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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE… DATE: Sept. 11, 2018 CONTACT: Francesca Kefalas, Program and Media Coordinator 860-774-3300 Fran@tlgv.org Walktober Kicks Off with More Than Adventures in September Throughout September TLGV’s Walktober - Preston Nature Preserve Self-Guided Hike and Seek: Every day dawn to dusk, Preston Nature Preserve, Krug Rd., Preston, CT. South side of Krug Rd., 0.6 miles west of Jewett City Rd. 860-884-3500. Embark on an adventure - one of your own making! Avalonia's Hike and Seek program encourages exploration of their beautiful preserves by children, families and the public through a scavenger hunt format. Participants use technology in a simple, positive way to learn about the nature of each preserve. Try the Preston Nature Preserve Hike and Seek - two trails with varied land features and vegetation, including two hills, a valley, hardwood and cedar forest, brushland, meadows, pastures, swamps and ponds. Well-established trail system with bridge. Find clues at www.avalonialandconservancy.org/properties-and-clues/#preston. Sponsored by Avalonia Land Conservancy. www.avalonialandconservancy.org TLGV’s Walktober - Fort Hill Farms Corn Maze Adventure, The American Farmer: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fort Hill Farms, 260 Quaddick Rd., Thompson, CT. 860-923-3439. The Naturally New England Corn Maze Adventure at Fort Hill Farms is a fun way for families to experience local agriculture and learn about farming. The maze celebrates our farmers, and features fun puzzles and clues related to all things farmer! For a shorter challenge try the Our Roots Run JEEP Mini Maze, featuring an image of Fort Hill Farm's special Jeep. The mini maze takes a 1/2 hour to navigate and is perfect for hot days or kids' birthday parties. Open daily plus flashlight nights; call 860-923-3439 for details and fees. Sponsored by Fort Hill Farms. www.TheFarmersCow.com/corn-maze TLGV’s Walktober - Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm GIANT Corn Maze: Saturdays and Sundays, Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm, 227 Ekonk Hill Rd., Moosup, CT. 860-564-0248. Explore the GIANT 8-acre corn maze. Hayride & barnyard are included in admission. Solve the maze puzzle. Pumpkin patch open for purchasing pumpkin(s) to take home. Saturday night flashlight mazes, too. Last tickets sold at 7 pm. Don't forget to visit our Harvest Festival on Columbus Day weekend! See website for fees, hours and more. Sponsored by Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm. www.getlostinthelaze.com & www.ekonkhillturkeyfarm.com TLGV’s Walktober - Fall Family Fun at Cedar Ledge Tree Farm: Oct. 1 -31, Cedar Ledge Tree Farm, 260 Coventry Rd., Mansfield, CT. 860-423-5690. We offer fall farm family fun! Pick a pumpkin, take a tractor ride at 4 pm Mon. – Fri., and all day on weekends. Enjoy mulch mountain sliding, pedal carts, playscape & sandpile! You might even glimpse the perfect Christmas tree to come back for! See website for fees, hours and more. Sponsored by Cedar Ledge Tree Farm. www.cedarledgetreefarm.com. TLGV’s Walktober - Griswold Haunted Nature Trail: Weekdays after 3 p.m. and dawn to dusk on Weekends in October. Griswold School Campus, 303 Slater Ave., Griswold, CT. Park in the Elementary School lot across from trailhead. 860-376-7640. The Nature Trail is opened to the public during school days (weekdays) after 3 pm, and on weekends from sunrise to sunset. We welcome you to the Haunted Nature Trail. Start at the information sign at the trailhead across from the elementary school. This is a self-guided hidden object game. Follow the Orange Blaze Trail around the Nature Trail. Look into the woods for hidden objects but be sure to stay on the trail. You should be able to see lots from the trail - look on both sides - look up - look down! Don't remove it from the trail! Please leave it for the next family to find. Sponsored by Town of Griswold. www.griswold-ct.org TLGV’s Walktober - Devon Point Farm Cider Mill & Pumpkin Patch Open House: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October, Devon Point Farm, 54 Joy Rd., Woodstock, CT. 860-974-9004. Tour Devon Point Farm, a hard-working & unique farm, taste our raw apple cider, learn about our antique 1898 apple cider press, and enjoy the fall foliage, the pumpkins, see our heritage breed Devon cattle, and enjoy the beauty of the farm. Sponsored by Devon Point Farm. www.devonpointfarm.com Regular September Walktobers TLGV’s Walktober - Rural Heritage Arts School: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 22, 170 Estabrooks Rd., Hampton, CT. Parking and walking is on uneven surfaces. 