Danbury Library Celebrates Diwali: A Festival of Lights and Culture

Westport native George Barrett joins Grammy-winner Brian Keane for a soulful live concert at The Westport Library on Nov. 16. Tickets just $20!

WESTPORT, Connecticut - The Westport Library is getting an early jump on next year’s VersoFest , our annual festival celebrating music, media, and creativity. The Thing , the rising rock band out of New York City with roots in Connecticut, will be performing the VersoFest Kickoff Concert on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 8 pm. Presales for the concert begin on Tuesday, November 4, with the general on-sale on Friday, November 7. Tickets are $35. Click here for more information. The full schedule for VersoFest’26 will be unveiled soon, with the four main days of the festival scheduled to run from Thursday, March 26, to Sunday, March 29, 2026. This is the fifth year for VersoFest, the Library’s annual music and media conference and festival where knowledge is shared and inspiration is discovered — a forum for media creators, artists, and fans to converge. VersoFest includes concert performances; conversations with leading lights in music and media; workshops that provide creators the opportunity to deconstruct, improve, and hone their craft; knowledge opportunities; art installations; and much, much more. Past VersoFest guests include hip hop legend Chuck D; established hit-makers the Wallflowers, Spin Doctors, and the Smithereens; up-and-coming bands Sunflower Bean and the Lemon Twigs; the Roots lead emcee Black Thought; hardcore punk pioneer Henry Rollins; rockers Lez Zeppelin; famed producers Steve Lillywhite (U2, Dave Matthews Band) and Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex); Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler; the Doors drummer John Densmore; Cramps drummer Miriam Linna; Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway; hip-hop originators Tony Crush and Grand Wizzard Theodore; David Letterman music director Paul Shaffer; SNL Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman; and a wide array of authors, photographers, artists, and thought leaders. The Thing’s sound is a throwback to rock and roll’s roots, with a traditional lineup of guitar, bass, and drums, with songs that nod to the Kinks and the White Stripes, among many others. “We've kind of adapted the ethos of: with restriction comes creativity, old becomes new,” said guitarist/vocalist Jack Bradley. “And throughout every part of the process that remains true.” The four members of The Thing came from intersecting backgrounds, lending to their rock-and-roll-as-melting-pot vibe. Bassist/vocalist Zane Acord grew up with a drummer dad who hipped him to bands like Led Zeppelin and Grand Funk Railroad; he met guitarist/vocals Michael Carter, an avid Beatles fan, in middle school. While in high school, the duo connected with Bradley, an aspiring producer with a studio in his basement and a yen for psych rock. Jazz drummer Lucas Ebeling linked up with the band when everyone found their way to New York in 2022. Since that time, they’ve played more than 300 shows across the world, including a wide-ranging late 2025 European tour that will take them to Amsterdam, Berlin, Dublin, London, Paris, and Stockholm, to name just a few. The group has put out three LPs in total: their 2023 debut Here’s the Thing, the 2024 follow-up The Thing Is, their self-titled third album, which came out in August 2025. “It showcases all of us, all of our different personalities,” Acord said of the new album. “In The Thing, we’re a collective band. We hang our hats on being a true band — where we all have the spotlight. I think that gives us a different edge.” Added Bradley: “We threw all of our different various influences throughout — all the decades of rock and roll and adjacent genres — and ended up with something of our own. Our contribution to the genre. Our style. Our… thing.” *** VersoFest’26 Kickoff Concert: The Thing Friday, February 27, 2026 8 pm Trefz Forum, The Westport Library Event link: https://westportlibrary.org/event/versofest-2026-kickoff-concert-the-thing/ Story link: https://westportlibrary.org/the-thing-to-kick-off-versofest-2026/ VersoFest 2026: https://versofest.org/

STAMFORD, CT, November 3, 2025 – Flippenout Extreme Trampoline show is set to amaze and delight the audience attending the 32nd annual Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular on Sunday, November 23. Flippenout Trampoline is America's Premier trampoline show. Flippenout has performed thousands of shows all over the world for Millions of people! Olympic level routines, skis, snowboards, wall, ball, and world record belly drops are all part of the fun! Athletes will be flying as high as 25' above the ground performing single, double, and even triple flips for your entertainment. Flippenout will also be performing their riveting act at the Point72 Giant Balloon Inflation Party on Saturday, November 22 from 3-6pm at the intersection of Hoyt Street and Summer Street. This pre-parade event has been hosted by Stamford-based Point72 Asset Management since 2014 and allows spectators a behind-the-scenes look at the balloons as they come to life. Music, parade talent, cartoon characters, and Santa will greet and delight spectators. Recognized as one of the premier parades in the nation, the Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular taking place on Sunday, November 23 is a collaboration between the Stamford Downtown Special Services District and the City of Stamford, supported by numerous community-oriented corporations and organizations that proudly sponsor our balloons, bands, and floats including 600 Washington, The Ashforth Company, Cacace, Tusch & Santagata, Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP, Charter Communications, Cross Insurance Greenwich, CT Transit, Cummings & Lockwood LLC, Deloitte, F. D. Rich Company, First County Bank, George Comfort & Sons, Inc., Hoffman Investment Partners, KPMG LLP, NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, New England Investment Partners, Point72, Primo Brands Corporation, Reckson, RMS Companies, RXR, Silver Golub & Teitell LLP, Stamford Health, The Stamford Hotel, Stamford Town Center, Stamford Urby, Synchrony, UConn Stamford, WIN Waste Innovations and with the support of the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Tourism and media partners Star 99, WEBE 108, WICC and Hey Stamford! Planned highlights of the parade include new balloons Ariel the Zoonicorn, Bumble the Abominable Snowman, Neko Good Fortune Cat and returning favorites Astronaut, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Elmo, Jonathan the Husky, Mistletoes the Snowman, Mr. Potato Head, Oscar the Grouch, Peppa Pig, Rudolph, Shrek and Super Grover. In addition to the procession's signature balloons, the streets will be filled with music from the NYPD Emerald Society Pipe & Drum Band, Fairfield County Pipes & Drums and high school marching bands from Westhill, Brentwood, Uniondale, JFK of Waterbury and Wyandanch. New to the parade this year are the Pride of Port Chester High School Marching Band, Ballet Folklórico de las Américas (BFAmericas) and the Ballet School of Stamford. Additional fabulous groups include Center Stage Dance Studio, City Center Dance, Dance on the DL, Locust Performing Arts Center of Stamford and The Pulse Performing Arts Studio's nova jazz, fabulous Floats, the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard, Santa and more! Colin Cosell, Public Address Announcer for the New York Mets and New York Riptide, will return as the parade’s Master of Ceremonies for his fourth year. The parade is scheduled to begin at noon on November 23 at the intersection of Summer Street at Hoyt Street and conclude on Atlantic Street, just a few short blocks from the Stamford Metro-North Railroad Station.

The Rat Pack returns to Edmond Town Hall Nov. 15! Relive the golden era with Frank, Dean, Sammy & Marilyn.

Experience NEEDTOBREATHE live at The Palace Theatre Stamford on November 8 — an unforgettable night of soulful rock and powerful performances!