenders who met violent ends. \nIt also explores the lives of abolitionists\, enslaved and formerly enslaved people\, women and families whose stories provide a different perspective on Mystic’s early history than the familiar tales of ship captains and maritime commerce. \nThen things get stranger. \nYes\, There Are Vampires\nOne of the more unusual subjects woven into the tour is New England’s very real history of vampire scares. \nThese weren’t vampires in the Dracula sense. \nDuring outbreaks of tuberculosis\, then commonly called consumption\, some New England communities came to believe that a deceased family member might somehow be draining the life from surviving relatives. \nIn several documented cases during the 18th and 19th centuries\, bodies were exhumed and examined for signs that the dead were continuing to prey upon the living. \nSometimes organs were removed or burned. \nThe practices reflected communities trying to explain a devastating disease before modern medicine understood how tuberculosis spread. \nAgainst the backdrop of a centuries-old cemetery after dark\, it also provides the kind of history that doesn’t require much embellishment to become unsettling. \nGravestones Tell Their Own Stories\nVisitors aren’t simply hearing stories while walking past anonymous stones. \nEarly New England gravestones developed their own visual language. \nSkulls\, winged death’s heads\, cherubs and other carvings could communicate ideas about death\, mortality and the afterlife. The style and symbolism changed as religious beliefs and attitudes toward death evolved. \nThe tour uses the cemetery itself to introduce some of those burial traditions and grave markings. \nThat gives the walk another layer. \nYou’re not touring a recreation of colonial New England. \nThe objects you’re examining are the surviving pieces of it. \nThen History Gives Way to the Paranormal\nThis is still a ghost tour. \nSeaside Shadows incorporates accounts of paranormal experiences associated with Whitehall\, including reports of unexplained footsteps\, voices and apparitions. \nThe company’s guides also discuss experiences reported during previous tours. \nThose stories are presented alongside local folklore\, including the traditional figure of a Lady in White\, a recurring type of apparition found in legends throughout New England and far beyond it. \nWhether visitors interpret those accounts as paranormal activity\, folklore or the power of suggestion in a dark cemetery is entirely up to them. \nThe setting certainly does its share of the work. \nThere aren’t many environments naturally better suited to a ghost story than a colonial burial ground after sunset. \nCaptain John Gallup Connects Whitehall to a Violent Period of Colonial History\nAmong the historic figures associated with the tour is Captain John Gallup\, whose family was deeply connected to the early colonial history of the region. \nGallup served during King Philip’s War and was killed in 1675 during the Great Swamp Fight in Rhode Island\, one of the conflict’s bloodiest engagements. \nHis story opens the door to a much larger and more complicated period in New England history involving colonial expansion\, Native resistance\, warfare and the destruction of communities. \nOther stops explore the Woodbridge family\, Revolutionary War history and people whose lives intersected with abolition and emancipation. \nThe tour also includes the stories of Quash and Hannah Williams\, using their lives to explore Black history\, enslavement\, freedom and Native American history in the region. \nThat’s where the experience becomes considerably more interesting than simply compiling local ghost stories. \nThe cemetery becomes a timeline. \nMystic’s Ghost Tours Started With a Local Historian\nThe company behind the tour\, Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours\, was founded in 2013 by Connecticut author and historian Courtney McInvale Reardon. \nMcInvale wrote Haunted Mystic\, published the following year\, and built Seaside Shadows around the idea of combining historical research with local legends and paranormal accounts. \nThe company now operates several experiences\, including its Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour and haunted pub crawls\, but the graveyard tour is fundamentally different from walking through the village. \nDowntown Mystic still has traffic\, restaurants\, shops\, bars and people moving around. \nWhitehall after dark is another environment entirely. \nOctober Adds More Chances to Go\nThe schedule becomes more aggressive as Halloween approaches. \nDuring September and October\, the regular graveyard tours begin at 7 p.m. \nIn October\, Seaside Shadows adds Saturday performances at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.\, giving visitors another opportunity to experience the cemetery during the height of spooky season. \nThe price also changes. \nRegular-season admission is $30 per person. October admission increases to $35. \nBecause this is a recurring event\, readers should select their preferred date and confirm the available time when purchasing tickets rather than assuming every night follows exactly the same schedule. \nThis Is a Walking Tour in a Real Cemetery\nThat last point is important. \nWhitehall is not a paved theme-park attraction. \nParticipants will be walking through an old burial ground after dark\, where the terrain can include uneven ground and other natural obstacles. \nSeaside Shadows recommends the experience for guests 11 and older and asks visitors to dress appropriately for the weather. \nIts participation waiver specifically identifies potential hazards including uneven or slippery surfaces\, cemetery terrain\, low lighting and inclement weather. \nGood walking shoes make considerably more sense here than dressing for Halloween. \nTours operate outdoors\, and Seaside Shadows generally runs its experiences rain or shine. Tickets are final except when the company cancels a tour. \nNearly Two Hours Between the Headstones\nThe current Seaside Shadows description puts the Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tour at approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. \nThat’s enough time to move beyond a handful of ghost stories. \nThe tour can reach into colonial warfare\, the Revolution\, disease\, abolition\, slavery\, emancipation\, local folklore\, cemetery symbolism and burial practices while still leaving room for the paranormal accounts that put “ghost” in the name. \nThere is even a final spooky surprise that Seaside Shadows deliberately doesn’t explain in advance. \nProbably best to leave that one buried. \nDetails\nEvent: Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tours\nSeason: Through November 29\, 2026\nSeptember Schedule: Wednesdays\, Fridays and Sundays\nSeptember Start Time: 7 p.m.\nOctober Schedule: Regular Wednesday\, Friday and Sunday tours\, plus additional Saturday tours\nOctober Saturday Times: 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.\nLocation: Whitehall Burial Ground\nMeeting Point: Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\nStreet: Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nTour Length: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes\nAdmission: $30 during the regular season; $35 in October\nRecommended Age: 11+\nFormat: Guided outdoor walking tour through a historic colonial burial ground\nTerrain: Cemetery terrain with uneven surfaces and low-light conditions\nWeather: Dress appropriately for outdoor conditions; tours generally operate rain or shine\nWhat to Wear: Comfortable walking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather\nTickets: Advance ticket purchase is recommended; select the specific tour date and time when booking\nOrganizer: Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours\nPhone: 860-754-8923\nEmail: info@seasideshadows.com \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/moonlit-mystic-graveyard-ghost-tours-takes-visitors-into-one-of-mystics-oldest-burial-grounds-after-dark/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground\, Hendel Drive\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Gates of Whitehall Burial Ground
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Moonlit-Mystic-Graveyard-Ghost-Tours-Takes-Visitors-Into-One-of-Mystics-Oldest-Burial-Grounds-After-Dark.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T203000
DTSTAMP:20260621T021216Z
CREATED:20260621T012345Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260621T021216Z
UID:10006072-1789583400-1789590600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Downtown Westerly Walk or Run 5K
DESCRIPTION:Downtown Westerly Walk or Run 5K gives participants a chance to stay active\, meet new people\, and explore the heart of downtown Westerly in a fun and welcoming group setting. Held on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer\, the event encourages walkers and runners of all experience levels to get outside and enjoy the community. \nRather than a competitive race\, the weekly gathering focuses on fitness\, social connection\, and enjoying the local area. Participants can choose to walk or run the 5K route\, making it accessible to everyone from seasoned runners to those simply looking for an enjoyable midweek outing. \nWhether you’re training for a larger race\, looking to add some movement to your week\, or hoping to connect with fellow outdoor enthusiasts\, Downtown Westerly Walk or Run 5K offers a free and friendly way to spend a summer evening. \nEvent Details \nWhen: Every Wednesday \nTime: 6:30 p.m. \nLocation: One Of One Athletics Club\n26 High Street\nWesterly\, RI \nDistance: 5K \nAdmission: Free \nHighlights \n\nWalk or run at your own pace\nWeekly community event\nExplore downtown Westerly\nOpen to all fitness levels\nMeet fellow walkers and runners\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/downtown-westerly-walk-or-run-5k/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:One of One Athletics Club\, 26 High Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:One of One Athletics Club
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Downtown-Westerly-Walk-or-Run-5k-Wednesdays-at-630-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T193000
DTSTAMP:20260601T234947Z
CREATED:20260601T234844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T234947Z
