Activity

The Summer Reading theme this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Beat the afternoon heat, soak up the air conditioning, and join us for family-friendly movies that connect us with food, farms, & nature. Popcorn provided. See library website for movie title, age rating, and description.

The Summer Reading theme this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Beat the afternoon heat, soak up the air conditioning, and join us for family-friendly movies that connect us with food, farms, & nature. Popcorn provided. See the library's website for movie title, age rating, and description.

Program open to children of all ages. Join Essex and Ivoryton Libraries to end the summer with and End of Summer Carnival, hosted by The Carnival Party! Play custom carnival games like Fling Shot, Frog Flip, Knock Down, Beach Ball Bounce, and more! You won't want to miss this awesome event! The Carnival Party, LLC started as one birthday party and one school carnival event in 2002 and has grown to over 400 events a year.   All of our games are custom designed and built.  We bring all the games, we do all of the set up and then we run the event activities.  Easy for you, Super fun For your guests.  We have options for all ages, young and old!   This program will be held at the Essex Town Green, 12 Main St, Essex, CT. In the event of rain, this program will be held in the Essex Town Hall Auditorium, 29 West Ave, Essex, CT. This program is free and open to the public. No registration is required.

This is the second class of a 3-part meditation and mindfulness series with Caryl Horner. Each class provides a combination of instructional content and experiential practice in meditation & mindfulness. Breath work, voice and walking meditations and a simple sound bath will also be provided over the classes. Register online HERE or call the library at 860-767-1560. Aug. 20- Meditation & Mindfulness The difference between meditation and mindfulness is explained and how the combining of both provides a deeper & more wholistic awareness. Examples will be shared on how to reach this optimal outcome, through greater self awareness. Meditation is a practice and mindfulness is a way of being more “present” and aware in our daily life. About Caryl Horner Caryl is the founder & director of Dharma Room in Chester. She has been meditating and working in the healthcare field for decades and has a Ph.D in Psychology. She is experienced in the following meditation modalities: Buddhist meditation,  Mindfulness meditation, The Relaxation Response & Transcendental Meditation.

Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! For the movie title, visit the Events Calendar at www.youressexlibrary.org or call the library at 860-767-1560. No registration necessary. Drop-in!

Program designed around The Food Group book series by Jory John, written for an audience age 4-8. Kids ages 4-12 are welcome to join! For our last meeting, we will be reading the most recent in the Food Group series: The Humble Pie! The Humble Pie likes to give others the spotlight. Aw, shucks!—they deserve it! But when he’s paired with his best friend, Jake the Cake, for a school project, he soon realizes that staying in the shadows isn’t always as sweet as pie. Readers of all ages will laugh along as their new pie pal discovers that letting your voice be heard always takes the cake! Cook, read, and explore with us in this deliciously fun program inspired by Jory John’s Food Group series, one of our featured authors in our “Plant a Seed, Read!” Summer Reading theme. This program will combine stories with simple snack-making. We’ll kick things off by washing hands and learning a few basic food safety tips, because every great chef starts with good habits. Then, we’ll introduce the day’s featured book, and participants will create a themed snack inspired by the story. While our creations bake, chill, or come together, we’ll gather for an interactive read-aloud of the book. […]

Program for kids and teens ages 8-18. Essex Library Association and Essex Historical Society invite children and young adults, with their parents, to join the team from Digging for Good in Haddam, CT to ‘dig’ on Pratt House’s grounds, using metal detectors to find buried objects. Digging for Good will provide metal detecting tools to find objects embedded in Pratt’s two-acre field, which was once part of a farm dating from 1701. Anything found will be donated to Essex Historical Society and may later be placed on exhibit. Digging for Good members will record a video, as well as take photos of the interesting finds. Please dress for the outdoors and wear sturdy shoes and sunscreen, as needed. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. This program will be held at Pratt House, 19 West Avenue, Essex, CT. In the event of rain, this program will not be held. Registration is required. Click here to register.

Essex Historical Society and Essex Library Association invite children and young adults ages 8-18, with their guardians, to join the Digging for Good team from Haddam, CT to metal detect and ‘dig’ on Pratt House’s historic grounds. Digging for Good will bring a number of metal detecting tools and lead the search to find objects buried in Pratt’s two-acre property, which was once part of a 12 acre farm dating from 1701. Anything found will be donated to Essex Historical Society, and may later be placed on exhibit.  Digging for Good may take photos and videos of interesting finds for their You Tube channel. This program is a partnership between EHS, Digging for Good, and Essex Library Association. Please REGISTER for this event through Essex Library so that we may contact participants in the case of inclement weather. Please dress for the outdoors and wear sturdy shoes and sunscreen, as needed. Pratt House is located at 19 West Avenue in Essex, CT. All necessary equipment will be provided. Questions? Contact Outreach Coordinator, Kate Savage

Get ready to go back to school with the Ivoryton Library by decorating your notebooks and showing off your personality!

Get ready to go back to school with the Ivoryton Library by creating a keychain for your backpack!

Get ready to go back to school with the Ivoryton Library by creating a bookmark for your reading this year!

Join us for a thrilling conversation with acclaimed author Lucy Foley as we delve into her brand-new Miss Marple mystery, Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel. Register HERE. Registration is required for all virtual author talks. Call the Essex Library for more information.

