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SUMMARY:Inaugural Island Run Paddle Challenge 2026
DESCRIPTION:Inaugural Island Run Paddle Challenge 2026 sends paddlers onto the waters off Esker Point Beach in Groton on Saturday\, August 22\, with three courses ranging from a one-mile fun paddle to an eight-mile run toward Fishers Island\, followed by an afternoon celebration featuring a barbecue\, live music and SURFRIDER sprints. \nThe new event is designed to work for more than serious racers. Participants can choose a course based on experience and ambition\, with divisions for stand-up paddleboards\, C1 canoes and K1 kayaks. Everyone who completes the challenge receives a finisher medal\, while the fastest paddlers compete for prizes from local businesses. \nMore importantly\, the day benefits a Mystic-based organization with an unusual approach to helping veterans rebuild their working lives: Work Vessels for Veterans. \nThree Courses\, Three Different Challenges\nThe Island Run Paddle Challenge starts and finishes from Esker Point Beach\, with three distances available. \nThe Long Course covers approximately eight miles and takes paddlers toward Fishers Island. It begins at 9 a.m. and provides the day’s biggest endurance challenge. \nThe Short Course is a four-mile route around Ram Island\, beginning at 9:30 a.m. \nFor paddlers looking for something more approachable\, the Fun Course covers one mile around Palmers Cove and begins at 10 a.m. \nCheck-in for all participants begins at 8 a.m. \nThe three distances make this less intimidating than an event built exclusively around an eight-mile open-water race. Experienced paddlers can tackle Fishers Island while recreational participants can still get onto the water and be part of the day without committing to the longest course. \nSUPs\, Kayaks and Canoes\nThe competition is open to several types of paddle craft. \nParticipants can race using a stand-up paddleboard (SUP)\, C1 canoe or K1 kayak. \nRegistration is $99\, and all paddlers receive a finisher medal. \nFirst-\, second- and third-place finishers will receive gift cards and swag contributed by local businesses. \nThe event listing currently states that registration ends August 31\, although the race itself is August 22. That appears to be a date error in the registration information\, so anyone planning to participate should register before race day rather than relying on the listed deadline. \nRegister for the event by clicking Event Ticketing below\nThe Party Starts at Noon\nYou don’t necessarily have to spend the entire day racing. \nThe competitive portion leads into a noon trophy ceremony\, followed by a barbecue and live music at Esker Point Beach. \nSURFRIDER sprints are also planned after the barbecue\, with Surfrider Foundation Connecticut serving as co-host of the event. \nThat makes the afternoon portion particularly accessible for friends and family who aren’t getting into a kayak or onto a paddleboard themselves. They can watch the paddlers return\, stick around for the awards and then join the post-race gathering. \nSupporting Work Vessels for Veterans\nThe beneficiary gives the inaugural race a strong local connection. \nWork Vessels for Veterans is a West Mystic-based nonprofit founded in 2008 to help injured veterans establish businesses and pursue career education by providing them with the equipment they need. \nAnd despite the organization’s name\, that doesn’t necessarily mean boats. \nA “vessel” can be virtually any piece of equipment that helps a veteran build a livelihood. The organization has supplied veterans with everything from agricultural and construction equipment to tools needed for other small businesses. Rather than issuing loans or simply handing recipients cash\, Work Vessels for Veterans purchases or obtains the equipment itself. \nThe organization reports that it has now assisted more than 4\,300 injured veterans\, with recipients in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than $4.3 million worth of equipment has been provided\, helping launch more than 800 businesses and generating an estimated $42 million in economic activity. \nThat mission has particularly deep roots around Mystic\, Groton and Noank. Work Vessels for Veterans was co-founded by people with connections to southeastern Connecticut’s marine industry\, and several members of its current board come from Groton\, Mystic\, Noank and Niantic. \nSo although the Island Run Paddle Challenge is new\, the organization it’s supporting has been doing this work for nearly two decades. \nA Day on the Water at Esker Point\nEsker Point Beach makes a natural headquarters for the event. \nThe Groton beach looks across Palmer Cove toward the waters surrounding Groton Long Point\, Ram Island and Fishers Island Sound. From there\, organizers can send paddlers onto three substantially different courses without moving the event away from its central gathering point. \nIt’s also a setting where the race and the afternoon celebration fit together particularly well. \nCome to compete and you can spend the morning on the water. \nCome to support somebody who’s racing and there’s still a barbecue\, live music\, awards and the waterfront waiting when they return. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Inaugural Island Run Paddle Challenge 2026 \nDate: Saturday\, August 22\, 2026 \nEvent Hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. \nCheck-In: 8:00 a.m. \nLong Course: 8 miles toward Fishers Island; starts at 9:00 a.m. \nShort Course: 4 miles around Ram Island; starts at 9:30 a.m. \nFun Course: 1 mile around Palmers Cove; starts at 10:00 a.m. \nCraft: SUP\, C1 and K1 \nRegistration: $99 \nFinisher Medal: All paddlers \nAwards: First-\, second- and third-place prizes featuring gift cards and swag from local businesses \nTrophy Ceremony: Noon \nAfter the Race: Barbecue and live music \nAdditional Competition: SURFRIDER sprints following the barbecue \nLocation: Esker Point Beach \nAddress: 900 Groton Long Point Road\, Groton\, CT 06340 \nBeneficiary: Work Vessels for Veterans \nCo-Host: Surfrider Foundation Connecticut \nMore Information\nTo participate in one of the three paddle courses\, use the Event Registration link below. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/inaugural-island-run-paddle-challenge-2026/
LOCATION:Esker Point Beach\, 900 Groton Long Point Rd\, Groton\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Esker Point Beach
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T100000
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UID:10007247-1787392800-1787436000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Family Day Summer Finale at TreeTrails Adventures Mystic
DESCRIPTION:Family Day Summer Finale at TreeTrails Adventures Mystic gives families one more chance to pack some adventure into summer before the school-year routine takes over. \nRunning Friday through Sunday\, August 21–23\, the special weekend centers around a Family 4-Pack for $200\, reducing the price to $50 per person. Better yet\, families don’t have to squeeze their actual climbing adventure into this weekend. The discounted four-packs must be purchased during the promotion\, but can be used for a later visit. \nFor families who do want to climb this weekend\, TreeTrails will be open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday\, creating an opportunity to experience the aerial park after dark. \nWhat Exactly Is TreeTrails?\nHidden in the woods about five minutes from downtown Mystic\, TreeTrails is considerably bigger than a few zip lines strung between trees. \nThe Main Park spreads across approximately nine wooded acres\, with five aerial trails containing about 70 different challenges and 18 zip lines. \nClimbers encounter suspended bridges\, ladders\, cables\, ropes\, moving obstacles and zip lines while traveling between platforms high in the trees. \nThe courses aren’t all created equal\, either. \nThey’re color-coded by difficulty\, allowing first-time climbers to begin relatively close to the ground before more experienced participants work their way toward considerably tougher challenges. \nFive Courses from Beginner to Expert\nTwo yellow courses provide the starting point. \nNautilus is designed as an introduction to aerial climbing\, with relatively stable obstacles that help newcomers become comfortable moving between platforms. It still includes four zip lines and an obstacle inspired by the shape of a lobster trap. \nSchooner remains beginner-friendly but adds more movement\, including swinging and wobbling bridges that require additional balance. \nThe green Columbia course moves into intermediate territory. Its longer obstacles require more confidence and problem-solving\, but there’s a payoff: Columbia includes the park’s longest and fastest zip lines. \nThings get considerably more serious on the blue Whaler course. Obstacles move and sway\, upper-body strength becomes more important\, and one challenge sends climbers across a 100-foot tightrope. \nFinally\, the black Cutter course is TreeTrails’ expert-level challenge\, incorporating demanding climbing elements\, unusual zip lines and obstacles designed to test strength\, balance and agility. \nThe Main Park reaches heights of approximately 55 feet above the forest floor at its most difficult points. \nYounger Kids Get Their Own Adventure\nFamilies with younger children don’t have to leave them watching from below. \nKidTrails is designed specifically for ages 4–7\, essentially shrinking the aerial-adventure concept to fit younger climbers. \nIts two courses\, Dingy and Tugboat\, contain a combined 24 challenges\, including bridges\, cable obstacles and zip lines. Instead of sending children high into the trees\, KidTrails stays just a few feet above the ground. \nThat allows a parent or guardian to walk alongside while children navigate the course in their own climbing equipment. \nKidTrails participants must be at least 4 years old and weigh at least 25 pounds. Adult supervision is required. \nWhat Happens When You Arrive?