7/22/21: 14th Annual Harvest Bounty Brewfest

Over 25 CT Craft Brewers of beers, wine & spirits from all around the state will bring their best libations for your tasting.

Come enjoy a great October day in the Litchfield Hills with your friends and brew pals. Special Glass to the first 150 registrants!

3 Live bands: Stache, Potters Field and Switch Factory and 4 Food trucks will fill your body and soul. Lawn games to play and fire pits to relax around Grab your pals and buy your tickets today!

$30 in advance, $35 in advance and $15 for the winged designated driver

Event held rain or shine - we have a large 30’ x 60’ tent and indoor atrium to keep you dry and cozy!

Proceeds benefit the Litchfield Community Center's program and activities - a nonprofit organization providing so much good to NW CT and beyond!

Participating Brewers as of July 21 include:

Black Hog

Brewery Legitimus

Brass Works

Broad Brook

Charter Oak

City Steam

FireFly Hollow

Great Falls

Half Full

Back East

Hog River

Little Red Barn

New Park

New England Brewing

Two Roads

Reverie

Stony Creek

Woodbury

Housatonic River

Norbrook Thimble Island

Litchfield Distillery

Continuum Distillery

Fifth State Distillery

Hartley & Parker Wines

6/30/21: The Lustre Kings are back!

Enjoy wonderful music at sunset as our SummerFest Sunset Concert Series continues on Saturday July 17!

3/31/21: Our Outdoor Tent is up!

Yesterday was a busy day with the installation of our large 30'x60' tent in the parking lot!

That means that all of our programs will be held outside...in the fresh air and sunshine (weather permitting of course!)

This allows us to have more people at each program as we have more space to allow the necessary 6' spacing.

Please be aware we still require pre-registration for all our programs since numbers are still limited.

So watch for new programs coming soon through spring and summer!

3/9/21: Out outdoor tent is coming back!

Our huge 30' x 60' tent will be back in April!

It's set up in our parking lot and with warmer weather coming, our programs and classes will be held outdoors under the tent!

Your safety is our main concern so we will still be following CDC and State of CT guidelines in setting up the programs.

Watch for more information coming soon!

6/26/20: We Welcome You Back on Mon. June 29!

2/11/20: President's Message

President’s Message

Welcome to the Litchfield Community Center’s website, a source of amazing information about what goes on here.  I recommend you begin by reading our Mission statement as it’ll convey the spirit and intent of what we are all about.  Bottom-line, it’s about you!  Driven by Berta and her super staff, and supported by a dedicated Board of Directors, we design and execute programs and offerings with your interests in mind.  The good news is, it seems to be working.  Thousands of your friends and neighbors come here every year, learning new skills & insights, strengthening relationships, and making new friends. 

We’ve been hard at work at implementing our Mission for quite a while; this year marks the 20^th year the Center has been ’Building Community’ in Litchfield and the surrounding towns.  We are very excited and quite proud of these past 20 years, and look forward with optimism over what we can accomplish with you over the next 20!

John Post, President Board of Directors

1/9/20: Community Bag Program is Back for February!

Want to give back? Support the community and the environment! Go to the Stop & Shop in Litchfield and purchase the $2.50 Community Bag.

We will receive a $1 donation for every bag sold in the month of February!

11/14/19: Tulip Bulb Planters Needed Next Week!

We need help with planting Tulip Bulbs around the Community Center next week so Spring will Bloom beautifully!

The Community Center is the recipient of 2000 tulip bulbs from Van Engelen Bulb Co.!  We need many hands (and tools) to get these planted before they perish.

Please join us  and bring a friend on any of the following days/times until we get them all in!

Monday Nov. 18 - 12:00noon - 4:00pm

Tuesday Nov. 19 - 9:00am - 1:00pm

Wednesday Nov. 20 - 12:00noon - 4:00pm

Thursday Nov. 21 - 9:00am - 4:00pm

Friday Nov. 22 - 9:00am - 1:00pm

THINK SPRING!

10/9/19: Starry Night Cafe ~

Saturday November 9, 2019

Starry Night Cafe continues with

"3 Divine Divas" singing solos & duet from famous operas.

