📚 Launch Week for Grabtown - the haunting new small-town thriller by local author Sarah P. Blanchard - kicks off with a full lineup of events across CT and beyond!

🎙️ Wed, Oct 15 – 9:00 AM – Sarah joins John Mahon on WINY Radio to talk all things Grabtown.
📖 Wed, Oct 15 – 6:00 PM – Official Book Launch at Booklovers’ Gourmet, Webster MA – signing, sales & author Q&A.
📚 Fri, Oct 17 – 3:30–5:30 PM – Wolpertinger Bookends, Putnam CT – signing & Q&A.
🎪 Sat–Sun, Oct 18–19 (all day) – Woodstock Congregational Church Fall Festival – chat with Sarah & pick up a signed copy.
💬 Tues, Oct 21 – 5:30 PM – Willimantic Public Library – author talk: “From Fuzzy Idea to Finished Story: Crafting a Mystery.”
☕ Sat, Oct 25 – 10:30 AM–12:30 PM – Pourings & Passages, Danielson CT – signing, sales & Q&A.

Sarah P. Blanchard is also available for future book talks, readings, and author events at libraries, bookstores, and book clubs — visit sarahpblanchard.com to connect or book an appearance.

Apple season’s running on fumes - the trees are thinning, the cider’s flowing, and your window to grab those crisp local picks is closing fast. Swing by these Windham County orchards and stock up while the branches still have some bite.

Buell’s Orchard | 108 Crystal Pond Road, Eastford

Classic New England fall: pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, hot cider donuts, and a lively Harvest Festival with hayrides.

Horse Listener’s Orchard | 317 Bebbington Road, Ashford
Family-friendly PYO apples with Sunday tractor-train rides for kids and a farm store stocked with local goods.

Lapsley Orchard | 403 Orchard Hill Road (Rte. 169), Pomfret Center

Grab a bag and pick apples, then hop a wagon ride and chase it with fresh cider donuts.

DeFazio Orchard & Greenhouses | 1393 North Road, East Killingly

Hilltop vibes with PYO apples, a farm stand, fresh cider, and frequent weekend openings posted on their page.

Woodstock Orchards LLC | 494 Route 169, Woodstock, CT 06281
Seasonal PYO apples and blueberries plus a bakery where the donut robot turns out can’t-miss cider donuts.

18th Century Purity Farms | 701 Squaw Rock Road, Moosup

Laid-back PYO apples grown with sustainable, low-spray methods—check Facebook for current hours.

High Spring Orchard | 47 Dividend Road, Woodstock

Call ahead for PYO hours; expect apples (plus peaches/blueberries in season) and a cozy country store with pies and jams.

Crookes Orchard | 317 Bebbington Road, Ashford

U-pick apples (including heirloom and cider varieties) alongside a small farm shop; follow for current picking updates.

If I somehow missed your go-to apple spot, hit reply and let me know - I’ll happily bite into that lead (purely for research purposes, of course).

The Funky Monkey Artisan Fair hits Andover Sat, Oct 18 (10am-3pm) at 415 Route 6 at Over AndOver Barntique and MORE parking at 11 Bunker Hill Road, home of Scott's Tree Farm. Shop local makers, grab bites from food trucks, brave the haunted house, belt it out at karaoke or just hang to the live sounds of Steve McCarthy. Benefits Shine Your Light CT.
Details at overandoverct.com/funkymonkeyartisanfair for a list of all crafters and map of the event. Fall fun done!

Ever wonder where our town names actually came from? Same here, I had one of those random shower thoughts and fell down a history rabbit hole. So, over the next few weeks, we’ll dig into each Windham County town (A to Z) and uncover how they got their names. You might just learn something new to flex at trivia night.

Ashford: Settled in 1710 and incorporated in 1714, Ashford was “probably” named for Ashford in Kent, England when the parish was named in October 1710.

Brooklyn: Incorporated in 1786 from parts of Canterbury and Pomfret; its name comes from “brook line” (the Quinebaug River along its border) after the earlier parish name Mortlake.

Canterbury: Settled by 1690 and incorporated in 1703, the town was named for Canterbury in Kent, England (the area’s earlier Indigenous place-name was Peagscomsueck).

Chaplin: Named in 1809 for Deacon Benjamin Chaplin and incorporated in 1822 from parts of Windham, Mansfield, and Hampton.

Eastford: Originally the east parish of Ashford (1777) and incorporated in 1847; the name reflects its position east of Ashford.

Stay tuned in for more bite sized history next week!

☕ Silk City Coffee is now open at 869 Main St, Willimantic, bringing their award-winning brew and cozy community vibe to town.