\nTreeTrails recommends arriving approximately 15 minutes before a scheduled reservation. \nBefore anyone heads into the trees\, staff members fit each climber with a full-body harness and the necessary climbing equipment. Participants then receive a safety briefing followed by coaching on practice lines. \nFirst-time Main Park visitors begin on a yellow or green course before progressing to more difficult trails. \nOnce the preparation is complete\, climbers receive approximately two hours of climbing and zip-line time. \nThere’s no requirement to race through every course. \nIndividual trails generally take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete\, and participants can choose courses based on their ability and comfort level. Someone having a great time on an easier trail can repeat it rather than moving immediately to something more difficult. \nTreeTrails recommends allowing roughly three hours for the complete visit\, including check-in\, equipment preparation\, instruction and climbing. \nClimbing After Dark\nFriday and Saturday’s 10 p.m. closing times open another possibility. \nTreeTrails regularly offers nighttime climbing\, transforming the wooded aerial park with colorful lighting while music plays through the property. \nThe experience changes once daylight disappears. Bridges\, platforms and zip lines that looked one way during the afternoon take on a completely different character beneath the lights. \nTreeTrails offers nighttime climbing opportunities throughout its season\, and its Glow experiences have become one of the park’s distinctive attractions. \nFamilies interested in climbing later in the evening should reserve ahead\, particularly because access to the most difficult courses begins closing before the park’s nightly closing time so climbers have enough time to finish safely. \nPrefer Both Feet on the Ground?\nTreeTrails also operates Mystic Axes\, an outdoor axe-throwing attraction for ages 12 and older. \nThe attraction has two lanes\, with as many as six people permitted per lane. Sessions run approximately an hour and begin with safety instruction and practice. \nNo previous axe-throwing experience is necessary. \nIt’s an alternative for older family members who like the outdoor setting but aren’t particularly interested in dangling 50 feet above it. \nWhat to Wear and Know Before Climbing\nThis is an active outdoor experience\, so clothing matters. \nClimbers should wear comfortable athletic clothing that won’t become tangled in ropes or cables. Long hair should be tied back. \nClosed-toe\, closed-heel shoes are required. Sneakers or hiking shoes are good choices. Sandals\, flip-flops and Crocs aren’t permitted for climbing. \nMain Park participants must weigh more than 45 pounds and less than 265 pounds and must be able to reach 65 inches to operate safety equipment throughout the courses. \nBecause climbing is outdoors\, weather can affect operations. High winds\, lightning or other severe conditions can temporarily close the courses. TreeTrails offers rescheduling or rain checks when conditions prevent safe operation. \nThe Family 4-Pack Deal\nThe Summer Finale promotion makes the weekend particularly interesting for families who already know they want to visit TreeTrails but aren’t sure they can fit it into the final days before school. \nFamily 4-Pack: $200 \nThat works out to $50 per person. \nThe four-pack is available for purchase August 21–23 only\, but the climbing visit itself can take place at a later date. \nThat’s a meaningful discount compared with regular Main Park admission\, which is normally around the upper-$60 range per climber when purchased in advance. \nReservations are strongly recommended because climbing times can fill\, particularly during busy weekends. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Family Day Summer Finale\nDates: Friday–Sunday\, August 21–23\, 2026 \nFriday\, August 21: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.\nSaturday\, August 22: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.\nSunday\, August 23: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. \nFamily 4-Pack: $200\nPrice Per Person: $50\nPromotion: Four-pack must be purchased during the Summer Finale weekend but may be used at a later date. \nMain Park: Ages 7 through adult\nKidTrails: Ages 4–7\nMain Park Experience: Approximately two hours of climbing\nMain Park: Five courses\, approximately 70 challenges and 18 zip lines\nMaximum Course Height: Approximately 55 feet\nMystic Axes: Available for ages 12 and older \nTreeTrails is located just off I-95’s Allyn Street exit and approximately five minutes from downtown Mystic. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo reserve a climbing time or purchase the Family 4-Pack\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n3 \n6.6. \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/family-day-summer-finale-at-treetrails-adventures-mystic/2026-08-22/
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/2026/08/Family-Day-Summer-Finale-at-TreeTrails-Adventures-Mystic.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T170000
DTSTAMP:20260822T001532Z
CREATED:20260428T045141Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260822T001532Z
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SUMMARY:Connecticut Pickle Festival at The Mohegan Sun
DESCRIPTION:If you’ve got even a mild appreciation for pickles… this is where it goes full tilt. The Connecticut Pickle Festival leans all the way in\, turning a simple snack into a full-day experience that’s brinier\, crunchier\, and somehow bigger than you expect. Wander through the Pickle Patch and sample your way across flavors from all over the country… yes\, unlimited. If it’s pickled\, brined\, or packed with that bold dill kick\, it’s here. And somewhere in the middle of it all\, Pickle Pablo is making the rounds… dancing\, posing for photos\, and keeping the whole thing just a little unhinged in the best way while people sip pickle martinis and take the occasional pickle shot. \nThen there’s the food… and this is where things get a little ridiculous. Fried pickles? Of course. But also pickle pizza\, pickle fries\, pickle-topped ice cream\, pickle quesadillas\, and even pickle shaved ice. It’s that kind of lineup where you stop questioning it and just go with it. Mix in some classic carnival food and sweet treats\, and you’ve got options for whatever direction your appetite decides to go. All day\, live music keeps things moving with a mix of country\, pop\, and rock\, and when you’re not eating\, you’ll probably find yourself watching… or accidentally signing up for… the Pickle Eating Contest or the always chaotic Pickle Juice Challenge. \nAnd this year adds something new to the mix… the Pickle Hoedown. Think boots\, country beats\, line dancing\, and a crowd that’s fully committed to the bit\, with Pickle Pablo right in the middle of it. It’s loud\, it’s a little absurd\, and it works. For the 21+ crowd\, there’s a full lineup of pickle-inspired cocktails alongside your usual favorites\, so you can lean in as much or as little as you want. Show up hungry\, show up curious\, and just go with it… because this is one of those events that doesn’t really make sense until you’re there.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/connecticut-pickle-festival-2/
LOCATION:Mohegan Sun\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Pickle-Festival-at-Mohegan-Sun.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T160000
DTSTAMP:20260822T001123Z
CREATED:20260818T030613Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260822T001123Z
UID:10007218-1787400000-1787414400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Pawcatuck Community Festival & Firemen's Muster
