By Colleen Gundlach

This will be the third year of the annual phenomenon known as Weekend in Norfolk (WIN), and a look at this year’s schedule of events reveals several new and exciting activities planned, one of which involves star gazing, moon watching and an all-nighter when local astronomer Matthew Johnson conducts Astronomy Night at Dennis Hill. After making their way to the summit of Dennis Hill at 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 4, participants will be taught the constellations and Johnson will help to interpret what they are seeing through their telescopes or with their own eyes. Come prepared with blankets and/or chairs, as Johnson is prepared to stay until 4 a.m. Then he will be back at Dennis Hill bright and early on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. to lead a seminar on kite making and will even get a few of them up in the air. These are but two of the outstanding opportunities available in Norfolk from August 3 through 5 this year.

Sue Frisch, Jon Riedeman and Dawn Whalen are the leaders behind this daunting task of organization and planning which results in a successful WIN weekend. But it is the numerous townspeople and local organizations that come together under their leadership that make this weekend come alive. Frisch, Riedeman and Whalen start 10 months in advance by reminding local groups that they need to start thinking about what their part in WIN will be – and answers they did receive!

“It always amazes me,” says Frisch, “what people come up with as ways to celebrate Norfolk. For example, this year the Botelle School PTO is sponsoring a Retro Prom, open to everyone. Called “The Do-Over,” this will be a fun event for adults to re-write the way their real high school prom went. This fun event is planned for August 4 from 7 to 11 p.m.

Food will be a big focus at WIN, as always. This year, expect to see a food court set up on and around Robertson Plaza in the center of town. All of the town’s restaurants will have food set up outdoors with special menu items available. At various other locations around town, one will find and ice cream social, fried dough, popcorn and sundry other tasty treats.

While in Robertson Plaza, take advantage of free musical events. Dan Hincks of Infinity Hall has arranged for five different musicians to be in concert outdoors on the plaza all day on Saturday, with two more musicians on Sunday. Enjoy the music of such names as Billy Bunce, Moon Matrix and Soul Case while you enjoy the outdoor venues.

In 2016, the first year of WIN, the event coincided with Norfolk Day at the Yale Music Festival. While the dates didn’t meld last year, the WIN committee is excited to say that this year the Yale event will coincide with WIN weekend. This year, for the first time, Battell Arts Foundation and Norfolk Community Association are joining together to provide even more entertainment and activities for kids and families at the Yale festival. Everything provided is free and geared for family fun, from the concerts in the Music Shed to face painting and ice cream.

Open houses out on Golf Drive will offer the opportunity to tour both the Curling Club and the Norfolk Country Club. The Country Club will be open for tours of their Alfredo Taylor designed clubhouse starting on August 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At the Curling Club on August 4, from 1 to 4 p.m., visitors will be able to take a tour of the beautiful new building and enjoy some refreshments.

This year, Norfolk’s Economic Development Committee has hired a consultant to assist with publicity for WIN. Janet Serra, of the Northwest Connecticut Tourism and Convention Bureau will be working with Frisch, Whalen and Riedeman to get the word out beyond Norfolk’s borders. “We know that once people come to Norfolk, they will love it here,” says Frisch. “We want them to come and stay.”

For a complete and up-to-date schedule of events planned for Weekend in Norfolk, go to weekendinnorfolk.org.

Photo, top, by Bruce Frisch: The contestants in last year’s water soccer game turn the hoses onto referee Jon Barbagallo. This year’s will be held Saturday, Aug. 4, from noon until 3 p.m.