During these next months, Grace Farms is an exceptional time to experience and explore nature, as well as discover the many programs related to our initiatives for people of all ages and backgrounds. There are nearly 80 acres of natural preserves to enjoy, in addition to the award-winning architecture of the River building that is embedded in the landscape. Throughout the fall and winter seasons, there are ongoing events related to our initiatives, as well as featured public events that offer opportunities to engage with how we are advancing the Grace Farms Foundation’s humanitarian and cultural mission, locally and globally.
Below, are highlights of our October through December events. Check our calendar for more information and register for events. Feature photo: Dean Kaufman
Program Highlights | October
Bird and Butterfly Walks
Saturdays | 10:30 – 11:30 am
October 1 and 8
Embark on timely fall walks that coincide with peak seasonal migration of songbirds, swallows, hawks, and water birds, as well as monarchs and other butterflies. Many species will pass through our landscape, a Pollinator Pathway site, on their way to overwinter in warmer climates.
Please wear footwear suitable for grassy or muddy terrain.
$10 | member: $8 | children: $5
Astronomy with the Connecticut Science Center
Tuesday, October 4 | 7 – 8:30 pm
Learn about the magnificent planetary positioning of the post-autumnal equinox during this STEAM program lead by a Connecticut Science Center educator. Two telescopes for enhanced viewing, gravity simulations, hands-on art projects, and more will assist in your exploration of this unique night sky. In case of inclement weather, attendees can view live feed from another telescope and use an infrared camera to better understand how we explore space. Hosted in partnership with the Connecticut Science Center.
$15 | member: $12 | children: $7
Fall Foliage Walks
Saturdays | 12 – 1 pm and 2 – 3 pm
October 22 and 29 | November 5
Engage all your senses and experience the fall landscape with guest nature expert Laura Green from Yale School of Forestry and Environment. Stroll through the colorful, changing leaves and learn about the importance of forest restoration and how trees mitigate climate change through oxygen release and local biodiversity.
$10 | member: $8 | children: $5
Garlic Galore
Harvested garlic bulbs from our Community Garden. Photo credit: Julien Jarry
Saturday, October 29 | 1 – 2:30 pm
Did you know fall is the ideal time to plant garlic? Learn how to prepare, plant, and care for garlic at home in a hands-on workshop led by Master Gardener Lauren Elliott. You’ll leave with a head of garlic to get your home garden started. Dress accordingly, this will be held rain or shine.
$15 | member: $12
Sustainable Materials Tour from Design from Freedom
The award-winning River building designed by SANAA is embedded in nature. It was intentionally designed to break down boundaries between architecture, people, and nature.
Saturday, October 29 | 10:30 am – 12 pm
Grace Farms Ethical Materials Director Nora Rizzo will tour the Barns and the SANAA-designed River building, highlighting ethical and sustainable material sourcing. This tour provides an introduction to Design for Freedom and offers guidance for asking questions about forced labor and material sourcing as a professional or consumer.
$25 | member: $20
November
Fall meditation & Movement Series
Wellness expert Pilin Anice on stage in our Sanctuary. Photo credit: Julien Jarry
Tuesday, November 1, 8 and 15 | 4:30 – 5:30 pm
Girls age 8 to 13 are invited to take part in this three-part series designed and led by renowned yoga, dance, meditation instructor, and wellness expert Pilin Anice. In this interactive workshop, girls practice mindfulness and self-expression to discover the power of their voices and bodies. Participants may attend one or all classes.
class: $20 | member: $16
series: $50 | member: $38
Fall Foliage Walks
Saturdays | 12 – 1 pm and 2 – 3 pm
November 5
Engage all your senses and experience the fall landscape with guest nature expert Laura Green from Yale School of Forestry and Environment. Stroll through the colorful, changing leaves and learn about the importance of forest restoration and how trees mitigate climate change through oxygen release and local biodiversity.
