Creative fun for kids at Gillette Castle this month

Kimberly Kenna

Submitted by Friends of Gillette Castle State Park

At the visitor center of Gillette Castle on May 16, inventors and artists of all ages can try their hand at designing innovative doors like those inside the famous Castle.

Local author Kimberly Kenna will be hosting a creative workshop inspired by William Gillette and the new middle-grade novel “Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances.” Attendees are invited to help re-imagine the castle’s famous 47 doors. Children will be guided to design and build secret cardboard doors that blend into a wall and open with latches, levers, and sliders.

“We are excited to host an event for young folk” said Lynn Wilkinson, the president of the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park.  “William Gillette was full of whimsy, and we think that kids of all ages will enjoy the creative challenge of making these doors.”

This free event for 25 children will last from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required at gillettecastlefriends.org. Parents are welcome to stay and join in the fun. Books signed by the author will be available for purchase and all proceeds go to the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park.

Kimberly Kenna and her children’s books have received recognition from the Nautilus Book Award, the Eric Hoffer Award, the Foreword INDIES Award, and the Green Earth Book Award. A former fifth-grade teacher, she enjoys bringing her books to life through workshops and activities that spark creativity in young readers. 

Kimberly's frequent visits to Gillette Castle State Park inspired the setting of her latest novel, “Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances.” In the book, 13-year-old Lola spends the summer with her agoraphobic Uncle Milo in his ramshackle mansion on the Connecticut River. While grieving the loss of her twin, she becomes obsessed with finishing a project she believes will magically keep her out of Bad Girls Boarding School.

But mishaps in a Zen Garden, a glitchy projector that spits out holographic messages from her dead aunt, a beached houseboat, and a displaced wolf upend everything and force her to rethink her mission. A warm and heartfelt story of inner strength, “Lola Gillette” is available for purchase wherever books are sold.

Though the mansion itself is closed to the public, the park at 67 River Road in East Haddam remains open and visitors may stroll about the grounds during regular hours (8 a.m. until sunset daily year-round). The Castle opens for the season May 23. During the open season, it is recommended that visitors purchase tickets in advance through https://connecticutstateparks.reserveamerica.com/.  

The park is nestled between the towns of East Haddam and Lyme. Many of its trails follow a former railroad bed created for a narrow-gauge track installed by the late Connecticut stage actor, who built his unique fieldstone home more than a century ago. Trail maps and videos of the estate may be found on the Friends website.

The mission of the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park is to preserve and promote the legacy of William Gillette and support the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in the conservation of park grounds and the restoration of Gillette Castle. Memberships help to finance park and structural improvements while preserving the estate and Gillette's legacy.

For more information, please visit www.gillettecastlefriends.org.