Share the Goodness: Community Events
At New Morning Market, not only can you discover new foods, flavors and products, but also a whole community of goodness.
Check out upcoming local events below:
Woodbury Earth Day 2025 | Hollow Park | April 27th 11am-4pm
Welcome to Woodbury Earth Day 2025, where we come together as a community to honor our planet, promote sustainability, and inspire positive change. Hosted by Woodbury Parks & Recreation and powered by a passionate team of volunteers, this event continues a decades-long rich tradition of celebrating Earth Day with engaging family-friendly activities, environmental education, and local partnerships.
Join us, on April 27, for a day filled with interactive exhibits, Eco-friendly vendors, live music, hands-on workshops, children’s activities, and so much more!
20th Annual Celebration of Young Writers: Call for Submissions | ASAP! | February 1 – April 1, 2025
ASAP!’s 20th Annual Celebration of Young Writers empowers students to share their love of writing with the world. Public, private and homeschooled students from across Connecticut are invited to submit for a chance to be recognized for their outstanding work, and read their piece in front of a live audience. The Celebration of Young Writers stage is a place where student voices are amplified, and their passion for writing can be shared with the world. 2024 top selected works will be presented to the public and shared through ASAP!’s website. Submissions to the Celebration of Young Writers are free.
Celebration of Young Writers was inspired by ASAP!’s objective to foster children’s creativity and imagination in the literary arts. It was established with the help of Ellen and Frank McCourt, Ann and Denis Leary, and Susanna Salk.
SUBMISSIONS
February 1 – April 1, 2025
ASAP! Summer Camps | ASAP! | Rumsey Hall School | August 4th-15th Monday – Friday 9AM-3:30PM | Grades 1-6 & 7-10
Centennial Event: Virtual Speaker Series – Washington CT: From Industrial Roots to Leadership in Land Conservation | Steep Rock Association | March 20th 6-7PM
Until the early 1900s, Washington CT was a busy industrial town on the banks of the Shepaug River. Today, the town is a regional leader in conserving its natural beauty for the public benefit. Two individuals—Frederick Gunn and Ehrick Rossiter—were instrumental in the town’s transformation. In this engaging presentation, Edwin Matthews traces the industrial history of Washington leading to the founding of Steep Rock Association and includes the influence of writings of Emerson, Thoreau, Marsh, and others who have influenced land conservation in our town over the past century.
For thirty years Edwin Matthews has led the fight to restore water flows in the Shepaug River. He was responsible for the footbridge at the entrance to Hidden Valley named for Henry Thoreau. His engagement with the natural world began as a boy in Idaho. He went on to study the history of science and to law school. For many years he practiced law in Paris, New York and San Francisco.
He was a founder of Friends of the Earth now in 75 countries and is a trustee emiritas of Steep Rock and Earthjustice, a non-profit law firm for the environment. He has published a book of essays on wildness around us entitled “Litchfield Country Journal”.
He lives on an old farm in Hidden Valley with his wife, Patricia, and their dog, Sable. REGISTER NOW
Steep Rock’s Centennial Events are made possible by the support of Platinum Sponsors Chipman Mazzucco Emerson, LLC; Fiorita Kornhaas & Company, PC; New Morning Market; William Raveis Lifestyles Realty; and Gold Sponsor Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance & Risk Management.
Spring Migration | Bent of the River Audubon | Thursday, March 20th 6:30PM
Here come the birds! Migrating birds are coming north from southern wintering grounds to breed in the spring. Join Allison Middlemass of Bent of the River Audubon at the Woodbury Public Library on Thursday, March 20 at 6:30 PM as she shares information about spring migrations and the returning birds to Connecticut! She will use Audubon’s Migration Explorer to see how far they have traveled. The talk will also cover why some birds migrate, how they do it, and when. Register at www.woodburylibrary ct.org or call 203-263-3502 for more information.
Doug Bloom & Justin Perlman “Contrast” Show | Judy Black Memorial Park & Gardens | Opening March 16th 1-3PM
The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is thrilled to begin its 2025 season of art exhibits with a dual showcase by painter Doug Bloom and sculptor Justin Perlman. Their show, “Contrast,” will be on view beginning Friday, March 14.
An opening reception will be held on Sunday, March 16 from 1 to 3 p.m.
This exhibition is a dynamic interplay of artistic perspectives—Bloom’s ethereal abstract watercolor landscapes meet Perlman’s sculptural narratives. Together, their works create a visual symphony of fluidity and form, inviting visitors into a space where nature, memory, and imagination collide.
The exhibit will be on view through Sunday, April 6. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.
Doug Bloom & Justin Perlman “Contrast” Show | Judy Black Memorial Park & Gardens | Friday, April 11 – Sunday, April 27
The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to welcome “Vignettes and Portals,” an art exhibition by Greg St. John on view Friday, April 11 through Sunday, April 27.
An opening reception will be held on Saturday, April 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. A closing reception and artist talk will be held on Sunday, April 27 from 2 to 4 p.m.
The drawings and paintings in this show were inspired by the urgency of the passing of time and the preciousness of life. The work consists of imagery inspired by the natural world as expressed in abstract marks, values, shapes and colors. They are meant to convey the artist’s thoughts and feelings about his life and the world we live in.
Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.
Great Decisions World Affairs Discussion Group | Woodbury Public Library | March 13th 6-7:30PM
Prepare to discuss the world at the Woodbury Public Library with Great Decisions, America’s largest discussion program on world affairs! The 8-week program is sponsored by the Woodbury Public Library in memory of former Director Jill Smith and is facilitated by resident and Woodbury Selectman George Hale. Great Decisions will meet bi-weekly beginning on Thursday, March 13th at 6:00 pm, in person, at the Woodbury Public Library. The program model involves reading the Great Decisions Briefing Book, watching the DVD and meeting to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today. This year’s topics are as follows: American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads, U.S. Changing Leadership of the World Economy, U.S.-China Relations, India: Between China, the West, and the Global South, International Cooperation on Climate Change, The Future of NATO and European Security, AI and American National Security and American Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead.
Books are available at the library February 1st (one copy per household). Space is limited; please contact the library at 203-263-3502 for more information or to reserve your book.
Author Annie Lisa Shares Memoir | Woodbury Public Library | March 22nd at 2PM
Annie Lisa of Seymour Connecticut will read from her memoir, What My Sister Told Me After She Was Murdered, at the Woodbury Public Library on Saturday, March 22 at 2:00 PM. Following the reading, Annie will give an engaging presentation about the power of our subconscious mind, which is foundational to the work she does with individuals today, and to her and her sister’s mission to help humanity during this precarious time on the planet. Annie’s sister, Dr. Teresa Sievers, a renowned integrative physician in Southwest Florida, made international headlines after her brutal murder in June 2015.
In this unusual memoir where murder is the catalyst for a spiritual transformation, Annie, a self-proclaimed spiritual teacher, beckons us to reconsider the nature of reality, using humor and anecdotes to distill the intangible and make the unbelievable believable. Annie says, “My book is a call to action to reclaim our birthright as conscious creators with unimaginable potential to create the life we want and a world we all want to live in.” The event is open to all and registration is requested. To register, visit the Library’s website www.woodburylibraryct.org or call 203-263-3502 for more information.
Restoration of the American Chestnut | Woodbury Public Library | Saturday March 29th 11AM
The American chestnut was a keystone species in the forests of the Appalachian Range until a blight fungus from Asia decimated the population. Join members of the American Chestnut Foundation on Saturday, March 29 at 11:00 AM at the Woodbury Public Library for a presentation that explains why the American chestnut was so important to the area and the steps that The American Chestnut Foundation is taking in its efforts to restore this iconic tree to the eastern forests.
This event is organized in partnership with The Woodbury Shade Tree & Sidewalk Committee. The Woodbury Shade Tree & Sidewalk Committee supports the community by planting trees in public spaces, educating residents about trees and their care, and advocating for improved pedestrian walkways. The talk is open to all but registration is requested. To register, please visit the Woodbury Library’s website www.woodburyibraryct.org or call 203-263-3502 for more information.
Lisa DeLoria Weinblatt’s SCHOOL LUNCH series | Woodbury Public Library | April 5th – 26th | Reception April 5th 2-4PM
Lisa DeLoria Weinblatt, a native New Yorker, received her M.F.A. at the School of Visual Arts, NYC. She earned her B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Art Department Honors, at Queens College/CUNY. Lisa has been awarded six national Artist-In-Residence Scholarships and received a New York City Artist Corp Grant and a Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Public Art Grant. She is the recipient of NYC Public Arts Grants and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
SCHOOL LUNCH is a visual essay of contemporary student life created by drawing on-site, in real educational settings. Current social issues and their emotional attitudes are shared experience of school lunch. SCHOOL LUNCH underlines perceptions which affirm cultural identity, brings together ideas espousing societal concerns and encourages a belief in the quality of human spirit.
Weinblatt’s painting series SCHOOL LUNCH has been exhibited in over 40 solo exhibitions, including the NYC Armory Show, with recent solo exhibitions at Waterworks Art Center/ Museum, NC, Karpeles Museum, NY, Morris Graves Museum, CA, Woodstock Museum, NY, Delaplaine Art Center, MD, Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, PA, and The Judy Black Memorial Gallery /Gardens, CT. Weinblatt’s solo exhibitions include Central Piedmont College, Charlotte, NC, Chesapeake Art Center, MD, Oxford Art Center, PA, 9/2023 and Goggleworks Art Center, Reading, PA. Selections from SCHOOL LUNCH is currently published in ‘New American Paintings’, Northeast issue, juried by Amy Sherald. SCHOOL LUNCH was published in the Fall ’23 issue of ‘WELTER’, University of Baltimore, MD and is currently published in “The Pasticheur” journal of Dickinson College, PA.
SCHOOL LUNCH 20 was digitally displayed on a billboard in Times Square, NYC. The exhibit is open during regular library hours. For more information visit the library’s website www.woodburylibraryct.org.
Region 15 Students March & April 2025 Online Exhibit | Southbury Public Library
Region 15 Schools are observing Youth Art Month at the Southbury Public Library again this year! But this year in an extended virtual show!
Each year, Youth Art Month is celebrated in March and highlights the creativity and talent of young artists in our community, giving them a platform to showcase their work. While the unexpected circumstances at the library required the event to be moved online, it still ensures the artwork remains accessible to the public. An online platform also offers the opportunity to extend the time the show is available to the community through March and April.
This year’s collection includes pieces from students from all of Region 15 Schools and includes a selection of two-dimensional mixed media, paintings, photography, and drawings. Region 15 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade will be part of the virtual display, including work from students in Advanced Placement Fine Art and Photography classes.
“We appreciate the opportunity to celebrate and recognize our student artists. A virtual show ensures that the artwork remains accessible to the public and provides a stage to share student work with an even broader audience,” said Jeromy Nelson, Director of Fine, Applied and Technical Arts in Region 15. “We are extremely grateful for our community’s continued support of the Arts programs in Region 15 and encourage community members locally and beyond to visit and support the young artists who have put their passion and creativity into their pieces,” he continued.
The displays coincide with Youth Art Month; a program administered nationally by the Council for Art Education (CFAE) and is celebrated by the Southbury Public Library and the Region 15 community. The event emphasizes the value of art education for all students, encourages support for quality school art programs and provides a medium for recognizing skills developed through visual arts experiences. Please visit us at www.southburylibrary.org to view this exhibit virtually and for any updated hours and information. Or you may call us at 203-262-0626. Region 15 Youth Art Month: https://www.southburylibrary.org/using-the-library/spaces/art-gallery The full gallery: https://www.southburylibrary.org/gallery
The Southbury Public Library Youth Services
The Southbury Public Library Youth Services department is pleased to announce additional offsite and virtual events for October 2024 for children and their caregivers. All programs are generously sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. For more information and to register online please visit our website: www.southburylibrary.org/events/
Fierce Females: Women in Art (Part III) | Southbury Public Library | Friday, March 13th 2-3:30PM
The art world has long overlooked the groundbreaking contributions of countless talented women. This program shines a spotlight on fierce female artists who defied societal norms and pushed the boundaries of creativity, yet remain underappreciated in the annals of art history. The program features a diverse array of artists and media, from the bold expressionist prints of Kathe Kollwitz to ebullient Impressionist paintings by Berthe Morisot. In celebrating these visionary women we help to redefine artistic greatness for future generations.
Jane Oneail is an independent scholar and holds a Master’s in Art History from Boston University and a Master’s in Art in Education from Harvard University. Jane is a New Hampshire native and has worked at some of the state’s most esteemed cultural institutions, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, where she served as Executive Director, and the Currier Museum of Art, where she held the role of Senior Educator.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this program is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Zoom invitation links will be sent via email on the day of the program. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
The First Ladies: Style Icons | Southbury Public Library | Thursday, March 20th 2:00-3:30PM
Join us for a virtual program and learn more about fashionable first ladies. First Ladies have been admired for many reasons. For some, their sense of style defined their image. In this lecture, presented by accomplished historian and storyteller Valerie Gugala, learn how some first ladies influenced fashion trends and defined the style of their time.
Historian Valerie Gugala has been studying Abraham and Mary Lincoln for as long as she can remember. Her interest in the Lincolns led her to an interest in the Presidents, First Ladies, and their families. She and her husband have traveled to many Presidential Libraries across the country, and they aim to visit all of them in the next few years. Over the last 25 years, Valerie has spoken at libraries, schools, churches, senior groups, and park districts throughout the country. She loves to share her knowledge of and enthusiasm for our country’s history with audiences.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this program is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Zoom invitation links will be sent via email on the day of the program. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
The Golden Age of Hollywood | Southbury Public Library | Friday, March 21st 2:00-3:30PM
Join us for a virtual program and learn more about golden age Hollywood.
From the late 1920s through the end of World War II, studios like MGM, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, and RKO would dominate film production, not only in America but throughout the world. Join us as we explore the forces that made Hollywood the giant of global film-making and the special nature of its achievements during its Golden Age, including discussions of studio politics and economics, the star system, and the nature of the movie-going experience.
Brian Rose is a professor emeritus at Fordham University. He’s written several books on television history and cultural programming, and conducted more than a hundred Q&A’s with leading directors, actors, and writers for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the Directors Guild of America.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this program is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Zoom invitation links will be sent via email on the day of the program. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
Eat Local Affordably | Southbury Public Library | Thursday, March 25th 7:00-8:30PM
Join us for a virtual program and learn more about buying local food affordably.
You’ve heard that food grown locally is healthy for your family. Now, you can learn why and how to enjoy it affordably.
This one-hour discussion on Zoom is led by Laura Modlin, a local food insider, who will give you information you need to navigate choices in our area – including a Q & A to address what’s on your mind.
Laura Modlin lives in Southbury and is an award-winning environmental journalist and a radio producer/host on WPKN 89.5 FM. Her website is: therescuedearth.com & she has a Substack publication at: therescuedearth.substack.com.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this program is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Zoom invitation links will be sent via email on the day of the program. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
The 1964/65 New York World’s Fair | Southbury Public Library | Friday, March 28th 2:00-3:30PM
Fondly remembered today by many who grew up in the tri-state area, the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair attracted 50 million visitors, and it wasn’t even an officially sanctioned world’s fair. Join us as we explore the creation, construction, and operation of the fair.
Jason Scappaticci was born and raised in Manchester, CT where he continues to live with his partner and son. After high school he earned his BA in History from Utica College of Syracuse University. After returning home to CT he enrolled in Trinity College and earned his MA in American Studies. He has a passion for history and enjoys sharing that passion with others.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
Treasures of the Gardner Museum | Southbury Public Library | Friday, April 11 2-3:30PM
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston houses an exquisite collection of art spanning centuries and cultures, all displayed in a stunning Venetian-style palazzo. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of Isabella Stewart Gardner, an eccentric patron of the arts who carefully curated every aspect of her eclectic museum.
Jane Oneail is an independent scholar and holds a Master’s in Art History from Boston University and a Master’s in Art in Education from Harvard University. Jane is a New Hampshire native and has worked at some of the state’s most esteemed cultural institutions, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, where she served as Executive Director, and the Currier Museum of Art, where she held the role of Senior Educator.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this program is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Zoom invitation links will be sent via email on the day of the program. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
The Sonnet | Southbury Public Library | Tuesday, April 15th 2-3:30PM
Join us as we explore one of the most frequently used poetic forms–the Sonnet–and trace the history of these 14-line gems from their beginnings in Italy during the early Renaissance to the modern period.
Led by Dr. Bill Thierfelder, a retired college professor who taught a variety of Arts and Humanities courses for 32 years at several New York universities and colleges, including St. John’s University and Dowling College. He holds a Ph.D. in English, with minors in theater, art history and music history.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this program is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Zoom invitation links will be sent via email on the day of the program. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
Bette Midler | Southbury Public Library | Thursday, April 17 2-3:30PM
How did a nice Jewish girl from Hawaii become the outrageous “Divine Miss M?” Join us as we follow her rise from nightclubs and Broadway to screen stardom.
Entertainment historian John Kenrick has worked in the theatre at every level from amateur to Broadway, eventually serving as personal assistant to six Tony Award winning producers, including the team behind the original production of Rent. He has taught musical theatre history courses at New York University’s Steinhardt School, The New School University, and Philadelphia’s University of the Arts.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this program is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Registration is required. Zoom invitation links will be sent via email on the day of the program. Please visit the link below for more information and to register.
LLama Walk with Debbie Labbe, Country Quilt Llama Farm | White Memorial Conservation Center | March 16th 1-2PM
Bulgaria: A Journey to the Edge of Europe with Gerri Griswold | White Memorial Conservation Center | Saturday, March 22 2:00-3:30PM
Travel to the far reaches of Europe with Gerri Griswold and discover the riches of Bulgaria. Griswold and her “traveling triumvirate” were drawn here to experience the annual Surva International Festival of Masquerade Games in Pernik, where, since pagan times, men and now women, dress in elaborate costumes representing spirits who chase away evil winter and welcome the upcoming spring. The costumes cover most of the body and include decorated wooden masks of animals (sometimes double-faced) and large bells attached to the belt. Lively dancing is part of the event. We’ll also visit Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, and learn about this ancient nation’s rich history both past and present. From Roman ruins to decrepit reminders of Communism, from the Black Sea to the breathtaking Rila Monastery set high in the mountains…..you’ll fall in love with this ancient country. 2:00 p.m., A. B. Ceder Room and Microsoft Teams, Members: FREE, Non-Members: $10.00. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Register online:Bulgaria Registration
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Llama Walks are back!! Walk your own llama on the Cranberry Pond Trail, 87 Webster Road. Minimum 4 walkers. $55.00 per person ages 8 and up, $35.00 ages 4 – 7. Cash or Venmo on the day of the walk. Call Debbie to reserve your llama at 860-248-0355. A portion of the fee will be donated to White Memorial.
Llama Walk with Debbie Labbe, Country Quilt Llama Farm
March 16 at 1:00 p.m. April 5 at 10:00 a.m., April 19 at 10:00 a.m., May 3 at 9:00 a.m., May 18 at 9:00 a.m., June 1 at 9:00 a.m., June 14 at 9:00 a.m.