Archive for the ‘KIds’ Category

I know what you’re doing this summer

Friday, May 17, 2013 by:Jonathan Lucas
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Where are the fans of summer plans?

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, area residents will have just about 100 days to find ways to enjoy what this “unofficial” stretch of summer has to offer. Will you stay to play or travel some distance away to find your bliss?

Do you plan to take a hike, stroll along a main street, take in the sun and surf, hike up a mountain, listen to some music or give outdoor theater a try? Will you be sailing into the sunset or scaling a rock wall? Will you take to the roads, the rails or the water to arrive at your favored destination?

We want to hear from readers about their favorite summer activities and destinations, whether close to home or within a day or two away. Do these activities or places have special meanings? Are they part of a family tradition? Do you have plans to try something new this year?

Send your suggestions to localnews@scni.com by Wednesday, May 22. Please include your name and phone number. We plan to publish the entries during the Memorial Day weekend, which begins Saturday, May 25. Memorial Day is May 27.

Here are a few categories to get you thinking — or daydreaming — about where you’ll be putting your beach blanket or just chilling out this summer. Hit the comments link below to share your suggestions.

Summer, in waves

Fairfield County residents have no lack of waterways in which to play this summer. From the broad expanse of Long Island Sound to the many rivers and streams that crisscross the area, be ready to get your toes wet.

Making a day of it

Connecticut features a multitude of attractions and activities, and there are even more beyond the state’s borders. Whether you take to the roads, the rails or the water to achieve your destination, where are people going?

Having some fun, naturally

Trails, forests, parks, campgrounds and other open spaces will be feeling the tread of visitors’ feet this summer.

Entertaining evenings

Summer nights will be alive with the sound of music, stage craft and cinema.

Youthful pursuits

When the inevitable complaint of boredom crosses your youngsters’ lips, you will be well served to know there are more than a few activities and venues that can turn that frown upside down.

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, May 17, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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There are other events, of course, too, some of which stretch into the next week.

Aspiring illustrators plan to gather in Westport to enjoy the town library’s first comics convention. Musical fans have several year-end concerts to enjoy, including a performance by the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic. Christine Lavin will make a return to the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown. Jean-Michel Cousteau will be at the Maritime Aquarium early next week. James McCartney (yes, Paul’s son) will be in New Haven. And, Melissa Ferrick will feature songs from her new record during an appearance in Fairfield.

Like the “American Idol(s)” of today, Jenny Lind captured the attention of America back in 1850, during a tour of the country organized by P.T. Barnum. The singer’s influence continues today with Saturday’s Jenny Lind competition that is part of the Barnum Festival. Meanwhile, Danbury band Standby hopes to attract some attention during a release party at Heirloom Arts Theatre. The Connecticut Choral Society delivers some music, as well.

On stage, A.R. Gurney’s “Black Tie” will receive its Connecticut premiere this weekend in Stratford. And community dancers will take to the stage to raise funds for Curtain Call.

Phew! But, wait …

You can see Pilobolus at the Shubert Theater in New Haven. There will be a full weekend for endangered species at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. A parody of “Harry Potter” comes to Hartford. You can see the stars in Stamford or Danbury. Singer Summer Williams will entertain in Bethel. Westfair Singers will put on a concert in Greenwich. The Travelin’ McCourys and Karla Bonoff will be in Mamaroneck, N.Y. The Capitol Theatre will welcome Iron & Wine and Secret Sisters. Or, perhaps it is a spring doo wop you seek. Motley Crue anyone? Soundgarden? Rave On will be in Westport. And, Connecticut Playmakers will begin two weekends of popular hits.

“Connecticut Inventions and Innovations” will open in Bridgeport. Lidia Bastianich and Faith Middleton will be in Simbsury. And Boothe Memorial Park will mark the beginning of a season in style. You can help the Norwalk Seaport Association open its season on Saturday. You can check out Adopt-A-Dog and Westhill High School’s combined cause. Or, you can walk in support of breast cancer research.