$10 | member: $8 | children: $5
Community Dinner
The 18-foot-long tables that were made from trees onsite, bring together people of all ages and backgrounds. Photo credit: Vanessa Van Ryzin
Fridays | dinner begins at 6 pm
November 18 | December 9
Enjoy seasonal community dining experiences in our River building’s Commons, a 6,900-square-foot glass space with 18-foot-long communal tables that foster community and conversation.
$16 | member: $13 | children: $10
Giving Tree
Starting late November
Stop by the Library, the Welcome Center and the Sanctuary to select an ornamental card from the Grace Farms Giving Tree. Gifts are collected in service of local community partner CIRI.
free
Songs of the Season
Throughout the holiday season
Experience moments of peace and tranquility with improvisational arrangements of seasonal music curated by acclaimed saxophonist and mathematician Marcus G. Miller and performed by local musicians in our Sanctuary, an indoor amphitheater with 360-degree views of the landscape.
free
December
Community Dinner
Fridays | dinner begins at 6 pm
December 9
Enjoy seasonal community dining experiences in our River building’s Commons, a 6,900-square-foot glass space with 18-foot-long communal tables that foster community and conversation.
$16 | member: $13 | children: $10
Gifting for Good
Our Gifting for Good allows the community to come together and help our neighbors in need. Photo credit: Grace Farms Foundation
Friday, December 9 | 7 – 8 pm
Join us for our annual evening of gifting along with local families and children. Together, with music and crafts that embody the spirit of the season, assemble care packages with essential items, write cards, and bring cheer to support our local community partner The Center for Family Justice.
Astronomy with the Connecticut Science Center
Our astronomy program attracts people from all ages and backgrounds. Photo credit: Vanessa Van Ryzin
Tuesday, December 13 | 7 – 8:30 pm
Observe the bright Geminids Meteor Shower during this STEAM program lead by a Connecticut Science Center educator. Experience gravity simulations, hands-on art projects, two telescopes for enhanced viewing, and more to learn about this shower and other elements of the night sky. Hosted in partnership with the Connecticut Science Center’s Science-in-Motion program.
Ongoing programming |September – December
Tea for a Better Tomorrow
The Pavilion is a relaxing space in the River building. The tea preparation, surrounded by expansive views of nature, provides an opportunity to pause and reflect. Photo credit: Melani Lust
Thursdays | 2 – 3 pm
September 1 and 15 | October 6 and 20 | November 3 and 17 | December 1 and 15
See, hear, smell, and taste teas from around the world with tea expert Frank Kwei and Grace Farms Foods’ Co-Founder Adam Thatcher. Learn about traditional tea practices and modern methods, enjoy tastings of varietals including herbals, oolongs, blacks, greens, and whites, and discover the impact of ethically and sustainably-sourced teas.
$15 | member: $12
Kids Cook with Chef Neena
Chef Neena Perez preparing meals that consist of fresh and wholesome ingredients.
Wednesdays | 3:30 – 5:30 pm
September 14 and 28 | October 26 | November 9
Under the guidance of Grace Farms Chef Neena Perez, kids ages 11 to 17 will learn how to cook and bake during introductory culinary classes that emphasize good nutrition, organizational skills, communication, and teamwork. Students may enjoy what they cook during class or at home. We supply all ingredients, recipes, and cooking tools.
$40 | member: $32
Community Dinner
Fridays | dinner begins at 6 pm
November 18 | December 9
Enjoy seasonal community dining experiences in our River building’sCommons, a 6,900-square-foot glass space with 18-foot-longcommunal tables that foster community and conversation.
$16 | member: $13 | children: $10
Bird and Butterfly Walks
Over the years, Grace Farms has restored nearly 80 acres of natural preserves, bringing back native meadows and woodlands. This restoration has brought back pollinators including butterflies and over 100 species of birds. Photo credit: Julien Jarry
Saturdays | 10:30 – 11:30 am
September 10 and 24 | October 1 and 8 Embark on timely fall walks that coincide with peak seasonal migration of songbirds, swallows, hawks, and water birds, as well as monarchs and other butterflies. Many species will pass through our landscape, a Pollinator Pathway site, on their way to overwinter in warmer climates.
