Railroad Days celebrates 60th year

Railroad Days celebrates 60th year

Each July since 1964, Railroad Days has pulled into North Canaan to promote all the town has to offer.

Year 60 of the summertime tradition brought two weeks of activities for locals and visitors to enjoy. From railroad tours to carnival games, North Canaan Events Committee put forth a calendar full to the brim with fun.

The Canaan Country Club Car Show opened the festivities on July 7. Vintage vehicles shined in the afternoon and then attendees cooled off with trivia at Great Falls Brewing Co.

Throughout the two weeks, downtown businesses put on special promotions for the occasion. NBT Bank gave out free popcorn and Olde School Deli’s Railroad Burger was a hit with a free bag of chips.

The Railroad Days Vendor Market was held at Lawrence Field on Saturday, July 13. A total of 67 merchandisers signed up to market their products.

Before the COVID-19 shutdown, this Railroad Days market was known as the ‘Craft Fair.’ With the name change, the market expanded from crafts to all types of marketed goods.

Customers discovered handmade jewelry, refurbished home decor, antique products, art pieces, thrift clothing, baked goods and farm stand goods to purchase. Throughout the shopping experience, visitors could stop by the food trucks to enjoy some fresh lemonade and snacks from the Blazin’ Poppers and Food 4 Friends.

Vendors from across the region attended and the selection drew big crowds. The broadened category of products contributed to NCEC’s main priority to indulge in “family-friendly activities,” as committee chair Jenn Crane described them.

Volunteer Alicia Whiting explained that she was drawn to the Railroad Days events to “help support the community and local businesses.” All volunteers worked tirelessly to make the wide variety of events possible.

The annual Bed Race was held outside North Canaan Elementary School July 13. A tradition of Railroad Days from decades past, the race was reinstated last year and now features any homemade, four-wheeled, man-powered racing machine.

The carts are pushed by four runners with a fifth teammate sitting on the vehicle. The course begins on Pease Street, turns into the drop-off circle at the school’s entrance, then turns back down Pease Street to cross the finish line.

Perotti Plumbing’s team completed the lap in 31.02 seconds and won for the second straight year. The fan-favorite “Royal Flush” cart, fit with a pipe wrench for a fender and a toilet for a seat, held up well through the sharp turn back onto Pease. Firefighters operated the only competing vehicle and finished the course in 37.41 seconds.

The team at Freund’s Farm hosted Sip & Clip on July 17 and 18. Guests were invited to the farm to create flower arrangements from homegrown blooms.

Flowers were pre-cut before the rain on day one of the event, so the visitors could choose from them while keeping dry in the greenhouse. Rachel Freund informed everyone about the types of flowers available, their Latin names, and how they work best in each arrangement.

From there, it was time to choose a vase and create a masterpiece of your own. With snacks, drinks, and other materials needed for the arrangements offered to the customers.

Canaan Carnival took over Lawrence Field beginning Thursday, July 18. Games of chance, thrilling rides and fried delicacies enamored the crowds.

The grand finale of the 60th anniversary of Railroad Days on July 20 came to a close with a bang.

It was a jam-packed day full of memorable events, starting with the 2nd annual Triumph field fly-in, the boot drive fundraiser, and the carnival.

The firefighter’s parade marched down Main Street as the evening approached. Departments from across the region joined in the bright occasion.

The day continued as crowds filled the town with cheer and communal enthusiasm, awaiting the arrival of the drone and fireworks shows.

LED-lit drones created spectacular displays in the sky such as a smiley face, fire truck, American flag, railroad crossing sign, and a symbol of unity for the community.

Latest News

Father Joseph Kurnath

LAKEVILLE — Father Joseph G. M. Kurnath, retired priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford, passed away peacefully, at the age of 71, on Sunday, June 29, 2025.

Father Joe was born on May 21, 1954, in Waterbury, Connecticut. He attended kindergarten through high school in Bristol.

Keep ReadingShow less
Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

Keep ReadingShow less
Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

Keep ReadingShow less