Westport Pride is back!
The LGBTQ organization of the same name invites everyone to Jesup Green this Sunday (June 2, 12 to 3 p.m.) for the annual celebration.
Girl Scout Troop 51003 will raise the pride flag. Then comes an array of local talent, featuring performances by Bridget Reddy, The Corduroys, Imogen Medoff, Next Day Delivery, Alyssa Lee, Josie Pines, Echo Bodell, and Jonathan Ridel of The Rubber Skulls.
The family-friendly day includes’ children’s arts and crafts, face painting and yard games.
Food trucks and local vendors will be on on site. Local author Nikkya Hargrove will sign copies of her new novel, “Mama: a Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found.”
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker will declare June as Pride Month in Westport, underscoring the town’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The afternoon includes local drag queens The Latin Doll and Bleach.
Cantor Julia Cadrain of Temple Israel and Rev. Kari Nicewander of Saugatuck Congregational Church will offer prayers and blessings at the start and conclusion of the event.
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“It’s A Hollywood Life!” — the documentary that captures the story of longtime Westport resident Susan Granger’s 80+ years in and around the movie industry — continues its successful rollout.
Yesterday, News 12 Connecticut ran a story. It included interviews with Granger and the film’s producer, 1971 Staples High School graduate Fred Cantor. Click here for Mark Sudol’s report.
The piece followed word that the Chain NYC Film Festival — the long-running indie film event — selected “It’s A Hollywood Life!” as one of 18 documentary shorts for 2024. A screening date will be announced soon.
Earlier this month, the video generated the second highest ticket sales at the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival.
But wait! There’s more!
The film recently received a 2-thumbs-up review. From Beneath The Hollywood Sign — a blog devoted to movie history — called the documentary “a fascinating film that any classic cinema fan should see.”
Susan Granger, on News 12 Connecticut.
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It’s been a great year for Club 203.
Westport’s social organization for adults with disabilities ends it with a bang next Wednesday (June 5).
The Beach Bash begins at 6:30 p.m., at Ned Dimes Marina.
Highlights include the Super Duper Weenie food truck, cookies donated by Big G, outdoor games, and art by MOCA. Click here for details, and registration.
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Tobacco has a long history in the US — including Connecticut.
It’s been an important crop upstate. The gold standard for cigar wrappers comes from tobacco grown here.
In the 1940s, teenaged Martin Luther King Jr. spent 2 summers harvesting the crop in the Farmington Valley. It was his first look at the world outside the Deep South.
“Stepping Into the Shade” — a documentary series — debuts this Saturday (June 1, Westport Library).
It tells the story of tobacco from this state’s perspective, illuminating its integral role in agricultural history and highlighting the workers who came from around the world to “toil in the soil.”
The free event begins with a 5 p.m. reception. A screening of scenes from the series begins at 6, followed by a panel discussion and Q-and-A.
The evening closes with a VIP reception, featuring food representing the cultures and ethnicities in the series. Click here for more details, and to register.
Click here to watch the trailer for “Stepping Into the Shade.” The series was produced by the Eastern Connecticut State University Department of Communication, Film and Theatre.
There is no smoking in the Westport Library.
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Express Edit is closing.
The fashion retailer’s parent company, Express Inc., has filed for bankruptcy. The 125 Main Street store is one of 4 locations in Connecticut that will be shut, out of 95 to close nationwide.
Signs advertise 40 to 60% off all merchandise.
Express Edit. (Hat tip and photo/Sal Liccione)
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Westport Police made no custodial arrests between May 22 and 29.
They issued these citations:
- Failure to obey state traffic control regulations: 7 citations
- Traveling unreasonably fast: 4
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
- Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
- Speeding: 1
- Traveling too fast for conditions: 1
- Distracted driving: 1
- Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
- Failure to renew registration: 1
- Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1
- Criminal mischief: 1
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The next United Methodist Church Jazz Vespers service is this Sunday (June 2, 4 p.m.).
Featured musicians include Mae Czuba (vocals and saxophone), John Hoddinott (guitar), Tyler Sherman (bass) and Dan Jantson (drums).
The public is invited. There is a free will offering. The church also collects non-perishable food donations, for local pantries. Refreshments and conversation follow the service.
(Photo/Dan Woog)
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Willie Salmond sends along an NSFW “Westport … Naturally” photo of a pair of horseshoe crabs mating.
He writes: “It’s spring, when as Alfred Lord Tennyson reminds us, ‘a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.'”
On Tuesday morning at low tide I saw dozens of pairs of horseshoe crabs mating and laying eggs on a pebble-strewn spit.”
Get a room!
(Photo/Willie Salmond)
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And finally … after reading about the Library’s upcoming film premiere (story above), you knew this was coming, right?
(“06880” covers Westport like tobacco covers a field. That’s not blowing smoke. If you appreciate our work, please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
So woog I wanted to post anonymously about hocon gas a few years ago but you deleted it. Subsequently I saw 2 anonymous posts you printed. Rules for your friends?
So cleveland, posting anonymously isn’t permitted and not capitalizing someone’s last name is rude.
Tobacco story brought back lots of memories. In 1949 I received my “working papers” at the Rockville CT Town Hall and spent the following two summers working the tobacco fields in Ellington, Windsor, South Windsor. I worked for the General Cigar Corp. on their shade-grown farms and at the Silverherz Farm in Ellington which at the Broadleaf farm where I was one of the kids high up in the tobacco sheds walking the rafters to hang the lathes of tobacco sewn by the ladies working below. I saw one man killed, struck by lightning inside a tobacco she where we had sought shelter from a thunderstorm. As young teenagers, we were all excited when busloads of ‘Pennsyvania girls” showed up to work the farms in summer. Of course, we couldn’t even say hello let alone ask for a date. The last summer our straw boss ws our high school football coach, Ted Ventura, who took great delight in getting us in shape for fall by upping production in the tobacco fields.The following winter my Dad took a new job in Westport and I graduated Staples in 1953.
Thanks for posting about the latest news re “It’s A Hollywood Life!” I’m also pleased to report that one of our two directors, Maya Weldon-Lagrimas, was awarded the Howard R. Lamar Prize in Film at the Yale graduation events a week and a half ago. It is the school’s top film prize.
Mr. Woog, regarding the Westport Pride Celebration, why would any responsible parent want to expose their child/children to an “afternoon that includes local drag queens…”? Have your LGBTQ+ events, it’s your Constitutional right as far as I am aware, but please, let’s keep these “celebrations” restricted to ADULTS ONLY, 100% free of innocent children…
Maybe parents—instead of self-righteous local busybodies—can decide what’s right for their kids.
hey kids, it’s a beautiful day out, let’s go celebrate dancing adult men dressed up as women…