Two weeks ago, residents chronicled “A Day in the Life of Westport.”
It was an ordinary Sunday: September 6. (Timing is everything. The following Sunday saw 7 inches of rain devastate the town.)
Westporters of all kinds — old and young, professional photographers and amateurs, newcomers and old-timers — rose to the challenge.
Using smartphones, actual cameras with expensive lenses, and everything in between, you snapped images. And sent them in.
The final count was 510 submissions. They came from all over town, and showed the wide variety of activities on a late-summer Sunday.
Compo Beach. Soccer. A sandbar party at Old Mil. A car wash. The YMCA. Church. Longshore. The skate park. Saugatuck. Downtown.
All those, and more, are now immortalized in “A Day in the Life of Westport.”
Here are a couple of dozen. Click here to see all 510. (NOTE: We could have used all 510. But that would break WordPress.)
Next steps for the project — a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation and “06880” — include the possibility of a book with every photo, and other items.
In the meantime: Enjoy these selections. We live in quite a town!
Tunnel of Love (Miggs Burroughs)
Greens Farms Church (Emily Jennings)
Last Days of Summer (Lisa Gold)
Staples Soccer Car Wash (Lisa Bautista)
Challenger Baseball Winners (Beth Cody)
Low Tide Gymnastics (Danielle Harrison)
Aqua Fitness at the YMCA (Patty Kondub)
Jumping in the Water (Sophie Montagnon)
Life at Glendarcy House: Around the Kitchen Island (Tamika Thompson)
Outdoor Lunch at Old Mill Grocery & Deli (Pam Docters)
Last Swim of Summer (Debbie McGinley)
Soccer and Squishies (Maria Mulvehill)
A Sandbar Party at Old Mill Beach (Totney Benson)
Oslo Enjoying Saugatuck Island Beach (Gail Coykendall)
Cribari Bridge (Alison Wachstein)
Old Mill Sandbar Beach Party (James Delorey)
So Many Books, So Little Time (Lisa Tantillo)
Longshore Golf Course Clouds (Marion Pietrowski)
Kids Walking Across the Bridge (Gregory Lessans)
Leaping From Lifeguard Chair (Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
Word on the street — Main Street, that is — is that PopUp bagels will move into the space recently vacated by Cold Fusion. An early 2027 opening is planned.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for the business Adam Goldberg began on a whim during COVID.
PopUp Bagels has exploded, with locations nationwide and awards from — it doesn’t get better than this — Brooklyn BagelFest.
We were sorry to see a great gelato place melt away. But when this bagel shop pops up — permanently — it will be the toast of the town.
Adam Goldberg, with his Brooklyn Bagelfest award.
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Organizers rolled the dice for Sunday’s “A Day in the Life of Westport” project.
Would people want to participate? Would they actually upload photos? Would there be a good range and variety of images?
They needn’t have worried. 545 photos were submitted, from midnight to 11:59 p.m. (Actually, the first one came in at 6:13 a.m. — so that’s an average of about 1 every 2 minutes.)
They showed everything: Westport people, places, pets, kids, activities, sports — you name it. Photographers were out there morning, afternoon, and late at night. Thanks to all who participated.
“A Day in the Life” was a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation, and “06880.” We’ll share the photos soon, in a variety of ways.
Meanwhile, here’s one that wasn’t submitted. But it epitomizes the day.
James Delorey says, “My family and many friends spent much of Sunday at Old Mill Beach.
“We went to the sandbar party at low tide, walking to some of the far out ‘islands,’ making sand castles, exploring the jetty, finding clams and crabs, and devouring pizza from Old Mill Grocery. What a day!
“A recurring conversation was how lucky and grateful we are to live in this beautiful town. Then, just before 5 p.m., people started calling out to alert everyone on the beach: a rainbow!
“In this photo, a dad quickly gathers 3 boys for a quick photo. You never know how long a miracle like that will last!”
Looking for some way to participate in “4 Days of Service” — the town-wide initiative from today through Friday that recognizes the courage and sacrifices of so many after 9/11, through service, compassion and generosity?
Paint the town yellow!
Seven years ago, Debra Kandrak had an idea: Every autumn, Westporters should plant daffodils.
Every spring, they bloom.
And — thanks to Debra, and so many volunteer gardeners — every year our town looks more and more beautiful.
