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SUMMARY:The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher
DESCRIPTION:The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher at the United bring three distinct chapters of British rock history to Westerly on Sunday\, September 6\, for a triple bill stretching from the first British Invasion through new wave and the MTV era. \nThe show begins at 7:30 p.m.\, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are $73 to $83\, including fees. The orchestra section is sold out as of publication\, but tickets remain available in the center and balcony sections. \nCalling this simply a night of ’80s music wouldn’t come close. \nBetween the three acts are connections to The Beatles\, The Zombies\, James Taylor\, Linda Ronstadt\, the birth of MTV-era new wave and some of the most recognizable records of the past 60 years. \nThe FIXX and the Sound of the MTV Era\nFor anyone who had MTV playing in the early 1980s\, it doesn’t take long to recognize The FIXX. \n“One Thing Leads to Another.” \n“Saved by Zero.” \n“Red Skies.” \n“Stand or Fall.” \nThe British band emerged at precisely the moment when music videos were becoming inseparable from pop music\, but there was something darker and more complicated underneath their sleek new-wave sound. \nFormed in London in 1979\, The FIXX developed a combination of guitar\, synthesizers\, sharp rhythms and often politically or socially observant lyrics. The sound fit the new decade without sounding quite like anyone else occupying it. \nTheir breakthrough in the United States came with 1983’s Reach the Beach. “One Thing Leads to Another” became the band’s biggest American hit\, while “Saved by Zero” became another defining song of the era. \nMore than four decades later\, much of the lineup responsible for that sound remains together: vocalist Cy Curnin\, keyboardist Rupert Greenall\, guitarist Jamie West-Oram and drummer Adam Woods\, joined by bassist Dan K. Brown. \nThis isn’t a version of The FIXX built around a lone surviving member and a new backing band. \nThe musical core remains remarkably intact. \nThe Voice Behind The Zombies\nThen the clock moves backward another 20 years. \nColin Blunstone was still a teenager when he became the lead singer of The Zombies\, one of the most distinctive groups to emerge from Britain’s first great wave of rock bands. \nHis voice is immediately recognizable on “She’s Not There\,” the band’s 1964 breakthrough. \nThen came “Tell Her No.” \nAnd finally\, “Time of the Season.” \nThat last song appeared on Odessey and Oracle\, the 1968 album that would eventually be regarded as one of the landmark records of the psychedelic era. \nThere’s an irony to its success. The Zombies had already broken up by the time “Time of the Season” became a major hit in America. \nBlunstone went on to build a solo career that included albums such as One Year\, Ennismore and Journey. He also became the voice behind “Old and Wise” by The Alan Parsons Project. \nHis Westerly performance is designed to travel through that entire history\, combining Zombies classics with material from his solo career and collaborations. \nBlunstone is now 81. \nWhat began as a teenage adventure has become a career spanning seven decades. \nThe Zombies were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. \nPeter Asher’s Extraordinary Trip Through Pop History\nAnd then there’s Peter Asher. \nHis career almost sounds invented. \nAsher first became famous as one half of Peter & Gordon during the British Invasion. Their 1964 recording of “A World Without Love\,” written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney\, reached No. 1 in both the United States and Britain. \nPeter & Gordon followed it with a string of hits including “I Go to Pieces\,” “Lady Godiva” and other Lennon-McCartney compositions. \nBut performing turned out to be only the beginning. \nAsher became an A&R executive at The Beatles’ Apple Records\, where he signed and began working with a young American singer-songwriter named James Taylor. \nWhen Asher moved to the United States\, his second career exploded. \nHe became Taylor’s manager and producer and went on to produce some of Linda Ronstadt’s defining recordings. Across the decades\, his work has connected him with artists including Carole King\, Joni Mitchell\, Neil Diamond\, Cher and Diana Ross. \nHis producing career earned multiple Grammys. \nAnd he’s still doing it. \nAsher co-produced Barbra Streisand’s 2025 album The Secret of Life: Partners\, Volume Two\, putting him in recording sessions involving another extraordinary collection of artists more than 60 years after Peter & Gordon first reached No. 1. \nHe was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015. \nSongs With the Stories Behind Them\nAsher’s portion of Sunday’s concert takes a different form from a conventional rock set. \nIt’s built around songs and storytelling. \nHe performs on vocals and guitar\, joined by Robert Berry on piano\, bass and vocals and Aubrey Richmond on violin\, mandolin and vocals. \nThat format gives him room to do something few musicians can. \nHe can tell stories about the British Invasion because he was there. \nHe can talk about The Beatles’ Apple Records because he worked there. \nHe can talk about discovering and producing records with James Taylor because he did it. \nAnd he can play the songs that started the entire journey. \nThree Generations on One Stage\nThat’s what makes the combination of these three acts more interesting than a conventional nostalgia package. \nPeter Asher takes the story back to the British Invasion and the orbit surrounding The Beatles. \nColin Blunstone brings the unmistakable voice of The Zombies and the increasingly adventurous British pop music that followed. \nThe FIXX picks up the story more than a decade later\, when another generation of British musicians crossed the Atlantic through FM radio and a new television network called MTV. \nTheir careers don’t belong to the same moment. \nThat’s the point. \nPut them together and Sunday’s concert becomes something close to a musical timeline: from “A World Without Love” and “She’s Not There” to “Time of the Season\,” “One Thing Leads to Another” and “Saved by Zero.” \nRoughly 20 years separate some of those records. \nMore than 60 years separate the earliest from the concert happening in Westerly. \nA Rare Tour Comes Through Westerly\nThe Westerly performance is part of a month-long U.S. tour bringing the three acts together. \nThe tour begins September 2 in Massachusetts and continues through September\, making the UNITED one of the early stops. \nIt’s also a particularly fitting show for the restored downtown theater. \nThe UNITED Theatre originally opened in 1926 and has been reborn as a regional film\, music and arts venue. Its Black Box Auditorium offers a much more intimate setting for these artists than the arenas and large theaters their music has filled over the decades. \nFor this performance\, the room will be fully seated. \nAnd some of those seats are already gone. \nThe orchestra section is sold out as of publication\, with tickets still available in the center and balcony. \nFor three artists whose careers collectively stretch back to the early 1960s\, there’s still an audience that wants to hear what comes next. \nEvent Details\nEvent: The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nShow: 7:30 p.m.\nDoors: 6 p.m.\nLocation: The UNITED Theatre\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nVenue: Black Box Auditorium\nTickets: $73–$83\, inclusive of fees\nAges: All ages\nSeating: Fully seated performance\nTicket Availability at Publication: Orchestra sold out; center and balcony seats remain available\nPerformers: The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher \nThe FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher bring more than six decades of British rock and pop history together for one night at the UNITED Theatre in Westerly. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nURL’s \nThe FIXX \nColin Blunstone \nPeter Asher \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/the-fixx-colin-blunstone-and-peter-asher/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T012416Z
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SUMMARY:Shoreline Reggae Fest at Hygienic Art Park
DESCRIPTION:Shoreline Reggae Fest at Hygienic Art Park brings four regional reggae acts together in downtown New London on Sunday\, September 6\, for an outdoor afternoon and evening of roots reggae\, dub and improvisational music. \nDoors open at 4 p.m. for the returning festival\, with Red Lion\, Glaucoma Suspect\, Jam Shed and Lazy River filling the Art Park with reggae through the evening. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. \nIt’s also a lineup with unusually deep local roots. These aren’t four touring acts passing through Connecticut on the same bill. The musicians come from the southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island music community\, and several have been playing reggae around the region for years. \nReggae Returns to the Art Park\nShoreline Reggae Fest made its Hygienic Art Park debut last summer with a lineup that included Red Lion\, Glaucoma Suspect and Jam Shed. \nAll three return in 2026. \nThat makes Sunday’s show less a collection of unrelated bands and more of a reunion of musicians who have helped build a regional reggae scene stretching across southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. \nAnd Hygienic Art Park is particularly well suited to it. \nThe outdoor performance space sits alongside Hygienic’s galleries on Bank Street\, creating a small open-air music venue in the middle of downtown New London. There’s a stage\, room to sit and\, importantly for this show\, space in front of the stage to dance. \nFor Shoreline Reggae Fest\, the park becomes a meeting point for four different approaches to the music. \nRed Lion Brings the Roots\nRed Lion describes its sound as conscious\, uplifting reggae. \nBut the group didn’t begin with musicians learning reggae from scratch. \nIts members brought experience from several other reggae projects\, with connections to bands including Soulshot\, Large Up\, Space Mon Rah\, Dub Squad\, Inity and The High Voltage Band. \nAt the center is Eric “Irie Feelinz” Williams\, whose original lyrics and vocals help give Red Lion its identity. \nThe band’s sound sits firmly in the roots-rock reggae tradition\, where rhythm carries the music but the words matter too. \nIt’s a distinction worth making. \nRoots reggae developed as more than dance music. Social consciousness\, spirituality\, resistance and community became central to the form\, particularly through the Jamaican music that spread internationally during the 1970s. \nRed Lion draws from that tradition while making the music here in Southern New England. \nGlaucoma Suspect Crosses the State Line\nFollow the shoreline east from New London and eventually you reach another piece of Sunday’s lineup. \nGlaucoma Suspect is an eight-piece roots reggae band based in Westerly. \nThe group approaches reggae with an emphasis on the music’s original roots and its tradition of carrying social messages\, while bringing a full-band sound to stages around Connecticut and Rhode Island. \nEight musicians also give them a considerably different presence from a stripped-down reggae group. \nThe rhythm section establishes the pocket\, but a larger ensemble leaves room to layer vocals and instrumentation over it\, creating the kind of full sound associated with classic roots reggae bands. \nGlaucoma Suspect has become familiar around the local live-music circuit and isn’t new to Hygienic. The band previously appeared in the venue’s Downtown Live programming and was part of the first Shoreline Reggae Fest last summer. \nNow they’re back for year two. \nJam Shed Started in an Actual Shed\nSome band names require an explanation. \nJam Shed really doesn’t. \nThe Salem\, Connecticut\, group traces its beginnings to Wednesday-night jam sessions held in a shed. \nWhat started as musicians getting together to play became something more permanent. They worked through reggae and dub favorites\, experimented with arrangements and improvised. \nEventually\, the jam sessions became a band. \nMore than a decade later\, that loose beginning remains part of Jam Shed’s musical identity. Reggae and dub provide the foundation\, but improvisation gives the musicians room to stretch songs rather than simply reproduce them. \nThat’s especially appropriate for dub. \nThe form grew out of Jamaican reggae recording culture as producers began stripping songs apart\, emphasizing bass and drums and manipulating individual elements with echo\, reverb and other studio effects. \nIn a live setting\, that same spirit creates room for musicians to explore. \nFor a group born during jam sessions\, it’s a natural fit. \nLazy River Rounds Out the Festival\nLazy River completes Sunday’s four-act lineup. \nThe current festival materials connect the act with DJ Ben Jammin’ and dalabil\, adding another approach to the afternoon alongside the three returning live bands. \nWhy Reggae Works in New London\nJamaica is a long way from Bank Street. \nThe music isn’t. \nReggae has traveled far beyond the island where it developed\, absorbing local influences wherever musicians have picked it up while retaining one of the most recognizable rhythmic foundations in popular music. \nSouthern New England has supported its own reggae community for years\, helped by small clubs\, breweries\, outdoor stages and festivals willing to put local bands in front of an audience. \nSunday’s lineup illustrates that community particularly well. \nRed Lion draws musicians with experience across several regional reggae projects. \nGlaucoma Suspect comes down from Westerly. \nJam Shed comes from Salem. \nPut them together and Shoreline Reggae Fest becomes a snapshot of a scene that already exists around us. \nAn Outdoor Stage in the Middle of New London\nHygienic Art Park is one of the more unusual music spaces in the region. \nWalk along Bank Street and you’re surrounded by the buildings\, restaurants and bars of downtown New London. Step into the Art Park during a concert and the atmosphere changes. \nThe outdoor space was designed to function as both a public arts environment and performance venue\, with a raised stage\, sound and lighting infrastructure and space for an audience to gather around it. \nIt’s part of the larger Hygienic Art complex at 79 Bank Street\, which includes galleries and artist spaces in the historic building next door. \nHygienic’s connection to New London’s creative community goes back decades\, including its famous annual Salon des Indépendants and the grassroots effort that ultimately saved the former Hygienic Restaurant building from demolition. \nMusic eventually became another part of that mission. \nDuring the warmer months\, the Art Park turns that history inside out. \nThe gallery walls disappear. \nThe stage lights come on. \nAnd on Sunday\, the soundtrack is reggae. \nFour Bands and One Late-Summer Sunday\nLabor Day weekend usually feels like a dividing line around here. \nSummer isn’t technically over\, but everyone knows what’s coming. \nShoreline Reggae Fest offers another option before letting it go. \nThere are four acts\, an outdoor stage and hours of music beginning late Sunday afternoon. \nRed Lion brings its conscious roots-reggae approach. Glaucoma Suspect arrives with an eight-piece Westerly lineup. Jam Shed brings the improvisational spirit that started during those Wednesday nights in a Salem shed. Lazy River adds another piece to the mix. \nAnd for the second year\, it all comes together in the middle of downtown New London. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Shoreline Reggae Fest\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nDoors: 4 p.m.\nLocation: Hygienic Art Park\nAddress: 79 Bank Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nLineup: Red Lion\, Glaucoma Suspect\, Jam Shed and Lazy River\nAdvance Tickets: $15\nTickets at the Door: $20\nAges: All ages\nSetting: Outdoor concert \nShoreline Reggae Fest at Hygienic Art Park brings Red Lion\, Glaucoma Suspect\, Jam Shed and Lazy River together for a late-summer celebration of the regional reggae scene in downtown New London. \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/shoreline-reggae-fest-at-hygienic-art-park/
