Litchfield HIlls Road Race

Road Race Weekend in Litchfield 2024

The 47^th annual Litchfield Hills Road Race takes place Sunday, June 9, at 1 p.m. and that means it’s Road Race Weekend in Litchfield with fun & festive events that create a special energy in town. Here’s the scoop of some of the key things happening.

Grill Days at Ace Hardware

Ace Hardware is holding its annual Grill Days event on Saturday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring guest cooks @joseph_que_barbecue and @bigcountrygrillin, food samples, demos from @biggreenegg grills, @traegergrills, @webergrills, @gozney pizza ovens, and a special guest @sipmobilebarct.

Guests can enter to win a Weber Spirit Grill (no purchase necessary), and WZBG radio will be broadcasting live from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Watch the Ace Instagram page for any updates.

Litchfield Marketplace

The Litchfield Marketplace is an arts & craft and vendor fair held on the Litchfield Green the day before the Litchfield Hills Road Race.

Last year, the juried event, taking place rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featured more than 60 artisans, artists, and makers, as well as nonprofit organizations.

Weekly Walking Tour of Litchfield History

Another in the Litchfield Historical Society’s series of weekly walking tour takes place Saturday, June 8, at 1 p.m.

It’s 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.

Tours leave from the Litchfield History Museum (7 South Street) and last approximately 1 hour. The Historical Society also offers special themed tours. To learn more, visit the online calendar for dates and times.

Walking tours, sponsored by Berkshire Alarm, are free for members and $10 for non-members. For parties of 10 or more, contact [email protected] for group options.

Block Party

The flier says it all. Be there.

The Road Race

The Litchfield Hills Road Race, begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, with the awards ceremony taking place on the Green at approximately 2:45 p.m. The race begins and finishes on West Street in the town center.

Spectators are welcome and encouraged to attend; just get to town early to get a parking spot. Good options for ease of access include the lot behind Litchfield Town Hall (74 West St.) and the lot behind St. Anthony of Padua Church (49 South St.).

Covering a 7-mile course with the grueling Gallows Hill toward the end, the race draws elite athletes from around the world, and the separate children’s races are popular and fun. There’s also live entertainment at different spots along the race course.

Registration continues until 12:45 on the day of the race. Look for road race booklets around town with all the race details, and follow the LHRR on Instagram for up-to-date notices. See the road race website for more information.

Beyond Litchfield Center

East Litchfield Open House & Exhibit

The East Litchfield Village Improvement Society (ELVIS) is holding a free open house and exhibit at the 1868 East Litchfield Chapel (62 East Litchfield Road South) on June 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring art, artifacts, and home goods made in East Litchfield.

The exhibit will feature Native American artifacts found in East Litchfield, stained glass works and a MOMIX costume designed by Phoebe Katzin, pottery by Kristin Gallagher, metal sculpture by Asa Hall, fine furniture by Troy Brook Visions, a fire grate by Grate Wall of Fire, hand-hooked rugs, and paintings by artists including Austin Purves, Jr., Nancy Roman and Rob Nadeau.

To learn more about ELVIS, whose mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the community of East Litchfield, see the website and the Facebook page. Correspondence and questions may be emailed to [email protected].

Topsmead Cottage Tours

Free tours of Miss Edith Morton Chase’s cottage at Topsmead State Forest resume for the 2024 season on June 8 and 9 and are offered on the second and fourth weekend of each month through October.

Tours of the cottage, featuring a collection of art and antiques, are led by Friends of Topsmead State Forest docents. They are first come-first served and run every half-hour from noon to 4:30 p.m. Guests meet at the front door of the cottage.

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.

How to Enjoy a Blockbuster Road Race Weekend in Litchfield

Road Race Weekend is here!

Always held the second weekend in June, the 46^th Litchfield Hills Road Race begins at 1 p.m. Sunday, with the awards ceremony taking place on the Green at approximately 2:45 p.m.

Covering a 7-mile course with the grueling Gallows Hill toward the end, the race is obviously the marquee attraction for runners – and it draws elite athletes from around the world.

Road Race Weekend is also jam-packed with lots of other events and activities that will delight non-runners, including Connecticut Open House Day, when several Litchfield attractions/destinations are doing something special.

Experiencing Litchfield against the electric backdrop of race weekend is exhilarating. Below we detail what’s happening and offer tips ranging from where to park to how to best enjoy watching the road race as a spectator.

Pro Tip: As you plan your agenda, pick up a free road race program book at lots of venues in town, including Ace of Litchfield, the Litchfield Post Office, Litchfield Hills Fitness, and the restaurants on the Green. It has details on children’s’ races, a race map, parking info, and more. Also be sure to follow @litchfieldhillsroadrace on Instagram and watch the www.lhrr.com website for up-to-date details.

What’s Happening and When

Road Race Weekend festivities kick into high gear on Saturday, and the Connecticut Open House Day events also taking place in town will bring added appeal and energy.

