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SUMMARY:Sugar at the Charlestown Rathskeller
DESCRIPTION:Sugar at the Charlestown Rathskeller brings one of southeastern Connecticut’s longest-running dance bands to the Rathskeller Down Back on Saturday\, September 5\, for three hours of funk\, disco\, soul\, R&B\, hip-hop and pop built around a simple objective: keep people dancing. \nThe eight-piece Stonington-based band performs from 8 to 11 p.m. at the outdoor venue tucked into the woods behind the Charlestown Rathskeller. \nTickets are $20 in advance\, plus fees\, and $25 at the door. \nMore Than 20 Years of Sugar\nSugar has been part of the New England live music scene for more than two decades. \nThat’s a considerable run for a band whose job depends on reading a room. \nUnlike a tribute act devoted to one artist or an original band touring behind a particular album\, Sugar has built its reputation around the dance floor. Its repertoire can move between decades and genres because the songs have to serve the crowd rather than a theme. \nDisco can give way to funk. \nFunk can move into R&B. \nA soul classic can be followed by hip-hop or a modern pop anthem. \nThe common denominator is whether people want to move when they hear it. \nThat approach has taken Sugar from local stages to major regional venues and events\, including performances at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. \nBut the band’s roots are much closer to home. \nSugar comes from Stonington. \nEight Musicians Make a Big Dance Band\nSugar’s current lineup includes Marcy Kelly\, Matt Dean\, Nick Cancelmo\, Ben LaRose\, Israel Malek\, Joe Michael\, Ed Mudrak and Collin Larkin. \nThat eight-person lineup gives the band considerably more to work with than the standard guitar-bass-drums configuration. \nThere are multiple vocalists. \nThere are horns. \nThere is percussion. \nAnd there are enough musicians onstage to reproduce songs that depend on layers of rhythm\, harmony and instrumental parts rather than reducing everything to a basic rock-band arrangement. \nThat’s particularly important when you’re moving through funk\, soul and disco. \nA horn line isn’t an extra when you’re playing music built around one. \nNeither is percussion. \nThe larger lineup lets Sugar approach its material as a full dance band rather than simply a cover band working through familiar songs. \nDisco\, Funk\, Hip-Hop\, Soul and R&B\nSugar describes its sound with a wonderfully uncomplicated phrase: \nIt’s a party. \nThe band’s musical territory stretches across disco\, funk\, hip-hop\, soul and R&B\, with rock and contemporary pop entering the mix as well. \nThat opens an enormous songbook. \nA dance band that has been performing for more than 20 years can reach into several generations of music without being locked into any of them. \nThe 1970s brought disco and funk. \nThe 1980s brought dance-pop\, new wave and the rise of MTV. \nThe 1990s opened another world of R&B\, hip-hop and pop. \nThen came another quarter-century of songs. \nFor Sugar\, all of it is available. \nThe question isn’t whether a song fits a particular decade. \nIt’s whether it fits the night. \nThe Horns Change Everything\nThere’s a reason a horn section can transform a dance band. \nSome of the most enduring dance music ever recorded was built around brass. \nEarth\, Wind & Fire used horns as a fundamental part of its sound. So did Chicago and Tower of Power. Funk and soul records frequently used brass for sharp rhythmic punches\, countermelodies and riffs that could be as recognizable as the vocal hook. \nThose arrangements lose something when they’re reduced to guitars and keyboards. \nSugar doesn’t have to make that compromise. \nThe combination of horns\, percussion\, rhythm section and multiple voices gives the band the tools to jump between musical styles without every song being forced through the same arrangement. \nIt also creates something particularly useful outdoors. \nA big sound. \nSugar Has Become a Rathskeller Regular\nSeptember 5 won’t be Sugar’s first trip into the woods of Charlestown. \nNot even close. \nThe band has become a recurring presence at the Rathskeller\, including multiple appearances during the 2026 season. \nSugar played there in June and returned July 31 before another Saturday-night show on September 5. \nThe repeat bookings make sense. \nThe Rathskeller’s Down Back isn’t designed like a traditional concert hall where an audience sits quietly facing a stage. \nIt’s an outdoor gathering space. \nThere are tables\, lawn games and room to move around. A large fire pit becomes part of the setting as the night gets cooler\, and the music shares the grounds with people eating\, drinking\, talking and dancing. \nFor a band whose entire identity revolves around creating a party\, it’s a natural fit. \nDinner Up Front\, Music Down Back\nThe Charlestown Rathskeller has been part of South County since 1933. \nThe historic tavern sits along Old Coach Road\, surrounded by woods rather than a conventional commercial strip. \nOver the years\, the property expanded well beyond the original tavern. \nBehind the restaurant\, the Rathskeller Down Back developed into a seasonal outdoor entertainment area with live music\, lawn games\, outdoor seating and a fire pit. \nThat creates two different experiences on the same property. \nUp front is the old tavern and restaurant. \nDown back is the party. \nFor the September 5 show\, the Rathskeller encourages visitors to arrive early for dinner and drinks before heading outside for the music. \nOnce Sugar starts at 8 p.m.\, there are three hours left for the other part of the plan. \nDance. \nThe Set List Has One Job\nA band can demonstrate technical skill without getting anybody out of a chair. \nThat’s not really the assignment here. \nSugar’s reputation has been built around keeping a dance floor occupied from the beginning of a show to the end. \nThat changes how a set develops. \nThe musicians have to watch the audience. \nIf a particular groove is working\, stay with it. \nIf the room needs something familiar\, find it. \nIf the crowd is ready to move from an older funk or disco song into something recorded decades later\, make the transition. \nA good dance band’s set list isn’t simply a collection of songs prepared before the show. \nIt’s a conversation with the people standing in front of the stage. \nAfter more than two decades of having that conversation\, Sugar gets another three hours with a Charlestown crowd September 5. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Sugar at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nTime: 8–11 p.m.\nLocation: Rathskeller Down Back at the Charlestown Rathskeller\nAddress: 489A Old Coach Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813\nBand: Sugar\nHometown: Stonington\, Connecticut\nMusic: Disco\, funk\, soul\, R&B\, hip-hop\, rock and pop\nAdvance Tickets: $20 plus Eventbrite fees\nDoor Tickets: $25\nVenue: Outdoor live music \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/sugar-at-the-charlestown-rathskeller-2/
LOCATION:Rathskeller\, 489A Old Coach Rd\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Rathskeller
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SUMMARY:Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at the UNITED in Westerly on Saturday\, September 5\, bringing a seven-piece collision of funk\, soul\, jazz and rock to one of the theater’s most intimate performance spaces. \nThe show begins at 8 p.m. in the UNITED Black Box Auditorium\, with DELA & Steady Rock Easy opening the night. Floor tickets are $30 and general-admission standing room\, while the $50 balcony offers reserved seating. Both prices include fees. \nThe size of the room is worth noting because Karl Denson is accustomed to considerably larger stages. \nSince 2014\, he’s been the touring saxophonist for the Rolling Stones. \nBut the Stones are only one part of a career that has connected Denson with Lenny Kravitz\, Steve Winwood\, The Greyboy Allstars\, Slightly Stoopid and a remarkably long list of musicians stretching across jazz\, funk\, rock\, soul and the jam-band world. \nAt the UNITED\, he brings his own band. \nAnd Tiny Universe has been doing this for more than 25 years. \nThe Call From the Rolling Stones\nKarl Denson was already decades into his career when an unexpected opportunity arrived in 2014. \nThe Rolling Stones needed a saxophonist. \nBobby Keys\, whose saxophone had become an important part of the Stones’ sound through performances including the famous solo on “Brown Sugar\,” was ill and unable to tour. \nDenson’s connection came through Lenny Kravitz. \nKravitz was having dinner with Mick Jagger when he learned that the Stones were looking for a saxophone player. He recommended Denson\, who soon found himself talking with Jagger. \nDenson got the job. \nWithin weeks\, he was flying to Australia and New Zealand to play with the Rolling Stones. \nKeys died in December 2014. Denson remained with the touring band\, taking on a role that put him alongside Jagger\, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood on stadium stages around the world. \nMore than a decade later\, the Stones connection remains part of his musical life. \nTiny Universe remains something different. \nBefore the Stones\, There Was Lenny Kravitz\nDenson’s relationship with Kravitz went back much further. \nHe played saxophone on Kravitz’s early recordings and toured with him as the singer’s career took off around the turn of the 1990s. \nThat put Denson inside music that freely mixed rock\, soul\, funk and psychedelia rather than respecting clean genre boundaries. \nIt’s a philosophy that would follow him. \nDenson could play jazz. \nHe could play funk. \nHe could step into rock. \nHe could play flute as comfortably as saxophone. \nAnd rather than choosing one of those worlds\, he built a career moving among them. \nThen Came The Greyboy Allstars\nIn the early 1990s\, Denson became a founding member of The Greyboy Allstars in San Diego. \nThe group emerged from the rare-groove and acid-jazz movement\, drawing heavily from the funky soul-jazz of the 1960s and ’70s while developing its own improvisational identity. \nThe Greyboy Allstars became one of the defining bands of the West Coast groove scene and helped introduce a new audience to music that lived somewhere between a jazz club and a dance floor. \nDenson never really abandoned that intersection. \nHe’s a jazz musician who doesn’t think jazz requires people to sit still. \nJazz You Can Dance To\nThat idea is essential to understanding Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. \nThis isn’t smooth jazz. \nIt isn’t traditional bebop. \nAnd it isn’t a conventional funk band with a saxophonist standing off to one side. \nImprovisation is built into the music\, but so is groove. \nTiny Universe can move through jazz\, soul\, funk\, rock\, R&B and psychedelic music within the same performance. Horn arrangements and solos coexist with heavy bass lines\, keyboards\, guitar and drums. \nThe musicians can stretch a song. \nThey can change direction. \nThey can follow an idea that wasn’t necessarily part of the plan when the song began. \nBut there’s another requirement. \nIt still has to move. \nDenson even titled his 2001 album Dance Lesson #2. \nThe name wasn’t especially subtle. \nTiny Universe Has Been Doing This for More Than 25 Years\nKarl Denson’s Tiny Universe has developed its reputation primarily onstage. \nThe band has performed around the world\, including Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival. \nIt has played Madison Square Garden alongside Dave Matthews Band and James Brown. \nTiny Universe was the first late-night act at the inaugural Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2002\, putting the band near the beginning of a festival culture that would become a natural home for its combination of improvisation and dance music. \nNew Orleans has become another important stop. \nKDTU’s late-night shows around Jazz Fest have regularly turned into collaborative affairs\, with musicians dropping in and the performances stretching deep into the night. \nThe list of people who have joined Denson over the years is formidable. \nSteve Winwood. \nLenny Kravitz. \nMaceo Parker. \nFred Wesley. \nWarren Haynes. \nJohn Oates. \nIvan Neville. \nLukas Nelson. \nMarcus King. \nJoshua Redman. \nBernie Worrell. \nRolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell and vocalist Bernard Fowler have joined him as well. \nThat willingness to let musicians enter the Tiny Universe and alter its chemistry is part of the point. \nThe Band Has Shared the Road With Almost Everybody\nThe touring history tells the same story. \nKDTU has toured with or appeared alongside acts including the Allman Brothers\, My Morning Jacket\, D’Angelo\, The Roots\, Public Enemy\, Parliament-Funkadelic\, Bob Weir\, Slightly Stoopid and Widespread Panic. \nIn summer 2026 alone\, Tiny Universe has appeared on bills involving Nile Rodgers & CHIC and major festival artists across funk\, jazz\, reggae and jam music. \nThe Westerly show falls during the band’s “Summer in September” run. \nDenson and company play Maynard\, Massachusetts\, on September 2\, followed by Portsmouth\, New Hampshire\, on September 3 and Brattleboro\, Vermont\, with Rebirth Brass Band on September 4. \nThen comes Westerly on September 5. \nThe following day\, Tiny Universe heads to New York for the Adirondack Independence Music Festival. \nYes\, Karl Denson Was in Coming to America\nThere’s also a wonderfully strange detour in Denson’s résumé. \nSexual Chocolate. \nIn the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy Coming to America\, Murphy plays several characters\, including spectacularly self-confident soul singer Randy Watson. \nWatson’s band is Sexual Chocolate. \nDenson was in it. \nIt could have remained a tiny piece of movie trivia from early in his career. \nInstead\, decades later\, Denson resurrected the joke. Tiny Universe has performed as Sexual Chocolate\, including a performance at San Francisco’s Outside Lands festival. \nDenson also returned for the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America. \nSo the man playing saxophone in Westerly September 5 has been a member of both the Rolling Stones’ touring band and Sexual Chocolate. \nThere probably aren’t many résumés containing both. \nTiny Universe Has Its Own Catalog\nThe famous associations can obscure the fact that Tiny Universe has built a substantial body of its own music. \nThe band’s albums include Dance Lesson #2\, The Bridge\, Brother’s Keeper\, New Ammo and Gnomes & Badgers. \nThe records reflect the same refusal to remain inside one musical lane. \nBrother’s Keeper brought together musicians connected to The Dap-Kings\, The Greyboy Allstars and Lenny Kravitz’s band\, along with guests including Meshell Ndegeocello. \nNew Ammo combined Denson’s originals with dramatically reworked material from other artists. The album includes the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” and Beastie Boys’ “Sure Shot.” \nThat’s another recurring Tiny Universe idea. \nA cover doesn’t have to be a reproduction. \nPrince\, Beastie Boys and the Stones All Enter the Universe\nOver the years\, Denson has built entire performances around interpreting other artists. \nTiny Universe has tackled music associated with Prince\, Ray Charles\, Beastie Boys\, Run-DMC and the Rolling Stones. \nThe concept isn’t impersonation. \nDenson takes familiar material and rearranges it for the musicians standing onstage with him. \nA hip-hop track can become live funk. \nA rock song can acquire horns and extended improvisation. \nA familiar composition can be pulled apart and rebuilt until it sounds like Tiny Universe. \nThat same approach appears on the band’s studio albums. \nIt’s one reason a KDTU set can accommodate an original composition\, a funk workout and an unexpected cover without sounding like three different bands have taken the stage. \nGnomes & Badgers Brought Some Famous Friends Along\nTiny Universe’s Gnomes & Badgers pushed the collaboration even further. \nDenson brought in a group of guests that reflected the musical territory he’s occupied throughout his career. \nLukas Nelson participated. \nSo did New Orleans musician Ivan Neville. \nGuitarist Anders Osborne joined the project. \nAdrian Quesada\, known for his work with Grupo Fantasma and Black Pumas\, contributed. \nAnd Chuck Leavell brought another Rolling Stones connection. In addition to his decades with the Stones\, Leavell played with the Allman Brothers Band during one of its defining periods. \nThe album wasn’t an attempt to choose between rock\, jazz\, soul and funk. \nIt was an argument that the choice isn’t necessary. \nThe Current Tiny Universe\nThe current touring lineup surrounds Denson with horns\, guitar\, keyboards and a rhythm section capable of moving between tightly arranged funk and open improvisation. \nKarl Denson handles saxophone\, flute and vocals. \nRicio Fruge plays trumpet and sings. \nRicky Giordano plays guitar and contributes vocals. \nRashon Murph is on keyboards. \nParker McAllister plays bass. \nAlfred Jordan handles drums. \nDanielle Barker adds vocals. \nIt’s a seven-piece configuration with enough firepower to operate as a horn-driven funk band while retaining the flexibility that has always defined KDTU. \nDELA & Steady Rock Easy Opens the Night\nThe opening band isn’t an arbitrary addition to the bill. \nDaniel “DELA” Delacruz has his own history with Denson. \nDelacruz is the saxophonist for Slightly Stoopid and spent years on the road with Denson\, whom he describes as a longtime friend and mentor. \nEventually those connections produced a record. \nDelacruz\, Denson and members of Los Angeles reggae band The Aggrolites collaborated on Opening Night\, a jazz-influenced reggae album released through Stoopid Records in 2017. \nAfter returning from California to the Northeast\, Delacruz assembled DELA & Steady Rock Easy. \nAnd the musicians he recruited come with impressive résumés of their own. \nTrombonist Brian Thomas has played with John Brown’s Body. \nTrumpeter Mark Berney has connections to The Skatalites. \nGuitarist Steve Fell has worked with Marco Benevento. \nBassist Aaron Bellamy comes from The A-Beez and the Sam Kininger Band. \nDrummer Jesse Hayes has played with The Toasters. \nKeyboardist Cameron Greenlee also has ties to The Skatalites and Naya Rockers. \nThe result is jazz musicianship applied to reggae\, ska and groove. \nWhich makes considerably more sense once Karl Denson takes the stage. \nFrom Stadiums to the Black Box\nThe UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium changes the scale considerably. \nDenson can spend part of his year performing on enormous stages with the Rolling Stones. \nOn September 5\, he’ll be inside the restored UNITED Theatre at 5 Canal Street in downtown Westerly. \nThe Black Box is designed to put the audience much closer to the performers than a traditional arena or large theater. \nFor this show\, the floor is entirely general-admission standing room. \nAnyone who wants a seat needs a balcony ticket. \nThat standing-room configuration may also be the more natural way to experience a band whose leader has spent decades insisting that jazz and dancing belong in the same room. \nBecause Tiny Universe isn’t really designed to be observed politely from a distance. \nIt’s designed to move. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nDoors: 7 p.m.\nShow: 8 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Black Box Auditorium\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nHeadliner: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe\nSupport: DELA & Steady Rock Easy\nMusic: Funk\, soul\, jazz\, rock and improvisational groove\nAge Restriction: All ages\nFloor Tickets: $30\, fees included\nFloor Seating: General-admission standing room only; no seats\nBalcony Tickets: $50\, fees included\nBalcony Seating: Reserved seating\nTicket Policy: Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable \nKarl Denson’s Tiny Universe Touring Band\nKarl Denson — saxophone\, flute and vocals\nRicio Fruge — trumpet and vocals\nRicky Giordano — guitar and vocals\nRashon Murph — keyboards\nParker McAllister — bass\nAlfred Jordan — drums\nDanielle Barker — vocals \nFurther reading: \n\nKarl Denson’s Tiny Universe\nKarl Denson Bio\nKarl Denson Music\n\n  \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/karl-densons-tiny-universe-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T220000
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CREATED:20260831T210433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T210433Z
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SUMMARY:Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown at Foxwoods
DESCRIPTION:Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown at Foxwoods puts rock’s most enduring argument onstage Saturday\, September 5\, when two nationally touring tribute bands face off at the Great Cedar Showroom. \nOn one side is Abbey Road\, recreating the music and changing looks of The Beatles. On the other is Satisfaction – The International Rolling Stones Show\, taking on Mick Jagger\, Keith Richards and the Stones. \nThis isn’t a conventional double bill. The bands alternate sets throughout the night\, answering one Beatles run with a Stones run before eventually putting the rivalry aside and joining together for the finale. \nThe question hanging over all of it has survived for more than 60 years. \nBeatles or Stones? \nLiverpool vs. London\nThe rivalry was almost irresistible from the beginning. \nThe Beatles arrived as four young men from Liverpool in matching suits\, with carefully arranged harmonies\, enormous pop hooks and the kind of screaming audience reaction that quickly became known as Beatlemania. \nThe Rolling Stones offered something different. \nThey were bluesier. Rougher around the edges. Mick Jagger prowled across the stage. Keith Richards looked considerably less interested in behaving himself. \nIf The Beatles could be presented as the boys parents might reluctantly allow their daughters to meet\, the Stones were marketed as the alternative. \nThat contrast helped create one of popular music’s great dividing lines. \nWere you a Beatles person or a Stones person? \nBeatles vs. Stones builds an entire show around making you choose again. \nAbbey Road Takes the Beatles Side\nRepresenting the Fab Four is Abbey Road\, a Beatles tribute band that doesn’t limit itself to one period of the group’s career. \nThat matters because The Beatles changed dramatically in a remarkably short amount of time. \nThe band that appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964\, dressed in matching suits and singing “All My Loving” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand\,” looked and sounded very different from the group that created Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band just three years later. \nAbbey Road uses costumes\, instruments and staging to follow that evolution. \nThe early Beatles give way to the increasingly experimental music and imagery of the later 1960s\, allowing the show to move through different chapters of a career that lasted only about a decade but changed popular music. \nSatisfaction Answers for the Stones\nThen it’s the Rolling Stones’ turn. \nSatisfaction – The International Rolling Stones Show has been touring its tribute to the band for years\, with Chris LeGrand taking on the role of Mick Jagger. \nThat’s a formidable assignment. \nJagger isn’t simply a singer whose songs need to be performed accurately. His movement\, mannerisms and stage presence became part of the identity of the Rolling Stones. \nAnd the Stones catalog provides plenty of ammunition for a musical showdown. \n“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” \n“Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” \n“Paint It Black.” \n“Sympathy for the Devil.” \n“Gimme Shelter.” \n“Start Me Up.” \nThe songs span decades because the Rolling Stones did something their supposed rivals never had the opportunity to do. \nThey kept going. \nThe Beatles Had Seven Years. The Stones Had Decades.\nThis is where comparing the two bands becomes almost unfair. \nThe Beatles released their first UK single\, “Love Me Do\,” in 1962. By 1970\, the band was over. \nTheir period as international superstars was even shorter. \nYet during that compressed stretch\, John Lennon\, Paul McCartney\, George Harrison and Ringo Starr moved from Beatlemania through increasingly sophisticated studio albums including Rubber Soul\, Revolver\, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band\, The Beatles and Abbey Road. \nThe Rolling Stones took another route. \nFormed in London in 1962\, they built their early identity around American blues and R&B before Mick Jagger and Keith Richards developed into one of rock’s defining songwriting partnerships. \nThen they survived. \nPersonnel changed. Musical fashions changed. Punk arrived. Disco arrived. MTV arrived. Grunge arrived. \nThe Stones remained. \nThat longevity became part of their argument in the great Beatles-versus-Stones debate. \nThe Beatles changed music extraordinarily quickly. \nThe Stones became one of rock’s ultimate survivors. \nThe Rivalry Wasn’t Quite What We Remember\nThere’s one problem with the great Beatles-Stones feud. \nThe actual musicians didn’t behave much like mortal enemies. \nThe bands certainly competed\, and comparisons between them were unavoidable\, but their relationship was considerably friendlier than the mythology suggests. \nJohn Lennon and Paul McCartney even gave the Stones a song. \n“I Wanna Be Your Man\,” written by Lennon and McCartney\, became an early Rolling Stones single in 1963. The Beatles subsequently released their own version with Ringo Starr singing lead. \nMembers of the two groups socialized and followed each other’s work as both bands helped transform British popular music. \nThe public rivalry was simply too good to resist. \nThe clean-cut Beatles versus the dangerous Stones. \nPop versus blues. \nLiverpool versus London. \nLennon and McCartney versus Jagger and Richards. \nMore than six decades later\, that argument is still selling tickets. \nThey Never Gave Us the Concert This Show Imagines\nHere’s what makes the premise particularly fun. \nThe Beatles and Rolling Stones never gave audiences the great head-to-head concert that rock history seems to demand. \nThe Beatles stopped touring in 1966\, years before the stadium-rock era fully developed. \nBeatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown was created decades later to imagine what might have happened if the two catalogs had actually shared a stage. \nThe touring production launched in 2011 and has since played across the United States and internationally\, including extended casino showroom residencies. \nInstead of placing one tribute band before the other\, the production turns the competition into the structure of the show. \nAbbey Road plays. \nSatisfaction responds. \nThen it’s back to The Beatles. \nThen back to the Stones. \nThe two sides trade sets\, songs and a little trash talk along the way. \nSo Who Wins?\nThat’s up to the audience. \nMaybe it’s The Beatles\, with the extraordinary progression from “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to “A Day in the Life” in the space of just a few years. \nMaybe it’s the Stones\, with the opening riff of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction\,” the menace of “Gimme Shelter” and a catalog built across decades. \nOr maybe the premise eventually collapses for the same reason the original rivalry did. \nYou don’t actually have to choose. \nFoxwoods says Abbey Road and Satisfaction will come together onstage for the show’s encore\, turning the musical shootout into something the real Beatles and Rolling Stones never gave audiences. \nBoth bands. \nOne stage. \nAnd after more than 60 years of arguing about it\, probably no definitive winner. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nTime: 8 p.m.\nLocation: Great Cedar Showroom at Foxwoods Resort Casino\nAddress: 350 Trolley Line Boulevard\, Mashantucket\, CT 06338\nBeatles Tribute: Abbey Road\nRolling Stones Tribute: Satisfaction – The International Rolling Stones Show\nFormat: Alternating sets followed by a joint encore\nGenre: Classic Rock\nBest Parking: Grand Pequot Tower\nBag Policy: No shopping bags or backpacks permitted; all bags are subject to search \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n\nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/beatles-vs-stones-a-musical-showdown-at-foxwoods/