Until next time …

P.S. The Bruce Hornsby show, originally scheduled for Sunday, May 19, at the Ridgefield Playhouse has been postponed because the singer is coping with a “persistent vocal issue,” according to the Playhouse. The show has been rescheduled to Sept. 29. A recent news statement indicated that previously purchased tickets will be honored.

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, May 10, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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Growing up, Lucie Arnaz did not have far to go to be surrounded by great musicians and great songwriters, she said recently. Early on, this daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz was exposed to the kind of music that teamed winning melodies with moving lyrics.

Arnaz, a Weston resident, is set to appear in Ridgefield on Friday to share some of these classics of the American songbook, but with a twist. She will deliver them with a Latin flavor, honoring her father’s roots. As she noted in a recent article:

He had such a great love of music that all he did was want us to enjoy it with him

Arnaz is not the only musical act set to entertain this weekend. The Fab Faux will be at the Capitol Theatre. Brian LaBlanc will bring out the Diamond on Saturday. Norwalk singer Tangela Smith gives a hometown show on Saturday, which happens to be the same day that Stanwich Congregational Church offers up a spiritual welcome to spring. Barry Manilow can be found at Mohegan Sun.

There’s plenty more music. The Sherman Chamber Ensemble performs Sunday. Nellie McKay comes to the Emelin. Huey Lewis and The News will be in Tarrytown, N.Y., along with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin. The Fairfield County Children’s Choir will share “The Miracle of Singing,” while Musicians from Marlboro will share their talent in Greenwich. There also will be a tribute to Chet Baker in Westport.

Robert Dean, Tom Shillue, Mike Epps, Donnell Rawlings, Nazareth, Lily Tomlin and Jodi Weiner are some of the comics making their way to stages throughout the state. On stage you can find “Cirque Ziva,” “Seascape,” “The Dixie Swim Club,” “30! TAW Celebrates,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Showstoppers on Stage” all on area stages.

If you plan to go out, there is the Norwalk Regional Tree Festival and art exhibitions up on display at the Glass House grounds. There is a special evening of art and music planned at the site for Friday. Meanwhile, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is hosting a Mother’s Day event (consider this a reminder: Mother’s Day is Sunday.) The Bartlett Arboretum will be hosting a plant sale, too. Or, even if you plan to stay in, you can hear from someone who has his eyes to the outside. Audubon Greenwich will welcome Alvaro Jaramillo, senior biologist at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, for a talk about birder’s brains.

Dance events include the Center Stage showcase in Stamford, “Dance Across China” in Ridgefield and a performance of “Snow White” in Purchase, N.Y. The visual arts offer up a number of events, as well, including several openings and ongoing shows. These include new shows at the Loft Artists Association, New Canaan Library, Bruce Museum, and Flinn Gallery and Stamford’s Mayor’s Gallery.

If you are looking for a cool day trip, get yourself onto a train into Grand Central to check out the Parade of Trains, just one of many events scheduled this year to honor the terminal’s 100th anniversary.

Until next time …

 

 

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, May 3, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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Above, the Stamford Museum and Nature Center’s Model Ts to Mustangs outdoor antique and classic car display will take place Saturday, May 4, 2013, and feature many makes and models. However, special attention will be given to Fords this year. For more information, call 203-322-1646 or visit http://www.stamfordmuseum.org. Contributed photo

With the spring blooms having sprung and nice weather on tap for the weekend, it appears to be the time to check out a number of outdoor events planned over the next few days.

Car fans can see how the Model T eventually gave rise to the Mustang, and later Ford models, during the 10th annual classic and antique car show at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center. About 70 cars are expected to roll their way onto the meadow on Saturday, and perhaps pick up a few honors in the process. Flora will be the focus in Fairfield when the 78th annual Dogwood Festival gets under way. There will be music, blossoms, outdoor items to purchase and food to enjoy. KidsFest will bring vendors, activities and inflatables to Ridgefield’ Ballard Park. And Wilton will enjoy a Go Green festival in this season of green.

