Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

By Joseph Montebello

The simple classic building at 147 Main Street in Sharon holds a treasure trove of talent, beginning with its owner Theo Coulombe. In addition to having a keen eye for discovering new artists, he is a well-respected photographer in his own right. His work is represented in numerous collections and has been on exhibit at the New Britain Museum of American Art, Imperial War Museum, Aldrich Museum, and Tang Teaching Museum, among others. But it’s been a circuitous and fascinating road to finally open Standard Space gallery.

“I moved to Connecticut from Maine when my father got a new teaching job,” explains Coulombe. “I went to Parsons School of Design in New York for one semester. If you didn’t do well you were asked to leave. So I enrolled in a trade in Bridgeport and became a carpenter. I learned how to do trim work and at some point I began building houses in New York State. But I always had a camera with me and I knew that I wanted to be a photographer.”

He went to Philadelphia College of the Arts and after doing graduate work at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan he became one.

Coulombe moved to Brooklyn, set up a photo studio and a darkroom and began working as the printer for several artists. While he had some of his work in exhibitions, he wasn’t earning enough to live comfortably. A series of jobs in the beauty industry paid the bills. Then his building was sold.

“I had met Rafe Churchill in graduate school,” says Coulombe. “After 9/11 he and his wife Heide stopped by my apartment to say they were headed to Connecticut and I should go with them. I eventually did because it was far more affordable. I rented a little studio around the corner from what is now my gallery and was living off the proceeds of moving out of Brooklyn. Rafe convinced me I should buy this building that had been empty for years. So I did.”

The zoning board would not allow a restaurant or a wine bar. For the artist turned commercial photographer a gallery was the only alternative. In 2017 Standard Space was born.

Coulombe searches for innovative and challenging contemporary art and partners with curators who are willing to push the envelope. His talent as an artist himself enables him to understand another artist’s work and philosophy. Additionally he is a great cook.

“I live above the gallery and I love to have people over for dinner. The space is small but I can still whip up a creative meal.”

And downstairs in the gallery he is whipping up creative and provocative exhibitions with the assistance of Camille Roccanova, an archivist who works with several local collectors and has brought new ideas and artists to the mix. Coulombe also welcomes guest curators. And he himself is always searching for the new and undiscovered talents available in the northwest corner. —standardspace.net

By Wendy Carlson

When Ferguson & Shamamian Architects, L.L.P. of New York began renovating a sprawling country house in New Preston that had once been the home of comedian Joan Rivers, it had already been through several iterations. The new owners were eager to reimagine it anew, while still holding on to some of the old.

The original low, flat, mid-century modern structure was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and underwent a major face lift after Rivers purchased it in 2000. In a 2003 article in Architectural Digest, she exclaimed in her infamous acerbic candor, “Originally, it was the ugliest house I’d ever seen. It looked like a Denny’s.” Rivers sold the house in 2013, a year before she passed away. 

The current owners, a semi-retired couple from New York, bought the house seven years ago as a weekend place. But over the last few years, they found themselves spending more time in Litchfield County and their weekend retreat was becoming more like a home for their expanding family.

They knew they wanted to keep the core of the house intact. “The new owners were attracted to the land and the “quirkiness” of the existing house,” explains Damian Samora, partner in Ferguson & Shamamian Architects.

The 10,000-square-foot structure features 21-foot-high ceilings in the living/dining room, reclaimed chestnut flooring, barn beams, four stone fireplaces, an extensive country kitchen, four bedrooms, a pool house, pool, caretaker’s cottage, and acres of beautifully maintained woodland and fields.

The challenge was creating a seamless renovation where new meets old. 

Renovating the house again given its history meant assuming some of the aesthetic sensibilities of previous architects. Every challenge was an opportunity to test new ideas or improvements against what was right for the house, while also leaving the house more in tune with its new owner,” says Samora.

An attached garage, mudroom, and laundry were built; the kitchen was expanded and a primary bedroom suite wing was added. On the exterior, the driveway was rerouted, and an entry courtyard and garden terrace were added. “For the most part, it’s a new house,” Samora says.