860-917-9354. Cuprak's Cupboard jam and jelly, made with local produce, low sugar. Sterling Silver and natural stone jewelry. Elaine in The Sun bags, pillows, and up-cycled items. Embroidered jackets, hemp jewelry, bags - coin purse to beach bags and all sizes in between. Heritage art/craft classes all year. Sponsored by Renee Cuprak. fb.me/ruralheritageartsschool TLGV’s Walktober - Celebrating Agriculture: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 22, Woodstock Fairgrounds, Rt. 169, Woodstock, CT. 860-412-5275.See the many faces of agriculture in The Last Green Valley at Celebrating Agriculture, a fun, free educational day showcasing the benefits agriculture provides to the region, as well as the challenges farms face today. Learn who your farm neighbors are, and how to support local agriculture to enrich and maintain the open space - the working landscape - of our area. See website for details including a wagon ride tour and hearty farmer's breakfast. Coordinated by USDA Farm Service Agency. www.celebratingagriculture.org TLGV’s Walktober - Laurelei's Letterboxing Adventure: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 22, Camp Laurel, 175 Clubhouse Rd., Lebanon, CT. 860-886-8599. Come to Camp Laurel and enjoy a day of letterboxing with your family & friends, inspiring creativity and sleuthing skills. No experience required. Learn the basics of letterboxing, make your own letterboxing stamp, get the clue book and head out on the trails to find your treasure. Bring your lunch and enjoy a meet-and-greet time in the dining hall with other letterboxers, both Girl Scout and non-Girl Scout. You decide how long to stay at this great event & pick the trails you'd like to explore. Sponsored by The Girl Scouts of Connecticut. Registration is encouraged to ensure enough supplies for all! Online at www.atlasquest.com/events/ (scroll down for Laurelei's Letterboxing Adventure). TLGV’s Walktober - Walking in a Traitor's Footsteps: 9:30 -11:30 a.m., Sept. 22, Leffingwell House Museum, 348 Washington St., Norwich, CT. 860-886-1776. Join us as we explore Benedict Arnold's tumultuous childhood in Norwich and learn about other significant colonial era figures from Norwich. Following the tour, join Leffingwell House Museum for the Return of Benedict Arnold and leg presentation by Flock Theater. Sponsored by The Norwich Historical Society. www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org TLGV’s Walktober - Shetucket River Powering Norwich and Lifting Fish: 10-11:30 a.m., Sept. 22, 7 8th Street, Norwich, CT. Repeats Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. 860-823-4182. Slow, level walk past a working hydroelectric station to the historic dam on the Shetucket River. Observe the fish lift and view a video of the shad run. Sponsored by Norwich Public Utilities. www.norwichpublicutilities.com TLGV’s Walktober - Create a Clay Leaf Bowl: 10 a.m. to noon, Sept. 22. Sawmill Pottery, 112 Main Street, #14, Putnam, CT. Park at DMV lot on Kennedy Drive. 860-963-7807. Create a gorgeous clay leaf bowl using leaves gathered on trails in The Last Green Valley! Use ours or bring your own. You'll work with slabs of clay, pressing the leaves into the clay and then attaching them together and molding them into a bowl. You'll leave the bowl with us to get glazed and fired. It will be ready for you to pick up by the end of October. Registration required. Fee is $60 and includes all materials and firing. Email dot@sawmillpottery.com or call to register. Sponsored by Sawmill Pottery. www.sawmillpottery.com TLGV’s Walktober - Ride the Shetucket: 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 22, River Park, North Main St., Baltic (Sprague), CT. Repeats Sept. 29. 