DESCRIPTION:The Community Festival & Firemen’s Muster brings one of New England’s oldest firefighting traditions to Pawcatuck on Saturday\, August 22\, as antique hand-pumped fire engines and their crews compete alongside an afternoon of food\, games\, and family activities celebrating America’s 250th birthday. \nHeld from noon to 4 p.m. at Harley P. Chase VFW Post 1265\, the festival gives visitors a chance to see something that has largely disappeared from everyday life: teams of competitors working antique fire engines by hand and attempting to send a stream of water farther than their rivals. \nAnd some of the machines coming to Pawcatuck are nearly 200 years old. \nThe event combines the New England States Veteran Firemen’s League muster with an old-fashioned community celebration featuring hamburgers\, hot dogs\, popcorn\, cotton candy\, food\, raffles\, games and activities for children. \nWhat Is a Firemen’s Muster?\nLong before diesel engines\, aerial ladders and modern pump trucks arrived at a fire\, communities depended on machines commonly known today as hand tubs. \nTeams of firefighters operated the pumps manually\, forcing water through a hose while crews worked together to maintain enough pressure to fight a fire. Eventually\, the equipment became the centerpiece of competitions between fire companies. \nThe basic idea is wonderfully simple: pump hard and throw water farther than everybody else. \nFiremen’s musters have been held in New England since at least the mid-19th century. Historical accounts trace one of the earliest organized competitions to Bath\, Maine\, on July 4\, 1849\, when crews competed to see which hand-pumped engine could throw the longest stream of water. \nThe competitions became serious enough that disagreements over rules eventually became a problem. \nIn November 1890\, representatives gathered at the Boston Veteran Fireman’s Association headquarters on Washington Street in Boston. Until then\, judges at individual musters could establish rules at the field\, creating confusion and disputes between competing organizations. \nThe meeting resulted in the creation of the New England States Veteran Firemen’s League\, establishing common rules while working to preserve what its founders described as the country’s oldest sport. \nThe league’s first championship followed in Lowell\, Massachusetts\, on September 23\, 1891. Seventeen engines competed\, with Volunteer No. 4 of Central Falls\, Rhode Island\, winning after throwing a stream 209 feet\, 1 inch. The competitions were originally held during the week because crews relied on trains to transport their engines. As motor vehicles became more common\, the championship moved to weekends. \nMore than 130 years later\, they’re still doing it. \nAntique Fire Engines Coming to Pawcatuck\nThe August 22 Pawcatuck muster is sanctioned by the New England States Veteran Firemen’s League\, with pumping scheduled to begin at noon at 160 South Broad Street. \nSeven antique engines are currently listed to compete\, representing communities from across New England. \nT.W. Lane — Mystic\, Connecticut\nBuilt by Button in 1883\, the hometown entry gives southeastern Connecticut someone to root for. T.W. Lane remains an active competitor: at a 2025 muster in Bath\, Maine\, it recorded a stream of 176 feet\, 10½ inches. \nUnion No. 1 — Southborough\, Massachusetts\nA Hunneman engine dating to 1867. \nHancock No. 128 — Ashburnham\, Massachusetts\nThe oldest scheduled competitor in Pawcatuck is a Hunneman engine built in 1828. Yes\, 1828. The machine predates the Civil War by more than three decades and is still being brought out for competition nearly two centuries after it was built. \nRescue — Bath\, Maine\nThis Howard & Davis machine dates to 1852 and comes from the Maine community with one of the country’s longest-running hand-tub traditions. \nTiger No. 1 — Newmarket\, New Hampshire\nBuilt by Leslie in 1852. \nProtection No. 1 — Newbury\, Massachusetts\nA Jeffers machine built in 1865. Protection No. 1 is also a formidable competitor. At the 2025 New England States Veteran Firemen’s League muster in Salisbury\, Massachusetts\, it threw water 217 feet\, 10¼ inches. \nQuansigamog — Bath\, Maine\nAnother survivor from the middle of the 19th century\, this Hunneman engine was built in 1853. \nThat means spectators won’t simply be looking at antique firefighting equipment sitting behind ropes. They’ll see machines built between 1828 and 1883 actually being operated in competition. \nHow the Competition Works\nThe objective remains remarkably close to what firefighters were doing generations ago. \nCrews work the engine’s pumping mechanism to build pressure and send water through the nozzle. The resulting stream is measured for distance\, with competitors divided into classes based on the size of the engine’s cylinders. \nAnd these old machines can move some serious water. \nModern league results routinely show streams traveling well beyond 150 feet\, while winning performances can break the 200-foot mark. At Salisbury’s 2025 competition\, Protection No. 1’s 217-foot-plus performance took first place in its class. \nPrize money is also on the line in Pawcatuck. The published 2026 scorecard lists prizes in both classes ranging from $200 for first place to $75 for sixth place. \nA Community Celebration of America’s 250th\nThe muster is the centerpiece\, but organizers are building an afternoon around it to mark the country’s semiquincentennial. \nFamilies can spend the afternoon watching the competition while enjoying hamburgers\, hot dogs\, popcorn\, cotton candy and other food\, along with raffles\, games and children’s activities. \nThe combination actually fits the history nicely. Musters weren’t created as quiet museum demonstrations. They developed as community gatherings and competitions\, complete with hometown pride and spectators watching local fire companies challenge crews from neighboring towns. \nPawcatuck is essentially bringing that atmosphere into 2026. \nThe Story Behind Harley P. Chase VFW Post 1265\nEven the location has a history worth knowing. \nHarley P. Chase Post 1265 was formally instituted in Pawcatuck on November 16\, 1924\, with 86 charter members. The ceremony at the Central Theater was preceded by a parade through Pawcatuck. The organization eventually moved to its current home at 160 South Broad Street in July 1973. \nThe post was named for Harley Philip Chase\, a Westerly native born December 11\, 1895. \nBefore the United States entered World War I\, Chase worked as a letter carrier at the Westerly Post Office. He entered military service in May 1918 and became a private first class with Company E of the 314th Infantry Regiment\, 79th Infantry Division. \nOnly four months later\, Chase was killed in action in France on September 26\, 1918\, at age 22. According to the history compiled by VFW Post 1265\, Chase was the first native-born Westerly resident killed during World War I. His name appears with a gold star on Westerly’s World War I memorial\, and he is buried at River Bend Cemetery in Westerly. \nMore than a century later\, the Pawcatuck VFW post bearing his name remains part of the community. \nEvent Details\nDate: Saturday\, August 22\, 2026\nTime: Noon–4 p.m.\nMuster begins: Noon\nLocation: Harley P. Chase VFW Post 1265\nAddress: 160 South Broad Street\, Pawcatuck\, CT 06379 \nActivities: New England firemen’s muster\, antique hand-pumped fire engines\, children’s activities\, games and raffles \nFood: Hamburgers\, hot dogs\, popcorn\, cotton candy and more \nThe muster currently lists seven competing antique engines from Connecticut\, Massachusetts\, New Hampshire and Maine. Because the published scorecard is set up to record results on the day of competition\, the final standings and distances won’t be known until the pumping is complete. \nMore information about the firemen’s muster is available at the New England States Veteran Firemen’s League website. \nNew England States Veteran Firemen’s League \nMore information about Harley P. Chase VFW Post 1265 is available at the post’s website: \nHarley P. Chase VFW Post 1265 \n  \n  \n[ The featured image above is of a late-19th-century New England firemen’s muster\, when fire companies competed using the hand-operated equipment of the era. The tradition continues in Pawcatuck on August 22.] \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/community-festival-firemens-muster-celebrates-americas-250th-in-pawcatuck/
LOCATION:Harley P Chase VFW Post 1265 Pawcatuck\, 162 South Broad Street\, Pawcatuck\, 06379\, United States
CATEGORIES:Harley P Chase VFW Post 1265 Pawcatuck
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Community-Festival-and-Firemens-Muster-Celebrates-Americas-250th-in-Pawcatuck.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T193000
DTSTAMP:20260820T014617Z
CREATED:20260820T011510Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T014617Z
UID:10007225-1787421600-1787427000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:T.J. Miller at Comix Roadhouse