This year, Debra is adding a twist: black-eyed Susans. That will keep the yellow theme going from spring to late fall.
“Like daffodils, once you plant black eyed Susans they continue to grow forever with very little effort,” Debra says. “They’ll be here for decades to come.”
Westporters have planted daffodils everywhere: in front yards, on the sides of streets, traffic islands … you name it. Anywhere you can think of: Paint the town even more yellow!
The Schneerson Center for Jewish Life says: “We’ve been blowing the Shofar, a simple hollowed out ram’s horn, for thousands of years in celebration of Rosh Hashana.
“The Shofar is not just a sound. It is a cry. A prayer. A soul-awakening, personal, meditative and rousing experience. Hearing the sound of the Shofar is the main commandment associated with celebrating the Holiday.”
They blow the Shofar this Sunday (September 13, 5 p.m., Riverside Park). The public is invited.
After nearly 4 years, Hummingbird Healing Center is closing.
Lisa Pak — owner of the 2nd floor Main Street “transformation through sound” spot — writes: “As we approach our final days at the Hummingbird Healing Center, I wanted to express how serving this incredible community over the past four years has truly been the privilege and honor of a lifetime.
While this chapter is coming to a close, my healing work as a sound practitioner is gratefully expanding. I will be offering private and corporate sound healing sessions in the area and will keep you all posted.”
They’re open through Sunday (September 13). Lisa hopes to clear out all tables, chairs, shelving, sound healing instruments, meditation cushions, decorations — even plants. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)
Lisa Pak, with her great river view.
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Hard to believe that the Class of 2006 — the first to graduate from the “new building” — is gearing up for their 20th reunion.
The time-sure-flies event is October 3 (8 to 11 p.m.), at Little Barn. Or, as they remember it, Swanky Frank’s and Woody’s.
And finally … on this date in 1966, “Star Trek” debuted on NBC.
(Space may be the final frontier. But “06880” is your hyper-local blog. Like the starship Enterprise, we take you to unexpected places every day. Please click here to support our journey. Thank you!)
There’s a lot of hoopla whenever a time capsule is buried.
Then time marches on. People forget about it.
The promised unearthing date passes unnoticed, for good reason: Everyone who would remember is dead, has no reason to remember (or can’t remember anything).
The Saugatuck Congregational Church’s bicentennial time capsule beat the odds. On Saturday — 50 years after interment, and just 2 months past the promised date of July 4, 2026 — it saw the light of day.
Church officials praised “the persistence, skill, heavy equipment, and remarkably good humor” of the AJ Penna & Son company. As the photo below shows, this was not a simple dig.
Even finding the time capsule was tough. The location left behind by the well-meaning folks who buried it was more of a *suggestion* than an actual map.
Penna employees Scott, Sal, Felix, Wilbert, Ed and Jeremy spent more than 5 hours searching for the capsule, then getting it out of the ground.
The AJ Penna heroes.
So what’s inside?
The big reveal takes place at Town Hall on October 10.
Saugatuck Church officials say, “After 50 years underground, we figure it can wait one more month!” (Hat tip: Lisa Tantillo)
For a late summer day in the middle of a holiday weekend, there sure was a lot going on in town yesterday.
From midnight until 11:59 p.m., a couple of hundred residents took photos for the special “A Day in the Life of Westport” project.
They shot everything: family life, sports, home, the beach … you name it.
Homes with Hope used the occasion to gather several dozen volunteers and friends, for a giant shoot.
Rotarians, town and state officials, staff members — all gathered outside the Gillespie Center and Hoskins Place men’s and women’s shelters, in the heart of downtown.
The result: a great snapshot of all the men and women who make this town — and this important organization — special.
Honoring Homes with Hope, on “A Day in the Life of Westport” (Photo/John Videler for VidelerPhotography)
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A couple of hours later, dozens of Westporters honored Velma Heller, on her 90th birthday.
They came from all over town, representing all of the longtime Westporter’s many town activities. Velma served on the Representative Town Meeting — and as its moderator — following a 31-year career with the Westport Public Schools, as reading specialist, Greens Farms Elementary School and Continuing Education principal, Bedford Middle School vice principal, and town-wide director of curriculum.
Now in her 10th decade, she remains active in — among other things — the League of Women Voters.
Velma has seen it all. Not much surprises her.