Sarah Blank of Sarah Blank Design Studio in Greenwich, was the tour de force transforming the kitchen for function, comfort, and beauty. “My starting point for the way a space should function is the homeowner,” says Blank.

Cooking and entertaining were high on the couple’s list. “I wanted to make sure that every inch of the kitchen space worked optimally. Functionality at every level would be imperative, as this particular space would be an essential feature and frequently used section of the home,” she explains.

While first impressions of a room are often based on aesthetics, the real appreciation of a room and its success are in the way it functions and details—such as storage, she adds.

Interior designer Bunny Williams interpreted the couple’s vision for furnishings and interior design. “We wanted the house to feel country but elegant at the same time, and very comfortable for a family and large gatherings,” she says. 

With three dogs and a seventh grandchild on the way, the couple wanted a beautiful home that could also withstand the patter of all those little feet.

Merging furnishings from their previous home into their new home was also a challenge. “When the clients first bought the house, I moved in furniture from another house they had owned.  It was quite a puzzle to put things in that I’d never seen before. What was interesting was how many things worked, and some things didn’t. We were able to arrange the house so that they could live in it, and then work on the plans and start the construction,” Williams says.

The finished renovation is a far cry from Joan Rivers’ style. No six-foot pineapple pillars flank the bedroom fireplace. The sculpted figures from Barbra Streisand’s house in Hello, Dolly! in the master bath are gone too.

But, perhaps, some of her spirit remains. As Williams quipped: “Joan was the funniest person I ever met and I can only say that the new owners have her amazing sense of humor, so there must be something very special attached to this house.”     

By Zachary Schwartz 

Litchfield County is a destination for waterski summers and winter ski winters, a land of bountiful produce, verdant vineyards, and trout-stocked lakes. For a growing cohort of migratory aesthetes and zeitgeist curators, Litchfield County is a new frontier for American design. 

Inspired by resident artists of the 20th century, influential magazine editors, and flourishing design hubs in New Preston and Kent, decorators and artisans are flocking to town. One such recent creative transplant is Schuyler Samperton. Trained under interior designer Michael Smith in Los Angeles, Samperton now calls Litchfield home. She runs two businesses from her recently purchased Litchfield residence: an interior design firm and a textile studio.

On an East Coast happenstance sojourn to Lakeville last year, Samperton was struck by the natural beauty and convivial lifestyle. She impulsively put an offer on a home that subsequently fell through, but the gravitational pull of the region was unrelenting for the Los Angeles-based designer. In early 2022, she acquired her home, a 19th century farmhouse within walking distance to the town of Litchfield, including a barn and loft serving as her design lab.

A major draw to Litchfield for Samperton was its hive of designers. “One of the things I love about being here is that so many people in my community are here doing the same thing, people that I’ve admired and known for years…Everybody is so collaborative and friendly with each other. It feels really warm and inspiring here,” says Samperton.

Since moving to Litchfield and joining its design community, Samperton has steered towards a more subtle color palette, in keeping with tones that may patina a historic Litchfield home. The common thread of Samperton’s decorating aesthetic is reflecting her clients’ personalities. She thoughtfully fuses comfort with homeowners’ personal taste to reflect memories and individuality. “I don’t like things to look like a decorator walked in and did the entire thing. And I definitely like the illusion of things evolving over time,” says the designer.

Her fabrics business maintains an equally fortified point of view. Inspired by antique Indian textiles, her mother’s vintage silk scarves, and her father’s patterned pocket squares, Samperton has developed a repository of textiles, wallpapers, and performance fabrics available for purchase. “I want to add something a little bit exotic, and very much about color and pattern, but rooted in history. I’m drawn to 19th century French, English, or Indian, and a little left of center.”

Her textiles are fabulously monikered, with names like Mamounia, Shalimar, and Floriana, and colors like saffron, cornflower, and moonraker. Each descriptor possesses a personal connection to the designer, creating a vocabulary for fanciful floral and textured motifs.

While Schuyler Samperton is a newcomer to the county’s design arena, her potential influence is infinite. With her keen eye and kaleidoscope of textiles, it’s only a matter of time before this bicoastal designer weaves her designs into the fabric of Litchfield’s homes, hotels, and restaurants. 

