Fresh off the heels of last weekend’s Newtown Arts Festival, Sandy Hook Center will be host to a smaller scale — but equally enjoyable — arts event this weekend. Rockin’ the Hook 2026 will be taking place at and around Heritage Park Pavilion, 7 Glen Road, where all ages will be invited to enjoy live music by four bands, visit with therapy dogs and/or the Lego Table, join the inaugural Village Mural Project creation, and enjoy food and drink options.

Attendees on Saturday will also be among the first to discover the recently-installed Little Free Puzzle Library. Hosted by Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity and built by Night Owl Woodworking, this lending library works like a Little Free Library, but instead of sharing books this one shares puzzles. Whether you go for the puzzles or any other offering, the free event will run from noon to 8:30 pm. Some parking will be available in the lot immediately adjacent to the pavilion and Heritage Park. Additional parking will also be available this year at Sandy Hook School after 4:30, when a continuous shuttle bus will begin running between the two locations.

I spied with my little eye a rooster peeking out from below the cuffs of our first selectman’s pants this week. When Bruce Walczak visited Newtown Senior Center Tuesday morning for his latest round of Brews With Bruce, his colorful socks were a quick part of the conversation. I found it particularly appropriate that the highest elected leader of our hometown would sport socks featuring Newtown’s unofficial mascot.

Managing Editor Shannon Hicks is counting the days to September 29. That will not only be the next birthday for childhood friends Barbara (Derry) Slaiby and Brenda (Derry) Longo, it will also be National Coffee Day. My guess is Shannon will be raising an extra mug of coffee Tuesday morning to celebrate the twins. Or to feed her caffeine addiction.

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who created some beautiful art during the Second Annual Newtown Lions Club Chalk the Walk Sidewalk Art Contest. As mentioned in a press release elsewhere in the paper this week, thirty residents participated in this year’s event, resulting in 28 entries (there were a few collaborations). Artists created their illustrations on sidewalks within the courtyard to the west of Newtown Municipal Center on September 12. The Lions then took photographs of each entry, which were then presented during the abbreviated presentation of Newtown Arts Festival this past Saturday. More than 1,300 votes were collected through public voting.

Considering Sunday’s presentation of the festival was an unfortunate rain-out, can you imagine how many additional votes would have been collected with another open day of voting? What a terrific new event the Lions have created. The local club is already saying there will be a third annual Chalk the Walk. This year there were three categories: Adult, Youth, and The David Merrill Memorial People’s Choice Award. I propose a Pets & Other Creatures category next year.

I have to be honest, too: I love cows. What cat wouldn’t? Cows make milk! The winning entry in the Youth category this year depicted a cow being pulled into a hovering UFO via its light-beam. My vote in the Youth category probably would have been for Marshal’s Gagne’s amusing “Abduction!” too.

Speaking of looking ahead, Friends of Newtown Seniors will present their popular Oktoberfest this year on October 20 at NewSylum Brewing Co. Additional details are coming, I’m told.

Congratulations also to the 33 schools chosen to receive a Michaels Cup Award — including Newtown High School — for their commitment to sportsmanship and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Class Act standards during the 2025-26 school year. The schools will be formally honored and celebrated at the 20th annual CIAC Sportsmanship Conference on October 7, but I’m already celebrating the standards being followed by these young adult athletes. Go Nighthawks!

Finally, after weeks of competition, congratulations also to the winner of The Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut … although we don't know who that is. Voting has been underway for weeks, with 16 products manufactured across the state competing for this year’s title. I’ve been encouraging readers to participate in the voting, which closed on Monday after a final round pitting The Satellite Propellant Isolation Valve by The Lee Company against The Santa Claus Brass Button by Waterbury Button Company. Unfortunately, I missed the part where the winner won’t be revealed until October 1 during the Made in Connecticut: 2026 Manufacturing Summit, although that does make sense. That means I won’t be able to share the results with you until the following week, but I’m on it. I promise.

I hope you’re on it when it comes to your reading schedule. Don’t forget to check in with me this time next week, when it will be time to … read me again.