LOCATION:Hygienic Art Park\, 79 Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Hygenic Art
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Radiotricity-30th-Anniversary-Show-Brings-90s-Alt-Rock-Reunion-to-Hygienic-Art-Park.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T190000
DTSTAMP:20260903T183650Z
CREATED:20260903T183513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T183650Z
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SUMMARY:Music at the Lighthouse: A Tosca Portrait in Stonington Borough
DESCRIPTION:Music at the Lighthouse: A Tosca Portrait brings Salt Marsh Opera to the grounds of the historic Stonington Lighthouse Museum on Sunday\, September 6\, for an outdoor performance built around one of opera’s great works. \nSoprano Emily Margevich and tenor John Pickle will perform selections from Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca\, accompanied by Salt Marsh Opera artistic director Simon Holt on piano. The concert begins at 5:30 p.m.\, with the lighthouse and Stonington Harbor providing a setting that feels unusually well matched to Puccini’s sweeping music. \nThis is the second concert date for Salt Marsh Opera’s Music at the Lighthouse program. Guests are encouraged to bring friends and family along with picnic blankets and lawn chairs for the outdoor performance. \nA Portrait of Puccini’s Tosca\nCalling the program A Tosca Portrait is appropriate because this isn’t a complete staged production of the opera. \nInstead\, Margevich\, Pickle and Holt will use selections from Tosca to create a concert portrait of Puccini’s work. \nFirst performed in Rome in 1900\, Tosca unfolds over roughly 24 hours amid political turmoil in Rome in June 1800. At its center are celebrated singer Floria Tosca and painter Mario Cavaradossi\, whose relationship is caught in the machinery of political repression and the schemes of police chief Baron Scarpia. \nPuccini packed the opera with jealousy\, devotion\, torture\, murder\, betrayal and some of the most recognizable music in the operatic repertoire. \nFor a concert built around soprano and tenor voices\, Tosca provides extraordinary material. \nCavaradossi’s music includes “Recondita armonia” and the third-act aria “E lucevan le stelle\,” while Tosca’s “Vissi d’arte” has become one of the defining soprano arias in opera. \nSalt Marsh Opera hasn’t published a complete musical program for the September 6 concert\, so the exact selections are best left to the performance. \nEmily Margevich and John Pickle Take the Lead\nSalt Marsh Opera has chosen Emily Margevich\, soprano\, and John Pickle\, tenor\, as the featured singers for A Tosca Portrait. \nThey’ll be joined at the piano by Simon Holt\, Salt Marsh Opera’s artistic director. \nThe reduced format puts considerable emphasis on the singers themselves. Without a full orchestra\, elaborate scenery or a large supporting cast\, the audience can concentrate on Puccini’s vocal writing and the relationship between the two principal voices. \nIt’s a different way of encountering an opera written for the theater. \nRather than recreating Rome on a stage\, the performance takes Puccini out of the opera house and puts it beside the water in Stonington. \nOpera on the Grounds of an 1840 Lighthouse\nThe location is more than an attractive backdrop. \nThe Stonington Harbor Light was built in 1840\, replacing an earlier lighthouse constructed in 1823. \nThe granite structure stands near the southern end of Stonington Borough\, just a short distance from Stonington Point and the harbor entrance. \nIts active life as a navigational light was relatively brief. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1889 after the construction of the Stonington Outer Breakwater Light. \nBut its second life proved remarkably important. \nThe Stonington Historical Society\, now Historic Stonington\, acquired the building in 1925 and opened it as a museum in 1927. Today\, the Lighthouse Museum preserves both the building and collections connected to the long maritime history of Stonington. \nThe result is one of the Borough’s most recognizable landmarks and an unusually intimate setting for an outdoor concert. \nInstead of looking toward a conventional stage wall\, the audience has a historic granite lighthouse rising behind the performers and the waters around Stonington Borough nearby. \nBring a Picnic\, Blanket and Lawn Chairs\nMusic at the Lighthouse is designed as an outdoor community concert rather than a formal night at the opera. \nSalt Marsh Opera specifically encourages guests to bring picnics\, blankets and lawn chairs. \nThat changes the atmosphere considerably. \nThere’s no need for an opera-house dress code or a theater seat. Guests can settle onto the lighthouse grounds for an early-evening performance overlooking the water. \nThe 5:30 p.m. start also places the concert during one of the better times of day to be at the southern end of Stonington Borough in early September. \nBecause the performance is outdoors\, weather matters. \nSalt Marsh Opera has set Sunday\, September 13 as the rain date. \nSalt Marsh Opera Begins Its 26th Season\nThe lighthouse concert arrives as Salt Marsh Opera celebrates its 26th season. \nThe company grew out of an idea that began after two local opera lovers attended a performance in New London and encountered an impromptu concert in the lobby. From those beginnings\, Salt Marsh Opera developed into a regional company producing opera and musical programming in southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. \nIts mission extends beyond full theatrical productions. The nonprofit also works to introduce new audiences to opera\, provide opportunities for emerging artists and offer educational programming for children and adults. \nMusic at the Lighthouse represents the more informal side of that mission. \nIt brings professional voices into a familiar community space and allows people to experience Puccini without first committing to a full-length opera. \nLater this fall\, Salt Marsh Opera returns to fully staged opera with Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka\, scheduled for performances at the UNITED Theatre in Westerly and the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook. \nAn Accessible Introduction to Tosca\nFor someone who doesn’t regularly attend opera\, A Tosca Portrait could be a particularly approachable introduction. \nPuccini wrote music with an extraordinary ability to communicate emotion quickly. You don’t need a detailed understanding of operatic form to recognize fear\, love\, desperation or grief in Tosca. \nAnd a concert of selections removes another barrier. \nRather than asking newcomers to follow an entire three-act story in Italian\, the program can focus attention on some of the music and characters that have kept Tosca in the international repertory for more than a century. \nFor experienced opera audiences\, the appeal is different. \nThey already know what these voices and melodies can do inside an opera house. \nHere\, they’ll hear them outdoors beside an 1840 lighthouse overlooking the Connecticut shoreline. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Music at the Lighthouse: A Tosca Portrait\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTime: 5:30 p.m.\nRain Date: Sunday\, September 13\nLocation: Stonington Lighthouse Museum\nAddress: 7 Water Street\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nPresented By: Salt Marsh Opera\nFeatured Soprano: Emily Margevich\nFeatured Tenor: John Pickle\nPiano: Simon Holt\nProgram: Selections from Puccini’s Tosca\nSetting: Outdoor concert on the lighthouse grounds\nWhat to Bring: Picnic\, blankets and lawn chairs \nTICKETS: Tickets are available for $20 in advance\, $25 at the event\, with children under 14 attending for free. To purchase tickets in advance\, call the Box Office at (860) 535-0753. Tickets are also available for purchase at Tom’s Newsstand in Stonington Borough\, located at 133 Water Street\, Stonington\, CT. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/music-at-the-lighthouse-a-tosca-portrait-in-stonington-borough/
LOCATION:Stonington Lighthouse Museum\, 7 Water Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonington Lighthouse Museum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Music-at-the-Lighthouse-A-Tosca-Portrait-in-Stonington-Borough.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T183000
DTSTAMP:20260428T142721Z
CREATED:20260428T142721Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T142721Z
UID:10000106-1788714000-1788719400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Gabriel Iglesias
DESCRIPTION:If you’ve ever seen Gabriel Iglesias live… You already know it’s not just stand-up\, it’s an experience. His current tour keeps that same high-energy\, storytelling style that made him a fan favorite\, mixing personal stories\, voices\, and those perfectly timed sound effects that somehow turn simple moments into full-blown scenes. It’s fast\, it’s animated\, and it feels like he’s pulling you into his world instead of just performing at you. \nWhat makes his shows hit is how approachable everything feels. He’ll jump from family stories to everyday frustrations to those random observations that shouldn’t be funny… but are. And then he’ll layer in the characters\, the voices\, the little details that build each bit into something bigger. You’re not just listening to jokes… you’re watching them play out. That’s where the laughs really start stacking up. \nLive\, it turns into a full-room kind of energy. Big reactions\, constant laughs\, and that feeling that the entire crowd is in sync with him. He knows how to ride that momentum too… stretching moments\, playing off reactions\, letting the night breathe a little. If you’re looking for comedy that’s lively\, visual\, and built for a crowd\, his tour delivers that in a way that feels effortless but hits every time.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/gabriel-iglesias/
LOCATION:Foxwoods\, 350 Trolley Line Boulevard\, Mashantucket\, CT\, 06338\, United States
CATEGORIES:Foxwoods
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Gabriel-Iglesias.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T190000
DTSTAMP:20260831T220828Z
CREATED:20260831T220748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T220828Z
UID:10007294-1788708600-1788721200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:60's Explosion at the Charlestown Rathskeller
