In 1841, Farmington was home to the African Mende captives who had rebelled and overtaken the slave ship La Amistad. On several dates this summer, the Farmington Historical Society will host a presentation and guided walking tour of these Freedon Trail sites that played a role during their stay in Farmington. The lecture and tour will be led by Connecticut storyteller Andre LePelle Keitt. Mr. Keitt serves as Consultant for Education and Programming for the Farmington Historical Society. The walking tour will also feature other sites in Farmington village which are part of Connecticut’s Freedom Trail and the Underground Railroad. 

The 53 captives of La Amistad, mostly Mende from what is now Sierra Leone, were being shipped to Cuba to work on plantations. While at sea, they rebelled and the 44 survivors sailed the ship ending up in Long Island, New York. They were then taken into custody aboard the USS Washington, sent to New Haven and jailed to start trials in Hartford and later in Washington, D.C. The trials lasted 18 months. In February 1841, their case was argued by former President John Quincy Adams before the U.S. Supreme Court. On March 9, 1841, the decision was made declaring the Africans to be free people with permission to return to their homeland. Nine days later, they arrived in Farmington where abolitionists provided housing, schooling, and the fundraising necessary for the Mende passage back to their homeland. 

The event will be presented on most Saturdays at 10 a.m., meeting at First Church of Christ, Congregational,1652 at 75 Main Street, Farmington, CT. Dates are: June 7, 14, 21; July 12, 19, 26; and August 2, 9, 16, 23; September 6, 13, 27. Cost for the lecture and tour is $20 per person (19 and up), $15 for seniors, and $10 for those under 18. Free for children 5 years old and under. The event will take place rain or shine. If the walking portion of the tour is not possible due to extreme weather, the event will continue in the church with a special presentation. Tickets must be purchased prior to the tour at https://bit.ly/4iD4qrK.

Adaptive Storytime offers families of neurodiverse children ages 3 -10 a structured slower-paced Storytime experience. During this Storytime you can expect interactive stories and songs, social narratives, visual schedules, fun with fidgets and props, and time for free choice play and caregiver socialization. Activities will generally fall within a preschool to grade 2 interest level.

Come join us for this info session to experience what adaptive Storytime is like and see if it is a good fit for your family before registering for the fall classes!

Drop in and play outside at the Barney Library! Listen to some fun stories and then have a playtime with your friends on the playground. A great place to meet friends old and new! Rain or shine, we will have indoor stories if the weather is rainy! No registration required!

At Silent Book Club, there's no assigned reading. All readers are welcome it's BYOBook (or browse the library shelves!). Settle in for an hour of silent, sustained reading. At the end of the hour, attendees can socialize—or not! 

Have you attended the Silent Book Club at the Farmington Library? It meets the last Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM. 

Valuable Discoveries Found In Unexpected Places - get yours appraised for free!

We've all made some unexpected discoveries before. Maybe you found a $20 bill in an old coat pocket or stumbled upon a surprise family heirloom while cleaning your basement.

Discoveries range from weird to invaluable and everything in-between. Hopefully, this posting inspires you to keep your eyes open and indulge your curiosity. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find something of value as well.

Bring your “discoveries” to ANTIQ’S - the only antique shop in Farmington, CT - where “every” Saturday is FREE antique appraisal day.

ANTIQ'S Voted the BEST antique shop in Farmington for 30+ years!

Just 3.3 miles off of I-84, Farmington, CT. Accepting all major credit cards and cash.

AND OF COURSE ~ BROWSERS WELCOME AND BUYERS ADORED

ANTIQ’S LLC – FARMINGTON, CT - Estd. 1990

Located on Hyde Rd., Farmington, CT at the corner of New Britain Avenue

Open every weekend Sat/Sun 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

#antiques #antiqueappraisal #appraisalofantiques #freeappraisal #freeantiqueappraisal #appraisalday #farmingtonct #farmingtonantiques #antiquesinfarmington #ctbucketlist #antiquetreasures #ct #connecticut #nyc #farmingtonct #farmingtonantiques #missporters #music #ctindooractivities #newhaven #newengland #ctantiques #art #cttravel #artist #cttourism

Join us for Outdoor Yoga Every Sunday During the Summer

It's that time of year again - starting June 1, join Sarah every Sunday on the beautiful Mountain Spring Nature Trail Farmington Land Trust property for an all-levels yoga practice bathed in sunlight, nature, and birdsong. 