By Charles Dubow

There are probably not many New Milford residents who have been welcomed to Buckingham Palace. It is also fairly safe to say that—nothing against New Milford—few of its residents have ever been called a “national treasure.” Yet Matin Malikzada can lay claim to both honors. 

A seventh-generation potter from Afghanistan, through the auspices of New Milford Refugee Resettlement, Matin and his young family arrived in March of 2022 after having escaped the Taliban. But he is not just any potter. “What is important to understand about Matin,” says Litchfield County’s doyen of pottery Guy Wolff, “is that he is a living embodiment of a tradition that goes back centuries and he is an absolute master of his craft.”

A visit to the Malikzada’s home in New Milford reveals a porch covered with elegant vases, pots, bowls and dishes waiting to be glazed and fired. “I am not happy unless I am working,” says Matin through an interpreter. “I have been doing this since I was seven when I started to help my father in his workshop.” Now at the age of 36 he has achieved what Wolff says is the true sign of a virtuoso: effortlessness. “It’s something more than skill or talent—and Matin has it.”

The community has warmly welcomed Matin. Local potters like Wolff and Jayson Roberts at the Village Center for the Arts have loaned him tools and material, and given him the chance to fire his pots in their kilns. Local galleries and art associations have also opened their doors to him. So far he has shown his work at Wolff’s shop and the VCA, as well as at Kent Art Gallery, Brookfield Craft, Waterbury’s Mattatuck Museum, Judy Black and the Washington Art Association in Washington, and Privet House in New Preston.

Nevertheless, challenges remain. It is tough for even the most talented and respected artists to make a living, but tougher still when one is separated from the traditional raw materials that characterize one’s work. “I am very grateful for all the help I have been given,” says Matin, “but I can’t get the same clay or the same glaze I used back home. I can still create beautiful pieces but it’s not the same thing.”

He has tried to recreate the glaze, which is derived from a plant called eshkar that only grows in a certain part of Afghanistan and which gives its pottery its distinctive rich turquoise color. He attempted to grow the plant himself in New Milford without success. “He is used to making all his material by hand,” says Wolff. “You just don’t go to the local art supply store for your glaze. That’s part of what makes his work so special.” Matin also needs a studio and kiln of his own. So far he has relied on the kindness of his friends and supporters but that’s not a long-term solution. “What he needs is a Medici,” laughs Wolff. 

He had one of sorts in the form of the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, who founded a non-profit called Turquoise Mountain in 2006 to support and revive traditional crafts in Afghanistan. Not only did Matin run Turquoise Mountain’s ceramics department in Kabul, through it his work was displayed at the Palace in London and the Smithsonian. 

But for now he is happy to be in New Milford and to be allowed to continue to make and sell his work. “I will tell you a funny story,” he says. “People ask me why I charge so much for a piece that took me only 15 minutes to make. I tell them it didn’t take me 15 minutes. It took me 35 years.”

To learn more about Matin’s work or to place an order, go to malikzadapottery.com

By Clementina Verge

Functionality and timeless design are keywords for Romina Frecha when creating meaningful spaces. Ro by Frecha Design—her recently-opened interior design studio and showroom in New Preston—captures these ideals while also showcasing her fondness for Scandinavian influences. 

“The studio celebrates the art of interior design through a commitment to modernist architecture, artisanal craft, and quality workmanship,” Frecha notes. “The focus is on artists’ works that are internationally recognized as classic and contemporary, and crafted from responsibly-sourced materials.”

Frecha fell in love with design at an early age, studying her surroundings and contemplating ways to enhance them. Through the years, her passion for aesthetics and decor compelled her to pursue interior architecture—while still a novel area in the late 1980s in her native Argentina—and after graduating in Buenos Aires, she embarked on a life of travel, observing decor and designs in more than 20 countries before settling in New York City more than two decades ago.

Until recently, one professional aspiration still remained: opening her own studio, a space to showcase her curated collection of design and lifestyle pieces. Choosing its location was easy.

“A few summers ago, we came to visit friends in Sharon,” she reminisces. “They brought us to New Preston and drove us around Lake Waramaug. It was instant love. New Preston is a magical place with stunning landscapes and incredibly kind, creative, and interesting people.

