Saturday, October 6

Annual Blessing of the Animals, 9 am, St Rose of Lima (near stable), 38 Church Hill Road, all welcome, animals should be on leash or in cage for annual event celebrating the life of St Francis of Assist, patron saint of animals.

Blessing of the Animals: Celebration in Honor of St Francis of Assisi, 10 am, Trinity Episcopal Church playground, 36 Main Street, all animals (stuffed or live) and their owners welcome, all animals should be muzzled/leased, caged, etc, for their safety and the safety of others.

Car Wash, 10 am–2 pm, Berkshire Motors, 25 Berkshire Road, members of Newtown High School hockey team will wash cars in exchange for donations, proceeds to benefit team.

Annual Fall Festival & Tag Sale, 9 am–3 pm, Christ the King Lutheran Church, 85 Mt Pleasant Road, also silent auction, handcrafted items, gift baskets, bake sale, cookie walk and refreshments; 203-426-6300.

2nd Annual Passport To Sandy Hook, 11 am–4 pm, Sandy Hook Center, Church Hill Road-Washington Avenue-Riverside Road-Glen Road area, free, explore food, shopping and other attractions of Sandy Hook Center, also prizes, samples, live music, activities for all ages, meet Newtown K9 Officer Felicia Figol and Baro, Sandy Hook Volunteer firefighters, collection for FAITH Food Pantry, stamped passports will allow attendees to enter raffle for $2,300 prize pack, presented by Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP); www.ExperienceSandyHook.com.

Fall Fun & Animals Adoption Day, noon–5 pm (rain date October 7), Mt Pleasant Animal Hospital, 119 Mt Pleasant Road, free admission, adoptable pets from Canine Advocates of Newtown and The Animal Center, games, refreshments, pet chiropractic care demonstration, live music (noon–3 pm, Lucinda Rowe and Michael Connolly), pet-related vendors, Home Again microchipping ($30) and Canine Good Citizen testing ($15), all proceeds to local rescue groups; 203-426-8585.

“Growing Vegetables Year-Round,” 2 pm, C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, $5 donation requested (for Victory Garden at FFH), lecture by gardener and author Nick Mancini (Organic Garden Simplified: A Hands-On Approach To Bountiful Harvests); 203-426-4533.

NUMC Monthly Pasta Dinner, 5–7:30 pm, Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road, $9 adults, $8 seniors, $3.50 children, full pasta dinner with beverages and homemade desserts, takeout available; 203-426-9998.

16th Annual Joseph P. Grasso Festival, 6–8:30 pm, Newtown High School Blue & Gold Stadium, 12 Berkshire Road, $10 adults, $5 students and seniors, performance by NHS Marching Band & Color Guard, also competition between six US Scholastic Band Association Marching Band & Guard member teams, fundraiser for NHS team.

The Cure Is Only A Sip Away, 7–9 pm, Edmond Town Hall Alexandria Room, 45 Main Street, $25/advance, $30/door, wine tastings, hors d’oeuvres & desserts, music, silent auction, proceeds to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, partial proceeds from evening’s wine sales to also benefit LLS, reservations requested; 203-665-1400.

NUMC Coffee House, 7:45–10:30 pm, Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road, admission $4 for those attending earlier pasta dinner (see listing above), $5 otherwise, bluegrass, country and folk music by Roger Sprung & Friends, refreshments available; 203-426-9998.

Sunday, October 7

Family Portrait Fundraiser, sessions available between 9:30 am and 2 pm, Newtown, $50 session fee, outdoor seatings, locations decided with appointment, sessions done by Cynthia McIntyre Photography & staff (also available October 27), appointments required, preview portraits available in two weeks for ordering, all session fees donated to NHS Yearbook; 203-364-1592, www.FamilyPortraitDay.com/newtown.

 Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard Annual Open House, 11 am–2 pm, 2GHG headquarters, 4 Wildlife Drive on Fairfield Hills campus, 11 am–2 pm rain or shine, meet troopers & horses, cavalry demos, tour grounds, pony rides, games, food, etc, all welcome; 203-426-9046.

