CALENDAR

Thursday, Dec. 26

KNIT AND SEW: Knit and Sew group meets at the Middlefield Federated Church, Main Street, Middlefield. Open to all skill levels. 7-9 p.m., Oct. 24, Nov. 14, Dec. 12, Dec. 26. For more details, call 860-349-9881.

Friday, Dec. 27

NEW YEAR COUNTDOWN: Count down the New Year, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Dec. 27, with an interactive DJ Dance Party with Austin Dailey, disco lights, faux champagne toast at noon. For the whole family, all welcome. Deep River Library, free. No registration is required. For more information, go to http://deepriverlibrary.account support.com or call 860-526-6039 HOLIDAY SHOW: Acoustic Pirate gives a holiday performance at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown, 8 p.m., Dec. 27. $10. Details at buttonwood.org.

Saturday, Dec. 28

FAKE NEWS BAND: Fake News Blues Band peforms at 8 p.m., Dec. 28, $12, at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org.

STORY TIME: Family Story Time, 10:30 a.m., Dec. 28, free, no registration is required. Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, 413 Main Street, Middletown. Details at www.wesleyanrjjulia.com or call 860-6853939

Sunday, Dec. 29

FAMILY WORSHIP: Family Worship Service, 10 a.m., (no 8:30 a.m. service, no Sunday School), Dec. 29, Deep River Congregational Church, Deep River. Details go to www.deeprivercc.org, call the church office at 860-526-5045 or email: office.drcc@snet.net. CAROLS & LESSONS: Sunday, 12/29: at 9 a.m.: Carols & Lessons with Eucharist, 9 a.m., Dec. 29, Faith Lutheran Church, 300 Washington Street, Middletown. For more information go to www.faithelcamiddletown.org. All are welcome.

Monday, Dec. 30

BLOOD DRIVE: Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. Dec. 30, Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Appointments can be made in advance at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. Walk-ins welcome.

Tuesday, Dec. 31

NEW YEAR’S PARTY: Midnight @ Noon, 11 a.m., Dec. 31, Russell Library, Activity Room, Middletown. Celebrate the new year by making lots of noise and special count down with an actual ball drop. For ages 1-6 years old (toddlers-1st grade), older and younger siblings welcome. No registration required, but space is limited to the first 50 friends who arrive that day.

PEACE GATHERING: Fire of Hope, Peace Gathering, 1-3 p.m., Dec. 31, Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Hear the wisdom of Annaita Gandhy, as she talks about the natural energies of 2020, planetary alignments, world consciousness and how we can best manage them and actually help our world through our deliberate actions. We will write our Hopes for the future and burn them ceremoniously, with music and singing. Details, buttonwood.org. NEW YEAR’S EVE: New Years Eve at Trinity-on-Main, 69 Main St., New Britain, 8 p.m.-1 p.m, doors open at 7 p.m. Refreshments, music, dancing and raffles. Cash bar. Live music by the Shaded Soul Band. Tickets $50 per person, purchase at www.trinityonmain.ticketleap.com Details, call 860-229-2072 or go to Trinityonmain.org.

Wednesday Jan. 1

FIRST DAY HIKE: New Year’s Day hike, 1 p.m., Jan. 1, Meigs Point Nature Center, Hammonasset Beach State Park, 1288 Boston Post Rd, Madison. Bring binoculars, dress for the weather, bring water. Arrive at 12:45 p.m. No dogs permitted. Anticipate wintry conditions; trails may be icy in spots. Hikers participate at their own risk. Refreshments will be available in the Nature Center, after the hike. For information call 203-245-8743, or go to www.hammonasset.org or www.meigspointnaturecenter.org

LANGUAGE CLASS: Conversation skills, vocabulary class, second and fourth Wednesday, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Estuary Senior Center, 220 Main St, Old Saybrook. Classes will be held twice a month from January through May. Free, sign-up is required; open to all ages. Call 860-3881611 to reserve your space today.

NEW YEAR’S HIKE:New Year’s Day Hike at Pleasant Valley Overlook, 1 p.m., Jan. 1. Free. Meet at Pleasant Valley Parking Lot, Macintosh Road, Lyme. Details, email openspace@townlyme.org

Friday, Jan. 3

‘MERMAID’ AUDITIONS: Madison Arts Barn will hold auditions for “The Little Mermaid,” Jan. 3, 4-6 p.m., Jan. 12, 12-2 p.m., callbacks Jan. 13. Actors will be given a short piece from the show to recite. Singers will be tested for range and are asked to prepare 16 bars of a song that best showcases their voice. Everyone will be given a short dance routine to learn and perform. Callbacks may be required for certain roles, and if necessary will be January 13, 2020. All Connecticut students are welcome and everyone who auditions will be included in the show. Details at http://madisonartsbarn.org/the-littlemermaid. For information, call 203-2452689 or email madbarnproductions@gmail.com

STORYTELLERS: Story City Troupe, a "Moth" Storytelling event, 8 p.m., Jan. 3, $10, and First Fridays, at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. This month's tellers: Saul Fussiner, Wendy Marans, Cynthia Rojas, Maire Greene, Jeff Freiser, Joyce Teed, Margot Camacho, Denise Santisteban. Topic is Teller's Choice. The audience is invited to participate and share a story of their own, time permitting. Details at buttonwood.org.

Saturday, Jan. 4

FAMILY STORY TIME: Family Story Time, 10:30 a.m., Jan. 4, free, no registration is required. Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, 413 Main Street, Middletown. Details at www.wesleyanrjjulia.com or call 860-6853939. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Aligned with Source Personal Development Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Jan. 4, Jan. 11, $10. Each session ends in a powerful guided meditation. New topics every week. Details at buttonwood.org.

ART SHOW OPENING: Art Reception: “Wildlife in the Tree” with works by Elizabeth Molitar, 2-4 p.m., Jan. 4, Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org.

JAZZ BAND: The Subliminals, an instrumental jazz/groove band from New London, 8 p.m., Jan. 4, $10. Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org. Monday, Jan. 6 ROBO MONDAYS: Robo-Mondays, 6 p.m., Jan. 6, Durham Public Library. Explore coding & robotics. Grades 2 and up. Register at 860-349-9544, www.durhamlibrary.org. MOVIE MATINEE: Movie Matinee: Downton Abbey (2019), 1 p.m., Jan. 6 and every first Monday, Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton. With free popcorn from Chips Pub III. OPEN MIC: Anything Goes Open Mic and Moments of Gratitude, 7-10 p.m., $5,

Mondays at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Signup starts at 6:30 p.m. Moments of gratitude at 8 p.m. Pizza included with admission. Details at buttonwood.org.

Tuesday, Jan. 7 CON BRIO AUDITIONS:

Auditions, 7 p.m., Jan. 7, Con Brio Choral Society, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 56 Great Hammock Road, Old Saybrook. For information, call Sue at 860-575-9668 and go to www.conbrio.org and click the Join tab.

MEN OVER SIXTY: Reservations are due by 5 p.m. on Jan. 7 for the Shoreline Men Over Sixty meeting, Jan. 10 at Hubley Hall of the First Congregational Church of Madison on the Madison Green. Speaker is former Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel “Hersh” Hernandez, sharing his experience as a U.S. m ilitary advisor. Lunch at 11:30 a.m., lasagna with salad, bread, cannolis for dessert, $12 per person. For reservations, phone Hank Petroskey at 203-4849002 or email your RSVP to: Pete Hughes at ct.smos.ph@gmail.com Reservations are required.

LAUGHTER YOGA: Laughter Yoga, 7 p.m., first Tuesday, 6 p.m. third Tuesday, at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org.

AUTHOR TALK: Ryan La Sala, Reverie, 7 p.m., Jan. 7, free, registration is required. Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, 413 Main Street, Middletown. Details at www.wesleyanrjjulia.com or call 860-685-3939

FRONTIER LEGENDS: Jim Motavalli, The Real Dirt on America’s Frontier Legends, 7 p.m., Jan. 7, free, registration is required. Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, 413 Main Street, Middletown. Details at www.wesleyanrjjulia.com or call 860-685-3939.

SPEAKER SERIES, ARTIST: Steve Cryan, train professional and artist, opens the Connecticut River Museum speaker series, 6 p.m., Jan. 7, with a discussion on Steam Power of the Connecticut River Valley. Cryan is the museum’s Train Artist in Residence through Feb. 23 with the annual Holiday Train Show. Seating is limited; call 860-767-8269 ext 121 to reserve a spot or register at https:// shop.ctrivermuseum.org/collections/ public-programs. Members may attend any of the speakers in the series for free, non-members pay $5.

Wednesday, Jan. 8

JAMBOREE: Musical Jamboree, 10:30 a.m, Jan. 8, Durham Public Library. Explore music & musical instruments. Ages 2.5 & up. Register at 860-349-9544, www.durhamlibrary.org.

BOOK CIRCLE: Book Lovers’ Circle, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 8, Durham Public Library. “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones. All are welcome. Details, call -349-9544, www.durhamlibrary.org. DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: Drop-in Dungeons & Dragons, Jan. 8, 2:30 p.m. Durham Public Library. Pre-made character sheets. Grades 6 & up. No registration; details, call 860-349-9544, www.durhamlibrary.org. WESTEEN READERS: WESteen Readers, 6 p.m., Jan. 8, free, contact the store for more information. Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, 413 Main Street, Middletown. Details at www.wesleyanrjjulia.com or call 860-685-3939 LANGUAGE CLASS: Conversation skills, vocabulary class, second and fourth Wednesday, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Estuary Senior Center, 220 Main St, Old Saybrook. Classes will be held twice a month from January through May. Free, sign-up is required; open to all ages. Call 860-3881611 to reserve your space today.

Thursday, Jan. 9

TECH WORKSHOP: Technology Workshop: Smartphone 101, 4 p.m., Jan. 9, Durham Public Library. Register at 860349-9544, www.durhamlibrary.org.