Grace Farms is celebrating the fall season with dynamic events that blend music, art, nature, architect and more — from a world-class performance by the London Philharmonic Orchestra to thought-provoking films on design and architecture.
The highlight of the season is our 9th Annual Benefit on October 21, which features a remarkable evening performance by a 31-musician chamber ensemble from the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO). This event, held in the Sanctuary amid autumn’s vibrant foliage, will be conducted by Luis Castillo-Briceño and will include a cocktail reception celebrating Grace Farms’ nine years of achievements in culture and collaboration. This annual benefit supports the preservation and sustainability initiatives of Grace Farms.
Additionally, throughout the fall there are series of educational and engaging activities ranging from gardening workshops to birdwatching walks along our 80 acres of natural landscapes. After a crisp walk through our nature trails, enjoy a warm cup of Grace Farms’ tea in our Commons or relax in our Pavilion, a reflective setting in the River building.
Each activity is designed to connect participants with our initiatives including nature, the arts, justice, community, and faith, as well as Design for Freedom, a global movement to remove forced labor from the build environment. Below are seasonal highlights.
Seasonal Highlights
9th Annual Benefit featuring the London Philharmonic Orchestra Monday, October 21 | 6 – 9 pm Doors open at 5 pm
Conducted by LPO 2023/24 Fellow Conductor Luis Castillo-Briceño, will present a moving program that incorporates our theme, Architecture Moves Us, and illuminates the purpose of our Foundation.
Creatives in the Field
Step into the glass-enclosed Sanctuary, in full view of the rolling meadows and fall landscapes, for a compilation of programs featuring creatives at the top of their craft. Discover the art of listening to music in a way that amplifies joy with violinist and composer Suzie Collier. Our Voices of Culture series invites the community for a masterful performance from singer and songwriter Sheléa!
Deemed one of the greatest artists of her generation by Quincy Jones, Sheléa is a powerhouse and versatile vocalist known for her sought after performances at high-profile tributes, celebrations, and various events.
Suzie Collier, Photo courtesy of Suzie Collier
Sheléa, Photo courtesy of Sheléa
Stay immersed in the arts with a screening of Mau, hosted in collaboration with Architecture & Design Film Festival. A celebration of the life and works of visionary designer Bruce Mau, this optimistic documentary asks us to consider how we can harness the power of design to create a better world.
Conversation & Performance The Power of Music with Suzie Collier
Thursday, September 26 | 7 – 8:30 pm
Voices of Culture Concert Vocalist Sheléa
Saturday, September 28 | 7:30 – 9 pm
Grace Farms and Architecture & Design Film Festival
present Mau | a documentary
Saturday, October 5 | 6:30 – 8 pm
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Fall Garden to Table Dinner
Friday, September 27 | 6:30 – 8 pm
Experience a delicious meal prepared by our culinary team highlighting fresh produce harvested from our garden. Members of our culinary, horticulture, and garden teams, including Director of Horticulture Kimberly Kelly and Pastry Chef and Educator Leah Jones, will discuss shelf lives of seasonal produce and explore creative ways to make the most out of freshly harvested fall vegetables. Recommended for adults.
$30 | member: $24
Fall Birdwatching Walks
Saturdays, 11 am – 12 pm September 28 and October 5
It’s peak seasonal migration for birds passing through Grace Farms! Walk through the landscape with Master Birder Frank Mantlik in search of birds preparing to embark on their journey south and try to identify some of the over 115 species that have been spotted at Grace Farms.
$10 | member: free | children: $5
Nature’s Classroom | Create a Flowering Lawn
Saturday, September 28 | 1 – 2 pm
Learn how to create a bee-friendly flowering lawn by adding beneficial plants to landscapes of any size during an afternoon with Director of Horticulture, Kimberly Kelly.