But she was surprised to learn that a tree has been planted, in her name and that of her late husband, fellow civic volunteer Gar Heller. It will grow and grace Grace Salmon Park, just a few steps from Velma’s home off Imperial Avenue.
Happy 90th, Velma, from your friends at “06880” — the blog, and the town!
Velma Heller: 90 years young! (Photo/Priscilla Long)
Westport’s “4 Days of Service” — a townwide initiative to honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11 through volunteerism, generosity, and acts of kindness — begin tomorrow (Tuesday).
There are countless ways to get involved (click here for a full story). One of the most far-reaching is a food drive sponsored by the Representative Town Meeting.
Called “Julie’s Give Where You Live 9/11 Food Drive” — and named after former RTM member Julie Whamond — it benefits Homes with Hope’s food pantry.
Donations can be dropped off in the Town Hall lobby from tomorrow through Friday (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.).
The most-needed items are canned black and pinto beans, pasta sauce, oatmeal, soup, ramen, canned corn and peas, jelly, mac ‘n’ cheese, and personal care items like deodorant, soap and everyday hygiene essentials.
Gift cards from Trader Joe’s, Stop & Shop and Walmart are welcome too.
To donate through Homes with Hope’s Amazon Wish List — with items delivered directly to the food pantry — click here.
File this one under “There Must Be a Back Story, But We Don’t Know What It Is”:
(Photo/Susan Kowalsky)
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The Westport Winners — Westport’s Challenger Little League baseball program for youngsters with disabilities — kicked off their fall season yesterday, in perfect weather.
Loads of players were joined by many buddies. And local baseball legend Kevin Morton delivered Riko’s pizza to the field — all donated!
Westport Book promises an action-packed September.
A new program has just launched: “Saturday Story Time for Kids.” Every week at 11 a.m., families are invited for reading fun.
The “Read a Book a Month Challenge” is for youngsters and adults. Everyone who buys a book at the store each month from now through June is invited to a year-end celebration.
An exhibit and book sale featuring the work of noted artist George Hand Wright is set for September 16 (6 to 7:30 p.m.).
And the Short Story Club meets September 23 (6 p.m.). Commemorating Labor Day, they’ll discuss 3 stories about people and their jobs:
“Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street” by Herman Melville
“The Passenger” by Marisa Silver
“Gray Noise” by Charles Swift
Registration is required. Call 203-349-5141, or email RSVP@westportbooksaleventures.org
And an after-hours music special features guitarist Warren Bloom (September 25, 6 to 8 p.m.).
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CLASP’s annual benefit is always a great time.
Band Central always entertains, with songs from the 1980s and ’90s.
This year, they’re adding a dance floor.
On October 15 (pre-party 6:30 p.m.; main event 7) hosts its fundraiser at Fairfield Theater Company. Ryebird and Saigon Snack Bar return with light bites.
Tickets are just $48 (all fees included). 100% of the proceeds benefit CLASP Homes. The non-profit provides care, support and services to adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Submissions are pouring in for today’s “Day in the Life of Westport” project.
From midnight through 11:59 p.m. today — and only today — residents are encouraged to take, and submit, up to 3 photos, showcasing anything at all about this Sunday in our town.
People, places, events, homes, yards, sports, work, parties, streets, woods, beaches — whatever you’re doing or seeing today can be part of this community endeavor.
The first photo submitted today was this sunrise. (Photo/Elisa Martin)
They’ll become part of an online community archive and digital image library (and featured on “06880”).
Organizers also plan to create a large photographic mosaic incorporating every submission, with selected images potentially featured in a public exhibition, commemorative book, and other America 250 legacy projects celebrating Westport’s history and community spirit.
Celia Campbell-Mohn sent in this selfie, with friends.
(“A Day in the Life of Westport” is a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation, and “06880.”)
Miggs Burroughs captured these flags, at Compo Beach.
Smartphones, point-and-shoots, huge ones with lenses the size of howitzers — everyone’s got at least one camera.
Today, use yours. All across town, folks will shoot images. Together, we’ll immortalize September 6 forever.
All day long, every Westporter is invited to help create a one-of-a-kind portrait of our town. We’ll do it by taking a photograph that captures one real moment from our day.
Whether it’s a sunrise at Compo Beach, breakfast with family, volunteering at a community event, working (yeah, even on a Sunday), walking the dog, cheering from the sidelines or enjoying a quiet moment at home, every image will become part of a collective portrait of Westport.
