Westport’s annual downtown Children’s Halloween Parade has been postponed from today until tomorrow (Thursday, October 28).
Children and parents will meet at Main Street and Post Road East at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.
The parade will proceed up Main Street, turn right onto Avery Place, then turn left on Myrtle Ave to Town Hall and Veterans Green. Children may trick-or-treat along Main Street and outside Town Hall. Entertainment, refreshments and a small gift will be provided on Veterans Green at 4 p.m.
The event is sponsored by Westport Parks and Recreation Department, the Westport Downtown Association and Westport PAL.
Once upon a time, trick-or-treaters (yes, there was a “trick” part besides the “treat”) soaped up windows.
Now they paint them.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s annual Halloween Window Painting Contest takes place this Saturday (October 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
A record number of kids (105) will paint 65 different windows, all around town. They’re vying to win in 3 categories (Scariest, Most Original, and Best Halloween Themed) in 3 divisions (Elementary, Middle and High School). Victors earn rewards, and $25 gift cards from Cold Fusion.
Windows of retailers, offices, the Library and Senior Center answered the call, ensuring that every child who signed up has a window to paint. They’ll work on their own or in teams.
Windows will remain painted through Halloween, so residents can enjoy the artistry. For more information, click here.
Also downtown: The Westport Downtown Association hopes Westporters can help them make this holiday season special. They’re installing a dozen colorful tees throughout the area. Each will be decorated by professional designers, and will be themed to a different local non-profit. The aim is to support their missions during the season of giving.
The WDA seeks donations to help cover the cost of the trees, lights and decorations. Click here for the GoFundMe page, to help reach the $10,000 goal.
Usually, the only tents at Sherwood Island are on the sand.
Yesterday, visitors saw a ginormous tent, in the parking area. There were a couple dozen tractor-trailer dressing and production rooms too.
It was part of a movie being filmed there. Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell star in “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone,” an adaptation of a Stephen King short story.
Despite all the activity, no one spotted the main actors.
Speaking of cinema: The Remarkable Theater ends its second remarkable drive-in season with films that celebrate Halloween and Election Day (plus one classic music movie).
“Pink Floyd: The Wall” (Saturday, October 23, 6:30 p.m.)
“Hotel Transylvania” (Sunday, October 24, 6 p.m.)
“Corpse Bride” (Monday, October 25, 6:30 p.m.)
“The Candidate” (Tuesday, October 26, 6:30 p.m.)
“Beetlejuice” (Friday, October 29, 6:30 p.m.)
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (Saturday, October 30, 8:30 p.m.).
Speaking still of movies: After a great opening night, the Westport Library’s Short Cuts Film Festival continues Thursday, November 4 (7 p.m.), with 5 short films curated from the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. The lineup includes narrative and animated films.
Six Nights follows a restaurant dishwasher facing a dilemma; in The Angler, things are not always what they seem; a baby owl struggles in the animated Try to Fly; challenges face a Syrian immigrant in No Longer Suitable for Use; and 3 young children seek a boyfriend for their bus driver in Cupids.
Cupid director and humanitarian aid worker Zoey Martinson will be an in-person guest in the Forum for a discussion after the screenings. At-home viewers can access the talkback via Zoom, and ask questions as well.
An all-documentary program follows on November 18.
All films will be screened on the Forum’s large, hi-def screen.
“Bicycling with Butterflies” (November 1, 6:30 p.m., Zoom). On behalf of Westport’s Pollinator Pathway, and in honor of Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos — the day the monarchs traditionally return to their winter sanctuary in Michoacán — Sara Dykman talks about her solo experience biking the 10,000-mile Monarch Butterfly Migration . Click here for more information.
“Don’t Blow It! A Panel Discussion About Leaf Blowers” (November 8, 7 p.m., Wakeman Town Farm). Clear the air about the impact of gas leaf blowers on our bodies and the environment – including the gas leaf blower ordinance being presented to the RTM Click here for more information.
“Holiday Wreath Making” (November 15, 6:30 p.m., Wakeman Town Farm). Chyrse Terill and Ellen Goldman will show how to create wonderful Thanksgiving wreaths, with materials collected from WTF. At the end of the class, take home your work. Click here for more information.
Monarch butterfly in Westport. (Photo/Tammy Barry)
Posted onSeptember 12, 2021|Comments Off on Rush Of Events Fills Chamber’s Fall
The pandemic played havoc with our lives.
Not to mention the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s calendar of events.
A host of town activities — from Slice of Saugatuck and the Dog Festival to the Halloween Window Painting Contest — were postponed at least once.
Now they’re coming back. And the schedule is jam-packed.
On tap:
Slice of Saugatuck (Saturday, September 25): A walkable, eatable (tons of restaurant samples!), family-friendly and fun afternoon, in Westport’s funkiest neighborhood.
Westport Dog Festival (Sunday, October 10): Obstacle courses, K-9 demonstrations, vendors and more at Winslow Park. Make sure Fido brings you there!
First Selectman Candidates Forum – Tuesday, October 12: Get informed about the future of Westport, live at the Library.
Restaurant Week (October 19-31): So many great places to eat, we need more than an actual “week.”
Halloween Window Painting Contest (Saturday, October 23): Kids decorate downtown — and compete for prizes.
The Slice of Saugatuck will be back soon. (Photo/Terry Cosgrave)
While those events were put on hold the past 18 months, the Chamber helped the community cope in other ways.
“COVID hit our businesses hard, especially restaurants,” says director Matthew Mandell.
“The Chamber created a Take Out initiative, with a video and our BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket) campaign to promote outdoor dining. We also ran an hour-long livestream variety show in the middle of the lockdown, to support ur retail stores. We had to think totally out of the box, and I believe we did.
“People needed things to do that were safe, but still felt normal. We organized the first drive-in concert in the state, beating established music venues to the punch. We sold out all 10 of our concerts.
“When the time is right, we hope go back inside the Library for our Supper & Soul series.”
The beat goes on. And the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce seems to have hardly missed a beat.
Comments Off on Rush Of Events Fills Chamber’s Fall
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