$10 | member: $8 | children: $5
With Every Fiber | Sunset Viewing
With Every Fiber Exhibit, curated by Chelsea Thatcher, Chief Strategy Officer and Founding Creative Director. Photo by Kyle Norton
Thursday, October 10 | 7 – 8 pm
Experience Grace Farms after hours during this intimate look at the With Every Fiber exhibit. Sip tea, mingle with friends, and learn the intention behind the exhibit and the innovative biomaterials installation by the Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA).
The installation from Yale CEA emphasizes the relationship between culture and sustainability by featuring several indigenous materials that are a part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage lists. A temporary presence in With Every Fiber, the installation will travel to Brazil in 2025 for COP 30.
$15 | member: free
Gardening Workshop|Extending Your Harvest
Saturday, October 12 | 11 am – 12 pm
Join us in the Community Garden to learn how to extend the growing season with winter hoops, row covers, fall plantings, and so much more. You’ll leave with red crimson clover seeds to plant in your garden, which will provide a nourishing spring nitrogen boost and feed pollinators.
$15 | member: $12
Nature’s Classroom | Native Plants for Every Season
Saturday, October 26 | 1 – 2 pm
Walk the fall landscape with Director of Horticulture Kimberly Kelly, who will discuss what you’ll need to foster germination and demonstrate how to collect native seeds and store them properly.
$10 | member: $8 | children: $5
Fall Foliage Walks
Saturdays, 11 am – 12 pm October 26 and November 2
Embark on a guided walk through the changing leaves while learning about the importance of forest restoration and how trees mitigate climate change through oxygen release and local biodiversity.
$10 | member: free
Beauty & Logic | la grande ligne
Saturday, November 9 | 7:30 – 9 pm
How can math help hold a piece of music together?
Explore what legendary French composer and teacher Nadia Boulanger described as la grande ligne, or “the long line,” with Music Director, saxophonist, and mathematician Marcus G. Miller. Enjoy a performance by Miller and his band, IWM, while encountering the mathematical structures that make compositions meaningful.
$20 | member: $16
Chef’s Palate | Global Groceries: The World of Food
Sunday, November 10 | 3 – 4 pm
Explore the origins of popular ingredients during this deep dive into the relationship between groceries and geography led by Pastry Chef and Educator Leah Jones. Learn about the journey your food takes before it arrives on your plate, why shopping seasonally can be key to creating delicious dishes, and more.
$15 | member: $12
Astronomy Autumn Night Sky Exploration
Thursday, November 14 | 6:30 – 8 pm
Behold the autumn night sky during this outdoor viewing guided by an educator from Mystic Seaport Museum’s Treworgy Planetarium, who will utilize a tracking telescope and other observational tools. In case of inclement weather, the night sky viewing will take place indoors using the innovative Stellarium Astronomy Software.
Recommended for ages 12 and up.
$15 | member: $12
Gardening Workshop | Growing Garlic
Saturday, November 16 | 11 am – 12 pm
Fall is the best time to plant garlic. Learn how to prepare, plant, and care for this common aromatic, and take home a head of garlic to plant in your own yard.
$15 | member: $12
Autumn Harvest Family Picnic
Friday, November 22 | 6 – 7:30 pm
Families, join us for an indoor fall picnic! Enjoy a savory menu showcasing seasonal produce harvested from the garden and have some fun with family-friendly activities and educational crafts.
$22 | member: $18 | children: $16
Nature’s Classroom | Nature’s Palette
Saturday, November 23 | 1 – 2 pm
Stroll the nature preserve with Director of Horticulture Kimberly Kelly to take in the magnificent fall foliage while learning the science behind why trees and plants have such a diverse and eye-catching color palette in the fall.
$10 | member: $8 | children: $5
Yoga with Pilin Anice
October 5, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, November 2, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, December 4, 3:30 – 5 pm (Candlelight Yoga)
Experience movement and music in the light-filled Court with renowned mindfulness and wellness expert, Pilin Anice. This invigorating class takes participants through a breath-centered yoga practice while incorporating acoustic sounds.
Season of Light
Friday, November 29 – Saturday, December 28
Make the most out of the holidays and visit us during our annual Season of Light! Daily engagements and programs during this joyful period offer opportunities for cheer, generosity, and a peaceful respite for visitors of all ages.
