Stories
<p>On Sunday, December 1, 2024, the Betts Museum Store at the Wilton Historical Society invites the community to participate in <strong>Museum Store Sunday</strong> from <strong>12 PM to 4 PM</strong>. This annual holiday shopping event supports cultural institutions and their stores, offering unique gifts that make a difference.</p><p>Now in its seventh year, Museum Store Sunday unites over <strong>2,100 museum stores</strong> across 50 states, the District of Columbia, 25 countries, and five continents. The event highlights distinctive holiday shopping opportunities where purchases directly support museums, artisans, and craftspeople.</p><p>The <strong>Wilton Historical Society’s Great Trains Holiday Show</strong> opens on <strong>Friday, November 29, 2024</strong>, making this weekend an ideal time to enjoy the magical antique train display with family and friends. Extend your visit by shopping at the Betts Museum Store, which will feature a special guest on Museum Store Sunday: <strong>Anne Koplik Designs</strong>, a local handmade jewelry company, adding sparkle and charm to your holiday shopping experience. Light refreshments and warm beverages will be provided to enhance the festive atmosphere.</p><p>The Museum Store Association’s campaign slogan, <strong>“Shop with Purpose,”</strong> reflects the mission to promote economic sustainability and cultural engagement. Museum stores play a vital role in supporting their institutions and fostering local growth.</p><p>“Museum stores are community hubs,” said <strong>Kate Schureman</strong>, board president of the Museum Store Association. “When you shop at museum stores, you circulate money locally, supporting artists, businesses, and cultural institutions that reinvest in the community.”</p><p>Since its launch in 2017, the number of participating cultural institutions has tripled, and Museum Store Sunday has become a beloved tradition. A 2023 shopper survey revealed that 91% of participants plan to return the following year, and 89% are inspired to shop at museum stores year-round.</p><p>Learn more about Museum Store Sunday <a href="https://museumstoresunday.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://museumstoresunday.org/</a></p>
<p class="ql-align-center"><strong style="color: rgb(24, 25, 26);">FC Buzz Weekend November 22 - 24</strong></p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/community-open-house" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Community Open House</strong></a></p><p><strong>The Norwalk Art Space</strong></p><p>Friday Nov 22, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm</p><p>Connect with your community and celebrate creativity at The Norwalk Art Space Community Open House, November 22nd. See all of the beautiful artwork and delight in the musical performances from the Fall semester students who attended FREE art and music classes. Take in all that this wonderful Art Space and our Community Partners bring to the region and offer families in Norwalk and the surrounding area.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/och-oy-a-considered-cabaret" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Och & Oy: A Considered Cabaret</strong></a></p><p><strong>Westport Country Playhouse</strong></p><p>Friday Nov 22, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm</p><p>The show’s main title “Och & Oy!” plays on Cumming’s Scottish and Shapiro’s Jewish backgrounds. The subtitle “A Considered Cabaret” are nods to Shapiro being known for ‘All Things Considered’ and Cumming for the show ‘Cabaret.’ Their show combines the best bits of public radio with the best bits of a musical, where they have deep, thought-provoking conversations and also entertaining perhaps slightly bawdy musical numbers. What comes together is an old-fashioned cabaret that offers a mix of songs, Q&A. and personal storytelling – which both men have been doing in various ways for decades.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/2024-heida-hermanns-international-music-competition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>2024 Heida Hermanns International Music Competition</strong></a></p><p><strong>MoCA CT</strong></p><p>Friday Nov 22, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm</p><p>The 2024 Heida Hermanns International Music Competition is for talented pianists ages 18-35 worldwide to compete. They aim to showcase exceptional piano performances and promote music entrepreneurship in musicians. The competition includes an online preliminary round and an in-person final round where participants demonstrate their technical prowess, interpretive skills, and musical expression. It’s a platform for emerging artists to gain recognition and connect with the global music community.