I spent our entire drive home back to the city looking for real estate, and three months later, we moved into a house up on the hill overlooking the lake.”

Frecha now maintains Connecticut and New York City residencies and her vast design portfolio, ranging from country homes, to city apartments and executive offices, captures tranquility and keen emphasis on craftsmanship. 

Always focusing on genuine materials, bespoke hardware, and timeless signature furnishing, she advises that just a few well-designed and impeccably constructed pieces can create the entire atmosphere. To demonstrate, her studio displays an exquisite collection, including lighting by Finnish designer Paavo Tynell, an original lounge chair by celebrated Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson, restored vintage pieces from Denmark, and fine art prints by Alex Katz.

When designing furniture, she prefers to use locally-sourced materials, such as the ash and walnut woods used for her sculpture table “Pebbles,” which earned an honorable mention at the 2022 Members Show of the Washington Art Association.

“I also like to use reclaimed or local woods for countertops,” Frecha explains. “Whether new pieces, or vintage furniture and light fixtures, I buy directly from the designer or country of origin. I travel frequently and always search for rare pieces.”

Though design trends change—affecting types of patterns, stone, and wood—Frecha says she prefers “pieces that have history.” Still, when designing for others, she presents a variety of choices, helping them make the right design decisions.

“A home needs to be designed according to its environment and occupants,” Frecha notes. “Functionality and aesthetics go hand in hand to give harmony to the people living in it.” —rominafrechadesign.com

By Zachary Schwartz 

The old adage, “out with the old, in with the new,” hardly applies in the case of a gorgeously renovated Roxbury farmhouse. The weekend holiday home, purchased in 2019 by a couple with an affinity for historical architecture, is something of a multi-century jigsaw puzzle. 

The original homestead was built in the 1700s, followed by a significant addition in the 1800s, then modernized in the 1900s, and finally renovated to its current glory in the 2020s. This labor of love quite literally spans four centuries. 

The main challenge of the 2020 renovation was the fragmentation of the first construction and its subsequent extensions. In order to pass from one part of the upstairs floor to the other, residents had to go downstairs, cross the ground floor to another staircase, then reascend upstairs. Structural changes were required to breathe new life into this antique home, and a fastidious architect was required to unite the disjointed spaces into an architectural alloy.

The new owners enlisted the help of POP Architecture, DPC, an architecture studio run by Okan Oncel and Jessica Pleasants, in partnership with contractor Shaun Nettleton of Pinnacle Peak, Inc. The homeowners’ assignment was deceptively simple: reconfigure the home to flow, without disrupting its character. The implementation was anything but simple. 

POP Architecture, DPC had to perform surgical modifications to the 18th century home, modernize and redesign where needed, and honor the historical integrity of the space. “Preservation was definitely top of mind for our clients. The priority of the design was to maintain as much of the original character of the home,” says Jessica Pleasants.

Following completion of the 2020 remodeling, the multi-generational property finally flowed elegantly. Importantly, residents could cross from one side of the upstairs floor to the other without going up and down. “The way we connected the floors melded and integrated it in a way that felt very natural. It’s hard for someone to go there now and think that there were two separate houses,” says Oncel.

Today, the four-century residence is highlighted by personality and period panache. Flanking the farmhouse are bucolic grounds with pastoral landscaping, rock gardens, and outdoor courtyards. Within the home, there are original wooden floors, windows, and doors, fireplaces, antique cabinetry, and plenty of authentic finishes that contribute charm and character. 

For added effect, the new homeowners evoked a design language characteristic of Litchfield County homes, with support from Rod Pleasants of McIver Morgan Design. Antique curios, heirloom carpets, chairs upholstered with patterned fabrics, and a copper clawfoot bathtub transform the space into an abode perfect for modern entertaining. “I wanted it to have a little bit of a contemporary feel in the rooms, but still have period appropriate furnishings,” says the homeowner.

Notably, a non-functional spiral staircase from the original home now serves as an art object, memory, and homage to the farmhouse’s architectural archive. In this chronological home whose blueprints read like a storied saga, a different aged adage rings true: what’s old is most certainly new again.