LOCATION:Great Cedar Showroom\, 7 CT-2\, Preston\, 06365\, United States
CATEGORIES:Foxwoods
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T220000
DTSTAMP:20260428T050456Z
CREATED:20260428T050456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T050456Z
UID:10000092-1788638400-1788645600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Matt Rife: Stay Golden Tour
DESCRIPTION:If you’ve spent any time online lately\, you’ve probably come across Matt Rife… and there’s a reason his clips keep blowing up. He’s quick\, sharp\, and leans heavily into crowd work that feels spontaneous in a way most stand-up doesn’t. On the *Stay Golden Tour*\, that energy carries over live\, where no two shows really play out the same. One minute he’s riffing with someone in the front row\, the next he’s spinning it into a bit that pulls the whole room in. \nWhat makes his style hit is that mix of confidence and unpredictability. He’ll jump between observational jokes\, personal stories\, and off-the-cuff moments without it feeling forced. It’s fast-paced\, a little chaotic in the best way\, and very tuned in to the audience… like the show is being built in real time instead of just delivered. That’s a big part of why people keep coming back\, because you’re not just hearing jokes\, you’re part of how the night unfolds. \nLive\, it turns into something closer to an experience than a standard set. The laughs come quick\, but there’s also that underlying tension of not knowing where he’s going to go next or who he’s going to pull into the moment. If you’re into comedy that feels raw\, reactive\, and fully in the moment\, the *Stay Golden Tour* is one of those shows where you just settle in and let it play out.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/matt-rife-stay-golden-tour-2/
LOCATION:Mohegan Sun\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Matt-RIfe.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T230000
DTSTAMP:20260528T144458Z
CREATED:20260528T144458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260528T144458Z
UID:10002629-1788636600-1788649200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Dance Saturday at THE MISFIT CLUB
DESCRIPTION:Dance Saturday at THE MISFIT CLUB brings late-night dance energy to downtown Mystic every Saturday with DJs\, theme nights\, and a growing nightlife crowd looking for something a little louder after dinner hours wind down around town. Doors open early in the evening before the dance floor fully shifts into party mode at 7:30 p.m.\, with modern dance music and big-city club energy taking over the space for the rest of the night. \nWhile Mystic is often associated with quieter waterfront evenings and laid-back coastal bars\, spots like THE MISFIT CLUB are helping carve out a younger nightlife scene built around DJs\, dancing\, themed parties\, and late-night social crowds. The venue leans into a more playful and high-energy atmosphere than many traditional shoreline spots\, with rotating themes like “Pink Underground” adding an extra layer of unpredictability from week to week. \nFor anyone looking to trade vineyard sunsets and seafood dinners for flashing lights\, dance music\, and a packed floor later in the evening\, Dance Saturday offers one of the more nightlife-focused experiences happening around southeastern Connecticut right now. Organizers encourage guests to follow the club’s Instagram page for updates on upcoming themes\, music\, and special event nights. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/dance-saturday-at-the-misfit-club/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:The Misfit Club\, 12 Water St APT 12\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Misfit Club
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dance-Saturday-at-the-Misfit-Club-Saturdays-730-pm.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T223000
DTSTAMP:20260830T235637Z
CREATED:20260830T235637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260830T235637Z
UID:10007283-1788629400-1788647400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Los Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery
DESCRIPTION:Los Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery brings more than half a century of American roots music to North Stonington on Saturday\, September 5. The outdoor vineyard concert pairs one of the most enduring bands to emerge from East Los Angeles with a younger group carrying the raw sound of electric blues into a new generation. \nGates open at 5:30 p.m.\, with music beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $80 plus fees\, and the concert is for guests 21 and older. \nFor anyone who knows Los Lobos primarily from “La Bamba\,” Saturday night is an opportunity to discover just how much music exists on either side of that enormous hit. \nMore Than 50 Years of Los Lobos\nThere aren’t many bands that can look back more than 50 years and still find most of the musicians who started the journey standing beside them onstage. \nLos Lobos can. \nDavid Hidalgo\, Louie Pérez\, Cesar Rosas and Conrad Lozano came together in East Los Angeles in 1973. Saxophonist and keyboardist Steve Berlin joined the group in the early 1980s\, creating a lineup that has remained remarkably stable across the decades. \nThat longevity is even more impressive considering how unwilling Los Lobos has been to stay in one musical lane. \nRock and roll is there. So are blues\, R&B\, soul\, country and traditional Mexican music. Accordion can sit beside electric guitar. A song rooted in Mexican folk tradition can give way to a hard-driving rocker. \nThe common thread is Los Angeles. \nLos Lobos took the sounds surrounding them in East L.A.\, including Mexican and Mexican-American traditions and the American rock\, blues and soul coming through the radio\, and treated all of it as part of the same musical vocabulary. \nHow Will the Wolf Survive?\nBy the early 1980s\, Los Lobos had spent years playing clubs\, weddings and neighborhood gatherings before reaching a much larger audience. \nTheir 1984 album How Will the Wolf Survive? became the breakthrough. \nThe record helped establish Los Lobos nationally without sanding away the band’s cultural identity or the mixture of musical traditions that made it distinctive. Songs such as “Will the Wolf Survive?” and “Don’t Worry Baby” introduced listeners far beyond Southern California to a band that could move naturally between roots music and contemporary rock. \nThen Hollywood called. \nThe Song That Changed Everything\nIn 1987\, Los Lobos recorded “La Bamba” for the film about pioneering Chicano rock-and-roll star Ritchie Valens. \nIt exploded. \nTheir version reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100\, turning a band that had spent well over a decade building its audience into an international success. \nFor many musicians\, a hit that large becomes the rest of the career. \nLos Lobos went somewhere else. \nInstead of trying to manufacture another “La Bamba\,” the band followed it with La Pistola y El Corazón\, an album steeped in traditional Mexican music. \nIt was a striking move after sudden pop stardom and an important statement about what kind of band Los Lobos intended to remain. \nThe album won a Grammy. \nGrammys\, Movie Soundtracks and Musical Detours\n“La Bamba” may remain their most recognizable recording\, but the band’s Grammy history stretches considerably further. \nLos Lobos earned their first Grammy for “Anselma” in the 1980s and another for La Pistola y El Corazón. “Mariachi Suite\,” recorded for Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado\, brought them another. \nDecades later\, they were still collecting them. \nNative Sons\, the band’s 2021 collection interpreting songs associated with Los Angeles artists\, won the Grammy for Best Americana Album in 2022. \nThe album was almost a musical map of the city that made them. Los Lobos tackled material associated with artists ranging from The Beach Boys and Buffalo Springfield to War and Jackson Browne while adding a title track of their own. \nBy then\, Los Lobos had long since reached the point where their influences and the musicians they influenced had begun folding into one another. \nIn 2021\, the National Endowment for the Arts named Los Lobos National Heritage Fellows\, its highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. \nAnd They’re Still Making Music\nThis isn’t a nostalgia act assembled to recreate a few hits from the 1980s. \nLos Lobos remain a working band. \nMore than five decades after their formation\, Hidalgo\, Pérez\, Rosas\, Lozano and Berlin continue performing together\, drawing from a catalog that can shift from Mexican folk music to blues\, Tex-Mex\, rock\, soul and Americana over the course of a set. \nThat makes predicting a Los Lobos concert considerably harder than predicting the ending. \n“La Bamba” may be the song nearly everyone recognizes. \nIt’s everything surrounding it that explains why Los Lobos are still here. \nGA-20 Starts With the Blues\nThe choice of GA-20 as the opening act makes this a particularly well-matched bill. \nThe Boston-based band has built its identity around the stripped-down power of traditional electric blues. \nRather than smoothing the genre into contemporary blues-rock\, GA-20 reaches backward toward the sounds of the 1950s and 1960s\, when small combos\, tube amplifiers and overdriven guitars could produce records that sounded both rough and immediate. \nTheir music draws from blues\, early rock and roll and country\, with an intentionally lean approach. \nThat makes GA-20 and Los Lobos different generations of a similar idea. \nBoth start with older American musical traditions without treating them as museum pieces. \nGA-20 digs into electric blues. \nLos Lobos pulls together blues\, rock\, Mexican folk music\, R&B and the sounds of East Los Angeles. \nOn Saturday night\, those paths meet in a Connecticut vineyard. \nA Concert Among the Vines\nJonathan Edwards Winery changes the atmosphere of the show considerably. \nThis isn’t an arena or traditional concert hall. \nThe winery sits on a hilltop property in North Stonington surrounded by approximately 20 acres of vineyards. Its outdoor grounds have become a regular setting for summer concerts\, allowing audiences to spread out with blankets and chairs rather than file into rows of fixed seats. \nJonathan Edwards opened to the public in 2001\, but its winemaking story stretches from Connecticut to California. \nThe Edwards family’s early interest in the developing Northeast wine industry eventually led west to Napa Valley. Today\, the winery describes itself as bi-coastal\, producing wines from both Connecticut estate-grown fruit and grapes sourced from California vineyards. \nFor a Los Lobos concert\, the vineyard becomes the venue. \nGuests can bring lawn chairs\, blankets and pop-up canopies and settle onto the grounds for the evening. \nOutside food is allowed\, making a picnic part of the experience\, and food will also be available from a food truck. \nOutside alcohol and other liquids aren’t permitted. Wine and other permitted beverages are available through the winery. \nThe concert takes place rain or shine\, so watching the forecast and dressing for an outdoor September evening is part of the plan. \nFrom East L.A. to North Stonington\nLos Lobos began by playing music rooted in a particular place. \nEast Los Angeles shaped the band\, but it never confined it. \nOver the next five decades\, those musicians carried that sound through clubs and neighborhood parties\, onto major-label albums\, movie soundtracks\, Grammy stages and concert venues around the world. \nSaturday brings the journey somewhere considerably different. \nThere will be vineyard rows instead of city streets and picnic blankets instead of theater seats. \nBut once the guitars\, accordion\, saxophone and voices start\, more than 50 years of Los Lobos history come with them. \nAnd yes\, there’s a pretty good chance everyone will recognize at least one song. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Los Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nGates Open: 5:30 p.m.\nMusic Begins: 7 p.m.\nScheduled End: 10:30 p.m.\nHeadliner: Los Lobos\nOpening Act: GA-20\nLocation: Jonathan Edwards Winery\nAddress: 74 Chester Main Road\, North Stonington\, CT 06359\nAdmission: $80 plus fees\nAge Requirement: 21+\nSetting: Outdoor vineyard concert\nWeather: Rain or shine\nSeating: Bring lawn chairs or blankets\nCanopies: Pop-up canopies permitted\nFood: Outside food permitted; food truck also available\nBeverages: Outside alcohol and other liquids prohibited\nDogs: Not permitted for the concert \nLos Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery brings together two generations of American roots music for an outdoor concert among the vines in North Stonington. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \nJonathan Edwards Winery\nhttps://jedwardswinery.com/ \nLos Lobos\nhttps://www.loslobos.org/
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/los-lobos-with-ga-20-at-jonathan-edwards-winery/
LOCATION:Jonathan Edwards Winery\, 74 Chester Maine Rd\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jonathan Edwards Winery
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Los-Lobos-with-GA-20-at-Jonathan-Edwards-Winery.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T190000
DTSTAMP:20260902T222012Z
CREATED:20260902T222012Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T222012Z
UID:10007429-1788627600-1788634800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Red Lion Reggae Band on the Niantic River
DESCRIPTION:Red Lion Reggae Band on the Niantic River Saturday\, September 5\, bringing live roots reggae directly onto the water for an unusual Save the River-Save the Hills event beginning at 5 p.m. \nThere isn’t a parking address to plug into the GPS. \nIn fact\, the event flyer says exactly the opposite: \nNo parking. By boat\, canoe\, kayak\, or float. No landing or docking.  \nIf you’re used to arriving at a club\, festival\, or park to see a band\, this one requires a completely different plan. \nYou need to be on the river. \nRed Lion Comes Out of Southern New England’s Reggae Scene\nRed Lion Reggae Band brings together musicians with roots in a number of reggae projects familiar around southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. \nMembers have musical connections to groups including Soulshot\, Large Up\, Dub Squad\, Inity\, Space Mon Rah and High Voltage Band. \nAt the front is vocalist and percussionist Eric “Irie Feelinz” Williams. \nGuitarist and vocalist Jeff Gibson is another member of the group. \nRather than approaching reggae simply as summertime party music\, Red Lion has been described around the regional music scene as playing conscious\, uplifting reggae\, combining original lyrics with a message centered on positivity and unity. \nThat makes the group a particularly appropriate choice for an environmental gathering on the Niantic River. \nReggae Has Always Had Something to Say\nReggae certainly works on the water. \nBut there’s more to the pairing than atmosphere. \nThe genre that developed in Jamaica during the late 1960s and 1970s has a long history of connecting music with social commentary\, spirituality\, political struggle and calls for unity. \nBob Marley and the Wailers took that message around the world\, but conscious reggae has never been limited to Marley. \nArtists including Peter Tosh\, Burning Spear and generations that followed used reggae to address the world around them rather than treating the music solely as entertainment. \nRed Lion operates within that broader tradition while drawing on decades of reggae played much closer to home. \nThe members’ connections to multiple New England bands give the project a lineage within the region’s own reggae community. \nA Band Built From Familiar Regional Players\nSoutheastern Connecticut has sustained a surprisingly durable reggae scene. \nRed Lion is one of its newer combinations. \nThe band has appeared around New London and elsewhere in southern New England\, including a downtown New London Let Loose Thursday performance. \nThe group’s sound crosses roots reggae and related styles while retaining the live-band character at the center of the genre: vocals\, guitar\, bass\, drums and rhythm working together rather than a preprogrammed approximation of reggae. \nThat should translate particularly well to Saturday’s setting. \nThere isn’t much need to manufacture a tropical atmosphere when the audience is already floating on the Niantic River on Labor Day weekend. \nThe Concert Is Really About the River\nThe location isn’t incidental. \nSave the River-Save the Hills is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Niantic River Estuary\, its watershed and the Oswegatchie Hills. \nIts work extends across the watershed in East Lyme\, Waterford\, Montville and Salem. \nThe organization has spent years advocating for the river while also trying to make a larger point about watersheds: \nWhat happens on land eventually affects the water. \nDevelopment\, stormwater runoff\, nutrients\, sewage and changes to the surrounding landscape can all influence an estuary. \nThat’s why the organization’s name includes both halves. \nSave the River. \nSave the Hills. \nThe Niantic River Isn’t Really a Conventional River\nThe Niantic River is an estuary connected to Niantic Bay and Long Island Sound. \nFresh water draining from the surrounding watershed meets salt water moving inland from the Sound\, creating a productive environment for marine and coastal life. \nThat connection also makes the estuary sensitive to what happens upstream and along its shores. \nWater doesn’t respect town boundaries. \nRunoff entering a tributary miles away can ultimately become part of the same system used by boaters\, anglers\, wildlife and people living along the Niantic River. \nSave the River-Save the Hills has built much of its work around that interconnectedness. \nOne of Its Most Practical Programs Happens From a Boat\nThe organization doesn’t limit itself to advocacy. \nIt also operates the Niantic River pumpout boat. \nThe concept is remarkably straightforward. \nRecreational boats equipped with holding tanks accumulate sewage. Instead of that waste entering local waters\, boaters can use the pumpout service to have it removed. \nThe program operates during boating season\, with service continuing beyond Labor Day on a reduced weekend schedule. \nIt’s one of those environmental programs that isn’t particularly glamorous but produces an easily understood result: \nWaste removed from a boat is waste that doesn’t end up in the estuary. \nSo there is something fitting about Save the River-Save the Hills bringing people together for another event that can only be experienced from boats. \nThe Hills Above the River Matter Too\nThe organization’s other major focus is visible from its name. \nSave the River-Save the Hills has worked alongside Friends of the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve and other conservation advocates to protect undeveloped land in the Oswegatchie Hills. \nMore than 450 acres are already protected within the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve. \nAdditional land has remained the subject of a long-running conservation effort. \nThe reason is both scenic and ecological. \nForested hills absorb rainfall\, provide wildlife habitat and help reduce the amount and speed of runoff moving toward waterways. \nProtecting the forest above the Niantic River therefore becomes part of protecting the river itself. \nIt’s watershed conservation in its most literal form. \nEarlier Saturday\, People Will Be Running Through Those Hills\nSeptember 5 happens to put both halves of the organization’s mission on display\, although the events are separate. \nAt 9 a.m.\, the fifth annual Run for the Hills 5K takes place at the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve. \nThat event is a roughly 3.3-mile trail race and hike raising money for maintenance of the preserve. \nEight hours later\, Red Lion begins playing on the Niantic River. \nSomeone could conceivably spend the morning running through the hills and the evening listening to reggae from a boat\, but neither event depends upon attending the other. \nFor the evening crowd\, the river itself is the venue. \nWhat We Know — and What We Don’t\nThis is one event where it’s important not to fill in missing details. \nThe promotional flyer confirms a 5 p.m. performance Saturday\, September 5\, on the Niantic River with Red Lion Reggae Band. \nIt also explicitly says there is no parking and access is by boat only. \nWhat isn’t stated is equally important. \nThe flyer doesn’t provide a conventional street address for the concert. It doesn’t advertise a ticket price. It doesn’t identify a public shoreline viewing area. And it doesn’t tell attendees to park somewhere and walk to the performance. \nIt also doesn’t establish whether the musicians will be performing aboard a vessel\, from a dock\, float or waterfront property. \nUntil organizers provide more specific instructions\, those details shouldn’t be assumed. \nThe important instruction for anyone interested in attending is the simplest one on the flyer: \nBy boat only. \nA Different Kind of Labor Day Weekend Concert\nThere will be plenty of places around southeastern Connecticut to hear live music over Labor Day weekend. \nVery few require arriving by water. \nThat gives Red Lion’s September 5 performance a character of its own before the first note is played. \nBoats on the Niantic River. \nA regional reggae band playing conscious music. \nAnd an organization using the water it’s spent years trying to protect as the setting for the gathering. \nSometimes the venue tells most of the story. \nThis time\, the venue is the river. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Red Lion Reggae Band on the Niantic River\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nTime: 5 p.m.\nLocation: Golden Spur\, Niantic River\nFeaturing: The Red Lion Reggae Band\nMusic: Roots and conscious reggae\nPresented in Support of: Save the River-Save the Hills\nAccess: By boat\, canoe\, kayak\, or float. No landing or docking.\nParking: None\nAdmission: No admission charge is stated on the promotional flyer \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/red-lion-reggae-band-on-the-niantic-river/