“A Day in the Life of Westport” is a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation, and “06880.”
As part of Westport’s America 250 celebration, the project will document our town in its everyday rhythms, creating a lasting record of who we are as a community in this semiquincentennial year.
Inspired by the classic Life magazine photo essays documenting “A Day in the Life of America,” the project invites residents of every age to photograph one moment today. Then submit it online, with a brief caption describing what the image means to you.
Collectively, the photographs will become a real-time portrait of Westport, preserving both extraordinary moments and ordinary ones that define daily life.
Miggs Burroughs, a founding member of the Artists Collective, says, “Every individual photograph tells a story. Together, hundreds — perhaps thousands — of photographs become something entirely different: a portrait of Westport itself. The finished mosaic will reveal not only the beauty of our town, but the connections that make us a community.”
Early September will still be warm enough for a sunrise swim … (Photo/Jimmy Izzo)
LWV secretary James Delorey notes, “Westport has always been a community that shows up. Whether it’s volunteering, voting, supporting neighbors or celebrating together, people here take part. ‘A Day in the Life of Westport’ is another opportunity for everyone to help tell the story of this remarkable town.”
League member Andrea Moore adds, “Westport’s story is written by our whole community. ‘A Day in the Life’ invites everyone to share a special moment or a favorite scene from their day. Each photograph captures a part of who we are today, and creates a record that future generations will be able to look back on.”
You can photograph every aspect of community life, including all generations, neighborhoods, occupations, traditions, celebrations, acts of service, family life, recreation, arts, faith, work, and the countless moments that make Westport unique.
,,, and photographers can also capture random kids having moments of fun. (Photo/Dan Woog)
The final collection will reflect the full diversity of the community, and the many different ways people experience the same day.
Photos must be taken today — Sunday, September 6 — and submitted by midnight at dayinthelife2026.artcall.org. The submission website will accept photographs only today!
Each participant may submit up to 3 shots, accompanied by a brief caption describing the moment.
Submitted photographs will become part of an online community archive and digital image library (and featured on “06880”).
Organizers also plan to create a large photographic mosaic incorporating every submission, with selected images potentially featured in a public exhibition, commemorative book, and other America 250 legacy projects celebrating Westport’s history and community spirit.
(“06880” is proud to partner with Westport organizations on this project — and to be your hyper-local blog. We rely on reader support. Please click here to help. Thanks for all you do for us!)
A reminder: Tomorrow (Sunday) is our special “Day in the Life of Westport” day.
Residents of all ages are invited to take up to 3 photos of any kind, illustrating life in Westport. They can be taken anywhere in town, at any time from midnight to 11:59 p.m.
Suggestions include neighborhoods, work, traditions, celebrations, acts of service, family life, recreation, arts, faith — whatever happens on a Westport Sunday.
Submitted photos will become part of an online community archive and digital image library (and featured on “06880”).
Organizers also plan to create a large photographic mosaic incorporating every submission, with selected images potentially featured in a public exhibition and/or commemorative book.
Photos must be taken tomorrow only, then submitted by midnight to dayinthelife2026.artcall.org. The submission website will accept photographs only on the day of the event.
“A Day in the Life of Westport” is a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation, and “06880.”
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Homes with Hope is an avid supporter of “A Day in the Life of Westport.” And to show how many people are involved, they will pose for a photo at 2 p.m. tomorrow, outside the Gillespie Center men’s shelter.
They’ve invited members of the Westport Rotary and Sunrise Rotary Clubs. All volunteers — those who prepare and serve meals, those who donate to the food pantry, etc. — are welcome to join in the photo. Town officials will be there too.
It’s a great way to demonstrate the town’s support for Homes with Hope.
And to be part of the historic “Day in the Life of Westport” too.
Gillespie Center and Hoskins Place will be filled with Homes with Hope staffers and volunteers tomorrow.
Last month, Paulie Veneto began pushing an airline beverage cart in Boston.
The retiree — who was working on September 11, 2001 — is honoring the memory of his colleagues who were killed that day by pushing the cart 210 miles, to Ground Zero in New York.
This is the 5th tribute walk for “Paulie’s Push,” to raise awareness of their heroism in the face of unimaginable danger.
Once again yesterday, the Westport Fire Department offered a welcome pit stop for lunch and hospitality, at their Post Road East headquarters.
