Check each program listing for details on whether it will be an online (Zoom) or in person event.

Here are some upcoming highlights:

Willie Harris: Jim Crow Survivor, Hollywood Stuntman, and Civil Rights Activist
Monday, October 23 from 6:30 - 7:30pm

Tim Shea will discuss the life of Willie Harris (1941-2021), the subject of his book Big Man: An Incredible Journey from Mississippi to Hollywood with former Branford Tax Collector Roberta Gill-Brooks. Willie Harris was raised as a sharecropper picking cotton on a plantation in Mississippi in the 1950s, went on to play Division I college basketball, serve in the U.S. Air Force, and become one of the leaders of the Black Stuntmen’s Association in the 1970s, waging a battle against racism in Hollywood that changed the film industry. He and his fellow warriors received the NAACP Image Award, were commended by the United States Congress, and their story is told in the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. That’s a very inspiring life for someone whose greatest prospect as a young boy was to drive a tractor.

Registration is required to attend this In Person event.

Register

Tech Help Tuesday
Tuesday, October 24 from 11am - 12pm

Confused about your new iPhone or iPad? Need help formatting a Word document? Drop in to the library between 11am & 12pm to get a tech question answered. First come, first served. Sessions will be limited to 15 minutes per person.

Registration is not required to attend this In Person event.

Evening of Guitar at the Blackstone
Thursday, October 26 from 6 - 7:30pm

Join guitarist Neal Fitzpatrick for the first Evening of Guitar at the Blackstone for 2023-2024. In the first presentation of the 2023-24 season Mr. Fitzpatrick will present selections from the various styles, eras, and genres that make up the vast repertoire for classical guitar. This program will serve as a prelude to future programs to come throughout the year and will feature works from South America, Latin America, The Spanish Tradition, The 19th Century, the Modern Era and original works for guitar. The guitar is represented in virtually every style of music. Here is a chance to explore its role in the world of classical music!

Registration is required to attend this In Person event.

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Trivia Night at Caius Farm Brewery
Thursday, October 26 from 6:30 - 8pm

Calling all trivia fans! Come out and test your knowledge at Caius Farm Brewery! This event is hosted by the Blackstone Library in collaboration with the brewery. It's free to join and we'll have prizes for the winners! We're excited to be hosting this event and hope to see you all there.

Trivia Theme: Horror Movies

Saturday Cinema: Nope
Saturday, October 28 from 2 - 4pm

Movie magic, now at Blackstone! Join us for Saturday Cinema and see a highly anticipated new release on our big screen in the auditorium. Showings are the last Saturday of the month at 2:00pm.

With Halloween on the horizon, this month we’re watching Nope (2022, R). Two siblings who run a California horse ranch discover something wonderful and sinister in the skies above, and the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon.

Registration is required to attend this In Person event.

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All About Oktoberfest
Sunday, October 29 from 2 - 3pm

Come learn about the history, tradition, and beer of Oktoberfest with Advanced Cicerone, author and cartoonist Em Sauter. Oktoberfest is the original party and Em will discuss the origins plus interesting facts about the two week event using her whimsical illustrations. Get out your lederhosen, wash your masskrug and iron your dirndl!

About Em Sauter
Em is an award winning cartoonist, international beer judge, Advanced Cicerone®, public speaker and founder of the website Pints and Panels which focuses on visual beer education and was started in 2010. Her first book, "Beer is for Everyone! (of Drinking Age)" was published by One Peace Books in October 2017 and her second book "Hooray for Craft Beer!" was published in 2022 by Brewers Publications.

Registration is required to attend this IN PERSON event.

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Color & Conversation
Monday, October 30 from 6 - 7:30pm

Enjoy engaging conversation and explore your creativity at our adult coloring group! Coloring is a great way to keep the brain engaged and the body relaxed–plus it’s a great place to make new friends. All materials provided, but feel free to bring your own supplies too.

Registration is not required to attend this in person event.

Grief & Loss: An Educational Seminar
Thursday, November 2 from 6 - 7:30pm

Grief is universal and can be especially difficult around the holidays. Many people find it hard to talk about, but it is essential to process our grief in a healthy way. In this seminar you’ll learn how to:

- Define grief
- Identify signs of grief
- Identify different types of losses
- Discuss myths, misinformation, and Belief Systems
- Develop tools to overcome it

Presented by Cheryl Cole, AccentCare Bereavement Volunteer and Certified Grief Recovery Specialist.

Registration is required to attend this IN PERSON event.

Register

First Friday Book Discussion:
After We Were Stolen by Brooke Beyfuss
Friday, November 3 from 11am - 12pm

Enjoy discussing a great book with your neighbors! Download After We Were Stolen by Brooke Beyfuss on Hoopla (free with your Blackstone Library card), then meet up with us for a lively book discussion.

Attendees can join us on Zoom, or in person at the Blackstone Library.

Registration is required to receive a link to this HYBRID event.

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Winter Sowing for Native Plants
Saturday, November 4 from 11am - 12pm

A process called “cold stratification” is required to unlock the dormancy of many plants: a period of winter wet and cold that, when lifted, tells a seed that it is time to germinate. In this workshop, we will be sowing the seeds of native perennial plants in order to overwinter them outdoors. Please bring a clean plastic milk jug, and be prepared to take it home filled with soil and seeds. Bonus points if you bring your own native plant seeds to add to our seed library! Sponsored by the David J. Hughes Memorial Fund

Registration is required to attend this IN PERSON event.

Register

Hands-Only CPR & AED Training
Saturday, November 4 from 2 - 4pm

This free training opportunity will teach you how to recognize the signs of cardiac arrest, perform CPR, and utilize an AED. Presented in partnership with the American Red Cross, Yale Emergency Medicine Section of EMS, and Yale New Haven Health.

Registration is required to attend this IN PERSON event.

Register

Registration is required for some events. Check out our calendar for more details on these, and dozens of other events happening at the Blackstone!

Click Here to View the Full Calendar

Click Here to view the James Blackstone Memorial Library News - October 23 - November 5, 2023