OLD LYME — On Saturday, May 14, at 4 p.m., Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church will present Ekklesia, a contemporary dance company. The new church entrance terrace and scenic lawn will form a natural backdrop for this experience.
In their piece “Body and Land”, dancers will move through the four seasons using the music of Vivaldi and composer Simonelli with words from poet Blankson. This work uses the arts to embody the challenges our modern earth faces from climate change.
“Saint Ann’s has been named a Level 2 Green House of Worship by the Connecticut Interreligious Eco-Justice Network,” explains The Rev. Dr. Anita Schell. “That’s why it’s so fitting we welcome Old Lyme and all our neighbors to experience Ekklesia’s moving message.”
The suggested donation for this production is $15.00.
Saint Ann’s is located at 82 Shore Rd., Old Lyme.
LYME — The Hamburg Fair Association in cooperation with the Lyme Public Hall presents a spring music concert featuring “John Brown and the Backporch Pickers” band on Saturday evening, May 14, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the ring at the Fairgrounds.
John Brown
The band, known for its well-blended mix of traditional country, classic rock, and heartfelt originals that reflect the trials and tribulations of life is sure to entertain those of all ages.
Grab your folding chairs or blanket and pack your families and friends in your car, truck, or SUV to join us for a night of great music!
Admission is $30.00 per carload and proceeds benefit the 2022 Hamburg Fair.
Hotdogs, hamburgers, and soda/water will be available for sale onsite.
Don’t miss this fun-filled, fund-raising event at Hamburg Fair Grounds, 2 Sterling City Rd., Lyme, CT.
AREAWIDE — UPDATED WITH DETAILS OF ADDITIONAL CLINIC: Ledge Light Health District has scheduled the following COVID-19 vaccine clinics, which Lyme and Old Lyme residents can attend:
- Friday, May 20, 11am-1pm, Waterford Senior Center (24 Rope Ferry Road). Call Waterford Senior Services at 860-444-5839 to schedule an appointment.
- Monday, May 23, 2-4pm, East Lyme Senior Center, 37 Society Road, Niantic
- Tuesday, June 7, 1-3pm, Groton Senior Center, 102 Newtown Road, Groton
Only the Moderna vaccine will be available at these clinics, for individuals 18 years or older who need a 1st or 2nd dose (primary series) or are eligible for a 1st or 2nd booster dose.
The following groups are eligible for a 1st booster shot at this clinic:
- individuals 18 years of age and older who have completed a primary series of a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) and it has been at least 5 months since completion of primary series
- individuals 18 years of age and older who have had a primary dose of Janssen COVID-19 vaccine and it has been at least 2 months and would like a mRNA booster
The following groups are eligible for a 2nd booster shot at this clinic:
- individuals 50 years of age and older who have received a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine and it has been at least 4 months since first booster dose
The clinics are free and open to the public. No appointment (except for the clinic at Waterford on Friday, May 20), insurance, or ID is necessary. Bring your CDC vaccination card if you have one. CDC recommends that everyone ages 5 years and older get their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine, and that everyone ages 12 years and older also receive a booster.
For a complete list of community clinics including those where vaccinations are available for people younger than 18, visit LLHD.org.
Community members and businesses are urged to access up-to-date information regarding the pandemic from reputable sources, including the Ledge Light Health District website (www.LLHD.org), Facebook (@LedgeLightHD), Twitter (@LedgeLightHD), and Instagram (@LedgeLightHD).
LYME — On Saturday, May 21, Lyme Public Library hosts acclaimed photographer Skip Hine from 2 to 3 p.m. to discuss his new book Memories in Hine Sight: My Life with a Camera.
Hine’s free presentation will include examples of his photographs and the fascinating stories that went into taking them.
With over 45 years of experience, this artist/author has traveled around the world photographing breathtaking landscapes, and taking portraits of some of the most famous celebrities, athletes and politicians in the world.
Register at this link for a unique “behind the lens” tour of life through the eyes of this award-winning photographer. There are only 30 places available for this talk, so register asap!
AREAWIDE — Ledge Light Health District has scheduled the following COVID-19 vaccine clinics, which Lyme and Old Lyme residents can attend:
- Monday, May 23, 2-4pm, East Lyme Senior Center, 37 Society Road, Niantic
- Tuesday, June 7, 1-3pm, Groton Senior Center, 102 Newtown Road, Groton
Only the Moderna vaccine will be available at these clinics, for individuals 18 years or older who need a 1st or 2nd dose (primary series) or are eligible for a 1st or 2nd booster dose.