860-822-3000. Enjoy early fall float trips on the Shetucket River. The Town of Sprague will provide a free shuttle between River Park and Scotland Dam. Participants can put in any time between 10 am and noon. You can ride the river as many times as time and the water levels allow. Since there are no longer water releases from the dam, there will only be transportation when the river is at a level that will naturally provide for easy travel. You must bring your own canoe or kayak and PFD. Check the Town website prior to the event for any cancellation postings. Sponsored by Town of Sprague. www.ctsprague.org TLGV’s Walktober – AutumnFest: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 22, 1 Mechanic St., Southbridge, MA. Street parking available plus lot behind police station and Hotel & Conference Center. 508-764-6459. Come to the Southbridge Common for live music, food vendors, a beer garden, farmers market, games, face painting, crafts and more. People of all ages are welcome, as we celebrate the beginning of Autumn in Southbridge. Sponsored by Southbridge Business Partnership and the Town of Southbridge. www.sbpartnership.org TLGV’s Walktober - Positively Pomfret Day: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Recreation Park, 576 Hampton Rd. (Rt. 97), Pomfret, CT. 860-974-1423. A day of old-fashioned fun and community activity! Takes place outdoors (weather permitting) at Recreation Park with family-friendly music, games, crafts, inflatables and lots of food. Sponsored by the Town of Pomfret. www.pomfretct.gov/recreation TLGV’s Walktober - Mills, Rails and The River: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 55 Bridge St., Willimantic, CT. Drive into Railroad Museum entrance about 0.5 miles until the trail parking lot and walk to greeter. Repeats Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. 860-617-3308. Learn about the history of mills on the Willimantic River and the railroads that served them. At the end of the walk a tour of the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum is available at a group rate. A train ride is possible. Sponsored by Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum. www.cteastrrmuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - Benedict Arnold Returns: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 22. Leffingwell House Museum, 348 Washington St., Norwich, CT. 860-889-9440. Listen to Kevin Titus portraying both coats of Benedict in the Tavern Room. Experience colonial life recreated by the Lebanon Towne Militia. At 1 p.m., Flock Theatre will deliver the heroic leg of Benedict to the Norwich Mayor. Also view memorabilia from Benedict's youth in Norwich and his sword, on loan from the NLCHS. $5 fee. Sponsored by Leffingwell House Museum. www.leffingwellhousemuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - Shetucket River Walking Tour: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 22, 10 Roosevelt Ave., Norwich, CT. Meet at lot on east end of 8th St. bridge. 860-886-1776. We will walk about 1.5-miles round trip along the eastern bank of the Shetucket River. It is a rocky, and at times a wet trail, so dress for hiking in the woods. We will be in the woods most of the time as it only opens up at the boat portage around Greeneville Dam. The walk will focus on the plant and animal life of the region, in the river, on the shore, and in the air above. Please bring your favorite ID books and an adventurous spirit. Recently, we have had sightings of salmon, bald eagles, and great blue herons along the Shetucket River. Come on out and enjoy what the great outdoors has to offer! This tour is led by Zechariah Stover, Vice Chair of the Greeneville Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Committee. Sponsored by the Greeneville Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Committee. TLGV’s Walktober - The Story of Faith Trumbull: 1 p.m., Sept. 22, Huntington Homestead, 36 Huntington Rd. (Rt. 14), Scotland, CT. 860-456-8381. Dr. Pamela Hall details the life of one of Governor Jonathan Trumbull's daughters and sister to famous Revolutionary War artist, John Trumbull. Faith had extraordinary artistic talent in needlepoint. She married General Jedediah Huntington but suffered from an undiagnosed depressive disorder which caused her demise. Hearth-popped corn and tours available, homestead opens at 11 am. $4 per person, members free. Sponsored by The Governor Samuel Huntington Trust/Huntington Homestead. www.huntingtonhomestead.org TLGV’s Walktober - Chaplin's Air Line Trail: 3-4:30 p.m., Sept. 22, Chewink Rd., Chaplin, CT. Park in lot where Air Line Trail crosses road. Sept. 29. 