There will be not one but two arts & crafts shows on the Green, including the Litchfield Makers Market on the north side of the Green from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Litchfield Marketplace, a craft and vendor fair that’s open from
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The annual Grill Days event at Ace of Litchfield takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with grilling demos, food samples, a free grill giveaway, and more.
The Block Party in Litchfield center, featuring The Tradesmen playing Rock, Blues, Country and classics, is 7 to 10 p.m. It’s sponsored by the Town of Litchfield CT Parks and Rec department.

Connecticut Open House Day Events Saturday

Visit the East Litchfield Chapel, the only public building in East Litchfield remaining from the railroad era, and view railroad era photos. Built by community members in 1868, it served as a community Sunday school, meeting place, and house of worship. It’s currently used for meetings, talks, music nights, and the occasional intimate wedding. Doors will be open from 10 a.m. to noon. 62 East Litchfield Road South.

Litchfield Hills Farm-Fresh Market wraps up its indoor season at the Litchfield Community Center Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 421 Bantam Rd.

Litchfield Historical Society Walking Tour of Litchfield Historic District: Discover Litchfield’s vibrant history and explore the town’s celebrated Historic District. The one-hour walking tour leaves from the Litchfield History Museum (7 South St.) at 1 p.m. and provides visitors with an overview of Litchfield’s history, from the stories behind famous landmarks to anecdotes about past residents and an appreciation of prominent buildings. Walking tours are free from members and $10 for non-members. Register online.

The Shrine of Lourdes in Litchfield is a replica of the Grotto Lourdes in France built of local fieldstone by two Montfort Brothers, Brother Alfonso, and Brother Gabriel, with the help of Montfort seminarians and people from the area. The Grotto is the site for Mass and other services held in the open air from May through mid-October. The grounds of the Shrine are open year-round, from dawn to dusk. 50 Montfort Rd., off East St./Route 118.

The White Memorial Conservation Center Nature Museum is open with free admission from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. for Connecticut Open House Day. 80 Whitehall Rd., off Route 202.

Sunday: It’s race day!

Best Places to Watch the Race:

The start/finish line on West Street next to the Green is a prime spot for spectators. There you can also catch the various children’s races that start at noon and continue through about 1:16 pm. Other prime spots include alongside St. Anthony Cemetery on Whites Woods Road; the stretch has been dubbed “microwave mile” and runners pass by twice. The corner of Constitution & Whites Woods Road adjacent to the cemetery is another great spot and there will even be a band playing there. Gallows Lane, the grueling hill and big test for runners near the end of the course, is also a great spot. (Here’s a list of other bands and their locations.)

Where to Park:

Page 31 of the road race program has a map showing these recommended parking locations: Center School, Community Field, the Congregational Church, Litchfield Fire Department, St. Anthony’s Church, the Town Garage, Litchfield Town Hall, and lot behind Union Savings Bank. There is also parking in the municipal lot behind the West Street shops and restaurants, but given that roads affected by the race route will be closing at 11 a.m., it only works for those who plan to arrive early and stay well past the race. Otherwise you’ll get stuck in the lot.

When to Arrive:

Roads in Litchfield center and elsewhere affected by the route of the race close at 11 a.m., so plan to arrive and park by around 10:45.

Before and After the Race:

Restaurants and shops in Litchfield center are typically open on race day, and some even have special menus. So come early for coffee and breakfast, and stay after the race to shop, stroll, and dine. The Bakehouse in the Old Litchfield Jail opens at 8 a.m., Petraroia Deli opens at 9, and Espresso 59 opens at 10, serving special “handheld” and easy “to go” items all day. The Village Restaurant will be grilling burgers for race day, and most other restaurants in the center of town will be welcoming guests.

P.S.

Friday

Friday’s activities aren’t strictly road race related, but they’re a great way to get things started and become immersed in the Litchfield vibe.

White Flower Farm used to hold an annual spring tent sale and this year it’s back, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a broad array of perennials, annuals, shrubs and vines, plus unique garden ornaments, supplies, containers, cachepots, decorative accents, and more.

Litchfield High School students, working with teacher Michele Murelli, spent six months painting a 20-foot-long mural featuring fantasy folk art spirit animals called Alebrijes, considered guides and protectors. AP Spanish students conducted art history research on the origins of Alebrijes as part of the project, and the mural will be displayed @atcsouthst. (At the Corner South Street) Info about the mural project will be presented in an event Friday (5/9) at 4 p.m.

The new Bantam Community Farmers Market is being held Fridays through October, from 4-7 p.m. at Alain White Field, 273 Bantam Lake Rd.

Chabad Lubavitch is holding a Shabbat Market on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the Green, offering three items to “make your Shabbat even more special,” Fresh Brooklyn Challah, Bubbe’s Matzah Ball Soup, and Hemish Potato Kugel. 69 West St.

litchfield-LHRR-by-lindsey-victoria-photography-2399

Litchfield Hills Road Race Weekend Is Jam-Packed With Fun

Lindsey Victoria Photography

This weekend is Road Race Weekend, one of the most fun, festive, and important weekends on the Litchfield calendar.

