Darienite (https://darienite.com/category/arts-entertainment)
Art receptions, author appearances, performing arts and some film events
Hollis Taggart is pleased to present Parallels: Chloë Lamb and Bill Scott, a two-person exhibition of British artist Chloë Lamb (b. 1960) and American artist Bill Scott (b. 1956), who both work in the tradition of 20th century colorists and abstract expressionists. The exhibition features selections of their paintings, which are united by their handling of color and attention to the formal possibilities of oil paint. Opening Saturday, Jan.
In partnership with Verso Studios at Westport Public Library, Stamford Symphony’s Wind Quintet performance at 2 p.m., this Sunday, Nov. 21, at the library. — an announcement from Stamford Symphony
Tickets are available online, here. As a follow up to the Stamford Symphony Gala, which streamed live from the Westport Library in October, this performance marks a significant milestone in our partnership. Serving as the eastern hub for the Stamford Symphony, the Westport Library partnership strengthens the Symphony’s mission to serve its many audiences in Fairfield County, making music accessible for all-ages.
A free, family-friendly “Parade Spectacular Park Party” with giant parade balloons, entertainment and photos with Santa, will take place throughout Mill River Park in downtown Stamford this coming Sunday afternoon, Nov. 21. The party is a replacement for the city’s traditional giant balloon Thanksgiving parade, which was also cancelled last year. The event, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. (but will “loop, in hour-long segments” according to this report in the Stamford Advocate) is sponsored by the Stamford Downtown Special Services District, which has been sponsoring downtown holiday events for decades. No tickets or pre-registration is required.
Darien High School’s Theatre 308 will perform Mary Zimmerman’s “Metamorphoses,” a play exploring love, transformation and the enduring relevance of myth in our world. — an announcement from Theatre 308
The play, written by Mary Zimmerman, melds classic and contemporary elements, based on the poet Ovid’s collection of Ancient Greek and Roman myths. “Metamorphoses” will have three performances, all at 7 p.m., from Thursday to Saturday, Nov. 17 to 20, in the high school Auditorium. Live music composed by DHS student John Raskopf accompanies the storytelling.
The Rowayton Arts Center is seeking original, handcrafted works for the organization’s annual Holiday Gift Show. The RAC will accept small ornaments and holiday-related items as well as jewelry, pottery and ceramics, candles, wooden toys and items, small furniture, knitted or crocheted items, fiber art, original cards and small prints or paintings. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
Proceeds from the Holiday Gift Show, which runs from Nov. 26 through Dec. 24, are used to support RAC and its educational outreach.
It’s time for the annual Walk/Run for Abilis event! For the 16th annual year, Walk/run for Abilis will take place on Sunday, Oct. 17 at Greenwich Point Park. — an announcement from Abilis
Participants can walk or run in-person or participant virtually from anywhere in the world. Participants are encouraged to register in advance at abilis.us/walkrun.
The Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival, a half-century tradition in town, returns Saturday, Oct. 16 to again turn Tokeneke School into an amusement park. — an announcement from the Tokeneke Parent Teacher Organization
It was with great sadness that we had to take last year off from this beloved community celebration due to the pandemic, and the return of the carnival is a welcome and joyful sign of how far our community has come in the span of a year.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The rain date will be on the following day (Sunday, Oct. 17).
The Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival is an established favorite fall activity for Fairfield County families, offering something fun for children of all ages. This year’s Pumpkin Carnival will feature a wide variety of mechanical rides suitable for a wide variety of ages.
An exhibition of paintings and scuplture by four artists opens with a reception from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 8 at The George Billis Gallery in Westport, no reservations required. — an announcement from the George Billis Gallery
The exhibit, which runs through Nov. 7, has paintings by Nancy Bass, Steve Cosentino and Denise Petit and scuplture by Paige Bradley. The gallery is located at 166 Main St., Westport.
A reenactment of the 1781 Raid on Middlesex Meetinghouse, an 18th-century battle skirmish, children’s musket drills, Colonial cooking and artisan demonstrations will be part of Darien’s Heritage Day, an all-day family event on Saturday, Oct. 23. — an announcement from the Darien 200 Bicentennial Committee
The event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at three local historical landmarks and will feature members of The Fifth Connecticut Regiment and the 15th Regiment of Foot. “We are thrilled to bring this hands-on historical experience to Darien,” said Karen Boccadoro, a Darien resident who is a member of the Fifth’s board. Boccadoro has been a reenactor for over 15 years along with her husband, Carl.