LOCATION:CT
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Red-Lion-Reggae-Band-on-the-Niantic-River.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T190000
DTSTAMP:20260911T012444Z
CREATED:20260901T003838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T012444Z
UID:10007287-1788627600-1788634800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Holy Ghost Festival Stonington
DESCRIPTION:Holy Ghost Festival Stonington returns to the narrow streets of Stonington Borough on Saturday and Sunday\, September 5–6\, continuing a Portuguese tradition rooted in the community established by Azorean sailors more than a century ago. \nProcessions will move through the Borough both days\, with music and gathering at the Portuguese Holy Ghost Society\, a free traditional meal for everyone on Sunday\, and\, as the weekend ends\, the drawing that begins the tradition again for another year. \nBut to understand why a crown is carried through Stonington’s streets and why hundreds of people are invited to sit down and eat for free\, you have to go back much further than the first Holy Ghost festival held here. \nYou have to start with a queen\, a famine and a promise. \nA Queen\, a Crown and a Promise\nThe story at the center of the Feast of the Holy Ghost has been handed down through generations of Portuguese families. \nQueen Saint Isabel of Portugal was renowned for her devotion to the poor. According to the tradition\, during a devastating famine she prayed to the Holy Spirit for relief and promised her crown in return. \nDifferent versions of the centuries-old story vary in their details. In one\, disastrous weather ended and the crops recovered. In another\, ships arrived carrying desperately needed grain. \nWhat remains constant is what happened next. \nThe hungry were fed. \nThat act of charity became the foundation of the Festa do Espírito Santo\, or Feast of the Holy Ghost\, a tradition carried from Portugal through the Azores and eventually into Portuguese communities around the world. \nIncluding Stonington. \nThe Azoreans Who Came to Stonington\nStonington’s Portuguese story is inseparable from the sea. \nPortuguese settlement in the Borough began around the 1840s as sailors recruited from the Azores aboard Stonington whaling vessels arrived in the home port and began putting down roots. \nMore followed. \nOver the decades\, immigrants arrived from islands including Faial and São Miguel. Portuguese families established themselves particularly in the section of the Borough historically known as “South of the Cannons.” \nThey worked aboard fishing and whaling vessels\, in local mills and elsewhere around the community. \nThey also brought their traditions with them. \nOne of the most important was the Feast of the Holy Ghost. \nExactly when Stonington held its first festa isn’t known. Historical newspaper accounts document celebrations before the Portuguese Holy Ghost Society was formally organized\, and the Stonington Historical Society traces the tradition in the Borough to the Portuguese community that began taking shape in the mid-19th century. \nBy 1914\, Stonington had its own ceremonial Holy Ghost crown. \nMore than a century later\, that crown remains at the center of the celebration. \nFollow the Crown Through the Borough\nThe processions are among the most visible parts of Holy Ghost weekend. \nSaturday’s procession begins at 5 p.m. The celebration continues Sunday morning with processions at 9:30 and 11 a.m. \nThe crown and scepter travel through the streets of the Borough as part of a tradition that historically connects the Portuguese Holy Ghost Society with St. Mary Church. \nIt has happened in these streets for generations. \nPast the old houses. \nThrough the former Portuguese neighborhood. \nPast the cannons overlooking the water. \nAnd eventually back to the Holy Ghost Society on Main Street. \nThe crown isn’t simply festival decoration. It represents the charitable promise at the heart of the Holy Ghost tradition and spends much of the year outside the Society altogether. \nIts journey actually begins long before Labor Day weekend. \nSeven Domingos and a Year With the Crown\nOne of the most fascinating parts of Stonington’s Holy Ghost tradition happens largely out of public view. \nThe crown and scepter spend portions of the year in the homes of seven people known as the Domingos. \nThe first Domingo keeps them for most of the year. As the festival approaches\, they move through the homes of the remaining Domingos\, traditionally spending a week with each. \nThe crown is displayed prominently in the home\, often surrounded by flowers\, candles and symbols of the Holy Ghost. \nThe final responsibility falls to the mordome\, or sponsor\, associated with the Seventh Dominga. \nThe crown then returns to the procession and the feast. \nIt means the festival isn’t really a two-day event at all. \nThe public celebration lasts a weekend. \nThe tradition lasts all year. \nWhy Everyone Is Invited to Dinner\nAt noon Sunday comes one of the most important parts of the entire weekend. \nEverybody eats. \nThe Portuguese Holy Ghost Society provides a complimentary traditional Portuguese meal\, and the invitation isn’t limited to Society members or Portuguese families. \nIt’s open to everyone. \nThat isn’t simply Stonington hospitality added to a religious festival. \nFeeding people is the festival. \nTraditional Holy Ghost sopas connects Sunday’s meal directly to the story of Saint Isabel and the feeding of people during famine. \nPortuguese sopas isn’t necessarily what an English speaker imagines when hearing the word “soup.” The traditional dish uses bread soaked in a deeply flavored broth\, historically prepared with beef and chouriço and traditionally accompanied by mint. \nDecades ago\, the Stonington Historical Society recorded that the elderly\, sick and children were traditionally to be fed first\, reflecting the charitable principles associated with Saint Isabel. \nThe scale could be extraordinary. \nA 1987 history of the Stonington feast recalled preparations to feed as many as 2\,000 people. \nSo when someone who has never attended walks through the door Sunday and is handed a meal\, they’re participating in the same central act that generations before them considered the purpose of the feast. \nYou feed whoever comes. \nSweet Bread\, Food and an Afternoon Together\nThe meal doesn’t end Sunday’s celebration. \nTraditionally\, the afternoon continues around the Holy Ghost Society with music\, food and an auction that has helped support the feast. \nPortuguese sweet bread\, or massa sovada\, has long played a particularly important role. \nHistorically\, families prepared loaves and other items to contribute to the auction\, helping pay the considerable expense of feeding the community and staging the celebration. \nIt’s another example of how much work exists behind a weekend built around giving things away. \nThe food may be free to the person sitting down at noon. \nSomebody still had to prepare it. \nAnd in Stonington\, generations of volunteers have done exactly that. \nWhat Happens at 6 p.m. Sunday?\nThe final major event on the schedule may be the one most confusing to someone encountering Holy Ghost for the first time. \nAt 6 p.m. Sunday\, the drawing of the Domingos begins. \nIt isn’t a conventional raffle. \nPeople enter for the opportunity to become one of the seven Domingos who will care for the crown and scepter during the coming year. \nNames are drawn\, and those selected take their place in the next annual cycle of the tradition. \nHistorically\, people who entered but didn’t draw a Domingo could instead draw três bolos\, or “three breads\,” signifying a contribution of sweet bread toward the next celebration. \nAnd the Seventh Dominga carries particular significance. \nThat person becomes the mordome\, the sponsor of the following year’s feast. \nThink about what that means. \nThe 2026 Holy Ghost Festival doesn’t really end when the final name is drawn Sunday evening. \nThe 2027 festival begins. \nThe crown leaves the weekend celebration and starts another journey through the community. \nEventually\, Labor Day approaches again. \nAnd the crown returns to the streets. \nThe Holy Ghost Society’s Home on Main Street\nThe Portuguese Holy Ghost Society is itself part of the story. \nThe Society is located at 26 Main Street in Stonington Borough and has occupied its current location since 1926. \nThe organization grew from the Portuguese community established around Stonington’s maritime industries\, with early members including fishermen and mill workers. \nIts historic building has served as much more than the headquarters of a social organization. \nFor generations of Portuguese-American families\, it has been a place where culture\, food\, faith and community could survive long after their ancestors left the Azores. \nThe annual festa may be the clearest expression of that. \nA Stonington Labor Day Tradition\nOn the Catholic calendar\, Pentecost and the Holy Spirit are celebrated in the spring. \nStonington does things differently. \nThe Borough’s Holy Ghost celebration moved to Labor Day weekend to avoid conflicts with Holy Ghost celebrations in other Portuguese communities. Eventually\, the new date became a tradition of its own. \nFor generations of Stonington families\, Labor Day weekend came to mean something very specific. \nThe Holy Ghost hymn. \nThe crown moving down the street. \nPortuguese flags. \nSopas. \nSweet bread. \nFamilies gathering outside the Society. \nAnd another generation learning what all of it means. \nThe community surrounding the festival has changed enormously since Portuguese sailors began settling here in the 1840s. \nThe whaling ships are gone. \nThe mills that employed later generations are gone. \nMany descendants moved beyond the small neighborhood where their families first settled. \nBut on Labor Day weekend\, the crown still comes out. \nThe procession still moves through Stonington Borough. \nAnd at noon Sunday\, anyone who arrives hungry can still be fed. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Holy Ghost Festival Stonington\nDates: Saturday–Sunday\, September 5–6\, 2026\nLocation: Portuguese Holy Ghost Society\nAddress: 26 Main Street\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nAdmission: Free and open to all \nSaturday\, September 5\nFestival Begins: 5 p.m.\nProcession: 5 p.m. \nSunday\, September 6\nMorning Processions: 9:30 and 11 a.m.\nComplimentary Traditional Portuguese Meal: Noon\nDrawing of the Domingos: Begins at 6 p.m. \nHoly Ghost Festival Stonington continues a Portuguese and Azorean tradition preserved in the Borough for generations\, with processions\, the ceremonial crown\, traditional food and a free community meal at the heart of the celebration. \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. \nPortuguese Holy Ghost Society \nHistoric Stonington – The Portuguese Feast of the Holy Ghost
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/holy-ghost-festival-stonington-2/
LOCATION:Portuguese Holy Ghost Society\, 26 Main Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Portuguese Holy Ghost Society
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T180000
DTSTAMP:20260903T000248Z
CREATED:20260903T000248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T000248Z
UID:10007434-1788620400-1788631200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Labor Day Weekend at Stonington Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:Labor Day Weekend at Stonington Vineyards stretches across three days\, September 5–7\, with live music\, food vendors and wine on the vineyard grounds in Stonington. \nThe holiday weekend is part of the vineyard’s Summer Pop-Ups series\, a collection of casual events designed to add live acoustic music and visiting food vendors to a regular afternoon at the winery. Unlike Stonington Vineyards’ ticketed summer Friday concerts\, no tickets are required for the Labor Day weekend pop-ups. Guests can simply visit the vineyard. \nEach day gets a different musical act and food vendor. Saturday brings Violet Theory and South County BBQ. James Harris performs Sunday with Jayy’s Food Truck on site. The weekend concludes Monday with Dillon & Nicole and food from the Mystic Lions. \nThat makes this less a conventional three-day festival than three consecutive afternoons at the vineyard\, each with its own music and food. \nSaturday: Violet Theory and South County BBQ\nSaturday\, September 5\, starts the weekend with Violet Theory performing from 3 to 6 p.m. \nViolet Theory is a familiar name on the southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island live-music circuit\, with a calendar that takes the group through wineries\, restaurants\, breweries\, waterfront venues and other gathering spots across the region. \nThe group performs in several configurations\, including duo and trio arrangements. \nFor the Stonington Vineyards appearance\, the winery is pairing the music with South County BBQ. \nSaturday also offers the longest regular vineyard hours of the holiday weekend. Stonington Vineyards’ current summer schedule has the winery open from noon until 7 p.m. Saturdays\, leaving plenty of time before and after Violet Theory’s three-hour set. \nGuests don’t have to arrive precisely when the music starts. The pop-up is intended to complement an afternoon at the winery rather than operate like a concert with a fixed gate time. \nSunday: James Harris and Jayy’s Food Truck\nThe pace shifts earlier Sunday\, September 6. \nJames Harris performs from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.\, providing three hours of live music during the middle of the winery’s Sunday hours. \nFood comes from Jayy’s Food Truck. \nStonington Vineyards is open from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday\, giving visitors time on either side of the performance for tastings and wine on the grounds. \nIt’s also worth knowing that Sunday is one of the days Stonington Vineyards normally offers a complimentary winery tour. Those tours are subject to the winery’s current schedule and conditions\, so visitors interested in combining a tour with the Labor Day weekend activities should confirm availability with the vineyard. \nMonday: Dillon & Nicole and the Mystic Lions\nStonington Vineyards keeps the weekend going through Labor Day itself. \nOn Monday\, September 7\, Dillon & Nicole perform from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. \nThe Mystic Lions will handle the food\, serving hot dogs\, meatball grinders and corn on the cob. \nThat gives Monday a particularly local character. \nThe Mystic Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International’s network of community service organizations\, with local Lions projects traditionally supporting charitable and community causes. \nThe vineyard remains open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday. \nWith the music ending at 4:30\, visitors still have another hour and a half before the winery’s scheduled closing time. \nThree Days\, Three Different Visits\nOne useful thing about the Labor Day weekend schedule is that it doesn’t require committing to an entire festival. \nThere is no three-day pass. \nThere isn’t a single stage running continuously all weekend. \nInstead\, Stonington Vineyards has essentially expanded its Summer Pop-Ups concept across the holiday. \nSaturday is Violet Theory and South County BBQ. \nSunday is James Harris and Jayy’s. \nMonday is Dillon & Nicole and the Mystic Lions. \nSomeone could choose whichever combination sounds best\, or return for more than one afternoon. \nAnd because these are pop-ups rather than ticketed concerts\, the vineyard says no tickets are required. \nOne of Connecticut’s Early Wine-Trail Vineyards\nThe setting has been part of Connecticut’s modern wine industry for decades. \nStonington Vineyards is a founding member of the Connecticut Wine Trail and sits at 523 Taugwonk Road\, away from the busier coastal roads connecting Mystic\, Stonington and Westerly. \nThe vineyard’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound isn’t merely useful for attracting visitors. \nIt also affects the grapes. \nStonington Vineyards describes its location as having a maritime microclimate shaped by nearby ocean waters\, moderating temperatures in a way the winery compares to the conditions found in Bordeaux. \nApproximately 6.5 acres are planted with Chardonnay and another 3.5 acres with Cabernet Franc. \nThe vineyard also emphasizes relatively low yields\, cluster thinning and hand harvesting as part of its approach to winemaking. \nChardonnay Has a Particular Place Here\nStonington Vineyards has built much of its reputation around white wine\, particularly Chardonnay. \nThe property’s combination of soils and coastal climate helped shape the varieties planted there\, with Chardonnay becoming an important part of the vineyard. \nCabernet Franc provides the primary red grape planting. \nThe winery’s broader lineup has also included Riesling\, rosé and its popular Seaport White blend. \nFor visitors who want to sample rather than commit immediately to a bottle\, regular tastings are part of the experience. \nStonington Vineyards currently prices its standard tasting at $16 per person including tax\, with six wine samples and a souvenir glass. \nThe winery stops tastings approximately 30 minutes before closing. \nBring a Picnic If the Food Truck Isn’t Enough\nThe visiting food vendors aren’t the only food option. \nStonington Vineyards explicitly allows visitors to bring their own picnic food and snacks. \nThat’s useful for a holiday weekend when groups may want to settle onto the grounds for several hours rather than simply stop for a tasting. \nThe winery itself doesn’t operate a full restaurant. It carries smaller food items such as crackers\, cheeses\, nuts\, jams and pretzels\, along with flight boxes designed to accompany wine. \nOutside food is welcome. \nOutside alcohol is not. \nStonington Vineyards’ farm winery and craft café license prohibits guests from bringing other alcoholic beverages onto the property. Anyone bringing a cooler for a picnic should keep it to food and nonalcoholic drinks. \nWine and other beverages licensed for sale by the vineyard are available on site. \nLawn Chairs and a Slower Afternoon\nStonington Vineyards’ outdoor events tend to make use of one of the property’s biggest assets: space. \nRather than treating live music as something that requires everyone to stand in front of a stage\, the vineyard’s summer programming encourages the kind of afternoon where people settle in with wine and food. \nThe property includes lawn space\, patios and decks overlooking the vineyard. \nFor the vineyard’s larger summer concerts\, lawn chairs and blankets are explicitly encouraged\, and that same relaxed outdoor approach is a natural fit for the smaller Summer Pop-Ups. \nThe Labor Day weekend schedule also spreads the music through the afternoon rather than pushing it into nighttime. \nSaturday’s performance runs 3–6 p.m. \nSunday and Monday run 1:30–4:30 p.m. \nIt’s daytime wine-country rather than late-night nightlife. \nA Labor Day Weekend Alternative to the Coast\nThe location also provides a contrast with what will be happening a few miles away. \nLabor Day weekend is traditionally busy along the southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island shoreline. Mystic\, downtown Westerly and the beaches can all attract holiday crowds. \nStonington Vineyards sits inland on Taugwonk Road\, surrounded by the landscape that produces its wines. \nThe entertainment remains decidedly local: regional musicians\, area food vendors and a community organization closing out the weekend on Monday. \nThere isn’t an elaborate festival itinerary to follow. \nChoose an afternoon. \nBring some people. \nFind something to eat. \nListen to the band. \nAnd figure out what’s going in the wine glass. \nSaturday\, September 5\nMusic: Violet Theory\nMusic Time: 3–6 p.m.\nFood: South County BBQ\nVineyard Hours: Noon–7 p.m.\nAdmission: No ticket required \nSunday\, September 6\nMusic: James Harris\nMusic Time: 1:30–4:30 p.m.\nFood: Jayy’s Food Truck\nVineyard Hours: Noon–6 p.m.\nAdmission: No ticket required \nMonday\, September 7\nMusic: Dillon & Nicole\nMusic Time: 1:30–4:30 p.m.\nFood: Mystic Lions\nFood Menu: Hot dogs\, meatball grinders and corn on the cob\nVineyard Hours: Noon–6 p.m.\nAdmission: No ticket required \nEvent Details\nEvent: Labor Day Weekend at Stonington Vineyards\nDates: Saturday\, September 5 through Monday\, September 7\, 2026\nVenue: Stonington Vineyards\nAddress: 523 Taugwonk Road\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nSaturday Hours: Noon–7 p.m.\nSunday Hours: Noon–6 p.m.\nMonday Hours: Noon–6 p.m.\nAdmission: No tickets required for the Summer Pop-Ups\nActivities: Wine\, live music and visiting food vendors\nOutside Food: Picnics and snacks are welcome\nOutside Alcohol: Not permitted \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/labor-day-weekend-at-stonington-vineyards/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Stonington Vineyards\, 523 Taugwonk Rd\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonnington Vineyards
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T160000
DTSTAMP:20260721T235339Z
CREATED:20260721T235051Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260721T235339Z
UID:10006964-1788620400-1788624000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Mystic Seaport Planetarium Show: Stars and Stripes
DESCRIPTION:Mystic Seaport Planetarium Show: Stars and Stripes takes visitors on a fascinating journey through American history by exploring how the night sky influenced some of the nation’s most pivotal moments. Presented daily from June 21 through September 7 at the Treworgy Planetarium\, this immersive show reveals the surprising connections between astronomy and events that helped shape the United States. \nFrom Paul Revere’s midnight ride to Abraham Lincoln’s visit to the U.S. Naval Observatory during the Civil War\, and even the planning of the D-Day invasion during World War II\, Stars and Stripes demonstrates how the Moon\, stars\, and the forces of gravity have played unexpected roles throughout history. Combining storytelling with stunning planetarium visuals\, the program offers an engaging experience for visitors of all ages. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Mystic Seaport Planetarium Show: Stars and Stripes \nDates: Daily\, June 21 – September 7\, 2026 \nTime: 3:00 p.m. \nVenue: Treworgy Planetarium at Mystic Seaport Museum \nLocation: Mystic\, CT \nAdmission: Additional fee required \nAbout the Show\nStars and Stripes explores the relationship between astronomy and American history through several remarkable stories\, including: \n\nHow the phase of the Moon helped conceal Paul Revere during his famous midnight ride.\nWhy President Abraham Lincoln made an unexpected visit to the U.S. Naval Observatory during the Civil War.\nHow the gravitational relationship between the Earth and Moon influenced the timing of the Allied D-Day landings at Normandy.\n\nUsing the planetarium’s immersive projection system\, guests experience the night sky as it appeared during these historic moments while learning how celestial events influenced critical decisions and military strategy. \nAbout Treworgy Planetarium\nLocated inside Mystic Seaport Museum\, the Treworgy Planetarium presents educational programs that combine astronomy\, science\, navigation\, and maritime history. Its state-of-the-art digital projection system creates an immersive environment where visitors can explore the universe while discovering the important role the night sky has played throughout history. \nWhy Attend\nStars and Stripes offers a unique perspective on American history by revealing how astronomy has influenced some of the nation’s defining events. Whether you’re interested in history\, science\, or simply looking for an engaging family activity during a visit to Mystic Seaport Museum\, this daily planetarium show provides an entertaining and educational experience. \nTickets\nThere is an additional fee is required for this planetarium program. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/mystic-seaport-planetarium-show-stars-and-stripes/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T210000
DTSTAMP:20260817T212025Z
CREATED:20260817T212025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T212025Z
