MIDDLETOWN CALENDAR

Saturday, Sept. 18

RIVER VALLEY ART TOUR to go through Essex, Chester and Deep River (22 different locations; 42 local artists), Sept. 18 and 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All art for sale, and in many locations, beverages and snacks. Work will be displayed at Essex Art Association Gallery, 10 N. Main St., and Earth and Fire Art Studio in Essex. Mask wearing requested indoors. Brochures with maps in many locations. A partial list and other information at rivervalleyartists.com. For information, call 860526-3459 or email claudiavannes@aol.com.

HIKE AT SPIDERWEED PRESERVE through Middletown’s Recreation Division, Sept. 18, 10 to 11:30 a.m., led by Beth Lapin. Email Beth@BethLapin.com with questions; that morning: 860-2622788. Will cancel for bad weather.

BOOBSTOCK FESTIVAL: A Mini Music Fest (and more) to raise money for breast cancer patients, 1 p.m., Sept. 18, John III Sobieski Club, 10 Woodland Road, Deep River. More details at boobstock.com.

ITALYCIOUS: Buttonwood Tree event on Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. Italycious offers the experience of an Italian family of immigrants, with music, humor and color at Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org, The ButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860-347-4957.

END OF SUMMER CONCERT, featuring the Shoreline Jazz Quartet, on the lawn of Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton, Sept. 18, 11 a.m. to noon. Free. Set of jazz, lawn games and a raffle of books. For information, call 860-669-2342, email sarah@hchlibrary.org.

ESTUARY GRAND REOPENING of its center, run by Estuary Council of Seniors, with a community open house Sept. 18 from noon to 4 p.m. at 220 Main St. in Old Saybrook. The free event is open to the public for a tour and to learn more about the programs and activities. Tickets can be purchased online at ecsenior.org or in person at the center.

HAMMONASSET BEACH CLEANUP on International Coastal Cleanup Day, Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will meet at the Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison. For details, contact Jim Mazur, jamesemazur@gmail.com.

MODERN JAZZ APPROACH at Deep River Library, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. on the library lawn. This jazz ensemble will feature local musician Fred Brightman and will take place during the Friends of the Deep River Public Library book sale. No registration is required. Open to all. For information, go to deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com or call at 860-526-6039.

WESLEYAN POTTERS’ SPRING INTO FALL SALE, Sept. 18 (rain date: Sept. 19) on the grounds of the Wesleyan Potters studios, 350 S. Main St. in Middletown from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pottery, jewelry, metalwork and handwoven items from more than 40 co-op members, instructors, staff and students. For information, call 860-3475925 or visit wesleyanpotters.com or Facebook and Instagram.

I-PARK FOUNDATION’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY is being celebrated with a series of public events. Upcoming events this month: volunteers day Sept. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; SiteResponsive Art Biennale, also Sept. 18, 2 to 6 p.m. (rain date, Sept. 19) and Music Along the Trails fundraising benefit, Sept. 25, 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets for all events at I-Park, 428 Hopyard Road, East Haddam, are available at the website. For information, write events@i-park.org or call 860-3060636.

Sunday, Sept. 19

RON BOOTH MISSION GOLF OUTING,

Sept. 19, Lyman Orchards Golf Club, Middlefield; 8:30 a.m. registration, 9:30 a.m. shotgun start. Fees: 18 holes, $140, nine holes, $100, Community dinner, $35; family pricing available. Registration by credit card or by mailing a check payable to Golf Registration, The First Congregational Church of Haddam, P.O. Box 215, Haddam, CT 06438. Registration: http//bit.ly/RonBoothMissionGolf.

PUCCINI’S OPERA SUOR ANGELICA,

final production of 2021 main stage season at Madison Lyric Stage. Performances through Sept. 19, outdoors under tent on the grounds of Deacon John Grave House at 581 Boston Post Road in Madison. Opening with Schoenberg’s Erwartung, and set within the confines of the “Grave House Asylum” run by the fictional Sisters of Mercy. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by visiting madisonlyricstage.org or by calling 203-215-6329.

Monday, Sept. 20

AUTHOR TALK & BOOK SIGNING:

Rita M. Reali, Henry Carter Hull Library in Clinton, Sept. 20, 2 p.m. Free event for adults, registration is required. To sign up, visit hchlibrary.org or call 860669-2342.

Tuesday, Sept. 21

SEASONAL VACCINE CLINICS at Durham Activity Center, 350 Main St., second floor, on Sept. 21 and Oct. 12, noon to 6 p.m; and Nov. 2, 8 a.m to noon, Flu, shingles, pneumonia, Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines available. Other locations and dates. For information, visit townofdurhamct.org/ Health-Department or call 860-3498253.

A NONFICTION BOOK DISCUSSION,

a Durham Public Library program, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. “The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the 20th Century” by Deborah Blum. To register, go to durhamlibrary.org.

Wednesday, Sept. 22

VETERANS STAND DOWN: Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs events that provide “one-stop” access to a range of programs and services offered by state and federal agencies, veterans organizations and communitybased nonprofits through online webinars and at five regional sites. Programs and benefits online presentations: Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kickoff ceremony Sept. 22 at 9 a.m. to be broadcast live via social media, followed by webinars Sept. 22 and 23. Regional sites host in-person services Sept. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Access to vaccinations, legal services, medical screenings and meals. To register, visit: ct.gov/DVA/Pages/ Veterans-Stand-Down.

DEEP RIVER LIBRARY CHESS CLUBS for kids: Beginner Club, which starts on Sept. 22 at 4 p.m., will meet for alternate weeks through Nov. 3, and will focus on those from kindergarten to eighth grade. Advanced Club, which will begin on Sept. 29 at 4 p.m., is for experienced players in fifth through 12th grade. It will run alternate weeks until Nov. 10. Registration is required at deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com or call 860-526-6039.

FOOD EXPLORERS, a virtual Deep River Library program to make veggie stuffed shells on Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. To receive the Zoom meeting link, go to deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com. For information, call 860-526-6039.

TRI-TOWN DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION BOOK CLUB, a Deep River Library program. to meet on Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. Book selection: “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism” by Robin DiAngelo and Michael Eric Dyson. Registration is required. Masks need to be worn inside. To register, go to deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com or call 860-526-6039.

ESTATE PLANNING 101: With Attorney Erin Duques, free illustrated talk on estate planning basics, 7 p.m. Sept. 22 for the Essex Library on Zoom. Duques will focus on key estate planning documents like wills, powers of attorney and health-care directives. Registration is at 860-767-1560 or youressexlibrary.org.

Thursday, Sept. 23

101ST ANNUAL DURHAM FAIR, Sept. 23 to 26, when fairgrounds transform into agricultural fair with live entertainment, rides and games on the midway, animal competitions and other events on the Corn Stalk Stage, plus crafts, exhibits, shopping and food. Thursday: 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, visit durhamfair.com.

ORIGINAL PLAY WITH MUSIC, The Porch on Windy Hill, will debut at the Ivorytown Playhouse at 103 Main St. in Essex on Sept. 23 through Oct. 17. The show features traditional bluegrass songs and was written by a band of musicians during 2020 and 2021. Performances: Wednesday and Sunday at 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sept. 23 matinee at 2. Tickets are $55 for adults, $50 for seniors, $25 for students and are available by 860-7677318. Not available online. For information, visit ivorytonplayhouse.org.

Friday, Sept. 24

FALL BOOK AND BAKE SALE, Friends of the Guilford Library’s 39th annual event returns Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m; Sept. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the library, 67 Park St., across from the Guilford Green. Mainly outdoors, with tables also in the lobby, meeting room, and the Library Book House. Used books for children and adults, plus paper ephemera, classical and pop CDs, DVDs, sheet music, puzzles and artwork. Bake sale Saturday. On Sunday, everything is half-price. Bring own bag or buy reusable one for $1. For information, call 203-453-8282 or guilfordfreelibrary.org.

BETTER BREATHER SUPPORT GROUP: Water’s Edge Center for Health & Rehabilitation will resume in-person meetings on Sept. 24 at 1 p.m. at the Middletown Senior Center, 61 Durant Terrace. To RSVP, call Laura Falt at 860-335-7526 or email lfalt@nathealthcare.com. All COVID-19 safety precautions will be followed.

CHANGING SEASONS EXHIBIT, showcasing select works by participating artists in the 2021 Outdoor Autumn Arts Festival. will open at the Spectrum Art Gallery and Artisans Store of Centerbrook, 61 Main St., Sept. 24, noon to 6 p.m. It runs through Nov. 7. Open house weekend: Sept. 25, 1 to 6 p.m. and Sept. 26, 1 to 5 p.m. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. For information, call 860-767-0742 or visit spectrumartgallery.org.

GUILFORD PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL will kick off Sept. 24, with Taste of the Festival, an evening under the tent on the Guilford Green. Live music, small plates meal, wine, local beer and soda. All six of the performers will serve up a taste of the new works they’ll be premiering at the festival that weekend. Tickets are $125 each at guilfordperformingartsfest.org.

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 through 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 pay-what-you-can night on