Jazz at the Lake
The Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition invites old and new friends to Tranquillity Farm in Middlebury on Saturday, September 23 from 3:30 PM to sunset in celebration of our region’s water resources. Hosted by Tranquillity Farm owners, Dr. Scott and Jean Peterson, this year’s annual benefit, JAZZ at the Lake features the Berkshire Jazz Orchestra and welcomes the famed Faith Middleton of Connecticut Public Radio as Honorary Chair. Guests will be treated to a big band performance along with fine wines and tempting hors d’oeuvres as well as silent and live auctions on this historical and amazing property overlooking Lake Quassapaug.
“Food, Olmsted gardens, jazz and preservation… What else do you need?” says Faith Middleton. For years, Middleton has been an outstanding supporter of PRWC and passionately shares its dedication to the environment. In a recent Facebook post on her page for Food Schmooze, Faith thanked PRWC “for its extraordinary work on behalf of the watershed towns”, and wrote “I can't wait to be with all of you. I wouldn’t miss it, and I hope others will join me to support preserving clean water and land.”
Tranquillity Farm, spanning the rolling hills around Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, was originally a 303-acre “model farm” developed by John Howard (J.H.) Whittemore, a successful industrial-era businessman in Naugatuck, and his wife Julia Spencer Whittemore. The sweeping landscape, featuring miles of distinctive stone walls lining the roads and crisscrossing the fields, was designed by Charles Eliot and completed by Warren H. Manning – both protégée of the Olmsted Bothers, a landscape design firm in New York City renowned for their design of Central Park.
While MMW designed the main house, Eliot focused on the placement of the buildings, roads, gardens, fields for crops for grazing and woods to be managed for timbering. The landscape and buildings were regarded as a single design unit, with human-made features designed to harmonize with the existing landscape. Buildings were carefully sited and roads followed the contour of the land in order to preserve important vantage points to the surrounding hills and the lake. The result is a harmonious, peaceful setting of extraordinary beauty.
Today, Scott Peterson, a Middlebury-based ophthalmologist, and his wife, Jean own the property and reside in the renovated carriage house. The Petersons maintain the meadows according to their original layout on the plan created by Eliot and Manning.
While overlooking the lake, Scott said, “Tranquillity Farm is one of the most magical places Jean and I could ever imagine living, and we are very pleased to share it with PRWC and their guests.”
JAZZ at the Lake tickets are $75 per person and it is recommended that they be purchased in advance online or by calling 203-263-0076. All proceeds support the work of PRWC. In the event of rain the celebration will be held on September 24.
We look forward to seeing you at the lake!
Major business and foundation sponsors include Heritage Village/Connecticut Water Company, New Morning Market, Aquarion Water Company of CT, O&G Industries, Inc., Classic Turf, Connecticut Community Foundation, Ion Bank, Kevin and Alicia Bennett, Giuliano Richardson & Sfara LLC, Good News Café, Haynes Materials, Milone & MacBroom, Inc., Secor, Cassidy, McPartland P.C., Southbury Village Square LLC, Thule, Timex Group USA, and USA Hauling & Recycling.
Date: September 23, 2017 3:30 PM-8:30 PM
Location: Tranquility Farm | 211 Tranquility Rd., Middlebury, CT
Admission: $75