The following groups are eligible for a 1st booster shot at this clinic:
- individuals 18 years of age and older who have completed a primary series of a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) and it has been at least 5 months since completion of primary series
- individuals 18 years of age and older who have had a primary dose of Janssen COVID-19 vaccine and it has been at least 2 months and would like a mRNA booster
The following groups are eligible for a 2nd booster shot at this clinic:
- individuals 50 years of age and older who have received a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine and it has been at least 4 months since first booster dose
The clinics are free and open to the public. No appointment (except for the clinic at Waterford on Friday, May 20), insurance, or ID is necessary. Bring your CDC vaccination card if you have one. CDC recommends that everyone ages 5 years and older get their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine, and that everyone ages 12 years and older also receive a booster.
For a complete list of community clinics including those where vaccinations are available for people younger than 18, visit LLHD.org.
Community members and businesses are urged to access up-to-date information regarding the pandemic from reputable sources, including the Ledge Light Health District website (www.LLHD.org), Facebook (@LedgeLightHD), Twitter (@LedgeLightHD), and Instagram (@LedgeLightHD).
OLD LYME — State Rep. Carney (R-23rd) offers residents of Lyme and Old Lyme another opportunity to meet with him on Tuesday, May 24, in Old Saybrook at Acton Library from 5 to 6 p.m.
He will be available to discuss the recently concluded 2022 legislative session and any questions you may have about state issues.
For more information about Tuesday’s Office Hours, visit this link.
Those who are unable to attend but would like to contact Rep. Carney may do so by email at [email protected].
OLD LYME — The Duck River Garden Club of Old Lyme will hold its monthly meeting and program on Wednesday, May 25, at Memorial Town Hall on Lyme St. in Old Lyme. A community social begins at 6:45 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m., which is open to all.
A business meeting for all active members will be held prior to the social, at 6 p.m.
The May program is titled Creating Wildlife Habitat with Native Plants, and is presented by Shaun Roche, who is Visitor Services Manager at the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge in Westbrook, Conn.
OLD LYME — On Thursday, May 26, from 6 to 9 p.m., the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Friends of Music (FOM) will host a Great Gatsby Gala at the Old Lyme Inn.
This scholarship fundraising event is sure to be an enjoyable evening, with plenty of food/drinks, and entertainment. 1920s attire is strictly optional, but encouraged at the themed cocktail party.
There will also be an extensive Silent Auction, including wonderful gift baskets, gift certificates from local businesses for dining, goods, and luxury experiences; plus one of a kind artwork and antiques.
Tickets are $50/person. All are welcome. Seats are limited so prompt reservations are recommended.
Visit this link to buy your tickets online and/or to donate.
Send your payments/donation via mail to:
Friends of Music
PO Box 4
Old Lyme, CT 06371
Consider attending this event and help FOM continue their mission of providing scholarships and supporting music enrichment for Lyme-Old Lyme students.
Friends of Music is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.
Vigil to be Held Sunday, May 29, 5 p.m. on Steps of First Congregational Church of Old Lyme
OLD LYME, CT – The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme (FCCOL) and the Lyme-Old Lyme Partnership for Social Justice announced Friday, May 27, that the organizations would hold a bell-ringing vigil and call to action on Sunday, May 29.
The vigil will be held on the front steps of the church starting at 5 p.m.
The bell in the church steeple will be rung 32 times – once for each of the victims of the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., Laguna Woods, Calif., and Uvalde, Texas.
The community is invited to attend.
Speakers at the vigil are expected to include:
- Kevin Booker from the New London City Council
- Principal Lindsey Thompson from the Mary Hooker Magnet School in Hartford
- Judge Kevin Washington from Windsor, Conn.
- Rev. Dr. Terrlyn L. Curry Avery from Sacred Intelligence in New London
- Colin Heffernan, Democratic candidate for the Connecticut House of Representatives 23rd District
- Rev. Steve Jungkeit from FCCOL and the Partnership for Social Justice
In announcing the community vigil, Jungkeit said, “In the past, small New England villages like ours used bells as a way to call people out of their homes to mark times of worship, celebration and mourning. We are invoking that tradition again on Sunday, calling the entire community to come join us as we remember the 32 individuals who lost their lives to the recent gun violence in Buffalo, N.Y., Laguna Woods, Calif., and Uvalde, Texas.”
Jungkeit continued, “It’s an opportunity to come together and grieve as a community – to voice our shared desire for a society where we protect people, not guns, and where horrific killings like this no longer happen.”