UID:10003801-1789583400-1789587000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Trivia at Outer Light Brewing
DESCRIPTION:Weekly team trivia at Outer Light Brewing\, where you’ll find friendly competition and laughs at one of Groton’s favorite breweries every Wednesday. Compete for bragging rights and challenge your knowledge on a wide range of topics while enjoying locally brewed beer from the tap lines at Outer Light starting at 6:30 p.m. \nFrom the casual players who enjoy soaking up knowledge on a weeknight to the hardcore trivia nerds who know a little about every category\, there’s something for everyone at Trivia Night at Outer Light Brewing. Team-style trivia allows you to gather up your smartest friends or crew up with strangers and take home the coveted prize of trivia dominance. Questions range from easy to brain-melting on topics such as pop culture\, history\, sports\, music\, and more. \nTrivia at Outer Light Brewing is perfect for coworkers\, friend groups\, couples or anybody who enjoys a good challenge and a brew. Grab some friends\, order up your favorite drink\, and let’s get “vvtrivia’ing!” \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/trivia-at-outer-light-brewing/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Outer Light Brewing Company\, 266 Bridge Street\, Groton\, CT\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Outer Light Brewing
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T200000
DTSTAMP:20260907T010042Z
CREATED:20260907T010042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T010042Z
UID:10007485-1789581600-1789588800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:James Harris at Jeremiah’s Tavern in Mystic
DESCRIPTION:James Harris at Jeremiah’s Tavern for the month of September in downtown Mystic\, bringing two hours of acoustic rock\, jazz\, blues\, and audience requests to the Tavern from 6 to 8 p.m. \nThe September residency includes performances on September 2\, 9\, 16\, 23 and 30\, giving one of Mystic’s longtime working musicians a regular Wednesday home just steps from the Mystic River. \nFor Harris\, playing a weekly run in Mystic is familiar territory. The Stonington guitarist and vocalist has spent more than two decades performing around the area\, becoming a regular presence at restaurants\, pubs\, vineyards and even aboard some of Mystic’s historic and excursion vessels. \nMore Than 20 Years of Music Around Mystic\nJames Harris has been playing guitar and singing professionally for more than 20 years. \nHis repertoire is broad by design. Acoustic classic and modern rock form a large part of his performances\, but Harris also moves through jazz\, blues and other styles depending on the setting and the audience. \nThat versatility has made him particularly well suited to Mystic’s restaurant and tavern music scene\, where a musician may be providing atmosphere over dinner one moment and fielding requests from a room that has turned its attention toward the music the next. \nHarris has become a familiar performer at several Mystic venues over the years. His local schedule has included appearances at the Daniel Packer Inne\, Mystic Seaport Museum and aboard the schooner ARGIA. \nIn fact\, Harris has been performing aboard ARGIA for more than a decade\, playing acoustic classic and modern rock while the schooner sails the Mystic River and Fishers Island Sound. \nMystic Seaport Museum has similarly described him as a guitarist\, vocalist and entertainer specializing in classic and modern rock. \nA Musician Who Doesn’t Stay in One Lane\nThe Jeremiah’s flyer describes Harris simply enough: “Live Acoustic Rock\, Jazz\, Blues\, etc. Requests.” \nThe “etc.” may be doing a lot of work. \nHarris has built his local career around being able to move between styles rather than presenting a narrowly defined set of original music. That makes the request portion of his Jeremiah’s performances particularly appropriate. \nHis acoustic guitar remains the common thread\, but the material can move between generations and genres over the course of an evening. \nThat approach has helped Harris maintain an unusually busy schedule around Mystic. More than a decade ago\, local publication This Is Mystic was already describing him as a guitarist and vocalist with more than 20 years of experience who regularly performed around town. \nHe remains a fixture on Mystic music calendars in 2026. \nFive Wednesday Nights at Jeremiah’s Tavern\nThe September series takes place downstairs in the Tavern at Jeremiah’s Restaurant & Tavern. \nJeremiah’s operates as two distinct experiences at its 7 Water Street location in downtown Mystic. The upstairs restaurant leans toward an elevated New England dining experience\, while the Tavern is the more casual side of the operation\, with drinks\, comfort food and recurring entertainment. \nWednesday also happens to be Pasta Night and half-price wine night at the Tavern\, giving the weekly Harris performances a dinner component for anyone looking to make an evening of it. \nThe music runs early\, from 6 to 8 p.m.\, rather than occupying a late-night bar slot. \nFor September\, that means five consecutive Wednesdays of Harris behind the microphone. \nSeptember Performance Schedule\nWednesday\, September 2 — 6–8 p.m.\nJames Harris performs live acoustic rock\, jazz\, blues and requests at Jeremiah’s Tavern. \nWednesday\, September 9 — 6–8 p.m.\nThe Wednesday residency continues with Harris returning for another two-hour acoustic set. \nWednesday\, September 16 — 6–8 p.m.\nHarris reaches the midpoint of the September series with another evening of live music and audience requests. \nWednesday\, September 23 — 6–8 p.m.\nThe fourth September performance brings Harris back to the Tavern for an early-evening set. \nWednesday\, September 30 — 6–8 p.m.\nHarris closes out the month with the fifth and final Wednesday performance of the September residency. \nA Familiar Sound in a New Mystic Setting\nThere is something fitting about giving Harris an entire month of Wednesdays. \nHis career has been closely tied to the kind of live music Mystic does particularly well: a guitarist in the corner of a tavern\, music on the deck of a boat\, an outdoor set beside the river or a familiar voice returning to the same local rooms year after year. \nFor visitors\, the Jeremiah’s series offers an easy introduction to a musician who has spent years playing around Mystic. \nFor locals\, there’s a good chance the introduction happened a long time ago. \nEvent Details\nEvent: James Harris Live at Jeremiah’s Tavern\nDates: Wednesdays\, September 2\, 9\, 16\, 23 and 30\, 2026\nTime: 6–8 p.m.\nPerformer: James Harris\nMusic: Acoustic rock\, jazz\, blues and requests\nVenue: Jeremiah’s Restaurant & Tavern\nAddress: 7 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nLocation: The Tavern\nWednesday Special: Pasta Night and half-price wine \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/james-harris-at-jeremiahs-tavern-in-mystic/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Jeremiah’s Restaurant\, 7 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jeremiah's Restaurant
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T230000
DTSTAMP:20260602T012603Z
CREATED:20260602T012603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T012603Z
UID:10004647-1789578000-1789599600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Burger Night Special at Milestone
DESCRIPTION:Nothing eases the midweek hustle like Burger Night at Milestone. Every Wednesday starting at 5 p.m.\, locals and visitors can indulge in a classic burger-and-beer special right in downtown Mystic. From your hearty double-patty burger to your discounted draft beer\, Milestone has you covered while you soak up the laid-back vibes at one of Mystic’s best-loved neighborhood bars. \nMilestone’s Wednesday special features their signature burger topped with white American cheese and Milestone sauce for $14. Add tasty extras like bacon\, a fried egg\, caramelized onions\, lettuce\, tomato\, and onion. Wash it all down with $6 local draft beer all evening. \nHankering for a good burger? Need a deal for midweek dinner? Meeting friends for after-work drinks? Join them every Wednesday and make your belly happy again with Burger Night at Milestone. We’re glad to be your favorite local hangout for making Wednesday tradition in Mystic. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/burger-night-special-at-milestone/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:Milestone\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Milestone
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006477-1789556400-1789578000@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/2026-09-16/
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000483-1789556400-1789578000@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-3/2026-09-16/
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007318-1789549200-1789581600@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/2026-09-16/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BF-Clydes-Cider-Mill-2026-Complete-Guide.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T213000
DTSTAMP:20260531T170134Z
CREATED:20260531T033610Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260531T170134Z
UID:10003123-1789498800-1789507800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Trivia at C.C. O'Brien's
DESCRIPTION:Friendly competition\, giggles\, and bragging rights come to Pawcatuck every Tuesday night at Trivia at C.C. O’Brien’s. From 7-9: 30 p.m.\, teams of 1-6 players gather to challenge themselves on a wide range of categories. With food\, drinks\, and great company around every question\, players of all knowledge levels are sure to enjoy the experience. \nTrivia at C.C. O’Brien’s provides players with an evening full of music\, trivia questions\, and prizes for the top 3 teams each week. Whether you consider yourself a trivia nerd or you simply want to enjoy a night out with friends\, we have you covered. No matter your experience level with trivia\, there isn’t anything to be nervous about. \n$0 buys you entry to play\, but there is a $10 drink food minimum. \nWhether you have a group of friends\, coworkers\, or even your significant other\, Trivia at C.C. O’Brien’s is the perfect opportunity to bring your team together and see who’s brain is the smarty-pants!