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/sm-nc-nights-out-whiskey-woodfire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>SM&NC Nights Out: Whiskey & Woodfire</strong></a></p><p><strong>Stamford Museum & Nature Center</strong></p><p>Saturday Nov 23, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm</p><p>Sips and Slices are perfect companions! Join us in the Knobloch Family Farmhouse for a night of “spirited” whiskey exploration paired with freshly made New Haven Style pies by the one-and-only Sally’s Apizza.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/greenwich-symphony-orchestra-bella-hristova-violin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Bella Hristova, Violin</strong></a></p><p><strong>Greenwich Symphony Orchestra</strong></p><p>Saturday Nov 23, 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm</p><p>Audiences are thrilled by the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra's mix of contemporary and classical selections performed by accomplished professional musicians and world-renowned soloists, under the direction of Tony Award-winning Music Director, Stuart Malina.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/the-smithereens-with-guest-vocalist-robin-wilson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>The Smithereens with Guest Vocalist Robin Wilson</strong></a></p><p><strong>Ridgefield Playhouse</strong></p><p>Saturday Nov 23, 8:00 pm - 11:45 pm</p><p>Founded in New Jersey in 1980, The Smithereens have been creating electrifying, original rock’n’roll for more than 40 years. Today, The Smithereens include original members: Jim Babjak (guitar,) Dennis Diken (drums,) and Mike Mesaros (bass), with a rotation of special guest vocalists. This show will feature Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/former-u-s-poet-laureate-billy-collins-debuts-water-water-poems" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Water, Water: Poems</strong></a></p><p><strong>Wilton Library</strong></p><p>Sunday Nov 24, 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm</p><p>Come to the literary event of the season when Billy Collins, the former Poet Laureate of the United States will introduce Water, Water: Poem<strong>s</strong>, a wondrous new collection focused on the joys and mysteries of daily life. And on our stage for the first time - Collins meets Brubeck - where poetry and jazz come together in a very special pairing! In Water, Water, Collins combines his vigilant attention and respect for the peripheral to create moments of delight. Common and uncommon events are captured here with equal fascination, be it a cat leaning to drink from a swimming pool, a nurse calling a name in a waiting room, or an astronaut reciting Emily Dickinson from outer space. With his trademark lyrical informality, Collins asks us to slow down and glimpse the elevated in the ordinary, the odd in the familiar. It’s no surprise that The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal both call Collins one of America’s favorite poets.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/jack-lawrence-fall-concerts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Jack Lawrence Fall Concerts</strong></a></p><p><strong>Klein Auditorium</strong></p><p>Sunday Nov 24, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm</p><p>Concert 1, 1 PM : Steel Pan Future Stars, Junior Stars, and All Stars, and Percussion, Jazz II, Saxophone, and Jazz I Orchestras. Concert 2, 4 PM : String, Sinfonia, and Virtuosi Orchestras. Classical selections, plus music by American songwriter Jack Lawrence. Concert 3, 6:30 PM : Principal & Philharmonic Orchestras. Our 88 Principal Orchestra musicians will perform the “New World Symphony” (Symphony No. 9) by Antonin Dvorak under the baton of Christopher Hisey. The Philharmonic will perform works by Schubert, Sibelius, and Dvorak. In addition, GCTYO will present its inaugural Inna Berson Wetmore Excellence in Teaching Award to Bernice Friedson, longtime music educator and former Concertmaster of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony</p><p>See these and discover hundreds more events on the FCBUZZ EVENTS page at<a href="https://culturalalliancefc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);"> </a><a href="https://culturalalliancefc.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);">https://culturalalliancefc.org</a> Sign up for the Cultural Alliance eBuzz to receive top picks and spotlights each week in your inbox.</p><p><br></p>
