La Grua Center

Name: La Grua Center
Address: 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, US
Telephone: +18605352300
Rating: 4.8

Gallery hours are W, F, and Sun, 1-4 p.m. excepting some holidays and holiday weekends. Also by appointment by calling 860-535-2300.
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Opened in 2008, La Grua Center is a nonprofit cultural center in Stonington Borough offering concerts, art exhibitions, and speakers on a wide variety of topics in a welcoming, acoustically distinctive space.

08/26/2026

SATURDAY AUGUST 29 at 5pm
MUSIC MATTERS: Anita & Julian Graef Sibling viola, violin, and cello duo.

This program spans three centuries of music written and arranged for string duo, tracing the remarkable depth and range of two voices in conversation.

Siblings Anita and Julian Graef bring their shared virtuosity and distinct voices to works by Piazzolla, Schubert, Stravinsky & Ravel.

Tickets $25 online only. Visit LaGruaCenter.org to purchase. There may be a limited number of tickets available at the door the day of the concert. Doors open at 4:30pm. Please note, all seating is unreserved.

08/21/2026

Due to the wet conditions outside,
THIS PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE INSIDE at La Grua Center
__

Friday, August 21 at 6pm
Concert on the Green:
Sing & Play with Bergin & Sarah
Come join us for a joyful, interactive family concert at La Grua Center!

Led by beloved Stonington singer-songwriter Bergin O’Malley, Sing & Play Together has become the soundtrack to childhoods across the shoreline. With two albums released and a third on the way, Bergin, along with musical partner Sarah Bruno, shares original songs alongside timeless children’s classics in a lively, heartwarming performance designed for young children and their families.

These concerts are more than just music—they’re an invitation to sing, move, imagine, and connect. Through songs inspired by colors, animals, friendship, and the simple magic of everyday life, children and grown-ups alike are encouraged to participate through song and play in a warm, welcoming environment filled with joy.

FREE EVENT. All are welcome; this program is offered to the community at no charge.

Major support for the Concerts on the Green is provided by the Stonington Village Improvement Association (SVIA).

08/19/2026

Bring a blanket and join us for a joyful, interactive family concert on the lawn at La Grua Center!

Led by beloved Stonington singer-songwriter Bergin O’Malley, Sing & Play Together has become the soundtrack to childhoods across the shoreline. With two albums released and a third on the way, Bergin-along with musical partner Sarah Bruno shares original songs alongside timeless children’s classics in a lively, heartwarming performance designed for young children and their families.

These concerts are more than just music—they’re an invitation to sing, move, imagine, and connect. With themes inspired by colors, animals, friendship, and the simple magic of everyday life, children, and grown ups alike, are encouraged to participate through song and play in a warm, welcoming environment filled with joy.

For more information visit LaGruaCenter.org

Major support for the Concerts on the Green is provided by the Stonington Village Improvement Association (SVIA).

08/13/2026

Mark your calendars - Porchfest is coming to Stonington! 🎶🎸🥁

On September 12th, starting at noon, the La Grua Center will host Porchfest, a neighborhood-based music festival where local musicians will perform short sets on front porches, lawns, and driveways. You’ll be able to discover performances at your own pace and hear original songs as well as covers by Brad Bensko, Bergin O’Malley, and more!!

Performances will largely take place on Main Street, running parallel to Stonington’s Annual Art Walk, which will take over Water Street in the borough.

Stay tuned for more info on full list of performances and porches. For now, be sure to save the date (and rain date: Sept. 13th).

Special thanks to community partners Salt Marsh Opera, Stonington Borough Merchants Association, Stonington Village Improvement Association, and Stonington Cultural District Commission.

08/07/2026

The 2026 Mystic Outdoor Art Festival Performing Arts Stage will be presented at Mystic River Park on Saturday, August 8th, from 11am to 3pm and 5:30pm to 9pm. The Mystic Outdoor Art Festival is New England’s largest and longest-running art festival, and was named Best Art Festival In New England by Boston Magazine’s New England Travel Awards.

La Grua Center is pleased to present guitarist James Harris for the 1:15 performance!