9am, $10, Weather Permitting.

16 Mountain Spring Rd, Farmington, CT

Thank you to the @farmingtonlandtrust for sponsoring & supporting this amazing experience!

Mending the Sacred Hoop Monthly Drum Circle

A Shamanic Drum Circle for all levels

Co-led by Ryan Drodz from Sounds Like Rad & Marie Goodine (Red Hawk Medicine Woman) from Rising Wings Counseling & Wellness Services

Every first Sunday from 1-2:30pm starting May 4, 2025 (no circle in April).

Through the rhythm of our sacred drums we will restore the heartbeat of the sacred Mother Earth by invoking the wisdom and medicine of our collective ancestors. We will also focus on connecting to the healing energy within ourselves to share with our community.

What to bring: Drum or rattle (some will be provided).

Fee: $10 suggested donation. Donations of any amount are appreciated!

RSVP preferred but walk ins welcome RSVP: 203-909-6871 or email: risingmywings@gmail.com

Teens in Grades 7 to 12 can stop by the Barney Library to assemble their own De-Stress Kits. Get ready for the school year with supplies designed to reduce your stress. Need a mint? A fidget toy? Join us at the Barney Library to assemble your personal de-stress kit. Kits and supplies are first-come, first-served while supplies last.

In partnership with the Farmington Land Trust this virtual group exhibit by CT Artists celebrates the beauty, rhythm, and joy of summer in our shared home. From river walks and gardens to golden hour skies and quiet afternoons.

June 1 through August 31, 2025. 40% of any purchases from this exhibit will go to the Farmington Land Trust!

To view the full Gallery, please visit: https://www.galleryforgood.org/summerinnewengland

Enjoy listening to elephant stories and stuffing your very own elephant to bring home with you!

The Lewis Walpole Library's latest exhibition has been curated by Alison FitzGerald, Associate Professor in the Department of History, Maynooth University, Ireland. Open Wednesdays 2-4:30 pm and other times by appointment. On view March 5 through August 22, 2025.

This exhibition explores the range of spectacular shows that were offered to the fee-paying public in Georgian London, from exhibitions of paintings, to scientific demonstrations, to the display of wondrous animals. The exhibition primarily focuses on images drawn from the extensive collections at the Lewis Walpole Library that announce, depict and satirize what people paid to gaze at. It will consider how derogatory ideas about spectacle were expressed in caricatures and political discourse.

Details at https://walpole.library.yale.edu/programs/exhibitions#Current%20exhibit

This special craft hour happens every other month at the Barney Library. From tie-dying, scrapbooking, soap making and mindful doodling, each session we revisit a classic or try something new. It's all about having fun! 

We will be making: Beaded Plants

This short course of 6 lectures confronts the history of French impressionism by breaking it down into key artists and themes. It analyzes the work of artists like Edgar Degas and his American follower Everett Shinn, clarifying the transatlantic ramifications of impressionism.

We are dependent on honey bees for at least one third of the food that we eat everyday. Learn about our most important pollinators and the Beekeepers that tend to them as well as the benefits of protecting our pollinators. Examine endangered species and how important honey bees are to our crops.

Come enjoy an evening on the farm Fridays in August with live music, food truck, adult beverages, cut your own flowers, cornhole, sunset and more.

Free admission, free parking.

Bring your own chair.

No outside food or beverage permitted.

Spirit Within: A Weekly Women's Circle

Where women reclaim their magic, connect with Spirit and rise together.

With Kristen Naes (She/Her)

Wednesdays, 6:30 pm-7:45 pm (starting June 18)

Step into a sacred space where your intuition is honored, your gifts are welcomed, and your voice is heard. Spirit Within is a weekly women’s circle devoted to the development of psychic and mediumship abilities in a nurturing, heart-centered environment. 

Each week, we gather to explore practices such as:

-Evidential mediumship and spirit communication

-Channeling messages from guides and loved ones

-Inspired and automatic writing

-Strengthening the clairs (clairvoyance, clairaudience, etc.)

-Grounding, protection, and energetic hygiene

-Rituals for deepening your connection to the unseen

Whether you're just beginning to awaken your intuitive senses or seeking to expand your existing connection with Spirit, this circle offers guidance, sisterhood, and sacred space to grow. Together, we listen, receive, practice, and rise. Open to women and non-binary folks who enjoy women-centered spaces. 