DESCRIPTION:T.J. Miller at Comix Roadhouse brings the comedian\, actor and voice performer to Mohegan Sun for three nights of unpredictable stand-up Thursday through Saturday\, August 20–22. \nMiller is scheduled for an 8 p.m. preview performance Thursday\, an 8 p.m. show Friday and two Saturday performances at 6 and 8 p.m. Tickets currently range from $25 to $65. \nKnown for an intentionally loose\, improvisational style that can send a performance in unexpected directions\, Miller arrives with a résumé that stretches from stand-up comedy to some of the biggest television and movie comedies of the past two decades. \nFrom Silicon Valley to Deadpool\nMiller became particularly recognizable to television audiences as Erlich Bachman on HBO’s Silicon Valley\, a performance that earned him a Critics’ Choice Television Award. \nMovie audiences know him as Weasel opposite Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool and Deadpool 2\, while his other screen appearances include Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. \nHis distinctive voice has also turned up in several major animated films. Miller voiced Fred in Disney’s Big Hero 6\, Tuffnut in the How to Train Your Dragon films and Gene in The Emoji Movie. \nStand-up\, however\, remains a major part of Miller’s career. His specials include HBO’s Meticulously Ridiculous\, Comedy Central’s No Real Reason and the more recent Dear Jonah. \nRather than delivering a tightly identical performance from city to city\, Miller incorporates improvisation and absurdist storytelling into his shows\, making spontaneity part of the appeal. \nFour Shows Over Three Nights\nComix Roadhouse has scheduled four opportunities to see Miller during his Mohegan Sun visit. \nThursday\, Aug. 20: 8 p.m.\nFriday\, Aug. 21: 8 p.m.\nSaturday\, Aug. 22: 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. \nThursday is designated as a preview show with special pricing\, providing a lower-cost way to catch the headliner before the weekend performances. \nThe comedy club also offers assistive listening devices through its front desk. \nMake a Night of It at Comix Roadhouse\nOne reason this event is worth presenting as more than a single comedy performance is the unusual setup at \nLocated inside Mohegan Sun\, Comix combines a dedicated comedy club with a separate Roadhouse restaurant\, bar and entertainment stage. The Roadhouse serves Texas-inspired food including smoked brisket\, country-fried chicken and pulled pork\, along with cocktails\, whiskey and a selection of craft beer. \nGuests attending Miller’s shows can arrive early for dinner before moving into the comedy club. The venue requires a $10-per-person food and beverage minimum inside the Comedy Club\, although Comix calculates the requirement across the total party. There is no corresponding minimum in the Roadhouse. \nThe entertainment continues on the Roadhouse stage before and after the comedy performances. \nThursday: Line Dancing\, T.J. Miller and Karaoke\nThursday offers the fullest night of scheduled entertainment. \nLine dancing begins at 6:30 p.m.\, followed by Miller’s preview show at 8 p.m. Karaoke begins on the separate Roadhouse stage at 9:15 p.m. \nThat setup allows guests to make an entire evening out of the visit rather than simply arriving for the stand-up set and leaving afterward. \nLive Music After the Weekend Shows\nFriday and Saturday nights shift from karaoke to live music beginning at 9:15 p.m. \nFriday’s scheduled performer is New England country singer-songwriter Maddi Ryan\, who has built a regional following through a mix of contemporary country\, candid songwriting and an energetic live show. Ryan has twice received New England Music Awards nominations for Country Act of the Year and has shared stages with performers including The Cadillac Three and Morgan Myles. \nSaturday’s performers are Red Light which is a five-piece Eastern Connecticut party-rock band known for high-energy shows spanning modern and classic rock\, country rock and pop. The veteran group features multiple lead vocalists\, four-part harmonies and dual guitars\, and has earned numerous regional Readers’ Choice honors\, including multiple Best Band awards from Norwich Magazine and The Day. \nThere is no cover charge for the late-night Roadhouse music\, although the venue becomes 21+ after 10 p.m. \nFriday\, Aug. 21: Maddi Ryan\, 9:15 p.m.\nSaturday\, Aug. 22: Red Light\, 9:15 p.m. \nBecause these late-night schedules can change\, guests planning around a particular band should check the Roadhouse schedule before heading out. \nEvent Details\nT.J. Miller at Comix Roadhouse \nThursday\, August 20: 8 p.m. preview show\nFriday\, August 21: 8 p.m.\nSaturday\, August 22: 6 and 8 p.m. \nTickets: $25–$65 \nLocation: Comix Roadhouse at Mohegan Sun\nAddress: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard\, Uncasville\, CT 06382\nPhone: 860-862-7000 \nComix is located next to the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office. The Roadhouse opens at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday. \nMore information about T.J. Miller’s performances\, dinner reservations and the weekend entertainment schedule is available at the event website below. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/t-j-miller-at-comix-roadhouse/2026-08-22/
LOCATION:COMIX Roadhouse\, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd\, Uncasville\, 06382\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mohegan Sun
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/T.J.-Miller-at-Comix-Roadhouse-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T230000
DTSTAMP:20260822T001637Z
CREATED:20260820T143742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260822T001637Z
UID:10007233-1787425200-1787439600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Naked Canvas 2026: Cosplay at the Hygenic
DESCRIPTION:Naked Canvas 2026: Cosplay turns the human body into a living canvas Saturday\, August 22\, as artists and models compete during a three-hour live bodypainting competition at Hygienic Art Park in downtown New London. \nGates open at 7 p.m.\, with the competition running from 8 to 11 p.m. The evening combines competitive body art with cosplay\, aerial performances\, live entertainment\, music\, vendors and an outdoor bar. \nThis year’s theme is Cosplay\, giving participating artists a starting point drawn from fantasy\, comics\, games\, movies and other corners of pop culture while leaving the final interpretation to their imagination. \nArt Created in Front of the Audience\nUnlike an exhibition where visitors arrive to see finished work hanging on a wall\, Naked Canvas lets the audience watch the artwork take shape. \nArtists work directly on their models during the competition\, gradually transforming the body through paint\, design and costume elements. What begins as bare skin becomes part of a character and a complete piece of temporary art. \nThe live format also makes time part of the challenge. Artists aren’t simply judged on an idea developed privately in a studio. They’re creating while an audience watches and a clock is running. \nAt the end of the competition\, the finished creations become part art exhibition\, part costume and part live performance. \nThe stakes aren’t insignificant\, either. First place comes with a $1\,000 prize. \nCosplay Takes Over Naked Canvas\nThe 2026 theme opens the competition to particularly theatrical interpretations. \nCosplay traditionally involves transforming into characters through costumes\, makeup\, props and performance. Bodypainting gives artists another way to accomplish that transformation\, using the model’s body itself as part of the design. \nThat could mean recognizable influences or completely original characters. The organizers haven’t announced what individual competitors plan to create\, leaving the transformations themselves as part of the night’s surprise. \nMore Than a Bodypainting Competition\nNaked Canvas is being presented as a full evening of performance rather than simply three hours of artists painting. \nDJ E@ZY provides the night’s music\, while aerialists Dani\, Bobbi Lee and Jessa bring another visual performance element to the Art Park. \nThe entertainment lineup also includes Kela Nore and Big Hookz\, with Cool Ray and Mike Mitch serving as guest hosts. \nVendors will be set up around the venue\, and an outdoor bar will be available during the event. \nThe combination is designed to keep things happening around the competition while the artists work\, turning what could have been a behind-the-scenes creative process into a public performance. \nInside Hygienic Art Park\nThere’s probably no more natural New London setting for something called Naked Canvas than Hygienic Art. \nThe nonprofit arts organization has been part of the city’s cultural landscape for decades\, growing from the independent Hygienic Art Exhibition into a year-round arts organization with galleries\, artist studios\, performances and community programming. \nIts name comes from New London’s former Hygienic Restaurant\, where artists organized the first exhibition in 1979. The annual show was intentionally open and democratic\, allowing artists to display work without the traditional juried selection process. \nHygienic later acquired its historic Bank Street building and developed the adjacent Hygienic Art Park\, creating an outdoor performance space in the heart of downtown New London. \nThe park now hosts concerts\, festivals\, theater\, community gatherings and experimental arts events throughout the warmer months. \nThat history of making art accessible outside a conventional gallery fits particularly well with Naked Canvas. Here\, there isn’t even a traditional canvas. \nAn Evening of Art in Downtown New London\nHygienic Art Park sits at 79 Bank Street\, placing the event within walking distance of downtown restaurants\, bars and the New London waterfront. \nWith gates opening an hour before the competition\, attendees have time to enter\, explore the vendors and settle in before the bodypainting begins at 8 p.m. \nThe finished pieces won’t last forever. Bodypainting is temporary by its nature\, which is part of what makes watching the creative process important. By the end of the evening\, audiences will have seen the artwork move from an idea through its creation to the finished character in a matter of hours. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Naked Canvas 2026: Cosplay\nDate: Saturday\, August 22\, 2026\nGates Open: 7 p.m.\nCompetition: 8–11 p.m.\nLocation: Hygienic Art Park\nAddress: 79 Bank Street\, New London\, CT 06320\nFirst Prize: $1\,000 \nThe evening features live bodypainting\, cosplay\, aerialists\, music\, additional live entertainment\, vendors and an outdoor bar. \nNaked Canvas 2026 is sponsored by Friction Media Group and State Representative Anthony Nolan. \nMore information is available at the Event Website listed below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/naked-canvas-2026-cosplay/
