Community news for the Colchester edition

Old Home Day fall festival taking place in Canterbury

CANTERBURY – On Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Town of Canterbury will welcome back their first Old Home Day fall festival since the Covid outbreak in 2019. Hosted by the Canterbury Historical Society in conjunction with members of the First Congregational Church of Canterbury, Old Home Day is a free, fun, family-friendly event that includes a variety of vendors with handcrafted goods, non-profit organizations offering information and assistance, demonstrations of blacksmithing, wood-fire baking and more, live musical entertainment throughout the day, American Revolutionary War reenactors, tours of the historic 1840s one-room schoolhouse and lots of animals.

New this year will be a scavenger hunt for the kids as well as a first-ever scarecrow contest. There will be old cars on display and even one you can take a ride in, while the Canterbury Volunteer Fire Department will be offering a different sort of ride giving folks the chance to get a bird’s eye view of the festivities from their ladder truck.

In addition to burgers and dogs cooked up by the Canterbury Lions, the Canterbury Café, a new addition to the event, will not only be offering delicious things to eat but also provide attendees a comfortable place to sit down and enjoy them. The Canterbury Historical Society will be holding a basket raffle along with a 50/50 raffle and there will even be the perfect place to pose with family and friends for a fall photo.

Due to limited parking, all attendees are asked to park at the Dr. Helen Baldwin School (145 Westminster Road) where a shuttle bus will be providing rides all day. Limited handicap parking will be available on site (6 South Canterbury Road) behind the church. Visit www.facebook.com/CanterburyHistoricalSociety.CT/ or canterburyhistorical.org for more info.

Lebanon Historical Society presents 56th annual antique show

LEBANON – The Lebanon Historical Society fundraiser, the 56th annual Antique Show, will take place Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the historic Lebanon Green.

Cost is $8 admission. Children under 12 attend for free. There is free parking and the event takes place rain or shine. Coffee & donuts, grilled hot dogs & burgers, and homemade chowders, sandwiches and slices of pie are for sale. For dealer & more information, call 860-642-6579
or visit https://historyoflebanon.org/.

Willimantic Downtown Country Fair taking place in September

WILLIMANTIC – The 24th Annual Willimantic Downtown Country Fair will take place Saturday, Sept. 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jillson Square. Visit https://www.willimanticfood.coop/images/wfc_vendor-application_wdcf2023.pdf for more info.

Quiet Corner Contra Dance taking place in October

COVENTRY – The next Quiet Corner Contra Dance will take place Friday, Oct. 6, at Patriots Park Lodge, 172 Lake St. The dance is 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., with an introductory lesson at 7:15 p.m. Cost is $13 per adult and $6 per student. A partner is not necessary.

There will be live music and a caller. All dances will be taught. For more information, contact Dennis at knowdj@frontier.com. or visit HCDance.org.

The Wolff Sisters to headline Celebrate Mansfield Festival

STORRS – The Mansfield Downtown Partnership is pleased to announce the headliner for its 20th Annual Celebrate Mansfield Festival – The Wolff Sisters, winners of New England Music Awards Americana Artist of the Year (2021).

The Wolff Sisters is fronted by three sisters — Rebecca on acoustic guitar, Kat on the keys, Rachael on electric guitar, and all three on lead vocals and harmonies.

The Wolff Sisters will perform from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on the stage of the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family
Foundation Pavilion on Betsy Paterson Square. Opening for The Wolff Sisters will be Zikina at 5 p.m. Mansfield resident Gideon Ampeire has been performing internationally for almost 20 years as a bandleader, instrumentalist, singer, dancer, educator, and master instrument maker. For over a decade, he has been the leader of Echo Uganda, a group that has spread traditional Ugandan folk music throughout the northeast U.S. and beyond, including an appearance at the
United Nations. In 2015, Gideon met up with western MA producer and
guitarist Mike Cardozo, who has performed and recorded for nearly a decade in a variety of acts.

Visitors are invited to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Refreshments will be available for purchase from the festival food booths and at downtown Storrs restaurants.

Alcohol is prohibited on the Square. Smoking and vaping are also prohibited on the Square.
The Celebrate Mansfield Festival is free and open to everyone. For more information, visit downtownstorrsfestival.org or call the Mansfield Downtown Partnership at 860-429-2740.

CHS Historic House Tour taking place in September

EAST HAMPTON – The Chatham Historical Society (CHS) of East Hampton is pleased to announce their Historic House Tour for 2023. Six distinctive houses plus the three-building museum complex will be on view Saturday, Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per person and will be on sale at the East Hampton Town Clerk’s Office in the Town Hall and the East Hampton Public Library. For more information, call Debbie Day at 860-267-4732.

Goodwin Trail Challenge to offer new experiences

EAST HADDAM – Pedal, run or walk – it’s each participant’s choice for the first annual, 14-mile Goodwin Trail Challenge on Oct. 8.

Approximately 150 participants will cycle, run or hike the Richard H. Goodwin Trail, which stretches from East Haddam to East Lyme and goes through other wooded and preserved
areas in Salem and Lyme.

The event, which is not a race, will offer the longest, most remote mountain bike course
in Connecticut. The challenge (TGTC) is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. with cyclists setting off first, then runners, and then hikers. Event monitors will sweep the course to ensure all participants finish by 5:30 p.m.

The fundraising event is sponsored by the nonprofit East Haddam Land Trust.
The course will feature rest & refreshment stops at Gungy Road along the trail, which
about 4.5 miles in, and Grassy Hill Road, 9 miles from the start.

While snacks and water will be available at these places, participants are advised to carry their own water, snacks, and any needed items.

The course is a unique, 14-mile linear trail in the Eightmile River Wild & Scenic
Watershed. It winds through preserved land owned and maintained by local land trusts,
municipalities, the Yale School of the Environment, and Nehantic State Park. For more
information on the trail and maps, see https://www.eightmileriver.org/outdoor-recreation/. All participants must register by 5 p.m., Sept. 29. More important information and
registration forms can be found at https://www.ehlt.org/goodwin-trail-challenge. Registration numbers will be limited.

While light rain will not cancel the event, strong storms will. Visit ehlt.org/goodwin-trail-challenge) for updates. If the event is canceled, registration fees will gratefully be considered donations to East Haddam Land Trust.

Eagle Scout Car Wash to benefit waterfront area

COLCHESTER – Boy Scout Troop 72 Eagle Scout candidate Kevin Reas is hosting a car wash on Sept. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Colchester Federated Church, 60 Main St.

The purpose of the car wash is to raise funds to make improvements to the waterfront area of Camp Whitman in North Stonington. The improvements will include clearing a picnicking area and building several new picnic tables. Cars may pull into the circular driveway in front of the church.

If you are unable to come to the car wash, donations to the project will be greatly appreciated. Donations can be sent to the Colchester Federated Church, 60 Main Street to “Troop 72 BSA” add note: “For Camp Whitman Improvements.”