CROP Walk 2012, begins 2 pm, start from and return to Newtown Youth Academy, 4 Primrose Street, teams and individuals all invited to walk and raise funds to overcome hunger and poverty locally and globally, all welcome.

Newtown Juggling & Circus Arts Club gathering, 4 pm, The Pleasance, 1 Main Street, free, residents interested in learning how to juggle or improve skills they already possess invited to join John Wisnieff, et al, for practice, check club’s Facebook page (facebook.com/groups/Newtown.Juggling) if weather is questionable.

Monday, October 8

COLUMBUS DAY

Tuesday, October 9

Flu Shot Clinic, 9 am–noon, Newtown Senior Center, 14 Riverside Road, $35 (or bring Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, ConnectiCare or Medicare card), administered by Homecare Danbury VNA; 203-270-4310.

The Farmers Market at Fairfield Hills, 2–6 pm, heirloom and organic fruits and vegetables, also flowers, baked goods, jams, handcrafts and more; 203-313-9908.

Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, 6 pm, Town Hall South, 3 Main Street.

Board of Education special meeting, 7 pm, Newtown Municipal Center Board Conference Room, 3 Primrose Street.

Conservation Commission meeting, 7 pm,  Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers meeting, 7 pm, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.

Library Board of Trustees meeting, 7 pm, Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

Board of Finance meeting, 7:30 pm, Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Borough Board of Burgesses meeting, 7:30 pm, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.

Wednesday, October 10

Flu Shot Clinic, 8:30–10:30 am, Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, $35 (or bring Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, ConnectiCare or Medicare card), nasal spray also available ($40), administered by Bethel VNA; 203-792-0864, www.BethelVNA.org.

“Building Your Personal Brand: Market Research Insights into the Power of Branding,” 6 pm, The Villa Restaurant, 4 Riverside Road, $20 ($10 members), Working Women’s Forum event will open with networking and appetizers, then program by guest speakers Coreen McGann and Sue Grant, also showcase by Barbara Branigan-Mitchell on publicizing small businesses, attendees asked to bring items for FAITH Food Pantry, reservations requested; 203-470-9097.

Borough Zoning Commission meeting, 7 pm, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.

“Victorian Christmas Decorations,” 7 pm, Newtown Senior Center, 14 Riverside Road, free, presentation by floral designer Gary Zinsmeyer, hosted by The Town & Country Garden Club; 203-426-5359.

Newtown Arts Festival Committee meeting, 7:30 pm, My Place Restaurant, 8 Queen Street.

SCAN Artist’s Program: Shauna Shane, 7:30 pm, Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main Street, free, demonstration by Ms Shane on painting an acrylic still life, all welcome, hosted by the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown; 203-426-6654.

Thursday, October 11

Friends of Counted Embroidery meeting/program, 10 am, Christ the King Lutheran Church, 85 Mt Pleasant Road, guest Teresa Layman will offer program on Kumihimo (Japanese braiding), bring bag lunch, all welcome; 203-270-1747.

American Red Cross First Aid, 6–8 pm, Newtown Youth & Family Services, 15 Berkshire Road, $55, class will cover sudden illness, bleeding, burns, diabetes, and environmental emergencies, registration required; 203-426-4335.

Hattertown Historic District Commission meeting, 7 pm, Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Water & Sewer Authority meeting, 7 pm, sewage treatment plant office building, 24 Commerce Road.  

Friday, October 12

“Getting To Know Your Laptop,” 9 am, C.H. Booth Library meeting room, 25 Main Street, free workshop with computer expert Mike Ingber, registration requested; 203-426-1533.

Saturday, October 13

Kids’ Safety Seminar, 2–3:30 pm, Extreme Fitness Martial Arts, 266 South Main Street, free seminar for children and parents, to learn how to mitigate abduction, being bullied, trapped in fire. or other dangerous situation, presented by EFMA staff, Newtown Police officers and Botsford Fire Rescue members; 203-304-2018.

Sunday, October 14

Pianist Jens Elvekjaer in concert, 3 pm, Edmond Town Hall Theatre, 45 Main Street, $25, performance to include works of Norgard, Ravel and Schubert, et al, reception to follow, sponsored by Newtown Friends of Music; 203-426-6470.