Circus Spectacular @ Norwalk Oyster Festival September 6, 7, 8, 2019

Historically, when a three-ring circus-like Barnum and Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth" rolled into town by train, crowds young and old were enthralled. Although the iconic Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey’s Circus closed its’ 146-year-old run in 2017, the Seaport Association decided to put on a special series of circus performances to dazzle Norwalk Oyster Festival attendees. Mike Reilly, President of the Seaport Association says, “We thought it would be wonderful to connect fairgoers with the entertainment that is woven into the fabric of American culture. We know that glittering acts of captivating performers still please crowds today, which is why the Seaport Circus Spectacular is just one of the many new entertainment highlights folks will find at the festival this year.”

 National acts from Circus Circus in Las Vegas, and star performers from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus and others will entertain young and old at the Norwalk Oyster Festival, on Friday, Sept. 6, Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8. Reilly notes that, “Sunday is family day when kids 12 and under get in free. We are also offering $25 unlimited ride wristbands on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. making this event super affordable for families.”

This magical circus show includes several astounding acts like the death-defying performance created by the Dominguez Family. They have been amazing audiences around the world with riders challenging the Globe of Death, a giant metal cage, as well as their uncanny skill in navigating the inverted high wire. This 8th generation family from Columbia that broke a world record in 2004 in Ontario by having eight motorcycles in the Globe of Death at one time will blow your mind! This energetic act is perfect for all ages because it always delivers the “wow” factor...so get ready to sit at the edge of your seat and be amazed!

 

Hurling, whirling, twirling hula hoops combined with the amazing acrobatic performance of Nicole Taylor Weiss that defies the eye is another act in the Seaport Circus. Nicole grew up traveling the world with her circus parents learning the business of entertainment from a very young age. Nicole’s Hula Hoop show is high-energy fun at its best. Weiss has been performing for Circus, Circus, Vargas and Cirque Musica, and with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. This performance gives audiences the chance to see real artistry of incredible stunts, athleticism, and gymnastics. Let's just say, you will be "wowed"!

An all-around family favorite, the Hog Diggity Dog Review is also part of the Seaport’s Circus. A second-generation circus performer, Hans Klose works with 20 dogs and four pigs. The performing pigs, Roscoe weighing 750 pounds, and Shelton weighing around 700 pounds were part of Klose's act when he worked for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. Klose travels throughout the country with his animals in a specially made RV that keeps them totally pampered. Hans care and love for his animals is apparent in his laugh out loud routine that will charm audiences young and old.

Games, rides, and many fun activities can be found at Kids Cove. There is face painting, and pint-sized carnival games, plus cotton candy, popcorn, and candied apples round out the fun.

Tickets

The event is held at Veteran’s Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday. Senior tickets are $10 all days. Children 5-12 year’s old are $5. Children under 5 and U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. Tickets can be purchased online at www.seaport.org.  

Festival Hours: Friday, Sept. 6, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, September 7, from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., and Sunday, September 8 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

For those that want to take the train, Metro North is offering a discount package with free shuttle service from the train station to the Oyster Festival.

Free parking and shuttle service available from Calf Pasture Beach and Norwalk City Hall. Ample parking right over the bridge in the Maritime Parking Garage and other lots.

About the Norwalk Seaport Association

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, education and public awareness of Norwalk’s maritime environment and heritage. The Seaport Association and its volunteers are solely responsible for organizing and financing the Oyster Festival. In addition to the Oyster Festival, the Norwalk Seaport Association owns Sheffield Lighthouse and its volunteers maintain the lighthouse and grounds as a museum and nature preserve. For more information, visi

Serene and Beautiful - Sunset Cruises on Friday and Saturday Night

While many enjoy the summer and early autumn sunset from the shoreline, there is something very special about seeing the sunset on the water where the horizon seems endless. The Seaport Association has long offered Friday evening cruises, and, new this year, they are also offering sunset cruises on Saturday nights.

The Seaport Association's vessel is roomy and comfortable with plenty of space for passengers to unwind as they glide through the historic Norwalk Harbor and catch glimpses of sea life, birds, and the necklace of islands in Long Island Sound.  Passengers are encouraged to BYOB and snacks, making this cruise the perfect way to end the workweek. 