<h2><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Small Business Champion </span><a href="https://novacafeinc.us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Nova Café</a></h2><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Meet Carlos Felipe Peláez, the passionate owner of </strong><a href="https://novacafeinc.us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong>Nova Café</strong></a><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> who proudly declares, “Coffee is in my blood.”</strong></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">How did your upbringing influence his passion for coffee?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">My deep-rooted connection to coffee traces back to my upbringing in Medellin, Colombia. In my family, coffee was more than just a beverage—it was a way of life. My father’s side of the family cultivated coffee, while his maternal grandfather skillfully roasted and distributed it. Immersed in this rich coffee culture from a young age, I not only developed a refined palate for the flavors of this caffeinated elixir but discovered the profound joy and art of connecting with customers.</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Do you support other local businesses?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Nova Cafe works closely with a local roaster, he sources beans from Colombia and other renowned coffee-growing regions, ensuring an exquisite and authentic experience for every customer</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">What sets Nova Café apart from other coffee shops?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">At Nova Cafe, we strive to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated, we invite you to embark on a journey of exceptional coffee, delightful cuisine, and heartfelt connections. Experience the passion, heritage, and commitment that Felipe and Adenna bring to every cup and every interaction. We look forward to serving you and making your visit to Nova Cafe an extraordinary one.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Nova Café is located at 200 Danbury Road in Wilton.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Questions? Email </span><a href="mailto:info@novacafeinc.us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">info@novacafeinc.us</a></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Follow along on Facebook @</strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/novacafewilton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong>novacafewilton</strong></a><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> and Instagram @novacafewilton</strong></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">HamletHub thanks</strong><a href="http://www.jkinfordbeautygroup.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong> </strong></a><a href="https://www.fairfieldcountybank.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong>Fairfield County Bank </strong></a><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!</strong></p>
<p><strong>Wilton Library December Calendar of Events </strong></p><p>The Children's Library continues to offer storytimes and other programs for the fall-winter season.</p><p>Adult and teen programs include:</p><p><strong style="color: var(--geeks-body-color);">During library operating hours, Sunday, December 1 through Friday, December 13 </strong><em style="color: var(--geeks-body-color); font-weight: var(--geeks-body-font-weight);">“Amazing Stories and Wondrous Visions" Art Exhibition</em>.</p><p><strong>Monday, December 2 through Monday, December 30 </strong><em>Wilton Library’s Holiday Book Sale</em>, starts on Monday, December 2 at 1 p.m. </p><p><strong>Tuesday, December 3 </strong><em>Cork Snowman Craft for Teens</em>, 4:30 to 6 p.m. </p><p><strong>Tuesday, December 3 </strong><em>Author Talk and Honey Tasting with C. Marina Marchese</em>, 7 to 8:30 p.m. </p><p><strong>Wednesday, December 4 </strong><em>Assistive Technology (AT): Many Possibilities to Consider</em>, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. </p><p><strong>Wednesday, December 4 </strong><em>Dave Brubeck: Post-Time Out Directions with Dr. Gil Harel</em>, 7 to 8:30 p.m. </p><p><strong>Thursdays, December 5, 12, 19 & 26 </strong><em>Needlework Crafts Group (Drop-In)</em>, 1 to 2:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Friday, December 6 </strong><em>Holiday Stroll</em>, 5:30 to 7 p.m. </p><p><strong>Saturday, December 7</strong> <em>Hot & Cool Jazz: The Jerry Bergonzi / Alan Bartus Duo</em>, 7 to 8:30 p.m. </p><p><strong>Tuesday, December 10 </strong><em>Teen Library Council</em>, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Wednesday, December 11</strong> <em>Wilton Library Readers: The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim</em>, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Saturday, December 14 </strong><em>Fairfield County Writers Group Write-In</em>, 1 to 4 p.m.</p><p><strong>Tuesday, December 17</strong> <em>Paint it Up!</em>, 6 to 7:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Saturday, December 21 </strong><em>CT Poetry Society Workshop</em>, 2 to 4 p.m.</p><p>For a complete lineup of events visit Wilton Library online <a href="https://www.wiltonlibrary.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.wiltonlibrary.org/</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
