Future Fashionistas: Learn to Design and Illustrate Like A Pro! Ages 11-15

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

Do you have a passion for style? Do you fill your notebooks with clothing doodles and dream of seeing your own designs on the runway? Step into the shoes of a real designer in this immersive, hands-on fashion illustration course! This creative studio class guides you through the entire process of bringing fashion to life. Start by mastering the fundamentals of the fashion figure and practicing dynamic poses used by professional designers to showcase clothing. As you  dive deeper into illustration, you will learn to identify classic fashion silhouettes, speak the language of style with standard fabric terms, respond to fun design prompts, and curate your  own custom color palettes. Using a mix of pencils, markers, and watercolors, practice the step-by-step workflow of brainstorming quick concept sketches and polishing them into portfolio-ready finished art pieces. All materials are provided! Just bring your imagination and enthusiasm.  A curated supply list will be provided at the start of class if you wish to keep creating and building your own toolkit at home. Jillian Nielsen began sewing and designing at a young age, attending fashion design programs in Connecticut and NYC, attended Bard College at Simon’s Rock and has a Certificate in Costume […]

$15 – $160

Trek-or-Treat Hike with ELT & ILA (All Ages)

The Millrace Ivory Street, Ivoryton

Program for families with children of all ages. The libraries and Land Trust are joining the Pumpkin Festival this year! Join Essex Library, Ivoryton Library, and Essex Land Trust for a family hike through The Millrace Preserve! Kids and families are invited to solve silly Halloween riddles as they walk along a festive path, enjoy a treat afterward courtesy of ELT, and take home a fun craft kit, courtesy of the libraries! This is a 15-20 min self-guided hike, come any time during the scheduled time frame! This program is free and open to the public. This program will be held at The Millrace, Ivory St, Ivoryton. In the event of rain, this program will not be held. No registration is required, drop in!

Modern Minimal: Exploring Analog Collage

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

This art class welcomes participants of all skill levels who are interested in analog collage. The course introduces the fundamentals of collage, focusing on minimalism and the use of a limited palette. Through guided exercises, the class learns how to select and arrange images to create visually engaging compositions. Emphasis is placed on simplicity and balance to encourage creativity within constraints and foster an appreciation for a clean, modern aesthetic. Over four studio sessions, participants practice the essential methods of analog collage: selection of substrates, cutting techniques, adhesive applications, color theory, and composition.  Projects such as creating a master board, starting and updating a studio notebook, designing artist trading cards and finally creating a personal collage are designed to practice newly acquired skills and  encourage participants to develop their own unique modern aesthetic. Small supply list available upon registration. Molly Waite Lund is an analog collage artist who lives in Essex, Connecticut.  As a self-taught artist, Lund is continuously experimenting with color, shape, relationships, and negative space.  She is compelled to repurpose vintage papers as a reminder of the history that has shaped her life. In her collages, the world that Lund imagines is a place where the familiar becomes […]

$5 – $130

Scarecrow Contest sponsored by The Essex Board of Trade

Recurring
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

Tweens & Teens Make Spooky Candles (Ages 8-18)

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

Program designed for tweens and teens ages 8-18! It’s spooky season! Celebrate by making festive candles with cool, spooky temporary tattoos! All supplies will be provided, just bring your creativity! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required. Click here to register.

Trunk-or-Treat

Ivoryton Village Alliance P.O. Box 88, Ivoryton

Come enjoy a fun Halloween evening filled with decorated trunks, costumes, candy, spooky displays, and family-friendly fun for kids and families throughout Essex. Trunk or Treat is part of the Ivoryton Pumpkin Festival, making it a great stop for families enjoying the day’s Halloween festivities. Bring the kids in costume, stroll through the decorated trunks, and enjoy a great community Halloween celebration. Interested in displaying a trunk? This year, residents of Ivoryton, Centerbrook, and Essex Village are all invited to take part. Contact the Ivoryton Village Alliance at IvorytonVillageAlliance@gmail.com One Town – Three Villages – One Great Halloween Celebration.