With a variety of performances and special events planned, the fifth annual Newtown Arts Festival, sponsored by Newtown Cultural Arts Commission, will offer an events roster that will stretch from September 1 through October 1.

Terry Sagedy, chairman of the arts festival, says he and other organizers are planning to bring "a robust and diverse set of offerings to the residents of Newtown and western Connecticut" next month, thanks to partnerships with many local and regional groups.

"Our goal is to kick off a season of the arts and community events each September to demonstrate the depth of talent and commitment to community that exists in Newtown and the region," he continued.

The robust series of events commences with two screenings of the classic John Huston film The African Queen on Thursday, September 1. Screenings will be in the theater of Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, at 1 and 7 pm.

Tickets are $2 and will be available at the box office the day of the screenings. The screening is being sponsored by residents Kenneth and Laura Lerman.

In honor of the 15th anniversary of 9/11, a presentation of the photographic work by Newtown native Richmond Jones will be presented on Wednesday, September 7, at 7 pm, in the meeting room of C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

Mr Jones's collection, called "Lost," features a series of photographs of the haunting posters hung by loved ones in lower Manhattan in the days after the tragedy. Selected photographs will be displayed along with a brief film. A Q&A with the photographer will follow the presentation.

In addition, Newtown Municipal Center Art Gallery will host a retrospective of the photography of Mr Jones, weekdays September 6-29. "Random Samples" will feature works from Jones's lifelong op-ed photography career including works, which have appeared in The New York Times, among other notable publications.

The weekend of September 10 will begin with Ben's Lighthouse Ice Cream Social. The family-friendly event will be presented in the courtyard at Reed intermediate School from 1 to 3 pm.

The event will create awareness of local volunteer opportunities in the greater Newtown area with several local organizations participating. For more information, visit benslighthouse.org.

On Sunday, September 11, from 8 am until 3 pm, Newtown REACH will present its second annual car show at Fairfield Hills featuring vintage autos of all shapes and sizes, live music and a DJ, food and other vendors, and trophies and cash awards. The event is free with a suggested donation to REACH Newtown. For more information, visit reachnewtown.org.

On Wednesday, September 14, the third annual "Three Wordsmiths" evening of literary entertainment will be offered. This year's guests are Newtown humorist, blogger, and activist Kate Mayer; Danbury schoolteacher and columnist Robert Zupperoli; and fiction writer and columnist Wendy Wipprecht.

A Q&A with the Wordsmiths will follow along with a reception, and the authors will have copies of their books available for purchase and autographs. Location will be announced.

Admission is free but reservations are required. For more information and reservations, visit newtownartsfestival/2016-events.newtownartsfestival.com/2016-eventsTickets are $55 per person and are available at

A fun and festive Rooster Bash & BBQ Dinner Dance will be presented from 7 to 11 pm Friday, September 18, under a large tent at Fairfield Hills. The event will feature live music by Shoo Fly Blues Band, catered dinner by O'Deen's BBQ, and a cash bar.

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The Fifth Annual Newtown Arts Festival signature event - a two-day outdoor festival at Fairfield Hills - will be Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20. The festival will include more than 75 artisans and food booths, live music, arts activities, dance performances, puppetry, graffiti art, a wine and beer garden, and much more.

Admission is $5 per person, or $3 for children ages 6-12, payable at the gate. Children age 5 and under will be admitted free of charge.

The third annual Newtown Arts Festival 10 x 10 Play Festival will be presented Saturday evening, under the Entertainment Tent, beginning at 10 pm. Comedy Intended will feature ten plays with actors from all over western Connecticut in a series of previously performed works from established playwrights.

Admission is free, but reservations are required; visit .newtownartsfestval.com/2016-events

Newtown Friends of Music will open its 39th season by sponsoring a performance by Poulenc Trio with guest artist David Shifrin on Sunday, September 18. The performance at Edmond Town Hall Theatre will begin at 3 pm. Single performance and season tickets are available at newtownfriendsofmusic.org.

Building on the success of the past two seasons' Newtown Arts Festival Improv Night, an evening of improvisational theater will be offered Wednesday, September 21, at a location to be announced.

The evening will feature games between the Brookfield Theatre for the Arts' Debacles team and Ridgefield Theater Barn's Roll in the Hay troupe. Admission is free and reservations are requested, as seating is limited. Visit newtownartsfestival.com/2016-events for reservations.

Newtown's Second Annual Lantern Parade on Saturday, September 24, at 7:30 pm, will feature lanterns and self-made costumes along the new stretch of walking trail at Fairfield Hills. The parade will commence at the softball fields on Mile Hill South and proceed along the new trail to the soccer fields.

The public can bring a homemade lantern with them, or join any of the lantern-making sessions that will be part of Ben's Lighthouse Ice Cream Social, the REACH Newtown Car Show, and during the Saturday presentation of Newtown Arts Festival.

Newtown Dance Collaboration will present a performance on Sunday, September 25, at 3 pm, at Edmond Town Hall, which will include juried student choreography.

The performance will be the culmination of a series of workshops throughout the month of September to feature guest instructors Todd Hall, Steve Rooks, Betsy McMillan. Participating schools include Ashurst Irish Dance, Dance Etc, The Graceful Planet, Lathrop School of Dance, Lisa Minnelli School of Dance, and Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice.

On Thursday, September 29, at 1 and 7 pm, the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Cinema Series presents screenings of the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window, starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly.

Tickets are $2, and will be available at the box office prior to each screening. These screenings are sponsored by Dr & and Mrs Eric Chanko.

The Town Players of Newtown will offer a production of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, weekends from September 30 until October 22. Gene Golasewski will direct the production, which follows the story of strangers trapped in a boarding house during a storm, a murder, and a surprise ending.

Performances will be at The Little Theatre, 18 Orchard Hill Road. Performance and ticket details are available at newtownplayers.org.

Details for a few additional events are still being finalized. The full schedule of events will be published in The Newtown Bee and The Bee Extra dated Friday, September 2, 2016.