Ridgefield, CT 300 Anniversary Celebration

Note that events marked with an * are 300th sponsored and are free, due to the generosity of our supporters. All events are in 2008.

July

• July 1 - 31, Keeler Tavern Museum, Celebrating the Hartmann Era; Monoprints with chine colle (collage) by Suzanne Benton exhibition, 438-5485
• Friday, July 4 with gates opening at 6 p.m., Family Fourth Fireworks at Ridgefield High School
• Saturday, July 5 at 10 a.m., 300th Anniversary Celebration Parade along Main Street, 431-3001*
• Saturday, July 5 at 2 p.m., 300th Anniversary Celebration Vintage Base Ball Game featuring The Ridgefield Nine on Veterans Park field, 431-3001*
• Saturday, July 5 from noon - 6 p.m., 300th Anniversary Celebration Country Fair at field behind Richard E. Venus Building (old high school), 431-3001*
• Saturday, July 5 from 6 p.m., American Belles and Air Force Band Concert at Veteran's Park Field*
• Friday, July 11 from 6:30-9 p.m., Keeler Tavern Museum, Celebrating the Hartmann Era; Monoprints with chine colle (collage) by Suzanne Benton exhibition reception in the Cass Gilbert Garden House, 438-5485
• Saturday, July 19, Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce Saleabration on Main Street, 438-5992
• Saturday, July 19 from noon - 5 p.m., Dancing Through The Ages, part of Saleabration on Main Street*
• Saturday, July 26, Family and Children's Aid Life is Good Festival, a family friendly event in Ballard Park, 203-205-2633
• July 29 through September 7, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum "The Bird Collector" Exhibit celebrating Edward J. Couch, 438-4519

August

• Saturday, August 2 from 11 a.m. -5 p.m., *Swim Party and Picnic at Martins Park/Great Pond. Food, games and a steel band
• Saturday, August 9, Nutmeg Festival at St. Stephen's, 438-3789
• Saturday, August 16, Art Walk in the Evening on Main Street*

September

• Saturday, September 20 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Keeler Tavern House Tour, 438-5485
• Saturday, September 20, 7 p.m., Ridgefield 300: A Concert Celebration at Ridgefield High School, 203-790-9392; tickets available at the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce, Ridgefield Music, Neumann Real Estate.
• Sunday, September 28, from 1 - 4 p.m., 300th Anniversary Celebration Anniversary Party at the Community Center/Lounsbury House, 431-3001*

October

• Saturday, October 4 8 p.m., Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra "Ridgefield Rag" by Douglas Townsend, 438-3889

November

• Saturday and Sunday, November 1 and 2, Keeler Tavern Lantern Light Tours, 438-5485

Past events in our Town's anniversary year

January

• Sunday, January 20 at 7 p.m., Acoustic Celebration Garnet Rogers at Temple Shearith Israel, 431-6501
• Thursday, January 24 at 7 p.m., Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Writes: Author Talk - The Poetry and Other Writings of Robert Riche, 438-2282
• Sunday, January 27 from noon - 2:30 p.m. and 4 - 6:30 p.m., Taste of Ridgefield at the Community Center, local restaurants serving samples of their best fare, sponsored by Ridgefield Rotary Club, 438-4585

February

• Saturday, February 2 at 8 p.m., Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra "Innovative innocence" with Audrey Luna, soprano, 438-3889
• Wednesdays, February 6, 13, 20, 27 at 7 - 9 p.m., Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Writes: How to Write Page-turning Fiction, with Joanne Dobson, 438-2282
• Friday, February 8 at 8 p.m., Ridgefield Theater Barn Opening Night Benefit Performance "Love Letters" for Petra Herceg, 431-9850
• February 8 - February 23, Ridgefield Theater Barn "Love Letters," 431-9850
• Sunday, February 10 at 7 p.m., Acoustic Celebration Martyn Joseph at Temple Shearith Israel, 431-6501
• Wednesday, February 13, noon - 3 p.m., SPIF (Senior Positive Initiative Forum) Costume Party at Parks and Recreation
• Tuesday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m., Ridgefield Theater Barn, Playreading, "5 Minute Date" by Jean Goldsmyth, 431-9850