Yesterday, his route took him through Westport. He stopped briefly at fire headquarters on the Post Road.
After a brief ceremony, and a meeting with firefighters, he was back on his trek.
At Eno Lane on Saugatuck Avenue, resident Mike Sharpe brought neighbors together to show support and appreciation — and have the honor of helping push the cart.
Carolyn King reports, “It has become a meaningful tradition, and a beautiful reminder of the importance of coming together.”
Paulie will reach in New York by Friday.
Paulie Veneto (white shirt), his cart, and Westport firefighters and officials.
Paulie Veneto and 1st Selectman Kevin Christie push carts down Riverside Avenue.
Hers was at the dump across the Saugatuck River. With the Taylor parking lot dump closed by court order (neighbors complained — that was a thing 70 years ago too), and nowhere to put the quickly growing town’s garbage, the Westport Woman’s Club agreed to allow limited dumping on landfill next to their Imperial Avenue clubhouse, where a new parking lot was being built.
In response to negative public opinion, sportscaster and Westport resident Win Elliot organized an October 1957 event. Vanderbilt presided; there was a grand piano, and a sterling silver tea set.
Elliot said, “At a well-run dump you can hold a tea or a formal ball. There is absolutely no smell.”
A year later, that dump was filled to the height specified in the agreement. The town moved its dump to a site off Saugatuck Avenue.
The Imperial Avenue parking lot has had many uses since: for commuters, as the site of the Remarkable Theater, the Westport Farmers’ Market, and of course the Westport Woman’s Club’s signature event, the Yankee Doodle Fair.
A hat tip to longtime WWC official Dorothy Curran, for setting the record straight.
And not dumping on us for the error.
Imperial Avenue parking lot — and former dump — built on landfill adjacent to the Westport Woman’s Club (white building, center right).
Yesterday’s Westport Sunrise Rotary meeting went to the dogs.
Brute — a Belgian Malinois, and member of the Westport Police Department K-9 corps — was the star of the morning meeting.
He graciously let his handler, Corporal James Loomer, do the talking.
Loomer joined the WPD in 2010. With Brute wagging his tail encouragingly, Loomer discussed his background in K-9 operations, patrol, and narcotics and explosives detection.
Corporal James Loomer, and Brute. (Photo/Katie Augustyn)
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Michal Amzallag has spent her career in banking law, financial crimes and commercial negotiation.
Then she had kids. And she realized no one was teaching them about money. “Understanding money at 8 instead of 28 is the biggest head start anyone gets, and almost nobody does,” she says.
So she is building the courses she kept looking for.
“Compound Kids” is 8 weeks of hands-on money skills, for youngsters age 8 to 13.
They use real money — part of the registration fee — and real activities. There are no worksheets or lectures; just hands-on activities.
There will be 2 courses this winter, at the Westport Library, divided by age (8-10, and 11-13). Click here for more information.
Michal Amzallag
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Speaking of money: We normally would not mention an upcoming meeting of the Pension Investment Committee and 401(k) and Defined Contribution Plan Investment Committee.
They do important work, sure. But it’s not the headline-grabbing, dog park-, athletic field lights- and Saugatuck redevelopment-type work of, say, the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Still, one agenda item from their next session caught our eye: “Aristotle Discussion.”
We got very excited. Would the Pension Investment Committee and 401(k) and the Defined Contribution Committee actually sit around discussing the Greek philosopher’s thoughts on formal logic and syllogisms?
Nope.
Turns out Aristotle is a family of mutual funds.
We learn something new every day.
Or, as a famous Greek philosopher once said, “All men by nature desire to know.”
Aristotle, the mutual funds guy.
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Speaking of meetings: The Blight Prevention Board meets September 10 (7 p.m.; Zoom).
Mihali made a triumphant return to the Levitt Pavilion last night. Their 11th show at the outdoor theater may have been their best yet.
Tonight (Saturday, 7 p.m.), Hollywood Nights brings their acclaimed Bob Seger Experience to Westport. Click here for tickets.
Summer vibes continue this coming week with 3 free shows: ever-popular DNR (the almost all-doctor rock band; Thursday, September 10, 7:30 p.m.), in their annual tribute to EMS and first responders; the equally popular Sweet Remains (Saturday, September 12, 7:30 p.m.) and the Brian López Electric Trio (Sunday, September 13, 7 p.m.).
