You don’t want to miss the Annual Newtown Arts Festival and Evening of the Arts that kicks off this Friday evening with the concert by Merchants of Rhythm, at 7 pm (tickets $15 or $20, tables of six, $100 — newtownartsfestival.com). Saturday and Sunday bring workshops, artist booths, art activities and performances, a wine and beer garden, food, and more from 11 am to 5 pm, adults, $5 at the gate; children, $3 ages 5-12; free for ages under 5. (Look for the Bee booth, and pick up a free copy of the paper.) On Saturday evening, from 6 to 10 pm, enjoy free performances featuring the Newtown musicians of New England New Music Ensemble (NENME), as well as poetry and play readings. Festival events all take place at Fairfield Hills.

Curt Covert from Smirk and Dagger Games, a Newtown-based board game publisher, tells us he will be demonstrating (and autographing!) his board games at the Newtown Arts Festival, September 21-22. Be sure to look for him.

A beautiful expression of love for our planet caught my eye as I strolled down a hallway at Head O’ Meadow School. The bulletin board exclaiming “Love Our Planet” was outstanding... but what is really outstanding, in my quite biased opinion, is the background chosen for the display: pages from The Newtown Bee!

Ruth Newquist is well-known to artists and art lovers in town. If you have not yet had the opportunity to see her exhibit, “New York Cityscapes,” now showing at the C.H. Booth Library, you will want to make some time to do so before the end of September. Ruth’s beautiful watercolors and oil paintings are a joy to behold. Give yourself a little gift and peek into the meeting room of the library during regular hours.

The day has finally come! Rescued pigs Little Beanie Tofu and Dolphin said farewell to their pen in Newtown on Wednesday, September 11, and traveled to their forever home at JP Animal Farm Sanctuary in Litchfield. Newtown resident Kathleen Cole, who had been caring for them at her home for almost two years, said the “girls” are adjusting well and are happy to have plenty of room to run and play together.

Register at cvhfoundation.org for this Sunday’s Sanctuary presentation. It’s all about butterflies, bees, beetles, and blossoms. The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary has lots of fun in store for all ages, from noon to 3 pm, at the Old Farm Road property.

Marilyn, where are you? A woman named Marilyn, a two-year resident of Newtown and owner of an 1800s home, nearly stole the show from Rockapella at Edmond Town Hall Theatre last Saturday night. Her back and forth with the musicians was memorable — and makes us want to meet her! Marilyn, contact editor@thebee.com — please! Audience members also loved the one-on-one interaction between Rockapella member Mitchell Rains and the audience member who confessed she “lip-syncs” the hymns at church!

The Newtown Farmers’ Market at Fairfield Hills will be hosting its Fall Festival on Tuesday, September 24, from 2 to 6:30 pm. In addition to vendors and three food trucks onsite, there will be a variety of activities and entertainment for all ages, including face painting, live music from 5 to 6:30 pm, a pumpkin raffle, and two yoga classes. Bring your yoga mat for the all-ages yoga class at 2:30 pm, taught by Elaina Wieser, and the children’s yoga class at 4:30 pm, taught by Wendy Katz-Verga. Ms Katz-Verga will also be collecting donations for the Jessica Rekos Foundation.

John Kirhoffer , Co-Executive Producer of the CBS television series Survivor and a NHS Class of 1981 graduate, shares that on Wednesday evening, September 25, at 8 pm, the premier episode of the 39th season airs. “I have been a producer on Survivor since its inception in 2000,” John tells us. And, for the first time in the 20 years on the air, another Newtown resident, Samantha Luzetti, worked on location with John in Fiji for the 39th and 40th seasons.

The National Rally to #EndGunViolence takes place on the West Lawn of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, next Wednesday, September 25, from 1 to 3:30 pm. September 25 is also the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, so the Newtown Action Alliance is encouraging all to wear all black that day. Find out how you can be a part of the rally at newtownactionalliance.org/events-activities/2019/9/2/rsvp-national-rally-to-endgunviolence.

The C.H. Booth Library has had good news lately: the auction of surplus furniture housed at the 25 Main Street building raised a total of $2,500; and word from the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library is that there was a net of $95,000 from this summer’s annual book sale. It’s good news for patrons, too, who will ultimately benefit from how these funds support our library.

Rumor has it that things are going swimmingly at the Aquatics programs at the Newtown Community Center. There are lots of other great programs awaiting community members, too. Check it out at newtowncommunitycenter.org or stop in to the new facility at 8 Simpson Street on the Fairfield Hills campus.

The autumn season begins this coming Monday, September 23. Cool mornings are already hastening the demise of summer. If you haven’t finished reading last week’s Fall Home & Garden supplement to The Newtown Bee, you might want to make a point of catching up on all the seasonal tips therein.

Are you a PR person with a Newtown organization, maybe new to that position? We want to help you get your information to The Newtown Bee in the best possible manner. Check out our press release tips at newtownbee.com/contact-us. Information presented in the correct form means that your important news will reach us and our readers in a timely fashion. Please remember that a flyer is not a press release!

We know there are still lots of residents out there who can say their families have been in town for four or more generations. Do you want to share your story with Bee readers? Contact alissa@thebee.com, and she will help you tell your tale.

I always have plenty of tales to tell. Be sure next week to... Read me again.