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/trivia-at-c-c-obriens/2026-09-15/
LOCATION:C.C. O’ Brien’s\, 8 Mechanic St\, Pawcatuck\, 06379\, United States
CATEGORIES:C.C. O'Brien's
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CC-Obriens-every-Thursday-7pm-to-930-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T210000
DTSTAMP:20260602T004331Z
CREATED:20260602T004331Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T004331Z
UID:10004122-1789498800-1789506000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Trivia Night at The Jealous Monk
DESCRIPTION:Trivia Night at The Jealous Monk hosts its own version of trivia every Tuesday called Opinionation. Opinionation is a survey-style game where knowledge is only about 1/10 as important as knowing what everyone else is thinking. This free game is played from 7 to 9 p.m. when teams come together to play fun survey questions and guess what every other player thinks. \nOpinionation is a trivia game like no other. Forget historical dates and useless trivia you’ll never remember. With Opinionation\, your team will have to determine the five most popular answers given by players to each question. Each round consists of two segments with several questions. There are also bonus and final rounds that can really change the game. This format allows for lots of giggles\, upsets\, and arguing among teammates. \nGroups of friends\, coworkers\, date night- you name it. Our trivia at The Jealous Monk is great for all ages and skill levels. So whether you’re an expert at trivia or you just enjoy the company\, try your skills at predicting the most popular answer while we keep you guessing. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/trivia-night-at-the-jealous-monk/2026-09-15/
LOCATION:Jealous Monk\, 27 Coogan Blvd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jealous Monk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Trivia-Night-at-the-Jealous-Monk-Tuesdays-7-pm-to-9-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T181731Z
CREATED:20260714T231749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260716T181731Z
UID:10006803-1789495200-1789502400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Ocean Community YMCA Beach Concert Series
DESCRIPTION:The Ocean Community YMCA Beach Concert Series features four evenings of free live music\, food trucks\, and family fun throughout the summer. Running from July through September\, the series gives families a chance to enjoy music in a relaxed\, community atmosphere by the shore. \nEach concert runs from 6 to 8 p.m. and features a different band\, offering a variety of live entertainment throughout the season. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets\, enjoy dinner from on-site food trucks\, and spend an evening outdoors with friends and family. One concert is specially designated as a Children’s Concert\, making the series welcoming for audiences of all ages. \nWhether you’re looking for a fun weeknight outing or a chance to discover local musicians\, the Beach Concert Series offers free entertainment in a family-friendly setting throughout the summer. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Beach Concert Series\nVenue: Williams Beach Park\nAddress: 1 Harry Austin Drive\, Mystic\, CT 06379\nAdmission: Free\n\n2026 Concert Schedule\n\nFriday\, July 17 – The Music Studio (Children’s Concert)\nTuesday\, July 28 – 3 Hours Later\nTuesday\, August 18 – Rusty Nutz\nTuesday\, September 15 – Loaded Wagon\n\nAll concerts: 6:00-8:00 p.m. \nWhat to Expect\n\nFree live music\nFood trucks\nFamily-friendly activities\nOutdoor concert atmosphere\nFun for all ages\n\nWhat to Bring\nGuests are encouraged to bring: \n\nLawn chairs\nBlankets\nFamily and friends\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-ocean-community-ymca-beach-concert-series/2026-09-15/
LOCATION:Ocean Community YMCA – Naik Family Branch\, 1 Harry Austin Drive\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Ocean Community YMCA - Naik Family Branch
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/The-Ocean-Community-YMCA-Beach-Concert-Series.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T180000
DTSTAMP:20260606T203643Z
CREATED:20260604T204337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260606T203643Z
UID:10005262-1789484400-1789495200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Groton City Farmers Market Summer 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Groton City Farmers Market returns for its 2026 summer and fall season\, bringing fresh Connecticut-grown food\, local products\, and community spirit to Washington Park every Tuesday from June 9 through October 27. Held at the corner of Mitchell and Meridian Streets from 3 to 6 p.m.\, the market serves as a gathering place where residents can shop directly from local farmers\, food producers\, and artisans while supporting small businesses throughout southeastern Connecticut. \nWhile agriculture remains the heart of the market\, visitors will find much more than fruits and vegetables. Vendors offer locally sourced meats\, poultry\, eggs\, seafood\, baked goods\, and specialty food products\, all with an emphasis on Connecticut-grown and Connecticut-made offerings. Organizers work to ensure products are clearly identified and locally sourced\, helping shoppers make informed choices while supporting the region’s agricultural economy. \nThe market’s mission is to make healthy\, affordable\, locally produced food accessible to the community while creating a welcoming neighborhood destination in the heart of Groton. In addition to its weekly summer and early fall schedule\, the market also hosts seasonal pop-up markets during the colder months\, extending its commitment to connecting local producers with residents year-round. \n2026 Musician Lineup\n\nJune 9 – Ron Bettez\nJune 17 – Ella Yaras\nJune 23 – Kevin Salley\nJune 30 – Kayle Devlin\nJuly 7 – Ella Yaras\nJuly 14 – Kevin Salley\nJuly 21 – Terri Lachance\nJuly 28 – Steven Harz\nAugust 4 – Inner Groove\nAugust 11 – Kevin Salley\nAugust 18 – Ella Yaras\nSeptember 1 – Ronald Bettez\nSeptember 15 – John Wood\nSeptember 22 – Steven Harz\nSeptember 29 – Terri Lachance\nOctober 7 – Denise Jones\nOctober 13 – John Wood\n\nCity of Groton Farmers Market • Tuesdays\, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. • Washington Park
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/groton-city-farmers-market-summer-2026/2026-09-15/
LOCATION:Washington Park\, 155 Meridian Street\, Groton\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Washington Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Groton-City-Farmers-Market-Summer-2026-Tuesdays-3pm-to-6pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006476-1789470000-1789491600@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/2026-09-15/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Luxe-CT-Velvet-Mills-to-Modern-Runways-at-Mystic-Museum-of-Art-daily-11am-5pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000482-1789470000-1789491600@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-3/2026-09-15/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Brickwrecks-Sunked-Ships-in-Lego-Bricks.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007317-1789462800-1789495200@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/2026-09-15/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BF-Clydes-Cider-Mill-2026-Complete-Guide.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T220000
DTSTAMP:20260603T224938Z
CREATED:20260602T005710Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T224938Z
UID:10004382-1789405200-1789423200@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/2026-09-14/
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T210000
DTSTAMP:20260705T023526Z
CREATED:20260609T022239Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T023526Z
UID:10005376-1789401600-1789419600@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/2026-09-14/
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:20260914T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006475-1789383600-1789405200@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/2026-09-14/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000481-1789383600-1789405200@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-3/2026-09-14/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007316-1789376400-1789408800@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/2026-09-14/
