Hear Hot Jazz in a Cool New Club, Ride a Bike, Catch a Fish, and Celebrate Mom!

1. Local jazz fans have a lot to be cheerful about this weekend. Friday, the Old Lyme Inn's jazz club, The SideDoor is having its grand opening featuring George Wein and the Newport All-Stars, with performances by Lew Tabackin and Anat Cohen with Tal Ronen and Daniel Freedman. The show starts at 8 p.m. and runs until 11:30 p.m. 

On May 11, internationally renowned guitarist/composer/recording artist Mimi Fox and Mike Asetta will take the new stage at 8 p.m. Please call for reservations: 860-434-2600 or email guestservices@oldlymeinn.com.

2. If you just can't get enough, then you'll be jazzed to know that on May 12, 20-time Grammy winner and jazz legend Chick Corea will be performing at the First Congregational Church of Madison at 4:00 pm.

3. The first ever Tour de Lyme, a cycling event to benefit the Lyme Land Conservation Trust, wheels off on Saturday morning. All riders are asked to assemble at Lyme Consolidated School on Route 156 in Lyme.

Start times for the different events will be staggered as routes vary in length and difficulty, with some designed for families. All riders are expected to be back at the school by noon for a picnic.

4. If you've always wanted to try your hand at fishing, now's your chance. Saturday, May 11 is Free Fishing Day in Connecticut. You don't need a license and there are tons of special events aimed at helping novice and professional anglers hone their skills.  

5. Sunday, of course, is Mother's Day, and there are a variety of things you could do to celebrate. Many local restaurants, including The Black Sheep, Smarty's Pub, Flanders' Fish Market and Restaurant in East Lyme and the Old Lyme Inn and the Bee and Thistle Inn in Old Lyme, to name just a few, are offering special brunches and lunch menus in honor of the day.

If you'd like to do something that takes you off the beaten path a little, the Potapaug Audubon Society is offering a migrant bird walk at Hammonasett State Park in Madison at 8 a.m. led by naturalist Robert Braunfield. Meet at Meig's Point Nature Center for this free walk but be prepared to pay $9 for parking. 

RiverQuest Cruises is offering half-price ($10) trips for mom on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. departing from Haddam to cruise along the Connecticut River.

While you're in the neighborhood, why not catch a show at Goodspeed Opera House just across the river? The current show, Good News, was the most popular musical on Broadway in the 1920s but it remains a real crowd-pleaser, with songs that you'll recognize and characters and a plot that could have been written yesterday.