First Lady Comes To Bridgeport

From WTNH's website:

(Hartford-AP) _ First lady Laura Bush won't be coming to Hartford, but will be in Bridgeport this afternoon.

Bush had been scheduled to make stops in Hartford and Bridgeport, but the trip to the Mark Twain House in the Capital City was called off just before eight this morning because of weather.

Today is the first visit to Connecticut by the former public school teacher and librarian since October, when she went to Farmington to support Republican congressional candidates.

She is scheduled to visit The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport in the afternoon to participate in "The Big Read," a nationwide initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts.

See the video from WTNH's site HERE.

Big Read Ad Campaign

Local photographer Julia Gerace took these wonderful photos of Shelton residents reading & discussing the book "To Kill A Mockingbird".

Big Read Arts Extravaganza!

April 24th will be a special day in The Big Read celebration in Shelton! Join us at Shelton Intermediate School from 7pm-9pm. Our guest host will be Kevin Hogan from WFSB-TV. The program will include: music by Counterpoint (an 18-piece swing band conducted by Charles DePaul), artwork by Shelton High School students & local artists, and enjoy free desserts & coffee. Once again, this event is FREE & open to all. Don't miss this wonderful evening of entertainment.

Peace Pals Day of Diversity

Join us April 21st from 11am - 1pm at Center Stage in Shelton to celebrate Peace Pals Diversity Days. Our special guest will be David "Baba" Coleman, Afro-Carribbean drummer. Baba will conduct a hands-on drumming workshop for children & adults. The day will include soul food from Sandra's Table, the planting of a peace pole, and fun activities! This event is FREE. To register, please call 924-2622. Visit www.worldpeace.org for more information on the peace poles.

Upcoming Events!

The following events are part of The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

April 2, 4, 10 Senior Center. Events Focus on the story TKAM. All events are free but require membership. Call 924-9324

April 13-29 Center Stage. Tickets for non-subscribers are $20. Seating at all performances of TKAM is reseved. Call 924-2622

April 21 Center Stage, 11 a.m. Peace Pals is hosted by Fran Scarpa for children ages 5-15. Events include African drumming, soul food, and making paper cranes. Free and open to children; reservations are required. Call 924-2622.

April 24 Intermediate School, 6 p.m. The Arts Extravaganza. View contest works by Shelton students reflecting the sentiment of TKAM. Winners will be announced. Boogie to big band Counterpoint. Free and open to the public.

April 26 Plumb Memorial Library, 7 p.m. John Hill will speak about the Depression photographs of Walker Evans. Free and open to the public.

April 29 Plumb Memorial Library, 2 p.m. Movie viewing of TKAM with film enthusiast Aaron McNicholl. Free and open to the public.

April 30 Center Stage, 7 p.m. Favorite Poems. Free and open to the public. Participants must call ahead to sign up to read their favorite poem. Call 924-2622

About The Big Read

Four key cities in Southwestern Connecticut (Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford and Shelton) have created a unique regional approach to The Big Read. The partner communities are coming together to create a comprehensive program that will be accessible not only to residents of the four key cities, but to over 900,000 residents of Fairfield County. This combined effort creates a unified approach and the profound impact of hundreds of thousands reading the same book together as one.

The region has chosen the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, and will present a wide variety of events that are designed to immerse the participants in all aspects of the novel—the historic elements, the themes of diversity and equality, and the Southern traditions woven throughout. The Big Read will help to cement the importance of great literature in our region, place an emphasis on reading and literacy, and bring communities, cities, neighborhoods, and families together to celebrate the gift of books.