Good morning from the shoreline.
If you’ve been meaning to book a Dinner Club seat, this is the week! Signups close Sunday the 20th.
Here’s what I’ve surfaced this week.
In today’s issue: Stonington’s first Porchfest, with the Art Walk · the Burning of Benedict Arnold and a 300-drone show over the Thames · sea shanties at the Whale Tail · a 5K and brewfest at Eastern Point Beach · 12 seats booked at the Dinner Club
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The weekend in 30 seconds
THE MARQUEE
Stonington Porchfest and the Art Walk
Saturday · Art Walk 10am–4pm, Porchfest 12–4pm · Stonington Borough · Free
The Borough’s first Porchfest: local bands and singers on porches and lawns along Water, Main and Pearl Streets, with the 8th Annual Art Walk running the same streets. Rain date Sunday.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Friday · 6–8pm · Mystic · $65, 21+
A hands-on class where you make three whiskey cocktails with Anthony Caporale of the Institute of Culinary Education. There are 24 seats, and Kitch classes sell out.
SATURDAY NIGHT
Saturday · march 7:30pm from The Social on Bank St, burning 8pm, drone show after · New London · Free
Saturday night at the Maritime Heritage Festival, which carries on Sunday. Flock Theatre marches the traitor down Bank Street and torches the effigy on the Waterfront Park pier, then 300 drones go up over the Thames.
SLOW SUNDAY
Sunday · 10am–5pm, free history tours from City Pier 11am–3pm · New London · Free
The festival runs a second day, with the tall ships, the water taxi to Fort Trumbull and Groton, and 45-minute docent tours from City Pier, all free. The forecast says showers, so go early.
18 SEATS LEFT
Come to dinner with five new friends
We’ve got a few tables booked, leaving only 3 tables for Tuesday night.
You don’t need to bring a friend. That’s the point. Book a seat, answer a short matching quiz, and we’ll place you at a table of six based on your interests and preferences.
The restaurant is revealed that morning. You simply show up, order whatever you’d like, and have dinner with five people from around the shoreline. Afterward, everyone is invited to meet for an optional drink.
Tuesday, September 22 · 6:30pm · Downtown Mystic · $15.99
Reservations close Sunday, September 20 at 6:30pm. If the September 22 dinner doesn’t reach 30 guests, your reservation will automatically carry over to Tuesday, September 29.
How it works:
Take a short quiz.
Get matched with five other neighbors.
Show up at 6:30pm; the restaurant is revealed that morning.
Pay for your own dinner, if you want to keep going, meet everyone at the after-party bar.
Can’t make this one? Reply to this email and I’ll send you the next date first.
EDITOR’S PICKS
The Digest
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 · ART WALK 10AM–4PM, PORCHFEST 12–4PM
Stonington’s First Porchfest, Same Day as the Art Walk
Water St, Main St, Pearl St and Cannon Square, Stonington Borough · Free
La Grua Center is putting local musicians on porches and lawns around the Borough for the first time, with 45-minute sets spanning folk, blues, opera, sea shanties and barbershop. The Art Walk starts two hours earlier, bringing 60 juried artists to the same streets. Both are free, parking is free, and the rain date is Sunday.
SATURDAY–SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12–13 · 10AM–5PM BOTH DAYS; THE BURNING SATURDAY AT 8PM
The Burning of Benedict Arnold & the Maritime Heritage Festival
Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull · New London · Free
The festival fills the waterfront both days with vessel tours, a Revolutionary encampment, a Coast Guard helicopter demonstration Sunday at 1pm and a free water taxi connecting Fort Trumbull, City Pier and Groton. Saturday night, Flock Theatre marches Benedict Arnold’s effigy down Bank Street at 7:30pm, burns the effigy on the pier at 8pm. A 300-drone light show follows around 8:15pm.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 · 11AM–2PM
A 5K and a Brewfest at Eastern Point Beach
Eastern Point Beach · Groton
The Groton City Brew Run pairs a 5K run and walk with a post-race brewfest, live music and food on the beach. Everyone starts in one wave, tech shirts are available while they last, and children can join a free kids’ run with advance registration. Proceeds support Riverfront Children’s Center.