Performers - NY Singers & Pianist
Joan Callaghan - Mezzo Soprano
Amanda Gerome - Soprano
Celia Castro - Soprano
Christopher Cooley - Pianist

Doors open at 6:30pm
Cocktail & Food Delights from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Performance at 8:00pm

$100.00 pp / Limited Seating ~ Pre-registration is required!

8/14/19: It's That Time of Beer

One of CT's longest running brewfests returns on Saturday, Oct 5, 2019 from 2p-6p with over 20 CT Craft Brewers, Wine, Live Bands, Food Trucks, Firepits and Lawn Games! Event takes place rain or shine at the Litchfield Community Center.

Event is family and pet friendly (must be leashed at all times).

Brewers participating include Bad Sons Beer Co., Bad Dream Brewing, Brass Works Brewing Co., Brewery Legitimus, Broad Brook Brewing Co., Charter Oak Brewing Co., Crazy Cock Cider, Firefly Hollow Brewing Co., Great Falls Brewing Co.,Half Full Brewery, Kinsmen Brewing Co., Little Red Barn Brewers, New England Brewing Co., No Worries Brewing Co., Norbrook Farm Brewery, Owl's Brew, Reverie Brewing Co., Stony Creek Brewing Co., Thimble Island Brewing Co., Two Roads Brewing Co., Woodbury Brewing Co. and Hartley & Parker Limited, Inc. pouring their wines, Fisher's Island Lemonade, and Litchfield Distillery!

Food Trucks/Vendors include The Comfort Zone Pretzels, Love Heart Bakery, Snowden's BBQ, Bill's Pizza Oven, Brandywine of Litchfield.

3 Live Bands: Potter's Field, Switch Factory and Stache.

Tix $30 in advance, $35 at door DD $15

First 150 receive souvenir tasting glass! Reserve your tix early!

Buy your tickets here!

8/7/19: LEGO Camp Bash'em Bots Engineering ~ Monday Aug. 19 through Friday Aug. 23

Monday – Friday August 19 – August 23, 2019

PlayWell LEGO inspired engineering classes return for kids K-8 for week long camps!

Bash ‘Em Bots with LEGO® Materials (ages 5-12) 1:00pm-4:00pm:

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make a massive motorized LEGO® machine? Our Play Well Engineering instructors guide students in this advanced Play-Well engineering camp, as they re-engineer standard LEGO® vehicles into mechanized machines that can traverse challenging obstacles, battle against fellow bots, and take on Play-Well Instructors’ colossal creations.

$160.00 pp.  Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.

PLUS check out Extra Brick camp: 9:00am - 12:00pm 

Make it a full day of camp fun!

Participants have the opportunity to spend the whole day at the Litchfield Community Center. 
Students in the afternoon session are dropped off at 9am and spend the morning participating in camp games and activities! 
At noon, we have an hour lunch and large group activity before the groups switch and those in the morning Lego program stay outside for normal camp activities!

$60.00 pp.  Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.

7/24/19: Family Dinner on Wed 7/31 is Bill's Mobile Pizza Truck!

Family Dinner Nights!

at the Litchfield Community Center

A great meal is a shared meal! Games & Social time too!

Wednesdays!  5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

7/31 menu:

Bill’s Mobile Pizza Truck will be serving up

fresh hot pizzas!

8/7

Grilled burger with the “fixings”, rolls, potato salad, veggies and ice cream for dessert!

8/21 menu’s TBD

Planning to come?
Please reserve your seat today!

Signing up ensures we have enough food for everyone!
visit: www.thecommunitycenter.org or call: 860-567-8302                         or email: info@thecommunitycenter.org

Hosted by Litchfield Community Center & Food Rescue US NW CT

**Donations welcome!**

7/2/19: Solar Panels are installed!

Good things happening up on the Community Center's roof!

Watch the video at the link below for a view of the solar panels on our roof!