By Clementina Verge

Many high school students graduate with little knowledge about themselves and how the world works, and feel overwhelmed about immediately pursuing college. The remedy is the gap year—an essential bridge to self-discovery, as well as rediscovering curiosity, personal motivation, and the wonder of ideas.

The insight comes from Jake Horne, an educator, mentor, and founder of The Student Compass, a Washington Depot-based program that provides personalized mentoring for academic and personal development. He advises parents to consider the gap year experience for children who finish high school bright, but “filled with anxiety and struggling to find their place in the world.”

“This anxiety, a cumulative phenomena that Gen-Z is experiencing, pre-dates the college application process and is deeper rooted than in previous generations,” he emphasizes, “embedded in the angst and zero-sum mentality of American society.”

“After 14 years of schooling and 20 years of social trauma, the gap year offers opportunities to rest academic minds and experience new perspectives, actually applying knowledge to real world experiences,” Horne explains.

Understandably, deferring college is a novel strategy for many parents, but Horne—whose daughters thrived from gap years—provides assurance. Alleviating parental worries, he addresses misconceptions that this break is wasted time by relating that “91 percent matriculate college following their gap year, but with a more engaged, expanded worldview.”

A customized plan incorporating three experiences in three environments fuels this transformation. First comes college admission, which Horne can assist with. Once accepted and committed to a university, students submit a letter requesting a gap year. Then, Horne begins mentoring them, building rapport, and “getting to know their hopes and dreams” before presenting them with possibilities and matching them with proven programs, supervised by adult coordinators.

Examples include volunteering with dolphin research in Florida, teaching art in Costa Rica, and visiting the country of one’s ancestors and working as apprentices. Such diverse experiences generate personal responsibility, adaptability, leadership, and inspire appreciation for other cultures. In between, gap year students often work locally and “have wonderful stories to share.”

Ultimately, the gap year helps students find a sense of purpose and emotional balance before college. It fosters independence, decision-making, and budgeting skills, while highlighting the complexity of human endeavor and “preparing them to enter college with social and emotional maturity that most secondary schools fail to teach.”

A Harvard graduate, Horne contends that “most schools are too achievement-oriented and performance-driven, causing significant anxiety for the Gen-Z population.”

“To enter college with such deep anxiety and misplaced belief that college, or someone else, will fix it, is an illusion. Being stuck in that illusion means missing the powerful engagement and broadening world view experienced in a liberal arts education,” Horne cautions. “What happens after college then is a scary, confused unknown at best, and a black hole at worst. Instead, it is vital to learn how to manage life, to make it productive, happy, and interesting, and to thrive in this world, not just survive.”

Following an extensive teaching career, including as an academic director and college counselor, Horne established The Student Compass in 2011. He has mentored hundreds of students seeking to develop a growth mindset, gain confidence, expand critical thinking, and overcome challenges as they acquire a purposeful sense of direction.

“Ultimately, these students are intrinsically better prepared and more motivated than their peers,” Horne reflects, noting universities including Princeton and Harvard seek them out. “The gap year isn’t simply an elective anymore. It is an essential part of a dynamic, transformative college learning experience, and critically influences one’s trajectory toward a healthy, thriving life.”—thestudentcompass.com

Vote for your favorite things about Litchfield County with a wide variety of categories for our annual Reader’s Choice Contest in this Best of Litchfield County issue. The results will feature people and businesses in various industries—including food, health and wellness, apparel and accessories, home and design, education, spa and beauty, and many more! We will share the top three choices in each category—not to mention, some of  the local businesses that make Litchfield County the amazing place it is.

This year there will be two voting rounds. The nomination round is open now through October 30. The top 5 nominated in each category will move on to the final voting round which will take place November 9-20. The top 3 in each category will be featured in our Best of Litchfield County issue. You will have one chance to vote a day so make it count.

Important! Vote for as many or as few categories as you like – but when you are finished just make sure to go to the last page of the survey and input your email address and hit submit. Otherwise, your nominations won’t come through to us. Thank you!

Vote Here!