The sunset cruise is also ideal for a romantic night out. There is nothing more relaxing - and romantic than watching the sun dip beyond the horizon while gazing at the beautiful Connecticut coastline with a glass of wine or Champagne in hand and the sea breeze in your hair. This on the water excursion is the perfect way to step away from the hustle and bustle you find on land and enjoy a picture-perfect sunset...on the water.

Friday night cruise dates are Friday, August 23 and 30 and September 13 and 20. For Friday night cruise tickets click here.  The Saturday night cruises are offered on August 31, and September 14, 21, and 28.  For Saturday Night tickets click here. The boat departs Norwalk Harbor at 6:30 p.m. for a two-hour cruise. 

For the Love of Oysters @ the Norwalk Oyster Festival

When it comes to oysters, Connecticut has a lot to celebrate, especially Norwalk which has long been known as "Oyster Town".  The Norwalk Island chain, including Sheffield Island, creates the ideal environment for renewed oyster growing operations such as the Copps Island Oysters based in Norwalk. 

The Eastern Oyster was designated as the state shellfish in 1989.  It is a bivalve mollusk that grows naturally in Connecticut’s tidal rivers and coastal bays and is cultivated in seeded beds in Long Island Sound by oyster farmers. Norwalk has had a long history with oysters so it is no surprise the members of the Norwalk Seaport Association has organized an annual festival to fete this delicious shellfish.  September 6,7, and 8 marks the 42nd annual Norwalk Oyster Festival that is held in Veterans Park on Seaview Ave. in Norwalk.

The Norwalk Oyster Festival is the perfect place to slurp fresh Norwalk oysters. Norwalk's oysters are known for their freshness, sweet briny flavor, and buttery plump meats. If you are new to oyster slurping you might want to start small.  Although there is no incorrect way to slurp an oyster, we recommend that you slurp the meat with its "liquor" and give it two or three good chews.  Salt and brine hit first and is followed by a sweet buttery flavor that tastes of the sea.  Oysters come with a variety of accouterments such as lemon, cocktail sauce or red wine vinegar, it's up to you how you want to garnish your oyster.

The Norwalk Oyster Festival offers a wide array of attractions the whole family will enjoy, including continuous entertainment by local musicians and national acts such as Brian Howe, former lead singer for Bad Company and Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot, a vast array of food at the International Food Court, a $25 unlimited ride wristband on Sat. & Sun.,  100 plus art and craft vendors, and several special entertainment venues that round out three days of fun. Best of all, entertainment is included in the cost of admission.

Tickets, Parking & Metro-North

The event is held at Veteran’s Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday. Senior tickets are $10 all days. Children 5-12 year’s old are $5. Children under 5 and U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. Tickets can be purchased online at www.seaport.org.  

Festival Hours: Friday, Sept. 6, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, September 7 from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., and Sunday, September 8 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

For those that want to take the train, Metro North is offering a discount package with free shuttle service from the train station to the Oyster Festival.

Free parking and shuttle service available from Calf Pasture Beach and Norwalk City Hall. Ample parking right over the bridge in the Maritime Parking Garage and other lots.

About the Norwalk Seaport Association

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, education and public awareness of Norwalk’s maritime environment and heritage.  The Seaport Association and its volunteers are solely responsible for organizing and financing the Oyster Festival.  In addition to the Oyster Festival, the Norwalk Seaport Association owns Sheffield Lighthouse and its volunteers maintain the lighthouse and grounds as a museum and nature preserve. For more information, visit www.seaport.org. or call (203) 838-9444. 

Oyster History

Oysters were an important source of food for Native Americans and became a staple in the diet of early European settlers who learned how to harvest them from Long Island Sound.  By the 18th century, many natural oyster beds were depleted so laws were enacted relating to the designation of individually parceled oyster grounds. 

The 1800s is when oystering boomed in Norwalk and by the mid.-19th century, Connecticut led oyster seed production north of New Jersey. By 1911 Connecticut's oyster production peaked at nearly 25 million pounds of oyster meat, that was much higher than nearby states of New York, Mass. and Rhode Island. Demand for Norwalk oysters increased and with the expansion of the railroad's new markets were opened up.  Norwalk was the largest producer of oysters in Connecticut and had the biggest fleet of oyster boats with steam power in the world, and Norwalk became known as "Oyster Town".


