🌱 Scarecrows Are About To Take Over Essex + Pumpkin Festival Time

Hello, neighbors. Karena Garrity here with your fresh copy of the Essex-Chester-Deep River Patch newsletter, filled with everything you need to know about what's happening in town. In today's briefing, we'll cover these stories and more:

• Don't be scared by the scary scarecrows!
• Essex gets a grant.
• Get ready for the Pumpkin Festival.

But first, today's weather: Periods of rain. High: 61 Low: 50.

Here are the top stories in Essex-Chester-Deep River today:

1. October starts this weekend, so get ready for fall festivities in the tri-town, one of which is the annual Scarecrow FestiFall hosted by the Essex Board of Trade. "On any beautiful fall day between Oct. 7-30, the popular “Scarecrow Lamp-Post Presentation” along the Main streets of Centerbrook, Essex and Ivoryton villages will be on full display." Enjoy! (Patch)
2. The town of Essex will be receiving $444,000 in state funding via a grant provided through the Small Town Economic Assistance Program. The money is earmarked for Ferry Street improvements. An additional $111,000 in town funds will also be used for the project. (CT.gov)
3. Save the date! The Ivoryton Village Pumpkin Festival will return to the Ivoryton Village Green Sunday, Oct. 29. The event will begin at 4 p.m. with a costume parade meeting at Walnut Street and marching down Main Street to Ivoryton Village Green. More information is coming on this event. (Facebook events)

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Today in Essex-Chester-Deep River:

Saturday, Sept. 30

• Richard Spearrin: Photography Exhibition at Essex Library (9 a.m.)
• Homeward Bound CT Shelter Dog Adoption Event (9 a.m.)
• Ghost Scavenger Hunt (9 a.m.)
• STEAM Saturdays: Lego WeDo Robots (10 a.m.)
• Dungeons & Dragons (Gr. 4-8) (Noon)
• Young at Heart Book Club (2 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Chester CT Historical Society: "Steven Sepowski, what's so funny? Come find out on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. at the Meeting House when we recall what Chester was celebrating on Labor Day, 1983." (Chester CT Historical Society via Facebook)
• Essex Board of Trade: "St John's Episcopal Church, Essex, in all its glory! Check out this gorgeous Essex edifice!" (Essex Board of Trade via Facebook)
• Tri-Town Youth Services Bureau: "Brought to you by TurningPoint CT, a free virtual peer support group for LGBTQ+ high schoolers, happening on Fridays from 6:30-8 p.m. starting on Oct. 6!" (Tri-Town Youth Services Bureau via Facebook)
• Essex Library: "New on weekends for book lovers at the Essex Library! First Saturday Book Group Oct. 7, 9:45 a.m. A sister group to the First Thursday Book group." (Essex Library via Facebook)

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• Join Us For An Evening of Faith, Hope and Love! (October 14)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday!

— Karena Garrity

About me: Journalism is in my veins. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Essex-Chester-Deep River Patch newsletter? Contact me at karena.garrity@patch.com