Category Archives: Outdoors

I-Park Hosts Open Trails & Music Aug. 9

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An I-Park visitor explores Vision on the Pond by sculptor Foon Sham. Photo courtesy of Christina Goldberg for I-Park.

EAST HADDAM—On Saturday, Aug. 9, I-Park, the artists-in-residence program nestled in the woods, invites the public to engage with international artists, wander over the expansive system of trails with environmental art installations and enjoy live music.

I-Park’s Open Trails & Music event takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visitors will receive a trail map of more than 40 environmental art installations integrated into I-Park’s meadows, woodlands and waterways.

Most trails are gentle and well-marked, allowing for a relaxed, self-paced visit that can last as little as 45 minutes or stretch into several hours. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic basket and unplug in the natural haven.

The Midnight Anthem will take the stage from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Known for its soulful sound and genre-blending style, the trio music mixes country, folk, rock, punk, and Americana into a performance that resonates across generations.

Local Honey Acoustic – described as a slightly sweeter spin on the River Valley’s beloved Local Honey Project – will play from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. The duo of Erin Smith and Abe Wilson features acoustic guitar, harmonies and hand percussion.

The family-friendly outdoor event will also include a nature-themed scavenger hunt and an interactive drawing table for children and adults alike.

Advance reservations are recommended, though walk-ins may register at the Welcome Table upon arrival. A $10 per adult is suggested. 

Meet the Artists: 

Jonathan Newman is a talented composer blending classical forms with pop, blues and jazz influences. His dynamic compositions are performed by orchestras and ensembles from around the world. His works are renowned for their emotional accessibility and rhythmic energy.

Sophia Sobers is a visual artist integrating sound and public art in urban and natural spaces. Her practice investigates the intersection of technology and nature, creating immersive environments that invite quiet contemplation.

Emily Gui is an interdisciplinary artist focused on climate, consumerism and ethical tension. Her work spans printmaking, installation and sculpture – often using salvaged materials to underscore the complexities of environmental responsibility.

Alice Miceli is a Brazilian photographer examining landscapes shaped by trauma and environmental degradation. She is internationally recognized for long-term projects that employ experimental photographic techniques to visualize the invisible aftermath of conflict and catastrophe.

Lilliam Rivera is an award-winning author of nine books spanning young adult, middle grade and graphic fiction. Rivera’s stories often center on Latinx identity, girlhood and resilience – and she is celebrated for her ability to blend speculative fiction with deeply grounded emotional truth.

Steven Pestana is a conceptual artist creating immersive environments that challenge perception. His work combines sculpture, performance and digital media to explore themes of uncertainty, belief, and the limits of understanding.

I-Park’s community engagement initiatives this year are supported by grants from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and the Community Foundation of Middlesex County.

CTDOT Welcomes Public Input on 2026 Pavement Preservation Project in Lyme, Old Lyme, East Haddam

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HARTFORD—The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is developing plans for the Pavement Preservation Project for the 2026 construction season in East Haddam. This project involves applying an asphalt rubber chip seal treatment on Rte. 156 through Lyme and Old Lyme, beginning in East Haddam at the intersection of Rte. 82 (Mile Point 0.00) and ending in Old Lyme at the intersection of Rte. 1 (Mile Point 8.43).  

The purpose of this project is to preserve and maintain the condition of the pavement, bringing it to a good state of repair. This project will help the CTDOT achieve Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP) goals, through pavement preservation treatments that extend the overall pavement life and improve pavement performance.

The present schedule indicates that the design will be completed in August 2025, with construction anticipated to start in the spring of 2026, assuming acceptance of the project, availability of funding, receipt of any required right-of-way, and environmental permits.  This project will be undertaken with one hundred percent (100%) State funds.

A press release issued July 31 by CTDOT states it is the CTDOT’s policy to keep the public informed and involved when such projects are undertaken and important that the community share its concerns with the CTDOT to assist in the project’s development.

If anyone has any questions or comments on this project, contact Sebastian Cannamela, Principal Engineer, at (860) 594-2698 or by email at Sebastian.Cannamela@ct.gov.  Questions/comments should make reference to State Project No. 0172-0553.

TOP STORY: Artistic Spotlight Shines on Old Lyme’s Marvelous Midsummer Festival

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Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival saw thousands of visitors exploring arts and crafts galore at a variety of locations. The photo above features the lawn at the side of the Old Lyme Inn.

OLD LYME—UPDATED WITH MORE PHOTOS 7/28: The Old Lyme Midsummer Festival on Saturday turned part of the town’s historic district into a vibrant celebration of the arts. Visitors enjoyed a view of Americana set in the same estuarine light that lured Impressionist painters more than a century ago.

Visitors of all ages enjoyed viewing the artwork on display.

Tents featuring individual artists with works in a vast range of media, local non-profits explaining their mission, culinary delights from nearby farms, and refreshments for immediate consumption were spread across five locations.

These latter comprised the Lyme Art Association, FloGris Museum, Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, Old Lyme Inn and Lyme Academy of Fine Arts..

The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions hosted their 20th Annual Classic Car Show at the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center.

