Antiques Shows______

Saturdays (weekly to Oct 26): Bethlehem Flea Market, Bethlehem Fairgrounds, 384 Main St North/Rte 61, 6 am-1 pm, free adm & parking, 200 spaces will offer antiques & collectibles, plants & flowers, organic foods & farmer’s market, artisans & crafters, food, machinery & equipment & much more; 860-618-2940.

Sundays (through Dec): Elephant’s Trunk Country Flea Market, Rte 7, New Milford, 7 am-2:30 pm (early buying 5:45 am, $20), adm $2, free ages 12 & under, leave pets home, vendors offer antiques, collectibles & misc, refreshments available; 508-896-1975.

Sundays (through fall): 8th season Clinton Village Antiques & Collectibles Flea Market, 327 East Main St/Rte 1, Clinton; 860-669-3839.

Sept 26-27: 24th annual Mountain Laurel Glass Club Glass, China & Pottery Show & Sale, St Mark’s Parish Center, 467 Quaker Lane South, West Hartford, Fri 6-9 pm, Sat 10 am-5 pm, adm $4; 860-643-5353.

Sept 27: 42nd Annual Outdoor Antiques Show, Lebanon Green, Rte 207 at Rte 87, Lebanon, 9 am-3 pm rain or shine, adm $4 (free parking), 100+ dealers, refreshments, sponsored by Lebanon Historical Society; 860-642-6579.

Art Exhibits, Museums Historic Places__ _____

The Barn Gallery, 82 Route 37 (Creative Corners), New Fairfield. Hours: Tues-Sat. Call 746-4502.

Through Sept 28: “Connemara, Images of Western Ireland,” fine art photography by William S. McCannIII, who has been photographing nature & landscapes for three-plus decades.

The Barnum Museum, 820 Main St, Bridgeport. Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am-4:30 pm, Sun 12-4:30 pm. Call 203-331-1104.

Through Sept 27: “9/11 Commemorative Oil Drum Art,” oil drum art created by artists in memory of the events of 9/11, as well as ODA paying home to the environment, the energy crisis, global warming, carbon footprints, & the war in the Middle East.

Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Hours: Mon-Thurs 10 am-8 pm, Fri 12-5 pm, Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 1-5 pm. Call 426-4533.

In Olga Knoepke Meeting Room (lower meeting room) — *(new show) Oct 3-29: “Carol Gibson, Photographic Designer,” works by award-winning photographic designer Carol Gibson, who uses Photoshop & other computer programs to re-work photographs, adding and/or removing different aspects of a photo, creating new images; Oct 4, opening reception, 2-4 pm.

On library’s main floor — *(new show) Through Oct 2: “Seeing Red,” annual show by members of The Scrap Bag Quilt Artists this year celebrated the color red in 24 x 24-inch wall hangings, many w/ hand embellishments incl painting, printing, gold foil, fabric additions, stenciling & beading.

Brookfield Craft Center, 286 Whisconier Rd (Rte 25), Brookfield. Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 12-5 pm. Call 775-4526.

Through Sept 28: “AKA – Object and Image,” works by the core members of AKA:92 – New York City-based group w/ Susan Kasson Sloan, Marjorie Simon, Biba Schutz and Ginny Whitney – & invited guests photographers & image makers, each of whom is connected in some way with at least one of the core members of AKA:92 –  Ron Boszko, Dan Estabrook, Sara Friedlander, Ralph Gabriner, Alison Howard-Levy, Irmari Nacht, Boo Poulin, Biba Schutz, Marjorie L. Simon, Susan Kasson Sloan and Ginny Whitney.

Featured Artist of the Month, special presentations in BCC Gift Shop:

Bruce Museum of Arts & Sciences, One Museum Dr, Greenwich. Call 203-869-0376.

*(new show) Sept 27-Jan 4: “Paris Portraits: Artists, Friends and Lovers,” first museum show to feature “the great mosaic of Parisian art as a ‘group portrait’ of its leading practitioners” incl works of Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Duchamp, Beckmann, Brancusi, et al, incl famous images alongside rarely seen works.

Easton Public Library, 691 Morehouse Rd (at corner of Center St), Easton. Hours: Mon 10 am-5 pm, Tues-Wed 10 am-8 pm, Thurs 10 am-6 pm, Fri 10 am-5 pm, Sat 10 am-3 pm. Call 261-0134.