Video HERE

4/2/19: Comedy Night with Michael Petit

COMEDY NIGHT FEATURING MICHAEL PETIT 

Saturday, May 18, at the LCC, $15 advance or $20 at the door
Doors Open at 7:30pm, Laughs Begin at 8pm
This event is 18+ / Bring Your Own Food & Beverage
Pre-registration required

Michael's show will be clean, funny, and loaded with impressions!
Michael has opened for Joan Rivers in Las Vegas, has appeared on Comedy Central, ESPN and NESN with some of television's biggest names. Michael's trademark impressions 
are hilarious and infectious.

1/3/19: LITCHFIELD COMMUNITY CENTER JOB OPENING

LITCHFIELD COMMUNITY CENTER JOB OPENING 

PART TIME ASSISTANT POSITION

INTERESTED PERSON PLEASE SEND RESUME, STATEMENT OF INTEREST (INCLUDING 3 REFERENCES) TO LITCHFIELDCOMMUNITYCENTER@GMAIL.COM

APPLICATION DEADLINE JANUARY 15, 2019

General Responsibilities:

Assist with the development and implementation of programs, activities and services of Litchfield Community Center. Focus is on evening and weekend offerings thus qualified individual must be available for these time periods. Work under the supervision of Executive Director and in collaboration with fellow Community Center staff members.

Qualifying candidates will meet following requirements:

Commits to furthering the mission of the Litchfield Community Center, Inc.

High School Diploma

Has obtained or is working toward college degree and/or 3-5 years working in related field/services

Hold Valid CT Driver’s License and have minimum 5 years driving experience without violations/accidents

Holds or will obtain CT DMV Public Service License upon hiring.

Submit to background check through State Police

Must have genuine interest in working with and assisting individuals of all ages

Proficient reading, writing skills; proficient interpersonal relations and communicative skills; proficient auditory and visual skills; ability to sit, stand, lift, bend, reach and pull a minimum of 50 pounds

Available to work evenings and weekends depending on program/activity schedule and needs of organization.

Employment with Litchfield Community Center, Inc. is understood to be at-will.

12/12/18: Litchfield Community Center Recipient of Special Grant for Family Dinner Nights

PRESS RELEASE: December 11, 2018

Information: Berta Andrulis, Executive Director Litchfield Community Center

860-567-8302 litchfieldcommunitycenter@gmail.com

MEDIA RELEASE

Litchfield Community Center Recipient of Special Grant for Family Dinner Nights

The Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation has awarded the Litchfield Community Center a Year-End Critical Needs grant in support of the Family Dinner Nights presented at the Center. The $2500.00 grant is made possible by the Marion Wm. And Alice Edwards Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation. The donors expressed a strong desire to assist those facing difficult and challenging economic circumstances. This grant will be dedicated to the purchase of supplies and the preparation of the meals provided at the Family Dinner Nights, which are free and offered twice a month. These meals are a collaborative effort of the Litchfield Community Center and Food Rescue US – NW. The motto of the evenings is a “Great Meal is a Shared Meal” and families are welcome to come and enjoy a hot meal and friendly space to socialize and be nourished. The next dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 19 5:30 – 7 p.m. To register or learn more information about the dinner schedule, call 860-567-8302 or visit www.thecommunitycenter.org

11/30/18: FREE Paul Winter Consort Musical Tracks to Download!

From Paul Winter: 

"This Winter Solstice we will pay homage to the half-century lineage of the Consort. Listening now to our early recordings, I’m grateful to be able to feel that they have, at least for me, stood the test of time. We are working toward an anniversary boxed-set of our many recordings, which will be released  in 2019.

For now, we want to offer free downloads of some of this music here..."

https://music.paulwinter.com/album/paul-winter-consort-free-download

"My first band, the Paul Winter Sextet, had a great run in the early ‘60s, and the experiences from our travels led me to envision a new kind of group, one that would embrace all the traditions  I had come to love. It was while living in Brazil, then, in the mid-‘60s, that I got much of the inspiration for the instrumentation of this new ensemble. The group evolved then after that with the encouragement of my friend Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary), who produced our first two albums. I chose the name “Consort” for the band, full well realizing that people might think it was just “concert” spelled wrong. I liked both meanings of the word:

Cónsort, /?känsôrt/, Noun: A small group of musicians making music together.

Consórt, /k?n?sôrt/, Verb: To associate, accord, harmonize; get together.

