All Day

Love Your Local

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This February, we’re celebrating Love Your Local by spotlighting Essex Board of Trade members and their Valentine’s Day–themed specials. From thoughtful gifts to local experiences, this feature is all about showcasing the heart of our membership with promotion of the businesses that make Centerbrook, Essex, and Ivoryton thrive. Stay tuned for details!

Weekend Wiggle Worms (Ages 0-3)

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Essex Library 33 West Ave, Essex

Program for kids ages 0-3 and their caregivers, siblings welcome! Wiggle Worms is a play-based music and movement story time for children and their caregivers! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. No registration required.

Free

RIVER TALES: Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring

Connecticut River Museum 67 Main St, Essex

Join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome spring. This February, we’ll read Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak. This book is an excellent tool for young learners to explore this unique time of year. After the story, participants will make drawings of the four seasons and join a special scavenger hunt. Young learners and their caregivers will explore the season changes with four tree colorings that will then be glued together to form a standing 3D tree. Once the craft is finished, children can spin their trees and experience each season.

Take Your Child to the Library Day at Essex Library!

Essex Library 33 West Ave, Essex

Program for families with kids of all ages. Celebrate Take Your Child to the Library Day with us! Explore a fun sensory walk in the children’s room, get creative with open art activities in the program room, and enjoy a caricature artist from 1:00–2:00, and a face painter from 2:00-3:00 for a day full of family memories! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. No registration, drop in!

Free

Scarecrow Contest sponsored by The Essex Board of Trade

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Essex Village

The Essex Scarecrow Contest and FestiFall have become a much-loved community tradition, bringing creativity, fun, and local spirit to the Main Streets of Centerbrook, Essex, and Ivoryton each fall! Every year, residents, businesses, and organizations design and build scarecrows to display on lamp posts throughout town. The scarecrows will be on display all October, so stroll the streets, snap photos, and share your favorites! Voting open until October 30th at https://essexct.com/scarecrow-contest-2026/ Questions? Email ebotpresident@gmail.com

Free