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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260911T110000
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SUMMARY:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION:Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at Mystic Museum of Art explores the history of textiles in southeastern Connecticut\, tracing how fabrics\, fashion\, and craftsmanship have shaped the region from the precolonial era through the present day. On view from June 26 through October 11\, 2026\, the exhibition brings together historic artifacts and contemporary works to examine how textiles reflect labor\, immigration\, cultural identity\, and changing ideas of luxury. \nInspired by southeastern Connecticut’s once-thriving velvet industry\, the exhibition features a collaboration between Mystic Museum of Art\, Historic Stonington\, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\, Mystic Seaport Museum\, and the Connecticut Region of the Studio Art Quilt Associates. Visitors will encounter an extensive collection of beadwork\, embroidery\, quilts\, velvet\, fashion\, and textile art drawn from partner institutions and the museum’s own collection. \nThe exhibition also highlights contemporary fashion designers with Connecticut connections\, including Xarea Lockhart\, Toriana Sauro\, Christian Siriano\, and Peter Som. Their work connects the region’s textile heritage with modern fashion\, demonstrating how clothing and material culture continue to influence art\, identity\, and design. Throughout the exhibition\, the museum will present lectures\, artist conversations\, and hands-on workshops that further explore these themes. \nExhibition Details\n\nExhibition: Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways\nVenue: Mystic Museum of Art\nDates: June 26-October 11\, 2026\nLocation: Mystic\, CT\n\nExhibition Highlights\nVisitors will experience: \n\ns\nWorks from Mystic Museum of Art’s permanent collection\nLoans from regional museums and organizations\n\nFeatured Partners\nThe exhibition includes contributions from: \n\nHistoric Stonington\nMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center\nMystic Seaport Museum\nStudio Art Quilt Associates\, Connecticut Region\n\nFeatured Designers\nThe exhibition showcases work by designers with Connecticut ties\, including: \n\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\nChristian Siriano\nPeter Som\n\nAdmission\n\nGeneral Admission: $12\nNew London County residents: $10\nSeniors (65+): $10\nStudents with valid ID: $10\nFree:\n\nMystic Museum of Art members\nYouth ages 17 and under\nMilitary personnel and veterans\n\n\n\nExhibition Programs\nPublic programs are held on select Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. \nTuesday\, July 7\nMystic Mudlarking: The River and the Rossie Velvet Mill \n\nGuest speaker: Mary Hendrickson\n\nTuesday\, July 21\nImmigration and Industry \n\nGuest speaker: Chelsea Mitchell\, Library Director & Collections Manager\, Historic Stonington\n\nTuesday\, September 1\nConversation with Alana Ryder and Emerging Designers \nFeaturing: \n\nAlana Ryder\nXarea Lockhart\nToriana Sauro\n\nWorkshops\nAll workshops take place in KTJ Studios. \nSaturday\, September 19\nFrom Textile to Art: Felt Collage Workshop \nSaturday\, September 26\nIntroduction to Sewing Workshop \n\nFeatured designer: Toriana Sauro\n\nSaturday\, October 10\nRelief Printing on Silk Scarf Workshop \nWhy Visit\nLuxe CT examines how textiles have connected communities across centuries while reflecting the region’s history of manufacturing\, immigration\, craftsmanship\, and artistic innovation. By pairing historical artifacts with contemporary fashion and fiber art\, the exhibition offers visitors a deeper understanding of southeastern Connecticut’s cultural heritage and its continuing influence on today’s artists and designers. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/luxe-ct-velvet-mills-to-modern-runways-at-mystic-museum-of-art/2026-09-11/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
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CREATED:20260510T162306Z
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SUMMARY:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks
DESCRIPTION:Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks drops visitors into centuries of maritime mystery and disaster at Mystic Seaport Museum.. The internationally touring exhibition combines massive LEGO® ship recreations with real maritime history\, creating an experience that feels part museum exhibit\, part interactive adventure. As the first American stop for the exhibition\, Mystic Seaport becomes the latest host for a showcase that has previously appeared at major maritime museums in Europe and Australia. \nThe exhibit features eleven detailed LEGO® models recreating famous shipwrecks and maritime disasters spanning thousands of years\, including the Titanic\, the Vasa\, Franklin’s Arctic expedition ships Terror and Erebus\, and the ancient Uluburun trading vessel. Created in partnership with LEGO® Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught\, the displays combine historical storytelling with surprisingly intricate engineering and visual detail. Some models even include cross-section cutaways revealing what happened beneath the waterline. \nInteractive experiences throughout the exhibit invite visitors to test survival scenarios\, operate a remote underwater vehicle\, experiment with ship stability\, and build LEGO® creations of their own. Alongside the models are replica artifacts\, archaeological tools\, and multimedia displays exploring how modern researchers investigate shipwrecks and what those discoveries reveal about trade\, exploration\, disaster\, and human history. The result is an exhibit that works equally well for families\, history buffs\, LEGO® fans\, and anyone who still secretly wants to touch every museum display. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/brickwrecks-sunken-ships-in-lego-bricks-3/2026-09-11/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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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/2026-09-11/
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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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260911T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260911T210000
DTSTAMP:20260910T180326Z
CREATED:20260817T041105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T180326Z
UID:10007209-1789115400-1789160400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide brings two days of ships\, Coast Guard demonstrations\, living history\, family activities\, music and maritime traditions to New London on Saturday and Sunday\, September 12 and 13. \nSpread between New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\, the festival turns much of the city’s waterfront into a celebration of Connecticut’s relationship with the sea. Visitors can tour military and historic vessels\, watch Coast Guard crews in action\, explore living-history encampments\, hear live music and take part in activities for children. \nThis year’s festival also arrives during a significant anniversary year for New London. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is celebrating its 150th anniversary\, and several festival events recognize the milestone\, including the release of a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp. \nThen Saturday night takes a decidedly different turn. \nA procession through downtown New London culminates in the traditional Burning of Benedict Arnold\, followed shortly afterward by a 300-drone light show over the Thames River. \nAdmission to the festival is free\, and free water taxis and shuttle buses will connect its two main locations throughout the weekend. \nTwo Festival Locations\, One Waterfront Celebration\nThe festival takes place simultaneously at New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park. \nDon’t worry about choosing one. \nVisitors can park near either location and use the festival’s free Thames River Heritage Park water taxi or shuttle buses to travel between them. That makes it possible to tour vessels downtown\, catch activities at Fort Trumbull and return to Waterfront Park without repeatedly moving your car. \nMost weekend activities run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday\, although several special events take place outside those hours. \nShips and Vessels You Can Explore\nOne of the festival’s biggest attractions is the opportunity to get close to working military vessels\, historic ships and maritime training vessels. \nUSCGC Eagle\nThe unmistakable USCGC Eagle is scheduled to be part of the festival. \nThe 295-foot\, three-masted barque serves as the Coast Guard’s sail-training ship\, giving Coast Guard Academy cadets practical experience at sea. Originally built in Germany as Horst Wessel\, Eagle was taken by the United States as a war reparation following World War II. \nToday\, the tall ship is one of only two active commissioned sailing vessels in the U.S. military\, alongside USS Constitution. \nAmistad\nThe schooner Amistad recreates the type of Baltimore Clipper believed to resemble La Amistad\, the vessel at the center of the historic 1839 revolt by enslaved Africans. \nThe modern ship was created as a floating classroom\, using the story of the Amistad uprising and its connection to Connecticut to teach history while traveling from port to port. \nDenis Sullivan\nThe three-masted Denis Sullivan is a wooden schooner modeled after the Great Lakes sailing vessels of the 19th century. \nOriginally based in Milwaukee\, the vessel offers visitors another opportunity to experience traditional sailing ship design up close. \nT/V Shuman\nThe 65-foot Training Vessel Shuman gives U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets hands-on