DESCRIPTION:60’s Explosion at the Charlestown Rathskeller turns Sunday afternoon into a trip through one of popular music’s most transformative decades on September 6\, with three hours of British Invasion\, Motown\, psychedelic rock\, and 1960s pop performed outdoors at the Rathskeller Down Back. \nThe music runs from 4 to 7 p.m.\, and admission is free\, with an RSVP encouraged. \nThe premise is simple: take a decade that began with Elvis Presley still making hits\, watched The Beatles change everything\, saw Motown become a hit-making machine\, and ended with Woodstock\, and try to squeeze some of it into three hours. \n60’s Explosion has plenty to choose from. \nBefore the British Invasion\nWhen 1960 began\, nobody knew what was coming. \nRock and roll had already transformed American popular music during the previous decade\, but some of its biggest early stars had disappeared from the scene. Elvis Presley had spent two years in the Army. Buddy Holly had died in 1959. Chuck Berry faced legal problems. Little Richard had stepped away from secular music. \nPopular music didn’t stop\, of course. \nBut the next revolution was already developing thousands of miles away. \nYoung British musicians had grown up listening to American rock and roll\, blues and R&B records. They took those influences\, formed their own bands and eventually began sending the music back across the Atlantic. \nThen four musicians from Liverpool landed in America. \nThe Beatles Opened the Door\nThe Beatles’ arrival in the United States in February 1964 is one of those moments when popular culture seems to divide neatly into before and after. \nJohn Lennon\, Paul McCartney\, George Harrison and Ringo Starr appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show before an enormous American television audience. \nBeatlemania followed. \nSo did the rest of Britain. \nThe Rolling Stones\, The Animals\, The Kinks\, The Who\, Herman’s Hermits\, The Dave Clark Five and other British acts poured onto American radio and record charts. \nThe phenomenon became known as the British Invasion. \nFor American teenagers\, it seemed like an entirely new sound. \nThere was an irony underneath it. \nMuch of the music that inspired these British bands had come from America in the first place. \nThe Rolling Stones Sent American Blues Back Home\nThe Rolling Stones made that connection particularly obvious. \nMick Jagger\, Keith Richards and the early Stones were deeply influenced by American blues and R&B musicians\, including Muddy Waters\, Howlin’ Wolf and Chuck Berry. \nThe band even took its name from a Muddy Waters song. \nAmerican audiences were suddenly hearing young British musicians perform music rooted in American traditions\, sometimes leading listeners back to artists who hadn’t received comparable mainstream attention in their own country. \nThen the Stones developed their own songwriting voice. \n“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” arrived in 1965. \nThe opening guitar riff became one of rock’s most recognizable sounds\, and the Stones were no longer simply part of the British Invasion. \nThey were becoming one of the bands that would define rock itself. \nMeanwhile\, Motown Was Building Its Own Hit Machine\nNot every revolution of the 1960s came from guitars plugged into amplifiers. \nIn Detroit\, Berry Gordy’s Motown Records was creating one of the greatest collections of popular music in American history. \nThe Supremes. \nThe Temptations. \nThe Four Tops. \nMarvin Gaye. \nSmokey Robinson and the Miracles. \nMartha and the Vandellas. \nStevie Wonder. \nMotown developed a recognizable sound built around extraordinary songwriting\, rhythm\, melody and musicianship. \nBehind many of those records was the largely uncredited group of Detroit studio musicians later celebrated as the Funk Brothers. \nThe result was a remarkable run of records designed to cross boundaries. \nThey did. \nMotown became part of the soundtrack of America. \nAnd for a band like 60’s Explosion\, those songs provide another side of a decade far too musically diverse to be represented by rock alone. \nThen the Monkees Arrived on Television\nThe Monkees were assembled for television in 1966. \nThat origin led to years of arguments over whether they were a “real” band. \nThe songs made the argument increasingly irrelevant. \n“Last Train to Clarksville.” \n“I’m a Believer.” \n“Pleasant Valley Sunday.” \n“Daydream Believer.” \nThe television series made Davy Jones\, Micky Dolenz\, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork stars\, but the musicians eventually fought for greater control over their own records and performances. \n60’s Explosion includes The Monkees among the artists it celebrates\, alongside The Beatles\, Rolling Stones and The Grass Roots. \nAnd by the time those records were arriving\, the decade was changing again. \nPop Music Gets Psychedelic\nCompare a hit record from 1963 with one from 1967. \nIt can sound as though considerably more than four years have passed. \nRecording technology improved. Musicians became increasingly interested in using the studio itself as an instrument. Songs became stranger. Albums became more ambitious. \nThe Beatles went from “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in just a few years. \nPsychedelic rock emerged from scenes in San Francisco\, London and elsewhere. \nJefferson Airplane released “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love.” \nThe Doors arrived with “Light My Fire.” \nJimi Hendrix pushed the electric guitar into places listeners had never heard it go. \nThe music reflected a culture changing just as quickly around it. \nThe polished pop of the early ’60s hadn’t disappeared. \nIt simply had to share the decade with something much louder and stranger. \nOne Decade\, Several Musical Revolutions\nThat’s what makes a 1960s show different from simply playing a collection of oldies. \nThe decade didn’t have one sound. \nEarly-’60s pop gave way to the British Invasion while Motown was producing hit after hit in Detroit. Folk music entered the mainstream. Soul exploded. Garage bands appeared everywhere. Psychedelic rock expanded what a rock record could sound like. \nBy August 1969\, hundreds of thousands of people were gathering on a farm in upstate New York for Woodstock. \nLess than six years had passed since The Beatles’ first appearance on Ed Sullivan. \nThe distance between those two moments is extraordinary. \nAnd it’s all “the ’60s.” \n60’s Explosion Brings the Decade Back to the Stage\n60’s Explosion is built around that range. \nThe tribute and party band performs music from the British Invasion\, Motown\, psychedelic rock and the broader pop and rock catalog of the era. \nThe group’s repertoire includes music associated with The Beatles\, The Rolling Stones\, The Monkees and The Grass Roots\, among others. \nThe goal isn’t to impersonate one particular group. \nIt’s to recreate the sound and energy of the decade itself. \nThat also means the afternoon can move quickly between styles. \nA British Invasion song can give way to Motown. \nA piece of straightforward pop can be followed by psychedelic rock. \nAnd a song written more than 60 years ago can still fill a dance floor. \nBack to the Rathskeller for a Second 2026 Show\nThis isn’t 60’s Explosion’s first visit to Charlestown this year. \nThe band played the Rathskeller in June and returns September 6 for another Sunday afternoon performance. \nThe September show runs from 4 to 7 p.m.\, making it part of the Rathskeller’s Sunday afternoon live-music schedule rather than one of its later Friday or Saturday night concerts. \nAdmission is free. \nThe Rathskeller encourages guests to arrive early for lunch or drinks before staying for the performance. \nThree Hours Down Back\nThe setting is far removed from a traditional theater. \nThe Charlestown Rathskeller has been part of the local landscape since 1933\, tucked into the woods along Old Coach Road. \nBehind the historic tavern is Rathskeller Down Back\, its seasonal outdoor entertainment area. \nThe grounds include outdoor seating\, lawn games and a large fire pit\, with live music becoming a regular part of weekends during the warmer months. \nOn September 6\, the soundtrack goes back more than half a century. \nThe Beatles and the Stones. \nMotown and The Monkees. \nPop songs and psychedelic rock. \nThree hours covering a decade in which popular music seemed to reinvent itself every couple of years. \nAnd this time\, you don’t need a time machine. \nYou just need to find the Rathskeller in the woods. \nEvent Details\nEvent: 60’s Explosion at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTime: 4–7 p.m.\nLocation: Charlestown Rathskeller\nAddress: 489A Old Coach Road\, Charlestown\, RI 02813\nBand: 60’s Explosion\nMusic: British Invasion\, Motown\, psychedelic rock and 1960s pop and rock\nAdmission: Free\nRSVP: Encouraged\nVenue: Outdoor live music at Rathskeller Down Back \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo reserve your spot\, 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/60s-explosion-at-the-charlestown-rathskeller-2/
LOCATION:Rathskeller\, 489A Old Coach Rd\, Charlestown\, RI\, 02813\, United States
CATEGORIES:Rathskeller
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTSTAMP:20260903T195459Z
CREATED:20260903T195459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T195459Z
UID:10007469-1788706800-1788714000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Ben Freiert Live at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard
DESCRIPTION:Ben Freiert performs at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard in North Stonington on Sunday\, September 6\, bringing an afternoon of acoustic rock\, indie\, folk and alternative music to one of southeastern Connecticut’s newer vineyard destinations. \nThe music runs from 3 to 5 p.m.\, with Freiert performing as part of Kingdom of the Hawk’s weekend live music series. Fire in the Kitchen Pizza will also be on site Sunday\, pairing the performance with wood-fired pizza and wine\, with Connecticut craft beer and cider available from the vineyard. \nOne important detail for this date: Kingdom of the Hawk says its 5 p.m. closing will be prompt on September 6 because of a private event afterward. \nBen Freiert Has Been Making Music for More Than Two Decades\nFreiert is a Stonington-area musician whose history goes considerably further back than the local acoustic shows where many listeners may know him today. \nHe began playing music more than two decades ago\, starting with trumpet in middle school. While in college\, he formed the original rock band Twenty Grand with his roommate\, performing near their school and in New York City. \nHis current performances move among indie\, folk and alternative music\, with Freiert playing both guitar and piano. \nLocal music resource Wailing City describes him more broadly as a rock\, covers and acoustic performer\, which helps explain the variety of venues where he appears around southeastern Connecticut. \nThis summer alone\, Freiert has been part of several regional outdoor music series. In August\, he performed at Deans Mill Farm and headlined one of Stonington Vineyards’ Friday Summer Concert Series dates. \nFrom Covers to Original Music\nFreiert isn’t limited to interpreting other artists’ material. \nIn 2024\, he released the original single “Let Yourself Go\,” adding recorded original music to a live career that has often mixed familiar songs with indie and alternative influences. \nThat balance makes him particularly well suited to the vineyard circuit\, where the music has to work both for listeners who settle in specifically to hear the performer and guests who are spending an afternoon talking over wine with friends. \nThe September 6 appearance gives him two hours at Kingdom of the Hawk rather than functioning as a short opening set. \nFire in the Kitchen Pizza Joins the Afternoon\nSunday’s music is paired with Fire in the Kitchen Pizza\, which Kingdom of the Hawk has scheduled as its food vendor for the afternoon. \nThe vineyard asks guests to support its visiting food trucks and vendors when they’re on site and specifically requests that visitors not bring outside food or picnics on those days. \nThat’s worth knowing before packing for the afternoon. \nKingdom of the Hawk normally allows guests to bring their own food when there isn’t a food vendor present\, but September 6 is one of the exceptions. \nOutside alcohol is never permitted. \nWine by the Glass or Bottle\, But No Tastings\nKingdom of the Hawk operates a little differently from some Connecticut wineries. \nThe vineyard currently does not offer traditional wine tastings or flights. \nInstead\, its wines are available by the glass or bottle to share. The tasting room also carries a rotating selection of Connecticut craft beer and cider. \nCheese\, charcuterie\, crackers and other smaller bites are normally available for purchase in addition to the visiting food vendors scheduled on select weekends. \nVisitors who haven’t been to Kingdom of the Hawk before shouldn’t arrive expecting a structured wine flight followed by the concert. This is much more of a settle-in-with-a-glass-or-bottle afternoon. \nOne of Southeastern Connecticut’s Newest Vineyard Destinations\nKingdom of the Hawk is relatively new\, but the people behind it have much deeper roots in Connecticut wine. \nOwners Michael and Merrily Connery purchased the North Stonington property in 2018 and planted vines almost immediately. \nThe couple also owns Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington\, where they famously transformed a former World War II-era airplane hangar and surrounding farmland into a vineyard and winery. \nKingdom of the Hawk became their second vineyard project. \nThe North Stonington property encompasses approximately 50 acres of farmland\, with the vineyard surrounded by woods and wildlife. \nIts name isn’t simply decorative. Hawks are regularly seen over the property. \nThe Barn Is Part of the Attraction\nThe building in Freiert’s concert announcement isn’t an old New England barn that happened to survive on the property. \nIt’s contemporary architecture deliberately designed to evoke one. \nMichael Connery has described wanting a “barn sensibility” while keeping the building contemporary. \nThe result combines a traditional agricultural form with modern materials and large expanses of glass\, positioned on the edge of a hill overlooking the vineyard\, fields and surrounding landscape. \nThat gives Kingdom of the Hawk a noticeably different character from a tasting room inserted into an existing farm building. \nThe architecture was designed as part of the vineyard experience from the beginning. \nOn a Sunday afternoon\, that means Freiert’s performance isn’t simply taking place inside a winery. The music is part of a larger setting of vineyard rows\, open lawn\, woods and the modern barn overlooking the property. \nIndoor Reservations Are Available\, Outdoor Space Is First Come\nReservations aren’t required for a casual visit\, although Kingdom of the Hawk recommends them for larger groups wanting indoor seating. \nReservations apply only to indoor tables. \nThe vineyard does not reserve outdoor seating or its fireside lounge areas. \nThat distinction matters on live-music afternoons\, when outdoor spaces can become popular. \nVisitors interested in a particular outdoor spot should plan accordingly rather than assuming a reservation guarantees one. \nA Sunday Afternoon Before an Early Close\nMost Sundays\, Kingdom of the Hawk is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. \nSeptember 6 follows those hours\, but the vineyard has emphasized that the 5 p.m. close is firm because a private event follows the public tasting-room hours. \nFreiert’s performance has therefore been scheduled to fit exactly into the final two hours of the public day. \nMusic begins at 3 p.m. \nFire in the Kitchen Pizza will be there. \nWine\, Connecticut beer and cider will be available. \nAnd at 5 p.m.\, the afternoon comes to an end. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Ben Freiert Live at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nMusic: 3–5 p.m.\nVineyard Hours: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.\nVenue: Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\nAddress: 113 Pendleton Hill Road\, North Stonington\, CT 06359\nPerformer: Ben Freiert\nMusic: Acoustic\, rock\, indie\, folk and alternative\nFood: Fire in the Kitchen Pizza\nDrinks: Kingdom of the Hawk wine by the glass or bottle\, plus Connecticut craft beer and cider\nTastings/Flights: Not currently offered\nOutside Food: The vineyard asks guests not to bring outside food when a food truck or vendor is on site\nOutside Alcohol: Not permitted\nImportant: The vineyard will close promptly at 5 p.m. for a private event \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/ben-freiert-live-at-kingdom-of-the-hawk-vineyard/
