Kent Memorial Library to hold annual gala

KENT » Spend a lovely evening at the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association to benefit the Kent Memorial Library. This year’s annual gala and fundraiser, “Full Steam Ahead,” will be held on Saturday, June 24 from 5-8 p.m. From 4-5 p.m. guests are invited to tour the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association and Eric Sloane Museums. Docents will be available on site. At 5 p.m., the Train Bell will clang to announce the beginning of the party.

The venue is on the grounds of the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association, 31 Kent Cornwall Rd, Route 7, Kent. The event will include music by the Carlsons, an open bar and wonderful auction items. The menu includes two kinds of chili, mac & cheese, ovenbaked chicken drumsticks, kale salad, corn bread, to the garden-fresh bounty table and mouth-watering desserts.

Silent auction treasures include vacations, sports events and fine dining. Highlighting this year’s auction are dining with a celebrity, Bulls Bridge golf for 4; Broadway tickets; a vacation week in Mexico; fine wines. Also available throughout the evening are chances for assortments of interesting items such as restaurant gift certificates, artwork, a guitar, etc.

This year, for the first time, you are invited to make pre-Gala bids on any or all of the fantastic silent auction items; as well as buy chance tickets for the perennial favorite “bowl items.” To take advantage of our pre-Gala offering, you can stop by the library and view the displays, place your bids and buy your bowl tickets; or shop online http://www.kentmemoriallibrary.org/silent-auction/, call the library at 860-9273761 and a staff member will help you make your bid or buy your tickets remotely. The Library’s website will provide up-to-the-minute auction information at kentmemoriallibrary.org.

And as usual, party attendees will be able to pay for admission, auction items and chances using Visa, Master Card, American Express & Discover credit cards.

If you would like to become a Gala Sponsor or purchase tickets, please call the Library at 860-927-3761, stop in at 32 North Main Street, Kent, or purchase online by going to the Library’s website: kentmemoriallibrary. org and click on “Full Steam Ahead.” If you haven’t received your invitation in the mail yet, call the Library or go on the Library’s website to purchase tickets.

Admission to the party is $75 per person or, to be a sponsor, $300 and up. (a $300 sponsorship entitles you to admission for 2.)

The library receives only 30 percent of its annual funding from the town of Kent; and the Spring Gala is a major source of income for its programs, lectures, and events.

The Kent Memorial Library’s mission is to enrich the lives of individuals and the community by providing materials, programs, and services to encourage reading, learning and imagination. Visit kentmemoriallibrary.org for more information.

Mob’s Murder Mystery benefits school

TORRINGTON » The murder mystery dinner theatre celebration ‘Mob’s Murder Mystery©’ will be held at Chatterly’s Restaurant, 371 Pinewoods Rd., in Torrington. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the boss arrives at 7 p.m. sharp. This is a benefit for St. Peters/St. Francis School in Torrington. Tickets are $50 per person. To purchase tickets, call Kristen Harmon at: 860-387-3183.

AspenDream Productions™, Connecticut’s longest-running professional murder mystery comedy dinner theatre, puts on an action-packed performance where everyone is considered a suspect. Guests will be assigned a name tag, and are encouraged to attend dressed ready to play the role of a gangster, movie star, politician, or friend to the wellrespected “Uncle Franco”, head of the New York Mob family. Someone is killed, and no one can leave until the mystery is solved.

The story of Uncle Franco in ‘Mob’s Murder Mystery©’, was written by Torrington native, Janice Luise-Lutkus. Celebrating 20 years, AspenDream Productions™ has performed in over 72 cities in New England for the past 20 years and performed for over 20,000 guests. Luise-Lutkus’ production company has five murder mysteries and a comedy wedding show and has raised over half a million dollars for charities and fundraisers and employees over forty local actors.

“It’s no secret why everyone loves the mystery and hilarity of our shows,” Luise-Lutkus said. “They give guests permission to play, have fun, and even act if they want to. By the end of the night we usually get 90 percent of the guests on the dance floor.”

‘Mob’s Murder Mystery©’ is unpredictable, spontaneous and the perfect way to celebrate the fun summer season. AspenDream Production™ performances sell out quickly, so please hurry and get your tickets. To view AspenDeam Productions™ web site: AspenDreamProductions.com.