Today Calendar 2025: Farmington.Valley.and. Beyond
Updated: 16 hours ago
Farmington Valley and Beyond • Connecticut • USA
• Info is accurate to our knowledge, but confirm with organizers to be sure
+++
Saturday Night Dinner and a Movie – Sound of Hope
Valley Community Baptist Church – Avon
• Saturday 2/1 – 6:15 pm
Free – no RSVP necessary • Info – 860-673-6826
• Powerful film based on a true story: 22 families from an East Texas church community adopted 77 foster children – 2024 movie
• Today Magazine award-winning cover story:
Valentine's Day Concert and Dessert
Valley Community Baptist Church – Avon
• Friday 2/14 – 6:30 pm
Free – no tickets necessary • Info – 860-673-6826
• Concert features Dave Pettigrew — he has toured with and opened for artists such as Big Daddy Weave, Mercy Me, Michael W. Smith and others
Gallery on the Green – Fine Art Shows
Canton Green Road – Canton – between Dowd Avenue + Route 44
• Gallery Hours – Fridays-Saturdays-Sundays – 1:00-5:00 pm
Members – New Work
Solo Shows – Bruce Ferraris • Christopher Maglieri
• Thru Saturday 2/8
Members Show – Art Throb!
Solo Show – Kathi Packer
• Friday 2/14 thru Saturday 3/15
• Opening Reception – Saturday 2/15 – 6:00-8:00 pm
Free • Farmington Valley artists and beyond – Gallery on the Green is operated by the Canton Artists’ Guild – cantonartistsguild@gmail. com
Winter Holiday Covers
• December 2024 thru January 2025
Free • Info – AHS website
• Avon Historical Society exhibit – nearly 100 covers from books, catalogs and magazines dating to 1854
Canton Grant Opportunity
Information Session – Canton Community Center
• Wednesday 2/12 – 7:00 pm
Free • Grant application period – thru March 15
• Nonprofits serving Canton residents can apply for funding from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving — grants from $250 to $10,000
• Grants available for all Valley towns and 29 towns in Greater Hartford •
Scholarship – Apply for Free Tuition
CT State Community College
• Thousands have received free tuition statewide
• “It sounds too good to be true, but this is real" – CT State rep
Walkie Talkies
LaSalle Market – Collinsville
• Tuesdays – 1:00 pm – 2/25 • 3/25
Free • launched and usually hosted by Dr. Brian Magna
• 15-minute health-based talk followed by 45-minute walk – bad-weather venue: typically start at LaSalle, then TBD
New Avon History Museum – Buy A Brick
• Fundraising campaign – thru 2/28
$100-$250 • Purchase – click here
• Fund 200-year-old schoolhouse renovated as museum – tax-deductible
Photo Exhibit – Wendy Rosenberg
Roaring Brook Nature Center aka RBNC – Canton
$7-$9 • free for members • Info – 860-693-0263
• View wildlife images by an award-winning Canton photographer who has displayed numerous photo exhibits across the Farmington Valley
• Rosenberg-connected Today Magazine cover stories:
Wendy received an SPJ award for this photo in Today Magazine:
Theater – Playhouse 44
Avon High School – Auditorium
• February 2025 – dates TBA
• Specific show and other details TBA
Avon UNICO
College Scholarship Opportunities
• Free to apply
• Local Scholarships – HS students from Avon-Simsbury-Canton, no matter where they attend school – deadline: 4/30 – Info: Avon UNICO
• National Scholarships – HS, college, postgrad – deadline: 4/15 – Info
• More Info – Avon UNICO scholarship co-chairs:
Tom Gugliotti – tgugli28@gmail. com
James Mahoney – james.m.mahoney@gmail. com
Canton Café
Dine-In Lunch Program
Canton Community Center – 40 Dyer Avenue
• Wednesdays + Fridays – 12:00-1:00 pm
$5 – senior citizens • $7 – town employees
• Reservations required two days in advance – call 860-693-5811
Gildo T. Consolini VFW Post 3272
Ongoing Meetings
• Monthly – fourth Wednesdays
• Avon – Prince Thomas of Savoy Italian Club
5:30 pm – Social
6:00 pm – Dinner – $10
6:30 pm – Meeting
• Weekly – each Thursday
• BeanZ & Co. – Avon – 8:30-11:00 am
Free • Veterans from all towns are invited for conversation and support
Antique Appraisals
ANTIQ’S – Farmington
• Saturdays – 11:00am-4:00pm
Free • Info – 860-676-2670 • info@antiqs.com
• Free-of-charge appraisal of your antiques – every Saturday
Kala Farnham – Concert Schedule