This is the last class of a 3-part meditation and mindfulness series with Caryl Horner at Essex Library. Each class provides a combination of instructional content and experiential practice in meditation & mindfulness. Breath work, voice and walking meditations and a simple sound bath will also be provided over the classes. Register at www.youressexlibrary.org or call the library at 860-767-1560. Aug. 27- Stopping, Calming, Resting & Healing… Meditation is often described as having two specific interventions. The first is to stop the “monkey mind,” which refers to our habit energy, fleeting mental perceptions, etc. These thoughts often rule our mind. The second intervention is to develop greater awareness and insight. In this class we learn how to use our meditation & mindfulness skills to bring the qualities of calm, resting and healing into balance and improve our wellbeing and quality of life to experience greater understanding, joy and peace. About Caryl Horner Caryl is the founder & director of Dharma Room in Chester. She has been meditating and working in the healthcare field for decades and has a Ph.D in Psychology. She is experienced in the following meditation modalities: Buddhist meditation,  Mindfulness meditation, The Relaxation Response & Transcendental Meditation.

Join the Ivoryton Library and Ms. Jessica from the Community Music School for fun songs and jam sessions!

Program for kids ages 2-5, siblings always welcome! Get ready for the new school year with stories, songs, and fun activities all about classrooms, backpacks, and first-day jitters at this Back to School-themed story time! Join us for themed stories, songs, rhymes, and crafts! We’ll learn early literacy concepts like colors, shapes, opposites, the ABCs and much more, to prepare our pre-school age children for kindergarten. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is requested to ensure enough crafts are prepared. Click here to register.

Take a trip down Main Street in Essex Village to capture the rich maritime history of 18th century “Potapaug,” its working waterfront and ship-building prominence in the early 19th century as well as its development as a beautiful visitor destination of today. Our tours meet at the "Foot of Main Street" in front of the CT River Museum and start at 5:00pm.  Walking tours are open to the public but we encourage pre-registration. We ask for a $10 donation per person and tours are FREE to active EHS 2026 members. Our walks last about an hour and are on mostly flat ground covering a little less than a mile.  We try to adapt our tours a bit based on our audience of the day, but if  you would like a fully customized tour, please contact our staff 860-767-0681 to arrange, giving us at least 3 weeks to arrange our guide scheduling. NEW DAY THIS YEAR! Summer 2026 walks will be on Saturdays: June 27, July 25, August 29 and September 26.

Join us as we chat with award-winning historian David O. Stewart about his newest work, The Democracy We Must Keep, and the question he explores throughout the book: What did America's founders say about democracy, and can we remain true to their vision for America? Registration is required for all virtual author talks. Register HERE or call the Library at 860-767-1560. This Essex Library program is free and open to all.

Kids and families are invited to help Ivoryton Library celebrate National Library Card Sign Up Month by participating in a scavenger hunt to explore our library!

Program for kids ages birth-4 and their caregivers. Join us for a hands-on, child-led play session designed to engage the senses! Sensory Playtime encourages exploration, creativity, and early learning through touch, sound, and movement. Kids are invited to move from station to station, at their own pace, to scoop, squish, pour, and play with a variety of textures and materials in a safe, supportive space alongside their caregivers. This program supports sensory development, fine motor skills, and social interaction—come play, learn, and make a (little) mess with us! Program funded in part by the Community Foundation of Middlesex County, and made possible by the GSB Grant Making Fund, and the Whelen Family Fund. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. No registration required. Drop in!

Bingo at Brickside!

Get ready to extend your growing season like a pro! Join our master gardener, Mark Gostkiewicz, in this workshop where you'll learn the ins and outs of cultivating crops in the fall, winter, and spring. Not only will you learn about the life cycle and needs of cold-hardy veggies and herbs, but you'll also discover the benefits of using row covers, cold frames, and other season-extending techniques. This program is free and open to all at Essex Library, 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Registration is suggested. Register online at youressexlibrary.org or by calling the library at 860-767-1560.

Program for little ones aged 18 mos. – 4 years, and one adult loved one. Join Miss Kristen from Elevé Academy for a free Little One & Loved One demo class! This is a special introductory movement class designed for young children and a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or other loved one to participate in together. Through music, movement, games, and imaginative activities, children are introduced to the joy of dance while building confidence in a nurturing and supportive environment. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who are beginning their dance journey and benefit from the comfort and encouragement of a trusted adult. Elevé Academy is a new dance studio opening at 10 Bokum Rd in Essex this September.  At Elevé Academy, our mission is to provide exceptional dance education in a supportive and inspiring environment where students are encouraged to grow as artists, athletes, and individuals. We strive to build confidence, discipline, creativity, and a lifelong love of dance while fostering a strong sense of community and belonging. At Elevé Academy, we foster an inclusive and uplifting environment where dancers are encouraged to pursue their own path, embrace challenges, and reach their fullest potential at every stage of their development. Whether training […]

Program for children ages 5-8. Join Miss Kristen from Elevé Academy for a free Intro to Ballet demo class! This class is a joyful introduction to the foundations of ballet designed specifically for kindergarten to second-grade aged dancers. This class nurtures creativity, confidence, and a love of movement while introducing students to basic ballet technique in a fun, age-appropriate environment. Perfect for young dancers who are ready to explore the beauty and discipline of ballet while having fun and building confidence. Elevé Academy is a new dance studio opening at 10 Bokum Rd in Essex this September. At Elevé Academy, our mission is to provide exceptional dance education in a supportive and inspiring environment where students are encouraged to grow as artists, athletes, and individuals. We strive to build confidence, discipline, creativity, and a lifelong love of dance while fostering a strong sense of community and belonging. At Elevé Academy, we foster an inclusive and uplifting environment where dancers are encouraged to pursue their own path, embrace challenges, and reach their fullest potential at every stage of their development. Whether training recreationally or pursuing advanced performance and competitive opportunities, each dancer is provided with the guidance, opportunities, and personalized attention […]