The Vanilla Bean Café

Howie Bursen & Sally Rogers - Food Bank Benefit
2026-01-24 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | The Vanilla Bean Cafe, 450 Deerfield Road, Pomfret, CT, 06259, United States
Howie Bursen & Sally Rogers
An annual event since the early 1990’s. This year sees the eagerly awaited return of the Annual Food Bank Benefit Concert. Howie Bursen and Sally Rogers will be onstage, along with their fabulously talented musician buddies. Howie hasn’t told us yet, but whoever he’’ got up his sleeve, we know the music will be amazing! Expect soaring harmonies, sizzling instrumentals, and much more.
As always, every penny of your $25 donation will go to buy food for the ACCESS Agency Northeast Connecticut Food Bank. Tickets will be available at the Bean. Concert starts at 7:00.
This show will also be broadcast on YouTube.com. The Link will be posted here by January 20.
~ ADVANCE TICKETS ~ Tickets are available for this show @ the Bean – ~Additional donations can be made~

Celtic Music Session
2026-01-18 16:00 - 18:00 | The Vanilla Bean Cafe, 450 Deerfield Road, Pomfret, CT, 06259, United States
Come and experience the magic of Celtic music! Join professional local musicians Mark Renburke, Abe Myler, and Andrew McIntosh for this lively Celtic Music Session. This free event welcomes players, singers, and music lovers of all levels to celebrate Celtic music tradition. Each month features a unique Celtic theme and a special featured set. Come and join us – bring your own acoustic instrument, your voice, or just come to listen and clap along. Don’t miss the fun – tap into your inner Celtic spirit! This event will be held on the third Sunday of the month from 4 – 6 pm.

Fireside Chat
2026-01-16 19:00 - 21:00 | CT
Join Walter Hinchman and Donna Dufresne of the Pomfret Historical Society at the Vanilla Bean Café for cozy fireside chats about Pomfret’s historic neighborhoods and hidden history on the third Fridays of January, February and March 2026. The Fireside Chats will begin with a ½ hour presentation and continue with Q & A and audience participation. Bring your questions, curiosities, old photos, and memorabilia about Pomfret’s past to share. Suggested donation $10 for Pomfret Historical Society’s Old Town House fund.
The first of these chats will be on Friday, January 16th and the topic will be Pomfret’s Colonial Burial Grounds. These Fireside Chats were well attended last year. Arrive early for a good seat.

Unplugged Open Stage
2026-01-10 19:00 - 21:00 | The Vanilla Bean Cafe, 450 Deerfield Road, Pomfret, CT, 06259, United States
Host Kala Farnham
Join host Kala Farnham for an intimate candle lite night here at The Bean. No amplification means people have to sit closer to the stage creating a true listening room. Sign up when you arrive – two song limit per performer. The lights will be off and all the candles we can find will be lit to create a special listening room atmosphere.
Kala Farnham began taking classical piano at the young age of three, and was gracing stages playing Mozart concertos and Chopin nocturnes by second grade. At age twelve, she began writing her own songs, combining her musical prowess with her childhood passion of writing storybooks. “Writing, for me, became a medium of healing and growth,” Kala explains. “Through the melodies, characters, and stories I explored… I was able to reach a place of revelation and solace within my own journey.”
Admission is Cash Only.

Sing: Quiet Corner Song Swap
2026-01-09 19:00 - 21:00 | The Vanilla Bean Cafe, 450 Deerfield Road, Pomfret, CT, 06259, United States
Sing:
After the death of Pete Seeger in 2014, a small group of his admirers joined together to celebrate his life with a sing-along concert at the Hampton Grange. The event was a huge success and gave birth to SING:The Quiet Corner Song Swap. There is no charge and lyrics are available for most songs. They frequently use the folk “hymnal”, Rise Up Singing and, its sequel, Rise Again for song lyrics. Participants are encouraged to lead their favorite songs or suggest them to the song leaders of the evening. Bring your voices, your instruments, and your ears. This is specifically a night for singing, so please, no fiddle tunes or songs without a place to join in. Learn more on the SING! Quiet Corner Song Swap Facebook Page. Sally Rogers has stepped down and Tom French has taken over as host, as we continue to host this event at our location.