Giving Tree
Share in the joy of giving this holiday season with Grace Farms’ Giving Tree! From November to early December, stop by select volumes of the River building to pick an ornamental donation card from the Grace Farms Giving Tree, or participate virtually. Donations made through the Giving Tree support local families alongside our community partner, Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI).
Give the Gift of Grace Farms
Check off your list this season with a selection of gifts that give back at Grace Farms including holiday bundles, gift memberships and more.
Songs of the Season
November 29, 30 and December 27, 28 | 3 – 4 pm
Our popular yearly music series returns to the Sanctuary! Experience moments of peace and tranquility through season-inspired musical selections performed by various artists. This series is curated by Music Director Marcus G. Miller.
free
Cookie Decorating
Saturday, December 7 | 1 – 2 pm & 3 – 4 pm
Sip warm tea and decorate cookies with the entire family during this fun-filled hour! Cookies will be provided by our Pastry Chef and Educator Leah Jones.
Due to last year’s popularity, we’re offering two decorating sessions!
$8 | member: free
Gifting for Good
Friday, December 13 | 4 – 5 pm and 6 – 7 pm
In the spirit of giving, gather with friends, family, and fellow community members to assemble care packages and write cards in support of Filling in the Blanks. This joyous night offers festive music, refreshments, and engaging winter crafts for all ages to enjoy.
$10 | member: $8 | children: free
Gardening Workshop | Decorating with Air Plants
Saturday, December 14 | 11 am – 12 pm
Make a one-of-a-kind holiday decoration from living plants and other natural materials with Grace Farms garden team. With a focus on more sustainable holiday décor, you’ll learn about epiphytes, the fascinating low-maintenance plants that acquire nutrients and moisture from the air and water around them.
$15 | member: $12
Open Arts Studio
Thursday, December 26 and Friday, December 27 | 10 am – 12 pm
Play with the reflection of light through glass and trace the shadow lines to create a drawing or painting inspired by the winter landscape. For ages 4 – 11 with adult caregivers.
$5 | member: free
Tea & Coffee at Grace Farms
Bringing people together over a delicious meal and cup of coffee or tea has been central to Grace Farms from the beginning. Every sip is an opportunity to share our vision for a world free of forced labor and to demonstrate and educate about ethical and sustainable supply chains through Grace Farms Tea & Coffee, a Certified B Corp.
Grace Farms offers a full collection of premium organic coffees and teas for sale on-site, online, and at select Whole Foods Markets that give back 100% of profits to support the Design for Freedom movement.
Grace Farms at Work
Demonstrate your organization’s ESG and charitable commitments by partnering with Grace Farms Tea & Coffee through our corporate and nonprofit partnership program.
Offer Grace Farms’ signature coffees and teas in your workspace and join organizations including Bloomberg, JPMorgan, Humanscale, Pentagram, Auberge Resorts, and World Economic Forum in spreading awareness about ethical supply chains.
Wellness & Tea
Bi-monthly on Saturdays | 10:30 am – 12 pm
Center and connect with your community through curated wellness classes inspired by and paired with Grace Farms’ signature teas. Accessible to all experience levels.
$20 per class | member: $16
Journey Into the World of Tea
Led by Tea Expert Frank Kwei, this tranquil and in-depth exploration of tea offers guests a taste of notable varietals from cultures around the world, with demonstrations and more.
$15 per class | member: $12
Eastern and Western Tea Culture & Practices
Wednesday, November 20 | 1 – 2:30 pm
Afternoon Tea
Monthly on Fridays | 3 – 4:30 pm
October 18, November 15, December 20
Gather with friends in the glass-enclosed Pavilion for a social afternoon inspired by English tea service! Enjoy a warm pot of tea with tasty English and Japanese-inspired bites created by Pastry Chef and Educator Leah Jones.
$30 | member: $24
Grace Farms Tours
The award-winning River building, designed by SANAA, offer 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape.