Less than 2 weeks remain before “A Day in the Life of Westport.”
On Sunday, September 6, every Westporter is invited to help create a one-of-a-kind portrait of the town. We’ll do it by taking a photograph that captures one real moment from our day.
Whether it’s a sunrise at Compo Beach, breakfast with family, volunteering at a community event, opening a business downtown, walking the dog, cheering from the sidelines or enjoying a quiet moment at home, every image will become part of a collective portrait of Westport.
“A Day in the Life of Westport” is a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation, and “06880.”
As part of Westport’s America 250 celebration, the project will document the town in its everyday rhythms, creating a lasting record of who we are as a community in this semiquincentennial year.
Inspired by the classic Life magazine photo essays documenting “A Day in the Life of America,” the project invites residents of every age to photograph one moment on Sunday, September 6, then submit it online with a brief caption describing what the image means to them.
Photos must be taken on Sunday, September 6, and submitted by midnight that evening at dayinthelife2026.artcall.org. The submission website will accept photographs only on the day of the event.
Each participant may submit up to 3 shots, each accompanied by a brief caption describing the moment.
The “Meet the Parents” star was in Norwalk for a well-publicized promo of his recently launched Stiller’s Soda. Entry into the meet-and-greet line required the purchase of a 12-can case ($15, plus tax).
The event drew an enormous crowd. There were reports of fans (presumably of Stiller, not the soda) flying in from Texas.
Gabe Escobar was there too. I didn’t know who he is, but plenty of other people do. AI described him as a “musical theater graduate, and digital content creator with millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram. He is well-known for his solo travel vlogs, comedy sketches, Broadway content, and for sparking the viral ‘girlfriend effect’ fashion trend.”
I also didn’t know what “the viral ‘girlfriend effect’ fashion trend” is, but whatever. (Click here, if you must know.)
Back to Stew’s. Gabe’s encounter with “the worlds [sic] largest grocery store” — (he “didn’t know it was a superlative,” he notes) offers an intriguing perspective on it, as well as on Ben Stiller, suburbia, and the world of influencers in general.
Lyman — Westport’s sister city, in an especially besieged area of Ukraine — was featured in Friday’s New York Times.
The story begins:
Stay, or try to escape? Nina Ivanova, 77, felt the odds of survival were 50/50 either way, and she had nothing left to lose.
Russian forces were just over a mile away, battering her city, Lyman, in eastern Ukraine, with glide bombs and drones. Her husband was dead after a long illness, and her home was destroyed. She was hiding in a basement with her two daughters.
Lyman was burning, but civilian and military evacuation teams no longer entered the city, given the danger. The only way out was on foot — nine miles under drone-filled skies.
When Ms. Ivanova saw a body eaten by dogs in Lyman, it helped push her to her limit, she said. She and her daughters would take their chances on the road, as countless Ukrainians have done before them all along the front line.
“We got up and left,” she said.
Click here for the full story. To donate to Lyman through Ukraine Aid International, click here. Click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo.) (Hat tip: Howard Matson)
Damage after a Russian attack on Lyman in 2024. (Photo/Tyler Hicks for the New York Times)
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Yacht Rock — a live tribute to classic ’70s and ’80s music like Steely Dan and Christopher Cross — returns to VFW Post 399 this Saturday (August 29; doors open at 6 p.m.; show at 7:30).
Tickets are $15 in advance (click here), $20 (cash) at the door.
Also at the VFW: The next Veterans Benefits Luncheon (Thursday, August 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), VFW Post 399).
It’s open to all veterans as part of an ongoing effort to check in on all veterans’ welfare, and connect them with the benefits and support they earned.
Representatives will answer questions, and provide information on services and assistance available to veterans.
RSVPs are encouraged (but not required). Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, and include the number of attendees, or call (203) 227-6796.
PS: If you’re not a veteran, but know one: Please pass the word!
VFW veterans’ benefits luncheon.
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Last night’s Levitt Pavilion Andy Frasco/Kitchen Dwellers/Magoo show — a finale to the three band tour — included Frasco doing a crowd-surfing hora hybrid.
Tonight (Monday, 7 p.m.), the outdoor amphitheater becomes a jazz club. Greens Farms Academy graduate Charlie Hall celebrates Miles Davis’ centennial with his “Get Up With It” ensemble project. Tickets are available here, and at the box office.
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We’ve featured lots of creatures in our “Westport … Naturally” series.