860-617-3308. Enjoy a beautiful walk along the Air Line Trail while learning about the Ghost Train and the role of railroads in eastern Connecticut. Sponsored by Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum. www.cteastrrmuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - Nathan Hale Forest Stroll: 10-11 am, Sept. 23, Nathan Hale Homestead Museum, 2299 South St., Coventry, CT. 860-774-3300. Chief Ranger Bill Reid will be leading a nature walk in the Nathan Hale State Forest at 10 a.m. and the market opens at 11 a.m. We’ll have our TLGV Information booth set up so you can pick up the new Explore Guide and information on all the great things to do in the region. The market is huge and don’t forget to take a tour of the Nathan Hale Homestead museum too. TLGV’s Walktober - Ellis Walter Ruley, Norwich Artist: 10 – 11 a.m. Sept. 23, 28 Hammond Ave., Norwich, CT. Road is narrow, please be aware of oncoming traffic. 860-886-1776. Ellis Walter Ruley was a self-taught African American artist from Norwich. In 1933, he married a white woman named Wilhelmina Fox, and as Norwich’s first interracial couple, Ellis and Wilhelmina faced considerable unkindness from disapproving neighbors. The couple, along with extended family, lived in an old farmhouse off Hammond Ave. Slater Memorial Museum has an example of Ruley’s work and his paintings are housed in other collections across the country. Ruley died mysteriously in 1959 and is buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Norwich. Join members of the Ellis Ruley Committee and learn about this important figure in Norwich's history. Sponsored by the Ellis Walter Ruley Committee. www.norwichct.org TLGV’s Walktober - Visit the Huguenot Steamer No. 1 Fire Station Museum: 10 am to noon, Sept. 23, 655 Main St., N. Oxford, MA. Silsby Steamer, Jeffers Handtub, Colonel DeWitt, firetruck, collections and stories galore are to be discovered in this museum. Great for kids - of all ages, ready for you to stop in and visit during Walktober. You will really want to grow up to be a fireman after taking this self-guided tour! Unassuming outside - AMAZING inside! Sponsored by Oxford Firefighters Association. www.huguenotsteamer.com TLGV’s Walktober - Bohemian Norwichtown: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Sept. 23, Norwich Heritage & Regional Visitors' Center, 69 East Town St., Norwich, CT. Parking at Norwichtown Green. 860-425-5563. Nestled in the heart of historic Norwichtown, beyond the urban sprawl, lies a vibrant enclave of artistic creativity. With the founding of the Norwich Art School in 1890, local Norwichians including Ozias and Hannah Dodge, Charlotte Fuller Eastman, Helen Newton and others left lasting artistic legacies in the classrooms at Norwich Free Academy and at their many salons, studios and social soirées. Step into the lives of Norwich's Bohemian visionaries and learn how they inspired a sense of artistry and community. Sponsored by Slater Memorial Museum. www.slatermuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - Acorn Adventure, Geocaching 101: Sept. 23, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Air Line Trail at the intersection of East Thompson Rd. and New Rd. in Thompson, CT. 860-774-3300. Become a high-tech detective of the outdoors as Ranger John Kochinskas teaches us how to geocache. Participants should create a free account at www.geocaching.com to get the clues needed to find the geocaches (there is also a free smartphone app). A portable gps or a smartphone can be used to track the clues. Sponsored by The Last Green Valley and Putnam Bank. wwwthelastgreenvalley.org & www.putnambank.com TLGV’s Walktober - Founders Day at Ayer Farm: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sept. 23, 44 Ayer Rd., North Franklin, CT. Balloons will mark the parking area. 914-924-4784 Come celebrate Franklin's 300th anniversary at Ayer Farm, one of Connecticut's oldest family farms. There will be live music, food, historical and artistic presentations along with interesting artifacts. Fun for the whole family. Sponsored by Ayer Farm. www.ayerfarm.com TLGV’s Walktober - Full Moon Walk and Gate Tower Tour: 7 p.m., Sept. 23, 30 Howarth Rd., Oxford, MA. 508-248-5697. Bring the family down for a leisurely, late summer stroll under the moon. No registration required, just show up. Cancelled if very rainy. (Moon Rise 6:27 p.m., Sunset 6:45 p.m.). Sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. www.nae.usace.army.mil TLGV’s Walktober - Shetucket River Powering Norwich and Lifting Fish: 1 – 2:30 p.m., Sept. 26, 7 8th Street, Norwich, CT. Repeats Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. 