Memorial Day is right around the corner… the big weekend, which is the unofficial start to summer for a lot of people, is less than 2 weeks away. If we’re not careful, we will forget the true spirit of the holiday, which is to honor our servicemen and women that have been lost while keeping our country safe! Here are a few events that evoke the true meaning of Memorial Day, before the holiday weekend!

1. The 2nd Annual Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day will take place on Saturday, May 19th from 11:00am until 6pm. This celebration, at Veterans Park in Shelton (directions here), will feature live bands, a custom car & motorcycle show, and plenty of food! Our own MyTV9 Star, Brittany Decker, will make an appearance, too!

Bring your lawnchair and enjoy the day. Our vets will be honored, but everyone is welcome at this celebration. And to make it even better, admission is free!

2. The Woodbridge Ave Honor Roll is a monument honoring local veterans who we’ve lost along the way. It is a touching and important tribute to soldiers in the Valley area, and this Sunday, May 20th, they’re holding their 68th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony to draw attention to local vets and their sacrifices. That’s right… they’ve been doing this for nearly 70 years, basically since World War II ended! The Honor Roll committee believes that this service is very unique; in fact, it might be the only Memorial Day service held on-site at a Veterans Memorial in the whole country. Here’s the site:

This year’s service will be especially important, as the ceremony will include the dedication of 2 new plaques on the monument. Sadly, these plaques are replacements of 2 that were stolen for scrap metal late last year. It will be a triumphant moment when the new plaques are dedicated!

3. The employees of Paradigm Healthcare in Norwalk are taking time out of their busy schedules to pay tribute at their own ceremony, Honoring Veterans, on Tuesday, May 22nd. The program will include a poem read by Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia, a parade of colors from Brien McMahon High School’s ROTC program (pictured below), and a performance of God Bless America.

There will also be a moving Presentation of Flowers and Certificates, after which the flowers will be taken to a local cemetery to be laid at the gravesites of fallen Veterans. It’s nice to see an example of corporate America doing their part to honor our soldiers!

4. And, here’s a very unique tribute to our servicemen and women… the senior class of Our Lady of Mercy School is presenting Kilroy Was Here, a play about the “G.I. Joes and Jills” of World War II. The three performances will take place at the school (directions here), and are at 7:00pm on Friday, May 18th and Saturday, May 19th, with a 2:00pm matinee on Sunday, May 20th. The Sunday performance will include a special tribute to active and retired members of our Armed Forces.

Three benevolent students at Old Saybrook High School are taking time out of their busy schedules this Saturday to hold a Can and Bottle Drive, with the goal of raising money for a local soup kitchen. This is the 3rd drive that Seniors Clay Farrell, James Blackwell, and Joe Regan have organized. They’re not asking for your money- just your empty cans and bottles, which can be deposited for the $0.05 refund. Here are a few examples of redeemable items:

All the money they collect will benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Pantry. If you’d like to help, bring your empty 5-cent redeemable bottles and cans to Old Saybrook High School (directions here) on Saturday between 9:00am and 1pm. (more…)

There’s always something fun to do on the weekends this time of year, but I’ve found a variety of activities that are as different as the people who make up this great state of Connecticut! Here’s a sampling of what’s going on…

1. Starting on Friday, May 18th, the recently reactivated Milford Sea Scouts are holding their annual SailQuest Boat Show! This event brings a gorgeous display of powerboats, sailboats and yachts to Milford’s Lisman Landing Marina (pictured below).

There will also be free sailboat rides and lessons on sailing! On Saturday, May 19th, don’t miss Jeremy Cage, an executive of PepsiCo, talk about his daring adventure sailing around the world! Jeremy will tell his inspiring story at 2pm at the Marina. The Boat Show is from 10:ooam till 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Admission and parking are both free, making for a great stop on your weekend adventures!