Through Oct 14: paintings of old Fairfield County diners & gas stations by former Fairfield resident & professional artist John S. Dykes.

Garden of Ideas Gallery, 647 North Salem Rd, Ridgefield. Hours: Sat-Sun 10 am-4 pm. Call 203-431-9914.

Through Sept 28: “Small Things,” first gallery show of whimsical works by Sherri Doolittle Mulligan, who usually does marketing & promotion/graphic designs for major clients.

Good News Café & Gallery, 684 Main St/Rte 6, Woodbury. Hours: Mon & Wed-Sat 11:30 am-10 pm, Sun 12-10 pm. Call 203-266-4663.

Through Oct 3: “Painting Is Soundless Poetry,” new oils on linen & canvas by Diane Pfister, offering evocative & dreamlike images.

Through Oct 20: “Four Seasons of Flanders… auction preview,” approx 20 paintings by area artists that will be featured in annual dinner auction for Flanders Nature Center incl Robert Crawford’s “Flanders, 3 am,” signature painting for this year’s auction.

Gunn Memorial Library & Museum, 5 Wykeham Rd, Washington Green. Hours: Thurs-Sat 10 am-4 pm, Sun 12-4 pm. Call 860-868-7756.

Through Oct 12: “The Fabric of Marriage: Wedding Dresses,” elaborate display of wedding gowns from the museum’s vintage clothing collection focuses on history of weddings & wedding dresses spanning late 19th-early 20th centuries, while tracing town’s history through the people who wore them.

Through Oct 12: “The Centennial of the Gunn Memorial Library,” high-light of history of the construction of library & museum building & celebration of its features incl Renaissance Revival period architecture, memorial reliefs, sculptures, stained glass windows, & mural by painter & Washington resident H. Siddons Mowbray.

Highstead Arboretum, 127 Lonetown Rd, Redding. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 am-4 pm by appt only. Call 203-938-8809.

Through Oct 31: “Amphibians of the Eastern United States,” over 30 original works by members of Greater New York Guild of Natural Science Illustrators.

Kent Art Association, 21 South Main St/Rte 7, Kent. Hours: Thurs-Sun 12-4 pm. Call 860-927-3989.

Through Sept 28: “Elected Artists Show,” featuring 100+ paintings & sculpture by KAA members who have achieved Elected Artists status by participating in sev juried shows & meeting other criteria, incl many prize-winning artists from CT & surrounding states, also special selection of works by Ruth Newquist, NWS, who was Best of Show winner during KAA 2007 President’s Show.

Mattatuck Museum Art & History Center, 144 West Main St, Waterbury. Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 12-5 pm. Call 203-753-0381.

Through Jan 11: “Speak To Me: The Connecticut Biennial 2008,” works by 18 artists who were selected to participate in biennial event for their forward-thinking & compelling works, ranging from paintings & performance to sculpture & video.

*(new show) Oct 1-Dec 28: “The Brave and Valiant: The History of the Waterbury Fire Department,” historic photos, oral histories & memorabilia loaned by local firefighters & their families; Oct 1, opening reception, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Minor Memorial Library, 23 South St, Roxbury. Hours: Mon 12-7 pm, Wed 10 am-7 pm, Thurs-Fri 10 am-5 pm, Sat 10 am-2 pm. Call 860-350-2181.

Through Oct 6: “Mindful Journeys,” richly colored abstract landscape paintings by Alexandra Avlonitis.

Richter Association for the Arts, Richter House, 100 Aunt Hack Rd, Danbury. Hours: Sat-Sun 2-5 pm. Call 798-2245.

Through Oct 5: 30th Annual Juried Art Show.

Schumacher Gallery at Westover School, 1237 Whittemore Rd/Rte 188, Middlebury. Hours: Mon-Fri 12-5 pm. Call 203-577-4525.

*(new show) Oct 5-Nov 29: “Mathilde Hungerford & Robin Johnson: Two Friends,” stoneware & porcelain ceramics by Westover teachers, both of whom have been influenced by Asian ceramics; Oct 5, opening reception, 3-5 pm.

Sculpture Barn (née Boyajian’s Sculpture Barn), 3 Milltown Rd (at Rte 39), New Fair-field. Hours: Wed-Sun 10 am-6 pm. Winter hours: Sat-Sun 11 am-5 pm & by appt. Call 746-6101.