THE FULL RUNDOWN
This week’s events
Thursday, September 10
Intro to Autumn Wild Plant Foraging
5:30–6:30pm · Public Library of New London, Community Room · Free · NEW LONDON
Thursdays Aboard Argia: Live Music with James Harris
5:30–7:30pm · Argia Mystic Cruises, 15 Holmes St · a two-hour public sail with the guitarist on deck; book at argiamystic.com · MYSTIC
Gallery Talk: Howard McCalebb, The Golden Mean
reception 5:30pm, talk 6pm · Lyman Allyn Art Museum, 625 Williams St · $10 members / $15 non-members · the sculptor walks his own show; RSVP to the museum · NEW LONDON
Raptors of CT
6–7pm · Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, 109 Pequotsepos Rd · $10 / $8.50 members · live owls, hawks and falcons; adults · MYSTIC
Friday, September 11
Military Stories on the Thames
3–4:15pm · Thames River Heritage Park, departs the Nautilus Dock at the Submarine Force Museum · the docent-led history cruise past the Academy and the Sub Base; this is the last weekend of the season’s tours, with sailings Saturday 11:30am and Sunday 1:30pm · GROTON
Exhibit Opening: Textures, a James Merrill House Centennial
5–7pm · La Grua Center, 32 Water St · Free · the Friday-night start to the Borough’s Art Walk weekend · STONINGTON
Jaws (Friday) and Grease (Saturday) at the Misquamicut Drive-In
gates 6:30pm, movie at 8pm both nights · Wuskenau Beach, 316 Atlantic Ave · $25 per car · WESTERLY
Almost, Maine
7:30pm · Granite Theatre, 1 Granite St · opening night; the run goes through September 20 · WESTERLY
Saturday, September 12
Fall Foraging with Amelia
10am–12:30pm · Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, 109 Pequotsepos Rd · $35 / $29.75 members · Amelia South of Black Sun Farm on the DPNC trails; adults, pre-registration required · MYSTIC
Groton City Brew Run
11am–2pm · Eastern Point Beach · see the Digest · GROTON
Military Stories on the Thames
11:30am–12:45pm · Thames River Heritage Park, departs the Nautilus Dock · GROTON
New England Pirates with R.I. Pirate Guy
2–3pm · Groton Public Library · Free · the adult history talk; the kids’ Pirate Adventure with the same presenter runs at 10:30am, free, registration required · GROTON
Sunday, September 13
Military Stories on the Thames
1:30–2:45pm · Thames River Heritage Park, departs the Nautilus Dock · the last sailing of the season · GROTON
The Meaning of Life: A Workshop with Tyler Haling
3:30–5:30pm · Stonington Free Library, 20 High St · Free · two hours of guided discussion; registration required, and there’s a waitlist · STONINGTON
Food & drink
Drinkin’ Whiskey and Rye at Kitch
Friday 6–8pm · Kitch, 27 Coogan Blvd, Olde Mistick Village · $65, 21+ · Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned, Perfect Rye Manhattan, Craft Scotch Sour, taught by Anthony Caporale of the Institute of Culinary Education; 24 seats, and 15% off at Spencer & Lynn after · MYSTIC
2025 Mosaic Rosé Release Party
Thursday 5:30–7:30pm · Stonington Vineyards, 523 Taugwonk Rd · $12 · a glass and light bites with owners Ann and John Houston and winemaker Mike, before it goes on sale to the public · STONINGTON
Thirsty Thursdays at Deans Mill Farm
Thursday 5:30–8:30pm · Deans Mill Farm, 1189 Pequot Trail · Free · weekly beer garden with live music and food trucks · STONINGTON
Denison Farmers Market
Sunday 12–3pm · Denison Homestead, 120 Pequotsepos Rd · MYSTIC
Live Music
Songs of the Sea, Saturday at the Whale Tail
Saturday 2–7pm · New London · Free · Six shanty and folk-punk acts, ending with Vancouver’s The Dreadnoughts at 6pm. It’s downtown by the Maritime Heritage Festival. · Details →
Radiotricity’s 30th at Hygienic Art Park
Saturday 7pm · New London · $10 · The New London band marks thirty years with The Dylan Read Band as special guest. · Details →
Also Saturday: ZZ Top with George Thorogood & The Destroyers at Mohegan Sun Arena, 8pm; and the Joey Michel Family Band in the Grey Sail taproom on Canal Street in Westerly, 3–6pm, free.
SAVE THE DATE
On the horizon
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
NRBQ in the UNITED’s Black Box, doors 7pm, show 8pm, all ages, $35 reserved seats. · Westerly
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19–20
The Harvest Food & Wine Festival at Stonington Vineyards, 11am–6pm both days: live bands, food trucks and artisan vendors in the vineyard. · Stonington
THURSDAY–SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24–27
The Mystic Film Festival runs four days across its Mystic and Westerly venues. · Mystic
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
The Garde at 100: A Night to Remember reenacts the theater’s 1926 opening night, with a cocktail reception at 6pm, classic cars out front and performers throughout the building. · New London
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
Outer Light Brewing’s Fall Bash on Bridge Street, 12–8pm. · Groton
COASTAL WEATHER
The weekend outlook
FRIDAY
76°
Sunny
SATURDAY
73°
Mostly sunny, showers possible overnight
SUNDAY
76°
Chance of showers
That’s your week.
Pick one thing off the list and get out the door.
Talk Thursday.
Reach shoreline locals every Thursday
Presenting partnerships, featured events, Crew Corner campaigns, and local notices are available.