Recognized nationally as one of the top 25 fine arts festivals, the Bruce Museum Outdoor Arts Festival takes place in Greenwich this coming weekend, Oct 9 to 10, with 38 new and returning artists showcasing their work. — an announcement from the Bruce Museum
This family-friendly event will also feature art activities, demonstrations and food. “The Arts Festival attracts exhibitors throughout New England and the East Coast,” says Festival Director Sue Brown Gordon. Juried works include paintings on canvas, board and paper, mixed media in 2D and 3D, drawings and graphics (including digital media) sculpture, and photography. This year, the festivals 40th anniversary, visitors can see acrylic paintings by John van Orsouw of Palatine Bridge, New York, ceramic sculptures by Hiroshi Nakayama of Worthington, Massachusetts; photography by David Margolis of Stamford; and oil paintings by Ning Lee of Monroe, New Jersey, among dozens of other artists.
The popular Darien fall tradition – Art Darien was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, but it’s back this weekend at Grove Street Plaza — from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday. — an announcement from the organizers
“I have been rebuilding the art event to make sure the event will be safe and comfortable for everyone even during the pandemic,” said artist Nobu Miki, the organizer of the two-day event, which is free. Artists used to bring their display setups and stay at their spots all day. This original idea was inspired by the famous artist colony, Montmartre Paris, and Nobu loved it. But she invested and purchased outdoor display panels this year to create a smoother visitor flow.
The Corbin District and The Darien Chamber of Commerce welcome back The Spadtastics to Tilley Pond Park on Saturday, Sept. 18 starting at 6 p.m. for a free community concert. Families are encouraged to come with coolers and lay a blanket or place lawn chairs for a fun-filled evening of live music. Food vendors including Crepes Choupette, Fjord Fish Market, Darien Butcher Shop, Gofer Ice Cream, Sipstirs (in-store only, Sept. 17 to 18) and Parlor Pizza will be on-site donating 15% of profits to Darien Emergency Medical Services-Post 53.
An exhibition of paintings, many of them on maritime themes, by four artists opens today, Wednesday, Sept. 1 at The George Billis Gallery. On opening day an artists’ reception, open to the public, takes place from 4 to 7 p.m.
The exhibit has work from artists Edward Duff, Margot Nimiroski, Stephanie Reiter and Sarah Williams.
— an announcement from the George Billis Gallery
The gallery is located at 166 Main St., Westport. 203.557.9130. Some samples of the artists’ work (each title links to that artist’s page on the gallery website, where more works can be found):
Sarah Williams
Stephanie Reiter
Margot Nimiroski
Edward Duff
About the George Billis Gallery
The George Billis Gallery is an exhibition space with locations in Westport and Los Angeles.
The Norwalk Parking Authority’s Maritime Garage Gallery is inviting submissions of art from artists 18 and over for its newest exhibit, the first live show since December 2019. The exhibit, “About Face: Through Artistic Eyes ,” will focus on expression through portraiture. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 2, 2021. “About Face” will run from Nov.
Online submissions are now being accepted in an open call to all artists interested in exhibiting their work in the annual, all-media “Autumn Juried Show” at Rowayton Arts Center. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
The deadline is Sept. 10, 2021, and accepted artists will be notified by Sept. 17. The show takes place at the RAC from Oct.
Dinner tickets are no longer available, but you can still reserve picnic tables for the final Weed Beach Festive Night of the summer today, Friday, with gates opening at 5 p.m. (Weed Beach will close to regular beachgoers starting at 2 p.m.)
— an announcement from Darien Parks and Recreation Department
If you didn’t already pre-purchase dinners through Nikki Glekas Events (which will be served at 6 p.m.), you can bring your own picnic or get food and beverages from the Beach Grill concessions, which will remain open throughout the event. Festive Night features music from the Darien Community Band and local favorite Kenny Weiss. The Darien Community Band, now celebrating its 75th year, plays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Kenny Weiss, will follow from 6:30 to 8 p.m., when the event ends. If the event has to be cancelled, the rain date is Saturday, Aug. 28.