Through Oct 4: “Assemblage: Pieces of Her,” celebration of women artists & their unique perspectives, featuring sculpture & collages of local artists Erin Walrath, Eleanor White & Natasha Cohen.

Sherman Library, 1 Sherman Center, Sherman. Hours: Tues-Fri 11 am-6 pm, Sat 10 am-4 pm. Call 860-354-2455.

Through Sept 30: “A Sense of Peace,” oil paintings by self taught artist Barbara A. Comer, who has developed a painting style that reflects the harmony & peace of natural surroundings.

Silvermine Guild Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan. Hours: Tues-Sat 11 am-5 pm, Sun 1-5 pm. Call 203-966-9700.

Through Oct 2: “Director’s Choice: Dialogue in Collage,” boxed assemblages by Arthur Burke, various media, painting, silverpoint & collage by Enid Munroe, and paintings, prints and collages by Nancy Nikkal.

Through Oct 2: “Adult Toys,” iconic wind power paddle sculptures, smaller indoor hand cracked works & other interactive sculptures by Drew Klotz.

Through Oct 2: “Connections,” works by archeological artists Lou Hicks & Juliet Holland.

Through Oct 2: “Hiding in Plain Site,” site-specific installation by June Ahrens incorporating materials that explore the cultural & political world around us incl wires covered in fabric, crushed cans, reflectors, safety pins & other items provided by friends & family.

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 600 Main St, Hartford. Hours: Sat-Sun 10 am-5 pm, Tues-Fri 11 am-5 pm (open to 8 pm first Thurs/month). Call 860-278-2670, TDD 860-278-0294.

Through Sept 21: “Boundless Beauty,” explorations of contemporary themes of race, beauty & representation in different ways by Ana Mendieta, Howardena Pindell, Lorna Simpson & Carrie Mae Weems.

Washington Art Association, 4 Bryan Plaza, Rte 47, Washington Depot. Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 12-5 pm. Call 860-868-2878.

In The Project Room: Through Sept 29: “Ground Control,” site-specific installation & digital prints by ALan Ruiz, a second year master’s degree candidate at Yale School of Art.

Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St at York, New Haven. Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 1-6 pm. Call 203-432-0600.

*(new show) Through Nov 30: “Grand Scale: Monumental Prints in the Age of Dürer and Titian,” European prints from late 15th to early 17th Century that share common characteristic of uncommon scale, some as high as 10 ft & as wide as 16 ft.

Auditions, Juried Events  _____

Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, NSO office, One Park St, Norwalk 06851. Call 203-847-8844.

Sept 26: Application deadline for “Fiesta! The Prodigy Concert” search, student positions open for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn & string instruments for Jan 2009 full concert w/ NSO, visit NorwalkSymphony.org or call NSO Exec Director Jane Shelly at phone # above for application & qualification details, students will need to submit audio or video tape w/ application & fee.

St Jude Church, 707 Monroe Tpke/Rte 111, Monroe. Call 261-6404.

Nov 24: Deadline for applications for annual Christmas Fair, to take place Dec 6, 10 am-4 pm (snow date Dec 7, 1-5 pm), in church’s parish hall, tables available $50 for 7-ft table, $90 for 14-ft table, available first-come, first-served, contact parish office for details & application.

TheatreWorks New Milford, 5 Brookside Ave, New Milford. Call 860-350-6863.

Sept 29-30: Casting call for Christopher Durang’s Mrs Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge, 7-9 pm each night, director Beth Bonnabeau-Harding has roles for 6 men & 6 women, ages 20-60-plus, English accents a must for most roles, singing experience preferred, all roles available, rehearsals to begin in Oct, performances to be weekends Dec 5-31, visit TheatreWorks.us/actors for full character breakdown.

Winter Wonderland of Gifts Crafts Fair, at Edmond Town Hall gymnasium, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 268-1342.

Nov 23: Crafters wanted for 5th annual fair, will run 10 am-3 pm, spaces $100, highly juried fair – no kits or imports, handmade items only, sponsored by Congregation Adath Israel (Newtown), contact Robin Magilnick at phone # above or WinterWonderland-CraftFair@yahoo.com for details.

Concerts, Musical Events ____

Sept 27: “Disorder at The Border,” Black Rock Art Center, 2838 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, doors open 7 pm, performances begin 7:30, tickets $25, benefit concert to feature tenor saxophonist Bennie Wallace, et al, proceeds to help pay for future jazz programming for city youth; 203-367-7917.