Of course, there will be music, too, including a special concert at Sacred Heart University in honor of the late actress and singer Patricia Hemenway-Cook. The Greenwich Choral Society will be spreading a bit of “Eternal Joy,” and welcoming back Greenwich native Holly Sorensen. Pacifica Quartet will be in Westport and Rodgers and Hammerstein will be honored with a show in Bridgeport. The Connecticut Master Chorale will put on “A Hungarian Rhapsody” in Newtown. Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” tribute will be staged in Hamden. And, Yale’s Redhot and Blue will perform at the Coastal Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus’ annual show in Stratford.

The weekend continues into next week, with a melding of film and music when the Fairfield Theatre Company hosts a screening of “Stop Making Sense,” the 1984 Talking Heads concert movie. It will help to raise funds for the theater company and WPKn 89.5.

Live productions aimed at a younger audience include “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” and “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” in Fairfield, “Little Mermaid Jr.” in Ridgefield and the “Wizard of Odds” in Bridgeport. Children and families may also want to check out the Victorian tea party that is taking place in Norwalk.

The stage is not just for children’s fare. “American Idiot” comes to the Shubert, while Albee’s “Seascape” comes to New Milford. “Looped” arrives in Hartford; “Clybourne Park” settles in to New Haven run; “The Dixie Swim Club” will be presented in Stamford and “The Dining Room” continues in Westport. “Of Mice and Men” will open in New Canaan and “The Little Dog Laughed” will play in Newtown.

There are several art events, as well, including an opening reception for Steven Miller’s work in Greenwich, an ongoing show of Philip Trager’s work, a First Fridays event at the Aldrich, the 14th annual Vivian and Stanley Marine Show opens at the Stamford Art Association galleries.

Tomorrow also marks Free Comic Book Day. Several shops around the area will be hosting the day with special events, including Stamford’s A Timeless Journey. At Heroes Comics & Cards in Norwalk, Jeff Marsick and Kirk Manley will be there signing their books (“Dead Man’s Party” and “Z-Girl and the 4 Tigers”), making art and giving away items. Rogue Comics of Bridgeport will be involved, as will Alternate Universe of Milford and New Haven.

Rounding out the weekend (and into next week), Florence Henderson, a star of theater and television, will be at the Sacred Heart University’s Edgerton Center this weekend to talk about her career. You can see her before she attained her “Brady Bunch” fame in performance below. Dennis Elsas of WFUV will present “Rock ‘n’ Roll Never Forgets” at the Avon Theatre in Stamford and comedian Elaine Williams comes to Ridgefield.

Get on out there. Until next time …

 

Dart on over to Audubon Greenwich for special screening

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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As part of the launch of its Hummingbirds At Home science initiative, Audubon Greenwich (613 Riversville Road, Greenwich) will host a special screening Friday of the PBS Nature program, “Hummingbirds: Magic In The Air,” as well as a visit by Geoff LeBaron, the National Director of Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count. (Above, you can see a preview of the show’s original broadcast.)

The evening, which will run 6 to 8:30 p.m., is a chance to catch the show, which first premiered in 2010. Using high-tech cameras and advanced techniques, the film crew was able to capture a creature that can beat its wings up to 200 times a second. You can see what the crew went through during this “behind-the-scenes” program.  The crew’s techniques also enables viewers to see how these diminutive creatures are able to hover, fly backwards and fly upside down.

For those who want to attract some hummingbirds to their homes, there will be information on this new citizen science program, which will ask individuals to keep track of the hummingbirds that they see. Data that is collected will help further knowledge about the birds and help to develop conservation strategies, according to organizers.

The cost for the evening is $10 adults, $5 youth. A reception is planned prior to the screening. Registration is requested by emailing greenwichcenter@audubon.org or by calling 203-869-5272, Ext. 239.

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, April 26, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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For fans of the absurd and incongruous, the year 2010 marked a watershed moment. For it was in Madison, Wis., that purveyors of the found and forgotten came together for the first time. On Saturday, in Danbury, the two will come together again.

Heirloom Arts Theatre is hosting an evening of Found Vs. Found, which pits the creators behind the Found Footage Festival with the people behind Found Magazine. Found videos will go up against found notes and the victor will be determined by a jury. Get ready to see unusual clips of exercise videos and listen to missives that range from the mundane to the sublime.

Of course, such a rich stew of human behavior may not be what you are looking for this weekend. If that is the case, your music offerings include visits by country rock pioneer Poco, cornet player Kirk Knuffke, The Fab Faux, Mystic Bowie and Anthem, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Max Creek and Tower of Power. Some classical performances are expected to be turned in, too, including a special concert, “Mozart and Constance: Love Letters” in Greenwich, “LIFE: A Journey Through Time” in Hartford, The Declassfied, and a Festival Chorus. You can even check out some bug music.

On stage, the “Fifty Shades of Grey” book series gets a send-up with “50 Shades! The Musical” in Waterbury. A.R. Gurney’s “The Dining Room” opens in Westport. And a 1978 film “In a Year with 13 Moons” inspires a live stage production at Yale Rep. Indian cultural traditions will take center stage in Stamford, while “Cole” continues in Westport. “The Twin Desperados” roll into Bridgeport and “Alice in Wonderland,” will be staged in Danbury.

Some big festivals are hoping to attract guests, including a women’s expo in Stamford and Meriden’s Daffodil Festival. Meanwhile, the Beardsley Zoo is encouraging families to come by to see what animals are out and about and what is in bloom. A singing duo hopes to draw families with children of all abilities to a concert in New Canaan.

The weekend, as per usual, is a chance to see some art. In New London, Canvases For a Cause will support research for cancer. And in Stamford, the Loft Artists Association is hosting its final open studios at its location on Canal Street.

Whatever you do, make sure to get on out there.

Until next time …

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, March 29, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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For those who like to celebrate the Easter holiday with a bit of action, a number of egg hunts and “egg-stravaganzas” are scheduled this weekend. Meanwhile, a new exhibition is on display at the Bruce Museum that “unscrambles” the long history of the egg.

Of course, there might be some out there who are looking for a different kind of entertainment during the holiday weekend (and beyond). At Bridgeport’s Discovery Museum, for instance, “The Ultimate Laser Light Show Experience” will run Friday and Saturday evenings through May 26, bringing lasers, lights and rock music to the Henry duPont Planetarium.

Speaking of music, the area will again be full of singers and songwriters and big bands and small ensembles. Fairfield’s Kristen Graves will be in South Norwalk on Friday. The second annual Bijou Blender will kick off on Saturday in Bridgeport. There will be an ABBA  tribute act in Ridgefield this weekend. Mandy Patinkin will be in Tarrytown on Saturday. The Highland Rovers will be in Uncasville on Sunday. That’s the same day Maydie Miles performs in Westport. The Revivalists (see the New Orleans-based band’s video of “Criminal” above) and Otis Taylor Band come to the Fairfield Theatre Company this weekend. Alex Bleeker and the Freaks are part of a free show at BAR in New Haven on Wednesday. Glen Matlock, the former Sex Pistols bassist, will be in New Haven on Sunday. And, Pink Floyd’s album “Dark Side of the Moon” will be performed at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport on Saturday.

This weekend you also have the chance to catch the fastest talking woman, who also happens to be funny. Families can get all creative in Fairfield. Visitors can enjoy a Persian New Year event at Sacred Heart University later in the week. Or, you can take a trip to Oklahoma and never leave the area. “Guys and Dolls” take the stage in Elmsford, N.Y. You can learn how best to track birds in Greenwich.

Art abounds, too, with a new show opening in Bethel this weekend. Mother Nature’s work will be on display in Danbury. Stamford’s Loft Artists Association will show the power of “Transformations 2.” The Katonah Museum of Art puts its focus on quilts. The works of guild members and solo artists are on view in Silvermine. A solo exhibition by Max Weisen continues at the Stamford Art Association. Works by Eric von Schmidt go up on display this weekend in Westport.

Until next time …

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, March 15, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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You don’t have to be Irish, nor do you have to wear green to enjoy events going on this weekend. However, the observance of the St. Patrick’s Day holiday is coloring the flavor of entertainment throughout the region. From bars and clubs, to music halls and downtown streets, be ready to be part of the fun through Sunday.

Once you get your fill of cultural celebrations, there will be plenty of performers set to entertain through a variety of genres. Music acts making their way through the region include Jewel, Ada Pasternak, Soilwork, CT Bluegrass All-Stars, A Faylene Sky, Helen Money, the Choir of the College of William and Mary, Fairfield County Chorale, Jill Sobule and Julia Sweeney, The Phantom Pluckers, El Gran Combo, Rita Coolidge, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Peter Mulvey and Jeffrey Foucault, John Farrell, Drive-By Truckers (check out their video below), Cowboy Junkies, Rain, the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, American Brass Quintet, Cassatt String Quartet, Della Mae, the “Saxtet” and the Doc Wallace Trio.

There will be a melding of words and music, by the way, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Stamford this weekend when author Geraldine Brooks is teamed with the Dessoff Choirs. And, James Naughton helps to support the troops in Westport.

You will find opportunities to catch some comedy with Ron White, Bill Cosby, Isaacs & Baker, Demetri Martin, and Joey Kola and Vincent McElhone in the area.

Have you been suffering from identity crisis? The Connecticut Science Center might be able to help you with its latest exhibition, “Identity: An Exhibition of You.” It is a good family diversion, as is the Zany Science Lab tea set at Stamford Museum and Nature Center or the royal meet-and-greet getting under way at Bridgeport’s Bijou Theatre. Or, get a some quality on the ground airtime when the New England Air Museum hosts Open Cockpit Day.

One also can look toward the stars this weekend, too, or possible spy a few birds during events in Greenwich and Trumbull. Kids, meanwhile, get a night out in Milford.

Maybe you are looking to catch a movie or two or three. The documentary “Mothers of Bedford,” will get a screening in Ridgefield, while the Wild and Scenic Film Festival will run for an evening in Westport. The New Perspectives Film Series also continues in Wilton this weekend.

If the idea of checking out art is what draws you out this weekend, then make way to the Mark Twain Library where sculptor Edward Marshall Boehm’s work will be on display. The 96th annual juried exhibition of the Greenwich Art Society continues. And, a special event is planned in connection with Paul Larson’s exhibition on view now at the Loft Artists Association. Meanwhile, Franklin Street Works will be helping to make an art-friendly habitat. Art for everyone is available, too.

On stage, “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” continues at Curtain Call;. “The 39 Steps” plays out in Darien. “And Then They Came for Me … Remembering the World of Anne Frank” will run for a couple of days in Fairfield. “In the Heights” continues in Westchester. “Sh-Boom, Sh-Boom Life Could Be a Dream” is realized in Ivoryton. “Hamlet” will be staged in New Haven, which is where you can find The Blue Man Group, too. “Adrift in Macao” stays anchored in New Milford. “All My Sons” plays in Ridgefield. The “Sound of Music” gets a run in Greenwich. “Rounding Third” comes to a close this weekend. “SPANK! The Fifty Shades of Parody,” arrives in Tarrytown. And a reading is set in Westport for “Beau Jest.”

Well, there’s plenty to do so get to it!

Until next time …

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