UID:10007213-1788616800-1788642000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Next Up Festival 2026 Brings Seven Hours of Live Music to Wilcox Park
DESCRIPTION:Next Up Festival 2026 returns to Wilcox Park in downtown Westerly on Saturday\, September 5\, with seven hours of live music celebrating young and emerging performers alongside established local artists. \nThe free\, all-ages festival runs from 2 to 9 p.m. and combines live bands with food\, art\, activities for children and adults\, and an afternoon and evening built around Westerly’s growing community of young musicians. \nVisitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and settle in around the park’s historic gazebo for the performances. \n \nGiving the Next Generation a Stage\nThere’s a bigger purpose behind the festival than filling Wilcox Park with music for an afternoon. \nNext Up Music Inc. is a Westerly-based nonprofit created to support the next generation of musicians and music professionals. Its work emphasizes mentorship\, collaboration and opportunities that can help developing artists take the next steps in their careers. \nThe organization offers artists opportunities that can include mentorship\, live performances\, scholarships or financial assistance\, studio time\, photography and video production. \nThe festival is where much of that mission becomes visible. \nRather than limiting the stage to established acts\, Next Up is designed to put emerging musicians in front of a real audience and give the community a chance to discover artists who may still be at the beginning of their careers. \nThat’s where the name comes from: who’s next up? \nFive Years of Next Up in Westerly\nThe festival has grown substantially since its early years. \nNext Up organizers described the 2023 edition as drawing hundreds of people\, while subsequent festivals expanded beyond music to include activities\, art and other attractions. By 2025\, the event was being promoted as a showcase for young musicians\, student bands and local artists. \nThe 2026 festival marks its fifth year in Westerly. \nThis year’s event again stretches across seven hours\, from 2 to 9 p.m.\, making it considerably more than a concert in the park. \nExpect multiple musical performances along with food\, art and activities for both children and adults throughout the day. \nThe complete 2026 performance schedule has not yet been released publicly. We’ll update this guide as additional performers and set times are announced. \nA Festival in the Heart of Westerly\nThe location is a pretty good match for what Next Up is trying to do. \nWilcox Park is the 14-acre Victorian strolling park and arboretum beside Westerly Library in the center of downtown Westerly. \nIts gazebo has long served as a gathering place for outdoor concerts and community events\, and the park hosts everything from theatre performances to the Chorus of Westerly’s Summer Pops. \nFor Next Up\, that means young performers aren’t tucked away in a club or private venue. They’re playing in one of the community’s most recognizable public spaces. \nThe downtown location also makes it easy to turn the festival into a longer Westerly outing\, with restaurants\, shops and other businesses within walking distance of the park. \nBring a Chair and Stay Awhile\nThis isn’t an event where you need to arrive at 2 p.m. and remain planted in one spot until 9. \nTreat it more like a festival. \nBring a blanket or lawn chair\, find a place on the grass and come and go as different artists take the stage. Food will be available\, along with activities and other attractions around the park. \nAnd because admission is free\, families can stop by for part of the afternoon or make a full day of it without buying festival tickets. \nCommunity Support Keeps the Festival Free\nKeeping a seven-hour music festival free requires considerable community backing. \nThe Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce is again partnering with the festival\, while Next Up has also relied on businesses\, organizations and individual donors to support its programming. \nPrevious festival supporters have included Westerly Library & Wilcox Park and Westerly’s UNITED Theatre and UNITED Music School. \nThat support allows Next Up to maintain one of the event’s central ideas: giving developing performers a legitimate festival stage while allowing the community to hear them without putting admission behind a paywall. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Next Up Festival 2026\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nTime: 2–9 p.m.\nLocation: Wilcox Park\nAddress: 44 Broad Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nAdmission: Free\nAges: All ages\nWhat to Bring: Lawn chairs or blankets\nFeaturing: Live music\, food\, art and activities for children and adults. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/next-up-festival-2026-brings-seven-hours-of-live-music-to-wilcox-park/
LOCATION:Westerly Library & Wilcox Park\, 44 Broad Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Westerly Library & Wilcox Park
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T230000
DTSTAMP:20260816T022849Z
CREATED:20260816T022849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T022849Z
UID:10007201-1788609600-1788649200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Guide: Music\, Schedule\, Food\, Camping & More
DESCRIPTION:Rhythm & Roots Festival 2026 returns to Ninigret Park in Charlestown for three full days of roots music over Labor Day weekend\, September 4–6\, with more than 40 performances spread across three stages\, on-site camping\, dancing\, workshops\, food vendors\, a swimming pond and activities for families. \nThis year’s headliners include St. Paul & The Broken Bones\, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives\, Tower of Power\, Margo Price\, The Devil Makes Three and Preservation Hall Jazz Band\, backed by a lineup that stretches from blues and Americana to Cajun\, zydeco\, bluegrass\, soul\, country and New Orleans jazz. \nBut Rhythm & Roots has never really been a festival where you show up for one headliner and leave. \nMusic begins at 1 p.m. each day and continues until 11 p.m.\, with performances moving among the Rhythm Stage\, Roots Stage and Dance Stage. There are workshops during the afternoon\, plenty of room to dance\, food from more than a dozen vendors\, craft shopping and an entire campground that becomes its own little community for the weekend. \nAnd yes\, bring the kids. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. Ninigret Park has a playground and Little Nini Pond for swimming\, giving families something unusually valuable at a three-day music festival: somewhere for the kids to burn off energy between sets. \nHere’s what you need to know before heading to Charlestown. \nRhythm & Roots Festival 2026 Dates and Hours\nThe 28th annual Rhythm & Roots Festival takes place Friday through Sunday\, September 4–6\, 2026\, at Ninigret Park in Charlestown. \nFestival gates are open: \nFriday\, September 4: Noon–11 p.m.\nSaturday\, September 5: Noon–11 p.m.\nSunday\, September 6: Noon–11 p.m. \nCampers can make a considerably longer weekend of it. The campground opens Thursday morning for campers holding the appropriate early-access camping ticket\, and all campsites must be cleared by noon Monday. \nFriday: St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Marty Stuart\nFriday doesn’t function as a shortened opening night. Rhythm & Roots launches with a full day of music beginning at 1 p.m. \nThe Rhythm Stage builds toward a particularly strong evening pairing. Futurebirds perform from 5 to 6:20 p.m.\, followed by Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives from 6:40 to 8:10 p.m. \nThen St. Paul & The Broken Bones closes the stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m. \nFriday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Paul Gabriel Blues Band\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Adam Ezra Group\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Futurebirds\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — St. Paul & The Broken Bones \nThe Roots Stage takes a different route through the day\, moving heavily into zydeco and Louisiana music. \nFriday Roots Stage\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — Sons of Levin\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — Kindred Valley\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Mallett Brothers Band \nAnd then there’s the Dance Stage. This is where Rhythm & Roots begins showing why calling it simply a “concert festival” doesn’t quite capture the weekend. \nFriday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Planet Zydeco\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys \nYou could spend the entire first day at one stage and hear a coherent afternoon of music. Or bounce among all three and make it something completely different. \nThat’s basically the Rhythm & Roots formula. \nSaturday: Tower of Power and Margo Price\nSaturday puts Tower of Power at the top of the bill\, closing the Rhythm Stage from 8:30 to 10:15 p.m. \nImmediately before them is Margo Price\, performing from 6:40 to 8:10 p.m.\, while Big Bad Voodoo Daddy takes the 5 p.m. slot. \nSaturday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Knickerbocker All-Stars\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Johnny Mullenax\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Los Texmaniacs\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Margo Price\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Tower of Power \nSaturday Roots Stage\nThe Roots Stage opens with two workshops before moving into a full afternoon and evening of performances. \n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Acoustic Jam Workshop\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — The Alpaca Gnomes\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — The Quahogs\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — Ward Hayden & The Outliers\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Donna The Buffalo \nSaturday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys \nIf dancing is your reason for coming\, Saturday night is probably the night to circle. Curley Taylor leads directly into a two-hour closing set from Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys. \nSunday: The Devil Makes Three and Preservation Hall Jazz Band\nSunday doesn’t wind the festival down gently. \nThe Devil Makes Three gets the final 8:30 p.m. Rhythm Stage slot\, preceded by Preservation Hall Jazz Band\, Yonder Mountain String Band and Roomful of Blues. \nSunday Rhythm Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — The Moonrise Cartel\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Canyon Lights\n3:30–4:45 p.m. — Roomful of Blues\n5:00–6:20 p.m. — Yonder Mountain String Band\n6:40–8:10 p.m. — Preservation Hall Jazz Band\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — The Devil Makes Three \nSunday Roots Stage\n1:00–2:00 p.m. — Sunday School with Christine Ohlman\n2:15–3:15 p.m. — Accordion Workshop\n3:30–4:30 p.m. — Blues Jam Workshop\n5:00–6:00 p.m. — Jason Ingriselli & The Miles North\n6:30–8:00 p.m. — The Suitcase Junket\n8:30–10:15 p.m. — Quinn Sullivan \nSunday Dance Stage\n1:00–2:30 p.m. — Pine Leaf Boys\n3:00–4:30 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble\n5:00–6:30 p.m. — Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys\n7:00–8:30 p.m. — Ruben Moreno\n9:00–11:00 p.m. — Old-Fashioned Aces \nOne thing worth noticing in that schedule is how frequently musicians return on different days or stages. \nThat’s intentional. Rhythm & Roots isn’t built like a typical rock festival where every band gets 45 minutes and disappears. The festival grew from Cajun\, zydeco\, bluegrass and other roots traditions where workshops\, dancing\, collaborations and repeat performances are part of the experience. \nMore Than 40 Performances Across Three Stages\nThe breadth of the lineup is probably the festival’s biggest strength. \nThere’s southern soul from St. Paul & The Broken Bones\, country and bluegrass history with Marty Stuart\, the horn-powered funk and soul of Tower of Power\, Americana from Margo Price\, traditional New Orleans jazz from Preservation Hall Jazz Band\, progressive bluegrass from Yonder Mountain String Band and the genre-blurring acoustic sound of The Devil Makes Three. \nThen follow the schedule deeper. \nYou’ll find Rhode Island’s own Roomful of Blues and Knickerbocker All-Stars\, Texas conjunto from Los Texmaniacs\, Louisiana zydeco from the Pine Leaf Boys and Curley Taylor\, Cajun music from Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys\, plus blues\, country\, folk and regional artists throughout the weekend. \nThat’s been part of Rhythm & Roots’ identity from the beginning. The festival describes its musical territory broadly\, encompassing Cajun\, zydeco\, blues\, country\, bluegrass and Americana\, rather than forcing everything under one genre. \nRhythm & Roots Has Been Doing This Since 1998\nThere’s some real Rhode Island music history behind the weekend. \nFestival founder Chuck Wentworth spent decades immersed in roots music\, including 37 years hosting Traditions on WRIU. He became involved with Rhode Island’s Cajun & Bluegrass Festival in 1981 and eventually took responsibility for booking its performers. \nIn 1998\, Wentworth and festival producer Mary Doub revived the struggling event as Rhythm & Roots. After its first year in Escoheag\, they moved it to Ninigret Park\, where the flatter and considerably larger property offered room for multiple stages\, camping and parking. \nThe Wentworth family operated Rhythm & Roots as an independent family festival for more than two decades. \nIt very nearly ended in 2022. \nWentworth announced that health problems were forcing him to shut down Lagniappe Productions and cancel the festival. Instead\, Connecticut-based GoodWorks Entertainment acquired Rhythm & Roots and brought it back that same Labor Day weekend\, promising to preserve the community and family atmosphere Wentworth had built. \nThe 2026 festival is the 28th annual Rhythm & Roots. \nBring the Kids\nThis deserves considerably more attention than the usual “family friendly” label buried near the bottom of a festival page. \nChildren 12 and under get into Rhythm & Roots free. \nNinigret Park also has a large playground and Little Nini Pond\, a freshwater swimming area inside the park. The festival promotes the weekend as something that can work for everyone from toddlers to grandparents. \nThat changes the equation for families considering an all-day festival. \nKids don’t have to spend ten hours being told to sit quietly next to a folding chair while Mom and Dad watch bands. Break up the music with the playground or swimming\, grab something to eat\, and then head back toward the stages. \nThe festival grounds also include a Kids Tent and other activities as part of the weekend. \nFood at Rhythm & Roots\nYou could also make a pretty respectable weekend out of eating your way through the festival. \nThe announced food lineup includes: \nNewport Chowder — seafood\nAlaina’s Mobile — American\nGood Karma Cafe — coffee and beverages\nThai Jasmine — Thai\nGinger Love Cafe — Filipino street food\nThe Potato Caboose — loaded baked potatoes\nSunset Farm — hamburgers and barbecue\nThe Breachway Grill — tacos and more\nAtomic Blonde — ice cream\nDel’s Lemonade — frozen lemonade\nTimi’s Greek Food — Greek and Middle Eastern food\nKettle Korn Express — freshly made kettle corn\nTing Ting Dumplings — Asian cuisine\nChili Brothers — Cajun and Creole\nVetrano’s — pizza \nThat range isn’t accidental. Food has long been treated as another part of the Rhythm & Roots experience\, with the festival specifically seeking a mix that reflects some of the same cultural variety found on its stages. \nThere are also craft vendors selling handmade clothing\, jewelry\, artwork\, musical items and other goods\, plus official Rhythm & Roots merchandise. The festival says it generally features about 25 artisans. \nCamping at Ninigret Park\nFor some longtime attendees\, camping isn’t simply somewhere to sleep after the music. \nIt’s part of Rhythm & Roots. \nNinigret Park becomes a temporary campground exclusively for the festival\, accommodating tents\, cars\, pop-up campers and RVs on its flat grassy grounds. Festival organizers even note that performers sometimes stay in the campground\, which can lead to informal music and late-night jams after the stages shut down. \nCamping runs from Thursday at 9 a.m. through noon Monday for those holding the appropriate passes. \nThere are no utility hookups. The campground provides potable water\, portable toilets and hand-washing stations\, while showers require a separate shower pass. \nEveryone older than 12 staying in the campground needs a full festival camping ticket\, and every vehicle entering the campground requires an additional vehicle pass. \nOne important update for anyone reading this guide while considering a camping weekend: regular 2026 three-day camping passes are currently sold out through the festival’s primary ticket seller. The ticketing page directs buyers to its fan exchange for resale availability. \n  \nWhat Tickets Cost\nAs of August 15\, standard non-camping tickets remain available. \nSingle-day admission: $102\nTwo-day pass: $185\nThree-day non-camping pass: $269 \nThose prices are listed as all-in pricing\, with fees included. \nChildren 12 and younger are free. \nThree-day non-camping admission includes access to all three stages\, food and craft vendor areas\, Little Nini Pond\, the playground and other festival grounds\, along with free daily on-site parking. \nThere is also a paid Lagniappe Lounge upgrade offering early entry\, a covered area\, private bar\, air-conditioned flush toilets and a viewing platform. A regular general admission ticket is still required. \n  \nWhat You Can Bring\nFestival-goers may bring food and water in a small soft-sided cooler no larger than 18 by 12 by 12 inches. \nHard coolers and coolers on wheels aren’t allowed. \nNeither are outside alcohol or glass bottles. Potable water is available on the festival grounds for refilling bottles. \nThat’s particularly useful if you’re bringing children and planning to stay for most of the day. You don’t have to buy every snack or bottle of water inside the festival. \nParking and Getting There\nNinigret Park is in Charlestown\, just off Route 1. \nThe festival address is: \n4890A Old Post Road\nCharlestown\, RI 02813 \nStandard three-day non-camping admission includes free daily parking. Preferred parking is separately ticketed when available. \nFestival organizers specifically ask drivers not to stage or line up on Route 1 before entering the park. \nRain or Shine\nRhythm & Roots takes place rain or shine\, and tickets are non-refundable. The artist lineup is also subject to change. \nGiven that this is three days outdoors in Rhode Island at the end of summer\, checking the forecast before packing isn’t a bad idea. \nThen again\, neither is packing for two different seasons. It’s New England. \nRhythm & Roots Festival 2026 at a Glance\nDates: Friday–Sunday\, September 4–6\, 2026 \nHours: Noon–11 p.m. daily \nMusic Begins: 1 p.m. daily \nLocation: Ninigret Park \nAddress: 4890A Old Post Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813 \nStages: Rhythm Stage\, Roots Stage and Dance Stage \nHeadliners and Featured Artists: St. Paul & The Broken Bones\, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives\, Tower of Power\, Margo Price\, The Devil Makes Three\, Preservation Hall Jazz Band\, Yonder Mountain String Band\, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy\, Donna The Buffalo\, Roomful of Blues and more \nSingle-Day Tickets: $102 \nTwo-Day Tickets: $185 \nThree-Day Non-Camping Pass: $269 \nChildren: Ages 12 and under admitted free \nParking: Free daily parking included with non-camping festival admission \nCamping: On-site camping available only with appropriate camping passes; primary 2026 camping passes are currently sold out \nFood: More than a dozen food vendors offering seafood\, barbecue\, Cajun and Creole\, Thai\, Filipino\, Greek and Middle Eastern food\, pizza\, tacos\, desserts and more \nFamily Activities: Playground\, Little Nini Pond swimming area and Kids Tent \nWeather: Rain or shine \nRefunds: No refunds \nMore Information\nComplete festival information\, including schedules\, policies\, camping details and updates\, is available on the Rhythm & Roots Festival website. \nTo purchase admission\, click the Event Ticketing link. \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/rhythm-roots-festival-2026-guide-music-schedule-food-camping-more/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Ninigret Park\, 5 Park Lane\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Ninigret Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Rhythm-and-Roots-Festival-2026-Guide-Music-Schedule-Food-Camping-and-More.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T220000
DTSTAMP:20260911T012455Z
CREATED:20260905T213350Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T012455Z
UID:10007476-1788609600-1788645600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Odyssey ’26 Greek Festival
DESCRIPTION:Odyssey ’26: A Greek Festival returns to Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange over Labor Day weekend\, filling four days with Greek food\, live music\, traditional dancing\, cooking demonstrations\, church tours and a sprawling marketplace. \nRunning Friday\, September 4 through Monday\, September 7\, Odyssey is celebrating its 44th year in 2026. The festival is held rain or shine across the church’s grounds at 480 Racebrook Road\, with both admission and parking free. \nAnd if food is the reason for making the trip\, this is not a festival where the Greek menu is an afterthought. Parishioners spend months preparing for a weekend built around dishes ranging from lamb roasted on the spit and moussaka to spanakopita\, souvlaki\, flaming saganaki and loukoumades. \nForty-Four Years of Going Greek in Orange\nOdyssey began more than four decades ago as a way for the Saint Barbara parish to invite the surrounding community into its traditions. \nThe festival has grown considerably since then. \nToday\, organizers describe Odyssey as one of Connecticut’s largest Greek festivals\, with the celebration spreading indoors and outdoors across the church’s country setting. \nThe basic purpose\, however\, remains remarkably close to where it started. \nSaint Barbara’s parishioners use the weekend to share the food\, music\, dance\, Orthodox faith and traditions of their Hellenic heritage with thousands of visitors who may otherwise have little connection to the church. \nThat hospitality is built right into the festival’s greeting: Kali Orexi\, or “healthy appetite.” \nFor Odyssey\, that’s useful advice. \nCome Hungry: Greek Food Is at the Center of Odyssey\nThere is a lot to work through over four days. \nThe 2026 festival lineup includes gyro\, lamb chops\, souvlaki\, lamb on the spit\, moussaka\, spanakopita and Greek salads\, along with an assortment of smaller dishes and appetizers. \nSaganaki brings some theater to the meal. The sharp Greek cheese is flambéed at the festival’s Gourmet Meze grill\, creating the familiar burst of flame before it’s served. \nThen there are the pastries. \nOne of Odyssey’s longtime favorites is loukoumades\, small pieces of fried dough traditionally finished with honey and cinnamon. Other Greek pastries and sweets round out the dessert side of the festival. \nThis isn’t simply a collection of outside vendors selling Greek-inspired food. Saint Barbara emphasizes the work of its own parishioners in preparing the dishes and pastries that have become associated with Odyssey over its four-decade history. \nCooking demonstrations take that idea a little further by showing visitors how some of those traditions make their way into the kitchen. \nA New Taverna Arrives for 2026\nThere’s a significant addition this year. \nOdyssey is introducing a new Taverna\, giving visitors a place to have a glass of Greek wine or Greek beer while listening to live music. \nThe new space strengthens something Odyssey has always had at its center: this isn’t supposed to feel like a food pickup operation. \nIt’s meant to be somewhere people stay. \nRather than grabbing a gyro and heading for the parking lot\, visitors can settle in\, listen to the bands\, watch the dancers and make an afternoon or evening out of the festival. \nAnd there will be plenty of music. \nTwo Live Greek Bands Keep Odyssey Moving\nOdyssey ’26 features two live Greek bands\, with music running throughout the weekend. \nGrecian Nights will perform daily\, including at the new Taverna\, giving visitors plenty of opportunities to hear live Greek music without having to plan around a single concert time. \nMusic and dance are closely connected here. \nThe Odyssey Dancers return with performances of traditional Greek dances\, dressed in costumes that reflect the culture and regional traditions behind the dances themselves. \nFor visitors\, watching is optional. \nGreek festivals have a habit of turning spectators into participants\, and the live music provides plenty of opportunities for people to join the dancing even if their technique isn’t going to earn them a place with the Odyssey Dancers. \nThe Saint Barbara Choir will also perform during the festival\, bringing another musical tradition into the weekend. \nStep Inside Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church\nFood and dancing may bring many people through the gates\, but Odyssey also gives visitors an opportunity to learn about the community hosting it. \nPresentations and tours inside Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church introduce guests to Orthodox Christianity\, the church itself and the traditions represented within its sanctuary. \nThat’s an important part of what separates Odyssey from a generic Greek-themed food festival. \nThe festival exists because of the parish. \nFor Saint Barbara\, sharing Greek culture and sharing the church’s spiritual home are intertwined. Visitors can walk inside\, look at the religious art and architecture and learn why the sanctuary looks and functions differently from churches they may know from other Christian traditions. \nNo religious background is required to participate in the presentations. \nShop the Odyssey Marketplace\nThe festival’s marketplace provides another reason to wander beyond the food tents. \nVendors and festival booths offer goods and gifts alongside the cultural programming\, giving Odyssey the feel of a temporary Greek village spread across the church grounds. \nA giant raffle is another longstanding component of the weekend. \nTaken together\, the marketplace\, music\, dancing\, cooking demonstrations\, church presentations and food make Odyssey an event that rewards wandering rather than following a rigid schedule. \nYou can arrive for lunch and discover a dance performance. \nStop for loukoumades and find live music underway. \nWalk through the marketplace and end up inside the church learning something you didn’t know about Greek Orthodox tradition. \nThat’s essentially how Odyssey is designed to work. \nFour Days\, Including Labor Day\nOdyssey opens at noon each day. \nOn Friday\, Saturday and Sunday\, the festival continues until 10 p.m.