860-823-4182. Slow, level walk past a working hydroelectric station to the historic dam on the Shetucket River. Observe the fish lift and view a video of the shad run. Sponsored by Norwich Public Utilities. www.norwichpublicutilities.com TLGV’s Walktober - Williams Preserve Walk: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Sept. 27, 168 Cooper Lane, Coventry, CT. 860-930-7515. Join town staff and protected land stewards in an inaugural trail walk through Coventry’s latest land protection action. Hear the perspectives of land owner, town government, and regional land trust partners as we traverse through the 55-acre property from fields to woodlands, stream ravine to Eagleville Lake overlook. Repeat walk may be led by town protected land stewards without other partners. Sponsored by the Town of Coventry. www.coventryct.org TLGV’s Walktober - Southbridge 100 Years Ago, Exploring the Franco-American Community: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27, Jacob Edwards Library, 236 Main St., Southbridge, MA. 508-764-5426. Dr. Elizabeth Blood, of Salem State University, offers a glimpse of what life was like for French-Canadians in Southbridge one hundred years ago, highlighting the role that the French-Canadian community played in establishing many of the town’s institutions. Copies of her English translation of Felix Gatineau’s 1919 book will be available for purchase. Sponsored by Jacob Edwards Library. www.jacobedwardslibrary.org TLGV’s Walktober - Root to Rise Yoga with Kayla: 5-6:15 p.m., Sept. 28, Lapsley Orchard, 403 Orchard Hill Rd., Pomfret Center, CT. 401-290-7938. Enjoy a grounding sunset yoga class surrounded by wild flowers and apple trees at Lapsley Orchard with Registered Yoga Instructor Kayla Baumlin. Bring a yoga mat and layers in case it gets chilly. $15 fee. Sponsored by Kayla Baumlin and Lapsley Orchard. TLGV’s Walktober - National Public Lands Day: 8 a.m. to noon, Sept. 29, Buffumville Park, 229 Oxford Rd., Charlton, MA. 508-248-5697. We need you and your family, your youth group, your community or user group to help us improve your facilities. Come join us on the largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands in the United States – National Public Lands Day. More than 180,000 volunteers are expected at more than 2,200 sites across the country. You should be a part of it! Please register so that we know you are coming by calling 508-248-5697. Groups and families are most welcome. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. www.nae.usace.army.mil TLGV’s Walktober - Hampton Fall Festival: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 29, Hampton Town Hall & Green, 164 Main St. (Rt. 97), Hampton, CT. Free parking. 860-455-9132. Enjoy a day of fun and entertainment with live folk music and great food. Library book/bake sale, free hayrides, vendors/tag sales. Hampton Artists Showcase. Fire Dept. car rescue demo, pottery demos, and more. Agricultural activities including agricultural goods contests, kiddie tractor pull, pie eating contest, and more. Family country dance with caller Bob Livingston and band at 2 pm inside at the Community Center. Visit website for schedule of events or email hamptonfallfest@gmail.com. Free entry and parking. Rain or shine. This event is a fundraiser for Fletcher Memorial Library. Always seeking vendors. Sponsored by Town of Hampton. www.hamptonct.org TLGV’s Walktober - Beaver Trail Hike: 10 a.m., Sept. 29, Holton Rd., Franklin, CT. Meet at Sprague Preserve parking lot, on left side of Holton Rd., just before dead end. 860-822-9808. Walkers will see the eagerness of the local Sprague Preserve beavers (five beaver dams). The trail moves along a stream, then heads up two hills before coming down on the other side of the stream. If we are lucky, we might get to see the local beaver. The walk is less than two miles. Sponsored by the Sprague Conservation Commission. www.ctsprague.org TLGV’s Walktober - Mills, Rails and The River: 10 – 11:30 a.m., Sept. 29, 55 Bridge St., Willimantic, CT. Drive into Railroad Museum entrance about 0.5 miles until the trail parking lot and walk to greeter. 