Held in Litchfield County’s Five Points Art Center, this intimate evening will showcase WSO’s professional string quartet led by Concertmaster Alyce Cognetta Bertz. Treat yourself to a night of timeless classics and glowing ambiance as the quartet performs the music of Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, and Queen as you’ve never heard it before. Surrounded by the gentle flicker of thousands of candles, audiences will be swept away by the elegance of strings paired with the unmistakable soul of rock ’n’ roll—an atmosphere that is intimate, moody, and magical. This concert offers an experience that is both emotionally rich and visually striking.
Saturday, May 9th at 7:00pm. Tickets: $40 each
Five Points Art Center
855 University Dr.
Torrington, CT
https://www.waterburysymphony.org/
Looking for a fun, active, and creative summer experience for your child? Sign up for Pilobolus Kids Camp!
Pilobolus is an internationally acclaimed dance company that has delighted audiences for over 50 years. Using skills honed over decades of performance, our educational initiatives—including summer camp— provide fundamental lessons about creativity, collaboration, and community through the joy of movement.
Kids ages 6 to 12 will explore movement, storytelling, and improvisation using Pilobolus’s signature approach to learning through play!
TWO SESSIONS AVAILABLE:
Kids Camp Week 1: July 20 – 24, 2026
Kids Camp Week 2: July 27 – July 31, 2026
Time: 9 AM – 3 PM daily
Location: Shepaug Valley High School, 159 South Street, Washington, CT
Sign up for one or both weeks!
Register here: pilobolus.org/camp
Give your child the gift of movement, creativity, and self-expression this summer.
Shepaug Valley High School, 159 South Street, Washington, CT
http://pilobolus.org/camp
Presented in partnership with Ideasmyth.com and moderated by Victoria C. Rowan, this two-part virtual program explores the creative process and practical pathways for sustaining a creative life.
This week’s program features Meghan O’Rourke, New York Times bestselling author and award-winning poet, a Guggenheim Fellow, professor of creative writing at Yale University, and Executive Editor of The Yale Review, America’s oldest literary quarterly.
This virtual program will take place on Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link via email.
Add to calendar
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
2026-04-28
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/making-it-as-a-creative-featuring-meghan-orourke-zoom/
6:00-7:00 PM
Free
Join the Thursday Evening book club at the Gunn Library in April, as we discuss a psychological and historical novel that has captured a wide audience in 2025 – Isola, by Allegra Goodman.
Heir to a great fortune, Marguerite seems destined for a life of comfort and refinement. But after she is orphaned, her guardian—charismatic, secretive, and dangerously unpredictable—squanders her inheritance and compels her to join his voyage to New France. What begins as an expedition soon turns into betrayal. Accused of wrongdoing, Marguerite is harshly cast aside and abandoned on a remote island.
Once surrounded by luxury, clothed in silk gowns and adorned with pearls, she must now confront a stark and unforgiving wilderness. As winter seals the island in snow and ice, survival demands a strength she never knew she possessed. In her isolation, she discovers a profound and sustaining faith.
Inspired by the true story of a sixteenth-century woman, Isola is a powerful and enduring tale of resilience, transformation, and the fight to endure against impossible odds.
Registration is required
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
2026-04-23
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/gml-thursday-book-club-isola-by-allegra-goodman/
FREE
11:00AM-12:00PM
Jeanine Chayka continues to offer meditation and sound healing. Her sessions activate the body’s relaxation response, calm the mind, release physical tension, and restore balance to the nervous system.
Using the soothing sounds of crystal and Himalayan singing bowls, drums, and other vibrational instruments, Jeanine leads participants through immersive meditations that transport them to a state of deep healing and renewal.
Jeanine believes that self-care is the foundation of true healing. She approaches every session with the belief that each individual is worthy of compassion, care, and inner peace. Through her work, she helps others cultivate balance, positivity, and spiritual nourishment.
Jeanine Chayka is the founder of Inspired Vibrations. She is a certified Practitioner of Sound and Vibrational Therapies, holds Reiki I & II certifications, and is a skilled meditation guide. Since 2020, she has facilitated sound meditations, guided sessions, and private retreats for individuals and groups—creating customized, deeply restorative experiences for each participant.