• Connecticut State Troubadour • Award-Winning Songwriter •
Info + Tickets – some shows free – Kala's website • Tour Schedule
• Kala Farnham has opened for Don McLean, Tony Bennett and other notables – she has performed across Connecticut and the East Coast
• Songs on YouTube > David • Connecticut Grown • A Little Ghost Story •
Open Mic Night
Talcott Mountain Collective – Simsbury
• Tuesdays – 7:00-9:30 pm
• Space limited: advance online sign-up advised – walk-ins if time allows – hosted by Michael Sasportas Music
Open Mic Night
LaSalle Market & Deli – Collinsville
• Fridays – 6:00 pm
Free to play and listen • Info – 860-693-8010
• Space limited: same-day sign-up at LaSalle – previously advance online sign-up was advised, but the current website link is old
Autism Programs
Autism Families CONNECTicut
• Register – https://www.autismfamiliesct.org •
• Today Magazine cover story:
Simsbury Public Library
Recurring Events + Programs
• Free • Register + Info • 860-658-7663
Online: Poetry Group
• Third Tuesday – monthly – 6:30-7:30 pm
• Write and share poems for constructive feedback
Spanish Conversation Group
• Wednesdays – 11:00 am • Practice speaking Spanish with others
English Conversation Club
• Fridays – 10:30 am • Practice your English with others
• Today Magazine cover story – Burning Book Passion •
Red Cross Blood Drives
Numerous locations in Farmington Valley
• Various days + times
• Register + find a Valley blood drive – www.redcrossblood.org •
Blood Pressure + Blood Sugar Clinic
Canton Senior Center – 40 Dyer Avenue
• Wednesdays – 11:30-1:00 pm
Free • Sponsored by Farmington Valley VNA – appointments not required
• For residents of all towns, not just Canton
American Parkinson Disease Association – Connecticut Chapter
Free • Various locations – ongoing
• Click the above links to find a group or class near you
• Today Magazine cover story – Parkinson Puzzle •
CT Freedom Trail Program • Online
Three Firsts – Pvt. Leverett Holden – Civil War veteran
Free • On-Demand Video
• Holden was in CT's 29th Regiment Volunteer Infantry: Colored
• His gravesite is on the Connecticut Freedom Trail – a first for Avon CT
• Presented by Avon Historical Society president Terri Wilson
• Wilson's award-winning Today Magazine story:
Pine Grove Schoolhouse
Avon – corner of West Avon Road aka Route 167 + Harris Road
• Address: 3 Harris Road – Harris Road becomes Brickyard Road
– Schoolhouse open – May thru September – Sundays • 2:00-4:00 pm
– Schedule visits at other times by appointment
Free • Listed on National Register of Historic Places – built in 1865
• Avon Historical Society • 860-678-7621
"We Are Very Likely To Die"
Incredible True Story of Sinking of Sea Surveyor
• Free – On-Demand Video
• Talk by survivor Walter Banzhaf, longtime Simsbury resident – presented at Simsbury Senior Center, Simsbury Library and elsewhere in CT
+++
Coping with Grief and Loss during the Holidays – Online
• On-Demand Video – cogent talk starts at 21:20 mark after musical intro
Speaker – Joe Colletti • author • bereavement consultant
• Hosts – Carmon Community Funeral Homes – Avon
Free • Info – visit above websites – 860-688-2200 • 860-673-8610
– Nine Carmon locations – Avon • Granby • Hartford • Rockville • South Windsor • Suffield • Vernon • Windsor • Poquonock: also in Windsor
+++
MLK in CT Memorial
Simsbury Free Library
Free • On-Demand Video – Unveiling Ceremony
Ceremony occurred on MLK Day 2021 – at Simsbury Free Library
• Award-winning Today Publishing coverage:
– Today Online feature – Unique memorial honors MLK's time in Valley
– Today Magazine cover story – Their Dream: MLK Memorial
• Award-winning documentary – produced by Simsbury High students:
+++
Unearthing History
2024 History Series • Online • Internationally significant find in Avon in Connecticut's Farmington Valley
On the Discovery in Avon of 12,500-year-old Paleo-Indian Site
Free • Five webinars – available on-demand here:
– Sponsors – Avon Historical Society • Avon Library • Avon Senior Center
• Today Magazine cover story by Dr. David Leslie:
• David Leslie was senior archaeologist for the Avon site discovered in 2019