860-617-3308. Learn about the history of mills on the Willimantic River and the railroads that served them. At the end of the walk a tour of the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum is available at a group rate. A train ride is possible. Sponsored by Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum. www.cteastrrmuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - Ride the Shetucket: 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 29, River Park, North Main St., Baltic (Sprague), CT. Enjoy early fall float trips on the Shetucket River. The Town of Sprague will provide a free shuttle between River Park and Scotland Dam. Participants can put in any time between 10 am and noon. You can ride the river as many times as time and the water levels allow. Since there are no longer water releases from the dam, there will only be transportation when the river is at a level that will naturally provide for easy travel. You must bring your own canoe or kayak and PFD. Check the Town website prior to the event for any cancellation postings. Sponsored by Town of Sprague. www.ctsprague.org TLGV’s Walktober - Riverfest Community Paddle: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 29, 28 Bridge Street, Willimantic, CT. Parking at the plaza and along Railroad Museum driveway. 860-455-3611. Riverfest has moved from the spring to the fall! Enjoy the foliage and warmer temperatures. Even if water level is low, there are only a few spots of concern between Eagleville and the pullout above Bridge St. Shuttle service provided: drop your boat off at Eagleville Dam, then leave your vehicle at Bridge St. and take the shuttle back up river. Your car or truck will be waiting for you after the 8-mile paddle. Live music along the river, a guided nature tour at 10 am, a river scavenger hunt and food trucks at the Whitewater site afterwards. Registration required for shuttle service, fee of $10 individual, $25 for a family. Otherwise the event is free and open to all. Sponsored by Willimantic Whitewater Partnership. www.willimanticwhitewater.org TLGV’s Walktober - Disc Golf 101 at Riverside Park: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 29, Riverside Park, off Greenway Drive/Day St., Brooklyn, CT. 860-779-3411, Press 7. Never tried disc golf or want to learn more about it so you can enjoy the many great disc golf courses in the area? Topics covered are discs and disc flight, throwing techniques, and how to play the sport. Instruction provided along with games and contests. Sponsored by the Brooklyn Conservation Commission and the Brooklyn Parks and Recreation Department. www.brooklynct.org TLGV’s Walktober - Brooklyn Fall Festival: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 29, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn, CT (near the intersection of Rts. 6 and 169). 860-779-3411. Join the town as it celebrates the 300th Birthday of Revolutionary War Hero Israel Putnam with an apple pie contest, a scarecrow display on the lawn of bankHometown and more. Federated Church will be selling soup and bread. There will be a children’s play yard. A Revolutionary War Encampment will take place adjacent to the Israel Putnam statue; the encampment will then march to the Federated Church with a birthday cake for Israel Putnam around 2:30 pm. The Sons of American Revolution will also be on hand for most of the day in the backyard behind the post office where Sheldon’s Horse, the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, the first commissioned Calvary, will be stationed. The U.S. Post Office will also offer a special cancellation that day at the post office in the center of town. Sponsored by Town of Brooklyn. www.brooklynct.org TLGV’s Walktober - Franklin Life Celebrating 300 Years: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 29, Ashbel Woodward House, 387 Rt. 32, Franklin CT. Take Plains Rd. CT DEEP Franklin Swamp Management Area for parking. 860-917-0520. Join us for a for a day of family fun exploring the 300-year history of Franklin. This event is rain or shine. Be sure to take the Franklin Notables Walk at 1 pm, which meets at the Plains Rd. Cemetery. Sponsored by Ashbel Woodward Museum. sites.google.com/site/ashbelwoodwardmuseum TLGV’s Walktober - Willimantic Downtown Country Fair: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 29, Jillson Square, 533 Main St. (Rt. 66), Willimantic, CT. 860-456-3611. Everyone is invited to this free event, filled with music, food, craft vendors and community information. Meet the people who were offering eating fresh & local before anyone else in the area, the Willi Food Co-op! Sponsored by the Willimantic Food Co-Op. www.willimanticfood.coop TLGV’s Walktober - Griswold Nature Trail, An Introduction to the Appalachian Trail: 11a.m. to 2 p.m., Sept. 29, Griswold Elementary School, 303 Slater Ave., Griswold, CT. Park in the Elementary School lot across from trailhead. 