Every Thursday, the Westport Farmers’ Market is packed.
But yesterday’s superb weather helped draw one of the biggest crowds ever, to the Imperial Avenue parking lot.
A couple of thousand shoppers enjoyed all the usual attractions: fresh produce, meats, fish, breads and baked goods, herbs, mushrooms, empanadas, Thai food pizzas, ice cream, dog treats, knife sharpening, live music, kids’ activities, and more.
As always, there were people of all ages. Including kids with cameras.
They were taking images for the Young Shoots photo contest.
For a decade, photographers ages 5 to 18 have captured the energy and beauty of the Thursday market — and shared great images of food, farmers and shoppers.
There are prizes in 3 age groups, and an exhibit and reception for all the young entrants.
The deadline is July 31 — so there is one more week to take photos. Click here for details, and submission guidelines.
Farmers’ Market volunteers remind youngsters that the Young Shoots photo contest deadline is July 31. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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This weekend’s weather will be the best of the summer.
After your fun Sunday morning and afternoon, keep the vibe going.
The Clubhouse — the great event space on the Post Road, near Stop & Shop — is hosting a “Sunday Sunset Social,” on their versatile rooftop.
It’s 5 to 8 p.m. A $30 ticket includes one beer, wine or soft drink, and food. It’s a casual way to wind down the weekend with friends (or make new ones).
The Clubhouse rooftop
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Westport has been relatively free of tropical storm damage recently. But storms Elsa, Fred, Henri and Ida in 2021, and severe flooding in August 2024 — not to mention Tuesday’s torrential downpour — remind us we’re never out of harm’s way.
For 2 decades, area communities have adopted “natural hazard mitigation plans,” with updates every 5 years. The Western Connecticut Council of Governments is again performing resilience planning to reduce losses of property and life due to floods, severe wind events, winter storms, wildfires, droughts, extreme heat events and earthquakes.
Residents can help. Click here to take a quick 5-question survey.
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Thank you for helping build a safer, more resilient Westport.
The Westport Swim Club is a low-key, but very effective introduction to swimming for 1st through 8th graders. Their values are “fun, friends and fundamentals.”
Many youngsters go on to swim for Staples High School teams.
Tryouts — also low-pressure — will be held next week (July 27-30), from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. at the Staples pool. Another sessions is set for August 26 (5:30 to 6 p.m.). The fall season begins September 18.
There are 4 registrations each year: fall, winter, spring and summer. There are 4 practices a week (not mandatory). Flexibility is key, for young swimmers and their families.
Click here to sign up for tryouts, Questions? Email ktfdolphin@gmail.com.
Fun with the Westport Swim Club.
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I’m used to being the writer (and podcaster), about all things 06880.
The other day, the tables turned.
I was the interviewee, on a podcast — in 06883.
Jaclyn Jeffrey — the woman behind the great Weston Today website — wrangled me for an “On Point” session.
She calls it “a thoughtful, heartfelt conversation about storytelling, belonging, and why the strongest communities are built one story at a time.”
Jaclyn is a superb interviewer. She helped me articulate a lot of ideas about Westport (and Weston) — and about the work that I do — I hadn’t really thought of before.
Click here for the Weston Today story about the podcast, and a link to it.
Podcast screenshot: Dan Woog and Jaclyn Jeffrey.
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Speaking of “06880”: To celebrate their move to a new, larger space, Indigo Wellness is offering our readers $20 off any service, through August 31.
Just mention “06880” when booking an appointment or checking out. (New clients only!)
The women-led group at 212 Post Road West offers acupuncture, massage therapy, functional medicine, holistic skincare, pelvic floor physical therapy, nutrition counseling and other wellness services.
The welcome area, at Indigo Wellness.
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Westport native Adam Bernard’s new book,” One Hit Wondering: The Stories of 40 One Hit Wonders + Other Tales From The Crates,” was published on Tuesday.
It explores not only those flash-in-the-pan songs, but the stories behind the artists’ lives. There is more to each than just one tune.
Bernard knows them all. He’s been writing about music for over 25 years. The focus, the author says, is more on the “wondering” than on the “one hit.”
Chumbuwamba, A’me Lorain. The artist who sued both Janet Jackson and Beyoncé — successfully. They’re all part of the book.
Click here to purchase, and for more information.
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Longtime Westport resident Lucy Sallick is part of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum’s decennial exhibit, “I Am What is Around Me.” The show includes 40 artists living and working in Connecticut. It runs through January 10.
The Aldrich Contemporary show.
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Longtime Staples High School Spanish teacher Jannette Atkins Louth died on July 15. She was 101.
The Massachusetts native served as an air raid warden during World War II. She graduated as a Spanish major from Middlebury College in 1947, then earned a master’s degree there. She took graduate courses at Trinity College, Georgetown Summer School in Mexico, and the University of Bridgeport.
She began teaching at Staples on Riverside Avenue in 1947, and retired from the North Avenue campus 35 years later. Each year, she invited her 5 classes to dinner at her home.
She served on the Connecticut Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. She was active in the United Methodist Church of Westport & Weston, including as a lay reader, board member, choir member, fundraiser and secretary of the building committee.
Atkins was an excellent seamstress too. She sewed wedding dresses for her 3 nieces.
After retiring, she moved to West Harwich, Massachusetts, in the house where her grandmother raised her children after her husband was lost at sea.
In 1992 Atkins married William Louth, a friend of many years. They traveled often, and were active in the Brewster Baptist Church.
She was an active Middlebury alumna, including as secretary of her class. In 2022 she attended her 75th reunion.
Atkins was predeceased by her husband, sister Emily, and brothers Donald and Harold. She is survived by her sister-in-law and great friend Peg Atkins of Middleborough, Massachusetts; stepsons Bradley Louth (Nancy) of Harrington, New Hampshire and Thomas (Jessie) of Naugatuck; 6 step-grandchildren; 5 step-greatgranchildren, and many nieces, nephews and their children and grandchildren.
A memorial service is set for September 12 (11:30 a.m., Brewster Baptist Church. Contributions in her name may be made to Brewster Baptist Church, 1848 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631, Lower Cape Outreach (19 Brewster Cross Road, Orleans, MA 02653), or a charity of choice.
Jeanette Atkins Louth
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The jetties at Compo are not “natural.”
And this “Lamb Chop” (as Pam Kesselman calls it) is even more “man-made” (though probably by a woman).
Still, they’re outdoors. And they look nice enough to be featured as today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo.
Hey, it’s our blog. We make the rules!
(Photo/Pam Kesselman)
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And finally … speaking of one-hit wonders (story above): There are so many to choose from.
We’ll go with this one, straight from Adam Bernard’s book:
(“06880” is hardly a one-hit wonder. We’ve been around since 2009 — and have never missed a day. If you appreciate any part of this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
So glad to learn that Miss Atkins had such a long and interesting life and even got married late in life! She was my Spanish teacher for two years, and I fondly recall how she would take the pile of IBM punch cards that were used to track attendance and sneakily slide them across her desk one by one to keep track of each student’s class participation. And yes, she did invite our entire class to her Southport house for dinner. Happy memories!