No Tricks, Just Treats at Mystic Seaport this Saturday!

With symbols of Halloween jumping out at us at every turn, I wondered – how and where did this October 31^st day originate? Turns out, we owe it largely to Irish immigrants. They brought versions of their Celtic festival, Samhain (pronounced sah-wen), to North America. Combine that with the northern European pagan tradition and religious festivities associated with “All Hallow’ Evening” (now known as All Saints Day) and VOILA – October 31^st is what we all now know as  Halloween!     

Too much information? Sorry. But wait – here’s some really important information for anyone with children ages 10  and under. Want a really safe place to take your little goblins trick-or-treating on Halloween?  Then come to Mystic Seaport. From 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 31^st , children in costume will gather up treats at designated locations within the Mystic Seaport village. It’s a scene guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of all, whether participants or simply onlookers.

Parents, you can vicariously relive this fun time of childhood because it’s a requirement that children be accompanied by an adult. You don’t have to come in costume yourself,  but please come with  $2 for each child you bring (to help defray candy costs). If you’re lucky, maybe your little ghosts and goblins will share some of their Halloween treats with you!

Park in the Seamen’s Inne parking lot, enter through the Museum’s library gate and follow the pumpkin path. You’ll be given a map to lead you to all those treats in waiting.

Sound fun?  You betcha!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Blog post written by Trudi Busey.

There’s a Ghost Living in my House!

Okay, so it’s really my very much alive husband I’m talking about. But he really is a ghost in Mystic Seaport’s Nautical Nightmares production, which kicks off for a 3-weekend run on Friday, October 16.

This year’s theme, “Blood of the Mutineers,”  is not geared to the faint of heart nor children under the age of 12, but if you want to experience something a bit more jolting than carving a jack-o-lantern or going to a costume party, Nautical Nightmares is your ticket for a haunting and memorable evening during this Halloween month.

The nightly small group tours begin at 6:15 p.m. and leave every 15 minutes from.Mystic Seaport’s North Gate entrance. Ticket holders will be met there and guided along darkened Museum village streets in search of clues related to the unfolding drama they’ll witness in various stops along the way.

You might want to put a flashlight in your pocket to scare away any ghosts you might encounter.  However, you can sock it to them simply by donating a pair of new or gently worn women’s or children’s socks, shoes or athletic footwear on performance nights. Donations will benefit the Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut. 

Nautical Nightmares has become a very popular event at Mystic Seaport since its debut eight years ago. The sooner you buy tickets, the better. The cost (which includes a $2 handling fee) is $21 for adults ($19 for members) and $20 for children ($18 for member youth). Again, Mystic Seaport does not recommend bringing children under age 12 to this event.

Purchase tickets online at www.mysticseaport.org/nauticalnightmares or by calling 860.572.5322 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. To 4 p.m.

Blog written by Trudi Busey.

It Rained on the Parade…

…and most of the hours leading up to it. However, the Antique Vehicle Show at Mystic Seaport the last Sunday in September was still a treat for determined Museum visitors decked out in rain gear and carrying umbrellas. I know. I was one of them!

Although only a fraction of the expected 120 exhibitors were willing to subject their restored motor vehicles to Sunday’s persistent rain, those who did provided visitors with a tantalizing taste of what this annual event must be like when clear skies prevail and exhibitors are out in full force.

It was so cool seeing century-old vehicles parked along the Museum’s Village Green as though their owners were off running errands or shopping. Movies depicting that era or a painting or nostalgic Christmas card scene are just no match for actually admiring these awesome motor vehicles in person.

Restoring these beauties is obviously an expensive labor of love, but to John Parker III of North Stonington, CT,  it’s a passion well worth it. His magnificent red, brass-trimmed 1921 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Tourer led the 3 p.m. parade.

Among the vehicles parading several times around the Village Green with “ooga-ooga” horns sounding, were a snappy royal blue 1924 Studebaker Light Six Coupe, a magnificent 1927 yellow Cadillac sporting big white wall tires, several shiny black Ford Roadsters, a vintage Mystic Seaport truck, and a bright red 1912 Overland Roadster with beautiful brass rimmed lamps and headlights. Seeing Chick and Gail Chandler rounding the bend in their open orange1914 Metz Speedster, I couldn’t help thinking that their happy waves and smiles were partially showmanship but also happiness that they would soon be headed home to Charlton, MA and dry clothes!