experience with navigation\, ship handling and seamanship. \nOriginally constructed as a survey vessel for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\, it now serves as a working classroom on the Thames River. \nCoast Guard Response Boats\nVisitors will also be able to see some considerably faster Coast Guard equipment. \nStation New London’s 45-foot Response Boat-Medium can exceed 40 knots and operates in seas up to 12 feet. It is used for missions including search and rescue\, maritime security and law enforcement. \nThe smaller 29-foot Response Boat-Small II can reach more than 45 knots and is designed for fast response in coastal and shallow-water environments. \nNaval Submarine Base Harbor Security Boats\nThe Navy will also be represented by Naval Submarine Base New London’s Harbor Security Boats. \nThe 27-foot vessels patrol waters surrounding the submarine base. Powered by twin outboards producing a combined 450 horsepower\, they can reach approximately 40 knots. \nKings Point\nBuilt in 2014\, Kings Point is a 3\,000-horsepower twin-screw tug constructed by Chesapeake Shipbuilding for the Vane Brothers Company. \nEnviro-Lab II / Project Oceanology\nGroton-based Project Oceanology brings marine science into the mix aboard Enviro-Lab II. \nProject O introduces thousands of students and adults each year to marine science through hands-on exploration of the ocean and Long Island Sound. \nSaturday: Coast Guard Action\, Music and a Big Night on the Waterfront\nSaturday begins with the festival’s Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. \nThroughout the day\, visitors can explore vendors\, tour vessels and visit the Project Oceanology touch tank. \nFamilies have several activities of their own\, including free face painting\, costume making and a children’s walking parade featuring mermaids and privateers. \nAt noon\, Steve Elci joins the Little Mermaid and the Wayfinder for a children’s sing-along. \nThings get considerably louder at 1:30 p.m. \nCoast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration\nA U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T helicopter is scheduled to conduct a search-and-rescue demonstration. \nThese aircraft operate from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod and are used throughout New England for search and rescue\, maritime law enforcement\, environmental protection and homeland security missions. \nSeeing one operate over New London’s harbor should be one of the weekend’s standout demonstrations. \nTactical Boat Operations\nAlso beginning at 1:30 p.m.\, crews from U.S. Coast Guard Station New London will demonstrate tactical boat maneuvers during a simulated security-zone intrusion. \nThe demonstration recreates techniques Coast Guard crews use to protect ports and critical infrastructure and intercept vessels that don’t comply with security orders. \nThe commanding officer of Station New London will narrate the demonstration. \nSaturday Night: Benedict Arnold Burns Again\nOne of New London’s strangest and most enduring traditions returns Saturday evening. \nAt 7:30 p.m.\, the March of the Traitor begins its procession along Bank Street toward Waterfront Park. \nThe event commemorates Benedict Arnold’s infamous September 1781 attack on New London and Groton after the Connecticut-born Revolutionary War general defected to the British. \nFlock Theatre brings the history to life with period costumes\, music\, fifes and drums before the procession reaches the waterfront. \nAt approximately 8 p.m.\, an effigy of Benedict Arnold is burned. \nVisitors are encouraged to join the procession\, and period clothing is welcome. \nThen Look Up: 300 Drones Over the Thames\nDon’t leave after Benedict Arnold meets his fiery fate. \nAt approximately 8:15 p.m. Saturday\, a fleet of 300 synchronized drones is scheduled to take to the sky over the New London waterfront. \nThe drones will create illuminated shapes and images above the Thames River through choreographed formations accompanied by music. \nThe show can be viewed from the New London waterfront. \nPersonal drones are prohibited during the festival. \nSunday: Fishing\, Maritime Skills and More Music\nSunday begins another full day of free vessel tours\, vendors\, authors and the Project Oceanology touch tank from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. \nAt 11 a.m.\, Submarine Veterans will conduct a Tolling of the Boats\, a remembrance ceremony honoring submarines and submariners lost at sea. \nFamilies can also head to Fort Trumbull for Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. \nChildren can learn casting\, reeling and fishing safety in a hands-on setting. No registration is required\, equipment is provided\, and participating children can receive a free fishing pole while supplies last. \nNavy vs. Coast Guard: Sea-Service Showdown\nAt noon Sunday\, attention shifts to Waterfront Park for a little interservice rivalry. \nThe Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge pits Navy and Coast Guard participants against each other in a friendly competition involving maritime skills\, strength and teamwork. \nThe competition runs from noon to 2 p.m. \nCome prepared to pick a side. \nSunday’s festival concludes with reggae from Tambulaytay\, performing from 2 to 5 p.m. \nLiving History at Fort Trumbull\nFort Trumbull provides an appropriate backdrop for another part of the weekend. \nAmerican and British colonial reenactors will establish 18th-century encampments Saturday and Sunday\, complete with canvas tents\, camp kitchens and open fires. \nVisitors can walk through the camps\, speak with reenactors and see demonstrations of marching formations\, military drills and everyday life during the Revolutionary era. \nIt adds something the ship tours can’t: instead of simply looking at Connecticut’s maritime past\, you can walk through a piece of it. \nU.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\nThe U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s 150th anniversary will also be commemorated during the festival with a special U.S. Postal Service stamp presentation and availability. \nThe stamp recognizes the Academy’s history in New London and features Coast Guard imagery\, including Eagle. \nThe commemorative stamp will be available during festival hours Saturday and Sunday. \nFriday Prelude: Pirates and The Guardian\nAlthough the main festival takes place Saturday and Sunday\, activities begin Friday\, September 11. \nAt 8:30 a.m.\, New London will hold a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. \nAt 5 p.m.\, the New London Privateers & Buccaneers take over City Pier with a celebration of pirate lore\, including a pirate-map scavenger hunt and an adult costume contest. \nAt 7 p.m.\, the Garde Arts Center presents The Guardian\, the 2006 Coast Guard rescue-swimmer drama starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. \nSaturday Schedule\n10 a.m. — Opening Ceremony\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Free Face Painting\n10–11:30 a.m. — Make a Free Parade Costume\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11:30 a.m. — Mermaid & Privateer Children’s Walking Parade\nNoon–1 p.m. — Kids’ Sing-Along with Steve Elci\, Little Mermaid and The Wayfinder\n1:30 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter Demonstration\n1:30 p.m. — USCG Tactical Boat Operations Demonstration\n2 p.m. – 7 p..m. –  Songs of the Sea 2026 at Parade Plaza\n2 p.m. — Community Drum Circle\n3 p.m. — Red Lion\n6 p.m. — Mass Conn Fusion\n7 p.m. – Post Songs of the Sea Shanty Pub Sing at the Oasis\n7:30 p.m. — March of the Traitor: Benedict Arnold Procession\n8–8:15 p.m. — Burning of Benedict Arnold\nApproximately 8:15 p.m. — 300-Drone Light Show \nSunday Schedule\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Authors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11 a.m. — Sub Vets Tolling of the Boats\n11 a.m.–2 p.m. — Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic at Fort Trumbull\nNoon–2 p.m. — Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge at Waterfront Park\n2–5 p.m. — Tambulaytay \nGetting Around the Festival\nThis is worth explaining prominently because the festival is essentially one event with two campuses. \nFree transportation connects Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull throughout the weekend. \nVisitors can ride the Thames River Heritage Park water taxi between locations or use the festival’s free shuttle buses. \nThat means there’s little reason to drive back and forth. Park once\, then use the boats and buses. \nWhere to Park\nFor Waterfront Park\, visitors have several options. \nWaterfront metered lot:\n13 Tilley Street\nNew London\, CT \nWater Street parking garage:\n160 Water Street\nNew London\, CT \nOn-street parking is also available in downtown New London. \nFor Fort Trumbull State Park: \n90 Walbach Street\nNew London\, CT \nStreet parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. The Fort Trumbull parking lot itself is reserved for handicapped parking during the festival. \nComing by Train or Ferry\nThis is one of those rare regional festivals where leaving the car home is genuinely practical. \nNew London Union Station\, at 27 Water Street\, is within walking distance of Waterfront Park and is served by Amtrak. \nVisitors can also arrive in New London aboard Cross Sound Ferry from Long Island\, Block Island Ferry or Fishers Island Ferry. The ferry terminals are within walking distance of the festival. \nPrivate boaters can reserve overnight dockage or moorings at New London Waterfront Park. \nEvent Details\nConnecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 \nDates: Saturday\, September 12 & Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nMain Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\nLocations: New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\nWaterfront Park: 2 State Street\, New London\, CT\nFort Trumbull: 90 Walbach Street\, New London\, CT\nAdmission: Free\nTransportation Between Venues: Free water taxi and shuttle bus \nMore information\, schedule updates and vessel information are available at the Event Website link below.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/connecticut-maritime-heritage-festival-2026-guide/2026-09-11/