Please wear footwear suitable for grassy or muddy terrain.
$10 | member: $8 | children: $5
Daily, educational and ongoing programming
Our daily, interactive programs are designed for all ages and explore topics like sustainable design, food equity, and ethical supply chains. Below are select programs you may encounter.
The Welcome Center in the West Barn will provide you with more information about what is offered on the day of your visit.
Imagination Playground
Build skills, solve problems, and make friends through this innovative playground system. Originally designed by the Rockwell Group, these large-scale, lightweight blocks encourage fun and learning through curiosity-driven play. Recommended for children age three and older. Photo credit: Ann Dahlgren
Fall Garden Preparation and Sustainability
The Community Garden serves not only to provide fresh food to our visitors and non-for-profit organizations, but provides learning opportunities on sustainable gardening practices.
Master Gardener Lauren Elliott will show you techniques to prepare for a beautiful garden next season, ways to support your local ecosystem, and how to increase sustainability and conscientious stewardship of the landscape.
Apple Season
Visit during early fall for the best viewing of the ripening apple trees in the Plaza. Throughout the season, we harvest organic apples for donation to our local food relief partner, Person to Person.
Ask about our educational experiences in the Welcome Center in the West Barn.
Follow the Food
Meet in the Plaza at the apple trees to learn about the history of farming on the land that Grace Farms is built on and partake in a conversation about the Community Initiative’s work on food security and creating a more equitable food system.
Room with an Equal View
The River building’s Sanctuary was designed to provide 360-degree views for all, regardless of seat location.
Explore the Sanctuary’s extraordinary features and discover how intentional design creates a purposeful connection and collaboration between audiences, presenters, and nature.
Architectural Elements | Timber
Examine the wood found in the trees across our landscape and used in the River building, while learning about Design for Freedom and its role in addressing forced labor in the global building materials supply chain.
Materials Matter
Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder of Grace Farms Foundation, launched the Design for Freedom movement in 2020. Photo credit: Dean Kaufman
Through dialogue and a building activity, this engagement will illuminate how complex networks, such as construction supply chains obscure the human cost of production. Participants will learn how they can join the Design for Freedom movement and be part of a more equitable supply chain.
River Retreat
self-guided
The River Retreat offers a self-directed way to encounter the Faith Initiative and its core question: what is the shape of flourishing life?
This can be completed over the course of a day or longer.
Available at the West Barn Welcome Center and in the Library.
$5 | member: $4
Weekly programs
Open Arts Studio for Families
Photo credit: Jenna Bascom
Saturdays through November | 10:30 am – 3 pm
Think, play, and create at Grace Farms! Children and families are invited to spend time together experimenting with new materials and art-making techniques during this facilitated series.
Recommended for children age five through ten.
$5 | member: free
Grace Farms Tour
Thursdays and Saturdays | 10:30 am – 12 pm
Explore the River, a meandering glass building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA, and four site-specific installations commissioned specifically for Grace Farms by artists Thomas Demand, Olafur Eliasson, Teresita Fernández, and Beatriz Milhazes. The tour begins with complimentary tea in the Pavilion.
$25 | member: $20 | children: $12
Bunny Book Group
A selection of children’s book in our Library. The group readings provide an entry into the foundation’s work such as the importance of birds and butterflies to the environment. Photo credit: Ann Dahlgren
Fridays | 10:30 – 11:00 am
Gather on the SANAA-designed rabbit chairs in our Library as we read children’s stories from our curated selection of books exploring topics related to our ongoing programs and initiative work.
Recommended for children age one through five with adult caregivers.
Here is more information on how you can get involved at Grace Farms. We welcome people from all ages and backgrounds. Together we are advancing good, locally and globally.