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:20260913T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T220000
DTSTAMP:20260909T220058Z
CREATED:20260909T220058Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T220058Z
UID:10007531-1789327800-1789336800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Brandon Lake at Mohegan Sun Arena
DESCRIPTION:Brandon Lake at Mohegan Sun Arena brings one of contemporary Christian music’s biggest stars to Uncasville on Sunday\, September 13\, for a 7:30 p.m. arena concert with special guest Ben Fuller. \nCalling Lake a successful worship artist understates what has happened to his career over the past few years. His 2025 album King of Hearts debuted at No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard 200; he’s accumulated six Grammy Awards\, and his collaboration with Jelly Roll on Hard Fought Hallelujah pushed him beyond Christian radio and onto the Billboard Hot 100. \nHis concerts have expanded accordingly. \nLake’s current music mixes contemporary worship with rock\, country\, gospel\, pop\, and the kind of massive singalong choruses designed for arenas rather than church sanctuaries. At the 10\,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena\, that means Sunday night’s show will be much closer to a modern arena-rock production than the quieter image the words “Christian music” may suggest. \nFrom Worship Pastor to Arena Headliner\nBrandon Lake grew up in South Carolina as the son of a pastor. \nMusic was part of his life early. His father showed him some basic guitar chords\, and Lake continued teaching himself\, including learning songs by Christian artists such as Third Day and Chris Tomlin. \nHe eventually became a worship pastor at Seacoast Church in South Carolina and began releasing his own music independently. \nThe major turning point came after Lake joined Bethel Music in 2019. \nHis version of This Is a Move\, co-written with Tasha Cobbs Leonard\, brought him his first Grammy nomination and a GMA Dove Award. From there came a succession of songs and collaborations that increasingly made Lake one of the recognizable voices in contemporary worship music. \nHouse of Miracles followed in 2020\, including I Need a Ghost\, Just Like Heaven and the title track. \nThen came songs that spread well beyond Lake’s own recordings. \nYou May Know His Songs Without Knowing His Name\nContemporary worship music operates differently from most popular genres. \nSongs regularly move between artists and churches. One songwriter may help create a song\, another group records it\, and thousands of worship teams eventually perform it. \nLake has thrived in that environment. \nHe’s closely associated with songs including Graves Into Gardens\, RATTLE!\, Gratitude\, Praise You Anywhere\, Count ‘Em and That’s Who I Praise\, while also contributing as a writer or performer to music released by Bethel Music\, Elevation Worship\, Maverick City Music and other major contemporary Christian acts. \nGratitude became particularly important to his solo career\, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. \nBut Lake’s career took another leap with a song about praising God when praise doesn’t come easily. \nHard Fought Hallelujah Changed Everything\nHard Fought Hallelujah wasn’t conceived as a cheerful song about everything going right. \nIts central idea is almost the opposite. \nSometimes faith comes through struggle. Sometimes gratitude is difficult. Sometimes a hallelujah has to be fought for. \nThat theme found an unlikely second voice in Jelly Roll. \nThe Nashville singer had built his own career around addiction\, incarceration\, regret\, redemption and faith\, first moving through hip-hop and rock before becoming one of country’s biggest crossover stars. \nLake and Jelly Roll’s version of Hard Fought Hallelujah connected those worlds. \nThe collaboration gave Lake his first appearance on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and helped expose his music to listeners who might never turn on a contemporary Christian station. \nThen\, at the 2026 Grammy Awards\, Hard Fought Hallelujah won Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. \nThat brought Lake’s career Grammy total to six wins from 15 nominations. \nIt also illustrated something that’s becoming increasingly noticeable in contemporary Christian music: the walls around the genre aren’t as high as they once were. \nChristian Music Is Crossing Into Country\nJelly Roll isn’t Lake’s only connection to country music. \nHe’s performed with Thomas Rhett. His recent music has leaned openly into country and Southern rock influences. And his collaborations have increasingly put him alongside artists who aren’t confined to Christian radio. \nThat includes a 2026 collaboration with Bailey Zimmerman\, Just Believe\, which topped the Christian Digital Song Sales chart\, as well as The Jesus I Know with Lainey Wilson. \nThe crossover makes musical sense. \nModern country and contemporary Christian music increasingly share production styles\, songwriters and audiences\, particularly when songs deal with redemption\, addiction\, family\, struggle and faith. \nLake’s voice helps the transition. \nHe doesn’t sing like a traditional choir-based gospel performer. There’s grit in it\, and his records frequently borrow from rock and country as readily as contemporary worship. \nThat becomes even more obvious on King of Hearts. \nKing of Hearts Reached No. 7 in America\nReleased in June 2025\, King of Hearts is Lake’s fifth studio album and the record that pushed his commercial career into another category. \nIt debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200\, Lake’s first Top 10 album on the all-genre chart. \nThe 16-song record deliberately moves around stylistically. \nThere’s pop-rock on But God\, gospel on I Know a Name with CeCe Winans\, hip-hop influence through Hulvey on Right in the Middle\, the crossover country connection of Hard Fought Hallelujah with Jelly Roll and arena-ready worship throughout the record. \nThe title itself carries Lake’s central idea for the album. \nRather than concentrating on the image of God as a distant ruler\, Lake has explained that King of Hearts is about a God concerned with individuals: broken people\, lonely people\, hopeless people\, misfits and even critics. \nFor Lake\, that’s also tied to how he views his own increasingly large platform. \nHe told the Recording Academy that he isn’t interested in simply becoming a rock star. He sees his role as caring for people and pointing them toward Jesus. \nThat may sound like a traditional worship leader speaking. \nThe setting in which he’s doing it is increasingly anything but traditional. \nA Worship Show Built for an Arena\nLake’s recent concerts demonstrate just how much contemporary Christian touring has changed. \nA 2026 King of Hearts performance in Charleston included King of Hearts\, Count ‘Em\, That’s Who I Praise\, Plans\, RATTLE!\, Rest on Us\, Tear Off the Roof\, DADDY’S DNA\, House of Miracles and I Know a Name\, along with acoustic portions and collaborations. \nThe presentation combines the communal participation of worship music with the production scale of an arena rock concert. \nAudiences don’t simply watch. \nThey sing. \nThat’s fundamental to understanding the genre if you’ve never attended a large contemporary Christian show. A song like Gratitude may have a lead singer onstage\, but once thousands of people know every word\, the relationship between performer and audience becomes different from a conventional concert. \nMohegan Sun Arena should amplify that considerably. \nBen Fuller Opens the Night\nLake won’t be alone in Uncasville. \nMohegan Sun and Live Nation list Ben Fuller as the special guest for the September 13 show. \nFuller’s path into Christian music is markedly different from the polished worship-school route someone might expect. \nRaised on a dairy farm in Vermont\, he has spoken publicly about a past involving substance abuse and the deaths of people close to him before his conversion to Christianity redirected his life and music. \nThat history became part of his songwriting. \nHis breakout Who I Am reached No. 1 at Christian radio\, while songs including If I Got Jesus continued his autobiographical approach to faith\, recovery and redemption. \nIt’s a natural pairing with Lake\, particularly as both artists increasingly make Christian music that borrows from country without disguising its spiritual purpose. \nSix Grammys and Counting\nLake’s awards history has become substantial. \nThe Recording Academy currently credits him with six Grammy wins and 15 nominations. \nHis Grammy-winning work includes collaborations connected to Maverick City Music and worship projects as well as his own Hard Fought Hallelujah. \nHe’s also accumulated GMA Dove\, K-LOVE and ASCAP recognition\, while becoming a prominent songwriter for other performers. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz \nThe numbers help explain why a Sunday-night Christian concert is landing in one of Connecticut’s major arenas rather than a church or small theater. \nBut they don’t completely explain Lake’s growth. \nThe more interesting story is where contemporary Christian music itself is going. \nThe Line Between Worship\, Rock and Country Is Getting Thin\nThere was a period when contemporary Christian music largely operated as its own parallel industry. \nIt had its own radio stations\, record labels\, festivals\, magazines and stars. An artist could become enormous within Christian music while remaining almost invisible to the mainstream audience. \nThat’s changing. \nJelly Roll can appear on a Brandon Lake record. \nCeCe Winans and a Christian hip-hop artist can appear on the same album. \nCountry stars can record explicitly faith-centered collaborations without treating them as side projects. \nAnd a contemporary worship singer can debut at No. 7 on the same Billboard chart measuring every other major album in America. \nLake sits directly in the middle of that shift. \nHis music doesn’t hide what it is. These aren’t secular pop songs with vaguely inspirational lyrics designed to cross over unnoticed. \nThey’re explicitly Christian. \nWhat’s changing is the sound and the audience around them. \nOn September 13\, that evolution arrives at Mohegan Sun Arena. \nDetails\nEvent: Brandon Lake at Mohegan Sun Arena\nDate: Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nTime: 7:30 p.m.\nHeadliner: Brandon Lake\nSpecial Guest: Ben Fuller\nMusic: Contemporary Christian / worship / rock / country\nVenue: Mohegan Sun Arena\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nPit: Standing general admission; no chairs are permitted in the pit\nParking: Free self-parking is available at Mohegan Sun; reserved Riverview Garage parking is also available for purchase\nBag Policy: Backpacks\, string bags\, diaper bags\, shopping bags\, messenger bags\, briefcases and rolling-style bags are not permitted in the arena\nArena Box Office: 860-862-8499 \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/brandon-lake-at-mohegan-sun-arena/
LOCATION:Mohegan Sun Arena\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Brandon-Lake-at-Mohegan-Sun-Arena.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T203000
DTSTAMP:20260909T213839Z
CREATED:20260909T213839Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T213839Z
UID:10007530-1789326000-1789331400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Candy-O: The Premier Tribute to The Cars at Wolf Den
DESCRIPTION:Candy-O: The Premier Tribute to The Cars at Wolf Den brings the music of one of New England’s most important rock bands back to southeastern Connecticut on Sunday\, September 13\, with a free 7 p.m. performance at Mohegan Sun. \nThis isn’t the long-running California tribute band that also performs under the Candy-O name. The group coming to Wolf Den is a New England-based five-piece devoted to recreating The Cars’ recordings with the synthesizers\, guitar tones\, vocal arrangements\, and deliberate precision that made the originals instantly recognizable. \nCandy-O puts particular emphasis on The Cars’ first two albums\, 1978’s The Cars and 1979’s Candy-O\, but reaches across the band’s catalog for songs including Just What I Needed\, My Best Friend’s Girl\, Good Times Roll\, Let’s Go\, Shake It Up\, Magic\, You Might Think\, Drive\, Moving in Stereo and Tonight She Comes. \nCandy-O Is About the Sound\, Not the Costumes\nThere are two basic approaches to a tribute band. \nOne is impersonation. Find musicians who resemble the original members\, dress them appropriately and recreate the visual experience along with the music. \nCandy-O deliberately takes the other route. \nThe band says it gives a nod to the visual style of the late-’70s proto-new-wave period but doesn’t present itself as a costumed look-alike act. Its focus is on what it calls “hyper-accurate” analog tones and note-for-note performances. \nThat’s a particularly interesting challenge with The Cars. \nAt first listen\, many of their biggest songs seem almost impossibly simple. A synthesizer figure. A tight drumbeat. A few carefully placed guitar chords. Ric Ocasek or Benjamin Orr singing a melody without a lot of unnecessary decoration. \nBut those records were meticulously constructed. \nCandy-O’s lineup mirrors the five-piece structure that produced them: Steve Werner handles lead vocals and rhythm guitar\, Meg Browning plays bass and sings\, Gerry Giaimo handles lead guitar and vocals\, Dave Branning plays keyboards and sings\, and Mike Genovese is on drums. \nThat combination matters. The Cars’ identity depended as much on Greg Hawkes’ keyboards and Elliot Easton’s economical guitar work as it did on the singers standing out front. \nThe Cars Came Out of Boston\nFor a New England tribute band\, this isn’t imported nostalgia. \nThe Cars belong to the region’s music history. \nRic Ocasek and Benjamin Orr had spent years playing together before The Cars existed\, eventually settling in Boston and working through several musical configurations. Guitarist Elliot Easton joined them\, followed by keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson\, who had played with Jonathan Richman’s Modern Lovers and Boston punk band DMZ. \nRobinson suggested the name. \nBy 1977\, The Cars were working the Boston club circuit and recording demos. Then something happened that seems particularly appropriate given the history of New England radio. \nWBCN started playing them. \nDJ Maxanne Sartori put the demo of Just What I Needed on the air\, and listeners responded. The song became heavily requested before The Cars even had a record contract. Elektra eventually signed the band. \nTheir self-titled debut arrived in June 1978. \nIt didn’t sound quite like the rock bands that came before it\, and it didn’t completely belong to the punk and new-wave underground developing around it either. \nThe Cars found the middle. \nA Debut Album That Barely Needed a Greatest-Hits Collection\nLook at the track list of The Cars today and it borders on ridiculous. \nSide one opens with Good Times Roll. \nThen comes My Best Friend’s Girl. \nThen Just What I Needed. \nAnd those aren’t the only songs that became rock-radio staples. You’re All I’ve Got Tonight\, Bye Bye Love and Moving in Stereo were on the same record. \nThe album eventually sold more than six million copies in the United States and remained on the Billboard album chart for 139 weeks. \nIt also established the formula Candy-O is trying to reproduce nearly half a century later. \nThe Cars took guitar rock\, power pop\, punk’s economy and increasingly prominent synthesizers and fit them together without allowing any one element to take over. \nOcasek’s songs had enormous hooks but often carried an emotional distance that kept them from becoming conventional pop. \nThe Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later described that combination as a meeting of new wave and classic rock that helped move underground sounds into the mainstream. \nThen Came Candy-O\nCandy-O takes its name from The Cars’ second album\, released in 1979. \nFollowing a debut that successful should have been a nearly impossible assignment. \nInstead\, Candy-O reached No. 3 on the Billboard album chart and eventually