Jazz Night on the Patio
2026-09-18 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join us for the return of an annual favorite – Jazz Night on the Patio. Our friends from the BnB Jazz Trio will be back to provide an intimate night of great music by the likes of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington, alongside a roaring outdoor fire. Feel free to bring whatever food and beverages you would like to enjoy during the show (alcohol permitted for those 21 and over). Chairs will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer. Tickets are $15 per person and must be purchased in advance HERE. Children under the age of 12 are free and do not need a ticket.
**Rain date is Friday the 25th, same time.

Mushroom Walk & Talk
2026-09-19 10:00 - 11:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join Western Connecticut State University professor of mycology, Dr. Hannah Reynolds, on an exploration of the beautiful and mysterious world of fungi. Dr. Reynolds will lead us on a search for mushrooms and other fungi while discussing their ecology and roles in the forest ecosystem. With any luck, we’ll find fungi like giant puffballs, violet corals, chicken of the woods, polypores, shelf fungus, and more. Please wear proper shoes for hiking and leave your dog at home. We’ll meet by the kiosk at the start of the Red Trail, next to the Merritt House. Click here for a campus map.
This program is a suggested donation of $5 per person for non-members. Advanced registration is required and space is limited. Please click HERE to register.
**Rain date is Saturday, September 26th, same time.

Bat Appreciation Day
2026-09-19 10:00 - 15:00 | New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine, 115 Newgate Road, East Granby, 06026, United States
Join us for the 10th Annual Bat Appreciation Day, led by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in East Granby, CT. Great Hollow’s executive director and bat expert, Chad Seewagen, will be on hand to present Great Hollow’s research on the impact of light pollution to bats and ways to reduce it. There will be fun for the whole family, including exhibits, presentations, live bats, kids’ activities, crafting, bat story time, historical tales, and a unique opportunity to sneak a peek at a “bat cave.” The event takes place at the historic New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine, which is now an important hibernation site for some of Connecticut’s rarest and most imperiled bat species. Please see below for the address and click here to learn more.

Kids’ Drop-in Day: Fall Ecology
2026-10-09 09:00 - 15:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
New Fairfield schools may be closed but Great Hollow will be open! Kids, come join us for a day of fall exploration! During this full-day program, children will have the opportunity to go on hikes and be creative with crafts while learning about the changes occurring in nature this time of the year. Registration is $50 per child for family-level members and $55 per child for non-members. Space is very limited. Advance payment and registration are required. Lunch and snacks are not provided. This is a drop-off program open to children ages 8-12. Please contact our education director, Tara, to register your child.

Tweens & Teens: Reusable Halloween Bags
2026-10-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join us for a Friday evening of eco-friendly crafting where we’ll decorate reusable canvas bags with Halloween motifs. Registration is $15 per child for family-level members and $20 per child for non-members. This is a drop-off program open to children ages 10-15. Please contact our education director, Tara, to register your child.