I wrote a manifesto for this new band:

“My idea of consort is an organic ensemble in which the authentic voice of each player can be heard, and in which ensemble-playing and soloing are of equal importance. I imagine it as an analog to a pure democracy, in which there is equal commitment to the well-being of the whole and to the expression of each individual within it. Everyone’s vote (voice) counts.   

Free Consort Tracks

Here are 8 tracks from the Consort’s first period (1968 to 1972).

1. “Ballad in 7/8” (Trad. Rumanian; arr. Winter)

This is our adaptation of a Rumanian folk melody we heard in a piano piece by Bela Bartok. It features improvised variations by cellist Richard Bock.

2. “Both Sides Now” (Joni Mitchell)

This was my first arrangement for the instrumentation of the Consort. The cello counterlines were inspired by the Prelude of Bach’s First Cello Suite.

These tracks are from our 1968 album, The Winter Consort, produced by Noel Paul Stookey, with myself on alto sax; Richard Bock / cello; Gene Murrow / English horn; Virgil Scott / alto flute; Gene Bertoncini / guitar; John Beal / bass; Ruth Ben-Zvi / darbuke; Jim Kappes / drums (Leon Rix / drums on “Both Sides Now”).

3. “The Famous Pirate” (Leopold Weiss; arr. Winter)

I became fascinated early on with the 13-string Baroque Lute, which is like a classical guitar on steroids. Karl Herreshoff was a superb guitarist who was also a student of this amazing lute. This composition is by the most famous lutenist of the 18th century, Leopold Weiss, who reputedly was a good friend of J.S. Bach. We’ve created new melodies for the Consort over-top the lute piece. 

This is from our 1969 album, Something in the Wind, produced by Noel Paul Stookey, with myself on alto sax; Paul McCandless / English horn; Richard Bock / cello; Virgil Scott / alto flute; Karl Herreshoff / baroque lute; John Beal / bass; and Steve Booker / drums. 

4. “Um Abraco” (A Big Hug) (Ralph Towner)

This is from our 1970 summer tour, recorded live at Royce Hall, UCLA. It was Paul McCandless’s first recording on oboe. 

5. “Fantasy, Fugue and Ghost Beads”

This suite includes the “Fantasy” for guitar by Mudarra, arranged by Ralph Towner; a Bach “Fugue” from one of the Orchestral Suites; and Ralph’s composition “Ghost Beads.”

(“Ghost Beads” has the honor of, along with another of Ralph’s compositions for the Consort, "Icarus," having a crater on the moon named after it. Cellist David Darling’s brother-in-law, Joe Allen, was the scientist-astronaut in charge of the Apollo 15 mission, and he gave those astronauts a cassette of this album, to listen to en route to the moon. The astronauts got to name new craters they discovered, and they named two of them from these pieces they liked on the album.)

These three tracks are from our 1970 album, Road, produced by Phil Ramone, with myself on alto sax; Paul McCandless / oboe and English horn; David Darling / cello; Ralph Towner / guitar; Glen Moore / bass; and Collin Walcott / congas, tambourine, tabla.

6. “Ode to a Fillmore Dressing Room” (David Darling)

David Darling played the seed-themes of this piece in the dressing room at the Fillmore East, in New York, when we played there in the spring of 1971. I captured them on a cassette recorder and then urged David to develop then into a composition. This piece gave us a context for continuing our exploration of new instruments, including the contrabass sarrusophone (heard in the introduction and ending), and the sitar, which Collin Walcott had learned during the years he was road manager for Ravi Shankar. This piece incorporates a unique string quartet, of classical guitar, sitar, cello, and bass. 

7. “Sunwheel” (Ralph Towner)
8. “Icarus” (Ralph Towner)

These three tracks are from the 1971 album Icarus, produced by George Martin, with myself on soprano sax; Paul McCandless / oboe; David Darling / cello; Ralph Towner / guitar, regal (on “Sunwheel”); Herb Bushler / bass; and Collin Walcott / percussion, sitar. (Billy Cobham plays drums on “Sunwheel,” and Larry Atamanuik on “Icarus.”)"

