Fall Preview: Six Litchfield Experiences Not to Miss
The heat and humidity of summer eased suddenly, the air turned crisper, the light softened, and sunsets began to arrive noticeably earlier. The days are still warm, but there’s a hint of autumn in the air, making it a perfect time to mark the calendar for signature autumn experiences in Litchfield.
Here are six annual events and rituals we love. See our Visit Litchfield CT calendar for lots of other great events and activities.
White Memorial Family Nature Day
Family Nature Day is a wonderful tradition at the White Memorial Conservation Center. The flier for this year’s event says it all.
Litchfield Historical Society Walking Tours
The Litchfield Historical Society’s weekly walking tours, which begin at 1 p.m. each Saturday at the Litchfield History Museum and last about an hour, are a perfect way to explore the town’s celebrated Historic District and discover Litchfield’s vibrant history, including the stories behind famous landmarks, anecdotes about past residents, and an appreciation of prominent buildings.
The tours are free for historical society members and $10 for non-members. Head to the historical society’s calendar page for details on the Saturday tours and registration – and keep an eye out as October approaches for the special Lantern Tour of Litchfield Historic District that features the town’s most frightening and gruesome true stories.
Fall Foliage Hikes
Litchfield has a wealth of parks, forests, and preserved land with wonderful hiking trails, all of them lovely in fall foliage season. Here’s a sampling:
White Memorial Foundation has 4,000 acres of preserves in Litchfield and Morris with 40 miles of trails. The most popular is the Little Pond Boardwalk Trail, an elevated 1.2-mile boardwalk around Little Pond. Another gem is the trail leading up to Apple Hill in Morris, overlooking Bantam Lake. White Memorial offers a series of guided hikes and many other events. Head to the website for the calendar, info on the nature museum, and trail maps.
Topsmead State Forest (510 acres) has trails through open meadows and woodlands. Once the summer home of Edith Morton Chase, the property is anchored by her English Tudor style cottage, which is open for free tours on the 2nd and 4th weekends of each month through Columbus Day. (See the separate listing.) Also see the Friends of Topsmead State Forest website to connect.
Mt. Tom State Park, off Route 202 near the Washington line, has a great all-season hike up to a stone tower with panoramic western views. Trail maps are on the website.
The Litchfield Hills Audubon Society’s Boyd Woods Sanctuary on Route 254 east of Litchfield center has more than four miles of trails on the 106-acre sanctuary along Wigwam Brook. Details and a trails map are on the website.
Litchfield Land Trust preserves include the 340-acre Prospect Mountain Preserve with 4.3 miles of trails and summit views to the west/southwest, among others. Connect with the preserves on the Trust’s website.
The Litchfield Community Greenway is also a great walk in any season. See the trail map.
17th Annual Harvest Bounty Festival
The 17th Annual Harvest Bounty Festival at Litchfield Community Center takes place Oct. 5 from 2 to 6 p.m. and features beverage tastings of craft beers and spirits made in Connecticut, as well as live music, fire pits, and lawn games.
Craft beer & spirits tastings to be offered (as of August 21) include:
Litchfield Distillery The Mobile Pub 5th State Distillery Owl’s Brew
Back East New England Brewing Co. Two Roads Reverie
Watson Farmhouse Brewing Alvarium Half Full Little Red Barn
Woodbury Brewing Co. New England Cider Co.
Food will be available for purchase from Bill’s Mobile Pizza, La Guera Mexican Food Truck, and Brits Brand sweet & meat treats. Dim Lights, Thick Smoke, and Mikey, Matt & Co. will provide the live music.
The Harvest Bounty Festival will be held rain or shine; outside under a tent if it’s nice or indoors if there is inclement weather. The cost is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Admission is $15 for designated drivers. Children (14 & under) & leashed dogs get free admission.
Topsmead Cottage Tours
The free tours of Miss Edith’s cottage at Topsmead State Forest, which began in June, continue each second and fourth weekend of the month through Oct. 13.
That means the remaining tours for this season will be offered Aug. 24 & 25, Sept. 14 & 15, 28 & 29, and Oct. 12 and 13.
Tours, which feature Miss Edith’s collection of art and antiques, are first-come, first-served, start at noon, and run for 30 minutes, with the last tour taking place at 4:30 p.m. Meet at the front door of the cottage.
Donations are appreciated to support maintenance of cottage and the gardens, courtesy of Friends of Topsmead State Forest.
When you visit, make a cottage tour the highlight of a larger discovery.
The 510 acres of forests and meadows at Topsmead are open year-round for passive recreation including walking, picnicking, bird watching, sledding, and cross-country skiing. Don’t miss the Edith Chase Ecology Trail, a mile-long walk with interpretive signs.
Topsmead, located on Buell Road off Route 118, is open to visitors from 8 a.m. to sunset. Dogs on a leash are welcome, but open fires & grills are not allowed.
Scarecrows in the Meadow
The Litchfield Historical Society’s annual Scarecrows in the Meadow display in the Tapping Reeve Meadow has to be one of the best harvest and Halloween season events in the state – if not the entire Northeast.
The 5th Annual Scarecrows in the Meadows will be open to the public every day from dawn to dusk from Oct. 19 through Nov. 3 and will feature more than 50 funny, creative, or spooky scarecrows created by local families, students, businesses, and nonprofits.
Registration for the 5th Annual Scarecrows in the Meadow for returning participants is already open and those who want to participate can download the 2024 Participation Packet: 2024 Scarecrows in the Meadow Participant Information
The historical society launches the festivities with an opening celebration (stay tuned for details), and visitors get to vote for their favorites in many categories, with awards handed out based on the results.
Watch the historical society’s Scarecrows in the Meadow page for updates.
The Tapping Reeve Meadow is located at 82 South St., behind the historical society’s Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School museum, open to the pubic with free admission.