Sept 27: Monthly ballroom dance, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 4070 Park Ave, Bridgeport, 7 pm-midnight, adm $15, singles & couples welcome, dance lesson 8 pm, performance by Sasha Altukhov & Oksana Dymtrenko (3-time national champions, Ukraine) at 9:30 pm, open dancing to DJ selections rest of evening, refreshments; 203-374-7308.

Sept 28: Chip Zellner’s Berkshire Big Band, at Richter Park, 100 Aunt Hack Rd, Danbury, 3 pm, free outdoor concert w/ music from Big Band era, also new arrangements of old favorites & some surprises, concert will move indoors to Elmwood Hall Senior Center, 10 Elmwood Place, if rain; 798-2245.

Oct 4: NUMC Coffee House, 7:45–10:30 pm, Newtown United Methodist Church’s Rauner Hall, 92 Church Hill Road, adm $4 for those attending earlier pasta dinner (see separate Misc listing), $5 otherwise, live bluegrass & folk music, refreshments, suitable for all ages;  426-9998.

Oct 5: “From Bach to Broadway,” Connecticut Chamber Orchestra at Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd/Rte 7, Wilton, 4 pm, free performance (reservations encouraged) will incl works of Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Tchaikovsky & Lowe, first in new series of Connecticut’s Own music series; 203-792-3950.

Films _________________

Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-2475.

Sept 26-Oct 2: Hancock (PG-13), Fri-Sat 7 & 9 pm, Sun-Thurs 7 pm, mat Sat-Sun 1 & 4 pm, Tues 1 pm.

Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies & The Performing Arts, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield. Call 203-438-5795.

Lost & Found Film Series, 7:30 pm screenings followed by Q&A w/ guest speakers, tickets $10 adults, $7.50 seniors, $5 students: Oct 4, Family Values: The Mob & The Movies, Q&A to feature actors Frank Vincent, Tony Sirico & Tony Darrow, filmmakers Sandra & Joseph Consentino.

For Kids & Families _________

Oct 4: Norwalk Symphony Orchestra: (Not) Just for Kids – Woodwinds, Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd/Rte 7, Wilton, 2 pm, children ages 3-10 & families invited to experience hands-on participation w/ woodwind instruments; 203-762-3950.

C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-4533 (children’s dept 426-3851).

Young Adult programs, free unless specified: Oct 7, Book Talk over Pizza, 5 pm (reservations by Oct 6, please), young adult readers invited to discuss Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series while enjoying pizza dinner.

Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and The Performing Arts, 80 East Ridge Ave, Ridgefield. Call 203-438-5795.

Children’s series, performances 11 am & 2 pm, tickets $15: Oct 4, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Miscellaneous ___________

Fridays (1st & 3rd Fri/month until Oct 2): Black Rock Art Walks 2008, Fairfield Ave (between Brewster St & Gilman St), Bridgeport, 6-9 pm, free twice-monthly presentation by area artists & craftspeople along sidewalks of Fairfield Ave (at Black Rock Art Center, 2838 Fairfield Ave, if rain); 203-366-3667.

Fridays (to Oct 24): Danbury Farmers’ Market, Kennedy Park, intersection Main, Kennedy & Elm Sts, Danbury, 11 am-4 pm, fresh produce, bread, farm eggs, bedding plants, shoreline shellfish & other products available weekly;  792-1711.

Saturdays (weekly to Oct 26): Bethlehem Flea Market, Bethlehem Fairgrounds, 384 Main St North/Rte 61, 6 am-1 pm, free adm & parking, 200 spaces will offer antiques & collectibles, plants & flowers, organic foods & farmer’s market, artisans & crafters, food, machinery & equipment & much more; 860-618-2940.

Sundays (through Oct 26): Sandy Hook Village Farmers Market, 3-5 Glen Road, Sandy Hook, 9 am-1 pm, flowers, fruits & vegetables from local farmers, baked goods, nutritional seminars, monthly family activities, runs weekly until Oct 26; 426-2427.

Mondays (through Oct 27): Stratford Annual Farmers’ Market, DeLuca Field, 1000 Main St, Stratford, 1-6 pm, locally grown fresh produce, also education, info & services from area organizations, businesses & agencies, entertainment incl clowns, face painters, crafts, cooking demos & musicians; 203-385-4090.

