After the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, a trip from coast-to-coast that used to take months was shortened to just under a week, allowing for the transport of goods and ideas across the continent in ways previously inconceivable. Profit-seeking corporations and the American government financed it, but the people who actually built it and who were most affected by it are the focus of this program of music – Indigenous and African Americans as well as Irish, Chinese, Japanese, and other immigrant laborers whose contributions have been largely erased from history. Silkroad’s American Railroad seeks to right these past wrongs by highlighting untold stories and amplifying unheard voices from these communities, painting a more accurate picture of the global diasporic origin of the American empire.

The American Railroad tour program includes commissioned pieces by jazz artist Cécile McLorin Salvant and film composer Michael Abels, as well as Silkroad artist and renowned pipa player Wu Man and Silkroad artist Layale Chaker. It also includes re-envisioned arrangements of folk songs by Silkroad artistic director, Rhiannon Giddens, and fellow Silkroad artists Haruka Fujii and Maeve Gilchrist.

Funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.

Bring a plant to swap or take some home! You don't have to bring plants to take some home and you can bring plants without taking.

Got leftover seed packets? drop them off too!

+ Event is typically outdoors from May for October, weather permitting! Indoors from November to April.

You can bring outdoor perenials from May to October but the rest of the time it is indoor plants only!

BLUES ICON ANNOUNCES SHOW IN WESTPORT, CT!!

We are delighted to announce that Mark Naftalin & Friends are coming to VFW Westport on Saturday November 8th, 2025! Noted keyboardist, producer and radio host, Mr Naftalin rose to international renown as the keyboardist with the influential Paul Butterfield Blues Band, with whom he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

For this appearance, Naftalin's band of "Friends" features guitarist/vocalist Paul Gabriel (Blue In The Face, Paul Gabriel Blues Band, Connecticut Blues Society Lifetime Achievement Award); singing harmonicist Mark Zaretsky (Cobalt Rhythm Kings, The Chicago Dawgs/Finalist 2025 Connecticut Blues Challenge) and guitarist/vocalist JD Seem (Faster Things - Allman Brothers Tribute, Southern Fried, JDs Jam at The Granite).

Pathbreakers in the 1960s blues boom, the inter-racial Butterfield Band opened doors for blues masters like B.B. King and Muddy Waters, and Naftalin went on to record and/or concertize with a host of blues stars, including Michael Bloomfield, James Cotton, Lowell Fulson, John Lee Hooker, Etta James, Percy Mayfield, Carla Thomas, Irma Thomas, Otis Rush, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, and many others. 

Living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area, Naftalin produced more than 1,300 blues radio broadcasts on three FM stations and more than 30 blues festivals. His Blue Monday Party, a weekly blues show and dance in the Bay Area (1979-83) featured more than 60 blues artists and groups and was the scene of 86 live radio broadcasts and three TV specials. 

In 2002, Mark and his wife, Ellen, moved to Westport, which is Ellen's hometown. His monthly broadcast, The Mark Naftalin Show, is now in its tenth year on Bridgeport's WPKN (89.5 FM, streaming world-wide at wpkn.org). 

Advance Tickets are on sale NOW at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/buy-tickets-here/mark-naftalin-friends

The VFW Westport is located at 465 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT. 203-227-6796 https://vfw399ct.org

All Ages Welcome! Total Mortgage Arena is a cashless venue. All major credit cards are accepted. Patrons 2yrs and older require a ticket. Artist(s) subject to change. Due to security enhancements, please arrive at least 45-60 minutes prior to event time. Please only bring essential items with you. Bags will not be permitted at entry to Total Mortgage Arena, except for bags used exclusively for medical equipment or diaper bags for the care or infants and toddlers. Guests will still be permitted to bring a clutch purse into Total Mortgage Arena, provided they are 8" x 5" x 1" or smaller. There is no check-in location for prohibited bags or items at the Arena.

Join us for a knit and crochet get together. Work on your own project or help us make items for local charities. If you know how to knit and/or crochet but are stuck on a project or technique, or if you are just looking for someone to craft with, this is the group for you. This program is for adults.

Check out other library programs!

Kids in 3rd through 5th grade can come and play games, bring your friends and make new ones too!

Check out other library programs!

If you are struggling with stress, an over-active mind and want to find a new perspective on how mindfulness and meditation can help in navigating the challenges of your everyday life, then join Prabha Makayee as she guides you through the steps of meditation. See what you can accomplish by taking responsibility over what kinds of thoughts you think. With just one second, one breath and one thought of changing your perspective you can realign your well-being to a more peaceful, happy mindset.

Check out other library programs!

Whether you're a seasoned grandmaster or a beginner eager to learn, this event offers an opportunity to test your strategic prowess. Engage in friendly matches, improve your chess skills, and enjoy intellectual challenges in a welcoming and inclusive environment!

Check out other library events!

Come play music, recite poetry, tell a story, or show off another talent!