\, allowing the atmosphere to change considerably between a family-oriented afternoon visit and an evening of live music\, dancing\, food and drinks. \nLabor Day Monday is shorter\, running from noon to 6 p.m. \nThe festival takes place rain or shine\, with activities spread between indoor and outdoor spaces. \nAdmission is free. \nParking is also free\, with spaces available on the Saint Barbara property and additional parking next door at Holy Infant Church. \nThat makes Odyssey particularly easy to approach as a spontaneous Labor Day weekend trip. There is no admission ticket to justify and no need to commit to an entire day. \nAlthough once the food starts arriving\, staying awhile becomes considerably easier. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Odyssey ’26: A Greek Festival\nDates: Friday\, September 4 through Monday\, September 7\, 2026\nFriday: Noon–10 p.m.\nSaturday: Noon–10 p.m.\nSunday: Noon–10 p.m.\nMonday: Noon–6 p.m.\nLocation: Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church\nAddress: 480 Racebrook Road\, Orange\, CT 06477\nAdmission: Free\nParking: Free\, including additional parking next door at Holy Infant Church\nFood: Gyro\, lamb chops\, souvlaki\, lamb on the spit\, moussaka\, spanakopita\, saganaki\, Greek salads\, pastries\, loukoumades and more\nEntertainment: Two live Greek bands\, Odyssey Dancers and Saint Barbara Choir\nAlso: Cooking demonstrations\, church tours and presentations\, marketplace and giant raffle\nNew for 2026: Taverna serving Greek wine and beer with live music from Grecian Nights\nWeather: Rain or shine \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. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/odyssey-26-greek-festival-2/
LOCATION:Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church\, 480 Racebrook Road\, Orange\, 06477\, United States
CATEGORIES:Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Odyssey-26-Greek-Festival.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T210000
DTSTAMP:20260903T030756Z
CREATED:20260903T030550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T030756Z
UID:10007437-1788609600-1788642000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Beer’d Brewing Märzen Release Party
DESCRIPTION:Beer’d Brewing Märzen Release Party brings a full day of beer\, food\, and Oktoberfest-inspired fun to The Velvet Mill in Stonington on Saturday\, September 5. \nThe Labor Day weekend release party runs from noon to 9 p.m. at Beer’d Brewing Co.’s original Stonington taproom at 22 Bayview Avenue. The brewery will introduce its Märzen while adding food from three fellow Velvet Mill businesses and a stein-holding competition to the celebration. \nThe event gives Beer’d a chance to welcome the approaching Oktoberfest season with a style of beer that has deep roots in German brewing tradition. \nBeer’d Releases Its Märzen\nThe centerpiece of the September 5 party is the release of Beer’d Brewing’s Märzen. \nMärzen is a traditional German lager style historically associated with Bavaria and Oktoberfest. The name translates to “March\,” a reference to the time of year when the beer was traditionally brewed before the warmer months made lager production more difficult. \nThe beer would then be stored\, or lagered\, through the summer. By fall\, those remaining Märzen supplies were ready to be consumed\, helping create the style’s lasting association with Oktoberfest. \nModern Märzens are generally known for their amber-to-copper color and malt-forward character\, with toasted and bread-like flavors balanced by enough hops to keep the beer from becoming overly sweet. \nBeer’d has not packed the announcement with tasting notes or technical specifications for its version. Instead\, the September 5 party is centered on giving people their first opportunity to try the brewery’s Märzen at the source. \nA Different Kind of Beer’d Release\nBeer’d Brewing has become particularly well known for hop-forward beers\, making a traditional German-inspired lager an interesting change of pace for the Stonington brewery. \nBeer’d was founded in 2012 and began brewing at The Velvet Mill\, the sprawling former textile complex in Stonington Borough that has since become home to artists\, makers\, restaurants\, food businesses and other independent operations. \nThe brewery later expanded with The Silo\, its production brewery and second taproom in Groton. \nThe Stonington location\, however\, remains the original Beer’d. \nThat makes The Mill an appropriate setting for a release party built around one beer and the community of businesses surrounding the brewery. \nFood From Around The Velvet Mill\nBeer’d doesn’t operate a conventional restaurant kitchen at its Stonington taproom\, but that isn’t much of an obstacle inside The Velvet Mill. \nFor the Märzen party\, Beer’d is bringing in food from Dock 9\, Meryl + Masa and Zest Fresh Pastry\, all of which are located within the same 22 Bayview Avenue complex. \nDock 9 operates as a restaurant and cocktail bar inside the mill. \nMeryl + Masa combines a sourdough bakery with Latin-inspired food\, while Zest Fresh Pastry has been a longtime destination inside The Velvet Mill for pastries\, baked goods and sweets. \nHaving all three participate makes the release party as much a Velvet Mill collaboration as a brewery event. \nIt also fits the unusual nature of the building itself. Visitors can move among studios\, shops\, restaurants and food businesses without leaving the former mill complex\, making Beer’d part of a larger destination rather than an isolated taproom. \nTest Your Grip in the Stein-Holding Competition\nThe party also includes a stein-holding competition\, borrowing another tradition closely associated with Oktoberfest celebrations. \nThe challenge looks deceptively simple. \nCompetitors hold a filled beer stein straight out in front of them\, keeping the arm extended without bending the elbow or lowering the glass. As the seconds turn into minutes\, the weight becomes considerably less forgiving. \nThe last competitor maintaining the required position wins. \nBeer’d hasn’t announced additional competition details in its event promotion\, so anyone hoping to participate can get the specific rules and signup information at the brewery during the event. \nThe Velvet Mill Adds to the Day\nA Saturday event at Beer’d also comes with something that isn’t technically part of the release party. \nThe Stonington Village Farmers’ Market takes place at The Velvet Mill every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. \nDuring the warmer months\, the market operates outside at the mill and brings together area farmers\, food producers and other vendors. \nThat means September 5 has the potential to turn into a much longer Velvet Mill visit. \nThe farmers market runs through noon. \nBeer’d’s Märzen party begins at noon. \nFrom there\, the brewery keeps the celebration going until 9 p.m. \nThe building itself dates to the late 19th century\, when Stonington became an important center for velvet manufacturing. Today\, the former industrial property has been repurposed as a mixed-use community of small businesses\, artists\, food producers and makers. \nBeer’d has become one of its best-known tenants. \nA September Beer With a Long History\nThe timing of the release isn’t accidental. \nAlthough Oktoberfest is associated with October by name\, Munich’s modern Oktoberfest actually begins in September. The original celebration was held in October 1810\, but the festival gradually moved earlier to take advantage of warmer weather and longer days. \nBeer changed along with it. \nThe darker Märzen that became synonymous with Oktoberfest eventually gave way at the official Munich festival to the lighter Festbier commonly served there today. \nOutside Germany\, however\, Märzen remains strongly associated with American Oktoberfest season. \nThat makes early September prime time for breweries to begin tapping their fall lagers. \nAt Beer’d\, that season begins September 5 in Stonington. \nAn All-Day Release Party\nThis isn’t a short ceremonial tapping followed by business as usual. \nBeer’d is promoting the Märzen release as an all-day party running from noon until 9 p.m. \nThere will be the new beer\, food from Dock 9\, Meryl + Masa and Zest\, and the stein-holding competition. \nAnd because it’s happening inside The Velvet Mill on a Saturday\, visitors can also make the brewery one part of a larger trip through the complex. \nFor Beer’d fans\, though\, the reason for the party is right there in the name. \nA new beer is ready. \nThis time\, it’s a Märzen. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Beer’d Brewing Märzen Release Party\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nTime: Noon–9 p.m.\nVenue: Beer’d Brewing Co. – The Mill\nLocation: The Velvet Mill\nAddress: 22 Bayview Avenue\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nFeatured Release: Beer’d Brewing Märzen\nFood: Dock 9\, Meryl + Masa and Zest Fresh Pastry\nActivity: Stein-holding competition \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/beerd-brewing-marzen-release-party/
LOCATION:Beer’d Brewing\, 22 Bayview Ave\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Beer'd Brewing
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Beerd-Brewing-Marzen-Release-Party.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T170000
DTSTAMP:20260708T031351Z
CREATED:20260708T005652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T031351Z
UID:10006589-1788607800-1788627600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour
DESCRIPTION:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour offers a relaxing\, all-inclusive way to explore the Connecticut Wine Trail without worrying about driving\, reservations\, or planning the day’s itinerary. Operating Thursday through Sunday during the summer\, Friday through Sunday in the fall\, and Saturday through Sunday during the winter\, the guided experience departs from Mystic and visits three carefully selected vineyards across southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests travel in a comfortable 15-passenger van to scenic wineries in communities including Stonington\, North Stonington\, Preston\, and Ledyard. Each stop allows about an hour to enjoy the vineyard\, sample local wines or other beverages\, and take in Connecticut’s picturesque wine country. Every tour includes lunch from Sift Bake Shop\, one beverage at each winery\, bottled water\, and snacks\, creating a stress-free day designed for both visitors and local wine enthusiasts. \nBecause winery availability changes throughout the season\, destinations vary from tour to tour\, giving returning guests the opportunity to experience different vineyards throughout the year. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a unique day trip\, Middle of the Vines handles the transportation and planning so guests can relax and enjoy the journey. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour\nSchedule:\n\nSummer: Thursday-Sunday\nFall: Friday-Sunday\nWinter: Saturday-Sunday\n\n\nTour Length: Approximately 5 hours\nDeparture: Mystic\, CT\nTransportation: Included**\nAge Requirement: 21+\nMeetup at Sift Bake Shop Mystic (see Venue at the bottom of the page)\n\nTour Highlights\nEach tour includes: \n\nGuided transportation aboard a 15-passenger van\nVisits to three Connecticut vineyards\nApproximately one hour at each winery\nScenic drives through southeastern Connecticut wine country\n\nTours may visit wineries in: \n\nStonington\nNorth Stonington\nPreston\nLedyard\n\nDestinations vary based on vineyard availability. \nWhat’s Included\nEvery ticket includes: \n\nRound-trip transportation\nVisits to three vineyards\nLunch from Sift Bake Shop\nOne beverage at each winery (wine\, beer\, cider\, or another available option)\nBottled water\nSnacks\n\nA Zero Proof ticket is also available for guests who prefer non-alcoholic beverages. \nReservations\nAdvance reservations are required. \nBecause lunch is prepared fresh by Sift Bake Shop\, bookings close at 6:00 p.m. the day before each tour. \nThe online booking system displays real-time availability\, allowing guests to see how many seats remain on each tour. \nTickets\nTickets are $165 per person. \nTo check availability and reserve your seat\, click the Event Ticketing link at the bottom of this page. \n  \n** You must provide your own transportation home. Have a designated driver or use Uber/Lyft. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/middle-of-the-vines-vineyard-tour/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Sift Bake Shop Mystic\, 5 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Sift Bake Shop Mystic
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006466-1788606000-1788627600@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/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000472-1788606000-1788627600@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-3/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T180000
DTSTAMP:20260911T012517Z
CREATED:20260905T213852Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T012517Z
UID:10007439-1788604200-1788631200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 Guide
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 transforms the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds into a sprawling 16th-century fantasy village for nine weekends of jousting\, comedy\, live music\, costumed characters\, artisan shopping\, food\, games and themed adventures. \nThe Faire runs from August 29 through October 25 at 122 Mack Road in Lebanon\, with regular hours from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. It also opens on holiday Mondays\, including Labor Day and Columbus Day. \nFor 2026\, the Faire is advertising more than 40 shows each day across 13 stages\, along with dozens of games and activities and more than 200 artisans\, food vendors and other merchants. \nAnd this isn’t an event where you simply watch from the sidelines. \nWalk through the gates and you enter a village populated by kings\, queens\, knights\, fairies\, musicians\, rogues and other characters who interact with visitors throughout the day. You can watch armored combat\, cheer at the joust\, throw an axe\, shop for a handmade sword or drinking horn\, take the kids on human-powered rides\, eat a turkey leg and end up in a conversation with a member of the royal court on the way to your next show. \nHere’s how to plan a day at the 2026 Connecticut Renaissance Faire. \nWhen Is the Connecticut Renaissance Faire?\nThe 2026 season runs from August 29 through October 25. \nThe Faire is generally open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.\, with special openings on Labor Day and Columbus Day. \nThe season is divided into themed weekends\, so the experience changes as fall progresses. Themes for 2026 include Dragons & Dungeons\, Roses & Romance\, Shirefolk\, Faerie Ring Revels\, Pirates & Vikings\, Time Travelers\, All Hallows and the new Merry Macabre weekend. \nLabor Day weekend\, September 5–7\, is Dragons & Dungeons\, a fantasy-focused weekend built around quests\, heroes and legendary characters. \nCostumes aren’t required to attend. Some visitors arrive in everyday clothes\, while others treat the themed weekends as an opportunity to build elaborate Renaissance\, fantasy\, pirate\, Viking or other character costumes. \nHow Much Are Connecticut Renaissance Faire Tickets?\nGeneral admission for the 2026 season is $18 for adults and $10 for youth\, while children in the Faire’s child admission category enter free. \nAdmission covers the Faire itself and its regular stage performances. Certain games\, rides\, food\, drinks and premium experiences cost extra. \nOne useful change from the way some fairs and festivals operate is that there are no food tickets. Food and beverages are purchased directly from individual merchants. \nSame-day re-entry is also permitted with a handstamp\, so leaving the grounds doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your Faire day. \nStart With the Shows\nTrying to see everything at the Connecticut Renaissance Faire in one day is probably the wrong approach. \nThere are simply too many performances. \nThe 2026 Faire uses 13 stages and advertises more than 40 shows daily. Entertainment ranges from music and comedy to acrobatics\, combat demonstrations\, theatrical performances and interactive shows. \nOne of the biggest spectacles is the armored combat demonstration from the Knights of Gore. These aren’t performers simply swinging lightweight theatrical weapons around one another. The demonstrations feature fighters in plate armor engaging in full-contact medieval-style combat. \nThe Knights of Gore also present educational demonstrations throughout the day covering subjects such as medieval helmets\, the roles of knights and squires and siege weapons including the trebuchet. \nThe Joust Remains a Centerpiece\nIt’s difficult to imagine a Renaissance faire without knights charging toward one another on horseback. \nJousting remains one of the major attractions in Lebanon. \nThe 2026 season includes jousting from Roundtable Productions and Equus Nobilis\, both listed among the Faire’s new entertainment additions this year. \nThe joust combines horsemanship\, theatrical storytelling and medieval-style competition on a scale that’s difficult to replicate on one of the smaller stages. \nIf seeing a joust is high on your list\, check the schedule when you arrive and build the rest of the day around it rather than assuming you’ll simply stumble across the right performance. \nThere Is Plenty of Comedy\nNot everything involves swords and armor. \nComedy is scattered throughout the Faire\, sometimes on a stage and sometimes walking directly toward you in the lanes. \nThe Norfolk Theatricals specialize in interactive theatrical comedy\, presenting deliberately chaotic original plays with audience members sometimes pulled into the performance. \nBone Dallaire roams the grounds as a self-important thespian and playwright whose opinion of his own talent may exceed everyone else’s. \nThe Faire’s cast of Crown Players adds another layer of continuous theater. Instead of performing only at scheduled times\, characters inhabit the village and interact with guests throughout the day. \nThat distinction is important for first-time visitors. \nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire isn’t simply a collection of scheduled shows surrounded by food booths. The space between the stages is part of the performance. \nMusic Runs From Celtic Traditions to Sea Chanteys\nLive music is another major part of the day. \nThe 2026 roster includes performers working with Celtic music\, traditional folk\, sea chanteys and other styles that fit naturally into the Faire setting. \nJesse Ofgang and the Diaspora\, new for 2026\, combine Scottish and Irish musical traditions with contemporary rhythms using instruments including bagpipes\, whistles and guitars. \nNemeton: Folk Fantasy Music and Dance brings an especially unusual collection of instruments to the Faire\, including bagpipes\, drums\, double flutes\, penny whistles\, English concertina\, medieval small pipes\, rauschpfeife and hurdy-gurdy. \nNew England’s Misfits of Avalon draw from Celtic music with hammered dulcimer\, mandolin\, guitar and violin. \nOther weekends bring different musicians\, including the maritime and Celtic sounds of the Crimson Pirates and southeastern Connecticut’s Bards of Gungywamp. \nBecause performers vary by themed weekend\, it’s worth checking the schedule for the specific date you’re attending. \nSome of the Best Entertainment Is Strange\nRenaissance faires have always left room for acts that don’t fit neatly into a category. \nThat’s part of the fun. \nFor 2026\, Fly by Night joins the Connecticut Faire with a combination of comedy\, juggling\, whip cracking and sideshow skills. The duo of Steve King and Ryan Roberts has been performing since 1990 and appeared as semifinalists on the fourth season of America’s Got Talent. \nCircus Stella puts rescued dogs into a circus environment alongside Dextre Tripp\, mixing canine tricks with juggling\, ladder balancing\, rope walking and unicycling. \nElsewhere\, visitors can encounter puppetry\, dance\, storytelling\, magic and roaming performers without necessarily planning to see them. \nLeave some empty space in the schedule. \nAt a Renaissance faire\, getting distracted is part of the itinerary. \nGames and Rides Go Beyond the Stages\nThere’s plenty to do when you want to participate rather than watch. \nThe Faire’s games and activities include old-fashioned and Renaissance-inspired challenges\, physical games and human-powered attractions. \nSome activities carry an additional fee. \nYou’ll find opportunities to test skill and strength\, explore the Royal Maze and take part in attractions spread throughout the village. \nFor families with younger children\, this can provide a useful break between longer stage performances. \nFor adults\, it can become surprisingly competitive. \nEat the Turkey Leg\, But Don’t Stop There\nYes\, there are giant turkey legs. \nThe Faire’s Turkey Legs and More stand serves the oversized roasted festival staple along with turkey sundaes\, mac and cheese\, smoked chicken\, lemonade and fried dough. \nBut the food selection has grown far beyond the Renaissance-faire stereotype. \nThe 2026 Faire lists 37 food merchants and seven pubs and taverns\, with meals\, desserts\, snacks and beverages distributed throughout the grounds. \nThere are burgers and hot dogs\, chicken sandwiches\, baked goods\, fried seafood\, sweets and a broad assortment of festival food. \nThe Faire also identifies vendors offering vegetarian\, vegan\, gluten-free and dairy-free choices. \nEvery food merchant is required to offer at least one item priced at $7\, an attempt to keep at least one lower-priced choice available at each location. \nOutside snacks and nonalcoholic drinks are also permitted. \nYou Can Walk the Faire With a Drink\nThere are no isolated beer tents requiring guests to remain inside a designated drinking area. \nAdults can purchase alcoholic beverages from the Faire’s pubs and taverns and carry their drinks while exploring the grounds. \nValid identification is required for alcohol purchases. \nThat also makes the taverns part of the atmosphere rather than simply concession stands. \nFor visitors looking for something more structured\, the Faire offers two separate 21-and-over experiences. \nThe Pub Crawl Is a 90-Minute Quest\nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire Pub Crawl isn’t simply four drink tickets stapled together. \nThe approximately 90-minute experience is hosted by Fae Frostwhiperer and takes a group of no more than 15 participants through four Faire taverns. \nThere are four alcoholic drinks along the way\, but participants also complete challenges\, play games\, sing\, chant and interact with their guide. \nOne stop at