2. Guitar virtuoso Paul Zunno performs on Saturday night, May 19th, at the Outer Space in Hamden (directions here). Zunno has performed with music legends, Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and his music has been featured in TV shows and film.

The show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $15 at the door, or you can buy them ahead of time for $10 at the Outer Space’s website.

3. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is celebrating its 90th Birthday all summer long, and the celebrations begin this weekend! On Saturday, May 19th, the Zoo kicks off its celebrations with a big Birthday Bash! The 90th Birthday Party is an all-day event filled with special treats and surprises for the kids. Of course, a day at the Zoo is always a great time, because of all the fantastic animals you’ll get to see!

From 10:00am till 2pm, you can enjoy music, entertainment, and birthday cake courtesy of the Great Cake Bake-Off, with 8 local bakeries taking part! On Sunday, May 20th, the fun continues with Bridgeport Day at the Zoo. All Bridgeport residents will get into the Zoo for just $5 with proper I.D.! Mayor Bill Finch and other city officials, business leaders and dignitaries are expected to take part in this day to celebrate the city. This weekend celebration is just the beginning… the Zoo will be offering special promotions and offers all summer long, so stay tuned and check out their website for more updates!

Westville is a New Haven neighborhood that is known for being family-oriented and a truly neighborly place to live. This weekend, you’ll want to head to Westville Village, even if you aren’t a resident, for their 15th Annual ArtWalk! The ArtWalk begins on Friday, May 11th and continues on Saturday with a day full of crafts, music, fine art, theater, and exhibits. There are plenty of children’s activities, too, like a petting zoo, arts and crafts, and a marine touch tank. The hub of activity will be on Whalley Avenue near Fountain Street, with vendors radiating out onto side streets and into the local shops and restaurants.

With the great weather we’re expecting this weekend, the ArtWalk should be a fantastic treat for everyone who shows up! The ArtWalk itself is free, but some events are ticketed; for more information, visit the ArtWalk’s webpage. You’ll also find a full listing of events there, along with information from participating artists and galleries.

Also, the nearby neighborhood of Fair Haven has a reason to celebrate… the Fair Haven Community Health Center (pictured below) has been serving the neighborhood for four decades! On Friday, May 11th, this momentous occasion is being honored at the FHCHC 40th Anniversary Gala at the Peabody Museum on Yale’s Campus.

The Gala begins at 6:30pm and will include hors d’oeuvres, drinks, a strolling violinist, and of course, all the magnificent exhibits at the Museum. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by using this link. For more information about the Gala, visit their website. It will be a fun night for a great cause– making sure Fair Haven has adequate, affordable health care!

The Sailing Masters of 1812 are understandably excited about their 3rd Annual Regency Ball, which takes place on Saturday, May 12th from 8-11pm. This year is the 200th  anniversary of their namesake, so this year’s celebration promises to be the biggest and best one yet! The Ball, which is at Essex Town Hall (click here for directions), features period music, dancing, and costumes; you’re encouraged to join in the fun by wearing an outfit with Colonial or Early American style!

Tickets are only $18 ahead of time and $20 at the door. Visit this site for more information about the Ball and how to get tickets!

The Sailing Masters are also holding a longstanding tradition on the same day– the 45th Annual “Burning of the Ships” Parade begins at 2:00pm at the Essex Town Hall.

After the parade, you can catch a thrilling reenactment of the British raid on Essex, which took place in 1814, at the Connecticut River Museum. The event will also feature colonial weapon demonstrations, boat races, and games for the kids.

It should be a fun and educational day for the whole family… and if the weather forecast pans out, we should have a perfect day, just like the one in the photo above!

If you like to eat good food– and who doesn’t– you definitely want to be on the waterfront in New Haven this Wednesday, May 9th from 6:00-9:00pm for “Cooking for CASA“!

Amarante’s, in the Morris Cove section of New Haven (directions here), will serve as the backdrop for an evening of food and fun. You can expect delectable dishes from Claire’s Corner Copia, Savin Rock Roasting Company, Ibiza, and many more local favorites. The evening also includes wine tastings from Mt. Carmel Wine & Spirits in Hamden.

