The 2025 season of free concerts in the Park continues on Monday, July 28th at 7 pm with a concert by The Twangtown Paramours. The concerts are returning to the renovated Seth Thomas Park on South Main St. in Thomaston. Each concert begins at 7 pm and concludes at 8:30 pm. The Fine Arts Connection of Thomaston's concert series is indebted to the Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation for core funding.

Nashville-based husband-and-wife duo Mike T. Lewis and MaryBeth Zamer, known on stage as The Twangtown Paramours, have made a name for themselves defying boundaries with their award-winning catalogue of Americana, Folk, and Blues anthems. With a slew of accolades for their first three full-length albums, they’ve earned a loyal following, balancing serious instrumental and vocal chops with witty stage banter and a lighthearted approach to life.

Hit songwriter, session musician, and producer Mike Lewis was born in NYC, but his sound is informed by a mix of experiences across the country’s major music centers, including NYC, L.A., Austin, and Nashville. He began learning classical and jazz guitar at age eight, studying under Leonid Bolotine, William Matthews, and Barry Galbraith, before earning degrees at Columbia in New York City and the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles.

Born in Washington D.C., lead singer MaryBeth Zamer was raised on a mix of opera and American songbook music, singing along to Dean Martin and Ella Fitzgerald, before discovering Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, and the blues in high school. A fixture in the Washington, D.C. club scene for years, MaryBeth sang backup vocals for Eva Cassidy’s band, Method Actor. “Eva was a huge influence on my singing style,” MaryBeth says. “She taught me to go beyond having fun and hitting the right notes, to sing in a way that conveys real emotion.” 

MaryBeth and Mike met and started dating in 2009, while both were working on separate musical projects. “The relationship came first,” says MaryBeth, “but I kept hearing songs he’d written that I loved, and I wanted to add my own vocal spin to them. I felt like I could interpret and deliver Mike’s songs the way he intended them to be.”

In addition to their elaborate musical pedigrees and critically-acclaimed release history, what makes The Twangtown Paramours unique is the purity of their priorities: They are committed to making top-notch music.

Alcohol is not permitted in the Park by Town ordinance. Bring your lawn chair, your friends, and your love of music to Seth Thomas Park on Monday, July 28th!! All ages welcome, and the Park is handicap-accessible. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will move to the Thomaston Opera House, 158 Main St., Town Hall. Visit the FACT website for further information or weather alerts concerning concert

relocation: www.thomastonfinearts.com.

Join us in the Conference Room for our monthly Fun Fiction Book Club! Refreshments and Ice Breaker Game from 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm. 7:00 pm we start chatting about the book! This program is free and open to the public. No registration required! The book is available at the Circulation Desk. Refreshments provided by The Friends of The Thomaston Public Library. We will be reading The Selection by Kiera Cass. 

This workshop will cover the fundamentals of wheel throwing with an emphasis on individual experimentation and expressive design. Explore surface techniques such as sgraffito, slip trailing and glaze applications.

Instructor: Kathy Cady

Wednesdays, June 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2025

10 AM - 2 PM

Members: $378 / Non-Members: $420

MORE INFO & REGISTER

This workshop offers a comprehensive introduction to intaglio printmaking techniques including etching, drypoint and mezzotint. Designed to address all levels of experience, you will build a foundation in ink application, plate wiping and press operation as you create a series of prints.

Instructor: Tony Kirk

Thursdays, July 24 & 31, 2025

10 AM - 4 PM

Members: $171 / Non-Members: $190

MORE INFO & REGISTER

View the works of local artist DJ Stenson at the New Hatford Artistans Guild.

Come check out the Torrington Recreations 2025 Summer Concert Series at Coe Park! Over the course of 14 weeks, every Thursday, starting June 5th and running through September 4th, we will be hosting 14 different bands who will perform a range of different genres. Concerts will be held on the outside portico at the Coe Memorial Park (101 Litchfield Road) from 6pm-8pm. Bring your blankets, chairs, food and drinks to enjoy our concerts in the park!

AfterShock, a powerhouse rock cover band from New Haven County formed in 2013, is known for its versatile mix of instrumentation and both female and male vocals. Their performances cover a wide range of genres and eras, bringing high-energy renditions of your favorite hits. Expect the unexpected as they get the crowd singing along and dancing all night long!

Thursday, July 31st, at 6:30 PM, 2nd Home is excited to have the Frank Gordon Trio back. The Trio features Frank Gordon on bass, Jerrod Cattey on drums and Sean Simmons on guitar. They play a mix of jazz standards as well as original compositions. Come down and make them feel welcome!

For reservations call 860-238-4500 or email us at momanddad@2ndhomelounge.com

See our complete event list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/events/

2nd Home Lounge

524 Main Street, Winsted

2ndhomelounge.com

Join our mailing list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/email-sign-up/

A Live Theatrical Performance

“It's difficult to find the words to describe the wonder of what you do!” “Riveting...” “Spellbinding...” 

The stories in My Summer Vacation bring gasps and giggles. In “The Nice People” (1890), a charming young couple innocently brings mystery to a rustic resort: well, they seem nice . . . A different surprise is “Miss Esther’s Guest” who—although invited—is thoroughly unexpected.

Michèle LaRue has toured nationally performing her one-woman plays for more than 23 years. As an editor and writer, she has collaborated on numerous prominent theatre publications. Visit her website at http://michelelarue.com

Global artists have sent in their wildest images, film, music and poems for Personaland's online art show

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

 2025 THEATER ARTS CAMP- Monday-July 28- Friday, August 1st for Ages 6 & up

Act, Dance, Sing and Perform in Grumbling Gryphons 45th Gala Performance on Friday, August 1st at 7 pm at Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village. Grumbling Gryphons will hold their annual theater arts camp in Cornwall and Falls Village for children ages 6 years and up. Theater Campers will take part in the company’s 45th Gala Celebration Performance of ”Through the Rainbow and into the Stars!” on Friday evening, August 1st.   

The performance will feature summer theater campers as well as veteran Gryphon actors, musicians and special guest artists. Campers will work with professional actors, musicians and visual artists to create their own masks, props, scenery and perform in the celebration. Live music will be performed by award winning musician Brian Bender, with special guest musicians. Ellen Moon, Grumbling Gryphons mask and costume maker will make a special appearance with her grand puppet- The Golden Lady for the finale with the Berkshire Resilience Brass Brand enlivening the festivities!

 Grumbling Gryphons is a non-profit 501c3 organization, now celebrating 45 years. Winner of Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award, the company has traveled the US and internationally bringing their magic and participatory approach to theater for young and old alike. Leslie Elias has served as Artistic Director since co-founding Grumbling Gryphons in 1980 and is the winner of the 2018 Connecticut Arts Hero Award as well as 2018 Culture Max Award for Arts Educator from the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council.

Micah Conway, math teacher at HVRHS will serve as assistant director assisted by Daniel Saed, Natalie Resto and Diane Gnagnarelli. Partial Scholarships are available through Berkshire Taconic Susan Fillman Scholarship Fund for Region One Students as well as additional scholarships upon request. Special thanks to the Northwest CT Community Foundation, Inc. (NCCF) for a FY25 Cycle One Grant through the Carlton D. Fyler and Jenny F. Fyler Fund to help support the theater camp and 45th Gala Celebration!

Please call for more info or email grumblinggryphons@gmail.com