Shattered Shield includes Liar’s Dice\, a vegetable platter and an exclusive small-batch mead that isn’t sold from the tavern’s regular menu. \nAnother stop includes a Test of Strength at King’s Inn Crossing. \nPub Crawls depart twice each Faire day\, at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. \nThe price is $75\, plus a processing fee when purchased online. Tickets can also be purchased at Shattered Shield without the online processing fee\, although each crawl is limited to 15 participants and can sell out. \nParticipants must be 21 or older with valid identification. \nRegular Faire admission is not included with the Pub Crawl. \nWhiskey Tastings Offer a Quieter Break\nFor adults who prefer sipping to crawling\, guided whiskey tastings offer a considerably calmer experience. \nThe approximately one-hour sessions explore a curated selection of whiskies\, with hosts discussing origins\, production methods\, flavor profiles and techniques for nosing and tasting. \nCharcuterie is served alongside the pours. \nThe experience is designed for both beginners and experienced whiskey drinkers\, and advance reservations are strongly recommended because seating is intentionally limited. \nParticipants must be 21 or older and bring valid government-issued photo identification. \nLike the Pub Crawl\, a whiskey tasting is an additional experience. Regular Connecticut Renaissance Faire admission must be purchased separately. \nShopping Is a Major Part of the Faire\nDon’t treat the merchant area as an afterthought. \nThe Faire says the 2026 season includes 213 artisans\, games and food vendors\, with 32 new shops joining the grounds this year. \nThe marketplace is where the fantasy world starts becoming something you can take home. \nDepending on the merchant\, visitors can find clothing\, leatherwork\, jewelry\, drinking vessels\, artwork\, fantasy accessories\, home décor and handcrafted goods. \nSome merchants make items that are specifically useful for people building Renaissance or fantasy costumes\, while others sell pieces that work perfectly well outside the Faire. \nFor someone arriving without a costume\, the marketplace also provides an easy way to gradually become more appropriately dressed as the day progresses. \nYou may enter in jeans. \nThere is no guarantee you will leave without a cloak. \n2026 Is a Significant Expansion Year\nThe Faire has added a substantial amount of new material for 2026. \nIts official count includes 11 new shows\, 32 new shops and seven new food offerings. \nAmong the new entertainment are the two jousting productions\, Fly by Night and Jesse Ofgang and the Diaspora. \nThe Faire is also introducing Merry Macabre\, a new themed weekend for October 24–25 that takes the season into darker territory just before Halloween. \nThat expansion matters even to people who have attended in previous years. \nThe basic formula remains recognizable\, but the Faire is deliberately designed so returning on another weekend doesn’t simply reproduce the same day. \nBringing Kids to the Connecticut Renaissance Faire\nChildren don’t have to understand Renaissance history to find things to do here. \nThere are family-oriented performances\, interactive games\, rides and characters throughout the village. \nOne particularly memorable experience is the Knighting Ceremony with the King and Queen\, where children can present themselves before King Basil and Queen Gwendolyn Genevieve and receive royal recognition before the parade. \nThere are also quests and interactive encounters with the Knights of Gore. \nThe Faire’s combination of structured shows and wandering characters means children can become involved in the fantasy rather than spending the entire day watching adults perform. \nYes\, You Can Bring Your Pet\nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire has an unusually broad pet policy. \nWell-behaved dogs\, cats\, rabbits\, ferrets\, rats and lizards are permitted. \nPet admission is $5 per animal\, while service animals enter free. \nDogs and cats must have proof of current rabies vaccination. A veterinarian’s letter\, email or current rabies tag can serve as proof. \nPets must remain on a non-retractable leash no longer than six feet and owners are responsible for cleaning up after them. \nLivestock\, horses\, donkeys\, mules and other large animals aren’t permitted. \nThe Faire advises owners to bring food and water for their animals. Water bowls may be available from merchants\, but pet food isn’t sold on the grounds. \nPets are also permitted on the parking shuttles. \nParking Has Changed for 2026\nThis is one section worth reading before leaving home. \nThe Faire has a new parking system for 2026. \nVisitors who want to park directly at the Faire grounds at 122 Mack Road can purchase Premium Parking for $10 per vehicle. \nThere are only 525 Premium Parking spaces available each Faire day\, and they must be purchased online in advance for the specific date you’re attending. \nYou cannot purchase Premium Parking when you arrive at the lot. \nVIP admission includes Premium Parking. \nThere are also 125 free ADA parking spaces at the main Faire site for vehicles displaying a valid handicapped placard or plate. These spaces can’t be reserved and are available on a first-available basis. \nMotorcycles can park at the main site for free. \nFree Parking and Shuttles Are Available\nYou don’t have to pay to park. \nThe Faire operates free satellite parking with continuous shuttle service beginning at 9:30 a.m. \nOne free lot is located at 744 Trumbull Highway in Lebanon. \nAdditional parking is available at Lebanon Middle School\, 891 Exeter Road\, and Lyman Memorial High School\, 917 Exeter Road. \nThere is one important wrinkle with the school lots: the shuttles do not pick up directly at the schools. \nGuests parking at either school walk to the Mobil station located between the two schools\, which serves as the shuttle pickup and drop-off point. \nThe last shuttle leaves the Faire 30 minutes after closing. \nAnd don’t blindly follow your GPS. \nThe Faire specifically warns visitors not to use Barker Road\, which police close to through traffic on Faire weekends. \nWhere to Stay\nFor visitors coming from farther away\, the Faire maintains a list of nearby lodging options rather than operating an on-site campground. \nBecause the event runs for nine weekends\, staying overnight can also make sense for visitors who want to attend both Saturday and Sunday without making the drive twice. \nCheck lodging availability early for popular themed weekends\, particularly as the season moves toward October and foliage season in eastern Connecticut. \nWhat First-Time Visitors Should Know\nThe easiest mistake is approaching the Connecticut Renaissance Faire like an attraction where everything follows one obvious route. \nIt doesn’t. \nThere are performances happening simultaneously\, characters wandering the lanes\, merchants to explore\, food to try and activities that can consume far more time than expected. \nCheck the day’s performance schedule first and choose the handful of shows you really don’t want to miss. \nThen allow the rest of the day to happen around them. \nYou might stop for lunch and encounter a roaming performer. \nYou might head toward a stage and spend 30 minutes shopping instead. \nYou might intend to watch one song and stay for an entire set. \nThat’s not poor planning. \nThat’s pretty much how a Renaissance faire is supposed to work. \nConnecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 Details\nEvent: Connecticut Renaissance Faire\nSeason: August 29–October 25\, 2026\nRegular Days: Saturdays and Sundays\, plus Labor Day and Columbus Day\nHours: 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m.\nLocation: Lebanon Country Fairgrounds\nAddress: 122 Mack Road\, Lebanon\, CT 06249\nAdult General Admission: $18\nYouth Admission: $10\nChild Admission: Free\nEntertainment: More than 40 shows daily across 13 stages\nMarketplace: More than 200 artisans\, food vendors\, games and other merchants\nFood: 37 food merchants and seven pubs and taverns\nPremium On-Site Parking: $10\, advance date-specific purchase required\nFree Parking: Satellite lots with shuttle service\nPet Admission: $5; service animals free\nSame-Day Re-Entry: Permitted with handstamp\nOutside Food: Snacks and nonalcoholic drinks permitted \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/connecticut-renaissance-faire-2026-guide-2/
LOCATION:Lebanon Fair Grounds\, 122 Mack Road\, Lebanon\, 06249\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lebanon Fairgrounds
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T180000
DTSTAMP:20260911T012527Z
CREATED:20260901T003636Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T012527Z
UID:10007221-1788602400-1788631200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:East Coast Collectibles Convention at Mohegan Sun
DESCRIPTION:East Coast Collectibles Convention at Mohegan Sun 2026 brings hundreds of dealers and thousands of cards and collectibles to the Earth Expo & Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday\, September 5–6. \nBetter known as EC3CON\, the two-day Connecticut card show has grown into a major regional gathering for sports cards\, Pokémon\, trading card games\, memorabilia and pop-culture collectibles. More than 350 vendor tables are planned for the September convention\, with collectors invited to buy\, sell and trade throughout the weekend. \nThis isn’t limited to serious sports-card collectors hunting expensive vintage cards\, either. Pokémon\, Magic: The Gathering\, One Piece\, Yu-Gi-Oh!\, Disney Lorcana\, Funko Pops\, wrestling\, comics\, anime\, non-sports cards\, fan art and other collectibles are represented alongside traditional baseball\, football and other sports cards. \nMore Than 350 Tables of Cards and Collectibles\nEC3CON is produced by East Coast Collectibles\, the Connecticut collectibles company that also operates a card shop in Middletown. \nThe organization describes its Mohegan Sun conventions as quarterly events drawing vendors and collectors from throughout New England and the Northeast. The move into the larger Earth Expo Center has allowed the convention to expand its number of tables\, programming and special guests. \nFor collectors\, that means a show floor built around browsing. \nSome tables specialize in sports cards. Others concentrate on Pokémon and other trading card games. Visitors can search for individual cards needed to complete a collection\, unopened products\, memorabilia and collectibles while also bringing their own cards to trade. \nAnd you don’t need to arrive looking for a five-figure Mickey Mantle card. \nEC3CON specifically encourages younger and beginning collectors to explore inexpensive value boxes and dollar bins\, talk with dealers and learn how trading works. \nSpecial Guests Coming to EC3CON\nThe September show is also bringing several guests from professional wrestling\, sports and animation. \nKurt Angle is scheduled to appear. The WWE Hall of Famer won a freestyle wrestling gold medal for the United States at the 1996 Olympic Games before becoming one of professional wrestling’s most recognizable performers. \nFormer WWE performer Joseph Sawyer\, better known to wrestling audiences as Joe Gacy\, is also listed among the convention’s guests. Sawyer performed as a member of the Wyatt Sicks during his WWE career. \nFootball fans will have an appearance by Tyler Nubin\, the New York Giants safety who played college football at Minnesota before entering the NFL. \nThe guest list reaches into animation as well. \nGary Littman has provided voices for characters in One Piece\, Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL\, Pokémon and other animated productions\, while David Wills has accumulated voice credits across Yu-Gi-Oh! GX\, Pokémon\, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles\, One Piece and other series. \nGuest appearances\, schedules and autograph opportunities can change\, so collectors interested in meeting a particular guest should check the convention’s current schedule before attending. EC3CON’s ticket policy specifically notes that guest appearances and autograph times are subject to change. \nBring Your Own Collection\nYou don’t have to come solely to shop. \nEC3CON encourages attendees to bring cards to trade\, making the convention useful for collectors who already have boxes or binders sitting at home. \nTrading with other attendees and interacting with vendors is permitted\, although the convention notes that rules governing direct sales may vary. \nFor someone new to collecting\, that’s also part of the appeal of a large card show. Instead of scrolling through listings online\, collectors can handle cards\, compare condition\, ask dealers questions and see dozens of different approaches to the hobby in one room. \nSaturday Night Trade Night\nWhen the convention floor closes Saturday at 6 p.m.\, the collecting doesn’t stop. \nEC3CON will hold a Trade Night from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday\, September 5. \nThe evening is devoted to collectors meeting one another\, showing what they’ve brought and making trades outside the regular show-floor hours. \nBetter still\, Trade Night is free and open to the public. \nThat makes Saturday potentially a very long day for a serious collector: early-bird admission begins at 9 a.m.\, the regular convention runs until 6 p.m.\, and Trade Night continues until 10 p.m. \nGet Autographs Authenticated at the Show\nJames Spence Authentication\, better known as JSA\, is scheduled to provide on-site autograph authentication. \nCollectors can bring signed memorabilia to JSA for examination rather than mailing an item away and waiting for it to be returned. The event listing says authentication can be completed in a matter of hours. \nThat’s particularly useful at a convention where autographs and signed memorabilia are both being bought and sold. \nA Family-Friendly Introduction to Collecting\nEC3CON is explicitly designed as an all-ages event\, and children younger than 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. \nThe organizers encourage children to bring cards of their own to trade and recommend starting younger collectors with inexpensive cards rather than immediately chasing high-value pieces. \nThat gives the convention an interesting second audience beyond veteran collectors. A parent who collected baseball cards years ago can walk into the same room with a child interested in Pokémon\, while someone else may be hunting wrestling autographs\, anime collectibles or modern football cards. \nThey’re different hobbies… until you put 350 tables under one roof. \nAbout EC3CON\nEast Coast Collectibles operates both the convention and the East Coast Collectibles Card Shop in Middletown. \nThe company describes EC3CON as a quarterly Mohegan Sun event serving collectors from Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. Organizers say the convention attracts thousands of attendees and vendors from around the country. \nAnd September isn’t the final show of 2026. \nAnother EC3CON is scheduled at Mohegan Sun for November 28–29\, followed by announced 2027 conventions in January and June. \nEvent Details\nEvent: East Coast Collectibles Convention — EC3CON \nDates: Saturday\, September 5 and Sunday\, September 6\, 2026 \nSaturday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. \nSunday: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. \nEarly Bird Admission: Saturday at 9 a.m. Early Bird admission must be purchased in advance. \nSaturday Trade Night: 6:30–10 p.m.; free and open to the public. \nLocation: Earth Expo & Convention Center at Mohegan Sun \nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382 \nAdmission: Tickets start at $20 according to the current ticketing listing. Children under 12 are admitted free with an accompanying adult. \nParking: Parking at Mohegan Sun is free. The Winter Parking Garage or Winter Parking Lot provides the most convenient access to the Earth Expo & Convention Center. \nVisitors should allow additional time to enter because Mohegan Sun conducts security screenings before events on the property.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/east-coast-collectibles-convention-at-mohegan-sun-2026-2/
LOCATION:Earth Expo and Convention Center\, Winter Parking Garage\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, CT\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T180000
DTSTAMP:20260831T235920Z
CREATED:20260831T235920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T235920Z
UID:10007300-1788602400-1788631200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Olde Mistick Village Art Show
DESCRIPTION:Olde Mistick Village Art Show returns across multiple summer and holiday weekends\, bringing painters\, photographers\, jewelers\, potters\, woodworkers\, and mixed-media artists to the walkways of Olde Mistick Village. The outdoor art event takes place Labor Day weekend\, September 5–7\, transforming the historic shopping village into an open-air showcase filled with original artwork\, handcrafted goods\, and live creative demonstrations. With free admission and ample parking\, the event gives visitors a chance to explore both the artist displays and the village’s shops\, restaurants\, and summer atmosphere all in one afternoon. \nThe weekend lineup highlights the wide range of artists and mediums featured throughout the series\, including acrylic and oil painters\, fused glass artists\, underwater photographers\, wildlife photographers\, ceramicists\, woodworkers\, illustrators\, and mixed-media creators. Visitors can browse everything from seascapes\, landscapes\, and wildlife paintings to handcrafted pottery\, vintage book purses\, holographic glass jewelry\, carved wooden kitchen utensils\, hand-turned pens\, and underwater photography printed on aluminum. The variety of styles and materials gives the show the feel of a coastal New England art market spread throughout the village pathways and courtyards. \nSet among the brick walkways and Colonial-style buildings of Olde Mistick Village\, the art show blends shopping\, creativity\, and shoreline summer energy into a relaxed weekend outing. Visitors can spend the afternoon meeting artists\, browsing handmade work\, stopping for food or drinks\, and exploring more than 40 independent shops surrounding the event. Whether attending during Father’s Day weekend\, midsummer in July\, or Labor Day weekend\, the Olde Mistick Village Art Show offers one of the region’s larger seasonal gatherings focused on local and regional art. \n\n\nEvent Details\nEvent: Olde Mistick Village Art Show \nDates: \n\nSeptember 5–7\, 2026 (Labor Day Weekend)\n\nTime: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. each day \nLocation:\nOlde Mistick Village\n27 Coogan Boulevard\nMystic\, CT 06355 \nAdmission: Free \nParking: Free on-site parking \nWhat You’ll Find\n\nOriginal artwork from local and regional artists\nPaintings in acrylic\, oil\, watercolor\, and mixed media\nFine art and underwater photography\nHandcrafted jewelry and fused glass art\nPottery and ceramics\nWoodworking and hand-turned creations\nIllustrations and mixed-media artwork\nOpportunities to meet artists and watch demonstrations\nMore than 40 locally owned shops and restaurants throughout Olde Mistick Village\n\nArtists\nGlass \n\nMarylee Schwarzer~ Shattered Glass Studios~ Fused Glass Décor\nCole Quinn ~ Blown Away Gallery ~ Glass Blower\n\nIllustrations \n\nEric Sturtevant ~ Illustrations~ Original Watercolor/Ink/Pencil Illustrations\, Books\nCarrie Wagner Sepialepus Illustration ~ Colorful Cartography & Illustrations\n\nJewelry \n\nLise Weller~ Omni by Lise ~ Holographic Fused Glass\n\nMixed Media \n\nJohn Houle ~ Burnt Offerings Art with Acrylic Wash\nMichael Michaud ~ Mijumi Art ~Mixed media on canvas and collage on watercolor paper\nTammi Sauco~ Gratefulheart art.com ~Acrylic Mixed Media\n\nPainting \n\nWendy Avery~ Wavery Art ~Acrylic Painting\nVictoria Bishop~ Lyricwatercolors.com ~ Watercolors\nBruce Dumas~ Dumas Art Studio ~ Traditional Acrylic\, Landscapes\, Boats\, Seascapes\nKatie Fogg~ Kfoggstudio~ Color Plein-Air-oil Painitngs\nBeth Goulet ~ Pastels Landscapes & Animals\nLinda Halllinan ~ Unique Visions by Linda~ Acrylic on canvas\nFran Henderson~ Henderson Studio ~ Oil Paintings on Canvas and Recycled Materials\nLeonardo Jaracampos~ Acrylic Paintings Seascapes & Landscapes\nAlexandra Jedrey~ Oil Paintings of Oyster Shells\nDebbie Lindsley ~ Whimsical Accents~ Hand Painted Stones\, Slate & Canvas\nNicole Lynch~ Acrylic/Oil ~Wildlife\nDave Nuvue~ Pastels~ Landscapes\, Sealife\, Wildlife\nSakara Perry~Watercolor & Ink mixed media collage\, using magazines &Acrylic paint on Masonite\nGraciela Perrone~ Oils on Canvas\, Watercolors on Paper\nZack Prosser ~ Acrylic on Canvas\nCarlos Rios ~ Oil Seascapes\, Landscapes\nJeremy Schilling~ Fine Art Oil Paint Contemporary Realist Painter\nAnn Torey ~Crafty Peddler ~ Acrylic Painting with Eggshells\nBeverly Townsend~ Acrylic on Canvas\nNigel Wynter ~Nigel Wynter Art~ Oil\, Sports Themed\, Landscapes Art\n\nPhotography \n\nDavid DelBiondo~ Ocean Visits Underwater Photography ~ Underwater Sea Life\nDoug Hockman ~ Photography ~ Nature/ Abstract Photography on Wood\nNancy Nielsen Photography ~ / Mixed Media ~ Sea Glass\, Driftwood\nTom Sayers ~ On the Wing Photography ~ Wildlife Birds on Aluminum\nJudith Secco~ Framed Fine Art Photography\n\nPottery \n\nMark Bentz ~ Garden Grove Pottery\nPat Shea ~ Pottery by Shea\n\nWood \n\nKen Guarneri ~ My Turn Wood Turning~ One of a Kind Turned on a Lathe\nDon Hart ~ Hart Woodworking ~ Hand Turned Pens/Pencils\, Mixed Media\nRay Medeiros ~Why a Spoon ~ Hand Carved Kitchen Utensils\nBrian Spice ~NeWoodworkz~ Hand Turned Pens\, Pencils\, Sewing Notions\n\nGood to Know\n\nThe event is held outdoors along the walkways of Olde Mistick Village.\nComfortable walking shoes are recommended.\nMany artists sell one-of-a-kind pieces that are only available during the show.\nVisitors can easily combine the art show with shopping\, dining\, or exploring nearby Mystic attractions.\n\nNearby Attractions\n\nMystic Aquarium\nMystic Seaport Museum\nDowntown Mystic\nMystic River Park\nDenison Pequotsepos Nature Center
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/olde-mistick-village-art-show-5/
LOCATION:Olde Mistick Village\, 27 Coogan Blvd\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Olde Mistick Village
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Olde-Mistick-Village-Art-Show.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T170000
DTSTAMP:20260903T133221Z
CREATED:20260903T133221Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T133221Z
UID:10007438-1788602400-1788627600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Family Field Day at Mystic Seaport Museum