March

• Saturday, March 1, Ridgefield Community Center Governors Ball, 438-6962
• Saturdays, March 1, 8, 29 and April 5 at 2 - 4 p.m. Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Writes: A Four-Part Songwriting Workshop, with Pete Nelson, 438-2282
• Sunday, March 2at 7 p.m., Acoustic Celebration Phil Ochs Songnight at Temple Shearith Israel, 431-6501
• Sunday, March 9 at 7 p.m., Acoustic Celebration Tret Fure at Temple Shearith Israel, 431-6501
• Tuesdays, March 4 and 11 at 7 p.m., Worlds of Wonder, Days of Judgment, the Churches of Colonial Ridgefield lecture by Rev. John Heeckt at the Scott House, 438-5821
• Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m., *Letterboxing Workshop at Founders Hall
• Wednesday, March 12 at 7 p.m., *Letterboxing Workshop at Boys and Girls Club
• Saturday, March 15, Art Auction at the Community Center, sponsored by the Ridgefield Lions Club
• Tuesday, March 18 at 4:30 p.m., *Letterboxing Workshop at Boys and Girls Club
• Thursday, March 27 at 7 p.m., Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Writes: Author Talk - The General and his Daughter, with Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy, 438-2282
• March 28 - April 19, Ridgefield Theater Barn, "The Sunshine Boys," 431-9850
• Sunday, March 30 at 3 p.m., Keeler Tavern Chamber Music La Vita Williams Guitar Duo, 438-5485
• Sunday, March 30, 2 - 4 p.m., Opening reception for "Flowers of Ridgefield" by Noelle Carr, art exhibit at the Ridgefield Library. The exhibit runs through May 9

April

• Tuesday, April 1 at 7 p.m., Ridgefield Library, Silvio Bedini's History of Ridgefield, Ridgefield in Review, Tuesday Evening Nonfictioneers discussion, 438-2282
• Saturday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m., Spring Wine Dinner to benefit the Community Center, $125, call 438-6962.
• Saturday, April 5 at 8 p.m., Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra "Triple Treat" with Andrew Armstrong, piano, 438-3889
• Saturday, April 5 at 2 – 4 p.m. Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Writes: A Four-Part Songwriting Workshop, with Pete Nelson, 438-2282
• Sunday, April 6 at 7 p.m., Acoustic Celebration Tim Grimm at Temple Shearith Israel, 431-6501
• Sunday, April 13, Movie Marathon with original prices at The Ridgefield Playhouse, "The Longest Day" (1962) 11 a.m. (50 cents), "Godspell" (1973) 2:30 p.m. ($1.50), "Torch Song Trilogy" (1988) 5 p.m. ($3.50)
• Sunday, April 13 at 7 p.m., Acoustic Celebration David Jacobs-Strain at Temple Shearith Israel, 431-6501
• Sunday, April 13 at 6 p.m., Vintage Base Ball team, the Ridgefield Nine, tryouts at Scotts Ridge Middle School. Call Dave Scott, (O) 438-4407 or (H) 431-0501, for further information.
• Thursday through Saturday, April 24 - April 26, Ridgefield Library Focus on Ridgefield Authors, 438-2282
• Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m., Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Writes: Poetry and Songwriting Performance, with Ira Joe Fisher and Kevin Briody, 438-2282
• Thursday through Saturday, April 24 - April 26, Ridgefield Library Focus on Ridgefield Authors, 438-2282:Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m., Poetry and Songwriting Performance, with Ira Joe Fisher and Kevin Briody. Friday, April 25, 7-9 p.m., Open Mic Night; Saturday, April 26, 10 - 11:00 a.m., Journalism Panel with Morton Dean, Victorial Secunda and Geoffrey Morris; 11:30 - 12:30 p.m., The Art of Memoir with Mary-Ann Tirone Smith and Brenda Cullerton; 1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Writing Women with Jessica Auerbach, Mary Beth Bass, and Linda Merlino; 2:30 - 3:30 p.m., How to Get Your First Book Published with Howard Roughan, Peter Spielgelman and Thea Devine. Sunday, April 27, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.; 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Grand Reception on the Library Lawn
• Friday, April 25, Arbor Day, Find Ridgefield's largest Sugar Maple Tree, Notable Tree Project of the Ridgefield Tree Committee
• Saturday, April 26 at 8 p.m., Airmen of Note Concert, the 18-piece Air Force Band playing Glenn Miller songs, at Ridgefield High School
• Sunday, April 27 at 1 p.m. Battle of Ridgefield Reenactment, Ballard Park, Encampment at Scott House 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Ridgefield Historical Society, 438-5821. Click here for entire day's schedule.
• Sunday, April 27, 2 p.m. meet at Ballard Park, Historic Tour along Main Street, commemorating the Battle of Ridgefield, by the Discovery Center, $5 for nonmembers, 438-2427
• Wednesday, April 30 at 7 p.m., *Letterboxing Workshop at Ridgefield Library