LOCATION:Hygenic Art\, 79 Bank Street\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Hygenic Art Park
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Naked-Canvas-2026-Cosplay.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T140000
DTSTAMP:20260822T002055Z
CREATED:20260820T234531Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260822T002055Z
UID:10007251-1787486400-1787493600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Family Crabbing with the DNPC
DESCRIPTION:Family Crabbing with Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center invites families to spend Sunday afternoon along the Mystic River learning how to find\, identify and catch some of the crustaceans living beneath the water. \nThe two-hour program takes place Sunday\, August 23\, from noon to 2 p.m. Rather than meeting at DPNC’s main Nature Center\, participants gather at the Peace Sanctuary entrance at 233 River Road in Mystic before heading to DPNC’s crabbing location. \nNature Center educators begin with an introduction to basic crabbing techniques and crab identification. Then the equipment comes out. \nDPNC supplies the nets\, bait and lines\, and families put what they’ve learned to work along the Mystic River. \nLearning What’s Beneath the Mystic River\nCrabbing is one of those shoreline activities that can look deceptively simple: bait on a line\, lower it into the water and wait. \nBut Sunday’s program turns that familiar summer pastime into a hands-on nature lesson. \nParticipants will learn the basics of safely catching crabs and how to examine identifying characteristics that distinguish one kind from another. \nThat’s consistent with DPNC’s larger approach to environmental education. Instead of teaching nature exclusively inside a classroom\, its educators regularly take families into the forests\, wetlands\, meadows and waterways of southeastern Connecticut to encounter wildlife in its actual habitat. \nHere\, the Mystic River becomes the classroom. \nWhat Might You Find?\nThe Mystic River is a tidal estuary\, where salt water moving inland from Fishers Island Sound mixes with freshwater entering the watershed. \nThat creates habitat for a wide range of marine and estuarine life. \nThe exact catch on Sunday can’t be predicted\, of course. That’s part of the fun. Participants will use what they’ve learned during the identification lesson to figure out what’s actually coming up in their nets. \nDPNC’s program is focused on observation and education rather than guaranteeing any particular species or catch. \nOne lowered line may produce nothing. \nThe next might suddenly start moving. \nThe Peace Sanctuary Has Quite a Story of Its Own\nThe meeting location deserves some attention\, because the Peace Sanctuary is one of DPNC’s lesser-known properties and has an extraordinary history. \nThe approximately 30-acre preserve rises above the Mystic River across from Coogan Farm. A roughly mile-long trail winds through woodland containing mature oaks\, American beech and tulip trees before reaching high ledges with sweeping views across the river. \nMore than 150 years ago\, much of the hillside was open pasture surrounding a grove of oak trees known as Fish’s Grove. \nIt eventually became something considerably more unusual. \nThe Universal Peace Union\, which grew out of opposition to the Civil War\, began holding outdoor peace gatherings there. The property became known as the Peace Grove\, complete with a large open pavilion called the Peace Temple. \nSpeakers at the gatherings advocated nonviolence and took positions on some of the major social questions of the 19th century\, including women’s suffrage\, racial prejudice\, lynching and the Ku Klux Klan. \nThe meetings became enormous. \nAt their height\, DPNC’s historical records indicate that nearly 10\,000 people could arrive for the annual gatherings\, along with hundreds of teams of horses. \nFrom Peace Meetings to Camp Mystic\nThe property’s next chapter came in 1914 when naturalist and explorer Mary L. Jobe purchased the Peace Grove and transformed it into a summer camp for girls. \nBeginning in 1916\, Camp Mystic welcomed dozens of girls each summer. \nCampers swam and boated on the Mystic River\, rode horses along River Road and explored the surrounding woods at a time when the road itself was still dirt. \nJobe later married famed naturalist\, taxidermist and African explorer Carl Akeley. Following his death during an African expedition\, Mary continued traveling and exploring on her own. \nCamp Mystic eventually closed after the 1930 season. \nToday\, visitors to the Peace Sanctuary can still encounter traces of that earlier period\, including old stone foundations\, retaining walls and stone-lined cisterns hidden within the landscape. \nPreserving the Sanctuary\nMary Jobe Akeley died in Mystic in 1966 and entrusted the River Road property as a nature preserve. \nToday\, the Peace Sanctuary is owned by the Mary Jobe Akeley Trust and managed by Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center\, which has stewarded the property for more than three decades. \nUnlike DPNC’s regular public trail system\, the Peace Sanctuary is a private nature preserve with restricted access. Visits generally take place through guided DPNC programs or by special arrangement. \nThat makes Family Crabbing an opportunity to experience a corner of Mystic that many people drive past without realizing what’s there. \nAnd this time\, the destination isn’t just the wooded hillside. \nIt’s the river below it. \nDress for the Water\, Not the Sidewalk\nThere’s one piece of preparation DPNC emphasizes particularly strongly: \nYour feet are going to be near wet\, slippery rocks. Dress accordingly. \nParticipants should wear shoes that can get wet while still providing good traction. \nFlip-flops and Crocs are specifically prohibited. \nA pair of secure water shoes or other footwear suitable for wet and uneven surfaces is the better choice. \nDPNC provides the crabbing equipment\, including bait\, nets and lines\, so families don’t need to arrive with their own collection of gear. \nAdvance registration\, however\, is required. \nA Different Kind of Sunday on the River\nFamily Crabbing fits nicely into what DPNC does particularly well. \nChildren aren’t simply being told that tidal rivers contain complex ecosystems. They’re crouching beside the Mystic River with a line in their hands\, watching the water and waiting to see what’s interested in the bait. \nWhen something finally appears\, the next question isn’t just\, “Did we catch one?” \nIt’s “What did we catch?” \nAnd that’s where a simple afternoon of crabbing quietly becomes a science lesson. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Family Crabbing\nDate: Sunday\, August 23\, 2026\nTime: Noon–2 p.m.\nOrganizer: Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center\nMeeting Location: Peace Sanctuary Entrance\nAddress: 233 River Road\, Mystic\, CT 06355\nMembers: $17\nNon-Members: $20\nRegistration: Advance registration required\nEquipment: Nets\, bait and crabbing lines provided\nFootwear: Shoes that can get wet and provide traction are required; no flip-flops or Crocs \nParticipants will receive an introduction to crabbing techniques and crab identification before heading to the Mystic River to put their new skills to work. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo register\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/family-crabbing-with-denison-pequotsepos-nature-center/
LOCATION:Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center\, 109 Pequotsepos Road\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Family-Crabbing-with-Denison-Pequotsepos-Nature-Center.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T170000
DTSTAMP:20260822T002243Z
CREATED:20260821T000555Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260822T002243Z
UID:10007252-1787493600-1787504400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Community FREE Barbecue at Outer Light Brewing