Danielson | Story Hour | 9-10am - Local author Andrea K. Smith will be at Mountain Laurel Floral Designs (98 Main St) for a special reading of The Honey Maker, followed by an exhibition of bee-keeping gear. RSVP

Pomfret | Slime Lab | 4:30pm - Kids ages 5-10 can get their hands dirty at Pomfret Public Library (17 Town House Dr). They’ll learn all about slime, make some to take home, and even get a brief chemistry lesson on it. Sign Up

Thompson | Art at the Library Reception | 6pm - Thompson Public Library (934 Riverside Dr) is hosting an art installation by Lisa Davidson, Susan Graseck, and Sally Rogers. Refreshments will be provided.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ The River Room - Willimantic | Open Mic | 7-10pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Mike Wood | 7-10pm

Dayville | Spooky Paint Night | 6-8pm $ - Tunk City Revival is teaming up with Black Pond Brews (1001 Hartford Pike) for pints and painting. Tix

Plainfield | Collaboration Concert | 6:30pm $ - The Wheeler, Plainfield, and Tolland Chamber Choirs will combine for a night of singing (and dinner). Each school will perform individually, as well as combining for a can’t miss finale at Plainfield High School (105 Putnam Rd).

Thompson | Pumpkin Carving Class | 6pm $ - Carve a beautiful (and fitting) raven pumpkin design at Triple Raven Brewing (27 Main St). The outline will be on them, and no guts to clean out. Contact Lisa if interested

TRIVIA

Woodstock Tavern - Woodstock | 6:30pm
Stomping Ground - Putnam | 7pm
Hank’s - Brooklyn | 6:30pm
Bear Hands Brewing - Putnam | 6pm
Mill Town Grill - Thompson | 6:30pm

Thompson | Revolutionary War Munitions and More | 6:00pm - The Thompson Historical Society is holding a presentation at the Thompson Public Library (934 Riverside Dr) all about Revolutionary war munitions, night soil, and the importance of the Gong farmers.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Straight up Jazz Series | 5:30-7:30pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Big Jon Short | 8pm-12am

TRIVIA

Trolley Pub - Willimantic | 7:30pm
Midway Restaurant - Ashford | 7pm

Brooklyn | FEARgrounds & Food Truck Festival | 5-9pm $ - Head to the Brooklyn Fairgrounds (13 Fairgrounds Rd) for a selection of food trucks, haunted houses, and a bonfire! Don’t care about the haunted houses? You can get in for a discounted price ($5). Tix

Danielson | Dried Flower Terrariums | 5:30pm $ - Make a little piece of nature to keep on your shelf at Mountain Laurel Floral Designs (98 Main St). Tix

Danielson | Fall Family Hike | 10am - Killingly Public Library is hosting a family-friendly walk with their children’s librarians at the Quinebaug River Trail.

Plainfield | Spooktacular Bash | 6pm - Plainfield Rec (482 Norwich Rd) is holding a free family event with games, crafts, movies, snacks, music, and more.

Sterling | Annual Halloween Party | 6:30pm - Sterling Rec (1183 Plainfield Pike) is holding a Halloween party (geared towards kids ages 3-10). Trick or treat trail, tons of games, a costume contest, freeze dance, and other fun.

Windham | The Rocky Horror Show | 8-10pm $ - Enjoy the cult classic, live on stage, with the Windham Theatre Guild (779 Main St). Leave the toast at home, though! Tix

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Music Lady Cafe - Central Village | Karaoke | 9pm-12am
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Don Minott & the High Voltage Reggae Band | 8pm-12am

TRIVIA

Music Lady Cafe - Central Village | 7pm
Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | 6:30pm

Brooklyn | Harvest Harmony NE Artists & Music | 10am - Putnam Elms (191 Church St) is hosting a gathering of local artists & exhibits. Live music, refreshments, and all sorts of goodies.

Brooklyn | Harvest Festival | 10am-3pm - Little Dipper Farm (499 Wolf Den Rd) is holding an all day affair. Hammock Lounge, lawn games, a farm-wide scavenger hunt, food and beverages, live music, and more. Tix

Canterbury | Haunted Trail of Spooks & Rescues | 6-9pm $ - Well, since nature decided to hit us with a Nor’easter this past weekend, this will be your first chance at walking along a half-mile spooky trail at Hay Burr Inn Equine Rescue (169 Black Hill Rd). There are different paths you can take that will keep the thrills mild, or step it up a bit. Get decked out in Halloween costumes, meet the rescue donkeys and horses, and contribute to an amazing cause!