Thursday, June 2, 3-6 p.m.
Traces of the Trade Screening and Discussion with Constance & Dain Perry
Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2 Library Lane, Old Lyme CT
In Traces of the Trade, film producer Katrina Browne tells the story of her forebears — the deWolf family, the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. The film follows Browne and nine family members as they retrace the triangle trade and begin to think about how to address legacies of racial violence and the meaning of reconciliation.
Dain and Constance Perry, who traveled on the pilgrimage, will lead a discussion following a showing of the film.
The deWolf family’s role in the slave trade started in Old Lyme, where sawmill owner and carpenter Edward deWolf enslaved Mingo before 1704.
Today, a Witness Stone placed at the Sill Lane green remembers Mingo’s contributions to the development of the early town.
Constance R. Perry is a national consultant working in economically disadvantaged communities and specializing in workforce and community development. For more than 20 years, she managed, designed, and implemented programs for at-risk youth and adults at the municipal, state, and national level.
Born and raised in Boston, she is a descendant of enslaved laborers in North Carolina.
Dain Perry had a 30-year career as a Financial Representative with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network (NMFN) in Boston. He is a past President of the Boston Estate Planning Council and was named Boston Estate Planner of the Year in 1999.
Prior to joining NMFN he was deputy director of the Massachusetts Council on Crime and Correction, and Acting Director of the Crime and Justice Foundation, both private non-profit community groups which promoted reform in the criminal justice system. He attended the U S Naval Academy.
Friday, June 3, 10 a.m.
Witness Stones Old Lyme Installation Ceremony: A Celebration of Music and Poetry
Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes (PGN) Library, 2 Library Lane, Old Lyme
The community is invited to gather on the lawn of the Old Lyme PGN Library to celebrate the second installation of Witness Stones on Lyme Street, extending this year to McCurdy Rd.
The program will include music, poetry, and words from community partners and guest speakers.
Frederick-Douglass Knowles II will read his poem Shoots of Plants Blooming in Spring at the ceremony. He joins guest speakers Dain Perry and Constance Perry.
World-renowned soprano Lisa Williamson and acclaimed saxophonist and U.S. Coast Guard Band conductor Richard Wyman will provide music.
Twelve members of the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS) chorus, led by Laura Ventres, will also contribute to the program.
Seventh-grade students from the LOLMS will read biographical poems they wrote to tell the life stories of Harry Freeman and Margaret Crosley Lewia. Using primary documents, the students researched these two enslaved town residents, making the story of local slavery tangible, personal, and relevant to their own lives.
Frederick-Douglass Knowles II is an Educator and Activist fervent in achieving community augmentation through literary arts. He is a Professor of English at Three Rivers Community College in his native city of Norwich, CT and the inaugural Poet Laureate of Hartford.
He is the recipient of the Nutmeg Poetry Award and the Connecticut of The Arts Fellow in Artist Excellence for Poetry/Creative Non-Fiction. Knowles is a Pushcart Prize nominee and the author of BlackRoseCity.
Constance R. Perry is a national consultant working in economically disadvantaged communities and specializing in workforce and community development. For more than 20 years, she managed, designed, and implemented programs for at-risk youth and adults at the municipal, state, and national level.
Born and raised in Boston, she is a descendant of enslaved laborers in North Carolina.
Dain Perry had a 30-year career as a Financial Representative with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network NMFN) in Boston. He is a past President of the Boston Estate Planning Council and was named Boston Estate Planner of the Year in 1999.
Prior to joining NMFN he was deputy director of the Massachusetts Council on Crime and Correction, and Acting Director of the Crime and Justice Foundation, both private non-profit community groups which promoted reform in the criminal justice system. He attended the U S Naval Academy.
OLD LYME — A Celebration of the Life of Charles Townsend Ludington, Jr. will be held at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme on Saturday, June 4, at 11 a.m.
Friends and family are invited to join the service.
A reception/lunch at 2 Lyme Street (next door to the church) in Old Lyme will follow the service.
Mildred “Maggie” Adamson Taylor
OLD LYME — A memorial service will be held for Mildred “Maggie” Adamson Taylor, who passed away peacefully on December 25, 2021. She was the wife of the late Lloyd Douglas Taylor who predeceased her in 1992.
Maggie’s service will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 2 p.m. at The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme located on the corner of Lyme Street and Ferry Road in the village of Old Lyme.
