EVENTS
Harvest Festival — 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Divine Providence Church, 11 Silver St., Norwich; Polish foods for sale and flea market; (860) 887-7878.
Oswegatchie Hills 10th Anniversary — 9 a.m., Veterans Memorial Park, 10 Memorial Park Drive, East Lyme; ceremony and guided hikes in honor of the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve’s 10-year anniversary; oswhills.org. Waterford Farmers Market — 9 a.m.-noon, Waterford Town Hall, 15 Rope Ferry Road. Run/Walk for the Penguins — 9 a.m., Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic; 11th annual 2-mile walk or 5K run to save African penguin populations; part of Walktober; (860) 572-5955 ext. 518. A Surprising History of Christ Episcopal Church — 10 a.m., Christ Episcopal Church, 78 Washington St., Norwich; history tour of the church with Rector Hugh James; part of Walktober; free; (860) 887-4249. Norwich Millionaires’ Triangle — 10 a.m., Chelsea Parade South, Norwich; walk down Washington Street and Broadway to learn about the millionaire families of the 19th century who lived there; part of Walktober; free; (860) 886-1776. Apple Festival — 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Poquonnock Bridge Baptist Church, 1241 Poquonnock Road, Groton; homemade apple dishes and tag sale.
Fall Foliage Walk — 10 a.m., Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, 733 Old Clinton Road, Westbrook; guided walk of the refuge and a nature craft; free; registration required; shaun_roche@fws.gov. Stonington Farmers Market — 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Velvet Mill,
22 Bayview Ave., Stonington.
The Constitution is the Solution — 11 a.m., Otis Library, 261 Main St., Norwich; video presentation by the John Birch Society; free; (860) 886-3564.
Soup Challenge — 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Westbrook Outlets, 314 Flat Rock Place; soup and chowder competition with local restaurants; $5 donation to benefit the Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center; westbrookoutlets.com.
Noank Fire Company Open House — 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Noank Firehouse, 10 Ward Ave.; annual open house with food, educational activities for the kids and a raffle; donations accepted; (860) 536-1589. Wild Ones Sustainable Farm Tour — 11 a.m., Cranberry Meadow Farm, 80 Grassy Hill Road, East Lyme; farm tour, discussion and potluck lunch with farmer Tom Kalal; sponsored by the Connecticut College Arboretum; free; bring a dish to share and a chair; (860) 439-5020. Celebrity Author Luncheon — 11:30 a.m., East Lyme Community Center, 41 Society Road; featuring authors Ann Hood and Michael Ruhlman; sponsored by the East Lyme Auxiliary of Child and Family Agency and Bank Square Books; $35 in advance, $40 at the door; (860) 443-2896. Essex Scarecrow Festival — noon-4 p.m., Main Street, Essex; food, live music, games and scarecrows on every lamppost; essexct.com. A Jaunt Along the Heritage Trail — 1 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church, 78 Washington St., Norwich; walk along the Yantic River from Chelsea Harbor to Uncas Leap; part of Walktober; free; (860) 859-5349. Japanese Tea Ceremony — 2-5 p.m., Donald L. Oat Theater, 62 Broadway, Norwich; tea and entertainment for the Asian Arts Celebration; free; (860) 887-2789. Indie Author Day — 2-4 p.m., Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Road; international celebration of local authors, including visits with Harriet Grayson, Andrew Pessin and Jim Bennett; (860) 441-6750. Brockway-Hawthorne Preserve Opening — 2 p.m., Brockway-Hawthorne Preserve Parking Lot, Brush Hill Road, Lyme; ribbon-cutting and “Talk and Walk” with Ralph Lewis and Tony Irving; free; info@lymelandtrust.org. Thames River Cruise — 2:30 p.m., Cross Sound Ferry Pier, 2 Ferry St., New London; New London County Historical Society cruise with presentations, crafts for kids, wine tastings and silent auction; $30 members, $40 nonmembers, $10 ages 10-17; (860) 443-1209. Mystic Oktoberfest — 3-8 p.m., Latitude 41, 105 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic; German food and festivities to raise money for Stonington Crew; $40; ticketor.com.
Author Dinner with Matt Jennings — 4 p.m., Stone Acres Farm, 385 North Main St., Stonington; multicourse dinner from Jennings’ new cookbook, “Homegrown: Cooking from My New England Roots”; sponsored by Bank Square Books and the Oyster Club; $183; reservations required; (860) 536-3795. Dinner in the Dark — 6 p.m., Mystic Marriott Hotel and Spa, 625 North Road, Groton; fourth annual blindfolded dinner fundraiser to support Sofia Sees Hope, a local charity for inherited retinal diseases; $150; sofiaseeshope.org. Fall Feast Gala — 6 p.m., Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main St., Essex; farm-to-table meal, live music and auction; $150; (860) 767-8269. William Kelly — 6 p.m., Stonington Harbor Yacht Club, 32 Water St., Stonington; Kelly gives a presentation on the Submarine Learning Center; $5 members, $10 nonmembers; registration recommended; (860) 535-0012. Pour for a Pup — 6:30-10 p.m., Reynolds’ Subaru, 268 Hamburg Road, Lyme; wine, beer and cocktail tasting to benefit the Connecticut Animal House; $35; ctanimalhouse.org. Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night — 6:30 p.m., The Andrea, 89 Atlantic Ave., Westerly; 20th annual bonfire with live music and performances, including a reenactment of Guy Fawkes’ trial by the Misquamicut Players; free; (401) 9323519. Norwich Cinema — 7:30 p.m., Donald L. Oat Theater, 62 Broadway, Norwich; screening of “The Big Sick”; $7 suggested donation.
Comedy for a Cause — 8 p.m., Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, 429 Old Colchester Road, Salem; fundraiser comedy show, raffle and silent auction to support Salem School PTO programs; $20; salemschoolpto@yahoo.com.