LOCATION:CT
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Connecticut-Maritime-Heritage-Festival-2026-Guide.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T220000
DTSTAMP:20260907T014424Z
CREATED:20260907T014315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T014424Z
UID:10007489-1789070400-1789077600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Night Sky at Stonington Lighthouse Museum
DESCRIPTION:The Night Sky at Stonington Lighthouse Museum begins a new evening series on Thursday\, September 10\, with celestial navigation\, maritime history and stargazing on the waterfront grounds of Stonington’s historic 1840 lighthouse. \nBrian Koehler\, Associate Director of the Treworgy Planetarium at Mystic Seaport Museum\, leads the first program\, exploring how mariners once used sky observations to determine their position at sea and how those techniques relate to sailors from Stonington’s maritime past. \nThe evening runs from 8 to 10 p.m.\, with Koehler’s presentation beginning at 8:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket\, pack snacks\, and settle onto the lighthouse grounds for an evening under the stars. \nFinding Your Way Before GPS\nFor centuries\, going to sea meant learning to read the sky. \nCelestial navigation uses observations of the sun\, moon\, planets and stars to determine a vessel’s position. With instruments such as a sextant\, navigators could measure the angle between a celestial object and the horizon. Those observations\, combined with accurate time and navigational calculations\, could tell sailors where they were even when there was no land in sight. \nIt was practical knowledge\, not simply astronomy. \nThat connection between the sky and the sea is at the heart of the Treworgy Planetarium\, where Koehler works today. \nThe planetarium at Mystic Seaport Museum was established in 1960 specifically to teach celestial navigation. Its role has expanded considerably since then\, but maritime navigation remains central to its identity. \nIn recent years\, the planetarium has even redesigned its exhibits to tell a broader story of how people around the world have used the sky for navigation and wayfinding. \nBrian Koehler Brings the Planetarium to Stonington\nKoehler has led the Treworgy Planetarium since 2013 and now serves as its Associate Director. \nHis work has emphasized the practical side of astronomy\, particularly the relationship between astronomical observations\, seafaring and navigation. \nKoehler has taught celestial navigation in settings ranging from planetarium programs to hands-on maritime experiences. In October\, he’ll take that instruction onto the water aboard Mystic Seaport Museum’s schooner Brilliant for an overnight program in which participants learn navigation techniques ashore before putting them into practice at sea. \nHe has also presented programs explaining historic navigational instruments and how mariners could chart a course using the sky. \nFor The Night Sky\, that knowledge moves about five miles east from Mystic to a place where celestial navigation has deep local relevance. \nHow Nathaniel Palmer Found His Way Across the World\nHistoric Stonington is using one of the Borough’s most famous mariners to connect the science with local history: Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer. \nBorn in Stonington in 1799\, Palmer went to sea as a young man during an era when Stonington was deeply connected to sealing\, whaling and international maritime trade. \nIn 1820\, while commanding the small sealing vessel Hero\, the 21-year-old Palmer sailed south from the established sealing grounds into Antarctic waters. He is remembered as one of the early explorers associated with the sighting of the Antarctic continent\, and Palmer Land on the Antarctic Peninsula bears his name. \nGetting there required navigating across thousands of miles of ocean in a world without GPS\, satellites\, radar or electronic charts. \nFor mariners of Palmer’s era\, knowledge of the sky was part of the technology that made voyages across open water possible. \nThe September 10 program brings that history back to Stonington and asks visitors to look at the same sky from the grounds of the community’s old lighthouse. \nA Lighthouse Built for Stonington’s Maritime Era\nThe setting adds another layer to the evening. \nThe present Stonington Lighthouse was built in 1840\, during the maritime world that Koehler will discuss. \nIts stone tower and attached keeper’s dwelling stand at the end of Water Street overlooking Little Narragansett Bay and Fishers Island Sound. The light was eventually taken out of service as navigational needs changed\, and the building later became a museum devoted to Stonington history. \nHistoric Stonington has operated a museum there since 1927. \nFor The Night Sky\, the grounds become an outdoor classroom. \nInstead of learning about celestial navigation beneath a planetarium dome\, visitors will be able to look directly overhead. \nBring a Blanket and Stay Under the Stars\nThe evening is deliberately informal. \nHistoric Stonington is encouraging visitors to bring a blanket and snacks\, settle onto the lighthouse grounds and enjoy the waterfront setting before and after Koehler’s presentation. \nGuests are also invited to raise a glass under the stars. \nThe event begins at 8 p.m.\, with the main celestial-navigation presentation scheduled for 8:30. \nBecause the program takes place outdoors and space is limited\, registration is strongly encouraged. \nThe suggested donation is $25 per blanket\, reduced to $20 for Historic Stonington members. \nIt is the first installment of The Night Sky\, an evening series built around stargazing\, navigation and history at one of Stonington Borough’s most recognizable landmarks. \nEvent Details\nEvent: The Night Sky: Celestial Navigation with Brian Koehler\nDate: Thursday\, September 10\, 2026\nTime: 8–10 p.m.\nPresentation: 8:30 p.m.\nSpeaker: Brian Koehler\, Associate Director of the Treworgy Planetarium at Mystic Seaport Museum\nVenue: Stonington Lighthouse Museum\nAddress: 7 Water Street\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nProgram: Celestial navigation\, maritime history and stargazing\nSuggested Donation: $25 per blanket; $20 for Historic Stonington members\nBring: Blanket and snacks\nRegistration: Strongly encouraged; space is limited \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo register\, 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/the-night-sky-at-stonington-lighthouse-museum/
LOCATION:Stonington Lighthouse Museum\, 7 Water Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonington Lighthouse Museum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/The-Night-Sky-at-Stonington-Lighthouse-Museum.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T220000
DTSTAMP:20260502T025958Z
CREATED:20260502T025958Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T025958Z
UID:10000188-1789070400-1789077600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Australian Pink Floyd Show
DESCRIPTION:at the Mohegan Sun Arena \nThe Australian Pink Floyd Show is widely considered one of the most successful and authentic tribute acts dedicated to the music of Pink Floyd. Formed in 1988 in Adelaide\, Australia\, the group has spent decades refining a live experience that closely recreates the sound\, feel\, and масштаб of Pink Floyd’s legendary tours. Over time\, they’ve grown from small club performances into a global touring production\, selling millions of tickets and performing in more than 30 countries. ([Wikipedia][1]) \nWhat sets the Australian Pink Floyd Show apart is its focus on delivering a full visual and musical spectacle\, not just the songs themselves. Their performances incorporate detailed lighting\, lasers\, inflatables\, and large-scale video screens inspired by Pink Floyd’s original stage design\, aiming for a near note-for-note recreation of iconic albums and live moments. The result is a concert experience that mirrors the immersive\, atmospheric style that defined Pink Floyd’s rise as one of rock’s most influential bands. \nWith more than 35 years of touring history\, the band continues to draw large audiences across generations\, appealing to longtime fans and newer listeners alike. Their shows typically feature a mix of greatest hits and deeper cuts\, creating a setlist that reflects the breadth of Pink Floyd’s catalog. As one of the few tribute acts to successfully transition into large-scale international touring\, they remain a benchmark for how faithfully and effectively a band’s legacy can be brought to life on stage.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-australian-pink-floyd-show/
LOCATION:Mohegan Sun\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Australian-Pink-Floyd-Show.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T200000
DTSTAMP:20260908T225340Z
CREATED:20260908T225340Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T225340Z
UID:10007526-1789063200-1789070400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution
DESCRIPTION:The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution brings the remarkable story of a Boston FM station that became part radio experiment\, part rock & roll clubhouse\, and part countercultural information network to United Theatre in Westerly for a one-night screening Thursday\, September 10\, at 6 p.m. \nLong before podcasts\, social media or the internet gave practically anyone a platform\, WBCN challenged the idea of what a radio station was supposed to be. Its DJs chose their own records. Its news department covered movements and stories mainstream broadcasters often ignored. Its microphones captured everyone from activists and political figures to young musicians on the verge of becoming famous. \nDirector Bill Lichtenstein knows that world from the inside. He joined WBCN as a 14-year-old volunteer in 1970 and eventually worked at the station for years. His two-hour documentary uses a vast archive of recordings\, photographs\, and film to reconstruct the period when WBCN found itself at the intersection of music\, Vietnam\, Watergate\, civil rights\, women’s liberation\, LGBTQ rights\, and a generation questioning nearly every institution around it. \nBefore WBCN\, There Was the Boston Tea Party\nThe story really begins with a music venue. \nIn 1967\, Ray Riepen opened the Boston Tea Party\, which quickly became one of the centers of Boston’s emerging underground music scene. For only a few dollars\, audiences could encounter bands that would soon become enormously important\, including The Who\, the Velvet Underground and Led Zeppelin during its first American tour. \nRiepen saw something happening around him that wasn’t being reflected on Boston radio. \nOn March 15\, 1968\, WBCN changed formats from classical music to free-form progressive rock. Instead of programmers in an office determining precisely which records would be played and when\, the people behind the microphones were given extraordinary freedom. \nAlbum tracks could replace three-minute singles. A DJ could follow Aretha Franklin with Cream or Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Announcers didn’t have to pretend they had no opinions about Vietnam\, drugs\, politics or the cultural upheaval happening outside the studio. \nMusic\, news and politics began bleeding into one another. \nThe station became a place where listeners weren’t simply consuming programming. They were joining a community. \nThe Radio Station Became Part of the Revolution\nWBCN didn’t merely report on Boston’s counterculture from a comfortable distance. \nIt was inside it. \nThe documentary places the station against the larger upheaval of the late 1960s and early ’70s: the Vietnam War and draft\, anti-war demonstrations\, clashes between police and protesters\, civil rights activism\, the emerging women’s and LGBTQ liberation movements and eventually the political crisis surrounding Richard Nixon and Watergate. \nWBCN gave airtime to people and movements that received little or hostile treatment elsewhere in mainstream media. \nIt also developed an unconventional news operation. \nDanny Schechter became the station’s “News Dissector\,” while other members of WBCN’s staff blurred the traditional boundaries separating broadcasters from their audience. A Listener Line allowed people to call the station with questions and information around the clock. \nFor young listeners accustomed to the polished authority of network television and AM radio\, WBCN sounded radically different. \nBruce Springsteen Called His Mother\nThe politics are only half the story. \nWBCN existed during an extraordinary period in rock history\, and Lichtenstein’s archive captures artists before some of them became icons. \nThe film includes Bruce Springsteen’s first radio interview and live in-studio performance in 1973. During that early appearance\, the future superstar was still unknown enough to use his moment on Boston radio to say hello to his mother. \nThere’s also Patti Smith’s first radio concert in 1975\, along with rare archival appearances involving David Bowie\, Lou Reed\, Jerry Garcia and others. Jane Fonda and activist Abbie Hoffman appear in the archive as well. \nThat’s one of the documentary’s strengths as a time capsule. \nThe audience knows what happened afterward. \nSpringsteen became Springsteen. Bowie became Bowie. Patti Smith became one of punk’s defining figures. But the recordings preserve moments when careers and movements were still unfolding and nobody in the room knew exactly where they were headed. \nThe DJs Didn’t Have a Playlist\nPerhaps the hardest thing to explain to someone who grew up with tightly programmed commercial radio is just how unusual WBCN’s approach was. \nThere was no predetermined playlist dictating every record. \nThe announcers were personalities because they were actually allowed to have personalities. They could select music\, talk about it\, discuss politics and respond to what was happening around Boston. \nCharles Laquidara became one of WBCN’s defining voices. Other station figures included J.J. Jackson\, Tommy Hadges\, Sam Kopper\, Marsha Steinberg and Schechter. \nThe freedom produced radio that could be unpredictable\, messy\, deeply personal and occasionally confrontational. \nIt also created the possibility of discovery. \nA listener didn’t already have to know which song they wanted to hear. The person on the other side of the radio could surprise them. \nLichtenstein’s companion history of WBCN describes the period from 1968 through Watergate as one in which the station became a hub connecting rock music\, psychedelia and anti-war politics in Boston. \nBill Lichtenstein Was 14 When He Joined the Station\nThis isn’t a filmmaker reconstructing a culture he encountered decades later. \nBill Lichtenstein was part of it. \nHe began at WBCN in 1970 as a 14-year-old volunteer working the Listener Line. He eventually became an announcer and remained at the station into the 1970s before building a career as a journalist and documentary producer. \nHis work has earned a Peabody Award and dozens of journalism honors\, and his writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times\, The Nation\, The Village Voice and The Boston Globe. \nLichtenstein eventually spent years assembling WBCN’s history from the people and material that survived it. \nThe documentary draws on rare archival audio and visual material alongside interviews with the people who were there. The story was also expanded into Lichtenstein’s 304-page book WBCN and the American Revolution: How a Radio Station Defined Politics\, Counterculture\, and Rock and Roll\, published by MIT Press in 2021. \nThe Movie Has Returned With a New Title\nSome viewers may recognize this film under a shorter name. \nLichtenstein’s documentary originally circulated as WBCN and the American Revolution\, winning the DC Independent Film Festival and later airing nationally on PBS. \nIn 2026\, it returned to theaters under the expanded title The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution. \nThe new theatrical release runs approximately 119 minutes and reframes the film for another moment when questions about who controls information\, which voices get heard and what responsibilities media organizations have to the public have returned to the center of American life. \nThat makes this more than a documentary about old radio. \nIt’s an examination of an idea about media that now seems almost radical again: that the public airwaves were a public resource\, and that a broadcaster could treat its listeners as participants rather than an audience to be packaged and sold. \nWhen Radio Could Create a Community\nWBCN itself didn’t remain the station depicted in the documentary forever. \nFree-form FM grew into big business. Progressive rock radio became commercial rock radio. Corporate ownership expanded\, playlists tightened and the industry that had once allowed a collection of young broadcasters to experiment eventually became much more structured. \nBut for a period beginning in 1968\, WBCN demonstrated something unusual. \nA radio station could introduce someone to a band\, tell them what was happening at an anti-war demonstration\, put an activist on the air\, take a phone call from a listener and create the feeling that everyone tuned to the same frequency belonged to something happening in real time. \nThat’s what makes a two-hour documentary about a defunct Boston radio station potentially interesting even to someone who never heard WBCN. \nThe technology is obsolete. \nThe argument about what media is for isn’t. \nDetails\nEvent: The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution\nDate: Thursday\, September 10\, 2026\nTime: 6 p.m.\nRuntime: Approximately 120 minutes\nDirector: Bill Lichtenstein\nGenre: Documentary / Music / Media History\nVenue: UNITED Main Cinema\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nFormat: Special one-night-only screening\nAccessibility: The UNITED’s cinemas are wheelchair accessible; audio amplification\, descriptive audio and closed-captioning devices are available for supported screenings\nTicket Policy: Movie and event tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable\nBox Office: 401-388-8208 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-airwaves-belonged-to-the-people-wbcn-and-the-american-revolution/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/The-Airwaves-Belonged-to-the-People-WBCN-and-the-American-Revolution.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T203000
DTSTAMP:20260609T180833Z
CREATED:20260609T180833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260609T180833Z
UID:10005639-1789061400-1789072200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Thirsty Thursdays at Deans Mill Farm