Looking for a fun night full of jumpscares and fright? Then you are in the right place! Harrybrooke Park in New Milford is back for another year as their chill giving alter ego Scarrybrooke Park. The haunted trail in the woods is about one mile long and should take approximately 45 minutes to an hour to complete. Choose from any of these date–October 14, 15, 21, and 22—and prepare to get spooked! Event times run from 6pm to 10pm all four days. Ages 12 and up.

• Tickets are $20 per person
• Groups of 10 or more are $15 each
• This event is for ages 12+, no children under 12 years old
• All proceeds support Harrybrooke Park and New Milford area nonprofits

Purchase tickets here

For more spooky fun check out these other Halloween events.

View photos from last year’s Haunted Trail below:

Photo credit: Philip Dutton

Harrybrooke Park
100 Still River Drive, New Milford

We’ve put together a list of Halloween events happening in Litchfield County this Fall!

Bantam

• Junior Women’s Club of Litchfield Hills presents: Halloween Ball, October 29, 2022, 7pm 

21+ Byob, costumes recommended not required. Dj, dancing, 50/50raffle, snacks, costume prizes. Ticket price is $25. All proceeds go to local charities and families in need.

• • 92 Doyle Road, Bantam (Bantam Firehouse)

Bethlehem 

• Blue Boy Entertainment presents: Peaches and Kareem Halloween Comedy Show, October 29, 7pm

Enjoy a night of Comedy in Bethlehem. Show is BYOB and snacks and food are encouraged. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm.

• • 10 The Green, Bethlehem (Memorial Hall)

Bridgewater

• Children’s Paint Party, October 29th 10am-12pm

Read a book and paint pottery, all with a Halloween theme! Ages 8 and under, limited space

• • 62 Main Street South, Bridgewater (Burnham Library)

Goshen

• The Forsaken Lands Outdoor Haunted Attraction, September 30-Nov 2, 7pm-10pm 

Connecticut’s latest and most cutting edge haunted attraction, opens its very creaky barn doors for the first season of fears at Action Wildlife! The inhabitants of this long forgotten farm village unleash their wrath on, and consume all who dare step foot onto their forbidden grounds. Recommended for ages 13+

• • 435 Torrington Road, Goshen (Action Wildlife)
  • $6 cash only parking fee, General admission is $25, VIP is $35

Harwinton

• YA Halloween Party, October 26, 6:30pm-8pm 

For teens, tweens, and those who still feel like a teen, costumes are not required. Fun night of Halloween games, activities, prizes and goodies.

• • 80 Bentley Drive, Harwinton (Harwinton Public Library)
• Halloween Scavenger Hunt, October 29th, October 31st all day

Kids and Teens come Saturday or Monday to enjoy the scavenger hunt. Come anytime during the day in costume or as you are. There will be prizes for all winners

• • 80 Bentley Drive, Harwinton (Harwinton Public Library)

Kent

• 46th Annual Kent Pumpkin Run, October 30, 2022, 12pm

The five-mile event is Kent’s largest one-day community event with up to 700 participants for the main event. The Kent Pumpkin Run travels along one of the most scenic courses in Connecticut.

• • 41 Kent Green Blvd, Kent

Litchfield

• Scarecrows in the Meadow, October 15-31

A community event celebrating the end of the harvest season.

• • 82nd South Street, Litchfield (Tapping Reeve Meadow)
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, October 19th 5:30-7:30pm

Master storyteller Jonathan Kruk brings The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to life in Litchfield! Event will take place outside so please dress for the weather. Free for members, $10 for nonmembers and $25 for groups

• • 82nd South Street, Litchfield (Tapping Reeve Meadow)

Morris

• Morris Public Library presents Trick or Treat at Story and Music  October 25th, 10am

Young listeners, ages 0-5, are invited to a special Story Time wearing their Halloween costumes. Families will enjoy a story, rhymes, songs, and trick or treating with a librarian! Don’t forget to bring your baskets for the goodies!

• • 4 North Street, Morris

New Hartford

• After Hours at the Beekley Teen Halloween Movie Night: The Witches, October 28, 6:30pm-8:30pm

6th grade and up, Halloween snacks and candy will be provided.

