Community news: Artists’ Walk in Ridgefield, more news

Ridgefield agent Paul Gervais is spearheading William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty’s participation in the event and will host the office’s reception to celebrate both artists on the Art Walk’s opening night on Aug. 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. On Aug. 27 from noon to 4 p.m., the Art Walk’s artists will be present in the office and Llanos will do plein air painting in front of the brokerage.

The ninth annual Art Walk runs through Sept. 11. This year’s Art Walk will feature nearly 50 artists (selected by jury) paired with some 30 different

Ridgefield merchants who will host meet-and-greet events, artwork displays and other artist-related activities. A fundraiser for the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, the Art Walk will kick continue with an Artist’s Day on Aug. 27 from noon to 4 p.m.

Demonstrations are also planned outside storefronts in town on Aug. 27. All works on exhibit are available for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Ridgefield Guild of Artists.

Ridgefield Continuing Education hosts Mushroom Walk

Grab a notebook and take a Mushroom Walk guided by field mycologist Zaac Chaves through Ridgefield Continuing Education. This is a mycologically-focused ecological tour at one of the town of Ridgefield’s open spaces. During this time of the year, there are several unique endemic species, and many only occur at this special time of the year.

Walk participants will be develop basic tools to better recognize several fungal species - some not-so-common - right in town. This might include fungal forensics and the stories a mushroom might tell us about places and things that once happened here.

Chaves works on species surveys for several sites and sometimes with organizations like Harvard University, the New York Botanical Gardens and the National Park Service. He also serves as the chief editor of the Boston Mycological Club Bulletin, which was established in 1897.

The Mushroom Walk will be on Sept. 24 from 10:30 a.m. to noon and will be held outdoors in Ridgefield; directions will provided upon registration. Tuition is $29 per person; Ridgefield seniors age 62 and over will pay $25. For more information, visit www.ridgefieldschools.org or phone Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.

Ridgefield Continuing Education presents ‘The Creation of Germany’ history class

Led by long-term history instructor Nancy Maxwell, Ridgefield Continuing Education will host a virtual history class on “The Creation of Germany” over Zoom on Sept. 19 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Perhaps because of her dominant role in two world wars, it is easy to think of Germany as an old nation with a long history. But Germany is a young state, less than 150 years old. The original territory was divided into myriad small holdings ruled by independent noble families and surrounded by the powerful states of Austria and France; the path to unification would be blocked by all of these.

Despite earlier attempts, it took the rise of Otto von Bismarck, with his cunning, wisdom, and political acuity, to overcome all these obstacles and establish the German Empire. This class will consider the events and personalities that led to the creation of the German Empire.

Advance registration is required. The cost is $29 per person; Ridgefield seniors age 62 and up will pay $25. For more information, visit www.ridgefieldschools.org or phone Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.

Bridge, Mah Jongg classes offered

Residents can learn to play Bridge or Mah Jongg - both wonderful social games that provide a good mental workout - in Ridgefield Continuing Education classes from teachers who are expert players.

Led by instructor Mary Watson-Stribula, “Beginning Bridge Continued” will meet Sept. 19 through Nov. 14 (not Oct. 10) from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Annex. The cost is $172 per person. This course covers the basics of bridge bidding and play and continues last spring’s beginner class. People who have not played in a while are invited to join the class.

Watson-Stribula will also oversee “Intermediate Bridge - 2/1 and No Trump,” which will meets every other Monday from Sept. 19 through Dec. 12 (not Oct. 10) from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Annex. This class is designed for players that have experience in duplicate bridge games and an interest in improving their ability to use 2/1 and increase their comfort level with playing no trump contract. The cost is $172 per person.

“Mah Jongg for Beginners” with instructor Sybl Falik will meet on Thursdays from Sept. 26 through Nov. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Veterans Park School and on Mondays from Oct. 3 through Nov. 14 (not Oct. 10) from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Annex. The cost is $148 per person; there is a discount available for Ridgefield seniors ages 62 and over.