DESCRIPTION:Thirsty Thursdays at Deans Mill Farm bring together live music\, food trucks\, and refreshing drinks for a weekly gathering in Stonington. Held throughout the season\, the event offers a relaxed outdoor setting where visitors can unwind after work\, enjoy local entertainment\, and spend an evening with family and friends on the farm. \nEach week features performances by local musicians alongside a rotating selection of food trucks serving a variety of menu options. Guests can also enjoy signature drinks and cold beverages while taking in the farm atmosphere. The combination of live entertainment\, food\, and open-air surroundings makes the event a popular way to enjoy a summer evening on the shoreline. \nThe series is well suited for families\, groups of friends\, and anyone looking for a casual community gathering. Whether you’re stopping by for the music\, grabbing dinner from a food truck\, or simply enjoying a drink outdoors\, Thirsty Thursdays offers a welcoming\, family-friendly environment throughout the season. \nAdditional Details\n\nSchedule: Every Thursday\nSeason: May 7 through October 29\nTime: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.\nLocation: Deans Mill Farm\, 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\nLive music from local artists\nFood trucks serving a variety of food options\nSignature drinks and cold beverages available\nFamily-friendly event\nFree admission\nNo animals permitted\nNo outside alcohol permitted\nWeather permitting\nTimes and activities subject to change
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/thirsty-thursdays-at-deans-mill-farm/2026-09-10/
LOCATION:Deans Mill Farm\, 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Deans Mill Farm
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Thirsty-Thursdays-at-Deans-Mill-Farm-Thursdays-530-pm-to-830-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T193000
DTSTAMP:20260907T041915Z
CREATED:20260511T012621Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T041915Z
UID:10000875-1789061400-1789068600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Thursdays Aboard ARGIA: Live Music with James Harris
DESCRIPTION:Thursdays Aboard ARGIA: Live Music with James Harris pairs live acoustic music with sunset sailing aboard ARGIA for a relaxed evening experience on the waters surrounding Mystic. Featuring performances by local favorite James Harris\, the public sailing trips combine classic and modern rock with the atmosphere of open water\, sea air\, and shoreline views. \nHarris\, a guitarist and vocalist well known around the Mystic area\, has spent more than a decade performing aboard ARGIA during private charters and special events. His acoustic style blends familiar rock favorites with an easygoing live performance approach that fits naturally with the rhythm of sailing. Rather than feeling like a formal concert\, the experience leans into the atmosphere of music drifting across the deck while passengers relax and enjoy the scenery. \nThe sailings offer a quieter alternative to traditional nightlife\, creating space for guests to unwind while cruising through one of Connecticut’s most recognizable coastal destinations. Whether visitors are longtime ARGIA fans\, live music lovers\, or simply looking for a different kind of evening on the shoreline\, the combination of acoustic rock and classic sailing creates one of the more distinctly Mystic experiences available during the warmer months. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/thursdays-aboard-argia-live-music-with-james-harris-3/
LOCATION:Argia Mystic Cruises\, Steamboat Wharf\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Argia Mystic Cruises
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Sail-on-the-Argia-with-Live-Music.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T230000
DTSTAMP:20260609T181949Z
CREATED:20260609T181949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260609T181949Z
UID:10005660-1789059600-1789081200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Ladies' Night with Tito's at Milestone
DESCRIPTION:Ladies’ Night with Tito’s at Milestone offers a weekly excuse to gather friends\, share a meal\, and unwind with cocktails after a busy day. Held every Thursday from 5 p.m. until close\, the promotion combines drinks and food into a package designed for a casual night out in a relaxed setting. \nGuests can choose between two Tito’s martinis or two classic margaritas\, paired with a Caesar salad and a pizza to share. The combination creates an easy option for catching up with friends\, enjoying a date night\, or simply taking a break from cooking at home. The weekly special is designed to encourage guests to linger\, socialize\, and enjoy an evening out together. \nWhether you’re meeting coworkers after work\, planning a girls’ night out\, or looking for a low-key evening with friends\, Ladies’ Night with Tito’s provides an affordable way to enjoy cocktails and dinner. The shareable format and straightforward menu make it an easy choice for a Thursday night gathering. \nAdditional Details\n\nSchedule: Every Thursday\nTime: 5 p.m. to close\nLocation: Milestone\n\nSpecial Offer – $38 \nIncludes: \n\nTwo Tito’s Martinis or\nTwo Classic Margaritas\nCaesar Salad\nPizza to Share\nWeekly dining and cocktail special\nIdeal for groups\, friends\, and casual nights out\nFood and beverage selections subject to change\nAvailable during promotion hours only\nTax and gratuity not included unless specified by the venue
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/ladies-night-with-titos-at-milestone/2026-09-10/
LOCATION:Milestone\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Milestone
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ladies-Night-with-Titos-at-Milestone-Thursdays-5pm-to-close.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T190000
DTSTAMP:20260627T004627Z
CREATED:20260511T100526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260627T004627Z
UID:10001164-1789059600-1789066800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Mystic Ukulele Strummers
DESCRIPTION:Mystic Ukulele Strummers brings together music lovers of all skill levels for weekly ukulele gatherings at Union Baptist Church in Mystic. Designed to be welcoming\, relaxed\, and community-focused\, the group invites beginners\, longtime players\, and curious first-timers alike to spend an evening strumming familiar songs and learning together in a casual social atmosphere. \nThe gatherings focus less on formal music instruction and more on participation\, encouragement\, and shared enjoyment of music. Players can practice chords\, improve rhythm\, learn new songs\, or simply join in for the fun of playing alongside others. Because the ukulele is approachable and easy to pick up\, the sessions tend to attract a wide mix of ages and experience levels\, creating an environment where newcomers don’t feel intimidated. \nWhat makes the Mystic Ukulele Strummers stand out is the sense of community built around the music itself. The group offers a low-pressure way for people to connect\, laugh\, and unplug for a while\, whether they are serious musicians or someone dusting off a ukulele for the first time in years. For locals looking for a creative weekly tradition\, it’s the kind of simple community gathering that feels increasingly rare and valuable. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/mystic-ukulele-strummers/2026-09-10/
LOCATION:Union Baptist Church\, 119 High Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Union Baptist Church
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Mystic-Ukulele-Strummers.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T190000
DTSTAMP:20260908T220743Z
CREATED:20260908T220743Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T220743Z
UID:10007522-1789052400-1789066800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Free School Supply Shop at Westerly Library
DESCRIPTION:Free School Supply Shop at Westerly Library gives local students a chance to stock their backpacks without spending a dollar as the new school year gets underway. Westerly Library & Wilcox Park is turning its Pop-Up at Coy into a temporary school-supply store from Tuesday\, September 8\, through Saturday\, September 12\, with everything in the shop available free to students. \nFamilies can find backpacks\, calculators\, folders\, lunchboxes\, notebooks\, markers\, pencils\, pens\, rulers and other donated supplies. There is no purchase involved and no admission charge. The idea is simple: take the school supplies a student needs. \nThe shop runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday\, 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. \nA Community School-Supply Drive Becomes a Free Store\nThe shelves at the Free School Supply Shop were filled by the community before students ever walked through the door. \nWesterly Library began collecting new and gently used school supplies on August 3\, placing donation bins near its entrances and inviting residents to contribute through September 8. \nThe library’s suggested donations covered many of the expenses families encounter at the beginning of a school year: backpacks and lunchboxes\, calculators and rulers\, folders and notebooks\, along with everyday supplies such as pencils\, pens and markers. \nInstead of simply distributing prepacked bags\, the library has taken a different approach. \nThe donations become inventory for a temporary shop where students can look through the available supplies and choose what they need. \nThat distinction may seem small\, but it gives students and families some control over what they take home. A teenager who needs a calculator and notebooks isn’t necessarily looking for the same supplies as an elementary school student who needs markers\, pencils and a lunchbox. \nThe library describes the shop as offering a variety of supplies free to any student. \nFive Days to Stop In\nThe Free School Supply Shop isn’t limited to a single afternoon. \nWesterly Library is opening it across five days with different hours to give families several opportunities to visit: \n\nTuesday\, September 8: 3–7 p.m.\nWednesday\, September 9: 3–7 p.m.\nThursday\, September 10: 3–7 p.m.