Fast Cars, A Veg Fest & Continental Soldiers: This Weekend In CT

CONNECTICUT — Rev up your excitement and prepare for a Memorial Day Weekend in Connecticut that's just a littler bit different. From the roar of engines at Lime Rock Park to a whimsical rubber duck race in Simsbury, there's a smorgasbord of events to keep everyone entertained, whether you're a speed enthusiast, a history buff, or just in the mood for some delicious pizza and cider.…

"Gentlemen, start your engines…"

What's a long, summer holiday weekend without a long, summer holiday road race? The Trans Am Series by Pirelli along with the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association and International GT are rolling into Lime Rock Park in Salisbury on Friday and staying through the whole Memorial Day Weekend.

The Trans Am Memorial Day Classic promises to ooze Americana muscle, with a competitive field full of Mustangs, Camaros, GT 4's and Corvettes. The SVRA line-up tosses a few Porsches and Jaguars into the mix. "Classic, vintage, exotic and collector cars of interest" will be on display throughout the long weekend. Tickets are available online here.

"Gentlemen, start your ducks…"

OK, nobody has ever yet said that, but someone just might, this Friday at the annual Simsbury Duck Race. The event features several rubber duck races on the Farmington River, carnival and field games, inflatables, a DJ, contests for the best decorated ducks, and a whole raft of food vendors. The event is free, but you can purchase a racer duck online here and maybe win a prize. All funds from the race go directly toward programming and resources for local elementary school students. It's all going down Friday, 4-7 p.m. at the Paine Boathouse.

If a rubber duck race is a bit too much excitement, and you prefer to spend your Memorial Day just chilling, we direct your attention to the Yankee Cider Company in East Haddam. On Monday, Jerry's Pizza Truck will be there, at the center of an All-You-Can-Eat Memorial Day Pizza Party. Jerry will be serving up dozens of different pizza varieties as well as gelato, and Yankee Cider Company will provide the hard cider, corn hole, bonfires and grassy field in which to lay back and contemplate the impending start of a new work week… Tickets are available online here.

Cheese and pepperoni against your religion? Then meet up with the folks gathering in The Bushnell Park in Hartford for the 1st Annual CT Veg Fest. The event will bring together "vegfriendly vendors, non-profits, presenters, and those enthusiastic about plant-based living" for a day of music, education, animal advocacy and vegan food. Admission is free. More information here. The chow-down runs 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, with Sunday as the rain date.

You can always count on military history reenactors The 5th Connecticut Regiment for a good time, and the boys are not likely to disappoint with their "Colonial Encampment" at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum grounds in Wethersfield on Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., fans of 18th century culture and cannon fire will have their plates piled high with fifes, drums and infantry skirmishes. Big Bear Trading Company will also be on-site throughout the day selling jewelry, gear and goods inspired by the 17th – 19th centuries. Admission is free.

There will be plenty of history but a lot less violence (we're guessing…) at The Barnes Museum in Southington on Saturday when curator Christina Volpe leads guests on a "A Stroll Through Victorian Gardens: From Design Principles to Legacy." During the romp, visitors will learn "how Victorian gardens served as expressions of wealth and status, offering spaces for leisure and socializing." Tea will be served, naturally. Tickets are available online here.