Economic depressions, coastal human population, industrialization, and marine traffic lead to a decline in oyster production.  In 1997 and 1998 80% of the state's oysters were destroyed because of a spike in the water temperatures that resulted in a naturally occurring parasite.


Today, marine biologists have teamed up with local oystermen to develop hardier parasite resistant oysters and ways to improve water quality in order to create a sustainable breeding and farming environment for oysters.  Because of the success of these programs, there is a resurgence in renewed oyster growing operations like Copps Island Oysters based in Norwalk.

Bird Cruise August 17, 2019

If spotting seabirds are on your birding to-do list, don't miss the August 17 Birding Cruise organized by the Seaport Association in Norwalk that departs from the Seaport Dock on 4 North Water Street at 8 a.m. For tickets to this exclusive cruise click here.

This special three-hour summer cruise will be accompanied by birding expert and enthusiast, Preston Lust, who will help participants spot and identify seabirds. Preston is an officer in the Connecticut Young Birders Club who has a special interest in nocturnal migration and has conducted research on nocturnal flight calls for the last three years.  He has also participated in bird-watching competitions such as the World Series of Birding and the Megabowl of Birding (the latter of which placed first place for three years straight!).  

Among the types of birds, you may see on these National Geographic styled cruises are nest sites and nesting colonies of ospreys and long-legged egrets with their graceful S-curved necks and long dagger-like bills.  Other seabirds passengers should watch for include American oystercatchers, herons, terns, gulls, cormorants, and many others.

The importance of Sheffield Island to wildlife, especially migratory birds is enormous, and these special bird cruises give passengers the chance to spot these magnificent creatures on and off the water at an awe-inspiring and safe distance with a knowledgeable guide.

The bird watching cruise will depart at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 17. Passengers are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. The boat leaves from the Seaport Dock at 4 North Water Street adjacent to the Stroffolino Bridge at the corner of Washington and Water Streets in South Norwalk.  Parking is available at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium Parking Lot. Tickets are Adult: $28, Members and seniors: $23, Children 4-12 years old: $16 and Children 3 and under are $7.  For Reservations contact 203-838-9444.  On the day of the cruise contact the dock phone at 203-838-2898.  For Tickets click here.

42nd Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival Set for September 6,7, and 8, 2019

Three days of fun, food, entertainment on multiple stages, plus special events for families and friends, from nine to ninety marks just some of the activities to be found at the 2019 Norwalk Oyster Festival hosted by the Seaport Association on Friday, September 6, Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8, 2019, at the 35-acre Veterans Memorial Park in Norwalk “Our 42^nd annual festival is packed with value-added extras especially when you consider that all the entertainment including the headliners Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot, and Brian Howe, former lead singer of Bad Company is included in the ticket price,” said Mike Reilly, President of the Seaport Association. For tickets click here https://www.seaport.org.

The Music

The 2019 Norwalk Oyster Festival has live music from dozens of bands on multiple stages throughout the weekend and features a variety of crowd-pleasing entertainment. “The Oyster Festival is the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer. All music and entertainment is free with the price of the ticket making it economical for the entire family,” says Mike Reilly, President of the Norwalk Oyster Festival.

On Saturday afternoon, September 7 the afternoon begins with Ripchord, the Official Band of the Connecticut National Guard that will play a variety of music from classical and jazz to rock and patriotic tunes. Saturday night starts to heat up when Alex Shillo takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. with his eclectic brand of rock and country music. 

Saturday night’s headliner is Mike DelGuidice and Big Shot who has taken a night off from touring with Billy Joel to perform at the Norwalk Oyster Festival. This tribute band to the music of Billy Joel with some original music thrown in packs hit after chart-topping hit in an amazingly high-energy show that leaves audiences wanting more.

Get ready to swing into Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. with the Commanders that will perform music from the Big Band Era and beyond on the Main Stage. It is 5’oclock somewhere and at 2 p.m. Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band plugin on the Main Stage. So, put on your best “Parrothead” gear, grab some food and drinks from one of the nearby vendors and get ready to sing and dance along to some of the best of Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney and the Zac Brown Band and other tropical classics.