It was unfortunate that the weather dampened this year’s Antique Vehicle Show,  but when this special event is advertised next year, do yourself a big favor. Don’t miss it! You’ll take a step back in time and probably wonder, as I do, if any of our 21^st century cars will some day make it to antique status and warrant an exhibition spot at the Mystic Village Green curb.

Blog written by Trudi Busey

A Fair Alternative

 

They are the harbinger of autumn – those fall fairs and festivals that dot our Connecticut landscape and make the change of season tolerable. I enjoy them as much as anyone. However, if you’re like me, there is a saturation point.

If you’ve watched enough tractor, truck and horse pulls; if you’ve sufficiently sabotaged your diet with cotton candy and fried dough; if you’ve had your share of getting up close and personal with farm animals and admired enough prize-winning jams, needlework and homegrown veggies – I have a great alternative for you…

MYSTIC SEAPORT!!

You can check our website for details: www.mysticseaport.org,  but let me briefly describe what special events are in store for you at the Museum as September segues into October.

• LOCAVORISM

New word. It’s the term given to the growing movement of eating exclusively from local ingredients. Seamen’s Inne Executive Chef, Tim Quinn invites food lovers to experience a sumptuous 4-course meal on 10/16 and 11/20. (The 3-dinner series debuted on September 19^th. )The gourmet meals are prepared entirely with ingredients grown within a reasonable radius of Mystic Seaport.  Reserve your place at the table for 10/16 and 11/20.

•  30th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL MARINE ART EXHIBITION AND SALE

Bustling waterfronts, scenic beaches and marshlands and contemporary marine art will prompt oohs and ahhs from all who appreciate fine art. The comprehensive exhibit opens September 27th  for a 3-week stay in the Museum’s Maritime Gallery.

"Bugeye LEMUEL KIRWAN and Two Schooners" by Yves Parent featured at the International.

•  BY LAND AND BY SEA: ANTIQUE VEHICLE SHOW

No cash for clunkers at Mystic Seaport, but on September 27^th a parade of pre-1930’s cars, trucks and motorcycles are definitely worth a look-see – or maybe even a ride. The grand parade of the vehicles around Museum grounds happens at 3 p.m.

• BEER TASTING AND TALK

Almost Oktoberfest time! But then, beer lovers don’t need a special time to enjoy a cold one. On October 3^rd, from 5-7 p.m. at the Museum’s shipyard, adults can sample different brews from several breweries after learning some little-known facts about beer’s influence on American history from Gregg Smith, author of Beer in America: The Early Years –1587-1840.

Beginning October 16^th, Mystic Seaport gets down right spooky!  On tap – Nautical Nightmares. Tickets are on sale now and go quickly. More info at www.mysticseaport.org/nauticalnightmares.

 Blog written by Trudi Busey

Labor Day Weekend Fun a No-Brainer at Mystic Seaport

The early bird gets the worm, as the saying goes.  So here’s what you need to do this Labor Day weekend… 

Set your inner shopping alarm.  Flap your wings and fly over to Mystic Seaport for a fantastic Labor Day Sidewalk Sale. Gates are open at 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Believe me, you’ll find lots better fare than worms!

Ties, scarves, books, note cards, glassware, posters, etc. for $10 or less. Some things even bear that irresistible sign – FREE!  For art enthusiasts, Mystic Seaport’s Maritime Gallery is offering select prints at reduced prices.

But here’s the catch. The sidewalk sale items are first come, first served, and carry the warning – while supplies last. How’s that for motivation to get you bargain shoppers up, out and over to Mystic Seaport this weekend?

You’ve seen the mall store displays already hinting that it’s not too early to think Christmas gifts. Distasteful as that thought may be, we won’t tell anyone if you decide to make some great early Christmas purchases.

Mystic Seaport this Labor Day weekend offers two bonuses for making the Museum your destination. The Fish & Ships seafood festival is going on, the Sidewalk Sale is going on. Both are tantalizing but in different ways – one for the tummy; one for the pocketbook. How can you resist?

Enjoy fresh seafood this weekend at our Fish & Ships festival!

Come. Enjoy the food; find a bargain; take a ride on the steamship, Sabino; climb aboard a tall ship; play a 19th-century game on the Village Green; gaze at the stars in the Treworgy Planetarium; explore the exhibits.