08/05/2026

Discover the delicate beauty of Queen Anne’s Lace in this hands-on pressed botanical art workshop. Guided by botanical artist Marguerite Alpert, you will use pressed and dried botanical materials that she has pressed and collected to create your own original pressed flower composition to take home. Marguerite will share historical lore, its importance for pollinators, scientific insights, techniques, and some surprising facts about with this elegant wildflower.

Perfect for beginners and nature lovers alike, this workshop offers a relaxing and inspiring opportunity to transform this well-loved flower into a work of art.

Only a couple of spots left!

$35pp. Register at LaGruaCenter.org

07/31/2026

Come find La Grua Center at the 74th Annual COMO Village Fair tomorrow!

We’ll be at tent #56 near the entrance ramp to the Stonington Free Library, offering two free art activities:

10 AM–1 PM: Have your caricature drawn by artist Elaine Mills. Sign up early at the fair!

1–3 PM: Join artist Eva Leong for Chinese watercolor painting.

Stop by to make some art, have your caricature drawn, and learn about what’s coming up at La Grua Center!

The Village Fair runs from 10 AM–4 PM at Wadawanuck Square and features local artists and makers, music, food, children’s games, pottery, books, and more. Admission is free!

07/24/2026

Friday, July 24 at 6pm
Concert on the Green: Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra

The Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra (formerly New London Big Band) is made up of 17 of the finest musicians in New England. Formed in 2016, they play monthly to sold out crowds at the Social Bar + Kitchen in New London, where they attract professional and amateur dancers from near and far.

Their album, Social Hour, released to critical acclaim on Summit Records, is “a smartly swinging young crew…their beat can’t be beat, and they know and show that swing is the thing.” (Midwest Record) The album received airplay globally and charted on the jazz radio charts. The band performed an album release concert for a sold out audience at the famed Birdland Jazz Club. So grab a blanket and come enjoy an evening of free music!

This concert is FREE.

Major support for the Concerts on the Green is provided by the Stonington Village Improvement Association (SVIA)

07/17/2026

This Weekend at La Grua Center!

Looking for a fun and creative activity for your kids? Bring them to our Summer Youth Art workshop where they’ll have the opportunity to work with local artists as well as our friends from the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center.

Kids will be encouraged to explore a variety of activities, including painting, crafting, clay, and more. All ages are welcome, and no registration is required. Just drop in any time starting at 10am—we’ll be creating until noon!

(Please note, for younger children parental supervision is required; no drop offs.)

This is a FREE event, but we suggest a $5 donation to support our local artists and educational programs.

07/09/2026

This Weekend at La Grua Center!

Friday, July 10 from 5-7pm
Exhibit Opening:
17th Annual Stonington Artists Show

This year’s annual exhibit featuring local artists will be themed in honor of America 250th.

Artists were encouraged to interpret the theme broadly, whether through personal, historical, cultural, or imaginative lenses and in any medium. We hope these works will invite connection, spark dialogue, and explore the richness, struggle, and resilience of a complicated past...and the hope and promise of our shared future.

This annual exhibit highlights the many talented artists in our Stonington, Mystic, and Pawcatuck area—hobby and professional artists alike, of all ages and backgrounds. A variety of styles and media will be on display and for sale.

Exhibit Opening Friday, July 10, 5-7pm. Open to the public. Suggested donation $5.  Exhibit will run through the end of August. Please call for hours.

Saturday, July 11 at 5pm Music Matters: Songs of America ~ A Vocal Celebration

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, La Grua Center presents a powerful program of American song featuring three-time GRAMMY Award-winning bass-baritone Dashon Burton, acclaimed pianist Stephen Porter, and two-time GRAMMY-nominated soprano Laura Strickling.

With music by early American composers Francis Hopkinson, Aaron Copland, Amy Beach, John Duke, and Charles Ives, this program reflects a small but vibrant portion of the breadth of America’s musical imagination, from folk tradition and poetry to humor, memory, and national identity.

Join us for this extraordinary vocal celebration as La Grua Center marks America’s semiquincentennial through the power of live performance.

Tickets are $25 and available online only. A limited number of tickets may be available at the door on the day of the concert. Doors open at 4:30 PM. All seating is unreserved.

Address

32 Water Street
Stonington, CT
06378

Telephone

+18605352300

Website

http://www.LaGruaCenter.org/, https://lagruacenter.org/annual-fundraiser-2026/, https://lagruacenter.org/soiree-tickets-

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