And sound is light, is movement. The sun revolves and sings. – Joy Harjo, poet
Joy Harjo, the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate who was a featured speaker in our annual benefit, often reminds us of our relationship to nature. In her Skeleton of Winter poem, she captures the nuances and wonder of the season, the silence, the light, and being alive when nature seems to be a “skeleton” of herself. Still, there is much going on – life is still unfolding, seen and unseen. During Grace Farms’ Season of Light, we feature events that celebrate the season, including seasonal music and Gifting for Good, an event that brings together hundreds of people from the community to help those in need. We also invite visitors to explore the awe and wonder of our 80 acres of natural landscape.
The award-winning River building is naturally embedded in 80 acres of biodiverse landscapes. Whether you are interested in award-winning architecture, awe-inspiring nature, or simply reflecting in our Pavilion over Grace Farms Foods’ ethically and sustainably-sourced tea, Grace Farms offers various ways for visitors to discover our humanitarian and cultural work.
We welcome people of all ages and backgrounds to Grace Farms. We are free and open to the public six days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm and 12 to 5 pm.
Here are some seasonal highlights.
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Season of Light
Friday, November 24 – Sunday, December 31
Visit us for our annual programming offering moments of cheer, generosity, and peaceful respite for visitors of all ages.
The Season of Light invites everyone to make the most out of the holiday season, whether that means joyfully gathering with friends or family for a giving opportunity or enjoying a tranquil candlelit movement class.
Songs of the Season
November 24 & 25 – December 26 – 30 | 3 – 4 pm
Our yearly music series returns to the Sanctuary! Experience moments of peace and tranquility through seasonal selections performed by various artists, hosted in conversation with and curated by our Music Director, Marcus G. Miller.
free
Giving Tree
From November to mid December, stop by select volumes of the River building to pick an ornamental card from the Grace Farms Giving Tree. Each card corresponds to a gift in service of our local community partner, Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants.
Candlelight Wellness and Tea with Pilin Anice
Wednesday, December 6 | 3:30 – 5 pm
Restore and set intentions for the new year during a tranquil, candlelit movement class guided by renowned yogainstructor, Pilin Anice.
This practice is interwoven with prompts on flourishing life from the best-selling Life Worth Living book by Matthew Croasmun, supporting a fresh consideration of how to embrace a life worthy of our shared humanity.
$20 | member: $16
Gifting for Good
Each season, hundreds of people from the community participate in our signature Gifting for Good event. A highlight of the season, it brings together family and friends to help others.
Friday, December 8 | 3:30 – 5 and 6 – 7:30 pm
With music, tea, and engaging crafts that embody the joyful spirit of the season, assemble care packages, and write cards in support of our local community partners! Proceeds from your ticket go directly towards care packages and packing supplies.
$10 | member: $8 | children: free
Family Space Night, with the Connecticut Science Center
Thursday, December 14 | 6 – 7:30 pm
Member Reception: 5 – 6 pm
Families with children ages 5-10 are invited to explore the wonders of outer space—nebulas, black holes, planets,and constellations—through engaging activity and craft stations facilitated by STEM educators from the Connecticut Science Center.
$15 | member: $12 | children: $7
Season of Light Arts Studio for Families
Tuesday, December 26 – Saturday, December 30 | 10 am – 12 pm
Families are invited to make seasonal artworks inspired by the ornamental conifer trees growing on the grounds of Grace Farms during this special edition of arts studio programming.
For ages 4 – 11 with adult caregivers.
$5 | member: free
Discover Grace Farms Foods’ teas & coffee
Tea at Grace Farms offers a warm welcome to visitors and expresses our commitment to intentional choices in our work. Tea transcends cultures—it sits at the heart of sacred and mundane rituals across the world—but it’s also a global commodity at risk of being produced by people working in forced labor conditions, using unsustainable land practices, with an inequitable distribution of power.
