CALENDAR

Saturday, Sept. 11

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

HARVEST MUSIC FESTIVAL at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, 27th annual fundraiser to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The two-day event, Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m,, will feature live, back-to-back performances from several local musicians and bands. Admission is free. There is an option to purchase a Beer Garden ticket for $20. There will also be a variety of family-oriented activities, including pony rides, hayrides, a rock ‘n’ roll themed-Corn Maze, and outdoor grilling. For information, call 860-3491793 or visit lymanorchards.com.

VENTURE SMITH DAY: The 25th annual Venture Smith Day Festivities will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at First Church Cemetery, 499 Town St. (Route 151), East Haddam, where Smith (17291805) 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. For questions, email MiddletownTownWideTagSale@gmail.com or call 860347-2591.

CATS IN THE CASTLE: Cat Tales presents the annual Cats in The Castle fundraiser benefiting homeless cats and kittens, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville. Appetizers, dinner, beer and wine, desserts, silent auctions and raffles will take place. For information, call 860-344-9043 or go to CatTalesCT.org/CITC.

ALIGNED WITH SOURCE: Saturdays, Aligned with Source with Annaita Gandhy, 10:30 a.m.-noon, free. Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org, TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860-347-4957. Donations are appreciated.

Sunday, Sept 12

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Rally Sunday and an all-church picnic will be held at First Congregational Church Cromwell. Members are celebrating a new Sunday school year. After service, children and families are invited to meet at Pierson Park for an a picnic and activities.

SUNDAY WORSHIP: Worship and Holy Communion is hosted by Faith Lutheran Church, 300 Washington St., Middletown at 9 a.m. For information, including the virtual link, go to faithelcamiddletown.org.

EXHIBIT RECEPTION: The Buttonwood Tree’s September art exhibit is “Standing On The Shoulders” with works by David Chorney. It runs through Sept. 30 with a reception Sept. 12. See Buttonwood.org for details, call 860347-4957 or email TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com.

CONNECTICUT RIVER ARTISANS is saying farewell to summer with Arline O’Brien as September’s featured artist at the shop at 55 Main St. in Essex, with a reception from 1 to 4 p.m. O’Brien, who has been knitting for many years, passed the days of COVID making infant and children’s sweaters and sets. She teaches knitting to adults and children and creates baskets. Featured artist designs are discounted for receptions. For information, call 860-767-5457 or visit ctriverartisans.org.

CORN MAZE: The Lyman Orchards, Middlefield, corn maze is open through Nov. 7. This year’s theme is 1970s rock ‘n’ roll, with multiple maze posts, featuring trivia questions and musical highlights of the decade. A portion of admission proceeds supports the American Cancer Society. For information, call 860-3491793 or visit lymanorchards.com.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Madison Green Autumn Arts Festival and Gallery Group Show. Seeking artists for outdoor festival on the Madison Town Green (Boston Post Rd./Rte 1 and Copse Rd.) Saturday, Oct. 9 (10-5 p.m.) and Sunday, Oct. 10 (12-5 p.m.), rain date Oct. 11 (10-5 p.m.). Artists participating on the Green can submit to Changing Seasons, a 6-week exhibit at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook (Sept. 24-Nov. 7; receiving: Sept. 12-16, 1-6 p.m.)

Monday, Sept. 13

JURIED EXHIBIT & SALE runs through Oct. 2 in the Mill Gallery at Guilford Art Center. Hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 4. Prizes are awarded in several categories at the opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17. For details, visit guilfordartleague.org, or contact Denise Casey, dencasey@comcast.net, 203453-1609, or Ava Orphanoudakis, avaorph@gmail.com, 203-689-5342.

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

DURHAM LIBRARY BOOK CLUB will meet at 6 p.m. on Zoom. “The Lost Book of Adana Moreau” by Michael Zapata is the topic. To register, go to durhamlibrary.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 includes chats with the executive director Anne-Marie from 5 to 6 p.m. Mondays at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Donations welcome. Details at buttonwood.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 at 6 p.m. Registration is at americaneagle.org/seminar.

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

MARIJUANA TALK: “The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story,” will be held at 6 p.m. 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 rb.gy/agv2yg. For information, call 860-349-0258 or visit dmyfs.org and dmlwc.org.

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

Wednesday, Sept. 15

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

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

‘THE LAST 5 YEARS’ runs through Sept. 26 at Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Islands Road, Branford, With book, music, and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, this musical chronicles the five-year relationship between two New Yorkers. Performances are Wednesday, 7 p.m.; Thursday, 2 and 7 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets $45; $10 for students, sold in person at the box office with student ID. Tickets can be reserved by calling 203-315-1901 or go to LegacyTheatreCT.org.

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 860-347-6068.

IMPROV WORKSHOP: Improv Workshop at the Buttonwood Tree, 7-9 p.m .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. The workshop often moves outside to the Green on the corner of Main and Grand streets, weather permitting.

BUY A BAG: Celebrate National Library Month: Buy a Community Bag at Clinton Stop & Shop in September to support the Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton, through Sept. 30. For information, hchlibrary.org.

ADULT CHESS CLUB: Deep River Library Adult Chess Club, starts 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15, Oct. 13, Nov. 10. Adults only. Registration is required for the Zoom meeting link and can be done through the website, Linktree or Facebook Events page. Participants must sign up for a free account on chess.com prior to the program. Registering will automatically enroll people in all sessions. For information, call 860-526-6039.

Thursday, Sept. 16

MUSIC WITH MISS MARTHA at Deep River Library at 10:30 a.m. on the lawn. If rain, event to be rescheduled. Interactive music in this family-friendly program. Attendees bring blanket or chairs. No registration is required. For information, go to deepriverlibrary.com or call 860526-6039.

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.

SHORELINE ARTS ALLIANCE is accepting submissions for its fall version of the annual IMAGES Photography Exhibition & Competition. It will be hosted in-person in the Sill House Gallery at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, and will be made available virtually in an online gallery on the website at shorelinearts.org.

SEPTEMBER BOOK CHAT: Science Fiction, Thursday, 1 to 2 p.m. at Henry Carter Hull Library in Clinton. Free. Registration is required at hchlibrary.org. For information, call 860-699-2342, or email sarah@hchlibrary.org.

SHORELINE SAILING CLUB meeting, 7 p.m. at Clark Memorial Field Pavilion, 210 Elm St., Old Saybrook. Members and first-time guests are free, and others charged $10. New members are welcome, and no prior sailing experience is needed. For information, visit shorelinesailingclub.com and follow on Facebook.

GOTTA’S OPEN MIC: First Thursday, Bob Gotta’s Open Mic, 7 p.m., free. Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org, The ButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860347-4957. Donations are appreciated.

SUFFRAGES ON ZOOM: Suffrages on Zoom, 7:30 p.m., Thursdays with Faith Lutheran Church, 300 Washington St., Middletown. For information, call 860347-6068.

Friday, Sept. 17

HOLE IN THE WALL THEATER in New Britain: Next production is Completeness by Itamar Moses. This rom-com follows two very different kinds of scientists as they are brought together not only by a mutual interest of scientific discovery, but also by a mutual interest in each other. Show will run from Sept. 17, to Oct. 2 on Fridays and Saturdays, with a Sunday matinee on Sept. 26. Tickets are available at hitw.org for $23 ($20 for students and seniors) with one paywhat-you-can night on Friday, Sept. 24. MUM, PUMPKIN SALES: Friends of Hammonasset Annual Mum and Pumpkin Sale, Sundays through Oct. 3, 9 a.m. to 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.