Tuesdays (through mid-Oct): Sandy Hook Organic Farmers’ Market, behind St John’s Episcopal Church, Washington Ave/Rte 34, Sandy Hook, 2-6 pm, local veggies & fruit, fresh baked goods, jams & handcrafted items, weekly activities for kids, also lectures & cooking demos, continues weekly; 313-9908.

Sept 26: Barnum Festival Pasta Fair, Testo’s Ristorante, 1775 Madison Ave, Bridgeport, cash bar opens 6:30 pm, dinner at 7, tickets $30, popular fundraiser w/ Italian flair features Italian buffet & dessert tables, also dancing & raffle; 203-367-8495.

Sept 26-28: St Joseph Parish Carnival, Saint Joseph’s Church, 163 Whisconier Rd (Rte 25 at Rte 133), Brookfield Center, Fri 6-10 pm, Sat 1-10 pm, Sun 1-5 pm, free adm, rides, foods, games, hot air balloon rides (Fri 5-7 pm), live music (Sat 4-8 pm); 775-2774 (St Joseph’s School).

Sept 26-28: 24th annual CT Antique Machinery Fall Festival, Sloane Stanley Museum, Rte 7, Kent, 10 am-4 pm each day rain or shine, adm $8 adults, $3 ages 6-12, free ages 5 & under (also free for CAMA members & family w/ membership card), operating exhibits incl gas en-gines, steam engines, narrow gauge railroad, construction equipment, tractors, steam launches, antique motorcycles, hot tube ignition en-gines, rock crusher & much more, new exhibits in CAMA Mining Museum, installation of Nagle-Corliss steam engine, blacksmith shop & demos, refreshments incl Famous Engineers’ Steam Cooked Soup, vendors; 860-354-0050.

Sept 27: Salvation Army Collection, at Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps garage, Main St, Newtown, 8 am-5 pm, members of ambulance corp will be collecting clothing, sm household items & linens (no perishables) for Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, tax receipts provided upon request; 426-4369.

Sept 27: Christ the King Annual Fall Fair, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Mt Pleasant Road at Tory La, Newtown, 9 am-3 pm, arts & crafts, baked goods, cookie walk & more; 426-6300.

Sept 27: Saturday Morning Bird Walk, Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave (off Rte 34), Derby, meet in parking lot by 8:30 am, casual walk will search for local birds, observe birds in the wild, sharpen bird ID skills and/or offer casual Saturday am walk, may last up to 2 hours depending on conditions; 734-2513.

Sept 27: Naugatuck Coin Association Coin & Currency Show, American Legion Hall Post 17, Cedar St, Naugatuck, 9 am-2 pm, free adm, old & new coins, silver & gold, proof & mint sets, paper money & more; 746-7531.

Sept 27: “Rails To Trails” slide presentation, Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, 733 Monroe Turnpike/Rte 111, Monroe, 1 pm, free presentation by local historian & author Sue DelBianco will cover the history of the railroad line that formerly ran through Monroe; 452-2850.

Sept 27: “From Mastodons To Maples: Southern New England Through A Long-Term Lens,” Highstead, 127 Lonetown Rd, Redding, 2 pm, free slide presentation by forest ecologist & Harvard Forest fellow Edward Faison will cover the importance of looking at forests from different perspectives & time periods & how that might change the way of thinking about today’s forests, short walk will follow presentation; 203-938-8809.

Sept 27: Annual Roast Beef Dinner, Jesse Lee United Methodist Church, 25 Flat Rock Rd, Easton, 6 pm, adm $10 adults, $6 ages 12 & under, all-you-can-eat roast beef w/ trimmings & homemade desserts, hall is handicapped accessible, reservations recommended; 372-8250.

Sept 27-28: Harvest Open House, McLaughlin Vineyards, Albert’s Hill Rd, Sandy Hook, 11 am-5 pm, wine tasting & food pairings, hay rides, live music, fall foliage hike (1:30), winery & vineyard tours; 426-1533.

Sept 27-28: Open Turret Days, Military Museum of Southern New England, 125 Park Ave, Danbury, Sat 10 am-5 pm Sun 12-5 pm, public invited to climb inside to see what it was like to man a tank, rubber-soled shoes required, cancelled if rain; 790-9277.

Sept 28: “Selling on eBay,” Danbury Library, 170 Main St, Danbury, 2-4 pm, free presentation by Bruce Preston (member Danbury Area Computer Society) will cover pricing strategies, payment options, photography, image hosting & the sale of an item; 797-4527.

Sept 28: Wild Food and Ecology Tour with “Wildman” Steve Brill, The Pratt Center, 163 Paper Mill Rd, New Milford, 10 am, $17 adults ($15 adult members of Pratt Center), $12 children ($10 child members), 90-min walk w/ “Wildman” will feature a variety of center’s habitats, all loaded w/ their seasonal wild plants & mushrooms, reservations requested; 914-835-2153.

Sept 28: “Sri Anandi Ma: The Gift of the Spiritual Master,” Woodbury Yoga Center, 122 West Side Rd, Woodbury, 7 pm, free program by student Sarita Valentine will cover the ideas & teachings of Sri Anandi Ma, group meditation (free instruction available) & tea reception to follow; 263-2254.

Sept 29: “Sweet Swan of Avon: Did A Woman Write Shakespeare?” Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd/Rte 7, Wilton, 10:30 am, free 90-min program by Robin P. Williams following theme of her book of same name will propose her researched theory that Mary Sidney Herbert, Countes of Pembroke, actually wrote the works attributed to William Shakespeare, Q&A to follow, copies of book available for purchase & signing; 203-762-3950.

Sept 29: “Planning For the Future with Our Aging Parents: A Dine and Learn Seminar for The Sandwich Generation,” The Village at Brookfield Common, 246-A Federal Rd/Rte 7, Brookfield, 5:30-7 pm, free (reservations required), dinner, then panel presentation by experts will offer tips & practical tools to help adult children make sound decisions about their aging parents; 775-8696.

Oct 2: Dream Come True of Western CT Volunteer Information & Recognition Night, Fox Hill Inn, 257 Federal Rd, Brookfield, 6:30-8:30 pm, learn how to help make dreams come true for seriously ill children, fun & info, hors d’oeuvres & refreshments, reservations requested; 790-7333.

Oct 3: “An Evening with Dr Henry Lee,” The Watermark at East Hill, 611 East Hill Rd, Southbury, reception (wine & hors d’oeuvres) 7 pm, lecture 8 pm, tickets $50, one of world’s most foremost forensic scientists will speak about his most challenging cases of past 45 years, proceeds to benefit Save Haven of Greater Waterbury, tickets limited; 203-575-0388.

Oct 3-4: Hand Tools Event, Taunton Press, 191 South Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, Fri 12-6 pm, Sat 10 am-5 pm, free adm, ongoing demos at interactive stations will offer valuable techniques, show simple sharpening techniques & more, guest demos will incl Mike Pekovich, Matt Kenney, Bob Van Dyke, John Economaki, et al; 800-327-2520.

Oct 4: 7th Annual Newtown Hooked Rug Show, Reed Intermediate School, 3 Trades La, Newtown, 9:30 am to 3 pm, adm $10, fiber art displays (juried & open), ongoing demos by Association of Traditional Hooking Artists/Nutmeg chapter members, vendors, guest speaker June Myles, workshop leader Trish Becker, food and more; 270-8293.

Oct 4: NUMC Monthly Pasta Dinner, Newtown United Methodist Church’s Rauner Hall, 92 Church Hill Rd, Sandy Hook, 5-7:30 pm, adm $9 adults, $8 seniors, $3.50 children, full spaghetti dinner incl salad, desserts, and soft drinks/coffee raises funds each month for church, all welcome, coffee house/musical event follows (see separate Concerts listing); 426-9998.

Oct 4: 58th annual Fall Fair, New Milford United Methodist Church, 68 Danbury Rd/Rte 7, New Milford, 8 am-4 pm, free adm & parking, homemade soups, breads & baked goods, also white elephant, tag sale & antiques booths, toys & games, bounce house for kids & more; 860-354-4596.

Oct 4: Giant Tag Sale, St Theresa Parish, 5301 Main St, Trumbull, 9:30 am-3 pm, free adm & parking, food available; 261-3676.

Oct 4: “Quilts Across the Centuries,” Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church (207 Main St/Rte 35) and Keeler Tavern Museum & Garden House (132 Main St/Rte 35), Ridgefield, 1-4 pm, adm $12 (good for both locations), free ages 17 & under, approx 100 vintage quilts from museum’s collection & private collectors & contemporary quilts made by members of Nutmeg Quilters Guild will be on view at both locations, also tea & refreshments, museum tours, quilting demos & door prizes; 203-431-1577,  203-438-5485.