What a terrific way to celebrate this last official summer weekend!

Blog written by Trudi Busey.

Dog Days – A Real Dog Treat this Weekend!

Rufus, the 2006 Westminster Best in Show Champion Bull Terrier dressed in a Cat in the Hat outfit? You might be thinking – how humiliating! But this dog is a “cool cat.” As representative of the National Education Association’s Read Across America, Rufus dons the Cat in the Hat costume for his official duties. The weekend of August 28-30, Rufus is the celebrity guest at the first-ever Dog Days event at Mystic Seaport.

Meet Rufus this weekend at Mystic Seaport.

Museum visitors have a couple of opportunities to meet and greet Rufus. The first is during story time, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Museum’s Stillman Building. (For a nominal fee, visitors can pose for pictures with Rufus with all proceeds benefitting the Charles W. Morgan restoration.). Then it’s off to the playscape area where Rufus will meet visitors from 2 – 4 p.m. As a certified Therapy Dog, Rufus is obviously calm and friendly and used to greeting strangers.

Although 9-year-old Rufus brings star quality to Dog Days with an impressive 35 Best in Show titles to his name, plenty of other awesome dogs will amaze visitors with their skills and talents throughout the weekend. Take a look at some of the things going on:

 Special Friday events:

• Canine search and rescue demonstrations
• A visit from Connecticut Humane Society Therapy dogs

 Special Saturday and Sunday events:

• Newfoundlands demonstrate their life-saving water rescue skills;
• police dogs show their mettle; hunting dogs show off their special aptitudes;
• guide dogs for the blind demonstrate their remarkable abilities and intuitive talents;
• therapy dogs visit, epitomizing the gentle side of dogdom;
• a canine flyball demonstration introduces visitors to a fun and competitive sport for dogs.

During Dog Days, even menu choices will be dog-themed! Enjoy hush puppies, slush puppies, hot dogs and more.

So all you humans out there don’t need to whine or bark to enjoy this special weekend treat. Just visit Mystic Seaport during Dog Days this weekend, August 28-30. You’ll be happy as a pup!

Blog written by Trudi Busey.

Pick Your Favorite at Garden Days at Mystic Seaport

I must confess, gardening is not my strong suit. My attempt to grow herbs didn’t work; I’m nervous about dividing my humongous hosta plants come fall; my one healthy African violet plant also should be divided, but I fear killing it totally. You get the picture.

So….Garden Days weekend at Mystic Seaport, August 21-23, may provide just the inspiration and confidence I need. There are so many interesting demonstrations and talks to choose from, for novice gardeners like me as well as seasoned gardeners whose passion for getting down and dirty in the soil is their idea of heaven.

The Burrows Garden at Mystic Seaport.

Tovah Martin, a regular on the PBS series Cultivating Life, will be the featured speaker for Garden Days, talking about houseplants and terrariums. She will be available for signings of her authored books after her 1 p.m. presentation on Saturday, the 22nd.  

Who hasn’t enjoyed the sight of colorful butterflies? There will be a lecture on how you can create your own backyard garden that attracts these beauties of nature. It’s just one of the myriad of activities and presentations offered in the Demonstration Tent on the Museum’s Village Green.

Overall, an impressive roster of Master Gardeners, landscape designers, plant science educators and vendors knowledgeable in various aspects of horticulture, pest control and invasive plant species will all be on hand to answer questions and give demonstrations.

As always, there are activities geared especially to kids – like a garden scavenger hunt in the Children’s Museum. Also, the first 150 youth visitors each day during Garden Days weekend will be given a free sapling to take home and plant, courtesy of Sprigs and Twigs Landscapes.

For a complete listing of all the demonstrations and activities, log on to   www.mysticseaport.org/gardendays. Then plan your visit  – August 21-23. I suggest you come equipped with paper and pencil so you can jot down all the great tips from the experts on grounds!

Blog written by Trudi Busey.

A Whale of a Marathon

When’s the last time you read Moby-Dick? Have you ever? Brace yourself for a huge admission: I was an English major in college AND am a current employee of the nation’s leading maritime museum, and I’ve never read it. Sigh. I’m ashamed.