Grace Farms Tour Thursdays and Saturdays | 10:30 am – 12 pm
This comprehensive tour invites a closer look at the architecture of the River building and Barns. Take in 360-degree views of the nature preserve while exploring the building’s sustainable design, curated interiors, and materials choices. During the tour, sample a cup of tea from Grace Farms Tea & Coffee, a Certified B Corp that demonstrates and educates about ethical and sustainable supply chains. The double LEED-certified River building, designed by Pritzker Prizewinning firm, SANAA, was awarded the prestigious 2014/2015 Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP), in addition to the AIA National 2017 Architecture Honor Award and AIA Connecticut 2016 Design Honor Award.
Visit gracefarms.org for additional tour times.
Approved for AIA CES
Archtober Tours SANAA, Materials, and Landscape Saturdays, October 12 and 26 | 2:30 – 4 pm
Our Architecture Advisor Toshihiro Oki leads a walking tour of Grace Farms’ SANAA-designed River building and Barns. Learn about the ideas and projects that informed SANAA’s approach to Grace Farms and how new design technologies were developed to keep as much connection to the landscape as possible while maintaining an interior environment that could be sustained through the four seasons.
Approved for AIA CES 1.5 LU
$30 | member: $24
Grace Farms Family Tour
Saturdays and Sundays | 3 – 4 pm October 27, November 17, and December 15
This interactive tour invites families to explore the River building as it twists and turns through Grace Farms’ natural landscape. Build models, play with materials used to create our homes and community spaces, and discover how a building’s design can reduce its impact on the environment.
For ages 5 and up. $5 | member: free
Behind the Scenes Tour Timber
Saturday, December 14 | 2:30 – 4 pm
The warm natural quality of the wood throughout the River building is an integral part of the building’s design. Follow Architecture Advisor Toshihiro Oki for a closer look at how wood was utilized as one of the main building elements, how existing trees felled onsite during construction were repurposed into wood tables, chairs, and other furniture, and more.
Approved for AIA CES 1.5 LU
$25 | member: $20
Private Architecture Tours Tuesday – Friday | 10:30 am and 12:45 pm
Private tours of Grace Farms are available by request for groups of 8 or more. Learn more and submit a request at gracefarms.org/visit
Children & Family Programs
Imagination Playground
daily
Children can build skills, solve problems, and make friends in the Court using an innovative system of large-scale, lightweight blocks that encourage learning through curiosity-driven play. For up to age 8 with adult caregivers.
free
Bunny Book Group
Tuesday | 3 – 3:30 pm & Friday’s | 11 – 11:30 am
This popular children’s program is held in our Library.
Listen to stories from our curated collection of books and take part in an arts and crafts activity. For up to age 5 with adult caregivers.
free
Materials Studio
Tuesdays | 10 am – 12 pm, Wednesdays & Fridays | 3 – 5 pm
Explore With Every Fiber then join our educators for a special art project inspired by this exhibit prompting families to play, reimagine, and discover the life cycle of everyday materials in our built environment including textiles, timber, metals, and concrete. Learn about the unique properties of the different materials, and use your imagination to create new applications for them.
free
Studio Beginnings
Thursdays | 10 – 12 pm
Our youngest artists are invited to make art inspired by the River building and surrounding landscape. For ages 1 – 5 with adult caregivers.
$5 | member: free
Open Arts Studio
Thursdays | 3 – 5 pm & Saturdays | 10 am – 2 pm
Drop in for a facilitated series designed by artists and educators that invites families to play, create, and experiment with sensory-rich materials. For ages 4 – 11 with adult caregivers.
$5 | member: free
Open Arts Studio | Wintry Landscapes
Thursday, December 26 and Friday, December 27 | 10 am – 12 pm
Play with the reflection of light through glass and trace the shadow lines to create a drawing or painting inspired by the winter landscape. For ages 4 – 11 with adult caregivers.
