The Danbury Concert Association Welcomes Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra October 25 @ 1 pm

The Danbury Concert Association continues its 2026–2027 concert season on Sunday, October 25, at 1 p.m., welcoming the Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO) of Amsterdam for an afternoon of refined and expressive chamber-orchestra music. The performance will take place at Western Connecticut State University’s Visual and Performing Arts Center at 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, Connecticut.

Single tickets for the October 25 concert are $33.85 and may be purchased online, at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com, or at the VPAC Box Office (203-837-8732) up to curtain time. Admission is free for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission.

Renowned for its remarkable clarity and intimacy, the Camerata RCO delivers a powerful new perspective on beloved orchestral masterworks. With its distinctive combination of winds and strings, the ensemble brings the music’s structure, inner voices, and subtle harmonic colors into sharp focus—revealing details that can be lost in a full symphonic performance. The result is chamber-scale refinement with all the emotional force, brilliance, and impact of the great repertoire fully preserved.

Founded in 2009, Camerata carries forward a powerful tradition: accomplished musicians and thinkers coming together to create art at the highest level. That same vision drives the ensemble today. Its leading orchestral musicians are united by a shared commitment to chamber music’s most personal, flexible, and collaborative form — from duos and small ensembles to full chamber orchestra performances. While they continue to serve in one of the world’s great symphonic orchestras, they also come together to perform in this more intimate setting. Camerata isn’t defined by a fixed lineup or rigid format; it is defined by versatility, artistry, and the strength of its collective spirit.

The ensemble launched its recorded discography on Gutman Records with a 2012 Christmas recording featuring Corelli’s Concerto Grosso. Among its most notable artistic projects is an ongoing exploration of chamber reductions of monumental late-Romantic works, including recordings of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 with conductor Gustavo Gimeno in 2014 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with Lucas Macías Navarro.

In two decades, the Camerata RCO has grown into a respected international touring ensemble, performing 50 concerts each season in major music capitals including Vienna, New York, Tokyo, Madrid, Rome, and Seoul. This October performance offers Danbury-area audiences the chance to hear world-class Amsterdam musicians in an engaging concert setting—where symphonic grandeur meets the artistry and warmth of chamber music.

About the Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association is a nonprofit organization with roots dating back to the 1930s. Officially spun off from the Danbury Music Centre in 1957, the Association has brought internationally renowned talent to Connecticut every year since then, with the exception of the COVID era. Today, performances are held at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University, featuring internationally acclaimed artists in a state-of-the-art concert hall. The Association presents four concerts per season, two in the fall and two in the spring, each followed by a meet-the-artists reception

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Registration Open for 2026 Norfolk Tour de Forest Bike Ride on October 17

Registration is now open for the 2026 Norfolk Tour de Forest, taking place on Saturday, October 17. This popular annual gravel ride supports two local nonprofit organizations: Great Mountain Forest and Norfolk Rails to Trails.

Riders of all experience levels are invited to spend a crisp autumn day exploring the remarkable landscape of Great Mountain Forest—one of Connecticut’s largest undeveloped woodland areas. New riders are welcome.

The event features two routes, giving participants the flexibility to choose the ride that best matches their endurance and experience. Icebox Gravel begins at 9:30 a.m. and spans 30 rugged miles of gravel and paved roads, including sections conserved by the Norfolk Land Trust. The signature Tour de Forest starts at 10 a.m. and covers 13 scenic miles along a mix of gravel and paved roads through and around Great Mountain Forest.

Riders are encouraged to keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. Great Mountain Forest’s roads are repaired and maintained annually to support forest management, research, educational, and recreational activities.

The ride begins and ends at the Norfolk Curling Club, 70 Golf Drive, Norfolk, Connecticut. Day-of registration opens at 8 a.m. Registration is $50 for adults, $25 for teens, and free for riders age 12 and under. All proceeds support the programs of Norfolk Rails to Trails and Great Mountain Forest. Register at BikeReg.

At the finish, riders can refuel with sweet and savory treats—including shots of maple syrup produced by the Great Mountain Forest team.