LOCATION:Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\, 113 Pendelton Hill Road\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
CATEGORIES:Kingdom of the Hawk Winery
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T160000
DTSTAMP:20260721T235339Z
CREATED:20260721T235051Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260721T235339Z
UID:10006965-1788706800-1788710400@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/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T173000
DTSTAMP:20260716T173134Z
CREATED:20260716T173134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260716T173134Z
UID:10006851-1788705000-1788715800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Sunday Jam Sessions at Deans Mill Farm
DESCRIPTION:Sunday Jam Sessions at Deans Mill Farm return every Sunday through the season\, bringing live local music\, food trucks\, and refreshing drinks to one of Stonington’s favorite outdoor gathering spots. Held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.\, the free weekly series offers a relaxed afternoon where families\, friends\, and music lovers can unwind while enjoying performances from talented local musicians in the scenic setting of Deans Mill Farm. \nEach Sunday features a different performer\, giving visitors something new to experience throughout the season. Along with live entertainment\, food trucks serve a variety of favorites while the farm offers signature drinks and other cold beverages. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs\, settle in for the afternoon\, and enjoy a casual community atmosphere. The event is family-friendly\, although outside alcohol and pets are not permitted. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Sunday Jam Sessions\nSchedule: Every Sunday\nTime: 2:30-5:30 p.m.\nSeason: Through October (Weather Permitting)\nVenue: Deans Mill Farm\nAddress: 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\nAdmission: Free\n\nWhat to Expect\n\nLive music from local performers\nRotating food trucks\nSignature drinks and cold beverages\nFamily-friendly outdoor atmosphere\n\n2026 Concert Schedule\nJuly 19 \n\nBig Lux\n\nJuly 26 \n\nT. Ray Taylor\n\nAugust 2 \n\nBen Freiert\n\nAugust 9 \n\nFrankenphil\n\nAugust 16 \n\nBen Freiert\n\nAugust 23 \n\nRobbed By Locals\n\nAugust 30 \n\nJames Harris\n\nSeptember 6 \n\nTo Be Announced\n\nSeptember 13 \n\nFrankenphil\n\nSeptember 20 \n\nTo Be Announced\n\nSeptember 27 \n\nJonny Debit\n\nOctober 4 \n\nKGB\n\nOctober 11 \n\nFrankenphil\n\nOctober 18 \n\nDan Watson\n\nOctober 25 \n\nJames Harris\n\nKnow Before You Go\n\nFamily-friendly event\nNo outside alcohol\nNo pets\nWeather permitting\nTimes are subject to change\n\nWhy Attend\n\nFree weekly live music\nRotating lineup of local musicians\nFood trucks and beverages\nRelaxed outdoor setting\nGreat Sunday afternoon tradition\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/sunday-jam-sessions-at-deans-mill-farm/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Deans Mill Farm\, 1189 Pequot Trail\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Deans Mill Farm
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T143000
DTSTAMP:20260903T181315Z
CREATED:20260903T181315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T181315Z
UID:10007465-1788703200-1788705000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards brings together five of the Colchester winery’s wines and five handmade chocolates from Fascia’s Chocolates for a guided tasting experience on Sunday\, September 6. \nThree sessions are scheduled at noon\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\, giving guests a chance to explore what happens when two familiar indulgences are deliberately paired rather than simply served alongside one another. \nThe collaboration also brings together two Connecticut businesses with long histories in their respective crafts: Priam Vineyards in Colchester and Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury. \nFive Priam Wines\, Five Handmade Chocolates\nThe September 6 tasting is built around a curated collection of five Priam original wines paired with five Fascia’s handmade chocolates. \nRather than treating chocolate as dessert after a wine tasting\, the format puts the two together and encourages guests to pay attention to how each pairing changes what they taste. \nWine and chocolate can be surprisingly complicated partners. Both can contain fruit\, spice\, floral\, earthy\, bitter and roasted characteristics\, and the sweetness and intensity of the chocolate can either complement a wine or overwhelm it. \nA carefully constructed pairing can bring forward flavors that are less obvious when either is tasted alone. \nPriam has not published the individual wine-and-chocolate combinations in the event information we’ve found\, making the specific pairings part of the experience rather than something to study beforehand. \nPriam Vineyards Has Been Producing Connecticut Wine for More Than Two Decades\nPriam Vineyards sits on Shailor Hill Road in Colchester\, surrounded by its working vineyard. \nThe winery was established in 1998\, with its first wines released commercially in 2003. Today it operates as Priam Vineyards\, a Winiarski Family Vineyard. \nPriam produces wines from grapes grown at the property as well as other carefully sourced fruit\, with a portfolio that has included whites\, reds\, rosés and dessert-style wines. \nThe vineyard’s location also plays an important role in its identity. The property sits in the Connecticut countryside between Hartford and the shoreline\, with the winery and tasting areas overlooking the vines. \nPriam has grown beyond the traditional tasting-room model\, regularly hosting live music\, comedy\, food trucks\, seasonal celebrations and specialty tasting events. \nThe Wine & Chocolate Pairing fits neatly into that approach\, but puts the focus back squarely on the wine itself. \nFascia’s Has Been Making Chocolate in Connecticut Since 1964\nThe other half of the pairing has an even longer Connecticut history. \nFascia’s Chocolates was founded in Waterbury in 1964 by John and Helen Fascia. \nWhat began as a small family chocolate-making operation grew into a Connecticut confectioner producing chocolates\, truffles\, caramels and other handmade sweets. \nThe company remains family operated and has become particularly known for opening the chocolate-making process to visitors through tours\, demonstrations and hands-on experiences at its Waterbury facility. \nFor the Priam event\, Fascia’s isn’t simply supplying a generic box of chocolates. The winery is advertising five handmade Fascia’s chocolates selected to accompany the five wines. \nWhy Wine and Chocolate Work Together\nPairing chocolate with wine uses many of the same principles applied to pairing wine with a meal. \nIntensity matters. \nA delicate wine can disappear beside a powerful dark chocolate\, while a sweeter or fuller wine may be able to stand up to it. Milk chocolate introduces more creaminess and sweetness. Darker chocolate brings greater cocoa intensity and bitterness. Fillings can add fruit\, caramel\, nuts\, spices or other flavors that create an entirely different interaction with the wine. \nEven texture matters. \nCocoa butter coats the palate\, and the next sip of wine can taste noticeably different from the one that came before the chocolate. \nWith five combinations in the September 6 tasting\, guests will have an opportunity to compare those interactions rather than judging wine and chocolate as a single pairing. \nThree Sunday Sessions\nPriam is offering the experience three times on September 6. \nThe first session begins at 12 p.m.\, followed by sessions at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. \nThat makes the pairing easy to incorporate into a longer Sunday visit to the vineyard rather than requiring an entire afternoon. \nThe winery is located at 11 Shailor Hill Road in Colchester. \nBecause this is a structured pairing with specific quantities of wine and chocolate prepared for participants\, reservations are the better option than assuming space will remain available for a particular session. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Wine & Chocolate Pairing\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTimes: 12 p.m.\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\nVenue: Priam Vineyards\nAddress: 11 Shailor Hill Road\, Colchester\, CT 06415\nExperience: Five Priam wines paired with five handmade Fascia’s chocolates\nChocolate Partner: Fascia’s Chocolates\nFormat: Curated wine-and-chocolate tasting experience \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/wine-chocolate-pairing-at-priam-vineyards/2026-09-06/3/
LOCATION:Priam Vineyards\, 11 Shailor Hill Rd\, Colchester\, CT\, 06415\, United States
CATEGORIES:Priam Vineyards
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T163000
DTSTAMP:20260903T000248Z
CREATED:20260903T000248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T000248Z
UID:10007435-1788701400-1788712200@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/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Stonington Vineyards\, 523 Taugwonk Rd\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonnington Vineyards
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTSTAMP:20260903T192006Z
CREATED:20260903T192006Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T192006Z
UID:10007468-1788699600-1788717600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Beach Haus Social: The Final Week at Paddy’s
DESCRIPTION:Beach Haus Social: The Final Week closes out a summer of Sunday afternoon house and techno on Misquamicut Beach with one last coastal day party on September 6. \nThe season finale runs from 1 to 6 p.m. at Beach Haus\, the beachfront dayclub experience at Paddy’s Beach Club in Misquamicut. The organizers are keeping the final Sunday focused on the formula they established throughout the summer: DJs\, electronic music\, dancing\, and an open-air party overlooking the Atlantic. \nBeach Haus is calling September 6 the last day of Beach Haus Social for the season\, making this the finale of a series that began Memorial Day weekend and continued on Sundays throughout the summer. \nA New Sunday Tradition on Misquamicut Beach\nBeach Haus Social made its debut at Paddy’s over Memorial Day weekend with a grand opening on May 24. \nFrom there\, it became a recurring Sunday event running from 1 to 6 p.m. \nRather than simply adding another live band or DJ to Paddy’s regular beach schedule\, Beach Haus was conceived as a separate dayclub-style experience built around electronic music. \nThe musical direction has centered on house\, tech house and techno\, with rotating DJs providing the soundtrack throughout the afternoon. \nThe concept borrows from the atmosphere of coastal clubs and electronic-music destinations where the party begins during daylight rather than waiting until late at night. \nHere\, the setting is distinctly Rhode Island: the decks and beach at Paddy’s on Atlantic Avenue with Misquamicut Beach directly outside. \nHouse and Techno From 1 to 6 p.m.\nThe five-hour Sunday format has remained consistent throughout the season. \nBeach Haus has emphasized house and techno rather than the mix of rock\, reggae\, country and cover bands commonly heard at beach bars around Southern New England. \nThat distinction helped give the series its own identity within Paddy’s larger summer entertainment calendar. \nThe organizers describe Beach Haus as a coastal dayclub driven by house music every Sunday\, with music and the social atmosphere taking precedence over a traditional concert format. \nThere isn’t necessarily a single headlining performance everyone stops to watch. \nThe DJ sets provide a continuous soundtrack while the afternoon moves between drinks\, dancing\, the beach and the waterfront decks. \nThe Final Sunday of the 2026 Season\nSeptember 6 isn’t being promoted as simply another installment. \nBeach Haus is calling it The Final Week\, and its announcement describes Sunday as the last day of Beach Haus Social. \nThat brings the series full circle. \nIt launched over Memorial Day weekend\, continued through June\, July and August\, and now ends during Labor Day weekend\, essentially bookending the traditional Southern New England summer season. \nFor people who have been attending throughout the summer\, it’s the final installment of the weekly series. \nFor anyone who hasn’t been\, it’s the last opportunity this season to see what Beach Haus was trying to create on the Westerly shoreline. \nA Dayclub Rather Than a Traditional Beach Bar\nThe distinction between Beach Haus and Paddy’s itself can be a little confusing. \nBeach Haus isn’t a separate venue somewhere else in Westerly. \nIt operates at Paddy’s Beach Club\, 159 Atlantic Avenue\, directly on Misquamicut Beach. \nThe difference is the programming. \nPaddy’s has long operated as a beachfront restaurant\, bar and entertainment venue with live bands\, DJs and other events throughout the summer. \nBeach Haus Social takes over part of that environment and reshapes it around the dayclub concept. \nPrevious Sundays have included rotating DJs\, house and techno programming\, VIP table options and an early-afternoon hospitality component. \nThe result is meant to feel less like stopping at a beach bar for a drink and more like spending the afternoon at an organized electronic-music party. \nOne Last Sunday Before Summer Winds Down\nThe timing makes the finale particularly appropriate. \nLabor Day weekend traditionally marks the beginning of the end for the busiest stretch of the Misquamicut season. \nBeach businesses don’t suddenly disappear after Labor Day\, and entertainment continues at several Westerly shoreline venues into September. \nBut the rhythm changes. \nWeekly summer programming begins winding down\, vacation traffic decreases and the beach gradually shifts toward its quieter shoulder season. \nBeach Haus Social is ending its season at exactly that transition point. \nThe series started when summer was about to begin. \nIt finishes as summer starts giving the beach back. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Beach Haus Social: The Final Week\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTime: 1–6 p.m.\nLocation: Beach Haus at Paddy’s Beach Club\nAddress: 159 Atlantic Avenue\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nSetting: Beachfront dayclub\nMusic: House\, tech house and techno\nOccasion: Final Beach Haus Social of the 2026 summer season\nAge: 21+ \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/beach-haus-social-the-final-week-at-paddys/