Keep in mind this is an all ages event in a public venue. We trust you to make good choices about appropriate material.

This is an LGBTQIA+ inclusive and welcoming event series. No cover fee but minimum one drink purchased required (show Molten some love, y’all!)

Performance slots are assigned on a first come, first served basis IN PERSON. No times will be held or assigned before the event starts. Get there early to grab your spot!

yMusic is a genre-leading American chamber ensemble. Now in its 16th season, the group is renowned for its innovative and collaborative spirit. yMusic has a unique mission: to work on both sides of the classical/popular music divide, without sacrificing rigor, virtuosity, charisma, or style. They were recently praised by NPR Music as “deeply, profoundly skilled. They’ve formed a language all their own.”

Named for Generation Y, yMusic has lent their instantly recognizable sound to commissions and projects by a dizzying array of artists including Andrew Norman, Anohni, Missy Mazzoli, John Legend, Paul Simon, and Caroline Shaw.

yMusic is Alex Sopp, flute; Mark Dover, clarinet; CJ Camerieri, trumpet; Rob Moose, violin; Nadia Sirota, viola; and Gabriel Cabezas, cello. The group was founded by Rob and CJ in 2008, who chose its unique instrumentation based on their friendships and the players' adaptability.

PROGRAM

Judd Greenstein: Together (15')

yMusic: select compositions (20')

Gabriella Smith: Aquatic Ecology (40') [commissioned by Cal Performances, Tippet Rise, Carnegie Hall, Walker Arts Center, Yale Schwarzman Center, and Hirshhorn Museum]

Come discuss a book on the 3rd Saturday of each month. We alternate between fiction and nonfiction books. There will be a catch up session at end of the year to review everything from the year!

January: Queer Privacy

Feb: A Lady for a Duke- ALexis Hall

March: Queer Palestine and the Empire of Critique

May: Body Horror: Capitalism, Fear, Misogyny, Jokes

June: Man O'War by Cory McCarthy

July: Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity

August: Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

What do you deserve?

A fractured family squats in a wealthy beachfront home to give 13-year-old Alisha a chance at a better life in an elite school. As Alisha’s academic success stirs suspicion among her teachers and peers, the family’s precarious situation begins to unravel. 

A world premiere play by Tony Meneses. Appropriate for ages 14 and up.

Join us on the first and third Mondays of every month for a new release/popular movie!

Check out other library events

Join us for a knit and crochet get together. Work on your own project or help us make items for local charities. If you know how to knit and/or crochet but are stuck on a project or technique, or if you are just looking for someone to craft with, this is the group for you. This program is for adults.

Check out other library programs!

Kids in 3rd through 5th grade can come and play games, bring your friends and make new ones too!

Check out other library programs!

If you are struggling with stress, an over-active mind and want to find a new perspective on how mindfulness and meditation can help in navigating the challenges of your everyday life, then join Prabha Makayee as she guides you through the steps of meditation. See what you can accomplish by taking responsibility over what kinds of thoughts you think. With just one second, one breath and one thought of changing your perspective you can realign your well-being to a more peaceful, happy mindset.

Check out other library programs!

Whether you're a seasoned grandmaster or a beginner eager to learn, this event offers an opportunity to test your strategic prowess. Engage in friendly matches, improve your chess skills, and enjoy intellectual challenges in a welcoming and inclusive environment!

Check out other library events!

Join us for a fun and relaxed evening in the textile studio! Whether you want to mend a favorite piece of clothing, stitch some custom embroidery on an everyday purse, knit, crochet, or start a simple project with friends, instructor Chelsea Danburg will guide you through the process. Bring your works-in-progress or project ideas and we'll take care of the rest! Sessions are 2 hours long and open to all skill levels (ages 18+).

Designed to be a social evening, this is the perfect opportunity to gather a group of friends, learn something new, create fun projects, and connect. Unleash your creative side! Students are welcome to bring snacks to enjoy & share with the group.

Come play music, recite poetry, tell a story, or show off another talent!

Keep in mind this is an all ages event in a public venue. We trust you to make good choices about appropriate material.

This is an LGBTQIA+ inclusive and welcoming event series. No cover fee but minimum one drink purchased required (show Molten some love, y’all!)

Performance slots are assigned on a first come, first served basis IN PERSON. No times will be held or assigned before the event starts. Get there early to grab your spot!

Crows and Blue Jays are not just some of the smartest birds in Connecticut, they're some of the smartest animals in the world! Join us to build and decorate your own recycled wood Corvid model to take home, then join in a scavenger hunt. For kids up to 10 years accompanied by a participating adult. Please wear art-appropriate clothing and footwear. This program is held at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.Birdcraft Family Days are sponsored by Richard Wrightman Design.

Join us for a knit and crochet get together. Work on your own project or help us make items for local charities. If you know how to knit and/or crochet but are stuck on a project or technique, or if you are just looking for someone to craft with, this is the group for you. This program is for adults.

Check out other library programs!