went quadruple Platinum in the United States. Let’s Go\, sung by Benjamin Orr\, became The Cars’ first single to reach the Billboard Top 15. \nIt’s also why the tribute band’s emphasis on those first two records makes sense. \nTogether\, The Cars and Candy-O contain a remarkable concentration of the band’s defining material: Good Times Roll\, My Best Friend’s Girl\, Just What I Needed\, Moving in Stereo\, You’re All I’ve Got Tonight\, Let’s Go\, It’s All I Can Do\, Candy-O and Dangerous Type. \nCandy-O lists all of them among the songs it performs. \nBut the Wolf Den show isn’t limited to 1978 and 1979. \nThe Cars Became an MTV Band Before MTV Bands Were Everywhere\nThe Cars continued evolving through Panorama in 1980 and Shake It Up in 1981\, but 1984’s Heartbeat City gave the group an entirely new wave of popularity. \nBy then\, MTV had changed how pop music was marketed. \nThe Cars were perfectly suited for it. \nYou Might Think became an early landmark of computer-assisted music video\, while Magic\, Hello Again and Drive helped turn Heartbeat City into one of the biggest albums of the band’s career. \nAnd Drive demonstrated something that can get lost when people remember The Cars primarily as Ric Ocasek’s band. \nOcasek wrote the song. \nBenjamin Orr sang it. \nThe two men shared lead-vocal duties throughout The Cars’ career\, and some of the group’s most recognizable recordings were Orr performances. In addition to Drive\, his lead vocals included Just What I Needed\, Let’s Go and Moving in Stereo. \nOrr’s smoother\, more melodic voice created a useful contrast with Ocasek’s unmistakably detached delivery. Years later\, Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes both spoke about just how important Orr’s voice had been to the band’s sound. \nOrr died of pancreatic cancer in 2000. \nThey Were New Wave Without Really Fitting in New Wave\nTrying to put The Cars into one genre has always been difficult. \nThey arrived at roughly the same moment as punk and new wave\, used synthesizers extensively and looked unlike the denim-and-long-hair rock establishment of the early 1970s. \nBut they also wrote songs with the kind of hooks that worked on mainstream pop radio. \nThere was power pop in there. Art rock. Electronic music. Straight rock & roll. A little punk minimalism. \nGreg Hawkes once described The Cars as a “pop-art band\,” a description that may fit them better than most genre labels. \nThey could sound futuristic without abandoning guitars. \nThey could make extremely polished records without sanding away all their weirdness. \nAnd Ocasek understood the value of leaving space in a song. The Cars rarely sounded as though five musicians were fighting to prove how much they could play. \nThat’s part of what makes faithfully recreating the records more complicated than simply learning the chords. \nThe spaces count\, too. \nFrom Just What I Needed to Drive\nCandy-O’s published repertoire covers all six of The Cars’ original Elektra-era studio albums: The Cars\, Candy-O\, Panorama\, Shake It Up\, Heartbeat City and Door to Door. \nThe band lists: \nDrive\, Just What I Needed\, Let’s Go\, You Might Think\, My Best Friend’s Girl\, Magic\, Good Times Roll\, Hello Again\, Shake It Up\, Tonight She Comes\, Since You’re Gone\, It’s All I Can Do\, Bye Bye Love\, Moving in Stereo\, Dangerous Type and You’re All I’ve Got Tonight among the songs in its repertoire. \nThat’s a substantial portion of the music that ultimately carried The Cars into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. \nOcasek\, Orr\, Easton\, Hawkes and Robinson were all inducted as members. The surviving Cars performed together at the ceremony\, with Brandon Flowers of The Killers doing the induction. \nOcasek died the following year. \nThat makes a Cars tribute different today than it would have been when all five members were still around. \nThere is no possibility of seeing the classic lineup again. \nThe records are the permanent version now. \nA Connecticut Band Playing Boston Music at Wolf Den\nCandy-O has already built a history with Wolf Den. \nThe band lists Mohegan Sun among the venues it has played\, alongside Connecticut rooms including the Bijou Theatre\, Kinsmen Brewing Co.\, Crystal Bees\, Small Batch Cellars\, New Britain Museum of American Art and Woodbury Brewing. \nSunday’s show runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. \nLike other Wolf Den performances\, admission is free\, but seating is limited and available on a first-come\, first-served basis. The venue sits in the center of Mohegan Sun\, making this one of the easier ways to catch a full tribute show without buying a concert ticket. \nAnd The Cars may be particularly well matched to a 90-minute set. \nThere isn’t much need for filler. \nWhen a band’s first album alone gives you Good Times Roll\, My Best Friend’s Girl\, Just What I Needed\, You’re All I’ve Got Tonight\, Bye Bye Love and Moving in Stereo\, the problem isn’t finding enough songs to play. \nIt’s deciding what you can possibly leave out. \nDetails\nEvent: Candy-O: The Premier Tribute to The Cars at Wolf Den\nDate: Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nTime: 7–8:30 p.m.\nPerformer: Candy-O\nMusic: Tribute to The Cars / new wave / rock / power pop\nBand: Steve Werner\, lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Meg Browning\, bass and vocals; Gerry Giaimo\, lead guitar and vocals; Dave Branning\, keyboards and vocals; Mike Genovese\, drums\nAdmission: Free\nVenue: Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nSeating: Limited; Wolf Den seating is first come\, first served\nAge: Wolf Den guests must be 21 or older unless accompanied by a parent\, legal guardian or spouse\nParking: Free parking is available at Mohegan Sun \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/candy-o-the-premier-tribute-to-the-cars-at-wolf-den/
LOCATION:Wolf Den\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvs\, Uncasville\, CT\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Candy-O-The-Premier-Tribute-to-The-Cars-at-Wolf-Den.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T190000
DTSTAMP:20260908T025219Z
CREATED:20260908T025219Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T025219Z
UID:10007519-1789315200-1789326000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Jus-Tus at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026
DESCRIPTION:Jus-Tus at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026 brings Motown\, soul\, R&B\, classic rock\, and blues to the woods of Charlestown on Sunday\, September 13\, with a free afternoon performance from 4 to 7 p.m. \nJus-Tus is a familiar presence at the Rathskeller\, where the duo has become particularly well suited to Sunday afternoons Down Back. Rather than the high-volume tribute bands and rock shows that fill many Friday and Saturday nights\, Jus-Tus leans into bluesy vocals\, guitar\, and songs that have been around long enough for much of the crowd to know them by heart. \nAdmission is free. Guests can RSVP in advance through Eventbrite or simply show up\, with the Rathskeller suggesting an early arrival for lunch or drinks before the music begins. \nMotown\, Soul and R&B With a Classic-Rock Side\nThe Rathskeller has described Jus-Tus as a local duo with decades of musical chemistry\, and its appearances there reveal a broader repertoire than the usual shorthand of “classic vibes.” \nAt its 2025 season-closing concert\, the venue described Jus-Tus as performing Motown\, soul and R&B hits that cross generations. For its 2026 appearances\, the Rathskeller has highlighted the duo’s bluesy vocals and smooth guitar\, while its June Art Festival performance was promoted around a mix of classic rock and blues. \nPut those descriptions together and the picture becomes clearer. \nThis isn’t a narrowly defined blues act or a band devoted to one era. Jus-Tus works from the American songbook that grew out of soul\, Motown\, rhythm and blues\, blues and classic rock\, with arrangements scaled to the intimacy of a duo. \nThat makes the group a different proposition from many of the acts appearing on the Rathskeller’s late-summer calendar. The weekend begins September 11 with eight-piece funk\, soul and rock band Take It To The Bridge. Saturday turns considerably heavier with Alice in Chains tribute Nutshell and System of a Down tribute Free Thinkers Are Dangerous. \nThen Sunday afternoon belongs to Jus-Tus. \nA Duo the Rathskeller Keeps Bringing Back\nThe September 13 performance isn’t a one-off booking. \nJus-Tus has become one of the recurring acts in the Rathskeller’s outdoor music series\, with multiple appearances during the 2026 season. \nThe duo played a free Sunday show on May 10\, returned June 28 as the musical act for the Rathskeller’s annual Art Festival and came back again August 2. September 13 marks another Sunday afternoon appearance as the outdoor season moves toward fall. \nThat recurring relationship says something useful about what to expect. \nJus-Tus isn’t being booked to turn Down Back into a massive concert. Its role is closer to providing the soundtrack for the entire property: music substantial enough to sit and watch\, but relaxed enough that people can eat\, have a drink\, talk with friends and spend an afternoon outside without every other part of the experience competing with the stage. \nThe Rathskeller describes the duo’s shows as laid-back but fully engaging. \nFor a Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m.