LOCATION:Paddy’s Beach Club\, 159 Atlantic Ave\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Paddy's Beach Club
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T133000
DTSTAMP:20260903T181315Z
CREATED:20260903T181315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T181315Z
UID:10007464-1788699600-1788701400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards brings together five of the Colchester winery’s wines and five handmade chocolates from Fascia’s Chocolates for a guided tasting experience on Sunday\, September 6. \nThree sessions are scheduled at noon\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\, giving guests a chance to explore what happens when two familiar indulgences are deliberately paired rather than simply served alongside one another. \nThe collaboration also brings together two Connecticut businesses with long histories in their respective crafts: Priam Vineyards in Colchester and Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury. \nFive Priam Wines\, Five Handmade Chocolates\nThe September 6 tasting is built around a curated collection of five Priam original wines paired with five Fascia’s handmade chocolates. \nRather than treating chocolate as dessert after a wine tasting\, the format puts the two together and encourages guests to pay attention to how each pairing changes what they taste. \nWine and chocolate can be surprisingly complicated partners. Both can contain fruit\, spice\, floral\, earthy\, bitter and roasted characteristics\, and the sweetness and intensity of the chocolate can either complement a wine or overwhelm it. \nA carefully constructed pairing can bring forward flavors that are less obvious when either is tasted alone. \nPriam has not published the individual wine-and-chocolate combinations in the event information we’ve found\, making the specific pairings part of the experience rather than something to study beforehand. \nPriam Vineyards Has Been Producing Connecticut Wine for More Than Two Decades\nPriam Vineyards sits on Shailor Hill Road in Colchester\, surrounded by its working vineyard. \nThe winery was established in 1998\, with its first wines released commercially in 2003. Today it operates as Priam Vineyards\, a Winiarski Family Vineyard. \nPriam produces wines from grapes grown at the property as well as other carefully sourced fruit\, with a portfolio that has included whites\, reds\, rosés and dessert-style wines. \nThe vineyard’s location also plays an important role in its identity. The property sits in the Connecticut countryside between Hartford and the shoreline\, with the winery and tasting areas overlooking the vines. \nPriam has grown beyond the traditional tasting-room model\, regularly hosting live music\, comedy\, food trucks\, seasonal celebrations and specialty tasting events. \nThe Wine & Chocolate Pairing fits neatly into that approach\, but puts the focus back squarely on the wine itself. \nFascia’s Has Been Making Chocolate in Connecticut Since 1964\nThe other half of the pairing has an even longer Connecticut history. \nFascia’s Chocolates was founded in Waterbury in 1964 by John and Helen Fascia. \nWhat began as a small family chocolate-making operation grew into a Connecticut confectioner producing chocolates\, truffles\, caramels and other handmade sweets. \nThe company remains family operated and has become particularly known for opening the chocolate-making process to visitors through tours\, demonstrations and hands-on experiences at its Waterbury facility. \nFor the Priam event\, Fascia’s isn’t simply supplying a generic box of chocolates. The winery is advertising five handmade Fascia’s chocolates selected to accompany the five wines. \nWhy Wine and Chocolate Work Together\nPairing chocolate with wine uses many of the same principles applied to pairing wine with a meal. \nIntensity matters. \nA delicate wine can disappear beside a powerful dark chocolate\, while a sweeter or fuller wine may be able to stand up to it. Milk chocolate introduces more creaminess and sweetness. Darker chocolate brings greater cocoa intensity and bitterness. Fillings can add fruit\, caramel\, nuts\, spices or other flavors that create an entirely different interaction with the wine. \nEven texture matters. \nCocoa butter coats the palate\, and the next sip of wine can taste noticeably different from the one that came before the chocolate. \nWith five combinations in the September 6 tasting\, guests will have an opportunity to compare those interactions rather than judging wine and chocolate as a single pairing. \nThree Sunday Sessions\nPriam is offering the experience three times on September 6. \nThe first session begins at 12 p.m.\, followed by sessions at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. \nThat makes the pairing easy to incorporate into a longer Sunday visit to the vineyard rather than requiring an entire afternoon. \nThe winery is located at 11 Shailor Hill Road in Colchester. \nBecause this is a structured pairing with specific quantities of wine and chocolate prepared for participants\, reservations are the better option than assuming space will remain available for a particular session. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Wine & Chocolate Pairing\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTimes: 12 p.m.\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\nVenue: Priam Vineyards\nAddress: 11 Shailor Hill Road\, Colchester\, CT 06415\nExperience: Five Priam wines paired with five handmade Fascia’s chocolates\nChocolate Partner: Fascia’s Chocolates\nFormat: Curated wine-and-chocolate tasting experience \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/wine-chocolate-pairing-at-priam-vineyards/2026-09-06/2/
LOCATION:Priam Vineyards\, 11 Shailor Hill Rd\, Colchester\, CT\, 06415\, United States
CATEGORIES:Priam Vineyards
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T220000
DTSTAMP:20260905T212351Z
CREATED:20260905T212351Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260905T212351Z
UID:10007477-1788696000-1788732000@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/2026-09-06/
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
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTSTAMP:20260816T022849Z
CREATED:20260816T022849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T022849Z
UID:10007202-1788696000-1788717600@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/2026-09-06/
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T150000
DTSTAMP:20260712T235944Z
CREATED:20260531T024717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260712T235944Z
UID:10003093-1788696000-1788706800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Denison Farmers Market
DESCRIPTION:Denison Farmers Market returns for its 22nd season on Sunday\, June 7\, bringing fresh Connecticut-grown products and a vibrant community atmosphere to Mystic. The popular weekly market showcases local farmers\, food producers\, and artisans\, offering residents and visitors an opportunity to shop directly from the people who grow and make the products they bring to market. \nThroughout the season\, shoppers can browse a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables\, along with locally produced foods and specialty items sourced from across Connecticut. The market has become a seasonal tradition for many families\, providing access to high-quality local products while supporting regional agriculture and small businesses. The 2026 season runs every Sunday from June 7 through October 25. \nWhether you’re stocking up on fresh produce\, discovering new local products\, or simply enjoying a Sunday afternoon in Mystic\, the Denison Farmers Market offers something for everyone. It’s an ideal destination for food lovers\, home cooks\, and anyone who appreciates supporting local farms and producers. \nEvent Details \nEvent: Denison Farmers Market 2026 \nDates: Every Sunday\, June 7 – October 25\, 2026 \nTime: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. \nLocation: Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center \nTown: Mystic\, CT \nAdmission: Free \nMarket Highlights \n\nConnecticut-grown fruits and vegetables\nLocal farmers and food producers\nFresh baked goods and specialty foods\nArtisan and handcrafted products\nSeasonal offerings throughout the summer and fall\nFamily-friendly community atmosphere\n\nWhy Attend \n\nShop directly from local farmers and makers\nSupport Connecticut agriculture and small businesses\nFind fresh\, seasonal ingredients\nDiscover unique local foods and artisan goods\nEnjoy a relaxing Sunday morning in Mystic\n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/denison-farmers-market/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Denison Homestead Musuem\, 120 Pequotsepos Rd\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Denison Homestead Museum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Denison-Farmers-Market-Sundays-12-to-3-through-October-25.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T123000
DTSTAMP:20260903T181315Z
CREATED:20260903T181315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T181315Z
UID:10007463-1788696000-1788697800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards brings together five of the Colchester winery’s wines and five handmade chocolates from Fascia’s Chocolates for a guided tasting experience on Sunday\, September 6. \nThree sessions are scheduled at noon\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\, giving guests a chance to explore what happens when two familiar indulgences are deliberately paired rather than simply served alongside one another. \nThe collaboration also brings together two Connecticut businesses with long histories in their respective crafts: Priam Vineyards in Colchester and Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury. \nFive Priam Wines\, Five Handmade Chocolates\nThe September 6 tasting is built around a curated collection of five Priam original wines paired with five Fascia’s handmade chocolates. \nRather than treating chocolate as dessert after a wine tasting\, the format puts the two together and encourages guests to pay attention to how each pairing changes what they taste. \nWine and chocolate can be surprisingly complicated partners. Both can contain fruit\, spice\, floral\, earthy\, bitter and roasted characteristics\, and the sweetness and intensity of the chocolate can either complement a wine or overwhelm it. \nA carefully constructed pairing can bring forward flavors that are less obvious when either is tasted alone. \nPriam has not published the individual wine-and-chocolate combinations in the event information we’ve found\, making the specific pairings part of the experience rather than something to study beforehand. \nPriam Vineyards Has Been Producing Connecticut Wine for More Than Two Decades\nPriam Vineyards sits on Shailor Hill Road in Colchester\, surrounded by its working vineyard. \nThe winery was established in 1998\, with its first wines released commercially in 2003. Today it operates as Priam Vineyards\, a Winiarski Family Vineyard. \nPriam produces wines from grapes grown at the property as well as other carefully sourced fruit\, with a portfolio that has included whites\, reds\, rosés and dessert-style wines. \nThe vineyard’s location also plays an important role in its identity. The property sits in the Connecticut countryside between Hartford and the shoreline\, with the winery and tasting areas overlooking the vines. \nPriam has grown beyond the traditional tasting-room model\, regularly hosting live music\, comedy\, food trucks\, seasonal celebrations and specialty tasting events. \nThe Wine & Chocolate Pairing fits neatly into that approach\, but puts the focus back squarely on the wine itself. \nFascia’s Has Been Making Chocolate in Connecticut Since 1964\nThe other half of the pairing has an even longer Connecticut history. \nFascia’s Chocolates was founded in Waterbury in 1964 by John and Helen Fascia. \nWhat began as a small family chocolate-making operation grew into a Connecticut confectioner producing chocolates\, truffles\, caramels and other handmade sweets. \nThe company remains family operated and has become particularly known for opening the chocolate-making process to visitors through tours\, demonstrations and hands-on experiences at its Waterbury facility. \nFor the Priam event\, Fascia’s isn’t simply supplying a generic box of chocolates. The winery is advertising five handmade Fascia’s chocolates selected to accompany the five wines. \nWhy Wine and Chocolate Work Together\nPairing chocolate with wine uses many of the same principles applied to pairing wine with a meal. \nIntensity matters. \nA delicate wine can disappear beside a powerful dark chocolate\, while a sweeter or fuller wine may be able to stand up to it. Milk chocolate introduces more creaminess and sweetness. Darker chocolate brings greater cocoa intensity and bitterness. Fillings can add fruit\, caramel\, nuts\, spices or other flavors that create an entirely different interaction with the wine. \nEven texture matters. \nCocoa butter coats the palate\, and the next sip of wine can taste noticeably different from the one that came before the chocolate. \nWith five combinations in the September 6 tasting\, guests will have an opportunity to compare those interactions rather than judging wine and chocolate as a single pairing. \nThree Sunday Sessions\nPriam is offering the experience three times on September 6. \nThe first session begins at 12 p.m.\, followed by sessions at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. \nThat makes the pairing easy to incorporate into a longer Sunday visit to the vineyard rather than requiring an entire afternoon. \nThe winery is located at 11 Shailor Hill Road in Colchester. \nBecause this is a structured pairing with specific quantities of wine and chocolate prepared for participants\, reservations are the better option than assuming space will remain available for a particular session. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Wine & Chocolate Pairing\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTimes: 12 p.m.\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\nVenue: Priam Vineyards\nAddress: 11 Shailor Hill Road\, Colchester\, CT 06415\nExperience: Five Priam wines paired with five handmade Fascia’s chocolates\nChocolate Partner: Fascia’s Chocolates\nFormat: Curated wine-and-chocolate tasting experience \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/wine-chocolate-pairing-at-priam-vineyards/2026-09-06/1/