DESCRIPTION:Community FREE Barbecue at Outer Light Brewing Company brings the brewery’s free monthly cookout back to Groton on Sunday\, August 23\, with burgers\, hot dogs and chips served alongside an afternoon at the taproom. \nThe grill fires up at 2 p.m.\, and the food is completely free while supplies last. There’s no ticket required and no special purchase attached to the barbecue. Outer Light describes the idea simply: get people together\, put food on the grill and create an easygoing Sunday afternoon at the brewery. \nThe beer\, of course\, is available separately at the bar. \nThe Community BBQ Is Becoming an Outer Light Tradition\nThis isn’t a one-off promotion. \nOuter Light brought its monthly free Community BBQ series back for the 2026 season in March\, establishing the cookouts as another piece of the brewery’s growing community event calendar. \nThe formula is deliberately uncomplicated. \nHamburgers. Hot dogs. Chips. Free. \nRather than turning the cookout into a ticketed beer festival or elaborate food event\, Outer Light treats it more like a neighborhood backyard barbecue. Grab something from the grill\, find a seat\, order a beer if you’d like one and hang around. \nThe August edition begins at 2 p.m. and continues while food supplies last\, so arriving earlier in the afternoon is a good idea. \nA Brewery Built in Groton\nOuter Light Brewing Company has been part of Groton’s craft beer scene since 2015. \nThe brewery was co-founded by Tom Drejer and Matt Ferrucci\, friends who had made beer together while attending graduate school. Drejer had been considering opening a brewery as far back as 2006 before eventually developing the business plan that became Outer Light. \nFrom the beginning\, the brewery leaned into its southeastern Connecticut identity. \nEven the name has a coastal feel\, and several of its beers reference the region’s relationship with the sea and submarines. \nThe brewery celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025\, introducing updated branding and a new lighthouse logo as it entered its second decade. \nYou Can Watch the Beer Being Made\nOuter Light isn’t simply a bar serving beer produced somewhere else. \nThe Bridge Street location contains the brewery itself\, and the taproom was designed to make the production side visible. \nLarge windows separate customers from the brewing area\, allowing visitors to watch what’s happening behind the scenes. Outer Light affectionately calls the view into its production space “the fish bowl.” \nThat transparency was intentional. The founders wanted people drinking the finished beer to have some connection with how it was actually made. \nThe result is an industrial brewery setting rather than a conventional restaurant or pub. \nThere’s indoor taproom seating along with outdoor seating\, giving the Community BBQ the backyard atmosphere organizers are aiming for. \nWhat’s Pouring at Outer Light?\nOuter Light’s beer selection combines year-round standards with rotating and seasonal releases. \nOne of its best-known beers is SUBduction IPA\, a beer whose name is a direct nod to Groton’s identity as the Submarine Capital of the World. The American IPA emphasizes citrus-forward hops and has become one of the brewery’s signatures. \nLonesome Boatman takes things in a different direction. The amber ale is built around toasted and bready malt flavors with a more restrained hop character. \nFor something lighter\, Morning Light is the brewery’s crisp lager\, while Juicy Bull$#!t represents the hazier side of New England brewing with Citra\, El Dorado and Mosaic hops. \nOuter Light also regularly experiments with limited and seasonal beers\, meaning the tap list can change between visits. \nMore Than Beer Nights\nOuter Light has increasingly used the Groton taproom as a community gathering place rather than limiting its calendar to beer releases. \nIts 2026 schedule has included trivia\, yoga\, block parties\, fundraisers and Wiener Wednesdays\, when the brewery gives away hot dogs during the afternoon. \nThe brewery’s Pours With Purpose series uses the taproom to support area organizations and causes. Recent events have involved Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program and the Groton Base of the United States Submarine Veterans. \nFor the Fourth of July\, Outer Light partnered with SubVets Groton for another free barbecue following Groton’s parade\, even brewing a special Fort Griswold Pale Ale made with New England ingredients for the occasion. \nThat local emphasis carries directly into the monthly Community BBQ. \nThere isn’t really a complicated premise behind Sunday’s event. \nIt’s a brewery in Groton feeding its neighbors. \nWhat About the Kids and Dogs?\nThe casual cookout format makes the afternoon suitable for groups\, and Outer Light has hosted a number of family-oriented activities at the taproom. \nDogs are permitted in the outdoor seating area\, but aren’t allowed inside the taproom except for service animals. \nBecause the barbecue is being held at a working brewery and alcoholic beverages are available\, adults should bring identification if they plan to drink. \nParking is available at the Bridge Street location. \nGet There Before the Grill Is Empty\nThere’s one important catch to free barbecue: \nEventually\, the food runs out. \nOuter Light specifically says the burgers\, hot dogs and chips will be available while supplies last. \nThe first burgers hit the grill at 2 p.m.\, so anyone particularly invested in getting a plate shouldn’t treat 5:45 as an equally good arrival time. \nThe taproom itself is scheduled to remain open until 6 p.m. Sunday. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Community Barbecue\nDate: Sunday\, August 23\, 2026\nStart Time: 2 p.m.\nLocation: Outer Light Brewing Company\nAddress: 266 Bridge Street\, Groton\, CT 06340\nAdmission: Free\nFood: Free hamburgers\, hot dogs and chips\nAvailability: While supplies last\nBeer and Other Drinks: Available for purchase at the taproom\nSunday Taproom Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nDogs: Permitted in the outdoor seating area only \nThe Community Barbecue is part of Outer Light Brewing Company’s recurring series of free cookouts\, offering a simple Sunday afternoon of grilled food\, local craft beer and time with friends and neighbors. \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/community-free-barbecue-at-outer-light-brewing-company/
LOCATION:Outer Light Brewing Company\, 266 Bridge Street\, Groton\, CT\, 06340\, United States
CATEGORIES:Outer Light Brewing
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Community-FREE-Barbecue-at-Outer-Light-Brewing-Company.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260827T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260827T140000
DTSTAMP:20260822T010754Z
CREATED:20260402T182201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260822T010754Z
UID:10007219-1787828400-1787839200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Back to School Bash at Mystic Aquarium 2026
DESCRIPTION:Back to School Bash at Mystic Aquarium 2026 gives families one more summer outing before the school year begins\, with karaoke\, games\, crafts\, contests and interactive activities throughout the aquarium on Thursday\, August 27. \nThe event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is designed as more than an end-of-summer party. Children can move through interactive stations highlighting some of the work that happens behind the scenes at Mystic Aquarium\, from caring for marine animals to rescuing wildlife and protecting ocean environments. \nThere’s also a community connection. A portion of every general admission ticket purchased for the event will be donated to Safe Futures in New London for its Bash for Books school supply drive. \nA Back-to-School Party at the Aquarium\nFamilies visiting during the Back to School Bash can expect a mix of activities geared toward children\, including: \n\nKid-friendly karaoke\nHula hoop contests\nGiant lawn games\nArts and crafts\nAn obstacle course\nInteractive aquarium stations\n\nThe activities take place alongside a regular visit to Mystic Aquarium\, so families can explore the aquarium and its animals while participating in the Back to School Bash. \nRather than simply adding games to the property\, the aquarium is also using the event to introduce children to the people and jobs that keep the organization running. \nWhat Does It Take to Run an Aquarium?\nOne of the more interesting pieces of the event is the opportunity for children to learn about the variety of work performed by Mystic Aquarium’s staff. \nInteractive stations will introduce visitors to jobs involving marine animal care\, wildlife rescue\, conservation and education. \nThat fits directly into the larger work taking place at Mystic Aquarium. In addition to operating a public aquarium\, the organization supports marine conservation and the rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals and sea turtles. \nFor a child who loves animals\, that gives the Back to School Bash a subtle career-day component. The people caring for an animal exhibit are only one piece of an organization that also depends on researchers\, educators\, rescue personnel and conservation professionals. \nBash for Books Supports Safe Futures\nThe event also turns a day at the aquarium into a way to help children elsewhere in southeastern Connecticut. \nFor every general admission ticket purchased for the Back to School Bash\, $5 will be donated by Mystic Aquarium to Safe Futures’ Bash for Books school supply drive\, according to the aquarium’s event announcement. \nSafe Futures is a New London-based nonprofit serving people affected by domestic violence\, sexual assault\, stalking\, trafficking\, elder abuse and child abuse throughout southeastern Connecticut. Its services are provided free and confidentially. \nThe organization operates considerably more than a crisis hotline. Its programs include emergency shelter and housing\, counseling\, court advocacy\, services for children and families\, prevention education and other support for people escaping or recovering from abuse. \nThat makes the school-supply component