About Great Mountain Forest
Great Mountain Forest (GMF) is a leader in forest stewardship. For more than a century, we have been demonstrating how sustainable management can protect biodiversity and support ecosystems. By serving as a hub for education and research, we are spreading the benefits of sustainable management so that communities across New England derive educational, economic, recreational, and health benefits from their forests—now and well into the future. GMF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit encompassing 6,400 acres of contiguous forestland in Norfolk, Canaan, and Falls Village, Connecticut.

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Glebe House Museum to Debut Haunted Hollow Tours in Woodbury on October 24

As autumn settles across New England, golden leaves give way to bare branches, early sunsets cast long shadows over centuries-old stone walls, and crisp evening air brings an added sense of mystery to every walk outdoors. It is no surprise that historic cemetery tours grow especially popular around Halloween. Beyond seasonal scares, these experiences offer a compelling connection to local history, architecture, folklore, and the people whose lives helped shape their communities.

This year, the Glebe House Museum & Garden in Woodbury will introduce its new Haunted Hollow Tours on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a rain date of Oct. 25. Sponsored by Newtown Savings Bank, the event reimagines the museum’s classic cemetery tour with encounters involving the history, architecture, and memorable residents of Woodbury’s Hollow.

Participants will travel through another era while walking Hollow Road, Doolittle Hill and Main Street. Along the way, they will meet the ghosts of former residents and enter Old South Cemetery to greet the spirits said to rest there.

Six daylight tours will focus on the Hollow’s architecture, local history, and historic cemetery. Six evening tours will offer a more unsettling experience, with spirits potentially appearing from the shadows of the ancient burial ground — listed among Connecticut’s most haunted sites.

With a spirit guide leading the way, attendees will visit the homes and final resting places of some of Woodbury’s most notable and notorious residents. The tours explore burial grounds more than 350 years old, where stories of those buried beneath visitors’ feet are brought to life for the occasion.

On the Glebe House grounds, guests can meet the Leatherman, the well-known wanderer who traveled throughout western Connecticut during the late 1800s and made numerous stops in Woodbury. Visitors may also encounter Dr. Samuel Orton, a physician who practiced medicine in the area more than 250 years ago and may be eager to diagnose modern ailments — and suggest a few leeches.

Tours depart from the museum grounds every 15 minutes, beginning at 4 p.m. Daylight tours run from 4 to 5:45 p.m., while evening tours run from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Evening tour tickets are available only to guests ages 13 and older, and organizers do not recommend the evening experience for children 12 and under.

The experience includes approximately 45 minutes of walking on sidewalks, uneven ground, and hills. Organizers recommend weather-appropriate attire, comfortable shoes, and a flashlight.

Guests may also sign up for tarot readings with Ana M. in the Glebe House Cottage. Ana M., who has more than 40 years of experience, will offer readings for tips, with 50 percent of proceeds benefiting the Glebe House Museum. Readings are valued at $30, and cash is preferred. Ticket holders will receive a reservation link, and advance sign-up is recommended.

Tickets are $15 for adults ages 13 and older, $10 for children ages 6–12, and free for children age 5 and under. Space is limited, and advance ticket purchases are encouraged. Last year’s event sold out.

For tickets and additional information, visit https://www.glebehousemuseum.org or contact the museum office at 203-263-2855 or office@glebehousemuseum.org.

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Connecticut’s Bigfoot Mystery Takes a Hilarious Halloween Turn Aboard The Haunted Trolley

With recent reports of Sasquatch sightings stirring curiosity across Connecticut, this Halloween attraction may finally answer the question on everyone’s mind: Is there really a Bigfoot in the state? The Haunted Trolley, Connecticut’s most unique Halloween experience, returns to the Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River Street in East Haven, for its fifth consecutive year. This season, the trolley leaves traditional Halloween frights behind for an all-new, laugh-filled supernatural expedition: “IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH: CT BIGFOOT HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE.”

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After debuting as a curated high-concept experience blending storytelling, the paranormal, theater, and trolley travel—and later evolving into an on-board murder mystery and an alien-invasion adventure—The Haunted Trolley heads deep into Connecticut cryptid territory for 2026.