$5 | member: free
Looking Ahead to 2025
Meet our Artist in Residence Architectural Photographer James Florio
James Florio at Grace Farms
Architectural photographer James Florio works slowly and with intention. During his 18–month residency at Grace Farms, Florio utilizes large format film to investigate and capture the depth of changes that climate, time, and nature have on the architecture and landscape. His residency will culminate with a contribution to our permanent artworks and an exhibition of his images.
James Florio | Process and Proofs
January 30, 2025
Join James Florio this January for an exploration of his process and a discussion about his residency at Grace Farms.
Grace Farms and Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF)
In 2024, Grace Farms launched a collaboration with ADFF to present films exploring the unique perspectives and process behind architecture and design. In March, we screened of Modernism Inc.: The Eliot Noyes Design Story (2023), and in October, we’ll screen Mau (2021), a documentary about design visionary Bruce Mau.
Humanity in Architecture Film Festival
Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25
Join Grace Farms and ADFF for a two-day film festival with feature length films, including a screening of Tokyo Ride (2020), directed by Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine, starring Ryue Nishizawa and Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA, the architects that designed Grace Farms.
Design for Freedom Summit
Sharon Prince, our CEO and Founder, opens the 2024 Design for Freedom Summit at Grace Farms. Last year’s Summit was sold out with over 550 in attendance. Photo by Jacek Dolata.
March 27, 2025
Join us for our fourth annual Summit, bringing together hundreds of leading experts across sectors, as well as highly–engaged university students, united in the collaborative, global movement to raise awareness of forced labor in the building materials supply chain.
Over 550 attendees joined us for the 2024 annual Design for Freedom Summit. Humanitarian photographer and founder of Human Thread Foundation Lisa Kristine, and author, founder of Empowerment Collective and modern slavery survivor, Nasreen Sheikh each shared their perspectives from the forefront of the movement to eradicate modern slavery.
Design for Freedom Competition
Ethical and Equitable Materiality to End Forced Labor in partnership with the ACSA
Design for Freedom Webinar | Thursday, September 26, 2024
Registration Deadline | Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Submission Deadline | Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Winners Announced | Summer 2025
Grace Farms is partnering with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) to host a student design competition for the 2024-2025 academic year. Architecture students can compete in two separate categories: a design project and a materials research project.
The competition aims to challenge individual or teams of students to explore how architectural materials research and design can eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain – and to explore and propose how architects can work to eradicate forced and child labor from the built environment.
Exhibits
With Every Fiber
West Barn
Where do our building materials come from and are they made with fair labor?
With Every Fiber inspires consideration for the materials that make up the built world. It brings visitors up close to timber, metals, textiles, concrete, and an immersive biomaterials installation by Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA).
During the final months of 2024, we invite you to step into With Every Fiber to see the panels of timber, reflect upon the origins of steel, learn about the Nettle from Nepal and Ramie from Japan as part of the Yale CEA installation, and more, while taking into account the hands that made these materials possible.
With Every Fiber is curated by Grace Farms Creative Director Chelsea Thatcher and designed by Studio Cooke John Architecture + Design, with graphics from Pentagram.
In its next iteration coming in 2025, With Every Fiber will feature new materials for consideration.
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.
Recently, Peace Forest was refreshed with contributions including art from Hillary Waters Fayle, who created a special project with flora collected from the Grace Farms landscape that was unveiled at our annual benefit in 2022.
The exhibit is curated by Grace Farms Chief Strategic Officer 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.
About Grace Farms Foundation
Photo by Sahar Coston-Hardy
We bring together people across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building and Barns, on 80 acres of publicly accessible natural landscape.
Our humanitarian work to end modern slavery and foster more grace and peace in our local and global community includes leading the Design for Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain.
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.
Membership
Grace Farms members can visit without advance registration and enjoy a 20% discount on paid programs, retail, and dining, invitations to members-only gatherings, complimentary events, and a welcome gift from Grace Farms Tea & Coffee.
Becoming a member helps us advance our mission to pursue a more peaceful world and supports the preservation of the River building and its surrounding 80 acres.
For more information, visit gracefarms.org/membership.
Visit our calendar of events to learn more about upcoming programs.
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