• • 10 Central Ave, New Hartford

New Milford

• Harrybrooke Park Haunted Trail, October 14,15, 21, 22 
  • 100 Still River Drive, New Milford

• The Creative Flow presents: Kids Only Halloween Paint Party, October 29, 10am

2 hour drop off event, will create a painting and fabric pumpkin! Painters will be given painting supplies and light refreshments. $35 per painter, payment should be paid in full by October 25. 6 years and older.

• • The Creative FLOW | New Milford

• Annual Halloween Funfest, October 21, 5pm-8pm

Mounted Games include: key hole, barrel race, horse and rider apple bob, costume contest, stall decorating and more. $50 to participate in all events, $30 for boarders/leasers. Payment in advance is asked. Party is open to those participating in the contest, those who are not and family + friends. Please bring a snack or treat to share with friends, those of legal age may byob. Stall decorating may begin October 14th, own stall or QRF’s stall if you don’t have one. 

• • 8 Wells Road, New Milford (Quiet Rein Sales)

Plymouth

• Halloween Fun Fest, October 7, 8, 9

Enjoy one last camping trip by enjoying Halloween activities, events, and decorating your campsite for the evening. Call to reserve your site.

• • 262 Mount Tobe Road, Plymouth

• Hollowed Harvest, September 23-October 30

Thousands of Jack O Lanterns create landscapes, larger than life displays, tunnels and intricately carved pumpkins.

• • 221 Mount Tobe Road, Plymouth

Torrington 

• Not So Spooky Halloween Bash, October 15, 4-6pm 

Trick or treating, haunted snack shack, halloween photo station, mini golf. $10 per family.

• • 12 Daycoeton Place, Torrington

• Ruwet Berry Scary Acres, September 24-October: every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Pumpkins, haunted house, corn maze, and more. $5 admission per person, children under 3 are free.

• • East Pearl Road, Torrington

Washington

• Jack O Lanterns at Judy Black Park, October 29

Carve your most creative designs in pumpkins at home and bring them in for the contest. Must be registered by 9:30 am, winners announced at 1:15pm.

• • 1 Green Hill Road, Washington

• Gunn Jr Library Annual Halloween Costume, October 29, 1 pm-2pm

Trick or treating through the library, ghostly games, and chilling crafts. Registration is required. Parents, children and caregivers are encouraged to dress up in their favorite costume.

• • 5 Wykeham Road, Washington

• 15th Annual Washington Cemetery Tour, October 28, 6:30pm-8:30pm

The Washington Cemetery Tour our annual event that showcases the rich history of Washington, CT through costumed actors who portray residents from the past

• • 5 Wykeham Road, Washington

Watertown

• Watertown Parks & Rec Dept. presents 2022 Trunk or Treat, October 22, 3-4pm 
  • 779 Buckingham Street, Watertown (John Trumbull School Parking lot)

Winsted (Winchester)

• 7th Annual Winsted Lions Club Halloween Party, October 14, 7pm-11pm (doors open at 6:30)

Music, costume contests with prizes, raffles for prizes donated from local businesses. Tickets are $30, call 860-921-6644 or buy here.

• • 164 Torrington Road, Winsted (Crystal Peak)

• Winsted Recreation: Trunk or Treat, October 29, 5:30pm-7pm

Cars will be decorated and will be handing out candy and treats. Come in costume and walk vehicle to vehicle to trick or treat. Park across the street and walk to the entrance!

• • 75 Rowley Street, Winsted (Rowley Park)

Woodbury

• The Glebe House All Hollow’s Eve: Witch of Woodbury & Haunted Museum, October 30, 5:45pm

Haunted museum and garden is open 5:30pm-9:30pm. Limited tickets, no walk-ins. $11 per person, $6 for 5-12 year olds, children under 5 are free.

• • 49 Hollow Road, Woodbury

• Flanders Nature Center Haunted Hikes, October 21,22, October 28,29

4-6pm family friendly hike for a not so scary walk in the woods. 6:30-8pm spine chilling walk through the woods *not recommended for children under 12 or the faint of heart. Dress for the worst conditions. $9 per person.

• • 596 Flanders Road, Woodbury