Guests will board an ancient trolley and join their hosts for a lively, interactive journey in search of the legendary creature. Every passenger will get the opportunity to meet a Sasquatch up close during this one-of-a-kind Halloween adventure.

Limited to just 40 passengers per ride, the experience begins with a pre-ride audio-visual orientation introducing the evening’s mystery. Guests then take part in an immersive 30–45-minute program featuring a Bigfoot encounter, theatrical thrills, Halloween atmosphere, audience participation, and plenty of comedy. Most importantly, the audience helps decide how the adventure unfolds.

This is not an indoor haunted house, an outdoor trail, a hayride, or a traditional scare attraction. There are no zombies, clowns, masked monsters, chainsaws, loud music, or actors screaming in guests’ ears. There is also no standing in line for hours. Instead, visitors can expect a memorable evening of fun, mystery, comedy, and an atmospheric trolley ride.

Performance Schedule
“IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH: CT BIGFOOT HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE” runs for 13 nights:

Friday, October 2: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 3: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Friday, October 9: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 10: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Friday, October 16: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 17: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Sunday, October 18: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m.
Friday, October 23: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 24: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Sunday, October 25: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m.
Friday, October 30: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 31 — Halloween: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.
Sunday, November 1: 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m.

Tickets and Information
Advance admission is $29 per person. A limited number of $49 VIP upgrades are also available, including first boarding, priority seating aboard the trolley, and a complimentary souvenir logo shirt.

The 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. rides are designated as more family- and kid-friendly. All ages are welcome; however, guests under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets are available through https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/special-events/HalloweenSasquatch

Group rates are available for parties of more than 10 guests. School and group reservations may be arranged by calling 203-795-4737 or emailing HauntedTrolley@gmail.com.

The Haunted Trolley’s “IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH: CT BIGFOOT HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE” is produced by Charles F. Rosenay!!! and directed by Kristin Huffman, who appeared in the Tony Award-winning revival of Company and serves as Artistic Director of New Paradigm Theatre.

The event is sponsored by East Haven’s Transilvania Restaurant and Bar and Drac Tours.

The Shore Line Trolley Museum is a nonprofit organization located at 17 River Street in East Haven, Connecticut. Recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as the oldest continuously operated suburban trolley line in the United States, the museum’s trolley line and equipment are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For additional information, email hauntedtrolley@gmail.com or call 203-795-4737.

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Raise a Glass at SWSA’s 16th Annual Brew-Ski Fest in Salisbury

Sharing a beer with friends, co-workers, and family is one of America’s most beloved pastimes—right up there with debating the best burger topping and pretending you can identify “notes of citrus” in a hard seltzer. This fall, Connecticut beer lovers can put those skills to good use at the 16th Annual Brew-Ski Fest, presented by Stateline Wine and Spirits, happening Sunday, October 11, 2026, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Satre Hill, 80 Indian Cave Road in Salisbury.

More than a beer festival, Brew-Ski Fest is a lively autumn fundraiser for the Salisbury Winter Sports Association, which supports programs for young ski jumpers and presents the nationally acclaimed Jumpfest and the Eastern Ski Jumping Championships each February at Satre Hill.

Brew-Ski Fest brings fall to life with a backdrop you won’t find anywhere else in Connecticut: Satre Hill’s ski jump towers, piles of pumpkins, cornstalks, and a glass of something excellent in your hand. It’s part alpine postcard, part craft-drink paradise.

And unlike those giant tasting events where you spend half the day bonding with the back of a stranger’s jacket, Brew-Ski Fest keeps it easy, friendly, and fun. Expect short lines, real conversations, and a chance to meet the people behind the pours.

With 25+ craft breweries, cideries, and spirit makers, there’s plenty to sample. The tasting goes on rain or shine, because a little New England weather has never scared off a good time.

Live music from the Steve Dunn Band will keep the afternoon moving. The band, winner of Mohegan Sun Casino’s Battle of the Bands and a 2021 Telly Award nominee, will provide the soundtrack for an afternoon of sampling, socializing, and suitably enthusiastic fall fun.