The Litchfield Hills Road Race marks its 45^th running with the main event beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, and the race is embellished by other terrific activities, including the “post-pandemic” return of fun children’s races and the first-ever Litchfield Makers Market on the Green Saturday.

Listen to Our Instagram Live Conversation With Park and Recreation Director Colleen Kinkade about the road race and Economic Development Commission member Michelle Murelli previewing the Litchfield Makers Market.

Road Race Weekend happens to coincide with Connecticut Open House Day, when more than 200 tourism attractions, including museums, cultural venues, historical sites, farms and more, offer free or discounted admission.

In Litchfield, that means one of the Litchfield Historical Society’s popular walking tour is free this Saturday. (Admission to the Litchfield History Museum and Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School is already free.)

It’s open house weekend at Topsmead State Forest, where tours of Miss Edith Morton Chase’s Tudor-style cottage resume for the season this Saturday and Sunday.

Here’s a little more about each event with links to further details.

Road Race Weekend

Four main components make up Road Race Weekend this year—the brand new Litchfield Makers Market, an update of the Gallery on the Green tradition, the return of the Block Party, the road race itself, and the return of the children’s races.

Gallery on the Green was a longtime tradition on the Saturday of Road Race Weekend, and it has now been reinvented by Economic Development Commission member Michele Murelli as the Litchfield Makers Market. Taking place Saturday from 10 to 4 on the Green in Litchfield center, it features artists, artisans, farms, nonprofits, gourmet food and spirits and much more. The Litchfield High Jazz Combo will be performing at 1 and Tony Troy, who teaches at the Litchfield Music, performs at 2. See www.arttripping.art or the Facebook page for more.

The community Block Party takes place Saturday from 7-10 p.m.on the Green and features the high energy dance music band Cover 2 Cover, as well as food, face painting, circus performers and more. Additional information is at Litchfieldparkandrec.com!

On Sunday it’s on to the main events. Inspired by the famous road race in Falmouth, Mass. the Litchfield Hills Road Race began in 1977 and quickly gained a reputation as a premier event, which attracts elite runners from around the world. It begins at 1 p.m. in Litchfield center and ends on the Green.

And this year, in what some locals consider the best part of the day, the children’s races return. Families can register participants on race day for the 200-yard dash (ages 4-8) and the 1 mile non-competitive race (ages 8-10). Registration is open 9 to 12:30 and there’s a $5 fee. Registration for the 2.3 mile competitive race (ages 9-13) closes at 11:30 on race day and there’s a $15 fee.

Check the Official Litchfield Hills Road Race Facebook page for the latest updates.

And don’t forget to arrive early and plan your parking. Options beyond the Green include the lot behind Union Savings Bank on North Street, the lot behind St. Anthony of Padua church on South Street, the lot next to Litchfield Center School, Community Field on North Lake Street, and the lot behind the First Congregational Church. Plug any of those into Google maps for directions.

Cottage Tours at Topsmead State Forest

The Friends of Topsmead State Forest, the glorious 510-acre state forest anchored by the former summer cottage of Miss Edith Morton Chase, offer tours of the Tudor-style cottage each Saturday and Sunday on the 2nd and 4th weekends of June, July, August, and September, concluding October 9—which means the season begins this weekend!

Tours of the downstairs rooms begin at noon and begin on the hour and half-hour until the last tour at 4:30. See the website for details on the history of Topsmead, the trails, and more, as well as a link for emailing questions.

Connecticut Open House Day, Litchfield Historical Society

The Litchfield Historical Society offers popular Saturday walking tours of Litchfield center—home to the nation’s first law school and the 18^th-century home of George Washington’s spymaster—and the cost for non-members is usually $10. This Saturday there’s a special tour that’s free as part of Connecticut Open House Day. Entitled Sold, Made & Grown in Litchfield, the 10 a.m. tour will cover how the community’s economy has grown and changed over time The walk begins at the Litchfield Historical Society and lasts approximately one hour. Register online.

Other Warm-Up Options

The Litchfield Hills Farm-Fresh Market moves from its indoor-season home at Litchfield Community Center to its outdoor venue, the parking lot next to Litchfield Center School. In addition to all the market vendors, there will be simple art projects, a scavenger hunt and other cool activities for families and children 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Here’s one for early-birds. White Memorial Director of Administration and Development Gerri Griswold is leading a group on a hike along her two favorite trails (and it begins at the crack-o-dawn, 4:30 a.m.)

The route ascends Apple Hill to greet the sun, and then heads to Cat Swamp to visit the Brave Old Oak, the carpet of princess pine, and a wood duck, kingfisher, and heron. Participants meet at the Apple Hill trailhead off East Shore Road at 4:30 a.m. The program is free but guests must pre-register by calling 860-567-0857 or through the website.