860-376-7640. Learn about the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) with four experienced hikers on a walk along our Nature Trail. Two are thru-hikers who hiked the entire trail in one year. Timothy Moore hiked the trail in 1987 and Paul Hanusch hiked the trail in 2009. Two are section hikers, David and Lori Crandall, who have been and still are hiking the trail since 2004. We will take you for a walk on a simulated A.T. along the Nature Trail and share our experience of the trail and show you our gear at a simulated A.T. shelter and a small sample of the meals we make while backpacking. At the campsite we will be also present a slide show of our experience on the A.T. Please send an e-mail to DCrandall@griswoldpublicschools.org with the number of your party so we know how much food to bring. Sponsored by Town of Griswold. www.griswold-ct.org TLGV’s Walktober - Franklin Notables: 1-1:45 p.m., Plains Rd. Cemetery, Franklin, CT. 860-917-0520. Take an easy walk around Plains Rd. Cemetery and its history as the final resting place of some of Franklin's most notable citizens. Before or after the walk visit Ashbel Woodward Museum for Franklin Life Celebrating 300 Years. Sponsored by Ashbel Woodward Museum. sites.google.com/site/ashbelwoodwardmuseum TLGV’s Walktober - Rolltober in The Last Green Valley: 1-3 p.m., Sept. 29, Goodwin State Forest, 23 Potter Rd., Hampton, CT. 860-774-3300. Have you ever wondered whether a trail will meet your individual ability or disability needs? Learn about our new trail assessment program using special equipment designed for the High Efficiency Trail Assessment Process (HETAP). Stroll or roll along the trails of Goodwin State Forest as we demonstrate the equipment and discuss how mobility-challenged users including disabled, elderly and even parents pushing strollers can select trails that will meet their personal interests, skills, abilities and expectations. We will provide signage and information for trail segments already assessed so you can make your own informed decision about what trail to take to get outside and enjoy The Last Green Valley. Sponsored by The Last Green Valley and CT DEEP State Parks Trails & Greenways Program. www.thelastgreenvalley.org & www.ct.gov/deep TLGV’s Walktober - The Truth Behind Investigating the Unknown: 1-3:30 p.m., Sept. 29, Killingly Public Library, 25 Wescott Rd., Danielson, CT. 860-779-5383. The Eastern Connecticut Paranormal Society will be here to do a presentation covering: who they are and what they do; the process of investigating the paranormal & how it should be done; the importance of professionalism and education in the field; and evidence review. Time to share your own paranormal stories and ask questions. Sponsored by Killingly Public Library. www.killinglypl.org TLGV’s Walktober - Chaplin's Air Line Trail: 2-3:30 p.m. Sept. 29, Chewink Rd., Chaplin, CT. Park in lot where Air Line Trail crosses road. 860-617-3308 Enjoy a beautiful walk along the Air Line Trail while learning about the Ghost Train and the role of railroads in eastern Connecticut. Sponsored by Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum. www.cteastrrmuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - Nightmare on Main, Hauntings & Unearthly Tales of Connecticut's Past: 7-9:30 p.m., Sept. 29 and 30. The Mill Museum, 411 Main St., Willimantic, CT. 860-456-2178. Experience the chilling stories of the unexplained happenings at some of the state's most mysterious sites. Discover who or what haunts Ledge Lighthouse, the Windham Inn, a Franklin apple orchard and many more. Arrive between 7 and 9:30 and travel through dramatic presentations and discover the strange and sometimes hidden truths. $10 fee. Sponsored by The Mill Museum. www.millmuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - History Day on the Norwichtown Green: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 30, Norwichtown Green, Elm Ave., Norwich, CT. Park around Norwichtown Green and designated