Advanced registration is required. To register, visit www.ridgefieldschools.org or phone Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.

Arts and crafts classes

Learn or enhance a hobby and have fun with Ridgefield Continuing Education’s many drawing, painting, art journaling, comic book art, clay and knitting classes, which will be available in-person. Among the upcoming classes, residents are invited to sign up for:

• “Studio Knitting for All” with Lizabeth Doty - This class will begin Aug. 30 and run for five sessions on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at $124 per person. Starting Oct. 3, the course will also be held for seven sessions on Mondays from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m. at $172 per person.

• “Drawing” with Laura McCormick - Beginning Sept. 15 and Sept. 20, this class will run for six sessions that will run 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. the cost is $159 per person.

• “Life Drawing” with Michael Canavan - Beginning Sept. 28, this class will run for six sessions from 7:45 to 9:15 p.m.. The cost is $119 per person.

• “Clay and Mosaics for Beginners” with Kathleen Fay - Beginning Sept. 28, this class will run for six sessions from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $159 per person.

• “Create a Comic” - Starting Sept. 29, this class will run for six sessions from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $159 per person.

• “Art Journaling” with Holli Levy - Starting Oct. 17, this class will run for six sessions from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $159 per person.

More sessions are set to start in November. There is a discount available for Ridgefield seniors age 62 and over. Advanced registration is required.

For detailed descriptions of the courses and a list of materials, visit www.ridgefieldschools.org or phone Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.

Fairfield County Bank holds annual meeting, elects new corporators

Fairfield County Bank held its 151st Annual Meeting at the Silver Spring County Club (439 Silver Spring Road in Ridgefield) on July 20.

The attendees included the Board of Directors, the Board of Incorporators and the Senior Management of the Bank. The Annual Meeting is held to inform the corporators on the financial well-being of the bank, its success and growth over the past year and strategic plans for the coming year.

Comedian Steven Wright to perform at the Ridgefield Playhouse

Academy Award winning and Grammy nominated comedian Steven Wright will perform at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Sept. 17. The show is at 8 p.m. and is priced at $60 per person.

To purchase tickets, visit www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org.

Pair of suite nutcrackers spotted at Enchanted Garden

Visitors are likely to encounter a pair of suite nutcrackers outside Enchanted Garden Studios (165 Danbury Road (Route 35) in Ridgefield. The Enchanted Garden nutcracker is, in fact, one of a pair that traveled all the way from Seattle, WA., more than 10 years ago, a release said.

Prior to their cross-country journey, the Enchanted Garden nutcracker and his partner who resides at a private home, were two of five dozen nutcrackers that decorated the streets of downtown Seattle in 2007 to showcase the talents of local artists and raise money for the Northwest Center, a local non-profit that serves youngsters with developmental disabilities, the release said.

The public art was inspired by Pacific Northwest Ballet’s annual performance of “The Nutcracker.” Local organizations such as the Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Seahawks, the Seattle Aquarium and the Museum of Flight sponsored individual nutcrackers. At the end of the holiday season, the nutcrackers were auctioned off to the public to raise money for charity. That’s where Ridgefield resident Lisa Armstrong stepped in.

Armstrong was living with her young family on Bainbridge Island, W.A., when she fell in love with the whimsical nutcrackers. She bid for and eventually won the right to purchase two nutcrackers. Shortly thereafter, a career change brought Lisa and her children to Ridgefield along with their beloved nutcrackers.

It was a long and arduous trip for the pair of nutcrackers, bouncing along in the back of a moving van for 2,900 miles, but they made it through, mostly unscathed. The nutrcrackers lived for a while with Armstrong until she realized that they should bring joy not only to her family but to others.

She donated one nutcracker to the students of the Enchanted Garden, and he immediately became a celebrity and part of the Enchanted Garden family.