<p class="ql-align-center"><strong style="color: rgb(24, 25, 26);">FC BUZZ Weekend March 7-9</strong></p><p>HamletHub is proud to partner with the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County and FCBuzz to Elevate Arts and Culture in Fairfield County! Each week, look for a listing of weekend events and activities. The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of the arts and culture across 15 towns in coastal Fairfield County. Sign up to receive a free eBuzz newsletter with top picks and spotlight events from the hundreds of events posted on FCBuzz.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/cabaret-comedy-series-58b5c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Cabaret Comedy Series</strong></a></p><p><strong>Downtown Cabaret Theatre, Bridgeport</strong></p><p>Friday Mar 7, 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm</p><p>Don’t miss the Cabaret Comedy Series—exclusive nights of stand-up comedy featuring a rotating lineup of top-notch comedians. Each show brings a unique blend of wit and humor to the stage, promising unforgettable evenings of laughter and good times. Grab your tickets now and join the fun with a comedy experience like no other!</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/plant-swap-a0289" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Plant Swap</strong></a></p><p><strong>Rainy Day Paperback, Bethel</strong></p><p>Saturday Mar 8, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm</p><p>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.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/birding-at-the-bruce-museum-with-greenwich-audubon-912a2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Birding with Greenwich Audubon</strong></a></p><p><strong>Oneida Sanctuary, Greenwich</strong></p><p>Saturday Mar 8, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm</p><p>Join the Greenwich Audubon for a tour of the neighboring Oneida Sanctuary. Tours will go from the Bruce Park Playground to Audubon's neighboring Oneida Sanctuary, one of Greenwich's only remaining coastal salt marshes. This location not only provides an opportunity to see bird species that use this special habitat such as waterfowl, shorebirds, herons &amp; egrets but also learn about Audubon's conservation efforts to improve our coastal resiliency in Greenwich.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/asl-tour-blanche-lazzell-becoming-an-american-modernist" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>ASL Tour Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist</strong></a></p><p><strong>Bruce Museum, Greenwich</strong></p><p>Saturday Mar 8, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm</p><p>Members of the D/deaf, Hard of Hearing, and ASL student communities are invited to experience Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist, the artist’s first monographic exhibition in nearly two decades, on a special tour led by a Museum Educator and an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/working-for-the-revolution-patriot-women-s-lives-during-the-war" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Working for the Revolution: Patriot Women’s Lives During the War</strong></a></p><p><strong>Greenwich Historical Society, Greenwich</strong></p><p>Saturday Mar 8, 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm</p><p>In the third installment of the Reflections on the Revolution Lecture Series , join the Greenwich Historical Society this March for a special presentation in honor of Women’s History Month. The Historical Society will host an exciting talk from historian and Revolutionary War expert, Dr. Katherine Hermes, who will delve into women’s roles during one of the most tumultuous events in American history.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/25th-birthday-bash" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>25th Birthday Bash</strong></a></p><p><strong>Stepping Stones Museum for Children, Norwalk</strong></p><p>Saturday Mar 8, 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm</p><p>Come one, come all and celebrate 25 amazing years of Stepping Stones Museum for Children! The 25th Birthday Bash brings the magic of the circus to life with dazzling professional circus performances, exciting circus-themed activities and immersive opportunities to try your hand at circus skills. Plus, don't miss delicious food demos and other whimsical surprises around every corner! Join us for an evening of unforgettable family fun as we commemorate this milestone anniversary.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/bruce-after-hours-celebrating-women" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Bruce After Hours: Celebrating Women</strong></a></p><p><strong>Bruce Museum, Greenwich</strong></p><p>Saturday Mar 8, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm</p><p>Don’t miss this vibrant evening at the Bruce Museum as we celebrate women’s contributions to art, culture, fashion, business, and wellness. Bruce After Hours: Celebrating Women offers a perfect blend of creativity, inspiration, and connection, with activities and performances to enjoy throughout the night. The addition of International Women’s Day enhances the significance of the event and adds a global connection to the celebration.