\nFriday\, September 11: 1–5 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 12: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\n\nThat means families who can’t make an after-school weekday visit still have Friday afternoon and Saturday options. \nBecause the shop consists of donated items\, selection will naturally depend on what the community contributed and what remains when a family visits. Anyone hoping for the widest selection should consider stopping in earlier in the week. \nThe Pop-Up at Coy Was Built for Ideas Like This\nThe school-supply shop isn’t taking over a conventional meeting room. \nIt’s happening in The Pop-Up at Coy\, a small storefront-like space immediately inside the front of Westerly Library. \nThe room has had quite a few lives. \nIt originally served as the library’s reception office and was once the office of Sallie Coy\, who joined the organization in 1911 and became the longest-serving librarian and library director in its history. Coy remained director until retiring in 1960. \nOver the years\, the space also served as the circulation desk and the Friends Bookstore. A 2017 renovation transformed it into a café. \nIts latest incarnation deliberately moves away from having one permanent purpose. \nWesterly Library now uses The Pop-Up at Coy as a temporary activation space where local organizations\, small businesses\, nonprofits\, community resources and other projects can set up for limited periods. The library describes the concept as a way to give visitors opportunities to see\, experience and learn about different community offerings. \nFor five days in September\, its purpose couldn’t be much more practical: shelves of free supplies for students heading back to class. \nMore Than Books at Westerly Library\nThe school-supply project also fits the broader role Westerly Library has carved out for itself. \nThe library is operated by the private nonprofit Memorial and Library Association\, which was established in 1892 to commemorate local volunteer soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War. \nWesterly Library opened in 1894 with about 5\,000 volumes. The original building included considerably more than books\, with a gymnasium\, bowling alley\, art gallery\, museum and meeting space for the Grand Army of the Republic. \nMore than 130 years later\, the idea of a library as a community space remains. \nToday’s collection contains more than 287\,000 items\, while the building also houses public computers\, meeting and programming spaces\, youth areas\, a Makerspace\, the Hoxie Gallery and local history collections. \nPrograms range from children’s storytimes and craft sessions to technology instruction\, support groups\, book clubs and community-resource programs. \nThe Free School Supply Shop belongs to the latter category. It doesn’t require a class\, lecture or workshop to be useful. It takes something families need and makes it available in a familiar public place. \nAnd There’s a 15-Acre Park Outside\nA trip to the school-supply shop can also include some time outdoors. \nWesterly Library shares its downtown property with Wilcox Park\, a 15-acre Victorian strolling park and arboretum. \nThe original park land was donated in 1898 by Harriet Wilcox in memory of her husband\, Stephen Wilcox\, the local industrialist and inventor who had earlier donated the land for the library and $25\,000 toward its construction. \nHarriet envisioned a park that could be enjoyed by the working people of Westerly and neighboring Pawcatuck. \nLandscape architect Warren H. Manning\, who had worked with Frederick Law Olmsted and later became a founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects\, designed the park while incorporating much of the site’s existing vegetation. \nToday\, Wilcox Park contains 159 different tree species and 43 cultivars\, including seven recognized Rhode Island Champion Trees. \nSo a stop for notebooks and pencils doesn’t necessarily have to be an errand in and out of a building. The park is directly outside and remains open from dawn until 9 p.m. \nFree Really Does Mean Free\nThere isn’t a complicated eligibility requirement buried in the description. \nWesterly Library says the supplies are available free to any student. \nThere is no admission charge listed\, no registration requirement and no requirement that families purchase anything else. The library’s event is categorized for families\, adults\, teens\, tweens and children\, reflecting the fact that school-supply needs don’t end after elementary school. \nFor families buying supplies for multiple children\, or for anyone facing an unexpectedly expensive back-to-school list\, even a few notebooks\, folders\, pens or a calculator can take something off the bill. \nAnd because the inventory came from donations\, the Free School Supply Shop turns one family’s extra backpack or unused package of pencils directly into something another student can use. \nThat’s community programming at its simplest. \nDetails\nEvent: Free School Supply Shop\nDates: Tuesday\, September 8–Saturday\, September 12\, 2026\nTuesday–Thursday Hours: 3–7 p.m.\nFriday Hours: 1–5 p.m.\nSaturday Hours: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nAdmission: Free\nWho Can Participate: School supplies are available free to any student\nRegistration: No registration listed\nAvailable Supplies: Donated school supplies may include backpacks\, calculators\, folders\, lunchboxes\, markers\, notebooks\, pencils\, pens and rulers; selection depends on availability\nLocation: The Pop-Up at Coy\, Westerly Library & Wilcox Park\nAddress: 44 Broad Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nPhone: 401-596-2877\nLibrary Hours: Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Sunday\nWilcox Park Hours: Daily from dawn–9 p.m. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/free-school-supply-shop-at-westerly-library/2026-09-10/
LOCATION:Westerly Library & Wilcox Park\, 44 Broad Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Westerly Library & Wilcox Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Free-School-Supply-Shop-at-Westerly-Library.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T180000
DTSTAMP:20260519T233530Z
CREATED:20260519T233530Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T233530Z
UID:10002516-1789052400-1789063200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Niantic Farmers Market
DESCRIPTION:Niantic Farmers Market returns June 18 through October 22\, bringing fresh produce\, artisanal foods\, and shoreline community atmosphere to downtown Niantic every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. Held rain or shine in the Methodist Street parking lot\, the weekly market has become one of the shoreline’s most popular seasonal gatherings\, drawing residents and visitors looking to shop local while enjoying the relaxed energy of summer and early fall in SE Connecticut. With the waterfront only steps away\, the market blends small-town charm\, local food culture\, and coastal New England atmosphere into a weekly downtown tradition. \nThe Niantic Farmers Market features fresh produce\, baked goods\, artisanal foods\, specialty products\, and locally made items from regional vendors throughout the season. Shoppers can browse booths filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables while also exploring prepared foods\, handmade products\, and specialty items that reflect the growing local food and maker scene across eastern Connecticut. The late afternoon timing also gives the market a social feel\, with many visitors turning a quick stop into an evening stroll through downtown Niantic’s restaurants\, shops\, and shoreline streets. \nSet against the backdrop of one of Connecticut’s most walkable shoreline downtowns\, the Niantic Farmers Market captures the easygoing atmosphere that defines summer evenings along the coast. Whether stopping by for fresh ingredients\, local products\, or simply the experience of spending time outdoors near the water\, the weekly market continues to serve as both a shopping destination and a community gathering place throughout the season. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/niantic-farmers-market/2026-09-10/
LOCATION:Methodist Street Parking Lot\, Methodist Street\, Niantic\, 06357\, United States
CATEGORIES:Methodist Street Parking Lot
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Niantic-Farmers-Market-June-18-through-October-22.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T173000
DTSTAMP:20260606T215009Z
CREATED:20260606T215009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260606T215009Z
UID:10005308-1789050600-1789061400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Mystic Food Tours: 6 Stops in 3 Hours
DESCRIPTION:Did you know that Mystic has quietly become one of New England’s hottest culinary destinations? If not\, Mystic Food Tours is here to fill you in. This food and history walking tour showcases what brings locals and visitors alike to downtown Mystic. Loaded with local lore\, delectable food tastings\, and three hours of exploration around historic downtown Mystic guided by a resident who has lived in town for years. This food tour takes guests to six restaurants and samples some of the cuisine responsible for putting Mystic on the map. \nGuests will sample everything from fresh caught seafood and oysters\, to house-made pasta\, smoked brisket\, and locally family recipes. Throughout the tour guests will enjoy food and history about how Mystic became a premier seaside town\, how the restaurant landscape has changed over the years\, and will meet some of the locals who work in downtown Mystic’s most loved kitchens. Walking approximately 1.8 miles through downtown Mystic. \nPerfect for tourists and locals alike who want to see Mystic through a new lens. Food tour guests are sure to leave with a happy belly\, new favorite restaurants\, cocktails\, desserts and even some locally owned shops that they can visit the next time they find themselves hungering for something new in Connecticut. \nEvent Details \n\nEvent: Mystic Food Tours: 6 Stops in 3 Hours\nWhen: Thursdays at 2:30 p.m. (times may vary; check event link for current availability)\nLocation: Downtown Mystic\, CT\nDuration: Approximately 3 hours\nWalking Distance: About 1.8 miles\nRestaurant Stops: 6\nIncludes: Sit-down tastings\, food history\, local storytelling\, and personalized recommendations\nFood Highlights: Oysters\, lobster\, brisket\, bolognese\, pasta\, and other local specialties\nGood to Know: Tour includes uneven terrain\, cobblestones\, gravel\, and stairs; comfortable shoes recommended\n\nMeta Description:\nExplore downtown Mystic through six restaurant stops in three hours. Mystic Food Tours combines local food\, history\, seafood\, pasta\, and storytelling in a guided culinary adventure.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/mystic-food-tours-6-stops-in-3-hours/2026-09-10/