This fundraiser benefits Children in Placement, a courtroom advocacy program which helps abused and neglected children find a permanent, loving home. Tickets are $50; you can order them using this link. The emcee for the evening is local radio personality Jim Masters; he’ll be encouraging you to check out the auction prizes at Amarante’s, too! You don’t want to miss this CASA benefit, so make sure to get your tickets now!

We’re starting to get into the time of year when the weekend events pop up as fast as the May flowers. Here are a few happening this weekend!

1. Light the Way For Our Youth, an annual 5K Run/Walk, is this Saturday, May 5th at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven! The Greater New Haven Help Alliance  benefits from this Run/Walk; it’s an organization which helps young people in New Haven stay on the right path through adolescence.

The 5K Run and 2 mi Walk both start at 10:30am at Lighthouse Point. (more…)

I have a couple great events to tell you about that are happening on Wednesday of this week. Both involve very worthy causes, and food!

1. The Danbury Fire Department is looking for your tips on Wednesday… head to Two Steps Downtown Grille in Danbury (directions here) for Happy Hour, enjoy a drink poured by one of Danbury’s bravest, or maybe sit down and order a meal! All the tips that the firefighters earn will be donated to the DFD’s team at Saturday’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s event in New Milford. Want more information about the Walk? You can find it here!

2. The ladies of St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church are reaching out to those in need of a good meal through their Food for Thought dinner and fashion show! The buffet dinner will be provided by the Greek Olive restaurant in New Haven, and the fashion show will feature clothes for women of all sizes, which come from Coldwater Creek. I will be the emcee for the evening, and I’m proud to participate because this event raises money for the CT Food Bank! The fun begins at 6pm at the Church (directions here). A $35 donation will get you a good seat amongst some great ladies. You’re also encouraged to bring in a non-perishable food donation to fill the “Baskets of Hope” which will be displayed in the Church. For Reservations call Mary: 203 799-0087 or Marie: 203 732-4106. I hope to see you there!

Since its inception in 2000, the Latino Expo has grown into a huge, multicultural event with thousands in attendance every year in Hartford. It is the largest annual Hispanic event in the Northeastern United States. Now in its 12th year, the Expo is making a big move- and taking a leap of faith- by relocating to East Haven.

The Latino Expo kicks off at Noon on Saturday, May 5th with opening ceremonies that will include Mayor Joe Maturo and the Army Color Guard. At the 2-day Expo itself, you will find information and resources to make your life better- such as a free vision screening, learning how to apply for student loans, and advice to help you get the best car loan rate or even starting your own business! Plus, there’s tons of food at the Expo, and a constant stream of beautiful music, dancing, and other live entertainment.

You can even attend free seminars to learn more about subjects of high importance in the Latino community. There are also prizes and drawings, including one for a free Quinceanera gown!

The Expo’s move to East Haven is designed to reach out to the people of East Haven and the greater New Haven area, as well as take advantage of East Haven High School as a fantastic venue for the Expo.

The school boasts a 675-seat auditorium, a huge gymnasium, and a spacious atrium, along with ample parking on the school grounds (directions here).

The Latino Expo is this weekend, from 12:00-5:00pm on May 5th and 6th. Admission is absolutely free. News 8 is a presenting sponsor of the Expo… make sure to stop by our booth and check out the cooking demonstration by the “Singing Chef”, Neil Fuentes! This will be a historic weekend for a healing community, so you don’t want to miss it!

The sixth annual Dining Out For Life is tomorrow night. It’s a delicious opportunity to enjoy your favorite restaurant, while supporting a great cause… the AIDS Project New Haven!
There are 28 restaurants throughout the area that are participating in Thursday’s event; you can find a complete list here. There is a choice for every palate, including Italian, Indian, even Vegetarian and Vegan!

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