Registration Required
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
2026-04-11
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/the-art-of-sound-meditation-april/
1:00-2:00 PM
FREE
The Gunn Library book club is celebrating America’s 250 with a riveting Revolutionary-era drama of the first published rape trial in American history—and its long, shattering aftermath—revealing how much has changed over two centuries, and how much has not. Join us for a meaningful discussion.
On a moonless night in 1793 New York, seventeen-year-old seamstress Lanah Sawyer accused a wealthy gentleman of rape—an almost unprecedented act. Her charge sparked a sensational trial involving figures like Alexander Hamilton, exposed deep inequalities of class and gender, and ignited public unrest. Though Lanah ultimately won justice, the cost was immense. The Sewing Girl’s Tale reconstructs this landmark case with gripping detail, revealing how one young woman’s courage helped shape American law and challenged who was heard.
Books are available at the circulation desk.
Registration is required
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
2026-04-10
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/gml-friday-book-club-the-sewing-girls-tale-by-john-wood-sweet/
FREE
3:00-4:00 PM
Sharpen your French conversation skills and connect with interesting international people at the Gunn. If you are an intermediate or fluent speaker, join us in 2026 for a monthly hour of French conversation at Gunn Memorial Library.
Each session, participants will read articles from French magazines that cover cultural topics and current events. Guided discussions encourage stimulating and meaningful dialogue—perfect for sharpening your French and deepening your understanding of Francophone culture.
This is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow Francophiles from diverse cultural backgrounds, exchange ideas, and celebrate the beauty of the French language in a warm, welcoming environment.
Registration is required
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
2026-04-09
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/french-club-for-adults-april/
Free
6:00-7:00 PM
Gunn Memorial Library invites the community to celebrate National Poetry Month with a hands-on Blackout Poetry workshop, part of the library’s For the Love of Poetry event series. Taking place throughout April, the series is designed to inspire creativity and deepen appreciation for the written word in all its forms.
Blackout poetry is a playful and accessible art form that transforms existing text into original poetry by selectively obscuring words on a page. The result is a unique blend of literature and visual art—no prior writing or artistic experience required. Participants are encouraged to experiment, explore, and discover their own creative voice in a relaxed and supportive setting.
This immersive program offers a welcoming opportunity for poets, artists, and curious beginners alike to engage with language in a fresh and unexpected way.
Registration is required
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
2026-04-09
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/blackout-poetry-night-2026/
Celebrate National Poetry Month with Make IT As a Creative, a two-part virtual program presented in partnership with Ideasmyth.com, moderated by Victoria C. Rowan.
The first program features Julie Flanders who explores the creative process and practical pathways for sustaining a creative life.
Julie Flanders is a poet, lyricist, and founding member of the internationally recognized musical collective The October Project. She is opening an insightful dialogue about poetry, music, and creative life.
Flanders will highlight the differences between writing lyrics and writing poems, and how the creative process changes when composing to music versus writing for the page. She’ll discuss how her poetry shapes October Project songs, and how collaboration with fellow artists continues to influence her work.
The program will also touch on Flanders’ decision to self-publish her poetry and the International Poetry Contest sponsored by The October Project, which supports and celebrates emerging voices worldwide. Drawing from her Yale education, life on the Connecticut shoreline, and experiences living and traveling elsewhere, she will reflect on how place, movement, and community have informed her poetic voice.
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
2026-04-07
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/making-it-as-a-creative-featuring-julie-flanders-zoom/
6:00-7:30 PM.
FREE
The Gunn Memorial Library will host an inspiring poetry workshop, Unlock Your Inner Poet, led by Washington’s Poet Laureate Karen Silk.
Within each of us lives a poem — a singular voice and a particular way of expression. In this supportive workshop, Silk will guide participants through creative prompts, discussion, and word play to uncover the magic and pleasure of writing a poem. Whether you are new to poetry or have been writing for years, this program invites you to deepen your connection to language and discover fresh pathways to expression.
Participants are encouraged to bring a poem they love.
About Karen Silk:
Karen Silk is the author of SOMEWHERE A BIRD, published by Antrim House Press. She is serving her second term as Poet Laureate of Washington, a testament to her enduring commitment to the literary arts. Her poetry has appeared in numerous literary journals and in Litchfield Magazine. While she is deeply devoted to her own creative work, Silk is equally passionate about mentoring others and helping aspiring writers discover and cultivate their unique poetic voices.
Gunn Memorial Library
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793
https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/unlock-your-inner-poet-with-karen-silk/