On the shaded grounds of the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, George Willauer took home a first place trophy for the Packard convertible his father bought new for $3,400 back in 1935. He attributed the vehicle’s pristine condition to Vintage Motorcars of Westbrook, the local shop with an international reputation that undertook a partial restoration after the car was damaged in a crash several years ago.

The 90-year-old Packard came into the world the same year Willauer did. He learned to drive on the three-speed manual transmission he still shifts today.

“It’s a part of me,” he said.

George Willauer, of Lyme, drove his 1935 Packard convertible to victory in Class B (1930- 1942) of the 20th Annual Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club Classic Car Show.

Inside the Kelsey Family Children’s Innovation Discovery Center at the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, conservation and education coordinator Joe Attwater helped 6-year-old Nova Berman examine a feather through a digital microscope. As Attwater described the “incredible” properties that make feathers such ideal insulation for comforters and coats, Nova magnified the fluffy down beneath her scope.

“There’s nothing warmer in the world than a feather,” Attwater said.

Nova Berman, 6, uses a digital microscope in the Kelsey Family Children’s Innovation Discovery Center at Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center.

The festival is a destination not only for locals, but for visitors. This year marked the first Midsummer outing for Christine Mestler of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was in town to visit her sister, Ross Higgins. The women both went home with prints from the “Fence Artists” displayed on the grounds of the Old Lyme Inn.

Ross Higgins, of Old Lyme, and her sister Christine Mestler of Cincinnati, Ohio, survey the artwork outside the Old Lyme Inn.

The Lyme Artisans Guild began in 2023 when Carol Hunts Stanland, a textile artist, forged the crafts collective of jewelry makers, potters, sculptors, weavers and woodturners. Stanland said shoppers can also find their wares at the Guilford Art Center Holiday Expo and Light Up Old Lyme later this year.

Paul Maulucci, a woodturner from Coventry who belongs to the Lyme Artisans Guild, shows his wares at the Midsummer Festival.

Starting off with a 5K race to benefit the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau and ending with fireworks set off from behind the Lyme-Old Lyme High School, each year brings enough active artistry to keep attendees coming back for more.

Aidan Kerrigan gave a stirring rendition of the national anthem immediately before the race began.
And they’re off! Serious runners were called to the front of the pack before the race began..
Around 500 runners and walkers competed in the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau 5K race.
Some runners even wore tutus!
The Parading Paws dog parade at the FloGris Museum was delightful … as always.
Alfie went through his paces capably led by Quinn Ressler before walking away with the “Sweetest” dog.
Ed Shyloski (left) and Greg Symonds, longtime members of VFW Post 1467 continued their service by engaging with many of the visitors and explaining their important work.
A wonderful display of hydrangeas from ‘Hydrangeas Galore’ by Mark Comstock greeted festival-goers as they arrived at the Lyme Art Association.
The Duck River Garden Club—complete with little duckies—was offering beautiful bouquets for sale.
The Old Lyme Town Band gave a rousing concert as a perfect prelude to the fireworks display.
A fabulous fireworks display rounded off another marvelous Midsummer Festival.

So, until next year …

Music, Mirth, Merriment Abound at Fabulous FloGris Concert

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The ‘Mighty Soul Drivers’ performed on a stand set up on the banks of the Lieutenant River,

OLD LYME—Despite the intense rain storm in the afternoon, by the time the evening rolled around, the skies were clear and a wonderful night of music and friendship took place on the grounds of the FloGris Museum.

Concert-goers settled in for an evening of music, food and friendship.

The ‘Mighty Soul Drivers’ kicked off Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival 2025 yesterday evening with a rousing concert.

‘The Rolling Tomato’ was doing a roaring trade before the concert began. Things quietened down after the music had started.

Picnics were eaten, beverages were consumed, friends reconnected, and some people even stood up and danced!

Some kayakers listened to the concert from the idyllic setting of the Lieutenant River.

A memorable night was enjoyed by all!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Frampton Says There is ‘No Dispute’ Over Ownership of Tantummaheag Landing

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To the Editor:

I write to clarify a critical point in Elizabeth Regan’s article published today reporting the [Old Lyme] Republican Committee’s continued rejection of any amicable resolution over a “years-long dispute over the ownership of a spit of land bisecting a Tantummaheag Road property”, namely, Tantummaheag Landing (our back driveway), which we purchased in 2020.

To the contrary, there is no dispute between us and the Town about “ownership” since Tim Griswold’s Town Attorney publicly stated at a BOS meeting in August 2022 that his year-long investigation had found no evidence of ownership on the part of the Town. The Town and its counsel have since confirmed publicly and privately that they cannot and do not dispute that we own the Landing parcel in fee simple.

While the Griswold administration continued to claim there might have been a “public highway” along that spit of land based on a 1701 right of way, we discovered and published more than two years ago official Town records establishing that this right of way never went down what is now our back driveway, wasn’t even being used and indeed couldn’t be found in 1712, was replaced by another right of way in 1713 (which traces the current Tantummaheag Road and never  touched our property), and by contract with the then-landowner Richard Lord (who became First Selectman in 1720) the Town surrendered all rights to any and all Town rights-of-ways on his property in 1727.

Sincerely,

George T. Frampton, Jr.
Old Lyme.