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Events for August 21, 2026

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Copy of Copy of EBOT Photo contest 88 (2)

Essex Board of Trade’s 2nd Annual Photo Contest!

Help Pick the Winning Photo!  The Essex Board of Trade Photo Contest entries are in, and now it’s time to vote! We asked photographers to capture The Essex Experience, and the results are incredible. Now we need your help to choose which photo deserves to be professionally framed and featured at the Essex Art Association Gallery. 🗓️ Voting is open August 15-22 🔗 Vote here: https://essexct.com/the-essex-experience-america-250-photo-contest-vote/ Browse the entries and vote by liking your favorites. The top 5 vote-getters will move on to our judging panel for final selection. Celebrate Essex through the lens and cast your vote today!

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Movie Matinee at Essex Library

Essex Library Association 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT, Essex

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!

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Birds & Beasts

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Spectrum Art Gallery/Arts Center Killingworth 61 Main Street, Centerbrook

Celebrate the beauty, uniqueness, and power of the animal kingdom with Spectrum Art Gallery’s Birds & Beasts, a seven-week exhibition featuring paintings, photography, and sculpture inspired by birds, other wildlife, and the natural world. The show explores the many ways artists interpret creatures large and small, from birds in flight and animals in their natural habitats to symbolic, imaginative, and sculptural representations of the animal kingdom. The exhibition opened Friday, July 17, and Birds & Beasts runs through Saturday, September 5. Spectrum Gallery also offers an Artisans Store filled with pottery, glass, home décor, children’s toys, jewelry, and other handcrafted accessories created by regional artists. Spectrum Art Gallery is located at 61 Main St., Centerbrook, CT. Gallery hours: Wed–Sat (12–6pm) and Sun (12–5pm). For more information about gallery exhibits, artist opportunities, summer camps, and classes and workshops for children and adults, call (860) 767-0742 and visit Spectrumartgallery.org. Shop online at Spectrumanytime.com with shipping available throughout the US. Follow Spectrum social media at facebook.com/spectrumartgallery, instagram.com/spectrumartgallery, x.com/spectrum_ct, and youtube.com/@spectrumgallery6211.

Copy of EBOT Scarecrow Contest Flyer 2026 (5) copy

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 to start online on Saturday, October 3rd at https://essexct.com/scarecrow-contest-2026/ Questions? Email ebotpresident@gmail.com

Free

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Food Group: The Humble Pie (Ages 4-12)

Essex Library Association 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT, Essex

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. […]