LOCATION:Priam Vineyards\, 11 Shailor Hill Rd\, Colchester\, CT\, 06415\, United States
CATEGORIES:Priam Vineyards
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Wine-and-Chocolate-Pairing-at-Priam-Vineyards.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTSTAMP:20260708T031351Z
CREATED:20260708T005652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T031351Z
UID:10006590-1788694200-1788714000@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/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Sift Bake Shop Mystic\, 5 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Sift Bake Shop Mystic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Middle-of-the-Vines-Vineyard-Tour-Thursdays-through-Sundays-1145-am-445-pm.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T201347Z
CREATED:20260701T201347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T201347Z
UID:10006467-1788692400-1788714000@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/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Mystic Museum of Art\, 9 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Museum of Art
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Luxe-CT-Velvet-Mills-to-Modern-Runways-at-Mystic-Museum-of-Art-daily-11am-5pm.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020852Z
CREATED:20260510T162306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020852Z
UID:10000473-1788692400-1788714000@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-3/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Mystic Seaport\, 75 Greenmanville Ave\, Mystic\, CT\, \,06355-1946\,\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Seaport
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Brickwrecks-Sunked-Ships-in-Lego-Bricks.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T140000
DTSTAMP:20260703T004945Z
CREATED:20260622T015729Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260703T004945Z
UID:10006149-1788692400-1788703200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Harp & Dragon First Sunday Brunch Buffet
DESCRIPTION:Harp & Dragon First Sunday Brunch Buffet brings an expansive all-you-can-enjoy brunch experience to downtown Norwich on the first Sunday of every month. Combining breakfast favorites\, seafood\, comfort food\, carving stations\, and desserts\, the buffet is designed for families\, groups\, and anyone looking to settle in for a leisurely Sunday meal. \nThe menu features everything from made-to-order waffle creations and classic breakfast staples to shrimp cocktail\, clam chowder\, fish\, salads\, and a prime rib carving station. With options ranging from sweet to savory\, the buffet offers something for every appetite while creating a relaxed atmosphere perfect for gathering with family and friends. \nWhether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a hearty Sunday brunch\, the First Sunday Brunch Buffet has become a popular monthly tradition in Norwich. Reservations are strongly recommended due to limited seating and high demand. \nEvent Details \nWhen: First Sunday of Every Month \nTime: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. \nLocation:\nHarp & Dragon Pub\n130 Main Street\nNorwich\, CT \nAdmission \n\nAdults: $49.95\nChildren Under 10: $25\nChildren Under 3: Free\n\n2026 Dates \n\nJuly 5\nAugust 2\nSeptember 6\nOctober 4\nNovember 1\nDecember 6\n\nMenu Highlights \n\nFresh fruits and vegetables\nCharcuterie selection\nShrimp cocktail\nClam chowder\nCheddar broccoli soup\nAssorted breads and muffins\nScrambled eggs\nBacon and sausage\nPancakes\nFrench toast\nWaffle station\nCorned beef hash\nHome fries\nPretzels and cottage chips\nMashed potatoes\nMac and cheese\nChicken tenders\nSalads\nVegetable medley\nFish\nDesserts\nPrime rib carving station\n\nAdditional Information \n\nMonthly brunch buffet\nFamily-friendly\nReservations strongly recommended\nWide variety of breakfast and lunch offerings\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/harp-dragon-first-sunday-brunch-buffet/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Harp & Dragon\, 130 Main Street\, Norwich\, 06360\, United States
CATEGORIES:Harp & Dragon
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Harp-and-Dragon-First-Sunday-Brunch-Buffet-First-Sundays-11am-2pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTSTAMP:20260903T140908Z
CREATED:20260903T140908Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T140908Z
UID:10007440-1788690600-1788717600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 Guide
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 transforms the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds into a sprawling 16th-century fantasy village for nine weekends of jousting\, comedy\, live music\, costumed characters\, artisan shopping\, food\, games and themed adventures. \nThe Faire runs from August 29 through October 25 at 122 Mack Road in Lebanon\, with regular hours from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. It also opens on holiday Mondays\, including Labor Day and Columbus Day. \nFor 2026\, the Faire is advertising more than 40 shows each day across 13 stages\, along with dozens of games and activities and more than 200 artisans\, food vendors and other merchants. \nAnd this isn’t an event where you simply watch from the sidelines. \nWalk through the gates and you enter a village populated by kings\, queens\, knights\, fairies\, musicians\, rogues and other characters who interact with visitors throughout the day. You can watch armored combat\, cheer at the joust\, throw an axe\, shop for a handmade sword or drinking horn\, take the kids on human-powered rides\, eat a turkey leg and end up in a conversation with a member of the royal court on the way to your next show. \nHere’s how to plan a day at the 2026 Connecticut Renaissance Faire. \nWhen Is the Connecticut Renaissance Faire?\nThe 2026 season runs from August 29 through October 25. \nThe Faire is generally open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.\, with special openings on Labor Day and Columbus Day. \nThe season is divided into themed weekends\, so the experience changes as fall progresses. Themes for 2026 include Dragons & Dungeons\, Roses & Romance\, Shirefolk\, Faerie Ring Revels\, Pirates & Vikings\, Time Travelers\, All Hallows and the new Merry Macabre weekend. \nLabor Day weekend\, September 5–7\, is Dragons & Dungeons\, a fantasy-focused weekend built around quests\, heroes and legendary characters. \nCostumes aren’t required to attend. Some visitors arrive in everyday clothes\, while others treat the themed weekends as an opportunity to build elaborate Renaissance\, fantasy\, pirate\, Viking or other character costumes. \nHow Much Are Connecticut Renaissance Faire Tickets?\nGeneral admission for the 2026 season is $18 for adults and $10 for youth\, while children in the Faire’s child admission category enter free. \nAdmission covers the Faire itself and its regular stage performances. Certain games\, rides\, food\, drinks and premium experiences cost extra. \nOne useful change from the way some fairs and festivals operate is that there are no food tickets. Food and beverages are purchased directly from individual merchants. \nSame-day re-entry is also permitted with a handstamp\, so leaving the grounds doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your Faire day. \nStart With the Shows\nTrying to see everything at the Connecticut Renaissance Faire in one day is probably the wrong approach. \nThere are simply too many performances. \nThe 2026 Faire uses 13 stages and advertises more than 40 shows daily. Entertainment ranges from music and comedy to acrobatics\, combat demonstrations\, theatrical performances and interactive shows. \nOne of the biggest spectacles is the armored combat demonstration from the Knights of Gore. These aren’t performers simply swinging lightweight theatrical weapons around one another. The demonstrations feature fighters in plate armor engaging in full-contact medieval-style combat. \nThe Knights of Gore also present educational demonstrations throughout the day covering subjects such as medieval helmets\, the roles of knights and squires and siege weapons including the trebuchet. \nThe Joust Remains a Centerpiece\nIt’s difficult to imagine a Renaissance faire without knights charging toward one another on horseback. \nJousting remains one of the major attractions in Lebanon. \nThe 2026 season includes jousting from Roundtable Productions and Equus Nobilis\, both listed among the Faire’s new entertainment additions this year. \nThe joust combines horsemanship\, theatrical storytelling and medieval-style competition on a scale that’s difficult to replicate on one of the smaller stages. \nIf seeing a joust is high on your list\, check the schedule when you arrive and build the rest of the day around it rather than assuming you’ll simply stumble across the right performance. \nThere Is Plenty of Comedy\nNot everything involves swords and armor. \nComedy is scattered throughout the Faire\, sometimes on a stage and sometimes walking directly toward you in the lanes. \nThe Norfolk Theatricals specialize in interactive theatrical comedy\, presenting deliberately chaotic original plays with audience members sometimes pulled into the performance. \nBone Dallaire roams the grounds as a self-important thespian and playwright whose opinion of his own talent may exceed everyone else’s. \nThe Faire’s cast of Crown Players adds another layer of continuous theater. Instead of performing only at scheduled times\, characters inhabit the village and interact with guests throughout the day. \nThat distinction is important for first-time visitors. \nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire isn’t simply a collection of scheduled shows surrounded by food booths. The space between the stages is part of the performance. \nMusic Runs From Celtic Traditions to Sea Chanteys\nLive music is another major part of the day. \nThe 2026 roster includes performers working with Celtic music\, traditional folk\, sea chanteys and other styles that fit naturally into the Faire setting. \nJesse Ofgang and the Diaspora\, new for 2026\, combine Scottish and Irish musical traditions with contemporary rhythms using instruments including bagpipes\, whistles and guitars. \nNemeton: Folk Fantasy Music and Dance brings an especially unusual collection of instruments to the Faire\, including bagpipes\, drums\, double flutes\, penny whistles\, English concertina\, medieval small pipes\, rauschpfeife and hurdy-gurdy. \nNew England’s Misfits of Avalon draw from Celtic music with hammered dulcimer\, mandolin\, guitar and violin. \nOther weekends bring different musicians\, including the maritime and Celtic sounds of the Crimson Pirates and southeastern Connecticut’s Bards of Gungywamp. \nBecause performers vary by themed weekend\, it’s worth checking the schedule for the specific date you’re attending. \nSome of the Best Entertainment Is Strange\nRenaissance faires have always left room for acts that don’t fit neatly into a category. \nThat’s part of the fun. \nFor 2026\, Fly by Night joins the Connecticut Faire with a combination of comedy\, juggling\, whip cracking and sideshow skills. The duo of Steve King and Ryan Roberts has been performing since 1990 and appeared as semifinalists on the fourth season of America’s Got Talent. \nCircus Stella puts rescued dogs into a circus environment alongside Dextre Tripp\, mixing canine tricks with juggling\, ladder balancing\, rope walking and unicycling. \nElsewhere\, visitors can encounter puppetry\, dance\, storytelling\, magic and roaming performers without necessarily planning to see them. \nLeave some empty space in the schedule. \nAt a Renaissance faire\, getting distracted is part of the itinerary. \nGames and Rides Go Beyond the Stages\nThere’s plenty to do when you want to participate rather than watch. \nThe Faire’s games and activities include old-fashioned and Renaissance-inspired challenges\, physical games and human-powered attractions. \nSome activities carry an additional fee. \nYou’ll find opportunities to test skill and strength\, explore the Royal Maze and take part in attractions spread throughout the village. \nFor families with younger children\, this can provide a useful break between longer stage performances. \nFor adults\, it can become surprisingly competitive. \nEat the Turkey Leg\, But Don’t Stop There\nYes\, there are giant turkey legs. \nThe Faire’s Turkey Legs and More stand serves the oversized roasted festival staple along with turkey sundaes\, mac and cheese\, smoked chicken\, lemonade and fried dough. \nBut the food selection has grown far beyond the Renaissance-faire stereotype. \nThe 2026 Faire lists 37 food merchants and seven pubs and taverns\, with meals\, desserts\, snacks and beverages distributed throughout the grounds. \nThere are burgers and hot dogs\, chicken sandwiches\, baked goods\, fried seafood\, sweets and a broad assortment of festival food. \nThe Faire also identifies vendors offering vegetarian\, vegan\, gluten-free and dairy-free choices. \nEvery food merchant is required to offer at least one item priced at $7\, an attempt to keep at least one lower-priced choice available at each location. \nOutside snacks and nonalcoholic drinks are also permitted. \nYou Can Walk the Faire With a Drink\nThere are no isolated beer tents requiring guests to remain inside a designated drinking area. \nAdults can purchase alcoholic beverages from the Faire’s pubs and taverns and carry their drinks while exploring the grounds. \nValid identification is required for alcohol purchases. \nThat also makes the taverns part of the atmosphere rather than simply concession stands. \nFor visitors looking for something more structured\, the Faire offers two separate 21-and-over experiences. \nThe Pub Crawl Is