What Participants Should Bring: Notebook and pen, or preferred writing materials

Event Fee: Donation-based (suggested $15-$25 per circle)

Payment Link: Registration/Donation Link* 

RSVP Deadline: 12 pm on the day of the weekly circle you plan to attend

Bio: Kristen Naes, LMSW is an evidential psychic-medium, Reiki practitioner, spiritual wellness coach, and the founder of Lumina Healing Arts. Combining her clinical social work background with intuitive abilities, she provides trauma-informed evidential mediumship readings, Reiki healing, and spiritual wellness support through both individual sessions and group offerings. Kristen is passionate about supporting women and the LGBTQIA+ community, channeling the nurturing energy of the Divine Feminine to help clients feel deeply cared for, empowered, and aligned with their authentic selves. More info about Kristen and Lumina Healing Arts: www.luminahealingarts.com.

*If you prefer to donate cash at the door, register by emailing Kristen Naes and providing your full name/pronouns and date of the circle you plan to attend. Pre-registration is strictly required.

In 1841, Farmington was home to the African Mende captives who had rebelled and overtaken the slave ship La Amistad. On several dates this summer, the Farmington Historical Society will host a presentation and guided walking tour of these Freedon Trail sites that played a role during their stay in Farmington. The lecture and tour will be led by Connecticut storyteller Andre LePelle Keitt. Mr. Keitt serves as Consultant for Education and Programming for the Farmington Historical Society. The walking tour will also feature other sites in Farmington village which are part of Connecticut’s Freedom Trail and the Underground Railroad. 

The 53 captives of La Amistad, mostly Mende from what is now Sierra Leone, were being shipped to Cuba to work on plantations. While at sea, they rebelled and the 44 survivors sailed the ship ending up in Long Island, New York. They were then taken into custody aboard the USS Washington, sent to New Haven and jailed to start trials in Hartford and later in Washington, D.C. The trials lasted 18 months. In February 1841, their case was argued by former President John Quincy Adams before the U.S. Supreme Court. On March 9, 1841, the decision was made declaring the Africans to be free people with permission to return to their homeland. Nine days later, they arrived in Farmington where abolitionists provided housing, schooling, and the fundraising necessary for the Mende passage back to their homeland. 

The event will be presented on most Saturdays at 10 a.m., meeting at First Church of Christ, Congregational,1652 at 75 Main Street, Farmington, CT. Dates are: June 7, 14, 21; July 12, 19, 26; and August 2, 9, 16, 23; September 6, 13, 27. Cost for the lecture and tour is $20 per person (19 and up), $15 for seniors, and $10 for those under 18. Free for children 5 years old and under. The event will take place rain or shine. If the walking portion of the tour is not possible due to extreme weather, the event will continue in the church with a special presentation. Tickets must be purchased prior to the tour at https://bit.ly/4iD4qrK.

Valuable Discoveries Found In Unexpected Places - get yours appraised for free!

We've all made some unexpected discoveries before. Maybe you found a $20 bill in an old coat pocket or stumbled upon a surprise family heirloom while cleaning your basement.

Discoveries range from weird to invaluable and everything in-between. Hopefully, this posting inspires you to keep your eyes open and indulge your curiosity. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find something of value as well.

Bring your “discoveries” to ANTIQ’S - the only antique shop in Farmington, CT - where “every” Saturday is FREE antique appraisal day.

ANTIQ'S Voted the BEST antique shop in Farmington for 30+ years!

Just 3.3 miles off of I-84, Farmington, CT. Accepting all major credit cards and cash.

AND OF COURSE ~ BROWSERS WELCOME AND BUYERS ADORED

ANTIQ’S LLC – FARMINGTON, CT - Estd. 1990

Located on Hyde Rd., Farmington, CT at the corner of New Britain Avenue

Open every weekend Sat/Sun 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

#antiques #antiqueappraisal #appraisalofantiques #freeappraisal #freeantiqueappraisal #appraisalday #farmingtonct #farmingtonantiques #antiquesinfarmington #ctbucketlist #antiquetreasures #ct #connecticut #nyc #farmingtonct #farmingtonantiques #missporters #music #ctindooractivities #newhaven #newengland #ctantiques #art #cttravel #artist #cttourism

Join us for Outdoor Yoga Every Sunday During the Summer