May

• Saturday, May 3 at 10 a.m., *Letterboxing Workshop at the Discovery Center
• Saturday, May 3, Ridgefield Guild of Artists Paint the Town Art Auction Celebration, 438-8863
• Saturday, May 3 at 7 p.m., Ridgefield Chorale Concert at East Ridge, 438-8498
• Sunday, May 4 at 3 p.m., Keeler Tavern Chamber Music Anthony Newman & Eva Sahlin, 438-5485
• May 4 through May 30, Ridgefield Library Gardens of Ridgefield Exhibit by Noel Carr, 438-2282
• Monday, May 5 at 10 a.m., *Letterboxing Workshop at Ridgefield Library
• Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ballard Greenhouse Plant Sale by Caudatowa and Ridgefield Garden Clubs
• Friday, May 16, Kitchen Tour "Kitchens Throughout the Years", 431-0938
• Sunday, May 18, noon, Field of Flags Dedication, First Congregational Church, 438-8077.
• Sunday, May 25, 4 p.m., Ridgebury Cemetery, Memorial Service to commemorate fallen veterans of all wars by the Ridgebury Congregational Church
• Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m., Evening of Readings, including Poetry, non-fiction, drama, fiction at Ridgefield Library, 438-2282
• Friday, May 30 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 31 at 4 p.m., The Patriotic Concert at First Congregational Church, 438-8077
• Saturday, May 31, Colonial Day at Keeler Tavern, 438-5485

June

• Sunday, June 1 at 7 a.m., Ridgefield Triathlon, Starting and finishing at Martin Park, this three-leg race begins with a half-mile swim in Great Pond, a 14-mile bike leg through Ridgebury and back, and a 3.1-mile run. Limited to 400 participants, www.triridgefield.com.
• Thursday, June 5, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum First Thursday, Salute and Recognition of Larry Aldrich, the museum's founder, 438-4519
• Friday, June 6 through July 7, Ridgefield Theater Barn "Cabaret", 431-9850
• Saturday, June 7 at 9 a.m., National Trails Day (Improving a popular trail) at Weir Farm, 834-1896 ext 12
• Saturday, June 7, Antiques Market at the Ridgefield Community Center, 438-6962
• Saturday, June 7, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum Family Day, Hands on activities using the number 300, 438-4519
• Sunday, June 8, 2-5 p.m. Cemetery Committee Old Town Cemetery Walk featuring ghosts of the past, Mapleshade entrance*

Exhibitions

Ongoing Exhibitions at Town Hall, Parks and Recreation, Scott House/Historical Society and Ridgefield Library

• "18th Century"
• "Great Fire"
• "Postcards From Our Past"
• "My Ridgefield" current photographs
• "Lost Ridgefield"
• "19th Century"
• "Military History"
• "20th Century"
• "Battle of Ridgefield"
• "Students"
• "Flowers of Ridgefield" by Noelle Carr at the Ridgefield Library March 30 - May 9
• "300 Years Wrapped Up"
• "Hartmann Photographs"
• "Famous Ridgefield Women"
• "The Bird Collector" runs from July 29 through September 7 at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum