Crocodile Club will draw politicos to Bristol Friday

Frank Nicastro, blowing his trumpet (Photo by Mike Orazzi/The Bristol Press)

On the agenda for Friday's Crocodile Club gathering at Lake Compounce are, as of now, Gov. Dannel Malloy, the incomparable Joe Visconti, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. John Larson and his opponent, Republican Matthew Corey. Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and Heather Somers are also on tap, thank goodness, since one guy after another would get tiresome. Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne will, of course, have his moment at the microphone and state Rep. Frank Nicastro will, as always, play the trumpet. WTIC's Ray Dunaway will emcee the whole shebang, trying to keep things moving. What else will happen? Who knows? Tickets are still available. You can get them at the gate for $55 each starting at 11:30 a.m. If you've never been, go. There aren't many things that have survived since 1875. The Crocodile Club is a treat.
Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Crocodile Club coming in September

One of the nation’s longest-standing political events, the Crocodile Club dinner at Lake Compounce, will be back again this year.

The Sept. 5 gathering, a fundraiser for the New England Carousel Museum, is expected to draw its normal crowd of politicians expected to adhere to the time-honored tradition of carving out the afternoon for humor and friendship over a meal of lamb and fried corn.

“We’re hoping to play to a packed house,” said Louise DeMars, the director of the museum.

She said that with so many political races going on, there’s a good chance for a large turnout because so many politicians are searching “for a stage in the arena.” Click here for full story.

This is one of those time-honored traditions that anyone who cares about Bristol, politics or history should be damn sure to attend. Let it die and something special will have slipped away forever.

The money it costs goes to the New England Carousel Museum, a worthy charity by any standards, so there's no excuse to stay home. Go if you can. It's a little quaint and sometimes corny but it's a once-a-year opportunity to share a meal with a lot of interesting people you usually see only on television.

Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Crocodile Club gathers on September 7

Frank Nicastro and Richard Inglis, with a crocodile, at a Crocodile Club gahering  more than a decade ago.

Press release:

BRISTOL, CT – The Crocodile Club is back again this year and will be held at Lake Compounce on Friday, September 7, 2012. Lake Compounce General Manager Jerry Brick continues to support this event in the tradition established by the Norton family for Lake Compounce, the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country. The Crocodile Club will celebrate its 131th reunion dinner with its unique gathering of individuals who put aside their political differences to celebrate this commitment by the park owners.

Please join in, as a capacity turnout is expected.

As usual, the festivities will begin with the social hour at 1:00 P.M. (when crocodile tears are shed!). For early arrivers, a cash bar will be available from 12:00 noon onward upstairs in the ballroom. The traditional dinner of lamb and fried corn with all the trimmings, which was first served in 1875, will commence promptly at 2:00 PM. During dinner, Crocodile Club President, Ray Dunaway will preside over a lively and interesting program. Good speeches and bad jokes are limited to three minutes per person, and NO serious political speeches are allowed.

The “Crocodile Club” was formed in 1875 when Gad Norton, who was a former legislator, and who also started the amusement park in 1846, decided to thank his colleagues in the State Legislature for their help in passing a statute that changed the town line between Bristol and Southington so as to put his farmhouse in Bristol. The reason for this request was so that he could vote in Bristol where he did all his trading and knew more people. Also, in the days of horses and buggies, old dirt roads, and tough winters, the three mile ride to Bristol was a lot easier than the six miles to Southington.

You must come and learn all of the traditions, meet new and old friends, relish the unique menu, and shake hands with all the important politicians, including this year’s political candidates from all parties. Never will you see and meet so many candidates from all sides in one place in such intimate surroundings, all having a good time kidding each other, with no serious politics allowed. That policy was dictated to the original group by host, Gad Norton himself, who said, “There will be no serious politics allowed, no post-mortems from the last legislative session, -- just pleasant sociability, good fun, and good food.”

Guests will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis. A payment made payable to Crocodile Club for fifty dollars each must be received for each participant by August 20, 2012. Mail to the Crocodile Club, c/o Carousel Museum, 95 Riverside Ave, Bristol, CT 06010. The dinner registration form can be downloaded from the Carousel Museum website. www.thecarouselmuseum.org

Upon receipt of your payment, your name will be entered into the guest database and your ticket(s) will be mailed to you or they can be picked up at “will call” at the front gate. Transportation will be provided from the Lake Compounce parking lot to the main gate. You must have your ticket with you in order to get into the ballroom and get fed. 

For tickets contact the New England Carousel Museum, 95 Riverside Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010. 860 585-5411.

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Photographs from the Crocodile Club 2010

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Crocodile Club gets underway

Here at Lake Compounce, the Crocodile Club has gotten down ot business for the 129th time, making it the nation's oldest eating club.
Here are a few pictures to show what it's like:

U.S. Rep. John Larson

City Councilor Ken Cockayne and Dan Malloy, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. 

State Rep. Bill Hamzy, enjoying a cigar (his own, not the ones provided by the Crocodile Club)

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

'The sun always shines on Crocodile Day'

Don't miss reporter Jackie Majerus' blog entry today with the lyrics of Wally Barnes' smash hit from the 1954 Crocodile Club bash at Lake Compounce.
It looks like it's going to be a terrific day again today, with most of the state's political bigshots gathering again beside the lake -- and, thank God, in air conditioned comfort for the first time! And no cigars inside either!
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***** Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Crocodile Club has a new president

Ray Dunaway, the morning drive-time host on WTIC-AM, is going to emcee this year's Crocodile Club, making him president of the organization.
Aside from making the mistake of puting me on the air once to talk about our efforts to save The Bristol Press, he's done a pretty fair job. He knows everyone, too, and that helps.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Crocodile Club 2010 Roll Call

With the return of the Crocodile Club this year, it's time to start rounding up the politicians who have always made the nation's oldest eating club something extraordinary. I'm not sure who's been asked and whether anyone has said they're coming, but I figured an online roll call would be a nice way to keep tabs on them.

So I've started a list of people who should be here for the grand occasion at Lake Compounce on August 31, where politicians fill the room but politics as a serious topic is not allowed.

What is allowed are good times, warm beer, cheap cigars and old-time grub. If somebody wants to bring a 'gator, that is also allowed. Small ones are best.

This is a preliminary list of possible attendees. I'll update it as readers remind me of others who should be listed. I'll also indicate responses as I learn about them so we all know who's coming - and who's snubbing Central Connecticut's most time-honored political event.

President Barack Obama
Vice President Joe Biden
Gov. Jodi Rell --- YES
Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele
U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd
U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman
U.S. Rep. John Larson --- YES
U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy
Gubernatorial hopeful Tom Foley --- YES
Gubernatorial hopeful Dan Malloy --- YES
U.S. Sen. contender Linda McMahon -- YES
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal --- YES
Lt. Gov. hopeful Mark Boughton
Comptroller Nancy Wyman -- YES
Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz
Secretary of State hopeful Jerry Farrell
Secretary of State hopeful Denise Merrill
Attorney General contender George Jepsen -- YES
Attorney General contender Martha Dean
State Treasurer Denise Nappier
State Treasurer candidate Jeff Wright
State Comptroller candidate Kevin Lembo -- YES
State Comptroller candidate Jack Orchulli
U.S. Rep. hopeful Anne Brickley -- YES
U.S. Rep. hopeful Sam Caligiuri

Candidates: Let me know if you're coming ... or not. Drop me a line at scollins@centralctcommunications.com.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Return of the Crocodile Club?

Frank Nicastro and Dick Inglis, with an alligator, at the last Crocodile Club gathering in 2002.