Well, if you’re like me — slightly surprised that this classic slipped through your reading list cracks and quite curious what all the fuss is about — get on down to Mystic Seaport. Our annual 24-hour reading of Moby-Dick begins today at noon. A costumed roleplyer kicks off the event reading chapter I, “Loomings,” and after that, it’s your turn. The round-robin reading continues into the  night aboard the nation’s last surviving wooden whaler in our shipyard (what a setting, huh?) and concludes tomorrow in the late morning.  

Note Melville's famous line quoted on this colorful whale found in our Playscape area...

Quite the event for quite a book. Join us and rediscover (or discover) one of the greatest novels in the English language. Don’t live a life of Melville shame like me.

- Erin Richard

Family Fun Weekend at Mystic Seaport Going to the Dogs on July 18th

Everyone has heard the term – the dog days of summer – which usually refers to the hottest period between early July and early September.

This year, here in the Northeast, a stretch of hot days has so far been pretty elusive. So Mystic Seaport isn’t waiting for Mother Nature; July 18^th will be “dog day” at the Museum regardless of temperature.

Leashed, dog-friendly pooches and their two-legged owners and family members are invited to be part of Saturday’s special event during Mystic Seaport’s Family Fun Weekend, July 18^th and 19^th.

Children are invited to meet furry friend Mabel, the subject of a new book titled Mabel Takes a Paddleby Emily Cherkowski.  (Event tickets are $10 per child.) Cherkowski’s book will also be available for purchase. After telling the story of Mabel, the author will take the dog kayaking on the Mystic River.  How fun!

How about paddling a boat of your own? One of the Boathouse rowboats is waiting for you, at a minimal family rate rental fee. (Children must be accompanied by an adult and must wear personal flotation devices in the boat.)

Aside from getting out on the water, there’s plenty more for children and parents to do during Family Fun Weekend. Some of the choices are: the Children’s Museum, the Discovery Barn, the Planetarium; taking part in the interactive play Tale of A Whaler; building a toy boat; climbing aboard the Charles W. Morgan  and checking out how the whaling ship’s restoration process is going. In fact, there’s so much for families to see and do, you just might need two days to see and do it all. In that case, your 2-day admission ticket has you covered. Now that’s a deal too good to turn down.

Hey, summer is short. So make the most of it and come have some fun with us during our Family Fun Weekend, July 18^th and 19^th.

For more information, please visit www.mysticseaport.org.

Blog post written by Trudi Busey.

The Plein Air Painters are Just Plain Talented!

If you’ve stopped by the Maritime Gallery recently, you may have noticed that all of the art in the current exhibition, Plein Air Painters of the Maritime Gallery, has a central theme – the beauty of Mystic Seaport. Open through September 1, the exhibit details the Museum’s picturesque scenery, all of which was painted on grounds  this past June. (For those unfamiliar with the term, plein air artists follow the tradition established by painters in the 19^th and 20^th centuries – choosing an outdoor venue rather than an indoor studio to work their craft.)
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I was able to observe some of the painters at their easels last month and learned a little bit more about their craft…

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I spoke with William Hanson, who has been a part of the Mystic Seaport Plein Air Painters for all of the 13 years it has been a Museum event – more recently by invitation only.  At the other end of the spectrum, I met Brechin Lee Morgan, for whom this was an “exciting” first.

Maritime Gallery artist Leonard Mizerek painting on grounds last year.

Both extolled the virtues of natural light for capturing the essence of their paintings. “So inspiring” is how William describes the Mystic Seaport setting.  Brechin feels the realism of on-site painting trumps studio paintings, where imagination is the key component.

Maritime art is William’s emphasis. Today, near Mystic Seaport’s shipyard, a rowboat with a wood-filled shed as backdrop caught his attention. He thinks the smaller 6” by 8” size he mounted on his easel may have greater “sale” appeal in today’s economy, although his repertoire includes paintings of different sizes. 

Brechin chooses his subject by walking around the Museum until a scene strikes him as being dramatic enough to capture on canvas with his acrylics. This day the huge live oak timber in the H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard was his subject. “It reminds me  of timbers I imagine were used to build Noah’s Ark.”  He considers himself fortunate to be included as one of Mystic Seaport’s Plein Air Painters.

William’s and Brechin’s paintings, along with those of their fellow Plein Air Painters, will be on display and available for purchase in the Museum’s Maritime Gallery all summer. Come take a look. 

For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org/gallery or call 860.572.5388.

Blog post written by Trudi Busey.