June Goes Out With a Bang in Litchfield + Paris, Bats & More
The second half of June in Litchfield is overflowing with great activities and some of the highlights are listed below. See the Events Calendar on the Visit Litchfield CT website for more – and enjoy!
Bat Cams Debut at White Memorial
The new Bat Cams are installed at the White Memorial Conservation Center (@whitememorialcc) as part of a project with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (@ct.deep) to document and showcase the resident colony of big brown bats.
The Bat Cams make their debut this Friday (6/16) in a special Bat Cam Launch Celebration and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
It’s a FREE 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒔 family-friendly event from 4-9:30 p.m. that includes talks, walks, crafts, and live bats. Guests will have the opportunity to watch the bats fly from the barn at dusk as they embark on their nightly feeding frenzy.
More info and registration is here.
Pride Week at Bantam Cinema
June is Pride Month and the Bantam Cinema & Arts Center is presenting a week of Pride programming June 16 – 21 that includes four films and two guest speakers, the Rev. J. Michael Cobb of the Watertown and Woodbury United Methodist Churches, and “Big Eden” producer Jen Chaiken.
All screenings are free thanks to sponsorship from the Pride in the Hills Fund at the Connecticut Community Foundation. For details, showtimes and to reserve a seat, head to bantamcinema.org.
Father’s Day Breakfast at the Northfield Volunteer Fire Company
The Northfield Volunteer Fire Company’s last breakfast before a summer break is this Sunday on Father’s Day (6/18). The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children. Everything is made to your order. Choose from any combination of pancakes, French toast, eggs your way, bacon, sausage, and home fries. Breakfast is served from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Event details are also here.
Litchfield Historical Society Events
The Litchfield Historical Society has lots of great things happening this month.
In a free Tapping Reeve Meadow program for families with newborns, infants & toddlers on June 17, from 10-10:30, Garden Educator Olivia will kickstart the children’s understanding of language, patterns, and spatial awareness. This will be an interactive program of songs, rhymes, movements, and stories for babies and their caregivers. The Tapping Reeve Meadow is located at 82 South Street and parking is available in the lot or along the street. Registration is appreciated, but not required; register online here.
Also on June 17 in the Tapping Reeve Meadow, from noon to 3 p.m., the historical society is having a picnic to celebrate Executive Director Catherine Keene Fields, who is retiring at the end of June after 35 years of leading the Litchfield Historical Society. All are welcome, and those planning to attend are asked to let the historical society know by emailing [email protected]
On Tuesday, June 20, the historical society is presenting the Walking Tour – Homes and Histories: The Architecture of Litchfield at 5:30 p.m.
The history and stories of old Litchfield are preserved in the architecture of the town. Learn about the lives of past residents and how they are reflected in the architecture. The walk will begin at the Litchfield Historical Society and lasts approximately one hour. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water. The tour is free for members and $10 for non-members. Register online.
Meanwhile, the historical society’s regular Weekly Walking Tour of Litchfield History takes place next on Saturday, June 24, at 1 p.m.
The weekly walking tour is the perfect way to discover Litchfield’s vibrant history and explore the town’s celebrated Historic District. Each tour provides visitors with an overview of Litchfield’s history – from the stories behind famous landmarks to anecdotes about past residents to appreciation of prominent buildings.
The Paris Bookseller Author Kerri Maher at Oliver Wolcott Library
Named one of the best Historical Fiction novels of 2022, The Paris Bookseller is a must-read for all historical fiction fans … and author Kerri Maher is coming to Oliver Wolcott Library June 22 for a live event from 7 to 8 p.m. (It will also be on Zoom.)
Details are here. In-person space is limited, and registration is required. Register here. For the Zoom link, click here at 7 p.m. on June 22.
About The Paris Bookseller:
When young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself. Many of the prominent writers of the Lost Generation, like Ernest Hemingway, consider it a second home. It’s where some of the most important literary friendships of the twentieth century are forged—none more so than the one between Irish writer James Joyce and Sylvia herself. When Joyce’s controversial novel Ulysses is banned, Beach takes a massive risk and publishes it under the auspices of Shakespeare and Company.
But the success and notoriety of publishing the most infamous and influential book of the century comes with steep costs, and Sylvia faces both painful personal and financial crises.
Kerri Maher is the national bestselling author of The Girl in White Gloves, The Kennedy Debutante, and The Paris Bookseller. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and taught writing for eight years, starting as a grad student, then as a lecturer at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. Visit her website at kerrimaher.com
Tours of the Cottage at Topsmead State Forest
Tours of the landmark English Tudor-style cottage at the 510-acre Topsmead State Forest, decorated with Miss Edith Morton Chase’s collection of art and antiques, begin again for each season in June.
The 45-minute tours provided by Friends of Topsmead State Forest begin at noon and run on the hour and half hour, with the last tour offered at 4:30 p.m. Guests should meet a tour docent at the front door of the house, and each group is limited to eight people, first come, first served.
Here are the remaining tour dates for 2023:
June 24, 25
July 8, 9, and 22, 23
August 12, 13, and 26, 27
Sept. 9, 10, and 23, 24
Oct. 14, 15
See the website for more: https://www.friendsoftopsmead.org/
Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy Annual Benefit
The Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy is holding its biggest fundraiser of the year June 24. The festive dinner party with live music, held at the Conservancy’s field under a tent, begins at 6 p.m. and tickets are $175 per person. Info and tickets are here.
This event helps Ripley protect many endangered waterfowl species among its 400 birds. The theme this year is Water Renewal and funds are being raised to continually innovate water conservation and filtering systems.
Founded by S. Dillon Ripley, former Secretary of the Smithsonian, and his wife, Mary Livingston Ripley, the conservancy is home to more 80 species of birds from around the world. It’s a breeding facility focused on maintaining genetic diversity of rare and endangered species, and an education center that’s open to the public from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through November.
Fourth of July Fireworks (on June 30)
The Town of Litchfield and Litchfield Park & Recreation present a terrific Fourth of July fireworks show each year at Litchfield High School and this year it’s taking place on Friday, June 30, with a rain date of Sunday, July 9.
Anyone can walk to the high school and enjoy the show – or you can register online to secure a parking space at the school for $20 and bring a carload of guests. Register for as space here. Lots open at 7 p.m. and the show begins around 9 p.m.
Note that no parking will be allowed on Constitution Way, and the number of spaces at the school is limited to 200.