LOCATION:Downtown Mystic\, West Main Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Downtown Mystic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Mystic-Food-Tours-6-Stops-in-3-Hours-Thursdays-at-230-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006471-1789038000-1789059600@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/2026-09-10/
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:20260910T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000477-1789038000-1789059600@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-3/2026-09-10/
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:20260910T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007312-1789030800-1789063200@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/2026-09-10/
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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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T230000
DTSTAMP:20260601T231401Z
CREATED:20260601T231401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T231401Z
UID:10003479-1788987600-1788994800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Karaoke Night at Friar Tuck’s
DESCRIPTION:  \nWednesday nights are packed with MUSIC\, FRIENDS\, and GOOD TIMES at Karaoke Night at Friar Tuck’s. The weekly karaoke party starts at 9 p.m. and features brave souls taking the stage to belt out their favorite tunes. \nFrom karaoke pros to amateur artists who only sing when alone in their car\, everyone is welcome to join in the fun! Whether you’re in it to win it or there to cheer on your friends (with a delicious appetizer in hand)\, Friar Tuck’s has something for you. Rock classics\, country jams\, pop songs\, guilty pleasures; you name it\, they’ll sing it. \nKaraoke is perfect for groups of friends\, date night\, or just about anything in between. Whether you think you can sing or you think you can’t\, get up there and give it a try! \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/karaoke-night-at-friar-tucks/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:Friar Tuck’s Tavern\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Friar Tuck's Tavern
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T220000
DTSTAMP:20260906T033008Z
CREATED:20260906T033008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260906T033008Z
UID:10007480-1788984000-1788991200@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/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:Oasis Pub\, 16 Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Oasis Pub
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T220000
DTSTAMP:20260602T013627Z
CREATED:20260602T013627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T013627Z
UID:10004903-1788982200-1788991200@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/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:The Misfit Club\, 12 Water St APT 12\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Misfit Club
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T213000
DTSTAMP:20260907T012619Z
CREATED:20260907T012619Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T012619Z
UID:10007488-1788978600-1788989400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:One of One Athletic Opening Party
DESCRIPTION:One of One Athletic Opening Party celebrates its newly opened downtown Westerly gym on Wednesday\, September 9\, bringing together members\, neighbors\, and the local running community at its new home on High Street. \nThe celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. at 26 High Street\, giving people who haven’t visited One of One yet a chance to check out the gym\, meet the community that’s forming around it\, and join the team in celebrating its arrival downtown. \nThe evening will include Run Club Westerly\, food from neighboring The Space\, and a DJ. \nA New Fitness Community in Downtown Westerly\nOne of One Athletic has opened as a boutique-style gym and coaching-focused training space in the heart of downtown Westerly. \nThe gym emphasizes individualized training rather than the anonymous experience of a large fitness center. Its approach centers on personal coaching\, strength and wellness\, with training tailored to individual goals and fitness levels. \nThe facility includes a variety of workout equipment as well as an outdoor training area and an InBody body-composition machine for members interested in tracking changes beyond the number on a scale. \nBut the community surrounding One of One extends beyond the gym itself. \nThe group has also developed a local following through its run club\, bringing people together for social runs and workouts outside the facility. \nThe September 9 party is a chance to celebrate bringing that community into a permanent downtown home. \nRun Club Westerly Joins the Party\nRun Club Westerly will make the opening celebration part of its regular Wednesday gathering. \nThe club will hold its run from One of One and return to the gym for its post-run gathering\, combining the group’s usual Wednesday activity with the larger celebration. \nThat connection makes sense for a gym presenting itself as more than a place filled with exercise equipment. The social side of fitness has been part of One of One’s identity\, and the opening party puts that community at the center of the evening. \nPeople don’t have to participate in the run to attend the celebration. \nOne of One is inviting anyone interested in the new gym to come by\, see the facility and join the party. \nThe Space Brings Food to the Celebration\nThe opening party is also getting some help from another High Street business. \nThe Space\, located just down the street at 38 High Street\, will provide food for the evening. \nThe event venue has become part of downtown Westerly’s growing collection of independent businesses\, providing a flexible gathering space for private parties\, workshops and community events. \nFor the One of One celebration\, however\, The Space is coming to the gym. \nA DJ will provide music throughout the evening\, giving the celebration more of a party atmosphere than a traditional fitness-center open house. \nA Chance to Check Out One of One\nAlthough One of One Athletic is already open\, the September 9 event provides a natural opportunity for people who have been curious about the new High Street gym to finally walk through the doors. \nThere’s no workout required. \nVisitors can see the training space\, meet people involved with One of One and get a feel for the community surrounding the gym while enjoying the opening celebration. \nFor existing members and Run Club regulars\, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate something they’ve already helped build. \nThe gym’s opening adds another locally operated business to a compact downtown where restaurants\, shops\, entertainment venues and community spaces sit within a few blocks of one another. \nOn September 9\, One of One gets its official party. \nEvent Details\nEvent: One of One Opening Party\nDate: Wednesday\, September 9\, 2026\nTime: 6:30 p.m.\nLocation: One of One Athletic\nAddress: 26 High Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nFeaturing: Opening celebration\, DJ and food from The Space\nAlso: Run Club Westerly run and post-run gathering\nPurpose: Celebrating the recently opened One of One Athletic gym in downtown Westerly \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/one-of-one-athletic-opening-party/
LOCATION:One of One Athletics Club\, 26 High Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:One of One Athletics Club
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T203000
DTSTAMP:20260621T021216Z
CREATED:20260621T012345Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260621T021216Z
UID:10006071-1788978600-1788985800@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/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:One of One Athletics Club\, 26 High Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:One of One Athletics Club
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T193000
DTSTAMP:20260601T234947Z
CREATED:20260601T234844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T234947Z
UID:10003800-1788978600-1788982200@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/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:Outer Light Brewing Company\, 266 Bridge Street\, Groton\, CT\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Outer Light Brewing
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T200000
DTSTAMP:20260907T010042Z
CREATED:20260907T010042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T010042Z
UID:10007484-1788976800-1788984000@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/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:Jeremiah’s Restaurant\, 7 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jeremiah's Restaurant
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/James-Harris-at-Jeremiahs-Tavern-in-Mystic.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T230000
DTSTAMP:20260602T012603Z
CREATED:20260602T012603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T012603Z
UID:10004646-1788973200-1788994800@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/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:Milestone\, 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Milestone