This may be the first sting ray, though.
Michael Friedland spotted it last week at Old Mill Beach.
And finally … Janie Bradford Hobbs died in Los Angeles, following an extended illness. She was 87.
Though nowhere near as well known as fellow Motown songwriters like Holland-Dozier-Holland, Smokey Robinson and others — perhaps because she was a woman? — she wrote several important hits for the label. Among them:
(Hat tip: Michael Taylor)
(Just like Barrett Strong, money is what we want. We’re not as direct as he is — okay, maybe we are — but we remind you again that “06880” is reader-supported. Please click here. And thank you!)
Every day in Westport is special. Every day is unique.
But when each is over, we move on to the next.
September 6 will be a day we’ll never forget.
On that Sunday, every Westporter is invited to help create a one-of-a-kind portrait of the town. We’ll do it by taking a photograph that captures one real moment from our day.
Whether it’s a sunrise at Compo Beach, breakfast with family, volunteering at a community event, opening a business downtown, walking the dog, cheering from the sidelines or enjoying a quiet moment at home, every image will become part of a collective portrait of Westport.
“A Day in the Life of Westport” is a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation, and “06880.”
As part of Westport’s America 250 celebration, the project will document the town in its everyday rhythms, creating a lasting record of who we are as a community in this semiquincentennial year.
Inspired by the classic Life magazine photo essays documenting “A Day in the Life of America,” the project invites residents of every age to photograph one moment on Sunday, September 6, then submit it online with a brief caption describing what the image means to them.
Collectively, the photographs will become a real-time portrait of Westport, preserving both extraordinary moments and ordinary ones that define daily life.
Miggs Burroughs, a founding member of the Artists Collective, says, “Every individual photograph tells a story. Together, hundreds — perhaps thousands — of photographs become something entirely different: a portrait of Westport itself. The finished mosaic will reveal not only the beauty of our town, but the connections that make us a community.”
Early September will still be warm enough for a sunrise swim … (Photo/Jimmy Izzo)
LWV secretary James Delorey notes, “Westport has always been a community that shows up. Whether it’s volunteering, voting, supporting neighbors or celebrating together, people here take part. ‘A Day in the Life of Westport’ is another opportunity for everyone to help tell the story of this remarkable town.”
League member Andrea Moore adds, “Westport’s story is written by our whole community. ‘A Day in the Life’ invites everyone to share a special moment or a favorite scene from their day. Each photograph captures a part of who we are today, and creates a record that future generations will be able to look back on.”
Participants are encouraged to photograph every aspect of community life, including all generations, neighborhoods, occupations, traditions, celebrations, acts of service, family life, recreation, arts, faith, work, and the countless moments that make Westport unique.
,,, and photographers can also capture random kids having moments of fun. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Organizers hope the final collection reflects the full diversity of the community, and the many different ways people experience the same day.
Photos must be taken on Sunday, September 6, and submitted by midnight that evening at dayinthelife2026.artcall.org. The submission website will accept photographs only on the day of the event.
Each participant may submit up to 3 shots, each accompanied by a brief caption describing the moment.
Submitted photographs will become part of an online community archive and digital image library (and featured on “06880”).
Organizers also plan to create a large photographic mosaic incorporating every submission, with selected images potentially featured in a public exhibition, commemorative book, and other America 250 legacy projects celebrating Westport’s history and community spirit.
(“06880” is proud to partner with Westport organizations on this project — and to be your hyper-local blog. We rely on reader support. Please click here to help. Thanks for all you do for us!)
But the Westport Library hopes for hundreds — on one special day.
All Westporters — professional and amateur; old and young; native and newcomer; those with Nikons and those with iPhones — are invited to take photos at any time (or all day) on Wednesday, June 21.
That’s the summer solstice, so there should be plenty of light.
Shoot anything, or anyone. The only requirements: It must be somewhere in Westport. And use a high-resolution setting.
Send your 3 best images — one at a time, at the largest option offered — to dayinthelifeimages@gmail.com. Put your name and “Westport” in the subject line.
Photos chosen will be featured in the library’s Riverwalk hallway (lower level) from July 3-21. An opening reception is set for Thursday, July 6 (6:30 p.m.).
So on June 21, go for it.
Give it your best shot!
If you’re up early on June 21, you might get a shot like this. (Photo/Dave Curtis)
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