Riverton really gets it. My family and I spent a wonderful day in Riverton yesterday at the annual Christmas in Riverton Celebration. For those of you who don't know, Riverton is a small village located in the town of Barkhamsted, Connecticut. The Village of Riverton is perhaps best known for the famous Hitchcock Chair Factory, which unfortunately closed its doors in 2006 after 188 years of producing world class American furniture. The Village has been hit hard by the closure of the factory, yet in some ways I think the people and community have grown closer and stronger. The annual Riverton Fair and yesterday's Christmas Celebration are both examples of how the town continues to move forward.
The cold temperatures and brisk wind didn't dampen the spirits of those who attended. It was a beautiful day with a deep blue sky and fresh clean air. It was the kind of day that makes you feel vibrant and glad to be alive. Everyone was happy and smiling. We arrived about Noon and headed straight for the Riverton Fire House Chili Fest. I love Chili and the volunteer firemen had created a delicious chili, chock full of all kinds of meats and vegetables. Add some home made corn bread and coleslaw and you had a culinary delight. Hotdogs were also available if you preferred your chili with a dog.
After lunch we checked out the Torrington Area Model Railroaders, who had set up a number of model trains of various scales in the Firehouse garage. The main track was a large oval approximately 30 feet in length and had two trains running simultaneously in opposite directions. The model railroaders did a great job and should be commended for their effort.
Next we walked up the street to visit Still River Antiques. Rick Swenson, owner of Still River Antiques is the only authorized restorer in the world of Hitchcock furniture and also has a wide selection of original Hitchcock furniture for sale in his shop. Since the closure of the Hitchcock factory, Rick has hired a number of the long time employees to maintain the high quality of craftsmanship that has always been associated with Hitchcock Furniture. One of these employees was demonstrating the art of rush seat weaving.
After browsing Still River Antiques we headed for famed glass blower, Peter Greenwood's studio. Peter is an amazing artist and glass blower. He has converted the old church into a beautiful glass blowing shop and retail studio. His pieces are exquisite and awe inspiring. His use of color and shape are fused together to create beautiful glass pieces. I would highly recommend a visit to this world class artist's studio.
Speaking of world class artist, nationally acclaimed artist and children's book author Karen Hillard Good opened her studio to the public and was signing copies of her books, including "Scarecrow Pete" and "A Snowgirl Named Just Sue" amongst others.
Next, we headed to the Puppet Show, "From Our Herd to Your Herd". There were two other Puppet shows as well, "Good News" and "Lets Celebrate It's A Boy". The shows were presented by three local churches: Faith Bible Church in Winsted, Open Bible Church in Torrington and the Praise Christian Fellowship located in Barkhamsted. Who doesn't love a good puppet show. The kids sure did love it, they were all dancing and jumping with joy.
After the show we headed for the hay ride, provided by Bob Ellis Coach & Carriage Service from Morris, Ct. Our cart was full as we headed down the street and we all joined in an impromptu version of Jingle Bells! Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh. Hey!
We ended our day in Riverton with a visit to Santa Clause. My son told Santa he wants a Wii Playstation? and Squawkers the parrot that talks. Oh Great!
Although we did not attend, The Riverton Theater & Friends of the Riverton Congressional Church performed the classic Dickens's tale "A Christmas Carol". There were also candle light walks and Christmas Carolling in the evening hours.
As I stated at the beginning of this post, Riverton really does get it. A small town with a strong sense of community. If you missed this festive event this season be sure to make it next year.
Richard