lots. 860-886-1776. Enjoy a day celebrating Eastern Connecticut’s rich heritage and cultural assets. In addition, we will be honoring Samuel Huntington, Norwich’s signer of the Declaration of Independence, in a special wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the day he was elected President of the Continental Congress on September 28, 1779. Historical re-enactors from various time periods, local historical societies/organizations, historic house museums, colonial crafters, and antique dealers will be on hand at this event. Vendors will sell specialty items such as books, gifts or antiques. Sponsored by The Norwich Historical Society and Norwich Heritage Groups. www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org TLGV’s Walktober - Exhibition: Unearthly Tales of Connecticut's Past: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 30, 411 Main St., Willimantic, CT. 860-456-2178. The Exhibition will educate and entertain visitors with stories told for generations of Connecticut's haunted places. Discover what or who haunts a Franklin orchard, a New London lighthouse, the Windham Inn and many more. Daytime exhibit during regular museum hours is not as spooky as evening tours. $7 adults, $5 students and seniors. Sponsored by The Mill Museum. www.millmuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - There Were Trains at Bolton Notch?: 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Sept. 30, Hop River Trail, Bolton Notch State Park (Junction of Rt. 44 and Rt. 6), Bolton, CT. Heading west to I-384 in Bolton Notch, turn right at end of guardrail and go downhill to parking lot. 860-617-3308. Walk Leader, Ray Axelrod, has created a new walk for this year. Walk the Bolton Notch Rail Trail and see the tunnel and the rock cut and learn about this important rail line. The walk will also include an opportunity to look at maps and photos. Sponsored by Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum. www.cteastrrmuseum.org TLGV’s Walktober - Sunday Market Strolls: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 30, Coventry Farmers Market at Hale Homestead, 2299 South St., Coventry, CT. The Coventry Farmers Market at Hale Homestead is located on the Nathan Hale State Forest grounds. Start the morning early with a self-guided stroll through the woods, or enjoy an afternoon walk on the 4.8-mile loop and adjoining trails. Be sure to stroll the market, too, for locally-grown and produced products! Sponsored by the Farmers Market at Hale Homestead. www.coventryfarmersmarket.org TLGV’s Walktober - A Grace Full Village: Noon to 1 p.m., Sept. 30, 4 Chapel Hill Rd., Yantic, CT. 860-887-2082. Discover the historic Yantic church, considered one of the handsomest copies of a rural English church in all of New England. Built in 1902, the interior contains fine examples of English stained glass, oak carvings, a manual 1908 hall pipe organ and four large bells. Enjoy photos of the 19th century Yantic Village. Sponsored by Grace Episcopal Church. www.gracechurchyantic.org TLGV’s Walktober - A Walk Through Oxford's Huguenot History: 1:30 – 3 p.m., Sept. 30, 87 Fort Hill Rd., Oxford, MA. 508-987-0176. Participants will walk through the remains of the Huguenot Fort, which is Oxford's most historic site. Costumed interpreters will tell about life in the Settlement of New Oxford, which was established in 1682. The fort is located in a flat open field. Sponsored by the Oxford Historical Commission and the Huguenot Memorial Society of Oxford. www.thehuguenotmemorialsocietyofoxford.org TLGV’s Walktober - Williams Preserve Walk: 1 - 2:30 p.m., Sept. 30, 168 Cooper Lane, Coventry, CT. 860-930-7515. Join town staff and protected land stewards in an inaugural trail walk through Coventry’s latest land protection action. Hear the perspectives of land owner, town government, and regional land trust partners as we traverse through the 55-acre property from fields to woodlands, stream ravine to Eagleville Lake overlook. Repeat walk may be led by town protected land stewards without other partners. Sponsored by the Town of Coventry. www.coventryct.org The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor is the last stretch of dark night sky in the coastal sprawl between Boston and Washington, D.C. The Last Green Valley, Inc. works for you in the National Heritage Corridor. Together we can care for it, enjoy it and pass it on! ###