Through immersive tea and coffee programs hosted in the glass-enclosed Pavilion, we seek to highlight and educate about these risks by offering sustainably and ethically produced tea and sharing it with our local and global community. These educational programs feature Grace Farms Foods, a Certified B Corp, which seeks to educate and demonstrate about the mission of Grace Farms Foundation, the Design for Freedom movement, and ethical and sustainable supply chains.
At Grace Farms, we serve tea in the reflective space of the Pavilion. Over a cup of tea, visitors can pause during their busy day and learn more about our teas and our work.
Afternoon Tea
Wednesdays | 3 – 4:30 pm
December 13
Gather with friends in the glass-enclosed Pavilion for a social afternoon inspired by English tea service! Enjoy a warmpot of tea with tasty English and Japanese-inspired bites created by the Grace Farms Culinary Team.
$30 | member: $24
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On-Going Children and Family Programs
Bunny Book Group
We offer and currant a selection of books in our Library, from children’s book to books related to our work.
Tuesdays | 3 – 3:30 pm and Fridays | 11 – 11:30 am
Listen to stories from our curated collection of books and take part in an arts and crafts activity. For ages 1-5 with adult caregivers.
free
Open Arts Studio
Thursdays | 1 – 5 pm and Saturdays | 10 am – 2 pm
Drop in for a facilitated series designed by artists, curators, and educators that invites families to think, play, create, and experiment with sensory-rich materials and different modes of artmaking.
For ages 4-11 with adult caregivers.
$5 | member: free
Grace Farms Family Guide
daily | self-guided
Discover the River building with a sensory wheel highlighting the relationships between line, shape, color,texture, sound, space, light, movement, and rhythm. For ages 5-11 with adult caregivers.
$5 | member: free
Imagination Playground
daily
Build skills, solve problems, and make friends using an innovative system of large-scale, lightweight blocks. For ages 1-8 with adult caregivers.
free
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Exhibits on View
Peace Forest, West Barn
What is Grace Farms and how does Grace Farms Foundation advance good in the world? Explore Peace Forest, an immersive installation inspired by nature, offering visitors an interactive experience highlighting how the landscape, architecture, and people at Grace Farms are part of the Foundation’s mission.
The exhibit is curated by Grace Farms Foundation Creative Director, Chelsea Thatcher, and designed by Peter Miller (Palette Architecture) and Shohei Yoshida (shohei yoshida + associates / SYA), members of the architectural team of the award-winning SANAA-designed River building at Grace Farms, with the graphics designed by Pentagram.
Common Good Through Crisis, East Barn
Common Good Through Crisis considers the relationships and connections that inspired Grace Farms Foundation’s efforts to provide 2 million critical PPE to frontline healthcare workers and thousands of nutritious meals to our neighbors. The Foundation’s work to close the PPE gap was furthered by collaboration with the State of Connecticut, the Town of New Canaan, and other municipalities, hospitals, healthcare organizations, not-for-profits, and individuals.
Common Good Through Crisis is designed by MASS Design Group with Eddie Opara and his team at Pentagram.
Highlights in 2024
2024 Design for Freedom Summit, Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Grace Farms CEO and Founder Sharon Prince welcomes hundreds of global designers and architects from leading firms to the 2023 Design for Freedom Summit. Photo Credit: Jacek Dolata
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About Grace Farms
We bring together people across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building on 80 acres of publicly accessible, preserved natural landscape. Grace Farms, with its open architecture, breaks down barriers between people and sectors and invites conversation, curiosity, and proximities. This collaborative approach to comprehensively address humanitarian issues and generate new outcomes is reflected across all of our initiatives and the place of Grace Farms.
The SANAA-designed River building is embedded in 80 acres of natural landscape. Grace Farms is free and open to the public six days a week, other than Monday. Photo by Kyle Norton
Become a member
Grace Farms members enjoy special access to member-only events, experiential activities, and thought-provoking programs — and the opportunity to be a part of our mission to pursue a more peaceful world.
Learn more at gracefarms.org/membership
Visit our calendar of events to learn more about upcoming programs.
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