1) Samba Rio: Tickets: $35 in advance, $45 at the door. Food: complimentary. Beverages: cash bar. Music and Dancing: Plenty. Prizes for best masks, headresses and/or costumes, dancing and more. Tickets available at The Hammered Edge (526-1654). Parking is easy and there's room for everybody -- 300 plus! Believe it or not, Chester's Winter Carnivale Dance tradition began in the 1950s! Last year's event at the Ivoryton Playhouse was wonderful, but it will be great to bring the fun back home to Chester. Missed it last year? Check out Erik Johnson's "streaming photo" chronicle at www.theartofseeing.com/samba. Continue scrolling to bottom of page.
2) Winter Carnivale promotion: In gratitude for the support of Chester Merchants, a meaningful portion of the proceeds from "Samba Rio" will be pledged to support Sunday's activities, including the Ice Carving, Tractor Parade and Chili-Cookoff. Details about the Carnivale will be publicized before and during Samba Rio, and to further tie the two celebrations together, people who add to the fun of Sunday's downtown events by wearing Carnivale masks or headresses may enter a free random drawing for a $100 certificate from BRAYCE, to be redeemed by any participating Chester Merchant for goods purchased in their store. Entry forms will be available before and during the Carnivale and must be submitted at The Hammered Edge during the Carnivale.
3) Pre-event activities: For those who like to get deep into the spirit, there will be two Samba dance classes and three mask-making workshops in the weeks prior to Samba Rio:
- Dance class one: Tuesday, 2/5 at 6:30 PM, at the Chester Historical Society building.
- Dance class two: Tuesday, 2/12 at 6:30 PM, at the Meeting House. Cost is $10 per class. For more information and to pre-register, email
ParkRecBallroom@chesterct.org.
- Mask-making workshop one: Friday, 2/8 at 6:30-9:30 PM, at the Community Center. Park in the lower car park at the coner of Main Street and Middlesex Avenue (Route 154).
- Mask-making workshop two: Saturday, 2/9 at 1:00-4:00 PM, at the Community Center.
- Mask-making workshop three: Saturday, 2/9 at 6:30-9:30 PM, at the Community Center. Cost is $15 for the first mask, $10 for any additional masks made, $6 each for blank mask forms to bring
home. For more information and to pre-register, contact Kathryne Wright at the Hammered Edge at 526-1654.
4) Goodspeed Costume Rental Discounts: In support of BRAYCE, The Goodspeed is offering a 20% discount on one-week rentals from their impressive costume inventory. Appointments must be
made prior to Friday 2/8. For contact and inventory information, visit www.goodspeed.org/rentals.
5) Chester Events: Check out the major annual events in 2008