Unearthing History
2023 History Series • Online
• Internationally significant find in Avon in Connecticut's Farmington Valley
On the Discovery in Avon of 12,500-year-old Paleo-Indian Site
Free • Five webinars – available on-demand here:
• Big Importance of Small Things
Unearthing History
2022 History Series • Online
• Internationally significant find in Avon in Connecticut's Farmington Valley
On the Discovery in Avon of 12,500-year-old Paleo-Indian Site
Free • Five webinars – available on-demand here:
• Update on Scientific Analysis of Brian D. Jones Site in Avon CT
Unearthing History
2021 History Series • Online
• Internationally significant find in Avon in Connecticut's Farmington Valley
On the Discovery in Avon of 12,500-year-old Paleo-Indian Site
Free • Five webinars – available on-demand here:
• Dr. David Leslie – senior archaeologist • Avon CT site
• Dr. Zachary Singer – research archaeologist
+++
Valley Town Sites – Avon • Canton • Farmington • Granby • Simsbury
Valley Libraries – Avon • Canton • Farmington • Granby • Simsbury
Valley Chambers of Commerce – Avon-Canton • Granby-Simsbury
+++
PAST EVENTS
• The events below were listed previously in the main Today Calendar above:
Farmington Nostalgia – Art Exhibit
Barney Library – Farmington
Free • Info – email: Kate@KateEmery. com
Avon Historical Society – 50th Anniversary Exhibit
End of the Year Show
Kalaveshi Arts – Avon
Free • Juried exhibition featuring works of 30 local artists
• Today Magazine cover story – From War-Torn To Art Reborn •
Family Holiday Pops Concert
Northwest Catholic High School – West Hartford
• Premiere of "A Harp Christmas" with acclaimed harp soloist Megan Sesma – plus audience sing-along of favorite carols
The Fantastic Toyshop – New England Ballet Theatre
The Theater of Performing Arts – Hartford
• Choreographed by NEBT artistic director Rachael Gnatowski
PAST EVENTS – these events were listed previously in the main Calendar
Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center
SMPAC – Iron Horse Boulevard – Simsbury
Open House
Free • 860-688-9621 – info@marysplacect. org
Habitat Ambassador Workshops
Free • Register • Info – 860-541-2208 – volunteer@hfhncc.org
• One-hour mission overview about ongoing volunteer opportunities
• Today Magazine cover story – Homegrown Hope: Making Dreams Reality
• Today Magazine follow-up – Local Habitat Celebrates 35th Birthday •
Art Exhibition – Rhythms in Time
Solo Show – Edith Skiba LaMonica
Free • Info – gallery director Arthur Simoes: arthursimoes@ctstate. edu
• LaMonica's work has been featured in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, New Britain Museum of American Art and Canton-based Gallery on the Green
Red Stone Pub – Simsbury
• Tuesday Trivia – 7:00 pm
PAST EVENTS – these events were listed previously in the main Calendar
Unite In Love Luncheon
Casino Night to End Alzheimer's
• Play casino games to support the fight to end Alzheimer's
Play Auditions – Playhouse 44
• Brand-new theater venture – many age ranges – join email list •
Warehouse Tag Sale – Journey Home
Info – 860-808-0336 – volunteer@journeyhomect. org
• Journey Home seeks to end homelessness
Roaring Brook Nature Center
Summer 2024 – Discovery Days Programs
RBNC – Canton • Info – 860-693-0263
• Today Magazine cover story – Nature and Nurture •
PAST EVENTS – these events were listed previously in the main Calendar
Painting Party – Avon Historical Society
Derrin House – Avon
• Info – 860-678-7621 – info@avonhistoricalsociety.org
Habitat Youth Advocacy & Engagement Conference
Habitat – Winter Warrior Public Build Days
Free • Register + Info • 860-541-2208 – volunteer@hfhncc. org
Kalaveshi Arts – Avon
• Gallery hours: Tuesday thru Saturday – 11:00am-4:00pm
Free • Info • Today Magazine cover story – From War-Torn To Art Reborn •
Driving Away Parkinson’s Golf Tournament
American Parkinson Disease Association – Connecticut Chapter
• Today Magazine cover story – Parkinson Puzzle •
TableScapes Fundraiser
Benefit – Avon Historical Society
• Benefit for Avon History Museum
• Past Events: 2022-23 • SEO Keyword – Today Calendar 2025
Comments