\, that’s probably the point. \nDown Back in the Woods\nThe setting helps. \nThe Charlestown Rathskeller sits at 489A Old Coach Road\, tucked into a wooded property away from the busier commercial strips of South County. \nBehind the restaurant is Down Back\, the Rathskeller’s seasonal outdoor entertainment area. The grounds include a stage\, outdoor seating\, lawn games and a large central fire pit\, creating something closer to a backyard music venue than a conventional restaurant patio. \nDuring the warmer months\, the Rathskeller builds much of its entertainment schedule around the space\, with live music generally running from spring into fall. \nThe programming can change considerably from one night to the next. Tribute bands\, rock groups\, country acts\, funk and soul bands and smaller acoustic performers all appear on the calendar. \nSeptember is particularly busy. Following Jus-Tus\, the schedule continues with Aquanett on September 18\, Blizzard of Ozz on September 19\, the Take It To The Bridge Trio on September 20\, Nick Casey on September 25\, Steve Smith & The Nakeds on September 26 and Roc-Kin’-On on September 27. \nIt’s essentially a final full month of outdoor music before cooler weather begins taking over South County. \nMake Lunch or Dinner Part of It\nBecause Jus-Tus doesn’t begin until 4 p.m.\, the show falls directly between lunch and dinner. \nThe Rathskeller opens at noon on Sundays\, and the kitchen remains open until 10 p.m.\, so there’s no need to choose between eating and catching the band. \nThe menu mixes pub food with New England staples and more substantial entrées. Burgers\, wings and the Rathskeller’s signature fries share the menu with clam chowder\, stuffies\, calamari\, fish and chips\, linguine and clams\, steak frites and jägerschnitzel. \nThere’s a full bar as well\, with beer\, wine and cocktails. \nFor the best choice of outdoor seating\, arriving before the 4 p.m. start makes sense. Down Back operates more like festival-style outdoor seating than a traditional theater\, and a free show doesn’t come with an assigned table or chair. \nCome early\, order something\, find a comfortable spot and settle in. \nOne of the Easier Sunday Plans of September\nThere are events that require planning: timed admission\, advance tickets\, parking strategies and schedules that need to be studied before leaving home. \nThis isn’t one of them. \nJus-Tus starts at 4. Admission costs nothing. The restaurant is already open. Food and drinks are available on the property. The band plays for three hours\, and the Rathskeller remains open after the final song. \nEven the music fits the lack of complication. \nMotown and soul. R&B and blues. Classic rock. Guitar and vocals. Familiar songs played by a local duo that has spent enough time on the Rathskeller stage to know the room — or\, in this case\, the backyard. \nSometimes Sunday afternoon doesn’t need a more elaborate plan than that. \nDetails\nEvent: Jus-Tus at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026\nDate: Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nTime: 4–7 p.m.\nPerformer: Jus-Tus\nMusic: Motown\, soul\, R&B\, classic rock and blues\nAdmission: Free\nRSVP: Free advance RSVP available through Eventbrite; walk-ins are also welcome\nVenue: The Charlestown Rathskeller\nAddress: 489A Old Coach Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813\nSetting: Seasonal outdoor live music at the Rathskeller’s Down Back entertainment area\nFood: Full restaurant menu available\nSunday Hours: Noon–10 p.m.\nKitchen Hours: Noon–10 p.m.\nPhone: 401-792-1000 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nFor free advance registration\, 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/jus-tus-at-the-charlestown-rathskeller-2026/
LOCATION:Rathskeller\, 489A Old Coach Rd\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Rathskeller
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Jus-Tus-at-the-Charlestown-Rathskeller-2026.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T170000
DTSTAMP:20260908T023533Z
CREATED:20260908T022932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T023533Z
UID:10007518-1789311600-1789318800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Live Music & Food Trucks at Saltwater Farm Vineyard
DESCRIPTION:Live Music & Food Trucks at Saltwater Farm Vineyard pairs a relatively new local country duo with wood-fired pizza and Stonington wine on Sunday\, September 13. Violet Theory performs from 3 to 5 p.m.\, while Fire in the Kitchen Pizza Truck fires up its mobile oven at the vineyard. \nViolet Theory may be a new name on the southeastern Connecticut music scene\, but the musicians behind it aren’t approaching the project casually. Victoria White and Chris Cofoni formed the duo in 2025\, began writing together\, and headed to Nashville in March to record their first original songs. \nTheir Sunday afternoon set at Saltwater Farm will mix that developing catalog with country\, rock and pop covers\, all against one of the more unusual backdrops on the Connecticut Wine Trail: a vineyard built around a preserved airplane hangar. \nMeet Violet Theory\nViolet Theory began with a chance meeting at Westerly’s Thirsty Beaver. \nChris Cofoni was performing there with another band in 2025 when he was introduced to vocalist Victoria White. The two discovered a musical connection\, began performing together later that fall and developed Violet Theory around White’s vocals and Cofoni’s playing\, songwriting\, and production. \nCountry provides the foundation\, but their repertoire isn’t restricted to it. \nThe duo covers music ranging from Johnny Cash to Morgan Wallen while pulling rock and pop into its live sets. Depending on the engagement\, Violet Theory can expand from the core duo into a trio or full band. \nFor the September 13 Saltwater Farm appearance\, the act is scheduled as the Violet Theory duo\, putting the emphasis on White and Cofoni and the vocal-and-instrumental chemistry that started the project. \nThe pair has spent much of 2026 building an audience around southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island\, appearing at vineyards\, breweries\, restaurants and outdoor events including Stonington Vineyards\, Preston Ridge Vineyard\, Grey Sail Brewing\, Gooseneck Vineyards\, the Breachway Grill and Westerly’s Sunday Funday in Wilcox Park. \nSaltwater Farm has become a particularly regular stop. Violet Theory has several dates at the vineyard during its 2026 schedule\, including performances in May\, July and September\, with another scheduled for October. \nFrom Local Stages to a Nashville Studio\nViolet Theory is also beginning to move beyond covers. \nWhite and Cofoni have written three original songs together: Country Golden\, Half As Mean and To the Old Me. All three were recorded at Country Q Studios in Nashville in March 2026. \nThe songs offer an early look at what the duo wants Violet Theory to become. \nCountry Golden tells the story of a woman who finds companionship and emotional rescue