Town-wide festivals are more important than ever these days they keep old traditions from disappearing and create new ones that become treasured memories. Best of all, festivals, like Weekend In Norfolk (WIN), taking place on Friday, August 4, Saturday, August 5, and Sunday, August 6, bring people together from near and far to celebrate everything Norfolk has to offer, and more. This exciting town-wide event is easy on the pocketbook because most events are free, conveniently located, and a delight to explore at your own pace.
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| Unwind on the historic Norfolk Green |
Now in its 8th year, WIN is brimming with events brought back by popular demand, like getting married or renewing your wedding vows on the Green, tours of Tiffany stained glass windows, the rugged Hike the Peaks Challenge, Art Show openings, afternoon Music @ Robertson Plaza and self-guided walking tours around Connecticut’s most beautiful Green, to name a few. New events that are sure to intrigue and amuse are added every year to complement popular mainstay events. To find out about everything, or to get the latest updates and directions, visit WIN's website, weekendinnorfolk.org.
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| Fly fishing with Doug McDevitt @ Wood Creek Pond |
If you have always wanted to learn how to fly fish or want to sharpen your skills, join expert fisherman Doug McDevitt on Saturday, August 5, from 9 to 11 a.m., and from noon to 2 p.m., and on Sunday, August 6, from 9 to 11 a.m., at Wood Creek Pond, a paradise for fishing. He will demonstrate the art of casting and share many tips and tricks for successful fly-fishing. Participants are limited to five people per session; equipment will be loaned courtesy of Orvis's store in Avon. This is the ideal event for fish enthusiasts of all ages and levels.
Music has always been a feature of Weekend in Norfolk, but this year there is even more. Friday night, August 4, from 6 to 8 p.m., singer/guitarist Katherine Winston will be playing on the Village Green as part of Norfolk's regular free Friday evening celebrations. At the famed Music Shed on the Battell-Stoeckel Estate, there are ticketed concerts starting at 8 p.m both Friday and Saturday and, as a special treat, there is a free Emerging Artists Showcase concert on Saturday, August 5, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Guests will be treated to an astounding concert in the acoustically perfect Music Shed by Fellows of the Yale School of Music. To top it all off, throughout the three-day weekend, there will be free live music every afternoon at Robertson Plaza.
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| Breadmaking is fun! |
Making Bread!
Breadmaking is an ancient art that originated in Egypt. This year, Norfolk's “Ministry of Bread,” is welcoming WIN guests on Friday, August 4, from 2 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, August 5, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. to watch sourdough bread-making demonstrations at their commercially rated kitchen in the Romanesque Revival styled granite Battell Chapel, located on the west side of the Village Green. Guests will be given an instruction sheet and a sourdough starter kit so they can try their newly acquired bread-baking skills at home. The starter kit is free of charge, although donations for the Food Pantry are welcome.
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| Get tips from professional artists |
Inspired By Art
Norfolk boasts so many talented artists and craftsmen, and two will be sharing their skills with WIN guests. Watercolor lovers will appreciate the art demonstration by Pamela Harnois at the Guilded Artisan @ 3 Station Place from 2 to 4 p.m., on Saturday, August 5. Harnois is collected for her sublime work in transparent watercolors. On Sunday, August 6, from 3 to 4 p.m., world-famous artist/illustrator Katie Atkinson will offer an impressionistic garden painting workshop in her backyard from noon to 3 p.m. There is a $10 fee for materials.
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| Three floors of galleries @ CT-Asia Cultural Center |
On Saturday, August 5, and Sunday, August 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., WIN attendees are invited to a new Inca Exhibit at the Connecticut-Asia Cultural Center located at 207A Westside Road. This fascinating exhibition explores the spiritual roots of the Inca and pre-Columbian cultures of Peru. Visitors will learn that similar to the Taoist culture, the Incans looked to nature as a guide for how to live in harmony and peace in this world. In addition to this exhibition, visitors are invited to tour the Center's three floors dedicated to Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Another highlight of a visit here is participating in a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony and enjoying Peruvian and Asian cuisine around lunchtime.
Calling all Sleuths
Come find a street full of treasures on Sunday, August 6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.! Ashpohtag Road resident artists are putting out the welcome mats and showing a variety of artwork and crafts, joined by neighbors offering books, furnishings, plants, and lots more. You may even get lucky and catch an artist's demo, so come at 11 and plan to linger!
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| Stroll through certified organic vegetable and ornamental gardens at Husky Meadows |
Happy Hour on the Farm
Norfolk’s rich agricultural history is alive and thriving. Husky Meadows a working organic farm located a few minutes from the center of town, is inviting WIN guests to take a Happy Hour Farm Walk with Farmer Brett Ellis and get the inside scoop on all that happens at the farm! Refreshments will be served. This is a ticketed event with limited space.
A Look Back with the Norfolk Historical Society
To delve deep into Norfolk’s cultural heritage and the families that were benefactors of the town, head to the Norfolk Historical Society to view their new exhibit, “Shedding Light: 200 Years of Art & Music in Norfolk.” This insightful exhibit explores Norfolk’s dedication to the arts that are entwined in the town’s cultural fabric today. The Society is also premiering a video on Saturday, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m.
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| So much free stuff for kids @ WIN |
WIN organizers love children and always make sure that this event is family-friendly. With that in mind, they have put together a series of free events that are fun and educational at the same time.
The fun starts on Friday, August 4 with a friendly game of Bocce, the traditional Italian sport that has become so popular. The bocce court behind the old railroad station (10 Station Place) will be open all day for play. Equipment is supplied, and the court will be open throughout WIN weekend.
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| Meet the amazing Snowflake Man @ Win |
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| Learn how to play the ancient game of bocce |
On Sunday, August 6, if your children love music, don’t miss the free concert, put together especially for the budding musician in your household at the Music Shed from 1:30 to 2 p.m. After the concert, kids are invited to an ice cream social from 2 to 3 p.m. and, later in the afternoon, they will be entertained by world-renowned trainer/behaviorist Bill Berloni, and some of his trained dogs @ the Music Shed.
ABOUT THE WIN (WEEKEND IN NORFOLK) COMMITTEE
Now in its eighth year, the all-volunteer WIN Committee organizes two town-wide events annually: the Summer WIN and the Winter WIN. Norfolk’s town officials, the Economic Development Commission, and many local organizations, institutions, and individuals support these two town-wide festivals in order to welcome people from near and far to this lovely town in the Litchfield Hills.
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