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/gallery-exhibition-reception" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Gallery Exhibition Reception</strong></a></p><p><strong>Center for Contemporary Printmaking</strong></p><p>Sunday Mar 9, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm</p><p>Be among the first to see these fantastic prints created in the studios over the past year. Meet some of the artists in the Center for Contemporary Printmaking's member community. Gather with other print enthusiasts as you enjoy light appetizers and beverages.</p><p>See these and discover hundreds more events on the&nbsp;<a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);">FCBUZZ EVENTS</a>&nbsp;page at&nbsp;<a href="https://culturalalliancefc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);">https://culturalalliancefc.org</a>&nbsp;Sign up for the&nbsp;<a href="https://culturalalliancefc.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);">Cultural Alliance eBuzz</a>&nbsp;to receive top picks and spotlights each week in your inbox.</p>

<h2><em>Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, 2025.</em></h2><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Red Cross asks you to TEST your smoke alarms as you TURN your clocks forward this weekend. Working smoke alarms cut risk of home fire deaths in half!</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 9 and the American Red Cross in Connecticut encourages everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks forward to make sure the devices are working.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">“Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half as you only have about two minutes to safely get out,” said Rebecca Johnson, Regional Disaster Officer, American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region. “Every second counts when there’s&nbsp;a home fire and the sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get to a safer place. When daylight saving time ends this weekend, test your smoke alarms to help prevent a tragedy in your home.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Since the start of the year, local Red Cross volunteers responded to help at least 565 people in Connecticut affected by 100 home fires, which account for most of the about 65,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to annually across the country.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>The annual New Canaan Color Drop returns to Waveny Park on Saturday, March 22, at 10 a.m., raising funds for scholarships benefiting New Canaan High School graduates.</p><p>During the event, a helicopter will release 2,000 golf balls over a designated target. Each ball is individually numbered, and participants whose balls land closest to the target will win one of 26 grand prizes.</p><p>The Golf Performance Center is supporting this year’s event by donating 10 rounds at The National Short Course and a set of U.S. Kids Golf Clubs as part of the prizes.</p><p>Golf balls are available for purchase at $100 each. Every purchased ball increases your chances of winning while supporting a great cause.</p><p>Purchase golf balls and learn more: <a href="https://www.nchs-sf.org/colordrop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New Canaan Color Drop</a></p><p>Learn more about The Golf Performance Center: <a href="https://thegolfperformancecenter.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Golf Performance Center</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

<p class="ql-align-justify"><strong>FAIRFIELD COUNTY BANK PLEDGES TO MATCH $7,500 IN DONATIONS FOR RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE’S “FROM PAGE TO STAGE” INITIATIVE </strong></p><p class="ql-align-justify">Fairfield County Bank is pledging to match up to $7,500 of donations made to the Ridgefield Playhouse’s “From Page to Stage” book initiative.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">Fairfield County Bank has been a longstanding supporter of the Ridgefield Playhouse Arts in Education program and with it, the “From Page to Stage” initiative that began last year. In 2024, the Playhouse gifted over 3,600 books to students attending free performances, which correspond to the performance and the students’ current curriculum.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">The relationship between theater and literature fosters the children’s imagination and love of reading, helping students digest the material, and further reinforces the learning modules associated with the shows. In addition, the Playhouse provides lunch to Title I schools, who otherwise would not be able to attend the performances. During the 2023-2024 school year, over 840 lunches across 34 free performances were provided to students attending these performances.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">“It’s been incredibly rewarding not only for myself but countless colleagues across the Bank to participate in the Arts in Education program at the Playhouse by volunteering during the shows,” said Laura Silver, Marketing Vice President and Playhouse volunteer coordinator at Fairfield County Bank. “For some of the students, this is their first, or only, live performance in a theater. Being able to witness and give them something to bring home from that experience, like the books through “From Page to Stage”, is so valuable.”