through her “Country Golden” companion. Half As Mean takes a lighter approach to adult relationships and learning to live with one another’s faults\, while To the Old Me looks backward\, with a young woman addressing younger versions of herself. \nThat mix of storytelling and contemporary production reflects the duo’s stated goal: country-influenced music rooted in traditional songwriting without trying to sound as though it came from another era. \nFor a group formed only last year\, 2026 has essentially been Violet Theory’s first full season of taking that sound on the road. \nPizza Straight From a Wood-Fired Oven\nSunday’s food truck is almost as mobile as the musicians. \nFire in the Kitchen Pizza is the creation of husband-and-wife team Matt and Kristen Griffin\, who turned Matt’s longtime obsession with making pizza into a traveling wood-fired business. \nIt started small. Very small. \nKristen bought Matt his first wood-fired pizza oven\, with a cooking surface measuring only about 12 by 14 inches. After Matt refined his dough and the couple decided to pursue the idea further\, the little oven was replaced by a larger wood-burning model. \nThen came a commercial oven mounted to a trailer. \nToday\, Fire in the Kitchen operates from a full-size box truck and brings its wood-fired setup to events around Connecticut and neighboring states. Unlike a mobile operation that sends employees out to work events\, Matt and Kristen say they’re the chefs customers will actually find behind the truck. \nTheir sample menu goes considerably beyond cheese and pepperoni. \nThe Lemon Boy combines garlic\, smoked mozzarella\, sliced lemon\, Aleppo pepper and honey. Gettin Figgy adds prosciutto\, caramelized onion\, fig\, arugula and balsamic reduction\, while the Tater uses mashed potato\, bacon and chives. \nThere’s also a Pulled Pickle with pulled pork\, dill pickles\, Monterey Jack and cheddar\, barbecue sauce and ranch; a Street Corn pie with corn\, cilantro\, jalapeños\, cotija and chipotle-lime aioli; and the meat-heavy Carnivore with pepperoni\, bacon\, sausage and hot cherry peppers. \nThe exact selection at Saltwater Farm can vary. Fire in the Kitchen says its menu changes seasonally and it generally brings a mix of core pizzas and seasonal specialties to events. \nA Vineyard Inside an Old Airfield\nSaltwater Farm Vineyard’s history goes back considerably further than its vines. \nThe property traces its agricultural roots to the 17th century\, when Walter Palmer established a farm on roughly 230 acres surrounding Wequetequock Cove in 1653. Portions of that land continued operating as farmland for generations. \nThen airplanes arrived. \nIn the late 1930s\, William J. Foster established a small community airport on the property. Architect and engineer John W. Lincoln designed its hangar\, and Foster Field\, also known as Westone Airport\, operated until restrictions surrounding World War II ended its use as a public airport. \nCommercial aviation briefly returned after the war\, but the property eventually fell into other uses. Over the decades\, the old hangar served at various times as a warehouse\, restaurant and manufacturing space. \nMichael Connery purchased the long-dormant property in 2001 as part of 108 acres and began transforming the former airfield into a vineyard. \nRather than demolishing the hangar\, the project made it the centerpiece. \nArchitect Stephen Lloyd helped transform the historic structure into the winery visitors see today\, retaining its massive timber trusses and original wood sheathing while incorporating a milled aluminum exterior and an open interior beneath the building’s high roof. \nEven the old airfield hasn’t entirely disappeared. A grassy landing strip remains on the property. \nConnecticut Grapes With a French Connection\nSaltwater Farm’s wines are overseen by consulting winemaker Gilles Martin\, whose résumé stretches from France to Australia\, California\, Virginia and Long Island. \nMartin grew up near France’s Champagne region and earned degrees in biology\, food science and oenology from the University of Montpellier. His master’s thesis on wine ultrafiltration received a national award presented by future French president Jacques Chirac. \nHis career then took him through wineries in Germany and Australia before bringing him to the United States. \nFrom 1990 through 1996\, Martin worked as assistant winemaker at Roederer Estate in California’s Anderson Valley\, the American sparkling-wine operation established by Champagne Louis Roederer. He later returned to France to make Viognier and Syrah for Delas-Frères in the Rhône Valley. \nBy the late 1990s\, he was working on Long Island’s North Fork\, where he helped develop several wineries before becoming a consulting winemaker. \nToday\, Martin works with both Saltwater Farm and its sister property\, Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard in North Stonington. \nThe combination gives Saltwater Farm an unusual identity: Connecticut-grown wine shaped by a winemaker with Old World training\, served inside a restored aviation landmark overlooking vines and coastal marshland. \nAn Easy Sunday Afternoon\nThere isn’t much structure required for this one\, and that’s part of its appeal. \nArrive at Saltwater Farm\, order a glass of wine\, grab a wood-fired pizza and find a spot to hear Violet Theory. \nThe music begins at 3 p.m. and continues until 5. It’s part of Saltwater Farm’s seasonal live music and food truck schedule\, which extends into October with performers including Colin Van Pelt\, James Harris\, Nick Bosse and Brad Bensko. \nViolet Theory itself returns October 25. \nFor September 13\, however\, it’s the duo configuration: Victoria White and Chris Cofoni\, two hours of country-influenced music\, a mobile wood-fired oven and an old Connecticut airfield that found a second life growing grapes. \nDetails\nEvent: Live Music & Food Trucks at Saltwater Farm Vineyard\nDate: Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nTime: 3–5 p.m.\nPerformer: Violet Theory\nViolet Theory Lineup: Victoria White and Chris Cofoni\, duo performance\nMusic: Country-influenced originals plus country\, rock and pop covers\nFood Truck: Fire in the Kitchen Pizza\nFood: Wood-fired pizza; exact event menu may vary\nVenue: Saltwater Farm Vineyard\nAddress: 349 Elm Street\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nVineyard Phone: 860-415-9072\nWinemaker: Gilles Martin\nUpcoming Saltwater Farm Music: \nColin Van Pelt Sept. 20; \nLuke & Mike Sept. 27; \nadditional music continues into October \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/live-music-food-trucks-at-saltwater-farm-vineyard/
LOCATION:Saltwater Farm Vineyard\, 349 Elm Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Saltwater Farm Vineyard
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T173000
DTSTAMP:20260716T173134Z
CREATED:20260716T173134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260716T173134Z
UID:10006852-1789309800-1789320600@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/2026-09-13/
LOCATION:Deans Mill Farm\, 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Deans Mill Farm
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T153000
DTSTAMP:20260908T005412Z
CREATED:20260908T005412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T005412Z
UID:10007510-1789308000-1789313400@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/2026-09-13/
LOCATION:The Granite Theater\, 1 Granite Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Granite Street Theater
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T150000
DTSTAMP:20260712T235944Z
CREATED:20260531T024717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260712T235944Z
UID:10003094-1789300800-1789311600@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/2026-09-13/
LOCATION:Denison Homestead Musuem\, 120 Pequotsepos Rd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Denison Homestead Museum
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006474-1789297200-1789318800@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/2026-09-13/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
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END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR