CALENDAR

Saturday

DURHAM TAG SALE: The next Durham tag sale will be held Sept. 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 272 Main St., rain or shine. Outdoor and indoor sales, no outside vendors, masks required. Coffee and doughnuts available for sale.

CORN MAZE OPENS: Lyman Orchards, Middlefield, will open its corn maze Sept. 4. This year’s theme is 1970s rock ‘n’ roll, with multiple maze posts featuring trivia questions and musical highlights of the decade. Part of admission proceeds support the American Cancer Society. For information, call 860-349-1793 or visit lymanorchards.com.

HADDAM NECK FAIR: The 109th Haddam Neck Fair will be held over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6. Rides, concessions, petting zoo, food, contests, Matt the Balloon Man, Matica Circus, family magician, helicopter rides by HTX Helicopters and live music at the bandstand. The public is encouraged to enter flowers, vegetables and fruits, canned and baked goods, as well as photography, art work, collections, handwork and quilts, and spinning and fiber products and 4H exhibits. Find information at haddamneckfair.com.

PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW: Gallery 53’s 12th annual photography show, “Captured Moments,” will showcase traditional blackand-white and color prints, and digital compositions, opening reception, 12-2 p.m., awards at 1 p.m. at 53 Colony St., Meriden. Show runs through September. Details at gallery53.org.

DUI CHECKPOINT: The Clinton Police Department will be conducting a DUI checkpoint from 7 p.m. Sept. 4 to 3 a.m. Sept. 5. It will be conducted at Central Avenue and Hull Street in Clinton.

Sunday

SUNDAY WORSHIP: Faith Lutheran Church, 300 Washington St., Middletown, 9 a.m., Sept. 5. All are welcome. For information, including a virtual link to join worship, go to faithelcamiddletown.org.

Monday

CREATIVE WRITING: Creative Writing Group, Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton, 6-8 p.m. First Monday of the month, ongoing until further notice. For information call 860-6692342 or email sarah@hchlibrary.org.

OPEN MIC: Anything Goes Open Mic with Moments of Gratitude, Mondays, 7 p.m., free, Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org, TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860-347-4957. Donations are appreciated. HAPPINESS PROJECT: The Happiness Project 202 - Chats with Anne-Marie, 5-6 p.m. Mondays at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Donations welcome. Details at buttonwood.org.

Tuesday

PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS: Introduction to Bird Photography, 2 p.m. Sept. 7, Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth turnpike, Clinton. Registration required, visit hchlibrary.org or call 860-669-2342 to sign up.

LAUGHTER YOGA: Tuesdays: Laughter Yoga at 7 p.m., free, at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org or by emailing TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or calling 860-347-4957. Donations are appreciated.

Wednesday

BUY A BAG: Celebrate National Library Month: buy a community bag at Clinton Stop & Shop in September to support the Henry Carter Hull Library through Sept. 30. See hchlibrary.org.

FREE COMMUNITY MEAL: A free meal is offered Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Meals are packed to go only until further notice. All are welcome; go to the door in the back of Faith Lutheran Church, 300 Washington St., Middletown. For information, call 860-347-6068.

SIP & PAINT: Ivoryton Library, Sip & Paint night, Sept. 6-8:30 p.m. at the Ivoryton Inn, 115 Main St., Essex. Under the guidance of Gloria Nilsson, of Morning Glory Gallery in Clinton, participants will be provided canvases, tabletop easels, brushes, paint and refreshments. Wine raffle: $40 tickets are available at the library, or call 860-767-1252.

IMPROV WORKSHOP: Improv workshop at the Buttonwood Tree, Middletown, from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesdays, Topher Polack and others conduct this free all-level workshop. All are welcome to participate in improv games, learn new skills, listen and have fun. It often moves outside to the green on the corner of Main and Grand streets, weather permitting.

DIGITAL RESOURCES: Digital Resources talk, Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton, 10 a.m., Sept. 8. Contact Kathleen Cartwright at 860-669-2342 or email: kathleen@hchlibrary.org.

Thursday

MUM, PUMPKIN SALES: Friends of Hammonasset Annual Mum and Pumpkin Sale, Sundays, Sept. 9 to Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hammonasset Beach State Park, on Route 1 entrance next to the Greenway Trail parking lot. For information, contact Maureen Egan at plantsale@hammonasset.org.

MARKET STORYTIME: Storytime at the Durham Farmers’ Market, 5 p.m., Thursdays. In a Durham Public Library program, Miss Alex presents a storytime on the Town Green. All ages welcome, weather permitting.

AUTHOR TALK: Author James R. Benn, free author talk on “Road of Bones,” the 16th book in the Billy Boyle WWII mystery series, with special guest, voice actor Peter Berkrot, 7 p.m. Sept. 9 for the Essex Library on Zoom. RSVP by calling 860767-1560 or go to youressexlibrary.org.

Friday Sept. 11

9/11 CEREMONY: A Sept. 11 remembrance will be held on the Durham Town Green at 6 p.m. All are welcome.

VENTURE SMITH DAY: The 25th annual Venture Smith Day Festivities will be held, 1-4 p.m. Sept. 11 at First Church Cemetery, 499 Town St. (Route 151), East Haddam, where Venture Smith is buried. Call 860-873-9375 for information.

TOWNWIDE TAG SALE: Middletown’s ninth annual town-wide tag sale, sponsored by the Church of the Holy Trinity, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 11. For questions, email MiddletownTownWideTagSale@gmail.com or call 860-3472591.

CATS IN THE CASTLE: Cat Tales presents the Annual Cats in The Castle, a fundraising event benefiting homeless cats and kittens, 6-10 p.m. Sept. 11, Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville. Appetizers, dinner, beer & wine, desserts, silent auctions, raffles. For information, call 860-344-9043 or go to CatTalesCT.org/CITC.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Call for Artists: Guilford Art League 73rd Annual Juried Exhibit & Sale, Sept. 13 to Oct. 2 in the Mill Gallery at Guilford Art Center. Prizes awarded in several categories at the opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Sept. 17. Artists can enter up to two pieces of art; members, $12 for one entry, $20 for two; nonmembers pay $18 for one entry, $30 for two. Entries must be delivered to the Mill Gallery at Guilford Art Center, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 11. Accepted works will be posted on the GAL website by Sept. 14. Details at guilfordartleague.org, or contact co-chairs Denise Casey, dencasey@comcast.net, 203-4531609, or Ava Orphanoudakis, avaorph@gmail.com, 203-6895342.

Sept. 12

CHURCH STARTS SUNDAY SCHOOL: Rally Sunday and all-church picnic will be held Sept. 12 at First Congregational Church, Cromwell. After Sunday service, children and families are invited to meet at Pierson Park for the picnic and activities. SUNDAY WORSHIP: Worship and Holy Communion at Faith Lutheran Church, 300 Washington St., Middletown, 9 a.m., Sept. 12. For information, including the virtual link to join worship, go to faithelcamiddletown.org.

ART EXHIBIT RECEPTION: The Buttonwood Tree’s September Art Exhibit is “Standing On The Shoulders” with works by David Chorney, through Sept. 30, reception, Sept. 12. See Buttonwood.org for details and gallery hours, call 860-3474957 or email TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com.

Monday, Sept. 13

TOWN MEETING: A special town meeting of the electors and citizens qualified to vote in the Town of Durham will be held in-person in the Julian B. Thayer Auditorium, Coginchaug Regional High School, 8 p.m. Sept. 13. For information. go to townofdurhamct.org or visit town hall.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK CLUB. Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. on Zoom. “The Lost Book of Adana Moreau” by Michael Zapata. To register, go to durhamlibrary.org.

Tuesday, Sept. 14

HEALTH CARE, RETIREMENT: American Eagle Investment Services is inviting the public to explore their options for health care in retirement during a free virtual seminar, 6 p.m. Sept. 14. Registration is open at americaneagle.org/seminar.

BOOK CLUB: Get Real Nonfiction Book Club: “Braiding Sweetgrass,” Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Tpke, Clinton, 1 p.m. Sept. 14. Email cathleen@hchlibrary.org to request a book. More details at hchlibrary.org.

DANGEROUS MARIJUANA TALK: The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story, 6 p.m., Sept. 14, on Zoom. Laura Stack of Colorado will share the story along with marijuana education, awareness of THC use, mental illness and suicide. To register, go to https://rb.gy/agv2yg. For information, call 860-349-0258 or visit dmyfs.org and dmlwc.org.

Wednesday, Sept. 15

BUTTONWOOD CONCERT: Studebaker John with Liviu Pop, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15, Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Seating is limited, reservations are requested. Masks are required for this show. buttonwood.org

HEALTHY LIFE: TED Talk, Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Tpke, Clinton: “Pathways Toward an Emotionally Healthy Life” 10:30 a.m. Sept. 15. Registration required; to to hchlibrary.org or call 860-669-2342 to sign up.

FREE COMMUNITY MEAL: A free Community Meal is offered on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.Meals are packed ‘To Go’ only until further notice. All are welcome; go to the well-marked door located in the back of the church. Faith Lutheran Church, 300 Washington Street, Middletown. For information call the church at 860-347-6068.