Maggie was the beloved mother of her Adamson children; Maren, Dagney (Liz Lewis), Brooke (Phillip Schaller) John (Cathy Hall) and Stuart. She also leaves her grandchildren Alex and Siena, also her best-loved cousin Paula Idarola, and adored Jeff Taylor and his wife Maura and their children Katie and Margaret and their six great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Maggie’s name to SPCA animal rescue or the charity of the donor’s choice.
To share a memory of Maggie or send a condolence, please visit www.rwwfh.com.
The Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook is in care of the arrangements.
Visit this link to read the original post of Mildred “Maggie” Adamson Taylor’s obituary.
OLD LYME — On Wednesday, June 8, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Ted Zalewski will perform his one-man show Vincent: A Portrait by the Postman Roulin in the Community Room at the Old Lyme PGN Library.
The scene opens in an 1890 Café in Auvers, France. and will explore the close relationship between Vincent van Gogh and the Postman, Joseph Roulin.
Admission is free but registration is required to hold a seat for the performance.
The Library is located at 2 Library Lane, Old Lyme, CT, 06371.
This is one of the stunning floral arrangements featured in ‘Blooms with a View’ at the Florence Griswold Museum.
OLD LYME — As part of Connecticut’s Open House Day, Museum admission to the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme is free this Saturday, June 11. No advance registration is required.
Celebrate art, history, and nature in one place. Visitors can enjoy a new art exhibition, including “Blooms with a View,” floral arrangements that play off a selection of artworks, stroll lush historic gardens and the riverfront Artists’ Trail, and tour the historic Griswold House.
The gardens of the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme are ablaze with color at this time of year. Enjoy them for free on Saturday, June 11.
Yevshan Ukrainian Vocal Ensemble of CT will perform at the Sill House at 1 pm
OLD LYME — On Sunday, June 12, the newly-created ‘Welcome’ mural at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS) will be dedicated at a ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m. and running through 2:30 p.m.
All are welcome to attend the ceremony and view the mural.
The mural is part of the Sister Murals Project sponsored by Public Art for Racial Justice Education (PARJE), which was officially launched March 1, 2021.
The primary mission of PARJE is to utilize the broad appeal of art and education to confront racial injustice.
One mural has already been unveiled in Norwich and murals have now been completed in Old Lyme and New London.The lead artists for the Old Lyme mural is Jasmine Oyola-Blumenthal, who is an alumna of Lyme Academy College of Fine ArtThe Old Lyme Sister Mural has been installed inside Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, adjacent to the gymnasium.
In addition to her role as lead artist, Oyola-Blumenthal worked with school faculty to develop student workshops, which coordinated with the project.
Oyola-Blumenthal and her counterpart for the New London mural, Marvin Espy, were selected from a field of nearly 20 applicants.
In her application, Oyola-Blumenthal referred to the ability of art to inspire people to talk to one another, commenting, “Art is a neutral vessel that can bring forth conversations that can be uncomfortable and promote opportunities to open dialogue on racial justice and education.”
OLD LYME — Today, June 14, is Flag Day and appropriately, this evening at 7 p.m., the Old Lyme Historical Society Inc. (OLHSI) presents another talk in its 2022 Series of Events. This one will be given by James Meehan and will cover the History of the Stars & Stripes.
The event will take place at the Society’s building at 55 Lyme St. in Old Lyme. All are welcome and admission is free.
This is the second in a series of speaker events sponsored by the OLHSI.
Donations are welcome for the Carol Noyes Winters Scholarship Fund.
OLD LYME — Two new exhibitions are on view at Lyme Art Association (LAA), Ship to Shore and Renaissance in Pastel. An opening reception and award presentation for both exhibitions is being held Friday, June 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Celebrating all aspects of sea and shoreline life, Ship to Shore is a member’s exhibition, which features a broad range of styles and mediums including paintings, drawings and sculptures. The exhibit is juried by Anthony Tomaselli, who is a painter based in Providence, R.I. He apprenticed with Gene Tonoff and Joseph Rotundo and is represented by a variety of galleries.
Lyme Art Association Gallery Manager Paul Michael says, “Our coastal communities are a vital part of New England life. This show acts as a survey of contemporary maritime artwork, celebrating the seas that connect us.”
Concurrent with Ship to Shore, the Connecticut Pastel Society will display Renaissance in Pastel. The exhibition includes the finest pastel work from the Connecticut Pastel Society member artists. Lyme Art Association is delighted to welcome back the Connecticut Pastel Society for this always impressive show.
The exhibition’s awards are juried by Eileen Casey. Casey is a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle and graduated from Emmanuel College in Boston.
In addition to these two exhibitions, Lyme Art Association’s youth exhibition, Water All Around Us, will be on display in the Mile Brook Gallery.