</p><p class="ql-align-justify">“We are grateful for our partnership with Fairfield County Bank” said Arts in Education Director, Jodi Simon Stewart. “Their commitment to our mission of sharing live, curriculum-related theater with our students from all communities in our region is unwavering. We look forward to their employees volunteering with us on Arts in Education show days greeting busses, handing out book bags and seating students. It fosters a creative, exciting and safe theatrical experience for our youngest audience members!”</p><p class="ql-align-justify">Bank employees have been assisting with ushering and lunch distributions at the Playhouse’s shows for the last four years. Fairfield County Bank will be matching up to $7,500 of donations made to help fund the books for four shows throughout the spring semester: the Magic School Bus, Frog and Toad, Ada Twist, and Pete the Cat. Each donation of $25 covers the cost of four books or five lunches for students. Every Fairfield County Bank branch will feature a copy of the books as well as a QR code linking to the donation page.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">To make a donation and learn more about the Arts in Education program, please visit:</p><p class="ql-align-justify"><a href="https://tickets.ridgefieldplayhouse.org/DonationAddToBasket.asp?camp=110" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ridgefield Playhouse "From Page to Stage" Initiative and Fairfield County Bank Matching</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://gracefarms.org/event/beyond-the-game-with-kerri-walsh-jennings-and-danette-leighton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Beyond the Game | The Stories, Impact, and Future of Women in Sports </strong></a><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(67, 67, 67);">March 8 at Grace Farms</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This International Women’s Day, celebrate the incredible achievements and bright future of women’s sports at Grace Farms. We’re honored to feature three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, whose legacy continues to inspire young athletes everywhere.</span></p><p><a href="https://marketing.gracefarms.org/e/964543/-olympian-kerri-walsh-jennings/5tjd1r/1045792195/h/32czyRmTlvZcjNn4ydumppQVz1KSAjcKKa7H3tf1Y7M" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Volleyball Clinics</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">12 – 1:15 pm | Middle School Clinic</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1:45 – 3:15 pm | High School Clinic</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings will host hands-on volleyball clinics for girls in middle and high school. Participants will be invited to practice skills, gain valuable insights from one of the sport’s greatest champions, and get a rare glimpse of an Olympic medal. Each participant will also take home a signed volleyball as a keepsake.</span></p><p><a href="https://marketing.gracefarms.org/e/964543/-jennings-and-danette-leighton/5tjd1v/1045792195/h/32czyRmTlvZcjNn4ydumppQVz1KSAjcKKa7H3tf1Y7M" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Beyond the Game | The Future of Women in Sports</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4 – 5 pm</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Explore the future of women’s sports! Hear personal stories about overcoming challenges to achieve greatness, and gain insights into an exciting future for female athletes and sports professionals during this conversation featuring Kerri Walsh Jennings, CEO of Women’s Sports Foundation Danette Leighton, and Co-Founder of Monarch Collective Jasmine Robinson. The conversation will be moderated by Karen Kariuki, Grace Farms Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives.</span></p><p><a href="https://marketing.gracefarms.org/e/964543/da-eedf-4cbd-7e6e-49ba78b57ef8/5tjd1y/1045792195/h/32czyRmTlvZcjNn4ydumppQVz1KSAjcKKa7H3tf1Y7M" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">REGISTER</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

<p>The New Canaan Nature Center is pleased to welcome Amanda Lindroth as this year’s guest speaker for the Eighth Seventh Annual Lecture &amp; Luncheon. This signature event will take place on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the New Canaan Country Club. Proceeds from the luncheon will support the Nature Center’s mission to inspire people of all ages to respect, protect, and enjoy the natural world.</p><p>Amanda Lindroth, a renowned interior designer and author, is known for her signature breezy, island-inspired aesthetic. With a career spanning decades, she has designed homes and resorts throughout the Caribbean, the U.S., and Europe. Her work has been featured in major publications such as <strong>House Beautiful</strong>, <strong>Architectural Digest</strong>, and <strong>Veranda</strong>, and her book, <em>Island Hopping</em>, has been widely celebrated for its elegant yet relaxed approach to design.</p><p>for more information, please visit <a href="https://newcanaannature.org/lecture-luncheon" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://newcanaannature.org/lecture-luncheon/</a></p>