DESCRIPTION:Family Field Day at Mystic Seaport Museum brings sack races\, bucket brigades\, barrel rolling\, and other classic outdoor games to the Village Green on Saturday\, September 5. \nThe Labor Day weekend event is designed as an old-fashioned field day for all ages\, using the Museum’s historic Seaport Village as the backdrop for an afternoon built around simple games rather than screens or elaborate attractions. \nFamily Field Day is included with regular Mystic Seaport Museum admission\, so there is no separate event ticket required. Participants can check in at a pop-up tent on the Village Green and take home a commemorative ribbon from the day. \nSack Races\, Bucket Brigades and Barrel Rolling\nThe activities reach back to the kind of games that could once turn a schoolyard\, community picnic or town gathering into a competition. \nMystic Seaport Museum has specifically announced sack races\, bucket brigades and barrel rolling among the September 5 activities\, with additional field-day games planned. \nThe format keeps things simple and physical. \nSack races have competitors trying to hop their way across a finish line while standing inside sacks. Bucket brigades turn teamwork into the competition\, with participants working together to move water from one point to another. Barrel rolling adds a game that feels especially at home inside a recreated maritime village. \nThe Museum is describing the event as appropriate for visitors of all ages rather than limiting participation to children. \nA Field Day in the Middle of a 19th-Century Seaport\nThe location makes Family Field Day different from holding the same collection of games on a modern athletic field. \nMystic Seaport Museum’s Village Green sits within a recreated 19th-century coastal community populated with historic buildings\, working trades and waterfront spaces. \nThe Museum’s Seaport Village contains dozens of historic structures gathered from locations around New England and arranged to interpret life in a maritime community during the 1800s. \nVisitors can move between homes\, shops and trade buildings while interpreters demonstrate skills that were once part of everyday coastal life. \nFamily Field Day puts recreational activities into that setting. \nInstead of simply learning how people lived and worked in earlier generations\, families get a chance to participate in the kind of uncomplicated group play that predates modern amusement parks\, video games and organized youth sports. \nTake Home a Field Day Ribbon\nVisitors who want to participate can stop at the event’s pop-up tent to check in. \nMystic Seaport Museum says participants will be able to take home a commemorative ribbon. \nThere’s no indication that families need to arrive at a specific time or commit to an organized tournament. The activities are part of the Museum’s Labor Day weekend programming and take place during a regular day at the Museum. \nThat makes it easy to combine Field Day with the rest of a Mystic Seaport Museum visit. \nMake It a Full Museum Day\nFamily Field Day is only one part of what’s available once visitors are inside the gates. \nMystic Seaport Museum covers approximately 19 acres along the Mystic River and combines historic vessels\, exhibition galleries\, a recreated seaport village and a working preservation shipyard. \nThe centerpiece of the waterfront collection is the Charles W. Morgan\, launched in 1841 and now the world’s last surviving wooden whaleship. \nVisitors can also explore the Museum’s collection of historic watercraft and watch maritime preservation work underway at the Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard. \nFor families\, the Museum also maintains hands-on and interactive experiences that connect subjects such as sailing\, maritime history and science. \nThat makes Field Day something that can be folded into a much larger day rather than necessarily being the sole reason for visiting. \nA family could spend some time competing on the Village Green\, explore the historic village\, climb aboard vessels open to visitors and continue along the waterfront. \nA Labor Day Weekend Send-Off to Summer\nThe September 5 date puts Family Field Day at the beginning of Labor Day weekend and near the unofficial end of the summer season. \nThat’s intentional. \nMystic Seaport Museum is presenting the event as a way to wrap up summer with an afternoon of outdoor play\, laughter and family activities. \nThere’s also something fitting about doing that without making the day overly complicated. \nNo specialized equipment is needed. \nThere isn’t a long schedule of performances to follow. \nAnd there’s no separate admission charge once visitors are inside the Museum. \nShow up at the Village Green\, find the Field Day check-in tent and join a game. \nFamily Field Day Is Included With Museum Admission\nThere is no additional charge for Family Field Day beyond regular Mystic Seaport Museum admission. \nVisitors do still need admission to the Museum itself. \nThe Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.\, with the grounds remaining open until 6 p.m. \nBecause Family Field Day takes place inside the Museum\, visitors can purchase regular admission and spend the rest of the day exploring the campus before or after participating in the games. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Family Field Day\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nVenue: Mystic Seaport Museum\nLocation: Village Green\nAddress: 75 Greenmanville Avenue\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nMuseum Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\nGrounds Close: 6 p.m.\nAdmission: Included with regular Mystic Seaport Museum admission\nActivities: Sack races\, bucket brigades\, barrel rolling and additional classic field-day games\nAges: All ages\nCheck-In: Pop-up tent on the Village Green\nKeepsake: Participants can take home a commemorative ribbon \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase Museum admission\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/family-field-day-at-mystic-seaport-museum/
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/2026/09/Family-Field-Day-at-Mystic-Seaport-Museum.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T130000
DTSTAMP:20260624T031304Z
CREATED:20260624T030727Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260624T031304Z
UID:10006247-1788602400-1788613200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Waterford Farmers Market
DESCRIPTION:The Waterford Farmers Market returns for the 2026 season\, bringing local food\, handmade goods\, and community spirit to the Waterford Community Center every Saturday from June 20 through October 24. Shoppers can browse a rotating selection of vendors offering fresh produce\, baked goods\, meats\, honey\, flowers\, artisan crafts\, specialty foods\, and other locally made products. \nWhether you’re picking up ingredients for the week\, searching for unique gifts\, or simply enjoying a Saturday morning outing\, the market offers a chance to support local farmers\, makers\, and small businesses. New vendors and seasonal offerings appear throughout the season\, making each visit a little different from the last. \nEvent Details \nDates: Saturdays\, June 20 – October 24\, 2026\nTime: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM\nLocation: Waterford Community Center\, 24 Rope Ferry Road\, Waterford\, CT \nVendors May Include: \n\nFresh fruits and vegetables\nLocal meats and seafood\nBaked goods and breads\nHoney and specialty foods\nFlowers and plants\nArtisan crafts and handmade goods\nLocal artists and makers\n\nAdmission: Free \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/waterford-farmers-market/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Waterford Community Center\, 24 Rope Ferry Rd\, Waterford\, 06385\, United States
CATEGORIES:Waterford Community Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Waterford-Farmers-Market-Saturdays-June-20-October-24-10am-1pm-Waterford-Community-Center-24-Rope-Ferry-Road-Waterford.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T123000
DTSTAMP:20260627T004225Z
CREATED:20260602T000632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260627T004225Z
UID:10004050-1788602400-1788611400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Make a Mug Workshop at the COMO
DESCRIPTION:  \nMake your own pottery mug at COMO! This hands-on workshop will teach beginners and creative adults how to make their very own one-of-a-kind mug. Classes are offered on the first Saturday of every month. \nDuring the Make a Mug Workshop at the COMO\, attendees will work with clay slabs to create a mug of their choice. Guided by pottery expert Emma Pons\, students will learn how to shape their clay\, attach handles\, and add personal designs to finish their mug. By the end of class\, participants will walk away with a completed mug in their size and glaze choice. \nLet us take the guesswork out of crafting the perfect mug. Bring your friends and family for a fun afternoon of creativity and excitement at Make a Mug Workshop at the COMO. Crafts will be fired after the class and available for pickup within 2-4 weeks. Register today for **$63 COMO Members** and **$70 Non-members**. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/make-a-mug-workshop-at-the-como/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:COMO Pottery Studio\, 45 Cutler Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:COMO Pottery Studio
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Make-a-Mug-Workshop-at-the-COMO-Saturday-10-am-to-1230-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T230000
DTSTAMP:20260911T012545Z
CREATED:20260905T213707Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T012545Z
UID:10007459-1788598800-1788649200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The 165th Woodstock Fair Guide
DESCRIPTION:165th Woodstock Fair returns to South Woodstock for five days over Labor Day weekend\, September 3–7\, bringing one of Connecticut’s oldest agricultural traditions together with major concerts\, livestock shows\, carnival rides\, fair food and several new attractions. \nThe 2026 Main Stage lineup is unusually strong. Tonic headlines Friday night\, Kool & the Gang takes over Saturday\, Trace Adkins performs Sunday\, and Beach Boys co-founder Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band close the Fair on Labor Day Monday. The Flying Wallendas and magician Leon Etienne also perform throughout the weekend. \nAll Main Stage entertainment is included with Fair admission. \nBut the Woodstock Fair is still\, fundamentally\, an agricultural fair. Livestock barns\, dairy cattle\, sheep\, goats\, rabbits\, agricultural competitions and the historic Brunn Barn sit alongside the flashing lights of the Fiesta Shows midway. \nFor its 165th edition\, the Fair is adding something new to that mix: Rustic Tap & Vine\, a dedicated beer and wine area featuring Connecticut producers. \nHere’s what to know before heading to South Woodstock. \nWhen Is the 2026 Woodstock Fair?\nThe Woodstock Fair runs Thursday\, September 3 through Monday\, September 7\, 2026 at the Woodstock Fairgrounds\, 281 Route 169 in South Woodstock. \nOpening times vary by day. \nThursday: 4 p.m.\nFriday: Noon\nSaturday: 9 a.m.\nSunday: 9 a.m.\nLabor Day Monday: 9 a.m. \nThursday through Sunday\, the Main Gate remains open until 9:30 p.m.\, with other gates closing at 9 p.m. Carnival rides and games continue until 11 p.m. \nMonday operates on an earlier schedule. All gates close at 7 p.m.\, with carnival rides and games continuing until 8 p.m. \nThe barns and exhibition halls also have their own closing times\, so visitors primarily interested in the agricultural side shouldn’t wait until late evening to explore them. \nHow Much Are Woodstock Fair Tickets?\nOnline general admission for 2026 is $16.95 for adults\, including the processing fee. \nAdmission for active-duty military members with identification is $11.80\, while seniors 65 and older with identification also pay $11.80 online. \nChildren 10 and younger are admitted free. \nOne of the biggest values in the ticket is the entertainment. \nThe major concerts\, Flying Wallendas performances\, Leon Etienne’s magic shows and other stage entertainment are included with paid Fair admission. There is no separate concert ticket required for Kool & the Gang\, Trace Adkins\, Tonic or Al Jardine. \nMain Stage performances are general admission with no reserved seating. \nGuests may bring folding chairs for the grass-covered area in front of the stage. \nFriday Night: Tonic Headlines the Main Stage\nFriday\, September 4\, starts the first full day of the Fair at noon. \nThe Flying Wallendas perform at 1 and 3 p.m.\, followed by Soul Afire at 5 p.m. and Leon Etienne’s Magic Rocks at 6:30. \nThen the Main Stage shifts into ’90s alternative rock. \nTonic performs at 8 p.m. \nFormed in Los Angeles in the 1990s\, Tonic broke nationally with its 1996 debut album Lemon Parade. The record produced the band’s signature hit\, “If You Could Only See\,” along with “Open Up Your Eyes.” \nThe band’s success carried into subsequent albums\, and Tonic earned two Grammy nominations for its 2002 album Head on Straight. \nFriday also brings the Old Fiddlers Club of Rhode Island to Center Stage at noon\, Soul Afire at 2:30 p.m.\, Leon Etienne at 3:45 and the Fair’s Country Karaoke Contest at 6. \nSaturday Night: Kool & the Gang\nSaturday brings the biggest dance party of the weekend. \nKool & the Gang headlines the Main Stage at 8 p.m. September 5. \nFew bands arrive with a catalog more immediately recognizable at a fairground. \nThe group’s decades of funk\, soul\, R&B and pop produced “Celebration\,” “Jungle Boogie\,” “Ladies’ Night\,” “Get Down on It\,” “Too Hot\,” “Cherish” and a long list of other hits. \nThe band’s history reaches back to Jersey City in 1964\, making Kool & the Gang’s longevity particularly appropriate for the 165th edition of a fair that has built its own identity around tradition. \nSaturday’s Main Stage begins much earlier. \nThe Flying Wallendas perform at 1 and 3 p.m. The Stevie Nicks Experience performs at 5\, followed by Leon Etienne’s Magic Rocks at 6:30 and Kool & the Gang at 8. \nCenter Stage has its own schedule beginning with Quest Martial Arts at 10:30 a.m.\, followed by the East Woodstock Cornet Band at 11:30. Quest returns at 2 p.m.\, the Stevie Nicks Experience performs at 2:30\, Leon Etienne appears at 3:45\, and the Pop Karaoke Contest begins at 5. \nSunday Night Belongs to Trace Adkins\nSunday\, September 6\, turns the Main Stage toward country music. \nTrace Adkins performs at 8 p.m. \nThe Louisiana-born singer has spent three decades in country music\, with a catalog that includes “You’re Gonna Miss This\,” “Every Light in the House\,” “Ladies Love Country Boys\,” “Songs About Me” and “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.” \nAdkins has also been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2003. \nBefore the headliner\, the Flying Wallendas perform at 1 and 3 p.m. Nick Bosse and the Northern Roots take the stage at 5\, followed by Leon Etienne’s Magic Rocks at 6:30. \nCenter Stage begins Sunday at 10 a.m. with Whitney Doucet\, followed by Danielson Martial Arts at 11:15\, another Whitney Doucet performance at noon\, Danielson Martial Arts at 1:30\, Nick Bosse at 2:30 and Leon Etienne at 4. \nAl Jardine Closes the Fair on Labor Day\nThe final day gets an appropriate end-of-summer soundtrack. \nAl Jardine of the Beach Boys and the Pet Sounds Band perform at 5:30 p.m. Monday\, September 7. \nJardine was a founding member of the Beach Boys\, singing and playing guitar as the group created one of the defining catalogs in American popular music. \nHis lead vocals include “Help Me\, Rhonda\,” while his decades with the Beach Boys connected him to records ranging from the early surf hits through Pet Sounds and beyond. \nMonday’s Main Stage begins with the Flying Wallendas at 11:30 a.m. Leon Etienne performs at 12:30\, the Wallendas return at 2\, Red Light Band performs at 2:30\, and Etienne returns at 4 before Jardine closes the 165th Fair. \nThe Flying Wallendas Perform Throughout the Weekend\nThe Flying Wallendas are more than another stage act on the schedule. \nThe Wallenda name has been synonymous with high-wire performance for generations\, dating back to the European circus tradition that eventually brought the family to the United States. \nTheir appearances are spread throughout the Fair\, making them one of the easiest major attractions to catch even if you’re attending primarily for something else. \nThey perform Thursday at 6 p.m.; Friday\, Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m.; and Monday at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. \nThat gives visitors nine opportunities over the five-day Fair. \nLeon Etienne Brings Magic to Multiple Stages\nAnother performer will be difficult to miss. \nLeon Etienne’s Magic Rocks appears repeatedly on both the Main and Center stages. \nEtienne has built his act around large-scale illusions\, sleight of hand\, comedy and rock-show energy rather than the quieter presentation of a traditional stage magician. \nHis national television appearances have included America’s Got Talent\, where he became one of the show’s recognizable magic acts. \nAt Woodstock\, he’s performing multiple times throughout Labor Day weekend\, making his show one of the easier entertainment options to work into a full day. \nDon’t Skip the Agriculture\nIt would be easy to look at a lineup containing Kool & the Gang and Trace Adkins and think of Woodstock primarily as a music festival with carnival rides. \nThat misses the heart of the Fair. \nThe Woodstock Fair describes itself as Connecticut’s largest agricultural fair\, and its agricultural competitions remain a major part of the five-day event. \nFriday begins with the Rabbit Exhibition and Sheep Show at noon\, followed by the Goat Show at 1 p.m. and Youth Dairy Cattle Show at 3. \nSaturday starts early with the Dairy Cattle Show and Rabbit Exhibition at 9 a.m.\, Youth Sheep Show at 9:30 and Sheep Lead Line at 6 p.m. \nSunday includes rabbits\, sheep and goats in the morning and Beef Showmanship at 3 p.m. \nMonday begins with the Beef Show and Rabbit Exhibition at 9 a.m.\, followed by the Sheep Show at 9:30. \nThe Youth Dairy Cattle Show on Friday is followed by showmanship and a costume class\, while Sunday’s Beef Showmanship is followed by steer and costume classes. \nVisit the Brunn Barn Museum\nOne of the best places to understand why the agricultural part of Woodstock matters is the Brunn Barn Museum. \nThe barn itself dates to 1822. \nIt was dismantled in 2004 and reconstructed at the Woodstock Fairgrounds in time for the 2005 Fair. \nInside\, the focus is on New England’s agricultural past. \nAntique farm equipment and tools help show how work was accomplished before tractors\, combines and other modern machinery transformed farming. \nThe barn also hosts demonstrations and educational displays. \nIn a Fair increasingly filled with modern entertainment\, the Brunn Barn provides a direct connection to the agricultural history that created events like Woodstock in the first place. \nNew for 2026: Rustic Tap & Vine\nOne of the biggest additions to the 165th Fair is decidedly more modern. \nRustic Tap & Vine debuts in 2026 as a new beer and wine destination inside the Fair. \nThe project was created in partnership with bankHometown\, a division of TruNorth Bank\, along with Taylor Brooke Brewery and Winery\, Bear Hands Brewing Company and Black Pond Brewery. \nThe new attraction opens with the Fair at 4 p.m. Thursday. \nRustic Tap & Vine operates Thursday from 4–7 p.m.; Friday\, Saturday and Sunday from noon–7 p.m.; and Labor Day Monday from noon–6 p.m. \nFor adults who remember when a fair beer meant little more than grabbing whatever was being poured at a concession stand\, the dedicated space gives the 2026 Fair another distinct destination. \nThe Midway Is Back With Fiesta Shows\nFiesta Shows operates the Woodstock Fair midway\, with rides ranging from family attractions to the sort of spinning machinery that looks much more entertaining from the ground depending on your tolerance for centrifugal force. \nThe expected 2026 lineup includes the Super Cyclone Coaster\, Spider Wheel\, Warrior\, Top Gun\, Thunder Bolt\, Zero Gravity\, Hyper Spin\, Pharaoh’s Fury\, Fire Ball\, Spinning Coaster\, Zipper\, Starship Exodus and Hurricane. \nThere are also gentler options including the carousel\, train\, Crazy Bus\, Rock’n Tug and slide. \nRide height requirements vary. \nIndividual ride credits will be available at the Fair\, while advance unlimited-ride options are also available. \nRide Wristbands Can Save Money\nIf the midway is going to be a major part of your day\, buying in advance can save a few dollars. \nThursday’s unlimited wristband is $30 online or $35 on site and is valid from 4–10 p.m. \nFriday is split into two sessions\, noon–5 p.m. or 5 p.m.–close\, with wristbands costing $30 online or $35 on site. \nSaturday\, Sunday and Monday use all-day Megapass wristbands at $40 online or $45 on site. \nThese do not include Fair admission. \nWristbands and Megapasses also aren’t valid for the bumper cars\, mechanical bull\, rock wall or bungee jump. \nFamily Fun Goes Beyond the Midway\nFamilies who don’t want to spend the entire day buying ride credits have another option. \nThe Fabulous Family Fun Area is open all five days with the Records and Burpee Petting Zoo\, inflatable games and Sandtasia Sand Sculpture. \nThe Pork Chop Revue also performs throughout the weekend. \nDespite the name\, it’s not a barbecue demonstration. \nThe show features trained pigs performing tricks and comedic routines and has become the kind of oddball agricultural entertainment that fits naturally at a country fair. \nSaturday also brings Vinny’s Pizza Eating Contest at 2:15 p.m. \nOn Sunday\, the competitive eating turns to dessert with a Blueberry Pie Eating Contest at 2:15. \nYou Can Enter the Karaoke Contest\nThe audience can become the entertainment on Friday and Saturday. \nFriday’s Country Karaoke Contest begins at 6 p.m. on Center Stage. \nSaturday’s Pop Karaoke Contest starts at 5 p.m. \nEach contest is limited to 10 contestants\, and advance registration is available through the Fair. \nParticipants are asked to arrive at Center Stage 30 minutes before the contest\, with registration beginning 15 minutes before showtime. \nSomeone can even enter both competitions\, although a separate registration is required for each. \nLabor Day Starts With a Cornhole Tournament\nMonday morning brings a different kind of competition. \nThe Woodstock Fair Cornhole Tournament begins at 10 a.m. September 7 on Center Stage. \nTwo-person teams compete in either Social or Competitive divisions. \nRegistration is $50 per team\, or $25 per player\, and the entire registration pool goes into the prize purse. \nThe Woodstock Fair adds another $2\,500. \nTournament registration does not include Fair admission or parking\, and players need to bring their own regulation cornhole bags. The Fair supplies the boards. \nCome Hungry\nWoodstock’s food list is enormous. \nThis is still the place for fried dough\, funnel cakes\, sausage and peppers\, giant eclairs\, fried Oreos\, caramel apples\, ice cream\, kettle corn and the sort of food decisions that seem completely reasonable inside a fairground. \nBut the selection goes considerably further. \nThere are lobster rolls and lobster quesadillas from Cousins Maine Lobster; clam cakes and chowder; jerk chicken and oxtails; Polish food including pierogi\, kielbasa and stuffed cabbage; gyros; barbecue brisket; poutine; tacos; empanadas; Indian street food; Thai dishes; Colombian-American food; Mediterranean dishes; bubble tea and specialty coffee. \nYou can find bacon on a stick. \nYou can find chocolate-covered bacon. \nYou can find a deep-fried PB&J. \nThere is even a vendor dedicated entirely to gluten-free fair food\, with gluten-free funnel cakes\, fried Oreos\, chicken tenders\, corn dogs and donuts. \nLocal churches\, Scouts\, Lions\, veterans groups and other nonprofits also operate food stands\, continuing a piece of the Fair that feels considerably closer to its community roots. \nParking Is Not Included\nThis is important for first-time visitors. \nThe Woodstock Fair does not operate an on-site parking lot. \nInstead\, neighboring farms\, businesses and organizations provide parking around the Fairgrounds and set their own prices. \nFor 2026\, the Fair lists several nearby options at $10. \nFairvue Farm is on Route 171 near the South Gate. \nValleyside Farm is near Routes 171 and 169 and provides access convenient to the Main and Service gates. \nSouth Woodstock Baptist Church offers parking near Roseland Park and North Gate roads. \nScranton’s Shops is across the street and diagonally north of the Service Gate. \nBring the extra $10 into your day’s budget rather than arriving expecting admission to include parking. \nPlan on Walking\nThe Woodstock Fair is big. \nBetween the livestock areas\, exhibition halls\, stages\, food stands\, midway\, agricultural attractions and parking outside the grounds\, a visit can involve a considerable amount of walking. \nComfortable shoes aren’t a bad idea. \nIt’s also worth looking at the Fair map before arriving\, particularly if you’re trying to catch a specific livestock show and a Main Stage performance on the same day. \nThe agricultural Fair and entertainment Fair coexist\, but they’re not all concentrated into one compact midway. \nWhich Day Should You Go?\nIf music is the deciding factor\, the choice is straightforward. \nGo Friday for Tonic. \nGo Saturday for Kool & the Gang. \nGo Sunday for Trace Adkins. \nGo Monday for Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band. \nFor the broadest all-day Fair experience\, Saturday and Sunday provide early 9 a.m. openings and entertainment running into the evening. \nMonday is a good choice for visitors who prefer an earlier day\, with the Fair opening at 9 a.m. and winding down after Al Jardine’s 5:30 p.m. concert. \nThursday is the abbreviated opening night\, beginning at 4 p.m. \nAnd if the animals are your priority\, check the livestock schedule before choosing a date. Different species and competitions take place on different days. \nEvent Details\nEvent: 165th Woodstock Fair\nDates: Thursday\, September 3–Monday\, September 7\, 2026\nLocation: Woodstock Fairgrounds\nAddress: 281 Route 169\, South Woodstock\, CT 06267\nThursday Opening: 4 p.m.\nFriday Opening: Noon\nSaturday Opening: 9 a.m.\nSunday Opening: 9 a.m.\nMonday Opening: 9 a.m.\nAdult Online Admission: $16.95 including processing fee\nSenior 65+ Online Admission: $11.80 with ID\nActive-Duty Military Online Admission: $11.80 with ID\nChildren: Ages 10 and younger free\nMain Stage Headliners: Tonic\, Kool & the Gang\, Trace Adkins\, Al Jardine of the Beach Boys and the Pet Sounds Band\nOther Major Entertainment: Flying Wallendas and Leon Etienne’s Magic Rocks\nNew for 2026: Rustic Tap & Vine\nMidway: Fiesta Shows\nParking: Nearby independently operated lots; listed 2026 options are $10\nMain Stage Shows: Included with paid Fair admission; general admission seating \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/165th-woodstock-fair-guide-2/
LOCATION:Woodstock Fairgrounds\, 281 Route 169\, South Woodstock\, 06267\, United States
CATEGORIES:Woodstock Fairgrounds
