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Good morning from the shoreline.

Spring is in action. You can tell because the tag sales are starting to kick off. Saturday alone there's one at the Road Church in Stonington, one at the Westerly UCC, and an estate sale up in North Stonington. The posted pictures alone make it worth the drive.

I’d love to hear from you. If you’re enjoying the newsletter, have any suggestions for things to add (or remove), please reply and let me know! I read every email.

Here's what I've surfaced this week.

The 2026 Pawcatuck River Duck Race hits the water Saturday at 11:30am at Donahue Park. 20,000 rubber ducks racing down the river, families lining the banks, and a grand prize of a trip to Disney World. Bring the kids. Bring coffee. Bring a camera. Check it out.

Sunday is the Kelp Fest kickoff at Yellow Farmhouse Education Center in Stonington at 11am with a morning Ocean Harvest cooking class that runs into the festival at noon. It all ends at The Shipwright's Daughter that evening, where James Beard Award-winning chef David Standridge is putting on a kelp-forward tasting dinner. More info on the cooking class and four-course dinner.

Saturday, 11am to 4pm. It’s family-friendly, featuring 50+ vendors and community organizations sharing resources and information on sustainable initiatives, green living, and more.

Ladies Night with Tito's at Milestone Milestone · 5pm · Mystic

Celebrity Bartending with Kelly Holland A.T.Y Bar & Bonbons · 7-9pm · Mystic

Annual Men's Stag Spring Steak Night Knights of Columbus · 6:30pm · Mystic

Inspired by France: Crepe Cooking Class and Wine Tasting Kitch Mystic · 6pm · Mystic

Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas Jealous Monk · 10:30am · Mystic

Sunday Supper Series: Jorge Heli of Meryl + Masa Engine Room · 5pm · Mystic

Kelp Dinner with James Beard Award-winning Chef David Standridge The Shipwright’s Daughter · 6pm · Mystic

Secret Sauce 3-Course Meal: Chefs Renee Duponce & Ethan Czarneski Port of Call · 4pm · Mystic

Want to share a Featured Event ? Reach out and let’s talk.

Opening a restaurant? Launching a new menu? Reply to this email and let us share it with the community!

North Stonington Estate Sale 62J Patricia Ave, North Stonington · 9:30am · Stonington (Discounts begin Friday after 10:30am)

Rebecca Mahoney Author Talk and Signing (Thrall) Bank Square Books · 5pm · Mystic

MISFIT Karaoke - Billboard #1s The Misfit Club · 7:30pm · Mystic

Board Game Night Stonington Free Library · 9pm · Stonington

Artini: Eggcellent Pysanky Art Mystic Museum of Art · 5:30pm · Mystic

Mamma Mania – The American Tribute to ABBA The United Theatre · 7:30pm · Westerly

Little Shop of Horrors (Play) Niantic Bay Playhouse · 7:30pm · Niantic

The Dining Room (Play) The Granite Theatre · 7:30pm · Westerly

2026 Pawcatuck River Duck Race Donahue Park · 11:30am · Pawcatuck

Stonington Village Farmers Market The Velvet Mill · 9am · Stonington

Independent Bookstore Day in Mystic Bank Square Books · 9am · Mystic

Independent Bookstore Day in New London The Golden Owl · 9am · New London

The Spring Awakening Makers Market The Velvet Mill · 9am · Stonington

Huge Spring Tag Sale at the Road Church The First Congregational Church of Stonington · 9am · Stonington

Annual Earth Day Expo at GPL Groton Public Library · 11am · Groton

Attic Treasures Annual Indoor Yard Sale United Congregational Church of Westerly · 12pm · Stonington

Monet Inspired Paint & Sip Niantic Public House & Brewery · 1pm · Niantic

UNITED We Laugh Stand-up Comedy The United Theatre · 7pm · Westerly

Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra – SOUNDS OF AMERICA Garde Arts Center · 7:30pm · Mystic

Ocean Harvest Kelp Cooking Class Yellow Farmhouse Education Center · 11am · Stonington

Clean Up Crews & Brews - Earth Day Inspired Trash Pick-up Grey Sail Brewing · 11:30am · Westerly

Kelp Fest Kick-Off Yellow Farmhouse Education Center · 12pm · Stonington

Southeastern Connecticut's Annual Walk to End Homelessness, commemorating 20 years of NLHHC Parade Plaza · 4pm · New London

Stonington Education Fund Trivia Night Red36 · 5pm · Mystic

Estate Planning Learning Session With Dime Bank Public Library of New London · 4pm · New London

Art ABCS: Ages 3.5 – 6 Mystic Museum of Art · 4:30pm · Mystic

Booked in the Borough Writers Group Stonington Free Library · 5:30pm · Stonington

Genesis: Poetry Writing Group Mystic & Noank Library · 5:30pm · Mystic

Garden Girl Mystic & Noank Library - Ames Room · 6:30pm · Mystic

Trivia Night at Friar Tuck's Tavern Friar Tuck's · 6:30pm · Mystic

Visit wailingcity.com for complete live music list and venue updates

Aloha and welcome to Roo! Thank you, Taylor. She is a pretty girl!

Date: August 9, 1814

Four Royal Navy warships under Sir Thomas Hardy anchored off Stonington Point and sent a note ashore. The townspeople had one hour to evacuate before the bombardment began.

The selectmen wrote back:

A town of fewer than a thousand people had just told one of the most feared navies on earth to get lost.

What happened next started with four men. At 6:00 p.m., William Lord, Asa Lee, George Fellows, and Amos Denison manned three cannons at the end of the Point — two 18-pounders cast in Salisbury, Connecticut in 1781, and a smaller 6-pounder. They were soon joined by sixteen militiamen from Mystic, led by Captain Jeremiah Holmes.

Holmes had a secret. Years earlier, he'd been impressed into the Royal Navy against his will — forced to serve the same fleet now sitting in the harbor. Impressment taught him exactly how a British warship is built, and exactly where to aim.

Over three days of bombardment, the battery at the Point held. Holmes put a shot through HMS Dispatch below her waterline, damaged her badly, and killed several British sailors. By August 12, Hardy's squadron had seen enough. They withdrew.

The final tally is almost hard to believe. By American accounts, the British counted 21 killed and 50 wounded. Stonington lost 19-year-old Frederick Denison, who died later of his wounds, and had six others wounded — including John Miner, who was permanently blinded in one eye.

The two 18-pounders are still there. Cast in Salisbury in 1781, they stand in Cannon Square in the middle of Stonington Borough, flanking a granite obelisk raised in 1830 to mark the fight. If you've never wandered the Borough, this is a good reason to go.

A few things worth putting on your calendar now:

2nd Annual Trout Derby at Stone Acres Farm — Free for kids 12 and under, no gear needed. May 2, 8am-12pm in Stonington. Hook & Cook demos on-site.

Project Oceanology Family Day — Free admission, marine science activities for all ages. May 2 in Groton. Pair it with the Trout Derby for a full family Saturday.

Misquamicut SpringFest — Three days of live music, carnival rides, 50+ vendors, and food trucks at Misquamicut State Beach. May 8-10. Kids 8 and under free. Advance tickets $12.

Mother's Day Brunches & Dinners — May 10 is bearing down on us. The Irons, Nana’s, Riverbar, The Tin Peddler, Port of Call, Oyster Club, Haring's Noank, and a pop-up at Stone Acres Farm are all doing something. Book now before it's too late!

That's your week. Personally, I’m leaning towards the Duck Race and tag sales.

Enjoy and talk Thursday!