The shows run through Aug. 4, 2022.
Lyme Art Association is located in a building designed by Charles Adams Platt and located within the national historic district at 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT.
Ship to Shore is made possible by the generous support of the LAA’s premier sponsor, Essex Savings Bank.
The LAA was founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists and continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork by its members and invited artists, as well as offering art instruction and lectures to the community. Admission is free with contributions appreciated.
Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 to 5 p.m.
For more information on exhibits, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, visit the LAA website or call (860) 434-7802.
An informal Memorial Service celebrating the life and memory of Graham Nelson Raynolds of Hadlyme will be held on Saturday, June 18th at 11:00 a.m. at one of Graham’s favorite spots: the picnic area on the bank of the Connecticut River just north of the Hadlyme Ferry landing. All are welcome, please bring a folding chair if you need one.
Read his full obituary at this link.
OLD LYME – The Witness Stones Poets will join the Nat Reeves Quartet in a Juneteenth celebration of jazz and poetry on the lawn of the Florence Griswold Museum on Saturday afternoon, June 18, at 2 p.m.
The acclaimed Connecticut poets – Marilyn Nelson, Kate Rushin, Rhonda Ward and Antoinette Brim-Bell – will read a verse cycle written in collaboration with the Old Lyme Witness Stones Partnership. The poems commemorate 14 African-descended persons once enslaved in Old Lyme.
The internationally-renowned bassist and bandleader Nat Reeves will offer a musical tribute to those once held in bondage in the community.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The celebration takes place outdoors from 2 to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Limited seating is offered. Lawn chairs or blankets for additional outdoor seating are recommended.
Admission is free.
The event has received generous support from the Side Door Jazz Club and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the federal ARPA program.
The Old Lyme Witness Stones Partnership’s goal is to expand the understanding of local history and honor the humanity and the contributions of those formerly enslaved in the community.
The partnership’s founding members include the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, the Florence Griswold Museum, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools, and the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.
Community partners include the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, and the Old Lyme Historical Society.
The Partnership has received generous support from a Health Improvement Collaborative of Southeastern Connecticut (HIC) Partnership Grant for Racial Equity.
Witness Stones Old Lyme partnered with The Witness Stones Project, an organization that seeks to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities.
For further information, visit https://www.witnessstonesoldlyme.org.
Editor’s Note: The Florence Griswold Museum is at 96 Lyme St. in Old Lyme, CT.
OLD LYME — Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds on Lyme St. in Old Lyme offer a vibrant, artistic environment owned and managed by acclaimed international sculptor Gil Boro, who lives on the property.
Dedicated to arts education and appreciation, Boro vigorously pursues his mission to create a bond between art, nature and community by inspiring and promoting participation in the arts.
Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds’ 8th annual Summer Sculpture Showcase exhibition provides a unique opportunity for artists to showcase their sculptures in a stunning environment specifically designed to nurture the creative arts. This year, the Showcase features a variety of sculptures from 15 national artists, who represent a broad range of artistic communities, which, in turn, creates an exhibition of diverse sculpture.
All works on the grounds are available for sale.
On Saturday, June 18, an Opening Reception is being held from 5 to 7 p.m. to celebrate the 2022 Summer Sculpture Showcase. It will feature live music by Ramblin’ Dan Stevens, light refreshments, and the opportunity to tour the ground and view the artwork at leisure. All are welcome.
Boro comments, “I’m delighted to be able to open my grounds to these exceptional sculptors whose work intrigues me. Each one offers original creative thinking resulting in a combination of contrasting conceptual designs in a variety of media. I think any visitor to the exhibition is going to be thoroughly engaged by what he or she sees – including children.”
Boro is somewhat unusual as a professional sculptor in that he loves to see folk of all ages directly interacting with his sculptures, noting that he has a strong aversion to exhibitions, “… where people can’t touch my work.”
The Sculpture Grounds are thoroughly invested in the vibrant Old Lyme arts scene and anticipate this exhibition will attract art-loving visitors from near and far. Boro is committed to the important public mission to enrich the cultural life of the region for the education, enrichment, and enjoyment of the community. In previous years, the exhibition has drawn over 7000 viewers to the 4.5-acre sculpture garden located on the Connecticut shoreline.
Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds is located at 80-1 Lyme St., less than a minute from Exit 70 on I- 95. The Sculpture Grounds are open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free. Children, field trips and group visits are all welcome.
For further information, visit the Sculpture Grounds website or call 860-434-5957.