Lighthouse Cake-Off Comp Contestants Set for SENTINELS ON THE SOUND

Next Friday evening, July 1, five local bakers will vie for top honors in the 1st Lighthouse Cake-off Competition at the Custom House Maritime Museum, 150 Bank Street, New London. The bakers were commissioned by the New London Maritime Society (NLMS) to create cakes representing different local lighthouses (lighthouse selection was made by drawing names out of a hat). Two awards will be presented: one for artistic merit, a second for taste. The event is free and open to the public.

On Friday at 7:30 PM, artist and friend-to-area-lighthouses Louise Pittaway will select a winning cake, based on aesthetic merit and overall presentation. At the end of the evening, a second award will be made based solely upon taste--and visitors to the Custom House Friday night will get the opportunity to both taste and vote for the Lighthouse Cake-Off taste champion. Lighthouse Cake-Off Competitors are:

Charlene Lidquest, The Cake Lady, New London Ledge Light

Elisa Giommi, Mangetout, LLC, New London Harbor Light

Araminta Poole, Minta's Sweet Treats, LLC, Avery Point Light

Genie MacCracken, Upper Deck Cafe, Stonington Harbor Light

Also that evening, author Todd Gipstein will be at the Custom House to speak about his new novel, a historical thriller, Legacy of the Light. Three lighthouse exhibitions will open: watercolors by Pat Kelbaugh of Niantic; Lighthouses in the Frank L. McGuire Maritime Research Library Collection, curated by NLMS librarian Brian Rogers; and Sentinels on the Sound, a new exhibition on local lighthouses, in the Custom House Maritime Museum Ingoldsby Work Crawford Gallery. In fact, several of the objects on display in the library and Crawford Gallery exhibitions are letters written to and by Ingoldsby Work Crawford, himself; Mr Crawford was the New London US Customs Collector in the first half of the 19th century. At that time, US Customs was in charge of all area lighthouses. Mr Crawford's letters detail the day-to-day activities necessary to maintain the lights and their keepers, and also provide information about the construction of new lighthouses at Morgan Point and Old Saybrook.

It is all part of New London's Lighthouse weekend.
July 1 through 3, the City celebrates New London's lighthouse heritage with Sentinels on the Sound, a lively weekend of special exhibitions, tours and events. The weekend starts on Friday, July 1, with a big night of gallery openings, a lighthouse cake competition, Todd Gipstein's book signing, three new lighthouse exhibitions at the Custom House Maritime Museum, a painting demonstration and more, ending with Fireworks at Ocean Beach Park!

Why not make a night of it! Come down to New London for dinner, stroll around the galleries, take cake & catch Todd's book talk at the Custom House, then head to Ocean Beach Park for a spectacular fireworks display.

The lighthouse weekend & our new lighthouse exhibition are made possible by a generous grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council*.

For more information about the Lighthouse Cake-Off and Sentinels on the Sound, please call 860-447-2501 or visit the website at nlmaritimesociety.org. 

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