particularly relevant. Families seeking Safe Futures’ help may be dealing with an abrupt disruption of ordinary life. The organization notes that some clients and their children arrive seeking assistance with little more than the clothing they’re wearing. \nThe Bash for Books effort helps provide school supplies for children as a new school year begins. \nHelping Children Beyond the School Supply Drive\nSafe Futures also works directly with children in southeastern Connecticut through prevention and support programs. \nIts Violence is Preventable program\, established in 1992\, works in elementary and middle schools throughout the region\, teaching social-emotional skills including communication\, managing strong emotions\, conflict resolution and developing healthy relationships. \nSafe Futures also operates Camp HOPE America programming for children who have experienced trauma\, along with child and family advocacy and other services. \nThe organization reported serving more than 10\,000 people during fiscal year 2024\, with more than 105\,000 service contacts. \nSo while the August 27 event is intentionally lighthearted\, the $5 contribution attached to each general admission ticket supports an organization doing substantial work with families across the region. \nEvent Details\nDate: Thursday\, August 27\, 2026\nTime: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nLocation: Mystic Aquarium\nAddress: 55 Coogan Boulevard\, Mystic\, CT 06355 \nActivities: Karaoke\, hula hoop contests\, giant lawn games\, crafts\, an obstacle course and interactive stations exploring the work of Mystic Aquarium. \nAdmission: Back to School Bash activities are part of a visit to Mystic Aquarium. According to the aquarium\, $5 from each general admission ticket purchased for the event will be donated to Safe Futures for its Bash for Books school supply drive. \nMore information and tickets are available through Mystic Aquarium. \nMore information about Safe Futures and its programs is available through the organization. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/back-to-school-bash-at-mystic-aquarium-2026/
LOCATION:Mystic Aquarium\, 55 Coogan Blvs\, Mystic\, CT\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Mystic Aquarium
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Mystic-Aquarium-Back-to-School.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260828T060000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260828T220000
DTSTAMP:20260822T002907Z
CREATED:20260401T234634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260822T002907Z
UID:10007203-1787896800-1787954400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Plainville Hot Air Balloon Festival 2026
DESCRIPTION:Plainville Hot Air Balloon Festival 2026 fills the sky over Norton Park with hot air balloons on Friday and Saturday\, August 28–29\, during a free two-day festival featuring a Friday night balloon glow and fireworks\, Saturday balloon launches\, nearly 100 vendors\, amusement rides\, food trucks\, live entertainment and a classic and specialty car show. \nThis one is outside The CT Beacon’s usual southeastern Connecticut and southwestern Rhode Island coverage area\, but we’re making an exception. The 39th annual festival offers something different enough to justify a little road trip\, particularly for families looking for one more big summer outing before Labor Day. \nFrom Mystic\, plan on a little over an hour in the car. The most natural route takes you west along I-95 to Old Saybrook and then north on Route 9 into central Connecticut. Route 9 follows the Connecticut River corridor for much of the trip\, passing the lower river valley before continuing through Middletown toward the Plainville area. It’s a relatively easy drive\, and considerably more pleasant than spending an hour crawling through a string of commercial highways. \nAt the other end: dozens of enormous balloons glowing against the night sky. \nThat seems worth the mileage. \nFriday Night: Balloon Glow and Fireworks\nIf you’re making the trip from southeastern Connecticut and only choosing one portion of the festival\, Friday night is the obvious choice. \nFriday’s signature event is the Hot Air Balloon Glow\, when tethered balloons remain on the ground while their burners illuminate the envelopes from inside. \nOnce darkness falls\, those enormous balloons essentially become glowing lanterns scattered across Norton Park. \nThen look higher. \nThe festival’s fireworks display is scheduled for approximately 9:15 p.m. Friday\, creating a night that combines two things you don’t ordinarily get at the same summer festival: glowing hot air balloons and fireworks. \nThe exact fireworks start time is flexible. Organizers specifically warn visitors not to plan on arriving at precisely 9:15\, since conditions could cause the display to begin somewhat earlier or later. \nIf weather prevents Friday’s fireworks\, they’re scheduled to move to Saturday night. \nSaturday Starts at 6 A.M.\nSaturday belongs to the balloons. \nThe first launch is scheduled for 6 a.m.\, taking advantage of the calmer atmospheric conditions balloon pilots typically seek early in the morning. \nFor this one event\, visitors can actually park at Norton Park. There is no shuttle service that early\, and all vehicles must be removed from the park by 9 a.m. before the main Saturday festival gets underway. \nIf 6 a.m. sounds a little ambitious for a drive from Mystic\, there’s another chance. \nA second mass balloon launch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday. \nBoth launches are weather-dependent\, and the pilots themselves make the final decision about whether conditions are safe enough to fly. \nThat’s worth emphasizing if balloons are your primary reason for making the drive: a scheduled balloon launch isn’t a guaranteed balloon launch. \nWind\, visibility and other conditions matter enormously to these aircraft. \nNo\, You Can’t Ride in the Balloons\nThis is probably the festival’s most frequently misunderstood attraction. \nThe Plainville Fire Company doesn’t sell or arrange balloon rides. \nMany of the balloons participating in the festival are classified as experimental aircraft and aren’t permitted to offer commercial passenger rides. The balloons are there for the launches and glow rather than paid sightseeing flights. \nSo come to watch them. \nJust don’t arrive expecting to climb into a basket. \nThere’s Plenty Happening Between Balloon Launches\nThe balloons get the photographs\, but they’re only part of the weekend. \nNorton Park fills with nearly 100 arts\, crafts and other vendors\, offering handmade goods\, local products and other items throughout the festival. Organizers are also promising a particularly large collection of food trucks representing a variety of cuisines. \nAmusement attractions include rides\, bounce houses\, games and an expanded ride area featuring a giant slide. Those attractions aren’t included simply because festival admission is free; bring money for ride tickets\, food and shopping. \nLive music and other entertainment continue throughout the festival as well. \nSaturday also adds a classic and specialty car show\, giving visitors something substantial to explore during the middle of the day when the balloons aren’t flying. \nThat’s actually useful information when planning your visit. If you arrive at noon Saturday expecting a sky filled with balloons\, you’re going to be disappointed. The scheduled balloon activity happens at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. \nAt noon\, go look at the cars. The balloons need a nap. \nAdmission Is Free\nThere’s no admission charge for the Plainville Hot Air Balloon Festival. \nNorton Park is a public park\, and the Plainville Fire Company keeps admission to the festival free. Visitors pay individually for food\, rides\, games and anything purchased from vendors. \nThe event is also a fundraiser for the Plainville Fire Company\, which has served the community since 1885. Festival proceeds help support community organizations and the company’s student scholarship programs. \nFor a family making the drive from the Mystic area\, free admission makes the road trip considerably easier to justify. \nParking: Read This Before You Leave\nThis is probably the most important logistical part of the guide. \nDo not drive directly to Norton Park expecting general festival parking. \nThere is no general public parking at Norton Park during the main festival hours on Friday or Saturday. \nInstead\, festival visitors park at designated off-site lots and take shuttle buses to Norton Park. \nThe primary parking areas are: \nRobertson Airport\n62 Johnson Avenue\nPlainville\, CT 06062 \nThis is the festival’s largest parking area\, with thousands of spaces\, and organizers specifically recommend it for families and visitors traveling with children. \nA second parking area is available at the former GE/ABB lot on Woodford Avenue. \nParking costs $5 per vehicle\, cash only\, with the money helping offset the cost of the shuttle system. \nBuses run continuously between the parking areas and Norton Park\, and strollers are permitted aboard the shuttles. \nAfter the Friday fireworks\, expect crowds. Festival organizers say they operate approximately 30 buses continuously to return visitors to the parking areas\, but thousands of people may be leaving Norton Park at approximately the same time. \nIn other words\, don’t expect to watch the final firework and be cruising home five minutes later. \nAccessible Parking\nLimited accessible parking is available closer to the festival inside Norton Park for vehicles displaying the appropriate disability placard or license plate. \nOrganizers ask drivers to have the placard clearly displayed before reaching the Broad Street/South Washington Street intersection so traffic personnel can direct the vehicle appropriately. \nMotorcycle parking is also available at Norton Park. \nWhat About Rain?