Reporter Jackie Majerus has this:
The Crocodile Club, once the nation’s oldest eating club, drawing hundreds of people each August to Lake Compounce for political gladhanding, is being resurrected as a fundraiser for the New England Carousel Museum.
“We’re very excited,” said Louise DeMars, executive director of the carousel museum. “It’s going to be wonderful bringing everybody statewide, I hope, back to Bristol for this event.”
Invitations, by mail and electronically, are already out for the August 31 event. DeMars said they will also be on the museum website for anyone to access.
“The more, the merrier,” she said.
Jerry Brick, general manager of Lake Compounce, said the amusement park is donating the use of its ballroom, furnishings and some park workers to help. He said the park’s only profit will be from the drinks sold at the bar.
Here is the story on the Press website.
We don't yet know if candidates for governor, the U.S. Senate and more will make an appearance, but this is the perfect year to resurrect the club.
Former Mayor Stretch Norton didn't want it to carry on unless the Norton family was running the yearly dinner, but I always thought he was wrong. The tradition belonged to more than just the Nortons after so many years. It belonged to all of us who participated.
I'm glad the New England Carousel Museum and Lake Compounce are bringing it back.
Now we have to round up the usual suspects and get them to show up.
I hope somebody's calling President Obama. He could use a few hours at Lake Compounce with iffy food, bad cigars and corny jokes.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Crocodile Club makes a comeback

Press release from the New England Carousel Museum:

The Crocodile Club is back!  

The New England Carousel Museum, a non-profit treasure in the Connecticut community, has received permission from the Norton family to resurrect the old Crocodile Club. Lake Compounce has agreed to work with the Museum to bring back the annual dinner meeting at the usual gathering place, the Lake Compounce Ballroom.  Lake Compounce General Manager Jerry Brick continues to support this event as a symbol of his commitment to the tradition established by the Norton family for  Lake Compounce, the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country.  The Crocodile Club,  will celebrate its 129th reunion dinner with its unique gathering of individuals who put aside their political differences to celebrate this commitment by the park owners.  Please join us on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, as a capacity turnout is expected. This is a big and exciting local election year! As a special treat from our generous hosts, free rides on the carousel will be available from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm.

As usual, the festivities will begin with the social hour at 1:00 P.M. (when crocodile tears are shed!)  For early arrivers, a cash bar will be available from 12:00 noon onward upstairs in the ballroom. The traditional dinner of lamb and fried corn with all the trimmings, that was first served in 1875, will commence promptly at 2:00 PM.  After dinner, a lively and interesting program with guest speakers will follow.  Remember, good speeches and bad jokes are limited to three minutes per person, and NO political speeches are allowed.

We are told by the Norton family that the “Crocodile Club” was formed in 1875 when Gad Norton, who was a former legislator, and who also started the amusement park in 1846, decided to thank his colleagues in the State Legislature for their help in passing a statute that changed the town line between Bristol and Southington so as to put his farmhouse in Bristol. The reason for this request was so that he could vote in Bristol where he did all his trading and knew more people. Also, in the days of horses and buggies, old dirt roads, and tough winters, the three mile ride to Bristol was a lot easier than the six miles to Southington.

For newly-invited members, you must come and learn all of the traditions, meet new and old friends, relish the unique menu, and shake hands with all the important politicians, including this year’s political candidates from all parties. Never will you see and meet so many candidates from all sides in one place in such intimate surroundings, all having a good time kidding each other, with no serious politics allowed. That policy was dictated to the original group by host, Gad Norton himself, who said, “there will be no serious politics allowed, no post-mortems from the last legislative session, -- just pleasant sociability, good fun, and good food.”

Invitations have gone out and a large crowd is expected. Guests will be accommodated on a  first come, first served basis.  A check made payable to Crocodile Club for fifty dollars each must be received for each participant by August 15, 2010.  Mail to the Crocodile Club, c/o Carousel Museum, 95 Riverside Ave, Bristol, CT 06010.  

Upon receipt of your check, your name will be entered into the guest database and your ticket(s) can be picked up at “will call” at the front gate. There are four ticket booths where volunteers will be serving you alphabetically.   Transportation will be provided from the Lake Compounce parking lot to the main gate. You must have your ticket with you in order to get into the ballroom and get fed.

For tickets contact the New England Carousel Museum, 95 Riverside Avenue, Bristol, CT  06010.  860 585-5411.  www.thecarouselmuseum.org

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com