PORTLAND, CT — Autumn is settling in on both sides of the Connecticut River. In East Hampton and Portland that means a pumpkin-filled village off Route 66, a wine patio with a different act each afternoon, and a bookshop-bar that turns into a music room at night. There's also a library wall full of hometown photographs to see before the show comes down. Here's where to go from Thursday through Sunday.
This Weekend's Arts & Entertainment
- "Portland x Portland" Photography Exhibit — On view through Oct. 8 during library hours. Thirteen Portland photographers, among them Susanne Anderson, Dan Castelli, Janet Lopes and Frank Winiski, show how they see their hometown in this special library exhibit. Portland Library, 20 Freestone Ave., Portland.
- Pumpkintown U.S.A. — Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Halloween, weather permitting. The seasonal pumpkin village at Paul's & Sandy's Too runs a daily hayride. On weekends, face painting and food shacks selling fried chicken, hand-cut fries and apple cider doughnuts join the lineup. Weekend village admission is $9 for ages 10 and up and $7 for ages 3 to 10, and the hayride is $16 and $11. Pumpkintown U.S.A., 93 E. High St., East Hampton.
This Weekend's Restaurants & Bars
- Open Mic Night, Then Weekend Sets — Thursday, Sept. 24, 7 to 9:30 p.m. (sign-up at 6:30 p.m.); Friday, Sept. 25, 7 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, 7 to 9 p.m. The downtown spot that bills itself as "books, beers, live music" hosts its weekly open mic Thursday with hosts Ken Stroebel and JD Wise. On Friday, TJ & A Music, billed as a "songful couple," sings "sweet songs together," and on Saturday a performer listed as "Mr P..." plays tunes "from feisty to misty-eyed," backed by Connecticut craft beer. Dexter's Tunes, Tales and Ales, 91 Main St., East Hampton.
- Live Music on the Wine Patio — Friday, Sept. 25, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Paul Christopher); Saturday, Sept. 26, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (Eric Nass); Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (Chris Newell). The Route 66 winery pours its own wines, ciders and craft beers, and its patio and pavilion put guests next to the stage. It's open until 9 p.m. Friday and until 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Arrigoni Winery, 1287 Portland Cobalt Road, Portland.
- Erin Rocc — Sunday, Sept. 27, 3 to 6 p.m. Portland's Main Street brewery wraps up the weekend with a Sunday afternoon set from Erin Rocc in the taproom. Concentric Brewing Company, 91 Main St., Suite B, Portland.
You can plan the whole weekend around the river. Start Thursday at Dexter's open mic, catch Paul Christopher at Arrigoni on Friday evening, and spend Saturday on the Pumpkintown hayride before an afternoon on the wine patio. Then close out Sunday with a pint and Erin Rocc at Concentric, stopping on the way at the Portland Library to see your neighbors' photographs of the town before the show ends Oct. 8.
Subscribe