The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society will hold its signature fundraiser on May 11.

By Ronni Newton

Celebrity contestants will once again engage in a “War of the Words” – a battle of words and wit – as they participate in the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society’s annual fundraiser to support the 300-year-old landmark, and there is plenty of fun on tap for those who attend a watch party or choose to view the game show online.

The on-site “watch party” for those who choose to be part of the studio audience will be held at the museum location on South Main Street, while tickets can also be obtained at no cost to view the show virtually via Zoom thanks to the support of sponsor Tsunami Tsolutions.

“We are excited about War of the Words ’24 as it offers two ways to support the Noah Webster House; folks who enjoy the gameshow can tune in online from anywhere in the world, for free, or they can attend the ‘Studio Audience Party’ (May 11, beginning at 6 p.m.) and reconnect with their museum and community friends,” said Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society Executive Director Jeffrey Mainville. “We’ve added a wine tasting and live music this year to keep things lively – both before and after the gameshow.”

The Studio Audience Party will feature food and drink with local business Tilted Bottles holding a wine tasting. Ramblin’ Dan Stevens, will perform American Blues and Jacques Lamarre will host a live auction. Those who are part of the Studio Audience Party will also watch the live broadcast of War of the Words on the big screen. The game show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 each.

Peter Sokolowski of Merriam-Webster returns as host of War of the Words, and this year’s game show contestants” represent the some of the brightest and wittiest ‘logophiles’ (word-lovers) from across the country,” the Noah Webster House said in an announcement. Contestants include Ben Zimmer, linguist, lexicographer, and language columnist for The Wall Street Journal, who has previously participated in the event; Mignon Fogarty, founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips network and creator of Grammar Girl; Tracy Bennett, Associate Puzzle Editor at The New York Times and editor of Wordle; David Kwong, magician, writer, producer, and New York Times crossword puzzle constructor; Jessi Grieser, associate professor of linguistics at the University of Michigan; and Paolo Pasco, contributor to the American Values Club Crossword, an assistant crossword editor at The Atlantic, and the author of “Crossword Puzzles for Kids.”

Those who register for free tickets to the virtual event can still donate to the museum, or participate in the auction. Tickets can be purchased, donations can be offered, and bids can be made online here.

“The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society has served this community with distinction for over 50 years. Help us to continue our stewardship of this National Historic Landmark by supporting War of the Words ’24,” Mainville said. “We are grateful for donations to the fundraiser in any amount, and please consider registering for the online auction via the museum’s website. All of it makes a difference.”

Webster’s War of the Words is sponsored by Tsunami Tsolutions; Tilted Bottles; Reid & Riege; Merriam-Webster; Gerber Ciano Kelly Brady, LLC; DaleyPawz; DataPay; Elmo’s Dockside Restaurant; Thomas Fahy Insurance Associates; and Wealthspire Advisors.

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