a 90-Minute Quest\nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire Pub Crawl isn’t simply four drink tickets stapled together. \nThe approximately 90-minute experience is hosted by Fae Frostwhiperer and takes a group of no more than 15 participants through four Faire taverns. \nThere are four alcoholic drinks along the way\, but participants also complete challenges\, play games\, sing\, chant and interact with their guide. \nOne stop at Shattered Shield includes Liar’s Dice\, a vegetable platter and an exclusive small-batch mead that isn’t sold from the tavern’s regular menu. \nAnother stop includes a Test of Strength at King’s Inn Crossing. \nPub Crawls depart twice each Faire day\, at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. \nThe price is $75\, plus a processing fee when purchased online. Tickets can also be purchased at Shattered Shield without the online processing fee\, although each crawl is limited to 15 participants and can sell out. \nParticipants must be 21 or older with valid identification. \nRegular Faire admission is not included with the Pub Crawl. \nWhiskey Tastings Offer a Quieter Break\nFor adults who prefer sipping to crawling\, guided whiskey tastings offer a considerably calmer experience. \nThe approximately one-hour sessions explore a curated selection of whiskies\, with hosts discussing origins\, production methods\, flavor profiles and techniques for nosing and tasting. \nCharcuterie is served alongside the pours. \nThe experience is designed for both beginners and experienced whiskey drinkers\, and advance reservations are strongly recommended because seating is intentionally limited. \nParticipants must be 21 or older and bring valid government-issued photo identification. \nLike the Pub Crawl\, a whiskey tasting is an additional experience. Regular Connecticut Renaissance Faire admission must be purchased separately. \nShopping Is a Major Part of the Faire\nDon’t treat the merchant area as an afterthought. \nThe Faire says the 2026 season includes 213 artisans\, games and food vendors\, with 32 new shops joining the grounds this year. \nThe marketplace is where the fantasy world starts becoming something you can take home. \nDepending on the merchant\, visitors can find clothing\, leatherwork\, jewelry\, drinking vessels\, artwork\, fantasy accessories\, home décor and handcrafted goods. \nSome merchants make items that are specifically useful for people building Renaissance or fantasy costumes\, while others sell pieces that work perfectly well outside the Faire. \nFor someone arriving without a costume\, the marketplace also provides an easy way to gradually become more appropriately dressed as the day progresses. \nYou may enter in jeans. \nThere is no guarantee you will leave without a cloak. \n2026 Is a Significant Expansion Year\nThe Faire has added a substantial amount of new material for 2026. \nIts official count includes 11 new shows\, 32 new shops and seven new food offerings. \nAmong the new entertainment are the two jousting productions\, Fly by Night and Jesse Ofgang and the Diaspora. \nThe Faire is also introducing Merry Macabre\, a new themed weekend for October 24–25 that takes the season into darker territory just before Halloween. \nThat expansion matters even to people who have attended in previous years. \nThe basic formula remains recognizable\, but the Faire is deliberately designed so returning on another weekend doesn’t simply reproduce the same day. \nBringing Kids to the Connecticut Renaissance Faire\nChildren don’t have to understand Renaissance history to find things to do here. \nThere are family-oriented performances\, interactive games\, rides and characters throughout the village. \nOne particularly memorable experience is the Knighting Ceremony with the King and Queen\, where children can present themselves before King Basil and Queen Gwendolyn Genevieve and receive royal recognition before the parade. \nThere are also quests and interactive encounters with the Knights of Gore. \nThe Faire’s combination of structured shows and wandering characters means children can become involved in the fantasy rather than spending the entire day watching adults perform. \nYes\, You Can Bring Your Pet\nThe Connecticut Renaissance Faire has an unusually broad pet policy. \nWell-behaved dogs\, cats\, rabbits\, ferrets\, rats and lizards are permitted. \nPet admission is $5 per animal\, while service animals enter free. \nDogs and cats must have proof of current rabies vaccination. A veterinarian’s letter\, email or current rabies tag can serve as proof. \nPets must remain on a non-retractable leash no longer than six feet and owners are responsible for cleaning up after them. \nLivestock\, horses\, donkeys\, mules and other large animals aren’t permitted. \nThe Faire advises owners to bring food and water for their animals. Water bowls may be available from merchants\, but pet food isn’t sold on the grounds. \nPets are also permitted on the parking shuttles. \nParking Has Changed for 2026\nThis is one section worth reading before leaving home. \nThe Faire has a new parking system for 2026. \nVisitors who want to park directly at the Faire grounds at 122 Mack Road can purchase Premium Parking for $10 per vehicle. \nThere are only 525 Premium Parking spaces available each Faire day\, and they must be purchased online in advance for the specific date you’re attending. \nYou cannot purchase Premium Parking when you arrive at the lot. \nVIP admission includes Premium Parking. \nThere are also 125 free ADA parking spaces at the main Faire site for vehicles displaying a valid handicapped placard or plate. These spaces can’t be reserved and are available on a first-available basis. \nMotorcycles can park at the main site for free. \nFree Parking and Shuttles Are Available\nYou don’t have to pay to park. \nThe Faire operates free satellite parking with continuous shuttle service beginning at 9:30 a.m. \nOne free lot is located at 744 Trumbull Highway in Lebanon. \nAdditional parking is available at Lebanon Middle School\, 891 Exeter Road\, and Lyman Memorial High School\, 917 Exeter Road. \nThere is one important wrinkle with the school lots: the shuttles do not pick up directly at the schools. \nGuests parking at either school walk to the Mobil station located between the two schools\, which serves as the shuttle pickup and drop-off point. \nThe last shuttle leaves the Faire 30 minutes after closing. \nAnd don’t blindly follow your GPS. \nThe Faire specifically warns visitors not to use Barker Road\, which police close to through traffic on Faire weekends. \nWhere to Stay\nFor visitors coming from farther away\, the Faire maintains a list of nearby lodging options rather than operating an on-site campground. \nBecause the event runs for nine weekends\, staying overnight can also make sense for visitors who want to attend both Saturday and Sunday without making the drive twice. \nCheck lodging availability early for popular themed weekends\, particularly as the season moves toward October and foliage season in eastern Connecticut. \nWhat First-Time Visitors Should Know\nThe easiest mistake is approaching the Connecticut Renaissance Faire like an attraction where everything follows one obvious route. \nIt doesn’t. \nThere are performances happening simultaneously\, characters wandering the lanes\, merchants to explore\, food to try and activities that can consume far more time than expected. \nCheck the day’s performance schedule first and choose the handful of shows you really don’t want to miss. \nThen allow the rest of the day to happen around them. \nYou might stop for lunch and encounter a roaming performer. \nYou might head toward a stage and spend 30 minutes shopping instead. \nYou might intend to watch one song and stay for an entire set. \nThat’s not poor planning. \nThat’s pretty much how a Renaissance faire is supposed to work. \nConnecticut Renaissance Faire 2026 Details\nEvent: Connecticut Renaissance Faire\nSeason: August 29–October 25\, 2026\nRegular Days: Saturdays and Sundays\, plus Labor Day and Columbus Day\nHours: 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m.\nLocation: Lebanon Country Fairgrounds\nAddress: 122 Mack Road\, Lebanon\, CT 06249\nAdult General Admission: $18\nYouth Admission: $10\nChild Admission: Free\nEntertainment: More than 40 shows daily across 13 stages\nMarketplace: More than 200 artisans\, food vendors\, games and other merchants\nFood: 37 food merchants and seven pubs and taverns\nPremium On-Site Parking: $10\, advance date-specific purchase required\nFree Parking: Satellite lots with shuttle service\nPet Admission: $5; service animals free\nSame-Day Re-Entry: Permitted with handstamp\nOutside Food: Snacks and nonalcoholic drinks permitted \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/connecticut-renaissance-faire-2026-guide/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Lebanon Fair Grounds\, 122 Mack Road\, Lebanon\, 06249\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lebanon Fairgrounds
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Connecticut-Renaissance-Faire-2026-Guide.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTSTAMP:20260705T020116Z
CREATED:20260520T023536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T020116Z
UID:10002544-1788688800-1788717600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Tree Trails Adventures Locals Day!
DESCRIPTION:Tree Trails Adventures Locals Day! returns Sundays throughout the summer from June 21 through September 20 at TreeTrails Adventures Mystic\, giving residents from Mystic\, Stonington\, Groton\, and Ledyard discounted access to one of SE Connecticut’s most popular outdoor adventure attractions. The seasonal promotion was created specifically to encourage local families and residents to enjoy the aerial adventure park during the busy summer tourism season while making new summer memories close to home. \nGuests who live in Mystic (06355)\, Stonington (06378)\, Groton (06340)\, or Ledyard (06339) can use promo code BRNeighbor25 to receive $10 off Main Park tickets for up to four people. Valid ID is required for verification. The park’s aerial obstacle courses\, climbing elements\, rope bridges\, and zipline-style experiences have become a major summer attraction in the Mystic area\, offering a mix of outdoor recreation\, physical activity\, and family-friendly adventure surrounded by wooded scenery. \nTree Trails Adventures Locals Day! adds a community-focused layer to the park’s summer programming by reserving space and discounts specifically for nearby residents during one of the busiest times of year along the shoreline. Whether visiting with family\, friends\, or returning for repeat visits throughout the season\, the promotion offers local residents a chance to experience the adventure park at a reduced price while staying active outdoors during the summer months. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/tree-trails-adventures-locals-day/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:TreeTrails Adventures\, 715 Noank Ledyard Road\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:TreeTrails Adventures
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Tree-Trails-Adventures-Local-Day-Sundays-This-Summer.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTSTAMP:20260901T000057Z
CREATED:20260901T000057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T000057Z
UID:10007301-1788688800-1788714000@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\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-6/
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T160000
DTSTAMP:20260901T003510Z
CREATED:20260818T193130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T003510Z
UID:10007222-1788688800-1788710400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:East Coast Collectibles Convention at Mohegan Sun 2026
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-2026/2026-09-06/
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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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTSTAMP:20260831T020043Z
CREATED:20260831T020043Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T020043Z
UID:10007288-1788687000-1788717600@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/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Portuguese Holy Ghost Society\, 26 Main Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Portuguese Holy Ghost Society
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T230000
DTSTAMP:20260903T151855Z
CREATED:20260903T151855Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T151855Z
UID:10007460-1788685200-1788735600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY: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/2026-09-06/
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTSTAMP:20260901T212201Z
CREATED:20260901T212201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T212201Z
UID:10007308-1788685200-1788717600@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/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill\, 129 North Stonington Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T010000
DTSTAMP:20260903T185623Z
CREATED:20260903T185623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T185623Z
UID:10007467-1788642000-1788656400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:ROMXN With Mutter & The Knife Kickers at The Oasis Pub
