Presented by Sandy Carlson

Whoever we are and wherever we come from, we are children of the Earth and inheritors of her creative, healing energy. By being ourselves and being in nature, we can realize deeper levels of creativity. While enjoying the natural beauty surrounding Wisdom House, we'll consider some nature poetry and then explore the creative process for ourselves as we write and share our poems.

Lunch is included.

The Litchfield Farmers Market is one of the few year-round markets in the Connecticut. The weekly Saturday market offers fresh seasonal produce, fruit, berries, herbs, sustainably sourced fish; artisanal cheeses, breads and baked goods, local honey, maple syrup and gifts - all raised, grown or crafted by 15+ local vendors. 

The market occasionally hosts live music and supports non-profits from throughout the Litchfield area.

INDOOR MARKET - November through mid-June (intermittent Saturdays through the winter months -- check the website for dates.) Open Saturdays 10am - 1pm at the Litchfield Community Center located at 421 Litchfield Road, Litchfield, CT.

OUTDOOR MARKET - mid- June through October located at Center School, Litchfield.

Saturdays at 10:30 AM - July 5 - August 9

Perfect for 3 - 5 year olds, but fun for everyone!

Join Mrs. Tricia for a classic library storytime--books, songs, bubbles, and more! Come for early literacy skills, social connections, and fun! We will meet outside each week, weather permitting. 

Weekly starting June 7 through August 16

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: The Litchfield History Museum

Cost: Free for Members, $10 for non-Members

Registration Requested

The Litchfield Historical Society’s weekly walking tours are the perfect way to discover Litchfield’s vibrant history and explore the town’s celebrated Historic District. The history and stories of old Litchfield are preserved in the architecture of the town. Each tour provides visitors with an overview of Litchfield’s history - from the stories behind famous landmarks to anecdotes about past residents to appreciation of prominent buildings. 

The walk will begin at the Litchfield Historical Society (7 South Street) and lasts approximately 1 hour. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water. Walking tours are free for members and $10 for non-members.

Walking Tours are sponsored by Berkshire Alarm

25th Anniversary Celebration ~ Summerfest '25 'A Night on the Nile'

Embark with us on an enchanting journey for a Night on the Nile.

Food provided by:

@thecorner ~ Shawarma Chicken

Tilden's Seafood ~ Fish Tacos & Fries

La Guera ~ Arabes Burrito Bowl

Petraroia Deli ~ Falafel Pita

Brits Brand ~ Dessert Oasis

Sphinx Lounge ~ Full Bar Featuring Festive Cocktails & Mocktails

Live Entertainment by "Eight To The Bar"

Proper attire may include Shendyt, Kalasiris, Khat & Nemes.

Flat footwear encouraged.

Waldo's Back in Washington Depot This July!

Once again, in celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and two hundred and fifty independent bookstores across the country for some hide-and-seek fun to encourage communities to patronize their local businesses.

Where’s Waldo?   In Washington Depot, of course!  Beginning on Tuesday 1st July, the iconic children’s book character in the red-and-white-striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting 19 local businesses throughout the community .  Find Waldo Local is a great summer vacation activity and a wonderful way to support local businesses and the Shop Local movement.

Anyone who wishes to join in the fun can pick up a “Find Waldo in Washington Depot” passport from any of the participating stores.  When you spot Waldo collect a store stamp or signature.  And to make things a little more challenging, Waldo’s magnifying glass will also be hiding in The Hickory Stick Bookshop.

Great prizes for participants who get 16 or more stamps in their passport. Completed passports should be handed in to the Hickory Stick Bookshop by no later than 5.00 pm on Thursday July 31st.

We will be having a celebration party from 3-4 pm on Saturday August 2nd. Check our website for further details!

There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for all of July.  

For more information about hunting for Waldo in Washington Depot, call The Hickory Stick Bookshop at 860-868-0525 or visit our website at www.hickorystickbookshop.com.  

Docent led house tours of Miss Edith's Cottage at Topsmead run the second & fourth weekends of the month through October 12th, 2025. First Come, first served. Tours start at noon and run for approximately 30 minutes; last tour at 4:30 p.m. Free but donations are appreciated to support maintenance of cottage interior/exterior including gardens, the scholarship fund, and educational programming. Meet at the front door of the cottage. For GPS directions, designate Buell Road as your destination. We look forward to seeing you!

