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Toot toot!!! Thomas the Tank Engine, his buddy Percy, and Sir Topham Hatt are pulling into Essex Station for “The Colors Tour”!

We encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance,we anticipate to sell out in advance. Arrive early to enjoy all the included activities! For current ticket status information, follow our Facebook page or continue to “purchase tickets.”

Thomas & Friends will be here on April 22, 23, 29 & 30 with departure times every 45 minutes from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Passengers select a departure time when purchasing a ticket (ride is approx. 25 minutes), but can enjoy fun-filled family activities all day long!

After meeting Thomas, guests will also have the opportunity to meet Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor, and Percy the Small Green Engine! But wait, there’s more! Included in your ticket price, you and your little ones have access to unlimited rides on 5 carnival rides, music & magic show, and Thomas the Tank Engine play areas!

The Friends of the Library Semi-Annual Book Sale is fast approaching and we’d like your help! We are currently accepting your slightly used books and video media (no VHS tapes, please) in the collection box in front of the Preston Public Library. If you have a large donation, please call 860-887-5828.
MARK THE DATE – The Book Sale will run on Sat. April 29 from 9:00 am -4:00 pm; Sunday, April 30 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, and will be held at the Preston Public Library, 389 Route 2, Preston.. As in the past, we will have a large number and variety of books and video media. Sunday’s sale will feature a special where you will be able to fill a bag for $10. See you there!

SATURDAYS

Chess Club – 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Public Library of New London, 63 Huntington St., New London; all ages and abilities; free; (860) 447-1411

SATURDAYS

Gam-Anon – 9:45 a.m., virtual; dial in number 1-929-205-6099; ID number: 8198532703; passcode: 950764; gam-anon.org; gamanonforrecovery@gmail.com.

Haddam Neck Congregational Church is accepting new and vintage quilts to be included in the church’s 34th annual Quilt Show planned for Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. top 5 p.m.and Sunday, April 30 from noon to 5 p.m. at the church, 408 Quarry Hill Road, Haddam Neck. Dig out your Grandma’s old quilts or that beautiful project you just finished and exhibit it with us at our upcoming show! The event will include a Bits and Peices sale of fabric, yarn and notions, a Tea Room and dozens of hand made quilts exhibted in our 19th Century church building and historic school house. Admission to the show will be $10. Contact Lisa Malloy at elizabethhartmalloy@gmail.com; Dianne McHutchison at 860-267-4671 or rdmchutchison@yahoo.com or Melissa Pionzio at 860-993-5311 or mapionzio@comcast.net
http://www.haddamneckcongregationalchurch.org

The Trillium Garden Club will offer a free class on how to transplant seedlings and plant decorative spring containers at Bill Memorial Library on Saturday, April 29, at 10:30 AM. All who attend will receive a free tomato seedling and will be eligible to win one of the finished planters. Class size is limited and registration is required. Please call the library at 860-445-0392 to register or for more information.

This class requires no previous sewing experience! Using home dec fabric swatches that were donated to Spark we will make a holder for a small pack of tissues. The fabrics are colorful and it’s a great way to keep these fabric samples out of the landfill. We will even be using a serger on this project! There will be time to make a few of these, make some to give as gifts! 14+ All materials provided.
Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sewing-class-make-a-tissue-pack-holder-tickets-598564832527

Join us on April 22nd 2023 from 5-6 PM for an hour of mystery with Author, Rose Young at the Hygienic Art Gallery. She will read sections from her brand new novel, “Love of Art & Murder” published by Best Books Publishing.

Come cheer on Shoreline Roller Derby’s Kraken Skulls as they play against Central Jersey at Avery Point Athletic Center in Groton CT. Doors open at 5:30pm, first whistle at 6:00pm.

The Wandering Uterus is a group of female artists that started showing together in 2009. It was an idea born out of the desire of several art teachers to motivate themselves to continue to be practicing artists, despite the creative drain of teaching.

The group has grown over the years and is now a mixture of artists working and creating in a variety of different fields and media. The Wandering Uterus is intended to allow these artists to show the current body of work they are exploring in depth.

This year the group of artists has grown in number and will consist of 11 artists working in a variety of media on a variety of themes.

The show will showcase the work of the following artists Beverley Fisher, Carrie Dinunzio, Shelley Osowiecki, Katie Osowiecki-Zolnik, Shannon Gagne, Kim Tyler, Tricia Anderson Kelley, Tina McCurdy, Annie Averil, Katia Porter, and Stevie Macloed.

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 29th, 2023 from 6-9 PM

Exhibition is on display until Saturday, May 20th, 2023

The Connecticut Storytelling Festival & Conference culminates in the “The Scattering” storytelling concert at the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Congregation on Jay Street, featuring Tom Callinan, Jezrie Marcano-Courtney, and headliner, Len Cabral. See the following link for more information: https://www.connstorycenter.org/festival.htm