DESCRIPTION:ROMXN With Mutter & The Knife Kickers at The Oasis Pub on Saturday\, September 5. \nThe 21-and-over show starts at 9 p.m. and moves across several corners of independent music rather than sticking to a single sound. ROMXN brings hook-driven alternative pop and indie rock\, Mutter pushes into emotionally charged indie rock with jazz influences\, and The Knife Kickers approach the night from the rawer acoustic emo and indie-folk side. \nFor The Oasis\, it’s exactly the kind of bill the small Bank Street room is built for: regional musicians playing close enough to the audience that there’s little separation between the show and the crowd. \nROMXN Brings Providence Alt-Pop to New London\nROMXN is the project of Providence singer\, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jack Zornado. \nHis music occupies the space between alternative pop and indie rock\, pairing introspective songwriting with melodic hooks and arrangements built from guitar\, bass and keyboards. \nZornado has also taken a hands-on approach to creating ROMXN’s music\, handling multiple instruments as the songs are constructed rather than treating the project strictly as a conventional singer-fronted band. \nThe project gained attention within the Providence independent scene with releases including Letters of Love in late 2023 and songs such as “My Boys” and “Loverboy.” \nThat melodic side of the Providence scene makes ROMXN an interesting anchor for a bill that gets progressively rougher around the edges. \nMutter Mixes Indie Rock With Jazz Accents\nProvidence’s Mutter brings a different sound to the takeover. \nThe band’s core lineup consists of Molly Halpin on vocals and guitar\, Tyler Faria on drums\, Dante Krystman on bass and Riley Wicks on guitar and vocals. \nMutter combines indie and alternative rock with emotionally direct songwriting and occasional jazz influences. The group has also worked with tenor saxophone\, adding another texture to a sound that can move between quieter passages and considerably more forceful live arrangements. \nThe band’s first album\, Imitation Crab\, arrived in 2021. \nSingles including “Jaundice” and “Play it Off” followed as Mutter continued building its place within Providence’s DIY music community. \nIn early 2026\, the band released its second full-length album\, I’ll Wait and Pray\, giving Saturday’s Oasis audience a chance to hear a group arriving in New London with a substantial new collection of music behind it. \nThe Knife Kickers Take the Acoustic Route\nThe Knife Kickers bring the most stripped-down and folk-influenced component of the three-band lineup. \nThe project has roots in both Connecticut and Providence’s independent music communities and began as a lo-fi bedroom recording project before expanding into different live configurations. \nEarly releases included 2018’s scratch and 2019’s catching up\, eating shit. \nThe music leans heavily on acoustic guitar\, vulnerable vocals and personal songwriting\, pulling together elements of indie folk\, emo and alternative rock. \nDepending on the setting\, The Knife Kickers can operate as a solo project or expand into a full-band arrangement. \nThe timing of the Oasis performance is particularly good for anyone who hasn’t kept up with the project. \nIn August\, The Knife Kickers teamed with Connecticut independent record store and label Redscroll Records for the release of the 12-track an acoustic album on limited-run bio-vinyl. \nThat puts the September 5 show just weeks after the new record’s arrival. \nThree Different Sides of the Regional DIY Scene\nCalling the night a “PVD Takeover” makes sense geographically\, but the lineup also demonstrates how broad the independent Providence music community has become. \nThere isn’t one standardized Providence sound represented here. \nROMXN can lean toward polished hooks and alternative pop. \nMutter sits deeper in indie rock while allowing jazz elements into the arrangements. \nThe Knife Kickers can reduce everything to acoustic guitar and emotionally exposed songwriting. \nWhat connects the three is the DIY ecosystem around them. \nProvidence has long supported a network of small clubs\, unconventional performance spaces\, independent promoters and musicians whose audiences often overlap even when the music doesn’t. \nNew London has its own version of that ecosystem\, which makes The Oasis a natural landing point for a Providence-focused night. \nThe Oasis Keeps the Show Small\nThe Oasis Pub has become one of downtown New London’s reliable rooms for independent and underground music. \nLocated at 16 Bank Street\, the bar is deliberately small\, putting bands and audiences into the same tight space rather than trying to reproduce the experience of a larger concert venue. \nIts booking regularly moves through indie rock\, punk\, metal\, alternative music\, DJs and touring underground acts. \nThe bar itself emphasizes craft beer alongside the music\, with a rotating selection that frequently includes Connecticut and regional breweries. \nFor PVD Takeover\, the size of the room should work in the show’s favor. \nROMXN\, Mutter and The Knife Kickers are coming from a music community built around small-room performances. Moving that lineup about 50 miles down Interstate 95 doesn’t require changing the format. \nIt just brings the Providence scene to Bank Street for a night. \nEvent Details\nEvent: PVD Takeover: ROMXN with Mutter & The Knife Kickers\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nTime: 9 p.m.\nVenue: The Oasis Pub\nAddress: 16 Bank Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nPerformers: ROMXN\, Mutter and The Knife Kickers\nMusic: Alternative pop\, indie rock\, indie folk and emo\nAge: 21+ \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \n\n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/romxn-with-mutter-the-knife-kickers-at-the-oasis-pub/
LOCATION:Oasis Pub\, 16 Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Oasis Pub
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T233000
DTSTAMP:20260911T012427Z
CREATED:20260901T161953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T012427Z
UID:10007426-1788642000-1788651000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Badfish – A Tribute to Sublime at Paddy’s
DESCRIPTION:Badfish – A Tribute to Sublime at Paddy’s Beach Club brings one of the country’s longest-running Sublime tribute bands back to Rhode Island for an end-of-summer beach show Saturday\, September 5. Doors open at 8 p.m.\, with music beginning at 9 p.m. at the oceanfront Misquamicut venue. \nThe show lands on Labor Day weekend\, making it one of Paddy’s final big beach concerts of the summer. Rhode Island ska-punk band TJ & The Campers joins Badfish for the night\, with the concert presented by Coastal Productions and PMG. \nIt’s also something of a homecoming. \nBadfish didn’t emerge from Southern California. \nIt started here in Rhode Island. \nBadfish Started in Rhode Island\nThe idea behind Badfish goes back more than 25 years\, when a group of Rhode Island musicians began playing the music of Sublime. \nThat might sound unremarkable now. Tribute bands fill theaters and clubs across the country. \nBut Sublime was a different proposition. \nThe original band had become enormously popular just as its story abruptly ended. \nSinger\, guitarist and songwriter Bradley Nowell died from a heroin overdose on May 25\, 1996. He was 28. \nTwo months later\, Sublime’s self-titled album was released. \nIt became the band’s breakthrough. \nSuddenly “What I Got\,” “Santeria\,” “Wrong Way” and “Doin’ Time” were everywhere\, but the band responsible for them could no longer tour behind the record. \nSublime had become one of the defining alternative bands of the 1990s without ever getting to experience its biggest success onstage. \nThat left an unusual void. \nBadfish eventually stepped into it. \nMore Than a Typical Tribute Band\nBadfish takes its name from “Badfish\,” a song on Sublime’s 1992 debut album\, 40oz. to Freedom. \nBut the band has spent decades trying to do something more difficult than simply reproduce Sublime recordings. \nSublime’s music depended heavily on feel. \nPunk could collide with reggae. Ska could give way to hip-hop. Dub\, rock\, dancehall and acoustic music could appear within the same set. \nBradley Nowell could move from singing to rapping to a loose reggae delivery without making the shifts feel forced. \nBadfish built its following by treating that musical mixture as something to perform rather than impersonate. \nThe result has taken the Rhode Island-born band far beyond the local tribute circuit. \nBadfish has toured nationally for years\, developing the kind of dedicated audience usually associated with bands playing their own catalogs. \nWhy Sublime Still Sounds Like Summer\nThere may be no better setting for Sublime’s music than a beach. \nThe original band formed in Long Beach\, California\, in 1988 around Nowell\, bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh. \nIts sound absorbed the environment around it. \nReggae and dub. \nSouthern California punk. \nSka. \nHip-hop. \nSurf and skate culture. \nThe songs could be sunny and relaxed one minute\, frantic the next and unexpectedly dark underneath both. \nThat contradiction became part of Sublime’s identity. \n“Santeria” sounds almost effortlessly laid-back until you pay attention to the story. \n“What I Got” turns a simple acoustic progression into an anthem. \n“Wrong Way” pairs an upbeat ska rhythm with decidedly darker subject matter. \n“Garden Grove” feels like a hazy drive through Southern California. \nAnd “Badfish” slows everything down into reggae. \nThe catalog became so closely connected to summer\, beaches and outdoor parties that hearing it with the Atlantic Ocean just beyond the stage almost feels like the East Coast version of its natural habitat. \nThe Album That Arrived Too Late\nSublime had already built a following before 1996. \n40oz. to Freedom\, originally released independently in 1992\, spread through Southern California and the underground music scene. Robbin’ the Hood followed in 1994. \nBut the band’s third album changed everything. \nSublime was released July 30\, 1996. \nNowell had been dead for two months. \n“What I Got” became a major alternative-radio hit. “Santeria\,” “Wrong Way” and “Doin’ Time” followed. The album eventually sold millions of copies. \nSublime had crossed into the mainstream after the original band was already gone. \nThat strange chronology helps explain why the music developed such an unusual afterlife. \nMillions of listeners discovered Sublime knowing from the beginning that they would never get to see that version of the band. \nBadfish Filled a Space That Never Really Went Away\nThat’s the environment in which Badfish grew. \nThere was an audience that knew the records\, loved the songs and had never had an opportunity to experience them performed by Sublime during its commercial peak. \nBadfish began building its own live following around that catalog. \nYears became decades. \nThe venues became larger. \nAnd what could have remained a regional tribute project turned into a national touring act. \nThe current lineup includes Pat Downes on guitar\, Joel Hanks on bass and Scott Begin on drums. \nMore than 25 years after Badfish began\, the group continues touring across the country. \nBut something else has changed. \nBadfish has started making music of its own. \nBadfish Is Moving Beyond the Tribute Label\nThe Paddy’s show isn’t exclusively about looking backward. \nBadfish has been developing original music while continuing to perform the Sublime catalog that built its audience. \nThe group released “High With You\,” featuring Little Stranger\, in 2023 and followed it with additional originals including “F You Pay Me\,” “Surf Party Lord” and “Bad Things.” \nIn 2026\, the band released “WAY UP” and “Topanga\,” the latter featuring SunDub. \nBadfish is now preparing its debut album through Ineffable Records\, and the Paddy’s concert is being promoted as including select original songs alongside the Sublime material. \nIt’s an interesting turn for a band that spent decades becoming successful by interpreting somebody else’s music. \nBadfish has developed an audience of its own. \nNow it’s giving that audience its own songs. \nTJ & The Campers Bring Rhode Island Ska-Punk to the Beach\nThe opening act keeps the night connected to Rhode Island. \nTJ & The Campers comes from the Providence music scene and draws heavily from the ska-punk of the 1990s and early 2000s. \nThe band grew out of friendships that stretch back to high school. Its members had spent more than a decade playing in different projects and jamming together before forming TJ & The Campers. \nThe current lineup includes Matt Lombardi\, Izzy Tonelli-Sippel\, Mark Depot\, Christopher Depot\, Sean Marran and Tim Marran. \nThe band’s sound combines ska rhythms\, punk energy and the kind of hooks that flourished during the third-wave ska era. \nThat makes TJ & The Campers a particularly logical pairing with Badfish. \nThe younger Rhode Island band draws inspiration from a musical period that Sublime helped define. \nBadfish has spent more than a quarter-century keeping that music onstage. \nOne More Saturday Night at Paddy’s\nThe setting completes the equation. \nPaddy’s Beach Club sits directly on Misquamicut Beach at 159 Atlantic Avenue\, with the sand and Atlantic Ocean immediately beyond the venue. \nDuring the summer\, Paddy’s operates as a beach restaurant and bar by day before live bands\, DJs and special events take over at night. \nOn September 5\, the summer calendar is nearly finished. \nLabor Day weekend has arrived. \nThe beach season is winding down. \nAnd Badfish is bringing music born out of Southern California’s beach culture to a stage sitting on the Rhode Island shoreline. \nIt’s hard to imagine “Santeria\,” “What I Got\,” “Wrong Way” and “Garden Grove” getting a more appropriate East Coast backdrop. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Badfish – A Tribute to Sublime at Paddy’s Beach Club\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nDoors: 8 p.m.\nShow: 9 p.m.\nLocation: Paddy’s Beach Club\nAddress: 159 Atlantic Avenue\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nHeadliner: Badfish – A Tribute to Sublime\nSpecial Guest: TJ & The Campers\nPresented By: Coastal Productions and PMG\nAge Restriction: 21+\nSetting: Oceanfront concert at Misquamicut Beach\nWeather Policy: Rain or shine\nRefund Policy: No refunds unless the performance is canceled or postponed beyond a reasonable period \nSongs to Know\nBadfish’s Sublime repertoire includes favorites such as: \n\n“Santeria”\n“What I Got”\n“Wrong Way”\n“Garden Grove”\n“Badfish”\n“Doin’ Time”\n“40oz. to Freedom”\n\nThe band is also expected to mix select original Badfish material into the show. \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/badfish-a-tribute-to-sublime-at-paddys-beach-club/
LOCATION:Paddy’s Beach Club\, 159 Atlantic Ave\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:Paddy's Beach Club
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T010000
DTSTAMP:20260902T233516Z
CREATED:20260902T233516Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T233516Z
UID:10007433-1788638400-1788656400@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/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:The Misfit Club\, 12 Water St APT 12\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:The Misfit Club
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