Oct 4: “A Closer Look at Cygnus the Swan,” Western CT State Univ Observatory & Planetarium, Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, free, planetarium shows 4 & 7 pm, then observatory viewing 8-10 pm to view Jupiter, the Andromeda galaxy & other early autumn sky highlights, planetarium show rain or shine, observatory event cancelled if rain or cloudy; 837-8672 (Observatory), 837-8486 (Office of Public Relations).

Institute for American Indian Studies, 38 Curtis Rd, Washington. Call 860-868-0518.

Sept 28, The Return of Atka, an Arctic Gray Wolf, 1 pm, tickets $10/adv adults ($12 door, if available), $6 children/adv ($8 door), learn about wolves, the environment & Native Americans’ relationship w/ animals through members of The Wolf Conservation Center of New York, program will incl live Arctic Gray Wolf.

Newtown Hikers. Call 788-1398 (Ester Nichols), 270-4340 (Newtown Parks & Rec).

Hikes leave from lower lot @Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St, Newtown, 9 am (spring & fall start), free, all welcome (children must be accompanied), bring bag lunch/beverage, wear sturdy shoes, destinations & leaders (in parentheses) as follows: Sept 27, Bear Mountain, Salisbury, difficult, rock scrambling (leader Molly Schleiss, 914-945-2996); Oct 4, Four Lakes, Oxford, easy hike (leader Tim Hanbury, 203-888-3025).

Newtown VNA Thrift Shop, Edmond Town Hall (lower level), 45 Main Street, New-town. Call 270-4377.

Shop is open every Wed 12-3 pm & Sat 9 am-noon, access is from town hall’s back parking lot, shop carries discounted items from local businesses & private donors incl clothing, sm home accessories & more.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-6224 (ask for Betty) or 264-3728 (ask for Krista).

Non-profit weight loss support group meets every Mon 6:30-7:30 pm (weigh-ins 5:45-6:15, meetings 6:30-7:30), meetings $2/week, membership $24/year.

Treehouse Comedy Productions.

Shows at The New Sorrento, 32 Newtown Rd, Danbury (call 744-5575), shows 9 pm & tickets $15 unless noted: Sept 27, DJ Hazzard headlining, Bill McCarty & Jane Condon opening.

Theatre ______________

Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, Brookfield Playhouse, 182 Whisconier Rd (Rte 25, behind library), Brookfield Center. Call 775-0023.

Spoon River Anthology, through Sept 27, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun (Sept 21 only) 2 pm, tickets $20; Dinner & Show Package $45, incl dinner at Bailey’s Backyard, call box office for details & reservations.

Ridgefield Theater Barn, 37 Halpin La, Ridgefield. Call 203-431-9850.

The House of Blue Leaves, through Oct 4 (production extended), curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun (Sept 14 & 21) 5 pm, tickets $22-$24.

Play readings, new works read by area actors, reservations not needed:

Seven Angels Theatre, Hamilton Park Pavilion, Plank Rd, Waterbury. Call 203-757-4676.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, through Oct 19, curtain Thurs-Sat 8 pm, mat Tues & Thurs (call for schedule), also Sat-Sun 2 pm, tickets $32.50-$45, students $10.

TheaterWorks Hartford, 233 Pearl St, Hartford. Call 860-527-7838.

No Child Left Behind, through Oct 12, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, Tues-Thurs 7:30 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2:30 pm, tickets $37-$57.

Town Players of Newtown, at The Little Theatre, Orchard Hill Rd, Newtown. Call 270-9144.

The Turn of the Screw, through Sept 27, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun 2 pm, tickets $18 eves, $15 mats.

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Events that appear by date have Newtown items listed first, with additional events listed by their start time. At the time of printing, the information here is accurate as presented; a call ahead is always a good idea to be safe.

DEADLINE INFORMATION

Press releases for the Enjoy calendar of events or the Enjoy section must be received by MONDAY NOON for publication in that week’s edition of The Newtown Bee. Send to the attention of Shannon Hicks, Associate Editor, Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown CT 06470, or to shannon@thebee.com. Photos are welcome and can be black & white or color, but must be in sharp focus. Please call for specs if you plan to email digital photo files.