<h3>Discover Unique Gifts at the Marché Holiday Market</h3><p>Celebrate the season of giving while supporting small businesses at the <strong>Marché Holiday Market</strong>, a festive pop-up event in Wilton. This special holiday market takes place on <strong>Saturday, November 30th</strong>, from <strong>10 AM to 4 PM</strong>, at the WEPCO Complex, 48 New Canaan Road.</p><p>With <strong>free admission</strong> and a suggested $10 donation for adults 18 and older, the event is a perfect way to enjoy the holiday spirit while making a difference. A portion of proceeds will go to <strong>Wilton Social Services</strong>, ensuring your day of shopping also supports the local community.</p><p>The Marché Holiday Market offers a curated selection of <strong>artisans and makers</strong>, featuring handcrafted goods, unique treasures, and thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list. This one-day event coincides with <strong>Small Business Saturday</strong>, providing an excellent opportunity to shop local and champion independent businesses.</p><p>From artisanal crafts to gourmet treats, the market’s featured vendors promise a shopping experience as joyful as the season itself. To learn more about the event and view the list of participating artisans, visit <a href="https://www.marchewilton.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">marchewilton.com</a>.</p><h3><br></h3>
<p><strong>The Great Trains Holiday Show Returns! Grand opening at 12 pm, Friday, November 29th The show runs through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday January 20th at the Wilton Historical Society</strong></p><p>Model trains, holiday cheer, and family fun returns with one of Wilton’s favorite holiday traditions, the Great Trains Holiday Show! Explore the Wilton Historical Society’s 18th and 19th century historic buildings – charmingly decorated for the holiday season – to find multiple layouts of model trains that wind their way through miniature winter landscapes, vibrant towns, and mountain tunnels, and some familiar landmarks. The interactive displays and model holiday village are perfect holiday fun for all ages. Whether a model train builder or collector, young wannabe train conductors, or a family looking for a delightful seasonal experience, the Great Trains Holiday Show has something for everyone.</p><p>Model train gauges include G, HO, and O.</p><p>The Great Holiday Train Show will run Friday, November 29 – Monday January 20, 2025. Wednesday to Saturday 10:00 – 4:00, and Sundays 12:00 – 4:00. Free for members of Wilton Historical; $5 per non-member child and $10 for non-member adults. Special holiday programming most weekends in December.</p><p>Ellen M. Essman CPA & Associates, Lynne Murphy Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices, and RVNAhealth generously support Great Trains Holiday Show.</p><p>Visit <a href="https://wiltonhistorical.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://wiltonhistorical.org/</a> for more information about the show and additional holiday programming.</p><p><br></p>
<p>In a message to students and the school community, Wilton High School Principal Robert William O'Donnell shared details on implementing the Cell Phone Free Schools plan, starting today, Thursday, November 14. This initiative aims to enhance student well-being, academic focus, and the school’s overall climate.</p><p>Beginning November 14, students will turn off and place their devices in the pouch before entering the school lobby. Yondr magnet stations will be available at the school entrance to secure phones and again at the end of the day to access them. Seniors with off-campus privileges will have controlled access to their phones when leaving campus.</p><p><strong>Wilton Public Schools Define Cell Phone Free Schools as: </strong></p><p>No access to cell phones in school from the first bell to the last bell. “Cell phone free” refers to phones (both internet and non internet connected), airpods, earbuds and bluetooth connected headphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers and other accessories that connect to the internet.</p><ul><li>Miller-Driscoll: 9:00 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.</li><li>Cider Mill: 7:40 a.m. - 2:25 p.m.</li><li>Middlebrook and Wilton High School: 8:20 a.m. - 2:55 p.m.</li></ul><p class="ql-align-justify">For further details, read the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1ycCkLvl5Lz-SLxubgCX3MnI9_88-QAPUPnjevvLvfno/edit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Cell Phone Free Schools FAQ’s: WHS </a></p>