🌻 Join Us This Summer at Arethusa Farm 4-H Camp! 🌻

Located on a beautiful 140-acre nonprofit farm in Litchfield, CT, Arethusa Farm 4-H Camp is more than just summer fun—it’s a hands-on journey into sustainable agriculture, animal care, and environmental science!

🧒 Open to youth ages 5–13

📅 10 weeks of weekday camps | June 16 – August 22, 2025

🕘 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM daily

• 🌿 Discovery Camps (First 6 weeks): Explore farm animals, horticulture, environmental science, ag mechanics, and more!
• 🐑 Specialty Camps (Last 4 weeks):Choose from Vet Science Camp or Farm Camp for a deeper dive into animal care and sustainable farming.

This camp is part of a larger mission to reconnect youth and families with the land, promote food security, and build a healthier, more resilient community.

🔗 Register now

📧 Questions? Email us at arethusafarm4Hcamp@gmail.com

🌐 Learn more: www.arethusafarmfoundation.org

Let’s grow, learn, and thrive—together! 🌾

Mondays at 10:30 AM - June 23 - August 18*

For ages 4 - 8

*No class July 7

Using Letters are Characters® Parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers. Ensuring that your child learns to read to their highest potential is one of the greatest gifts that you can give them. Using Letters are Characters and Letters are Builders trademarked play-based methods, we will laugh and play our way to literacy and deep reading and empower you to be a confident and competent literacy guide for your child!

This program is funded by the generous support of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation. Register and receive a Letters are Characters or Letters are Builders kit while supplies last. In addition to the in-person program, you will also receive weekly guidance delivered right to your inbox.

Does your child need to learn to recognize the letters and know the sounds that they make?

Visit the Oliver Wolcott Library Website for more details and links to receive Letters are Characters Kits.

Mondays at 10:30 AM - July 14 - July 28

For ages 4 - 8 & their caregivers

Parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers. Ensuring that your child learns to read to their highest potential is one of the greatest gifts that you can give them. Using Letters are Characters and Letters are Builders trademarked play-based methods, we will laugh and play our way to literacy and deep reading and empower you to be a confident and competent literacy guide for your child!

Register and receive a Letters are Characters or Letters are Builders kit while supplies last. In addition to the in-person program, you will also receive weekly guidance delivered right to your inbox.

Does your child need to learn to recognize the letters and know the sounds that they make?

Does your child know their letter sounds and symbols and they are now ready to start sounding out and learning high frequency words?

This program is funded by the generous support of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation. 

Visit the OWL website to register.

On Zoom: June 2 - July 14

Monday Scholars combines the best of online learning and engaging discussion!

Join us for the full 6-weeks or drop in to explore your favorite topics. Each week, we will watch two video lectures together and then engage in lively conversation afterwards. The conversation will be facilitated by OWL's Caroline Ugurlu. 

About the course:

Join us as we explore 12 insightful, informative, illuminating, and (yes) humorous lectures. Professor Steven Gimbel of Gettysburg College will take you through the philosophical theories and explanations of humor, from blatantly obvious puns to complex narratives to sly twists of language. Drawing from both analytical and continental philosophy, the natural and social sciences, and the observations of thinkers ranging from Aristotle and Jonathan Swift to Sigmund Freud and Immanuel Kant, this course will leave you with a stronger appreciation of the jokes you tell and the jokes you hear. What's more, it may just leave you with a clearer idea of the true meaning of life. And that's no laughing matter.

About the professor:

Professor Steven Gimbel holds the Edwin T. Johnson and Cynthia Shearer Johnson Distinguished Teaching Chair in the Humanities at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, where he also serves as Chair of the Philosophy Department. He received his bachelor's degree in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and his doctoral degree in Philosophy from the Johns Hopkins University. His research focuses on the philosophy of science, particularly the nature of scientific reasoning and the ways that science and culture interact. He has published many scholarly articles and four books, including Einstein’s Jewish Science: Physics at the Intersection of Politics and Religion; and Einstein: His Space and Times.

Celebrate our SummerFest with a week filled with programs for all!

Start if off with Family Carnival Day!

Fun fames and good food!

Check our website for a complete list of FREE SummerFest activities!

Tent Talk: "Every Bird is Beautiful" Book Talk & Reading with Author Erin Dubuque

Free, Donations Welcome

In honor of our 25th SummerFest FREE FAMILY FUN WEEK, join local author Erin Dubuque of "Every Bird Is Beautiful" for a special book talk and reading! This fun and engaging event is perfect for ALL AGES. Come celebrate the joy of stories, nature, and togetherness under the tent.

