Antiques Shows______

March 23-24: 45th Annual Manchester Antiques Show, Second Congregational Church, 385 North Main St, Manchester, Fri 11 am-8 pm, Sat 10 am-4 pm, adm $5, lunch available; 860-649-7770.

March 24-25: The Greenwich Spring Antiques Show & Sale, Greenwich Civic Center, Harding Rd, Old Greenwich, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm, adm $8 each day, 50+ dealers, proceeds to benefit Kiwanis Club of Greenwich; 845-868-7464.

March 24-25: 38th Annual Guilford Antiques Show & History Exposition, Adams Middle School, Rte 77, Guilford, Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 11 am-4 pm, appraisals on Sun (call for details), adm $6, 16 dealers, presented by Dorothy Whitfield Historic Society as a benefit for The Hyland House; 603-778-8842.

March 31: 15th Annual Country Antiques in Connecticut’s Quiet Corner, Ellis Technical School, 613 Upper Maple St, Danielson, 10 am-3 pm (early buying 9 am, $12), regular adm $6, 50 dealers, gourmet lunch & desserts; 860-774-8511.

Art Exhibits, Museums Historic Places__ _____

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) —Through March 30: “Human Nature: Eclectic Images by David Clark,” photographs & giclée prints by Southbury resident.

In first floor display cases — Through April 16: Olga Paproski’s collection of handmade Ukrainian Pysanki (Easter) eggs, also table setting for a traditional Ukrainian Pysanki celebration.

On library’s main floor — Through March 31: “Katrina Relief: Far From Finished,” photographs, mementos & notes from Newtown resident Shannon Hicks’ trip to Biloxi, Miss., in Oct-Nov 2006, when she joined relief efforts to help residents affected by the 2005 hurricanes Katrina & Rita.

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

*(new show) March 25-April 29: “Fiber Cartography: Mapping Imagination and Experience,” group exhibition w/ work by 11 artists (Jane Ingram Allen, Sally Darlison, Sallie Findlay, Linda Gass, Valerie Goodwin, Gale Jaimeson, Tamara Kostianovsky, Barbara Lee Smith, Emily Miah Stewart, Melinda Barta & Joanna Foslien) offers fiber art displaying wide scope of imagery, broad range of materials & techniques, all “firmly embedded w/ experiences, political views & personal visions to create inner landscapes & artistic concepts of ‘maps,’” curated by Liz Good (assistant editor, FiberArts magazine); March 25, opening reception 2-4 pm, Curator’s Talk at 3.

City Lights Gallery, 37 Markle Court, Bridgeport. Hours: Mon-Fri 10 am-5:30 pm, Sat 11 am-4 pm. Call 203-334-7748.

Through April 7: “A Russian View,” new works by 4 contemporary female Russian artists.

Danbury Railway Museum, 120 White St, Danbury. Call 778-8337.

Permanent exhibitions on railroad history (museum is along old New Haven RR line & housed in former Danbury station & railyard), also original & restored rolling stock incl a New Haven RR Mack FCD railbus, Alco RS-1 diesel locomotive, fully operating turntable, etc.

Discovery Museum, 4450 Park Ave, Bridgeport. Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 12-5 pm & most Monday holidays (call ahead). Call 203-372-3521.

Through April 15: “Dick McEvoy: Seasons of the Year,” collection of acrylics by Newtown artist Dick McEvoy, as selected & curated by Wendy Kelly.

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

Through April 3: “The Art and Architecture of Bridgeport,” special exhibition in coordination w/ City Lights Gallery of Bridgeport features works by contemporary artists that encompass the old & new visions of Bridgeport incl pastels by Tom Brenner, watercolors by Christy Gallagher, Doris B. Giammatteo, Suzanne Kachmar & Joan Peters, acrylics by Andy Pinto, oils by Kevin Conklin, mixed media pcs by Phil Levin & photography by Israel Guibbory & Dom Mastrianni.

Golden Age of Trucking Museum, 1101 Southford Rd/Rte 188, Middlebury. Hours: Thurs-Sat 10 am-4 pm, Sun 12-4 pm. Call 203-577-2181.

Through April 15: “Trucks and More…,” watercolor paintings of vintage trucks by Howard W. Shoemaker; Sept 12, Cruise Night, 5:30-8 pm, reduced adm to museum, prizes, family fun, refreshments, proceeds to benefit museum.

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

Through March 26: “Sensate,” abstract paintings by Ellen Hackl Fagan explore “the rich tapestry of sensory interaction.”

Gregory James Gallery, 25 North Main St/Rte 7, Kent. Call 860-927-7133.

Through March 31: “Winter Show 2007,” group exhibit will offer works by regional artists incl Ralph Della-Volpe, Rainie Crawford, Joseph Grieco, Robert Ferrucci, Anda Styler & James Coe.

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

Through June  30: “All Across America: Adaptation, Ingenuity and Artistry,” cultural items incl pottery, beadwork, textiles & basketry illustrating the adaptation, ingenuity & creativity of North American tribes as they began to embrace new materials of European settlers incl cotton, glass, beads & metal.

Through June 30: “Written In Bone,” discover anatomical similarities between human & animal bones, basic bones that make up animal skeletons, how to tell is a bone was used as a tool or if it had disease & more.

Through June 30: “Weaponry,” traditional weaponry used by pre-contact North American Peoples incl bows, arrows & clubs, also recent innovations popular during “horse culture.”

Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St, New Haven, Wed-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm. Call 203-865-0400.

Through June 30: “The Swiss Guard: Celebrating 500 Years of Papal Service,” artifacts from the worlds oldest military organization incl uniforms, armor, helmets, weapons, paintings, medals, flags & pennants, also the helmet of Charles Bourbon, who was killed while leading renegade army in 1527 sacking of Rome.

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.

*(new show) March 24-April 30: “Illusions of Gossamer,” photographs by Lucy Sceery, w/ emphasis on netting-covered fields where artist has added chiffon “to enhance the tranquil beauty of her photos.”; March 24, opening reception, 2-4 pm.

Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Ave, New Haven. Call 203-432-5050.

Through May 6: “Alien Earths,” research & discovered related to age-old questions Where did we come from? Are we alone in universe? etc presented incl sounds heard from space, planets set in motion around a star, learn difference in density between planets, smell difference betw microbial colonies & more.

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

Through March 31: “Walk A Mile In My Shoes,” discarded shoes turned into works of art by 8th grade students of The Sherman School.

Silvermine Guild Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan. Call 203-966-9700.

Through April 19: “Guild Artist Group Show: Collaborations,” works by Guild artists, juried by Denise Markonish (curator, ArtSpace, New Haven).

Through April 19: “Director’s Choice: Series of Everything and Much, Much More,” selections by New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast.

Wisdom House/Marie Louise Trichet Gallery, 229 East Litchfield Rd, Litchfield. Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am-4 pm. Call 860-567-3163.

Through April 14: “Short Stories: New Works of Florin Ion Firimita,” mixed media pieces on poplar panels or masonite.

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.

Through April 1: “Jasper Johns: From Plate to Print,” presentation of an untitled 1999 intaglio print by Johns features working proofs, trial proofs & progressives leading up to final print, as well as 5 plates used in its creation, allowing rare opportunity to explore the artistic & mechanical process of printmaking while providing glimpse into the artist’s creative process incl his development of motifs, color choices & graphic enhancement.

Through April 1: “Making A Mark: Four Contemporary Artists in Print,” selection of prints from YUAG’s collection by Enrique Chagoya, Carroll Dunham, Jane Hammond & Kiki Smith, whose diversity gives an insider’s look into dialogue taking place in contemporary printmaking.

Auditions, Juried Events  _____

Brookfield Historical Society & Museum, Rte 133 at Rte 25, Brookfield Center. Call 740-8140.

April 2: Guest speaker needed to lead forum on “Civil War: The Battle of Gettysburg, Day One,” 7:30 pm, free public program will continue historical society’s ongoing Civil War lecture series, openings also available for May 7 (Gettysburg, Day 2), June 4 (Gettysburg, Day 3), Aug 6 (Battle of Vicksburg), Oct 1 (Battle of Chickamunga) & Nov 5 (Battle Above Clouds), leave message on historical society’s answering machine.

CT’s Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Ave, Bridgeport. Call 203-394-6563.

April 9: Deadline for delivery of student art for 9th Annual High School Wildlife Art Show & Contest, must arrived by 4 pm, all work must be original, hand-made creation in watercolor, acrylic, tempera, charcoal, pastel, chalk, colored pencil, graphite or pen & ink, NO photography or computer-generated work accepted, use wildlife as inspiration, judging will be April 21, winners notified by April 25, all accepted work must remain at zoo during run of show (April 21-May 19), winners will receive art store gift certificates.

Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts at Sacred Heart Univ, 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield.

March 24: Auditions for Charlotte’s Web, 12-5 pm, directors have roles for singers & non-singers for production to be staged in mid-May, singers should prepare 16-bar selection (accompanist provided), non-singers should prepare short monologue, visit EdgartonCenter.org or send email to LynchB2@SacredHeart.edu for addt’l info.

Kent Art Association, KAA Gallery, 21 South Main St/Rte 7, Kent. Call 860-927-3989.

March 24: Receiving for Kent Art Assn Representational Early Members’ Show & Sale, 10 am-2 pm, membership available at time of receiving ($30/individual), show fee $20 (for 1-2 works), show will feature representation works in oils, watercolors, pastels, graphics, acrylics & sculpture, all must be original, for sale, recently executed & not previously shown at KAA Gallery, for info or prospectus visit KentArt.org or call phone # above.

Musicals At Richter, at The Melrose School, 120 Federal Hill Rd, Brewster, N.Y. Call 748-6873.

March 30-April 1: Open auditions for high school, college & adult performers for 2007 season, Fri 7-10 pm, Sat 2-6 pm, Sun 1-5 pm, roles available for Fiddler on The Roof (June 21-July 21, to be directed by Donald Birely), On the Twentieth Century (July 12-28, director to be Brad Blake) & Oklahoma! (Aug 2-18, also directed by Brad Blake), bring photo & resume, prepare 2 Broadway show tunes, bring sheet music in key & be prepared to sing only best 16 measures if needed, full show breakdowns & cast descriptions available at MusicalsAtRichter.org.

March 31: Auditions for children & youth performers, 10 am-1 pm, openings for Fairy Tale Theater (ages 7-15, be prepared to read from script), ensemble roles in Fiddler on the Roof & Oklahoma! (be prepared to sing, read & dance), also younger members of Richter Rising Stars (new group for ages 21 & under to perform material from recent Broadway shows, TV musicals & motion pictures at Richter Park & other area venues, to be directed by Alicia Dampster; be prepared to sing, read & dance), all auditioning should bring photo & resume, prepare 2 Broadway show tunes, bring sheet music in key & be prepared to sing only best 16 measures if needed, addt’l details available at MusicalsAtRichter.org.

Ridgefield Theater Barn, 14 Halpin Lane, Ridgefield. Call 203-431-9850.

April 9-10: Open auditions for Man of La Mancha, 7-10 pm both nights, director is Craig David Rosen (917-699-4045), performances will be weekends June 15-July 14 incl Sat matinees June 24 & July 1, contact director for full cast breakdown, visit TheaterBarn.org for directions to theater.

Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN), at C.H. Booth Library 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 203-758-9166.

April 4: Receiving for 37th Annual Spring Juried Art Show, 3-7 pm, entry fee $15 for SCAN members, $20 non-members, for first piece of art, $5 for any second piece, to be considered for inclusion in Society of Creative Arts of Newtown show, jurors Abe Echevarria, Paul McCormack & Peter Seltzer will accept up to 150 works total for show to run April 7-15, visit SCANart.org for full prospectus or call show chair Anita Gregorski (phone # above) for addt’l info.

Concerts, Musical Events ____

March 23: Redstone Ridge concert, Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West St, Newtown, 7:30 pm, tickets $10, bluegrass, Americana and folk music performance by local award-winning acoustic string band; 426-9024.

March 24: 33rd Annual Fairfield County String Orchestra Music Festival, Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Rd/Rte 34, Sandy Hook, 3 pm, tickets $5 adults, free ages 14 & under, performances by 3 string orchestras w/ total of 200+ area middle & high school students participating, presented by Fairfield Country String Teachers Association; 746-4311.

March 25: “Chopin Remembered,” Post University MacDermid Hall (Room 116), 800 Country Club Rd, Waterbury, 3 pm, free performance by winners of Greater Waterbury Classic Concerts music scholarship competition & guest artists; 203-754-5590.

March 25: Music Learning Center Student Showcase, Danbury Music Centre, 256 Main St, Danbury, 5 pm, free performance of students from Danbury-based music center, performances will be ensemble or other group performances, also teacher-student & student-student duets, program to incl classical & jazz to pop on flute, sax, trumpet, violin, piano, guitar & vocals; 748-1444.

March 25: Twilight Hotel at Roots Music Coffeehouse, 345 Main St (former CityCenter Dance Factory space), Danbury, tickets $10/adv (online, RootsMusicCoffeehouse.com), $12/door, doors open 6:30 pm, open mic 7 pm, headliners at 8, performance by roots-based duo Dave Quanbury & Brandy Zdan; 798-7044, 994-1903.

March 31: Yale Gospel Choir at South Britain Congregational Church, Rte 172 at East Flat Hill Rd, South Britain (Southbury), 6 pm, suggested donation $5; 264-5890.

Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield Univ, 1073 North Benson Rd, Fairfield. Call 203-254-4010, 877-ARTS-396 (877-278-7396).

Performances 8 pm unless noted: March 31, “Hills of Home: Doc Watson & Friends,” tickets $35 & $40, performance by legendary folk singer Doc Watson w/ guests grandson Richard Watson & David Holt, whom he has mentored & has worked with in studio & on the road.

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

Performances 8 pm unless noted: March 25, Lindsey Buckingham, tickets $85; March 31, Little River Band, tickets $55.

Ridgefield Symphony Youth Orchestra, at East Ridge Middle School, 10 East Ridge Rd, Ridgefield. Call 203-438-3889.

April 1, RSYO & Ridgefield Symphony Junior Orchestra performance, 4 pm.

Films _________________

Danbury Library, 170 Main St (at West), Danbury. Call 797-4533.

Special program: March 31, screening of An Inconvenient Truth, 2 pm, remarks by Mayor Mark Boughton, screening will be followed by discussion led by environmental consultant Jack Kozuchowski.

Independent Film Series, free, screenings at 2 pm: April 1, The Middle of The World.

Discovery Museum, 4450 Park Ave, Bridgeport. Hours: Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 12-5 pm & most Monday holidays (call ahead). Call 203-372-3521.

Planetarium shows: Rock on Mars! Mon-Fri 3:30 pm, Sat-Sun 1 & 3 pm, designed for ages 8 & up; Wonderful Sky, Mon-Fri 1 pm, Sat-Sun 2 pm, designed for ages 7 & under.

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

March 23-25: Happy Feet (PG), Fri-Sat 7 & 9 pm, Sun 7 pm, mat Sat 1 & 4 pm.

March 26-28: The Queen (PG-13), daily 7 pm, mat Tues 1 pm.

March 29: special screening of To Kill a Mockingbird, 2 & 7:30 pm, tickets $5, evening screening will incl intro & post-screening discussion led by film historian Jack Leopold.

Maritime Aquarium, 10 North Water St, South Norwalk. Call 203-852-0700.

Through June 14: The Human Body, Mon-Fri 11 am, 1 & 3 pm; Sat-Sun, 11 am, 1, 3 & 4 pm.

For Kids & Families _________

March 31: The Donkey puppet play, Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, 40 Dodgingtown Rd/Rte 302, 10 am, free performance perfect for 3- to 6-year olds & parent/guardian; 364-1113.

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

Children’s programs, free unless specified: March 24, Quilting Workshop, 10 am-noon, students age 11 & adults invited to make hand-pieces squares to be joined together for a friendship quilt to be auctioned later this year, no experience necessary; March 24, Wild Zoofari with Jim Knox, 3-4 pm, free program recommended for ages 6 & up will be led by Newtown resident, TV host & wildlife educator Jim Knox, who will have “a few friends from Beardsley Zoo” joining him; March 31, Quilting Workshop, 10 am-noon, students age 11 & adults invited to make hand-pieces squares to be joined together for a friendship quilt to be auctioned later this year, no experience necessary; March 31, Spring Craft Workshop, 2-3 pm, $3 materials fee due at registration, ages 6 & up invited to join Mrs Walker for Easter craft creation.

 

Miscellaneous ___________

March 23: Friday Night Fish Fry, St Rose Parish Hall, 46 Church Hill Rd, Newtown, 5-8 pm, $8 adults, $4 children, $30 family (maximum, eat-in only), fresh fried tilapia, fries & cole slaw, take-out available; 270-8787.

March 23: H.O.R.S.E. of Connecticut Spaghetti Dinner, Knights of Columbus Hall, Buckingham Rd/Rte 202, New Milford, 6-9 pm (snow date March 30), $6 adults, $3 ages 12 & under; 860-868-1960.

March 24: Madly Marvelous Mardi Gras ‘07: Annual Newtown Youth Services & Family Counseling Center Dinner Dance & Auction, The Stone Barn at Whitney Farms Golf Course, 175 Shelton Rd/Rte 110, Shelton, begins 7 pm, tickets $50, fundrasier for 2 agencies that have been improving the quality of life in greater Newtown area for 25 years & will merge by July 1; 270-4335.

March 25: Author program at Minor Memorial Library, 23 South St, Roxbury, Roxbury, 4 pm, free program by George Feifer (Roxbury resident & author of Breaking Open Japan, the story of Commodore Perry’s ground-breaking voyage to Japan in 1853); 860-350-2181.

March 26: “Researching Your Family Tree,” Danbury Public Library, 170 Main St, Danbury, 6:30-7:30 pm, free presentation by librarian & genealogy expert John O’Donnell will incl using online resources Ancestry Plus & Heritage Quest databases; 797-4527.

March 27: “Threads of Hope Around the World” panel discussion, Western CT State Univ Warner Hall, White St at Fifth Ave (midtown campus), Danbury, 3:30 pm, discussion will concern political statements made through fabric art, led by Dr Alba Skar (Assistant Prof of World Sciences & Literature) & noted area quilter Marty Bishop; 837-8486.

March 28: WCSU solar observation, Western CT State University Science Building Observatory (midtown campus), Osborne St at James Roach Ave, Danbury, 1-3 pm, free daylight observations will use telescopes specifically designed for safe viewing of sunspots, prominences & other aspects of solar surface; 837-8672.

March 28: “Polluted Streams, Dammed Rivers, Extinct Populations and Riverweeds: The Reduction of Tropical Diversity and Conservation?” Western CT State Univ Science Building (midtown campus) Room 219, Osborne St at Dr James Roach Ave, Danbury, 4 pm, free, Dr Thomas Philbrick will lead seminar being offered as part of ongoing “Research Seminar” series; 837-8793.

March 29: Harry Rinker at Western CT State University Westside Campus Center, off Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, 6-9 pm, tickets $10/item, $25/3 items, Q&A session will follow at 9 pm (addt’l $10), verbal appraisals will be offered by nationally recognized antiques & collectibles expert Harry Rinker, with proceeds to benefit WCSU Arts & Sciences Scholarship Fund; 837-8486.

March 29: WCSU planetarium show & telescope viewing, Western CT State University Westside Observatory, off Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, free screening of “Stars Of Spring” 7-8 pm, then viewings (also free) of night sky through university’s 20” Ritchey-Chretien reflector telescope will run 8-10 pm, call if cloudy or inclement weather; 837-8372.

March 30-31: Whose Barn Is It Anyway? Ridgefield Theater Barn, 37 Halpin La, Ridgefield, doors open 7, curtain at 8 pm, tickets $20, evening of improv by The Role in The Hay Players will double as fundraiser for theater’s future addition; 203-431-9850.

March 31: Annual SNAN Spring Bake Sale, Lexington Gardens, 32 Church Hill Rd, Newtown, 10 am-2 pm, sale of fresh-baked goods will benefit Spay and Neuter Association of Newtown, donations welcome; 426-0253, 263-1933.

March 31: “Research on The Dunn and Dunn Learning-Style Model: Introduction to Brain Behavior and Practical Applications,” WCSU Westside Campus Center, Lake Ave, Danbury, 8:30 am, free lecture by Dr Rita Dunn; 837-8879.

March 31: Friends of Ridgefield Library Book Sale, Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St/Rte 35, Ridgefield, 9 am-5 pm, lag collection of paperback & children’s books being offered, prices start at 50¢; 203-438-8093 (Bob Leavitt), 203-438-2282 (library).

March 31: 22nd Annual Breath of Spring Artisans & Crafters Show & Sale, New Fairfield High School, Gillotti Rd, New Fairfield, 10 am-4 pm, 65+ artisans from Northeast w/ traditional crafts, folk art, glassware, metalwork, jewelry & wooden items, also Community Service Club of New Fairfield cookbooks, raffles, refreshments, proceeds benefit Community Service Club.

March 31: Odd Fellows Fundraising Roast Beef Dinner, Odd Fellows Hall, 25 Danbury Rd, New Milford, 5-7 pm, adm $8 adults, $5 seniors & ages 5-12, free ages 4 & under, all-you-can-eat dinner will double as fundraiser; 860-354-7966.

March 31-April 1: Seventh Annual St Rose Easter Boutique, St Rose Parish Hall, 46 Church Hill Rd, Newtown, Sat 10 am-7 pm,  Sun 8:30 am-2 pm, spring & Easter gifts & novelties, religious items, also church’s annual plant sale; 426-1014.

March 31-April 1: Super Train Exhibition XVII, Brookfield Historical Society & Museum, Rte 25 at 133, Brookfield Center, 10 am-5 pm, adm $3 adults, $2 historical society members & senior citizens, $1 ages 7-14, free ages 6 & under, numerous model train layouts ranging from Z, N & HO to S, O & G scales, also memorabilia, photos, videos, antiques, artwork, vendors & more,   proceeds to benefit future historical society public programs; 740-8140.

April 1: Spring Welcome Craft Fair, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St/Rte 25, 11 am-5 pm, free adm; 261-2414.

April 2: “The Battle of Gettysburg, Day One,” Brookfield Historical Society & Museum, Rte 133 at 25, Brookfield  Center, 7:30 pm, free lecture & presentation by Peter Cronin will focus on the events leading to the fateful confrontation of 2 opposing brigades in July 1863, which eventually mushroomed into costliest battle of Civil War, attendees invited to bring Civil War memorabilia to show & discuss; 740-8140.

Active Singles. Call 860-253-9782, 860-489-9611.

Hikes for singles ages 30s-50s held 1st & 3rd Sun/month, hikes 9:30-11:30 am, free, hikes available in 4 difficulty levels, no dogs or children: April 1, Upper Paugussett State Forest, Newtown. 

Bethel Public Library, 189 Greenwood Ave, Bethel. Call 794-8756.

Free public programs: March 27, “How To Achieve A Beautiful Landscape,” 7 pm, presentation by professional landscape designer Suzanne Knutson, reservations suggested; April 3, “The Growing Problem of Invasive Plants,” 7 pm, presentation by master gardener Larry Birch, reservations suggested.

C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-4533.

Programs free unless noted: March 24, International Club of Newtown program w/ guest cartoonist & author Dana Fradon, 7:30 pm (call 426-4595 for reservations, details).

Group meets Wednesdays, 8-9:30 am, members network & help build businesses, all visitors welcome, contact Mark Vendetti at above phone # for details.

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

Hikes leave from lower lot @Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St, Newtown, 9:30 am (later start during winter season), free, all welcome (children must be accompanied), bring bag lunch/beverage, wear sturdy shoes, destinations & leaders as follows: March 24, Appalachian Trail along Housatonic River in Kent (leader Rita Qubick, 268-4119); March 31, short local hike followed by potluck lunch for spring schedule planning (contact Evelyn Schonberg for further information & food coordination, 426-0425).

Newtown VNA Thrift Shop, Edmond Town Hall (lower level), 45 Main Street, Newtown. 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.

Society of Creative Arts of Newtown, Inc. (SCAN), Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-6654.

Programs 4th Wed/month, 1:30 pm, public welcome, artist demonstrations, refreshments: March 28, acrylic landscape program by James Grabowski.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-6224.

Non-profit weight loss support group meets every Mon 6-8 pm (weigh-ins 6-6:45, meetings 7-8), meetings $2/week, membership $20/year.

Treehouse Comedy Productions.

Shows at The New Sorrento, 32 Newtown Rd, Danbury (call 744-5575), shows 9:30 & tickets $15 unless noted: March 24, headliner TBA, Monty Hoffman & Scott Papicuri opening.

Theatre ______________

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

The Diviners, through March 24, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, tickets $20.

Hartford Stage, 50 Church St, Hartford. Call 860-527-5151.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, through April 1, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, Tues-Thurs 7:30 pm (also Sun, March 25), mat Sun 2 pm, tickets $22-$57.

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

Play Reading Series, 7:30 pm, free, series features unpublished works, light refreshments:

Special Events: Whose Barn Is It Anyway? March 30-31, doors open 7, curtain at 8 pm, tickets $20, evening of improv by The Role in The Hay Players will double as fundraiser for theater’s future addition.

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

Viagara Falls, through April 15, curtain Thurs-Sat 8 pm, mat Thurs, Sat-Sun 2 pm, tickets $27-$45; March 17, opening night & post-performance reception; March 22, Beer & Pizza Night; March 24, Mimosa Matinee; March 29, Deli Night; March 30, Dessert Night; April 13, Wine & Martini Night.

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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.

 

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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.