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Burger-Night-Special-at-Milestone-Wednesdays-from-5-pm-to-11-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T190000
DTSTAMP:20260908T220743Z
CREATED:20260908T220743Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T220743Z
UID:10007521-1788966000-1788980400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Free School Supply Shop at Westerly Library
DESCRIPTION:Free School Supply Shop at Westerly Library gives local students a chance to stock their backpacks without spending a dollar as the new school year gets underway. Westerly Library & Wilcox Park is turning its Pop-Up at Coy into a temporary school-supply store from Tuesday\, September 8\, through Saturday\, September 12\, with everything in the shop available free to students. \nFamilies can find backpacks\, calculators\, folders\, lunchboxes\, notebooks\, markers\, pencils\, pens\, rulers and other donated supplies. There is no purchase involved and no admission charge. The idea is simple: take the school supplies a student needs. \nThe shop runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday\, 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. \nA Community School-Supply Drive Becomes a Free Store\nThe shelves at the Free School Supply Shop were filled by the community before students ever walked through the door. \nWesterly Library began collecting new and gently used school supplies on August 3\, placing donation bins near its entrances and inviting residents to contribute through September 8. \nThe library’s suggested donations covered many of the expenses families encounter at the beginning of a school year: backpacks and lunchboxes\, calculators and rulers\, folders and notebooks\, along with everyday supplies such as pencils\, pens and markers. \nInstead of simply distributing prepacked bags\, the library has taken a different approach. \nThe donations become inventory for a temporary shop where students can look through the available supplies and choose what they need. \nThat distinction may seem small\, but it gives students and families some control over what they take home. A teenager who needs a calculator and notebooks isn’t necessarily looking for the same supplies as an elementary school student who needs markers\, pencils and a lunchbox. \nThe library describes the shop as offering a variety of supplies free to any student. \nFive Days to Stop In\nThe Free School Supply Shop isn’t limited to a single afternoon. \nWesterly Library is opening it across five days with different hours to give families several opportunities to visit: \n\nTuesday\, September 8: 3–7 p.m.\nWednesday\, September 9: 3–7 p.m.\nThursday\, September 10: 3–7 p.m.\nFriday\, September 11: 1–5 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 12: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\n\nThat means families who can’t make an after-school weekday visit still have Friday afternoon and Saturday options. \nBecause the shop consists of donated items\, selection will naturally depend on what the community contributed and what remains when a family visits. Anyone hoping for the widest selection should consider stopping in earlier in the week. \nThe Pop-Up at Coy Was Built for Ideas Like This\nThe school-supply shop isn’t taking over a conventional meeting room. \nIt’s happening in The Pop-Up at Coy\, a small storefront-like space immediately inside the front of Westerly Library. \nThe room has had quite a few lives. \nIt originally served as the library’s reception office and was once the office of Sallie Coy\, who joined the organization in 1911 and became the longest-serving librarian and library director in its history. Coy remained director until retiring in 1960. \nOver the years\, the space also served as the circulation desk and the Friends Bookstore. A 2017 renovation transformed it into a café. \nIts latest incarnation deliberately moves away from having one permanent purpose. \nWesterly Library now uses The Pop-Up at Coy as a temporary activation space where local organizations\, small businesses\, nonprofits\, community resources and other projects can set up for limited periods. The library describes the concept as a way to give visitors opportunities to see\, experience and learn about different community offerings. \nFor five days in September\, its purpose couldn’t be much more practical: shelves of free supplies for students heading back to class. \nMore Than Books at Westerly Library\nThe school-supply project also fits the broader role Westerly Library has carved out for itself. \nThe library is operated by the private nonprofit Memorial and Library Association\, which was established in 1892 to commemorate local volunteer soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War. \nWesterly Library opened in 1894 with about 5\,000 volumes. The original building included considerably more than books\, with a gymnasium\, bowling alley\, art gallery\, museum and meeting space for the Grand Army of the Republic. \nMore than 130 years later\, the idea of a library as a community space remains. \nToday’s collection contains more than 287\,000 items\, while the building also houses public computers\, meeting and programming spaces\, youth areas\, a Makerspace\, the Hoxie Gallery and local history collections. \nPrograms range from children’s storytimes and craft sessions to technology instruction\, support groups\, book clubs and community-resource programs. \nThe Free School Supply Shop belongs to the latter category. It doesn’t require a class\, lecture or workshop to be useful. It takes something families need and makes it available in a familiar public place. \nAnd There’s a 15-Acre Park Outside\nA trip to the school-supply shop can also include some time outdoors. \nWesterly Library shares its downtown property with Wilcox Park\, a 15-acre Victorian strolling park and arboretum. \nThe original park land was donated in 1898 by Harriet Wilcox in memory of her husband\, Stephen Wilcox\, the local industrialist and inventor who had earlier donated the land for the library and $25\,000 toward its construction. \nHarriet envisioned a park that could be enjoyed by the working people of Westerly and neighboring Pawcatuck. \nLandscape architect Warren H. Manning\, who had worked with Frederick Law Olmsted and later became a founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects\, designed the park while incorporating much of the site’s existing vegetation. \nToday\, Wilcox Park contains 159 different tree species and 43 cultivars\, including seven recognized Rhode Island Champion Trees. \nSo a stop for notebooks and pencils doesn’t necessarily have to be an errand in and out of a building. The park is directly outside and remains open from dawn until 9 p.m. \nFree Really Does Mean Free\nThere isn’t a complicated eligibility requirement buried in the description. \nWesterly Library says the supplies are available free to any student. \nThere is no admission charge listed\, no registration requirement and no requirement that families purchase anything else. The library’s event is categorized for families\, adults\, teens\, tweens and children\, reflecting the fact that school-supply needs don’t end after elementary school. \nFor families buying supplies for multiple children\, or for anyone facing an unexpectedly expensive back-to-school list\, even a few notebooks\, folders\, pens or a calculator can take something off the bill. \nAnd because the inventory came from donations\, the Free School Supply Shop turns one family’s extra backpack or unused package of pencils directly into something another student can use. \nThat’s community programming at its simplest. \nDetails\nEvent: Free School Supply Shop\nDates: Tuesday\, September 8–Saturday\, September 12\, 2026\nTuesday–Thursday Hours: 3–7 p.m.\nFriday Hours: 1–5 p.m.\nSaturday Hours: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nAdmission: Free\nWho Can Participate: School supplies are available free to any student\nRegistration: No registration listed\nAvailable Supplies: Donated school supplies may include backpacks\, calculators\, folders\, lunchboxes\, markers\, notebooks\, pencils\, pens and rulers; selection depends on availability\nLocation: The Pop-Up at Coy\, Westerly Library & Wilcox Park\nAddress: 44 Broad Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nPhone: 401-596-2877\nLibrary Hours: Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Sunday\nWilcox Park Hours: Daily from dawn–9 p.m. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/free-school-supply-shop-at-westerly-library/2026-09-09/
LOCATION:Westerly Library & Wilcox Park\, 44 Broad Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Westerly Library & Wilcox Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Free-School-Supply-Shop-at-Westerly-Library.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006470-1788951600-1788973200@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/2026-09-09/
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:20260909T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000476-1788951600-1788973200@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-3/2026-09-09/
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:20260909T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007311-1788944400-1788976800@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/2026-09-09/
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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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260908T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260908T213000
DTSTAMP:20260531T170134Z
CREATED:20260531T033610Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260531T170134Z
UID:10003122-1788894000-1788903000@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/2026-09-08/
LOCATION:C.C. O’ Brien’s\, 8 Mechanic St\, Pawcatuck\, 06379\, United States
CATEGORIES:C.C. O'Brien's
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