St Rose of Lima Parish will host its annual carnival on the parish grounds beginning Tuesday evening, June 25, and continuing nightly through Saturday, June 29. The carnival will operate from 6 to 10:30 each night. Ride bracelets will be available for $25 per night.

As in past years, the popular carnival will feature rides and games by Stewart Amusement, as well as a kiddie tent with face painting and crafts, and nightly entertainment.

Food will be plentiful, and include burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, fried dough and various deserts, along with nightly specials from local area restaurants including sausage & peppers, pulled pork sandwiches, pasta, meatballs and eggplant

Additionally, the St Rose Home and School Association will host a Friday Night Bingo on June 28. Doors will open at 5:45 pm, with games to begin at 6:30 pm. All ages are welcome. The games will be played in the St Rose Gathering Hall, adjacent to where the carnival is presented.

Admission is $17 per person, which includes all regular and some special games. Carnival food will be available for Bingo players, and can be purchased through student waiters.

Proceeds from this year’s carnival will be used to support parish needs.

The parish grounds are at 46 Church Hill Road. For more information, contact the St Rose of Lima Parish Office at 203-426-2573, extension 16.

Dark clouds that curdled an already overcast sky Tuesday afternoon were soon split by lightning, dropping heavy rain on the season’s first Farmers Market at Fairfield Hills. Although the weekly event was scheduled to run from 2 to 6 pm June 18 — opening day for the 2013 season — many vendors glanced at the sky and quickly took down their tents and folding tables as shoppers hurried to their cars less than two hours into the event.

At roughly 3:45 the rain and thunder began, cutting short not only opening day for the 11th annual season but also the music being provided by resident Joe Proc, vocalist Julie Ketchum and drummer Abu Carter.

Organizer Mary Fellows had hoped the storm would pass, but vendors including Biscotti Etc LLC were soon facing a rain storm. Stephanie Schneiderman and Jessie Plouffe quickly collected and packed up their jars of biscotti.

Watching the lightning were Melissa Eatista with Daffodil Hill Growers of Southbury, and a few booths away was Robin Marvin with Greenleaf Organic Bakery and Café of Wilton.

The farmers market will be open Tuesdays from 2 to 6 pm through October 22. Still within the Fairfield Hills campus, the market has moved this year to the corner of Keating Farms Avenue and Beers Boulevard, one block north of Newtown Municipal Center.

For additional information, visit LocalHarvest.org.