Danielson | Book Signing and Food Tasting | 11am - Author Cynthia Herbert-Bruschi Adams will be at Pourings and Passages (103 Main St) to read from her book Italian Spices: A Memoir, as well as offer samples of Italian food and cookies.

Plainfield | Devour: A Queen’s Feast | 6pm $ - This charity dinner and drag show will benefit the Plainfield VFW (7 Winsor Ave). Glitter, raffles, sass, and fun. Call (860) 315-4737 for more info/tix.

Pomfret | 80s Theme Prom Halloween Party | 7pm-12am $ - Dress in your best 80’s gear and head to Grill 37 (37 Putnam Rd). DJ, costume prizes, and dancing.

Pomfret | Fall Extravaganza | 2-4pm $ - Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp (326 Taft Pond Rd) is holding a trick-or-treat trail for kids and adults. Hot chocolate, s’mores, and a donut eating contest all included with price of admission. Additional food available for purchase.

Pomfret | Nick’s Nightmare | 6:30-9:30pm $ - Put a little fright in your life at Nick’s Nightmare (65 Hampton Rd). All ages are welcome, but be aware it is supposed to be scary, so, use discretion.

Pomfret | Sawmill Tour | 9am-12pm - Ever been curious about the goings-on of a sawmill? Hull Forest Products (101 Hampton Rd) is offering free tours on an ongoing basis.

Putnam | Great Pumpkin Festival | 10am-3pm - The Town of Putnam is putting on a Great Pumpkin Festival in Downtown Putnam. Craft fair, food, and some truly amazing pumpkins!

Putnam | Harvest Art Festival | 10am-3pm - Sparrow Soaps (350 Kennedy Dr) is filling their parking with local artists and artisans. Stop by and see what they have going on.

Putnam | Movie Night at the Ball Park | 6-9pm - Putnam Little League is closing out the season with a showing of Hocus Pocus at Murphy Park (61 Keech St). I mean, you probably should be part of PLL, but that movie on the big screen outside in October…I had to post it.

Scotland | Author Talk | 11am - Local author Concetta Falcone-Codding will be at Scotland Public Library (21 Brook Rd) to talk about her book The Lonely Nest.

Thompson | World Building Book Club | 10:30am - Thompson Public Library (934 Riverside Dr) is holding a monthly book club featuring sci-fi and fantasy titles. This month they’ll be discussing The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Windham | Farmers Market | 8am-12pm - The weather is starting to turn, so make sure to stop by the Willimantic Farmers Market (28 Bridge St) while you can!

Woodstock | 43rd Roseland Cottage Fine Arts & Crafts Festival | 10am-4pm $ - This two-day event is one of New England’s premier juried fine arts events. Over 150 regional artisans, live music, food vendors, and free first-floor tours of the historic Roseland Cottage (556 Rt 169). Event is free for members and $5 for general public. Tix

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ The American Cafe - Plainfield | Karaoke | 9pm-1am
⬢ Quiet Corner Winery - Hampton | Harmonie Road | 2-4pm
⬢ Triple Raven Brewing - Thompson | Katie Perkins | 3-6pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | The Eric Ducoff Band | 8-11pm
⬢ Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | Rack’em Up | 2-5pm
⬢ Broken Crust - Putnam | Acoustic Masters | 5:30pm

Hampton | Tracker Organ Concert | 4pm - Hampton Congregational Church (263 Main St) is hosting Jared Lamenzo for the 24th Annual Utley Memorial Tracker Organ Concert. I’m not going to list the accomplishments, but this guy knows his stuff.

Pomfret | Breast Cancer Awareness Race | 8am-5pm $ - Pomfret Speedway (36 Jackson Rd) is holding a 50 lap race, 440 class, purse TBD, but prizes for several different checkpoints. (Not my best write up, but I’m working with what I got here)

Woodstock | Cow Plop Bingo | 12pm $ - Put down a bet on where a cow will do its business, and possibly win some money. Easy enough, right? Every ticket bought helps support the Woodstock PTO and public school programs. Tix

Woodstock | Pumpkin Recipe Swap | 3-4pm On the lookout for new pumpkin recipes? Senexet Grange (900 Rt 169) is asking you to make your favorite pumpkin dish, bring copies of the recipe, and come hungry. You’ll get to try a bunch of different pumpkin dishes.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Nate Staub | 1-4pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Open Mic | 7-11:30pm
⬢ Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | So Lucky (Dave Matthews Tribute) | 2-5pm
⬢ 4G’s Restaurant - Dayville | Bryan Titus | 2-5pm
⬢ Bread Box Theater - Willimantic | Lucy Kaplansky | 4pm $

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Music Lady Cafe - Central Village | Brandt Taylor Band | 5:30pm