And no one needs to choose between great beer and a great meal. Sunday in the Country Food Drive, a local charity, will serve brats, burgers, and hot dogs—the perfect companions for a newly discovered IPA, crisp cider, or favorite fall brew.

No Brew-Ski Fest would be complete without the wonderfully unconventional Ski Jump Golf Ball Roll. Guests can buy a numbered golf ball, then watch hundreds of hopeful little spheres tumble down the ski-jump landing hill. Like a ski jumper chasing distance, the ball that travels farthest wins a prize.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the gate, with all proceeds benefiting the Salisbury Winter Sports Association. Purchase advance tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brew-ski-fest-2026-tickets-1998398738422 Guests must be 21 or older to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly.

ABOUT SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOCIATION
In the winter of 1926, John Satre, a Salisbury resident, jumped off his shed roof wearing skis to show friends and neighbors a sport he learned in his native Norway. Town residents were so amazed as they watched Satre soar through the air that they decided to build a proper ski run that summer and form the Salisbury Winter Sports Association. The Association hosted the first ski jump competition in January 1927. JumpFest has become a highly anticipated event in Connecticut and throughout much of the East Coast.

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Before Salem: The Glebe House Museum Brings Connecticut’s Witchcraft History to Life

When most Americans think of witch trials, Salem, Massachusetts, immediately comes to mind. Its 1692 outbreak of fear and persecution has come to define the history of witchcraft accusations in colonial America.

But long before Salem’s panic, Connecticut had already endured its own grim era of suspicion, imprisonment, exile, and execution. Connecticut’s witchcraft trials came first—and in many ways, their story is just as unsettling.

Unlike Salem’s single, concentrated crisis, Connecticut’s cases unfolded across several communities and over multiple decades. That scattered history, combined with incomplete surviving records, may help explain why the state’s witch trials are less familiar today.

On October 3 at 5:30 p.m., the Glebe House Museum brings a powerful new presentation, “The First: Witchcraft in Connecticut,” to the Old Town Hall in Woodbury. This full-length live debut presentation revisits Connecticut’s first witchcraft trials and confronts a question that still resonates today: What happens when fear decides who belongs, who is believed, and who is condemned? Hosted by “The Witch of Woodbury,” Moll Cramer—a historical figure accused of witchcraft and banished from town—the evening moves beyond the label of “witch” to reveal the real people behind the accusations.

With continued research and support from Newtown Savings Bank, the Glebe House Museum and longtime historian and volunteer Linda Barr-Gale have developed this expanded presentation that places Moll Cramer’s experience in a wider historical context. This premiere also includes the stories of Thomas Allyn, Rebecca Greensmith, and Katherine Harrison—people whose lives reveal the breadth and human cost of Connecticut’s witchcraft prosecutions.

For those familiar with Salem but unfamiliar with Connecticut’s earlier trials, The First: Witchcraft in Connecticut offers a chance to see colonial history differently. Rather than treating the era as a sensationalized footnote, the program centers on the lives affected by injustice: people who survived, people who were cast out, and people whose stories ended in tragedy.

The evening is also a reminder that history is not only preserved in major events and famous names. Sometimes, it survives through fragments—court documents, diaries, depositions, church records, and the determination of local historians to ensure that forgotten stories are not lost altogether.

Registration Details
Date: October 3, 2026
Location: Old Town Hall, 5 Mountain Road, Woodbury, CT.
Doors open: 5:00 p.m.
Program begins: 5:30 p.m.
Running time: Approximately two hours, including an intermission
Seating: General Admission
Guests needing additional accommodations are encouraged to contact the Museum at 203-263-2855.
Due to the program’s runtime and content, it is not recommended for children under 14.
Complimentary refreshments will be served during intermission.
Tickets https://www.glebehousemuseum.org/single-post/the-first-witchcraft-in-connecticut
Advance tickets: $25 per person
Tickets at the door: $30 per person
Advance purchase is recommended, as seating is limited. Purchase tickets through the Glebe House Museum website or contact the Museum office at 203-263-2855 or office@glebehousemuseum.org.

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