\nThere is no festival rain date. \nLight rain doesn’t necessarily cancel the festival\, and many activities may continue. \nBalloons are another matter. \nLaunches and the balloon glow are highly dependent on weather conditions\, and pilots have final authority over whether their balloons participate. Wind conditions that wouldn’t interfere with walking around a festival can be enough to keep balloons grounded. \nThe fireworks are scheduled for Friday night\, with Saturday serving as the backup night if weather forces their postponement. \nFor anyone driving from southeastern Connecticut\, this is one event where checking conditions before getting into the car really matters. \nLeave the Drone at Home\nIt would certainly produce spectacular video. \nDon’t do it. \nDrones are prohibited because of the danger they present to hot air balloons. \nFestival organizers also strongly discourage bringing pets. Between the crowds\, balloon burners\, music\, rides and fireworks\, Norton Park can become an unusually loud and stimulating environment for animals. Service animals are permitted\, including aboard the shuttle buses. \nIs It Worth the Drive From Mystic?\nFor most events an hour or more outside our normal coverage area\, probably not. \nThis one’s different. \nIf you’ve never seen a hot air balloon glow\, Friday provides the best argument for making the trip. You get the festival during the afternoon and evening\, food and rides for the kids\, the balloon glow after dark and fireworks to finish the night. \nSaturday makes more sense for people who really want to see the balloons fly. The 6 p.m. launch lets visitors skip the brutal wake-up required to reach Plainville for the 6 a.m. launch while still experiencing the rest of the festival. \nAnd because admission is free\, you’re really committing to the drive rather than an expensive admission ticket. \nSometimes that’s enough reason to stretch the borders of a weekend. \nEvent Details\nEvent: 39th Annual Plainville Fire Company Hot Air Balloon Festival \nDates: Friday\, August 28 and Saturday\, August 29\, 2026 \nLocation: Norton Park \nAddress: 1–15 Norton Park Road\, Plainville\, CT 06062 \nAdmission: Free \nFriday: Hot air balloon glow and fireworks \nFireworks: Approximately 9:15 p.m. Friday; Saturday backup if weather requires \nSaturday Balloon Launches: 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.\, weather permitting \nSaturday: Classic and specialty car show\, balloon launches and festival activities \nActivities: Amusement rides\, games\, bounce houses\, arts and crafts\, food trucks\, vendors and live entertainment \nBalloon Rides: Not available \nGeneral Parking: Off-site only during the main festival \nPrimary Parking: Robertson Airport\, 62 Johnson Avenue\, Plainville \nAdditional Parking: Former GE/ABB lot on Woodford Avenue \nParking/Shuttle Fee: $5 per vehicle\, cash only \nPets: Strongly discouraged \nDrones: Prohibited \nWeather: Balloon activities are weather-dependent. No general festival rain date. \nMore Information\nComplete schedules\, weather updates\, parking information and festival announcements are available through the Plainville Fire Company Hot Air Balloon Festival website. \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/plainville-hot-air-balloon-festival-2026-balloon-glow-fireworks-family-fun-2/
LOCATION:Norton Park\, 1-15 Norton Park Rd\, Plainvillw\, CT\, 06062\, United States
CATEGORIES:Norton Park
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260830T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260830T160000
DTSTAMP:20260817T204838Z
CREATED:20260817T204812Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T204838Z
UID:10007212-1788091200-1788105600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:TVCCA's 2nd Annual Sound Waves Music Festival at Stonington Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:TVCCA’s 2nd Annual Sound Waves Music Festival at Stonington Vineyards brings live music\, food trucks\, wine and an afternoon on the lawn to Stonington Vineyards on Sunday\, August 30. \nThe end-of-summer festival runs from noon to 4 p.m.\, with performances by Pirates for Peace and Fake Experience. Gates open at noon and live music begins at 1 p.m. \nThis year’s Sound Waves also comes with a new setting. The inaugural festival was held at McCook Point Park in Niantic in 2025\, while the second edition moves into the heart of southeastern Connecticut wine country at Stonington Vineyards. \nGuests can spread out on the vineyard lawn with blankets and chairs\, grab something to eat\, enjoy Stonington Vineyards wine and spend the afternoon listening to two familiar names from the local music scene. \nLive Music: Pirates for Peace and Fake Experience\nThe music begins at 1 p.m. with two bands that already have a connection to Stonington Vineyards. \nBoth Pirates for Peace and Fake Experience appeared during the vineyard’s 2026 Summer Concert Series\, making Sound Waves something of an encore for people who caught them earlier in the season. Fake Experience performed at the vineyard in June\, while Pirates for Peace followed in July. \nThe festival is designed as a casual outdoor show rather than a seated concert\, so bring a blanket or lawn chairs and claim a patch of grass. \nAnd dancing isn’t merely tolerated. It’s encouraged. \nFood\, Ice Cream and Wine\nTVCCA is bringing along its own Cruising Café food truck\, while Moovin Scoops will handle the ice cream. \nGuests are also permitted to pack their own picnic baskets and bring non-alcoholic beverages. \nThere is one important restriction: outside alcohol isn’t permitted. \nWine will be available from Stonington Vineyards during the festival. \nThe rule is consistent with the vineyard’s other outdoor music events\, where outside alcohol is prohibited and guests are encouraged to bring blankets\, lawn chairs and picnic dinners. \nAn Afternoon at Stonington Vineyards\nThe setting is a large part of the attraction. \nStonington Vineyards at 523 Taugwonk Road is one of the area’s established destinations for outdoor summer music. The vineyard hosts a weekly Friday concert series throughout July and August\, inviting visitors onto its lawn for live local music\, picnics and wine. \nSound Waves essentially extends that atmosphere through one more Sunday afternoon just as the regular summer concert season winds down. \nThe vineyard is open year-round and normally operates daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. \nSound Waves Supports TVCCA\nThere’s another reason behind the afternoon. \nSound Waves is a fundraiser for the Thames Valley Council for Community Action\, better known throughout eastern Connecticut as TVCCA. \nThe nonprofit Community Action Agency has served the region since 1965 and works with economically disadvantaged individuals and families throughout eastern Connecticut. TVCCA says proceeds from Sound Waves help support the essential services it provides in the community. \nThat makes the afternoon more than another stop on the summer concert calendar. Buying a ticket also helps fund an organization that has been working in eastern Connecticut for more than six decades. \nTickets\nAdvance tickets are $20 when purchased online through Saturday\, August 29. \nTickets purchased at the gate on Sunday are $25. \nChildren younger than 12 are admitted free. \nWith the $5 difference between advance and gate admission\, buying ahead makes sense if you already know you’re going. \nWhat to Bring\nSound Waves is an outdoor lawn event\, so plan accordingly. \nBring a blanket or lawn chairs for seating. Picnic baskets and non-alcoholic drinks are welcome\, and food will also be available at the festival. \nDo not bring outside alcoholic beverages. \nThe vineyard has also advised guests attending its summer music events that parking is limited and encourages carpooling\, something worth considering for a larger festival afternoon. \nEvent Details\nEvent: TVCCA’s 2nd Annual Sound Waves Music Festival\nDate: Sunday\, August 30\, 2026\nTime: Noon–4 p.m.\nGates Open: Noon\nLive Music Begins: 1 p.m.\nLocation: Stonington Vineyards\nAddress: 523 Taugwonk Road\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nPerformers: Pirates for Peace and Fake Experience\nFood: TVCCA Cruising Café and Moovin Scoops\nAdvance Admission: $20 online through August 29\nDay-of Admission: $25\nChildren Under 12: Free\nOutside Food: Permitted\nOutside Alcohol: Not permitted \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/tvccas-2nd-annual-sound-waves-music-festival-at-stonington-vineyards/
LOCATION:Stonington Vineyards\, 523 Taugwonk Rd\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonnington Vineyards
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