I hope everyone visited the library during Poetry Month and enjoyed the Poetry Walk presented along the sidewalk there. It was a great presentation of original writing by local writers of all ages, following myriad styles. The library isn’t done celebrating local poets and their work, however. C.H. Booth Library and Aquila’s Nest Vineyards are now planning a Summer Poetry Walk. Original poems, of 20 lines or fewer, are now sought for a chance to be featured along the vineyard paths next month. Booth Library Adult Services Librarian Shari Merrill is again coordinating this effort. The theme is “Poetry of Hope.” Writers can submit up to three poems to SMerrill@chboothlibrary.org, in Word, Google Doc or PDF format. Deadline is Monday, June 2. Selected poems will be displayed for two weeks within the Pole Bridge Road vineyard, with a reception planned for Wednesday, June 25 (rain date June 26).

The Newtown Earth Day Festival moved from its traditional location of Newtown Middle School’s front lawn to the school gymnasium a few weekends ago. Fortunately most vendors and exhibitors were able to go with the flow, moving along with organizers and their updated plans, including these junior beekeepers. I can’t stop thinking about these siblings, who caught the attention of photographer Bill Glass. Jaymes Michelle, 4, and Stephen Swenson, 3, were all decked out in their best beekeeping outfits. While we had most of our coverage from the annual event in print and online last week, I couldn’t resist sharing this photo here.

Newtown Forest Association’s SpringFest, which was postponed from April 26 due to that day’s weather — the same weather that moved the Earth Day Festival indoors — has been rescheduled to June 14. Organizers shared that happy news this week, and it looks like nearly everything from the original date has carried right over. SpringFest will be at NFA’s Holcombe Hill Preserve, 65 Great Hill Road, 12-5 pm. Admission is $5 in advance if you go through eventbrite (search for NFA SpringFest – New Date!), $10 at the gate, and free for NFA members and those age 3 and under. There will be local artisanal vendors, live music and fun for all ages, food and drink vendors, and more.

Meanwhile, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company members have decided to start focusing on LobsterFest — just four weeks away! — and will resume planning their next food truck event for the fall. The spring Food Truck Festival, which was postponed in April ahead of nasty weather, is officially on ice, I learned this week. Fall Festival will be picked up after the company’s next big fundraiser. Sandy Hook LobsterFest 2025 will be Friday and Saturday, June 6-7, at the company’s main station on Riverside Road. Tickets were distributed among most members of the company on Monday, and are now available for purchase. Tickets are $35 for a full lobster or steak dinner in advance. They will be $40 at the door. Tickets for a hamburger or hot dog dinner are $10 whether purchased in advance or at the door. Dinners include the entrée of choice, potato salad, corn on the cob, chowder, a dinner roll, and a soda or water. The event will still have a raw bar, full bar, additional soda and water, and desserts available for purchase. We have tickets available for purchase at our office at 5 Church Hill Road. The Office of the Fire Marshal, within Newtown Municipal Center, also traditionally sells tickets as well. Presales are cash or check only.

Bruce the Spruce has debuted his new look. Readers, meet Bruce the Maypole Spruce. Maypoles date back to Medieval times in Germanic regions and throughout Europe. The poles, often decorated with garland at the top, are usually erected in the center of a village or the center of the gathering. The Maypole dance involves multiple people dancing around the pole with brightly colored ribbons. Half of the Maypole dancers will go clockwise around the pole while the other half will go counterclockwise. This dance intertwines the ribbons, a symbol of weaving feminine and masculine energy and building community. Dancing the Maypole is also associated with fertility rituals from Pagan traditions and courtship in Europe.

Our Maypole is atop Bruce’s traditional home, a filing cabinet just inside our Production department. While Maypoles are typically erected on May 1, also known as the Pagan holiday Beltane, which celebrates the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, ours went up that day and will remain in place for a few more weeks. The girls in our Production department, who take care of Bruce’s seasonal outfits, haven’t told us yet if he’ll be changing things up for Memorial Day weekend or waiting until June 1 for a new ensemble. Of course, some cultures put up a Maypole for Midsummer, June 20-26. If Bruce is really enjoying this look, he may just hang on to it for a few additional weeks. That would be something worth dancing for.

Newtown High School athletes may be doing a happy dance now that their 15 For Life fundraising and awareness about mental health events have been rescheduled. Lightning prevented the NHS boys’ lacrosse game with Trumbull from being played on May 3 and rain pushed back the events at the girls’ game on May 5. The girls did play, and defeated Joel Barlow of Redding 15-8 (see related story). The new 15 For Life dates have been scheduled as follows, both at Blue & Gold Stadium: Tuesday, May 13, when the girls host Pomperaug beginning with the JV game at 5 or 5:30 pm followed by varsity at 7 o’clock; and Wednesday, May 28, when the boys’ JV plays Trumbull at 5 and the varsity at 7. For more information, visit 15forlife.org.

The high school’s new floor hockey team has home games scheduled the next three weekends. The Nighthawks will host Staples of Westport on May 10, Masuk on May 17, and a second visit from Staples on May 24. All games will be played in the main gym of the high school, and each will begin at 2 pm. Tickets are $5 (cash only) for adults, and will be sold at the door. NHS students enter free of charge. This is Stephen Mammola’s senior capstone project and all ticket proceeds from these games will be donated to the Unified Sports Program. Stephen is the president and director of hockey operations, Hawks Floor Hockey, and also director of player relations for Newtown-New Fairfield Ice Hockey.

Go Nighthawks, and go readers, until next week, when it will be time to come back and … read me again.