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/165th-Woodstock-Fair-Guide.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007307-1788598800-1788631200@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/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BF-Clydes-Cider-Mill-2026-Complete-Guide.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T120000
DTSTAMP:20260511T024639Z
CREATED:20260508T022649Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T024639Z
UID:10000896-1788598800-1788609600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Stonington Village Farmers Market
DESCRIPTION:Stonington Village Farmers Market has become one of the defining Saturday morning traditions along the Connecticut shoreline\, bringing together local farms\, food vendors\, artisans\, musicians\, and neighbors inside and outside the historic Velvet Mill. Running year-round since becoming a permanent seasonal fixture in 2008\, the market transforms with the seasons\, moving outdoors during the warmer months and indoors during late fall and winter while continuing to serve as a gathering place for the community. \nThe market offers far more than produce stands. Visitors can browse locally grown vegetables and fruits\, cheeses\, baked goods\, meats\, seafood\, maple syrup\, flowers\, mushrooms\, prepared foods\, and handmade crafts while live music plays in the background. The atmosphere feels distinctly coastal New England\, blending small-town community energy with the creativity and food culture that defines Stonington Village. Families\, dog owners\, and longtime locals mingle throughout the morning while vendors showcase everything from handmade soaps and pottery to organic kombucha and Mediterranean cuisine. \nWhat makes the Stonington Village Farmers Market stand out is how deeply connected it feels to the rhythm of the region itself. Some visitors arrive early for greenhouse spinach or fresh seafood before it sells out\, while others come simply to wander with coffee in hand and reconnect with neighbors. Between the local farmers\, prepared food vendors\, musicians\, and rotating artisan booths\, the market has evolved into more than a shopping destination. It has become a weekly community ritual that reflects the character\, creativity\, and agricultural roots of southeastern Connecticut. \nParticipating Vendors & Farms \n\nAPIS VERDI\nBroad Brook Acres\nDavis Farm\nISSA Catering\nJon Fish\nSeacoast Mushrooms\nSugar Maple Farms\nSweet Acre Farm\nWakin’ Up Waggin’\n18th Century Purity Farm\nStonyledge Farm and Studio Farm Products\nSummer Hill Catering\nCato Corner Farm\nTreatzles\nFiber + Mud\nYALLA\n\nSponsors & Organizers \n\nStonington Village Improvement Association (SVIA)\nVelvet Mill\n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/stonington-village-farmers-market-3/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Velvet Mill\, 22 Bayview Ave\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Velvet Mill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Stonington-Village-Farmers-Market-at-the-Velvet-Mill.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T110000
DTSTAMP:20260902T211930Z
CREATED:20260902T211930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T211930Z
UID:10007428-1788598800-1788606000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Run for the Hills 5K at Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve
DESCRIPTION:Run for the Hills 5K at Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve returns Saturday\, September 5\, inviting runners and hikers onto the trails of one of East Lyme’s largest protected natural areas while raising money to maintain the land they’re traveling through. \nThe fifth annual trail race begins at 9 a.m. at the preserve in Niantic. Check-in opens at 8 a.m.\, and an awards ceremony follows at 10:30 a.m. \nThis isn’t a conventional road 5K. The approximately 3.3-mile route follows hiking trails through the preserve\, including a stretch by Clark Pond\, with exposed rocks\, roots and uneven footing along the way. Hikers are welcome to participate alongside runners. \nOnline registration is currently $30 before the registration service fee. Day-of registration is $35 cash. \nA 5K That’s Actually a Little Longer Than a 5K\nThe name is easy to remember. \nThe course isn’t quite as simple. \nRun for the Hills covers approximately 3.3 miles\, making it slightly longer than the traditional 3.1-mile 5K distance. \nMore importantly\, those miles aren’t on pavement. \nThe route follows trails within the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve\, where runners should expect exposed rocks\, tree roots and the naturally uneven surfaces of a coastal Connecticut forest. \nThat makes the event a trail race in the real sense rather than a road race that happens to pass through a park. \nThe route takes participants around the perimeter of the preserve and past Clark Pond\, combining a competitive event with an introduction to a landscape that can be surprisingly rugged considering how close it sits to downtown Niantic. \nYou Don’t Have to Run It\nOne of the more welcoming aspects of Run for the Hills is that organizers explicitly invite hikers. \nThere’s no requirement to attack the course at racing speed. \nSomeone who wants to support the preserve and experience the route at walking pace can register and hike it instead. \nThat makes sense considering the purpose of the event. \nRun for the Hills isn’t simply using the preserve as a convenient location for a race. Proceeds go directly toward maintaining the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve. \nThe land is the reason for the event. \nMore Than 450 Acres of Coastal Forest\nThe Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve protects more than 450 acres in Niantic\, creating a large block of forest remarkably close to the developed shoreline. \nVisitors find ponds and wetlands\, rocky ridges\, glacial features and stretches of forest threaded together by miles of trails. \nThe preserve’s main entrance is reached from Memorial Park Drive off Route 161\, with parking near the athletic fields. \nFor Saturday’s race\, organizers say parking will be available adjacent to the preserve. Overflow parking will be available at East Lyme Town Hall at 108 Pennsylvania Avenue. \nThe preserve is maintained with help from Friends of the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve\, the nonprofit organization behind Run for the Hills. \nThat maintenance takes work. \nTrails need attention. Invasive plants need to be managed. Signs and educational resources need to be maintained. Storms and erosion can create new problems. \nRun for the Hills turns one morning of recreation into a fundraiser for that continuing stewardship. \nThe Oswegatchie Hills Are Bigger Than the Existing Preserve\nThe protected nature preserve is also part of a larger environmental story. \nFor years\, conservation organizations have fought to protect additional undeveloped land in the Oswegatchie Hills overlooking the Niantic River. \nFriends of the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve and Save the River-Save the Hills have worked with other conservation advocates to preserve more of the surrounding forest and prevent large-scale development in the watershed. \nThat’s where the geography becomes particularly important. \nThe hills don’t exist in isolation from the river below. \nRain falling across the landscape moves through soil\, wetlands\, streams and groundwater on its way toward the Niantic River. Forested land can absorb rainfall and slow runoff before it reaches the estuary. \nProtecting the hills therefore has implications beyond preserving hiking trails. \nIt’s also part of protecting the watershed. \nLast Year’s Race Drew More Than 120 Runners\nRun for the Hills has grown quickly. \nThe fourth annual race in 2025 drew more than 120 runners to the preserve. \nParticipants ranged from 8 to 77 years old and came from eight states\, including competitors traveling from as far away as South Carolina\, Georgia and New Hampshire. \nOrganizers reported that the race brought many first-time visitors into the preserve. \nThat may be one of the event’s most useful side effects. \nPeople can read about open-space preservation. They can look at acreage numbers on a map. \nRunning three-plus miles through the actual forest makes the thing being protected considerably less abstract. \nAwards Follow the Race\nSaturday’s schedule begins with race-day check-in at 8 a.m. \nThe race starts at 9. \nAt 10:30 a.m.\, participants will gather at the nature preserve for an awards ceremony and refreshments. \nAwards will recognize the overall first-place male and female finishers. \nThe top three men and women will also be recognized across seven age divisions: 19 and younger\, 20–29\, 30–39\, 40–49\, 50–59\, 60–69 and 70 and older. \nThe race will be professionally timed by SNERRO\, LLC. \nAnd because hikers are welcome\, nobody needs to be chasing an age-group medal to have a reason to participate. \nOne of Two Save the River-Save the Hills Events Saturday\nThe trail race isn’t the only conservation-themed event happening around the Niantic River on September 5. \nLater Saturday\, Red Lion Reggae Band is scheduled to perform at a separate Save the River-Save the Hills event on the Niantic River. \nThat event begins at 5 p.m. and is accessible by boat rather than from a conventional land-based concert venue. \nThe two events are separate and require very different plans\, but they share the same larger environmental backdrop: protecting the Oswegatchie Hills and the Niantic River watershed. \nEvent Details\nEvent: 5th Annual Run for the Hills 5K\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nCheck-In: 8 a.m.\nRace Start: 9 a.m.\nAwards Ceremony: 10:30 a.m.\nLocation: Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve\nAddress: 10 Memorial Park Drive\, Niantic\, CT 06357\nDistance: Approximately 3.3 miles\nCourse: Trail course with rocks\, roots and uneven terrain\nHikers: Welcome\nOnline Registration: $30 before registration service fee\nDay-of Registration: $35 cash\nParking: Adjacent to the preserve\nOverflow Parking: East Lyme Town Hall\, 108 Pennsylvania Avenue\, Niantic\nTiming: SNERRO\, LLC\nBeneficiary: Maintenance of the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo register\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/run-for-the-hills-5k-at-oswegatchie-hills-nature-preserve/
LOCATION:Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve\, 10 Memorial Park Drive\, Niantic\, 06357\, United States
CATEGORIES:Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T220000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T010000
DTSTAMP:20260826T022503Z
CREATED:20260826T022503Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260826T022503Z
UID:10007272-1788559200-1788570000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Comedy Roast at the Comix Roadhouse
DESCRIPTION:Comedy Roast at the Comix Roadhouse Friday\, September 4\, when Roast Battle League CT presents Roast at the Roadhouse. \nThe 10 p.m. show replaces the usual stand-up format with head-to-head comedy battles. Instead of comics telling jokes about their own lives\, each competitor comes armed with material written specifically to tear apart the person standing across from them. \nTen comedians. Five matchups. Three judges. \nAnd presumably very few hurt feelings… at least officially. \nFive Head-to-Head Battles\nThe night’s card features five comedy matchups: \nChadd Lennon vs. Mansa Musa \nVictoria Caira vs. Pat McKinstry \nEmily Siero vs. Kevin Boyd \nNick Kochis vs. Dillon Rakowski \nAli vs. Jeff Poirier \nSarah Carroll vs. Dustin Fiore \nBrittany Roarge vs. Zaire Hunt \nActually\, that’s seven battles\, giving the night an even larger lineup than the promotional description initially suggests. \nEach pairing puts two comedians directly against one another\, with insults\, personal jokes and prepared attacks replacing a conventional stand-up set. \nWhat Is a Roast Battle?\nRoast comedy has always depended on a strange agreement. \nSay something absolutely terrible about another person. \nMake it funny enough\, and everybody laughs. \nRoast battles turn that idea into a competition. Two comedians alternate jokes aimed directly at each other\, often digging into appearance\, personality\, career\, relationships or anything else they can turn into a punchline. \nThe point isn’t simply to be mean. \nAnyone can insult somebody. \nThe skill is constructing an insult so unexpected\, specific and well-written that even the person being roasted has to laugh. \nThe Judges Decide Who Survives\nThree judges will oversee the battles at Comix Roadhouse. \nThe announced panel includes Charity Gregory\, Dan Wilkes and Mike Eaton. \nCliff Mula is serving as host\, while Ish Gupta is listed as the show’s booker. \nTheir job is to keep seven battles moving while deciding which comics land the hardest shots. \nAnd unlike an ordinary stand-up show\, somebody gets to win. \nRoast Battle League Comes to Uncasville\nFriday’s show is presented by Roast Battle League CT in partnership with Comix Roadhouse. \nRoast Battle League is built around competitive insult comedy\, with comedians facing one another in organized battles rather than performing unrelated sets. \nThat changes the energy in the room. \nThe person waiting for you to finish a joke isn’t another comic waiting politely for their turn. \nThey’re listening. \nBecause they’re about to answer. \nLate Night at Comix Roadhouse\nComix Roadhouse combines a comedy club with a restaurant\, bar and country-themed entertainment venue inside Mohegan Sun. \nThe September 4 roast begins at 10 p.m.\, making this a late-night show rather than an early-evening comedy performance. \nTickets start at $15 for general admission\, with $25 VIP seating and $35 booth seating. \nTickets are available online and will also be available at the door. \nAnd with seven pairs of comics spending the night trying to find each other’s weakest spots\, sitting close to the stage may come with its own occupational hazard. \nJust don’t make eye contact. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Roast at the Roadhouse\nDate: Friday\, September 4\, 2026\nTime: 10 p.m.\nLocation: Comix Roadhouse at Mohegan Sun\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nPresented by: Roast Battle League CT and Comix Roadhouse\nHost: Cliff Mula\nBooker: Ish Gupta\nJudges: Charity Gregory\, Dan Wilkes and Mike Eaton\nFormat: Seven head-to-head comedy roast battles\nGeneral Admission: $15\nVIP: $25\nBooths: $35\nTickets: Available online and at the door \nRoast at the Roadhouse pits Connecticut comedians against one another in seven head-to-head insult-comedy battles at Comix Roadhouse. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/comedy-roast-at-the-comix-roadhouse/
LOCATION:COMIX Roadhouse\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T203000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T223000
DTSTAMP:20260626T233945Z
CREATED:20260513T011926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260626T233945Z
UID:10001496-1788553800-1788561000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center's Stargazing Nights
DESCRIPTION:Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center’s Stargazing Nights turn a quiet Friday evening in Ninigret Park into one of the most atmospheric experiences in southern New England. Hosted by Frosty Drew Observatory & Science Center\, the weekly gathering invites visitors to explore the night sky through powerful telescopes while astronomers guide guests across planets\, star clusters\, distant galaxies\, and the glowing band of the Milky Way overhead. Under some of the darkest skies in Rhode Island\, the experience feels less like a formal science program and more like stumbling into a community of people quietly obsessed with the universe. \nAs darkness settles over Ninigret Park\, visitors can expect views that change depending on the season and sky conditions\, often including Saturn’s rings\, Jupiter’s moons\, the cratered surface of the Moon\, and deep space objects rarely visible in brighter suburban areas. The observatory’s Sky Theatre and telescope stations create an immersive environment where curious first-timers mingle with amateur astronomers and longtime stargazers. There’s something strangely calming about standing in near silence while strangers take turns peering into the cosmos\, especially on clear summer nights when the Milky Way stretches visibly across the sky. \nThe observatory typically opens around 8:30 p.m. on Friday nights and remains active through at least 10:30 p.m.\, sometimes later depending on weather and viewing conditions. Because the event is weather dependent\, updates are posted on the day of the event before 3 p.m. Organizers also note that Ninigret Park’s dark sky rules prohibit white light use after dusk in order to protect night vision and sensitive astronomical equipment\, giving the entire area an almost surreal glow of dim red lights and shadowy pathways. Tickets for Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center’s Stargazing Nights can be purchased by clicking the event link below. \nWhen ticket sales open\, a link to purchase / acquire tickets will be added to the “Cost” field on the event page. Once event capacity is reached\, these fields will be listed as “Sold Out“\, and we will be unable to allow entry to any more guests. \nRules and Suggestions:\n• Guests should avoid using white flashlights\, phone flashlights\, or bright screens after dusk\n• Red light flashlights are encouraged to preserve night vision\n• Bug spray is highly recommended during warmer months due to mosquitoes and insects near the wildlife refuge\n• Weather conditions may affect visibility or event operations\n• Children ages 5 and older require tickets\n• Arriving early is recommended for the best viewing opportunities and parking access \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/frosty-drew-observatory-and-science-centers-stargazing-nights/2026-09-04/
LOCATION:Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center\, 61-62 Park Lane\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T010000
DTSTAMP:20260902T233516Z
CREATED:20260902T233516Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T233516Z
UID:10007432-1788552000-1788570000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:White Party Labor Day Weekend
DESCRIPTION:White Party Labor Day Weekend takes over The Misfit Club in downtown Mystic for two nights\, Friday\, September 4\, and Saturday\, September 5\, with black lights\, glow effects and music from DJ Nervous. \nThe two-night party begins at 8 p.m. each evening at the underground club at 12 Water Street in Mystic. Friday features a special glow drink\, while Saturday encourages guests to dress in white\, turning the club’s black-light atmosphere into part of the party itself. \nThe Misfit Club is billing the weekend simply: “2 Days. 2 Parties. 1 Club.” \nTwo Nights Under the Black Lights\nThe White Party is built around a simple visual idea. \nTurn down the regular lights. Turn on the black lights. Add glow effects. Then fill the room with people dressed for the occasion. \nFriday and Saturday share that overall theme but have slightly different features. \nOn Friday\, September 4\, the club is promoting a special glow drink as part of the night’s festivities. \nSaturday\, September 5\, becomes the more traditional White Party\, with white dress encouraged. Under ultraviolet black lights\, white and fluorescent clothing becomes dramatically brighter\, making the crowd itself part of the room’s visual effect. \nGuests aren’t required to treat it like a formal white party. The event’s promotional material says white dress is encouraged\, rather than establishing it as a mandatory dress code. \nDJ Nervous Handles Both Nights\nDJ Nervous provides the music beginning at 8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. \nHe’s already a familiar presence at The Misfit Club. \nDJ Nervous hosts the club’s monthly Open Mic Night\, where musicians\, comedians\, poets\, dancers and other performers are invited onto the stage. The recurring event takes place on the first Wednesday of each month. \nFor Labor Day weekend\, the emphasis shifts from an open stage to the dance floor. \nThe Misfit Club’s regular Saturday programming is already built around dancing. Its weekly Dance Saturday begins at 7:30 p.m. and is promoted around contemporary\, big-city dance music. \nThe September 5 White Party effectively gives that Saturday-night format a Labor Day weekend theme\, with DJ Nervous\, black lights and white clothing replacing the club’s standard Saturday presentation. \nThe Misfit Club Is Literally Underground\nThe setting helps. \nThe Misfit Club is tucked below street level at 12 Water Street in downtown Mystic. \nThat basement location gives the space a natural nightclub feel that’s quite different from the restaurants\, pubs and waterfront patios surrounding it. \nThe club has developed an identity around being a little outside Mystic’s traditional nautical image\, with a London Underground-inspired aesthetic and an intimate room that can move between neighborhood bar\, performance space and dance club depending on the night. \nIt’s also small enough that a lighting change can alter the atmosphere of the entire room. \nFor White Party weekend\, the visual centerpiece is ultraviolet light. \nWhy White Parties Work Under Black Lights\nBlack lights emit primarily ultraviolet-A light\, which isn’t very visible by itself. \nThe effect happens when UV light interacts with certain materials containing fluorescent compounds. Those materials absorb ultraviolet energy and release some of it as visible light. \nThat’s why a white shirt can suddenly appear almost electric under a black light. \nFluorescent colors can react even more dramatically. \nThe effect turns clothing\, drinks and decorations into sources of apparent brightness while much of the surrounding room remains dark. \nFor a club event\, that means the audience isn’t merely watching a lighting display. \nThey’re wearing it. \nFriday Starts the Labor Day Weekend Party\nFriday\, September 4\, is the first half of the two-night event. \nThe party begins at 8 p.m.\, with DJ Nervous providing the music and the club switching into its black-light and glow presentation. \nFriday’s additional feature is a special glow drink. \nThe promotional material doesn’t identify the drink or its ingredients\, so that part is being kept as part of the night’s experience rather than advertised as a specific cocktail. \nFriday also doesn’t carry Saturday’s white-dress suggestion. \nThe common denominator is the black-light environment and DJ-driven party. \nSaturday Is the White Party\nSaturday\, September 5\, brings the second half of the weekend and the event’s namesake White Party. \nOnce again\, DJ Nervous starts at 8 p.m. \nThis time\, guests are encouraged to arrive dressed in white. \nThe dress suggestion serves a purpose beyond establishing a theme. White clothing is particularly responsive beneath black lights\, allowing the room to change as more people arrive. \nIt’s a straightforward concept that doesn’t need much explanation: \nWear white. \nGet under the black lights. \nAnd glow. \nA Different Side of Downtown Mystic Nightlife\nThe Misfit Club’s weekly schedule makes it something of an entertainment room as much as a bar. \nOpen Mic Night brings musicians\, comedians\, dancers and spoken-word performers into the space. \nKaraoke takes over Thursdays. \nSaturday is normally dedicated to dancing. \nSunday programming rotates among activities that can include trivia\, movies and televised special events. \nThe White Party takes that existing nightlife identity and expands it across two nights for Labor Day weekend. \nAnd unlike many of Mystic’s Labor Day weekend events\, this one doesn’t revolve around daylight\, the waterfront or traditional end-of-summer activities. \nIt starts when the sun is down. \nOne Event\, Two Dates\nGuests don’t have to attend both nights to participate in White Party weekend. \nFriday and Saturday function as individual parties within the same Labor Day weekend event. \nFriday\, September 4\, brings the glow drink and black-light party. \nSaturday\, September 5\, brings the white-dress theme. \nDJ Nervous anchors both. \nThat gives people two chances to experience the event\, or the option of making an entire weekend of it. \nEvent Details\nEvent: White Party Labor Day Weekend\nDates: Friday\, September 4 and Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nStart Time: 8 p.m. both nights\nVenue: The Misfit Club\nAddress: 12 Water Street\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nMusic: DJ Nervous\nFriday: Black lights\, glow atmosphere and special glow drink\nSaturday: Black lights and white dress encouraged\nTheme: “2 Days. 2 Parties. 1 Club.” \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. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/white-party-labor-day-weekend/2026-09-04/
LOCATION:The Misfit Club\, 12 Water St APT 12\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Misfit Club
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