Download FREE tracks:

https://music.paulwinter.com/album/paul-winter-consort-free-download

10/26/18: Cabaret with Marilyn Maye presented by LCC Starry Nights Cafe

The Litchfield Community Center's Starry Nights Cafe welcomes you to an evening with the incomparable star of Cabaret, Ms. Marilyn Maye on Sat. Nov. 3, 2018

Marilyn Maye is a highly praised singer, actress, director, arranger, educator, a Grammy nominated recording artist and a musical treasure. Her entire life has been committed to the art of song and performance.

The award winning Ms. Maye appeared 76 times on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson - the record for a singer. Perhaps the simplest Marilyn Maye accolade came after one of her show stopping appearances on The Tonight Show when turning to his audience of millions, Johnny Carson said, "And that, young singers, is the way it's done." 

Ms. Maye will be accompanied by bassist Steve Doyle. Mr. Doyle is an active part of the New York jazz and cabaret scenes performing regularly at prestigious venues such as the Carlyle, Birdland, Town Hall, Joe's Pub and the Metropolitan Room.

The evening begins with a 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. open bar cocktail hour with delectable appetizers prepared by Dave Vigeant of The Village Restaurant and Samantha Tilley of Mockingbird Kitchen & Bar. 

Ms. Maye will perform 8 - 9:15 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person.
(Reserved, front row table are Sold Out!) 

Proceeds benefit the Litchfield Community Center, a non-profit organization serving our NW CT area. To reserve your seat or obtain more information, phone 860-567-8302 or visit:www.thecommunitycenter.org 

For more information on Marilyn Maye, please visit her website HERE

"Marilyn Maye has everything. She can belt, and she can sing ballads with the kind of warmth that makes your heart smile. She has a theatrical flair that captivates and enthralls, and jazz-spiced chops that can reach notes most singers a third her age can't even hit in their dreams. She's the real deal, the surviving artist of the American popular singer"
Rex Reed, New York Observer 

7/26/18: SummerFest Gala 2018 Photos are here!

SummerFest 2018 Gala Photos are here!

Credit to Litchfield Hills Photography

The Staff of the Litchfield Community Center would like to give special thanks to:

Ron Leal & LCC Board of Directors

Amazing event volunteers of all ages!

Bill & Carol Jones Creative Gems

Jack & Pam Baker Litchfield Distillery

Papermoon Performing Arts Dancers

Mike Main & The Vintage Car Crew

Bill & Betty's Pizza, Brits Brand, LLC,

Tilden's Seafood, The Village Restaurant,

Village Wine Cellar

Sportmen's of Litchfield

Vintage Car Crew

Dale & Quentin Ryan

The Many Wonderful Event Sponsors

And all the guests who attended and contributed to the fun and success of this special evening!

See the photos here!

7/3/18: FAMILY SUMMERFEST WEEK! July 23rd - 27th

Family SummerFest Week July 23rd - 27th!  FREE Programs ALL Week for ALL AGES!

Monday, July 23: 

• 11am - Come enjoy lawn games, pool, table tennis, board games, and more!
• 12pm - Family Cookout! - Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served
• 1pm - Family Movie! 

Tuesday, July 24:

• 11am - Kids Story Time - Authors Nan Rossiter, and Rose Petruzzi will be here to showcase some of their best childrens books.
• 1pm - Tie Dye and Ice Cream Social!  Bring your own piece of clothing to tie dye.  All other materials are provide

Wednesday, July 25:

• 2:30pm - Animal Embassy will be here for a live animal show with over 10 different animals!
•    5:30 - Family Dinner Night!  Leave the cooking and cleaning up to us, while you just enjoy your meal!

Thursday, July 26:

• 1pm - Rolling Video Games of New England will be here with their video game truck so you can try all the latest systems, and games!

Friday, July 27:

• 11am - Carnival Day!  Come enjoy a waterslide, bounce house, face painting, popcorn, balloon animals, and more!

Pre-registration is appreciated for ALL Programs/Events BUT walk-in are ALWAYS welcome! 

You can register at www.thecommunitycenter.org or give us a call at 860 567 8302, or email us at info@thecommunitycenter.org