Art, Theater and Live Music for One Winter Weekend in Norfolk

In its seventh year, A Weekend in Norfolk (WIN) is a celebration of the creative community in Norfolk, Conn. In keeping with the historical legacy of Ellen Battell Stoeckel, who helped bring the arts to Norfolk by donating portions of her 78-acre estate to Yale University’s School of Music, A Weekend In Norfolk was first conceived by women.

WIN co-founder, Sue Frisch, explained, “I had worked with a group to put out the Norfolk Map and Guide on paper. It had pictures of places and things to do in Norfolk, and it occurred to me one day as I was going to the post office that we should do something to get people here to sample everything in the guide. I walked into the post office, met Holly Gill, and started talking to her about it. She liked the idea and the two of us walked up to the library, still talking about it. There we met Ruth Melville, who loved the idea, so the three of us went to work, proposing the concept to people and groups, and here we are! Our first WIN was in the summer of 2016. We started the winter version in February 2018.”

This year’s winter Weekend in Norfolk, held on Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26, features guided wildlife tracking in Great Mountain Forest, the Farmers Market in Battell Chapel, art shows by Caryn King, Lilly Woodworth, and Ani Jenkins, tours of the five Tiffany stained glass windows at Battell Chapel which were installed in 1929 as a gift from Ellen Battell Stoeckel, the premiere of two one-act plays by Sara Heller and Marinelle Crippen at the Norfolk Library, a 100-year retrospective of Main Street at the Historical Society, and all-day ice skating capped off with a bonfire and hot chocolate at the town ice rink.

When asked about challenges and successes in producing WIN, Frisch replied, “Everyone supports WIN, both with donations that cover the expenses and by putting on events. Donors have been very generous and so have the event organizers. The town itself has been very helpful; for example, it acts as our fiscal agent, and the Economic Development Committee has helped with money.”

“Perhaps the biggest challenge was Covid, but we came up with the idea of doing a virtual festival to keep WIN and Norfolk in people’s minds. Today we have a YouTube channel with more than 65 videos on it and are adding more. Videos are accessible from the virtual events page on our website or directly on our YouTube channel,” Frisch continues.

What do Frisch and her co-producers on the WIN committee want the public to know? “Norfolk is a friendly place and it likes visitors, so almost all the events are free. Our website address has all the events and descriptions posted, as well as a printable program and other information.”

 

A Weekend in Norfolk, a two-day winter festival, will host free events on Saturday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26, with a ticketed evening live music featuring Mike Cobb and Trina Hamlin on Friday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Manor House Inn. For a listing of scheduled events go to www.weekendinnorfolk.org.

Latest News

Rhys V. Bowen

LAKEVILLE — Rhys V. Bowen, 65, of Foxboro, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on April 9, 1960 to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979.

Rhys grew up at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where his father taught English. Attending Hotchkiss, Rhys excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, he also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run at least 50 miles a week, until the day he died.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kelsey K. Horton

LAKEVILLE — Kelsey K. Horton, 43, a lifelong area resident, died peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, following a courageous battle with cancer. Kelsey worked as a certified nursing assistant and administrative assistant at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, from 1999 until 2024, where she was a very respected and loved member of their nursing and administrative staff.

Born Oct. 4, 1981, in Sharon, she was the daughter of W. Craig Kellogg of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and JoAnne (Lukens) Tuncy and her husband Donald of Millerton, New York. Kelsey graduated with the class of 1999 from Webutuck High School in Amenia and from BOCES in 1999 with a certificate from the CNA program as well. She was a longtime member of the Lakeville United Methodist Church in Lakeville. On Oct. 11, 2003, in Poughkeepsie, New York, she married James Horton. Jimmy survives at home in Lakeville. Kelsey loved camping every summer at Waubeeka Family Campground in Copake, and she volunteered as a cheer coach for A.R.C. Cheerleading for many years. Kelsey also enjoyed hiking and gardening in her spare time and spending time with her loving family and many dear friends.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eliot Warren Brown

SHARON — On Sept. 27, Eliot Warren Brown was shot and killed at age 47 at his home in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a random act of violence by a young man in need of mental health services. Eliot was born and raised in Sharon, Connecticut, and attended Indian Mountain School and Concord Academy in Massachusetts. He graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He and his wife Brooke moved to New Orleans to answer the call for help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and fell in love with the city.

In addition to his wife Brooke, Eliot leaves behind his parents Malcolm and Louise Brown, his sisters Lucia (Thaddeus) and Carla (Ruairi), three nephews, and extended family and friends spread far and wide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Randall Osolin

SHARON — Randall “Randy” Osolin passed away on Sept. 25, 2025, at the age of 74. He was born on Feb. 6, 1951, in Sharon, Connecticut to the late Ramon (Sonny) and Barbara (Sandmeyer) Osolin.

He was a dedicated social worker, a natural athlete, a gentle friend of animals, an abiding parish verger, an inveterate reader, and an estimable friend and neighbor. He was a kind-hearted person whose greatest joy was in helping someone in need and sharing his time with his family and good friends.

Keep ReadingShow less