Light refreshments will be served.

Celebrate our SummerFest with a week of FREE family fun.

Enjoy a Mad Science Show with family, fun and treats.

Tuesdays at 6:00 PM - July 1 - August 5

For children of all ages and their grown-ups

This summer, Tuesday evenings at OWL are all about families--take the stress out of planning dinner and an activity and instead have some complimentary pizza and then play! This program is for children of all ages and their grown-ups. 

REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR EACH PROGRAM!

7/1: 6-8pm - Bring the Hoopla (Hula Hoop Program)

Bring the fun back into fitness with this high energy, unique Hoopla hoop program!

7/8: 6-8pm - Mini Golf to Go!

Play a round of mini golf in the stacks at OWL!

7/15: 6-7pm - “Predator & Prey” LHAS Outdoor Bird Watching Program

The Litchfield Hills Audubon Society presents this fascinating bird watching program!

7/22: 6-8pm - Pokemon Party

Pizza and Pokemon?! What a perfect combo!

7/29: 6-8pm - Harry Potter Digital Escape Room Party -

Use your HP trivia skills and general knowledge to unlock digital escape rooms! 

8/5: 6-7pm - Science Heroes - 

Science Heroes is back with another exciting and interactive STEM program!

Celebrate our SummerFest with a week filled with FREE family activities.

Luau Lunch with hotdogs, burgers and salads.

And enjoy a Ukulele Concert with lunch!

Check our website for a complete list of programs this week!

With Nancy & Ed Schuler

Nestled between India and China, Nepal is a country rich in tradition and culture.

Join Nancy and Ed Schuler as they present the beautiful temples, discuss the delicious food, and introduce you to a nation of warm and friendly people. Enjoy the colorful foliage and the impressive views of the Himalayan and Annapurna mountain ranges.

Watercolor is the perfect medium to lose oneself, explore color and

serendipitous occurrences, and share experiences.

What You’ll Learn:

~ Basic Watercolor Techniques

~ Color Theory

~ Composition & Perspective

~ Special Effects

~ Subject Exploration

Email Rose at rose444@icloud.com for a list of suggested materials.

Thursdays at 1:30 PM, July 17, 24 & 31

For Grades K - 5

Registration is Required at our website.

Do you love drawing? Each week we will discuss a different author/illustrator and create a project in their signature style.

7/17 Bob Shea – Author/illustrator of the Dinosaur vs. books and the Ballet Cat series, Bob Shea uses stamped shapes as the basis for his iconic characters.

7/24 Dav Pilkey–Creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man, Dav Pilkey is known for his bold, vivid illustrations and cartoonish, exaggerated style

7/31 Jeff Kinney–Jeff Kinney uses black and white sketches to great comedic effect in his famous Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

Celebrate our SummerFest with a week filled with FREE family fun.

Today is all ages Lego and an ice cream truck!

Check our website for the complete week of events!

Celebrate our SummerFest with a week of FREE family fun!

Today is Acoustic Jam and an Ice Cream Truck

Check out our website for a complete list of our SummerFest week activities

Waldo's Back in Washington Depot This July!

Once again, in celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and two hundred and fifty independent bookstores across the country for some hide-and-seek fun to encourage communities to patronize their local businesses.

Where’s Waldo?   In Washington Depot, of course!  Beginning on Tuesday 1st July, the iconic children’s book character in the red-and-white-striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting 19 local businesses throughout the community .  Find Waldo Local is a great summer vacation activity and a wonderful way to support local businesses and the Shop Local movement.

Anyone who wishes to join in the fun can pick up a “Find Waldo in Washington Depot” passport from any of the participating stores.  When you spot Waldo collect a store stamp or signature.  And to make things a little more challenging, Waldo’s magnifying glass will also be hiding in The Hickory Stick Bookshop.

Great prizes for participants who get 16 or more stamps in their passport. Completed passports should be handed in to the Hickory Stick Bookshop by no later than 5.00 pm on Thursday July 31st.

We will be having a celebration party from 3-4 pm on Saturday August 2nd. Check our website for further details!

There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for all of July.  

For more information about hunting for Waldo in Washington Depot, call The Hickory Stick Bookshop at 860-868-0525 or visit our website at www.hickorystickbookshop.com.