This year the Oyster Festival has a grand finale that begins at 5 p.m. when Brian Howe, former Lead Singer of Bad Company from 1986-1994, closes out the 42^nd Norwalk Oyster Festival with style, exuberance, and a blast from the past of some of our favorite songs ever. Howe has one of rock’s most legendary voices; and as he croons hit after hit he will have you dancing as the sun goes down. Today, Howe is performing many popular songs by Bad Company like  “Feel Like Makin Love,” “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” “Can’t Get Enough,” and other hits. This is a performance worth waiting for and the ideal way to end three days of music, fun, and food.

For the Whole Family – Seaport Circus Spectacular

This year the whole family will enjoy the Seaport Circus Spectacular that will include national acts from Circus Circus in Las Vegas, and star performers from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus and others.

This magical show includes several amazing acts like the death-defying performance created by the Dominguez Family. They have been amazing audiences around the world with riders challenging the Globe of Death, a giant metal cage, as well as their uncanny skill in navigating the inverted high wire. This energetic act is perfect for all ages because it always delivers the “wow” factor.

Hurling, whirling, twirling hula hoops combined with the amazing acrobatic performance of Nicole Taylor Weiss that defies the eye is another act in the Seaport Circus. Nicole grew up traveling the world with her circus parents learning the business of entertainment from a very young age. Nicole’s Hula Hoop show is high-energy fun at its best. She has been performing for Circus, Circus, Vargas and Cirque Musica, and with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

An all-around family favorite, the Hog Diggity Dog Review is also part of the Seaport’s Circus. A second-generation circus performer, Hans Klose works with 20 dogs and four pigs. The performing pigs, Roscoe weighing 750 pounds, and Shelton weighing around 700 pounds were part of Klose's act when he worked for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. Klose travels throughout the country with his animals in a specially made RV that keeps them totally pampered. Hans care and love for his animals is apparent in his laugh out loud routine that will charm audiences young and old.

  

Games, rides, and many fun activities can be found at Kids Cove. There is face painting, and pint-sized carnival games, plus cotton candy, popcorn, and candied apples. The Norwalk Oyster Festival is so family-friendly. There is a special wristband offer on Saturday and Sunday that entitles unlimited rides from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $25. Sunday is Family Day when kids 12 and under get in free with a paid adult; there are also special kids meals and the $25 wristband for unlimited rides from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

If you have always wanted a birds-eye view of the city, the fairgrounds and Norwalk’s beautiful coastline, climb onboard the 65 foot Gondola Ferris wheel to be treated to a unique and memorable ride you can write home about. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy. And, don’t forget your camera.

If you like to shop, head to the Arts and Crafts area where there’re more than 100 fine artists and crafters that display whimsical as well as practical items that appeal to all tastes, budgets, and ages. Jewelry, paintings, pottery, sculpture, clothing, home décor, and wearable art are just some of the treasures to be found here.

For the Foodies

A favorite at any festival is the food, and the Norwalk Oyster Festival never disappoints. After exploring the fairgrounds head to the International Food Court that dishes up everything from Mexican, Columbian, and Italian to funnel cakes, cotton candy, and of course, oysters fresh off the boat, authentic New England lobster dinners and fresh lobster rolls.  This culinary fare is prepared by dozens of local nonprofit organizations allowing them to raise funds for their charitable causes. At the Seaport Tent, learn about Norwalk’s oystering history and browse specialty items on sale celebrating the Sheffield Island Lighthouse.  And, if you have worked up a thirst, no worries head to the craft beer tent that offers more than forty beers.

Tickets

The event is held at Veteran’s Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday. Senior tickets are $10 all days. Children 5-12 year’s old are $5. Children under 5 and U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. Tickets can be purchased online at www.seaport.org.  

Festival Hours: Friday, Sept. 6, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, September 7, from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., and Sunday, September 8 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

For those that want to take the train, Metro North is offering a discount package with free shuttle service from the train station to the Oyster Festival.

Free parking and shuttle service available from Calf Pasture Beach and Norwalk City Hall. Ample parking right over the bridge with at the Maritime Garage and other parking lots.

About the Norwalk Seaport Association

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, education and public awareness of Norwalk’s maritime environment and heritage. The Seaport Association and its volunteers are solely responsible for organizing and financing the Oyster Festival. In addition to the Oyster Festival, the Norwalk Seaport Association owns Sheffield Lighthouse and its volunteers maintain the lighthouse and grounds as a museum and nature preserve. For more information, visit www.seaport.org. or call (203) 838-9444.