Canada Geese in Westport ~ Photo by Catherine Seidenberg

The engines of summer are rumbling up from the earth as April leans toward May. So many activities have been dreamt up over the long cold winter that they are tumbling over one another for attention; so hello, May, lets plunge into the balmy green season!

Some shout outs: Jump into the Westport spring cleanup! Lots of progress has been made already by industrious trash-picker-uppers all over town. It continues until April 25th so please join in this fun and rewarding way to make Westport and Wadhams sparkle. You can get orange bags at Town Hall and Vagabond Blooms, and drop off filled bags in the trailer behind Town Hall. Both places have a map showing what’s been cleaned, to help you decide which areas need your love (please mark on the map where you'll clean or contact Michael Fergot (yogifergot@gmail.com or 917-319-1022). 

~On Saturday, April 25th, you can join with others to do an “Earth Day Cleanup.” We’ll meet at Town Hall at 9:00. Of course, you can simply do this on your own—just pick a place and go for it. Some people just go right and/or left from their driveway to clean up “close to home.”

~ The Spirit of Place art show will be reborn this year as an open studio tour in July! If you are an artist residing in Westport or Wadhams (only) and are interested in participating, please send your contact information to Todd August at taugust@sbcglobal.net or call (713) 252-3349. We want to see what you create!

~ This year’s Memorial Day Service will take place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25th at 9am in Ballard Park, with speakers, morning refreshments, and golf-cart transportation to anyone who needs it. Come honor those who made enormous sacrifice for our country.

~ Come get your ride sparkling clean at the Westport Hose Company #1 Car Washes on April 18 and 25!

~ Last, but certainly not least, come on out and join the Champlain Area Trails Grand Hike on Saturday May 9th! This year it begins at the Whallonsburgh Grange and finishes in Lewis at the Champlain Area Trails’ Twin Valleys Outdoor Education Center! Volunteers are always needed: contact Samantha Beck at samantha@champlainareatrails.com.

GET AHEAD AND APPLY FOR THE ALLEN FAMILY CAREER ADVANCEMENT GRANT!

Image courtesy of the Adirondack Community Foundation

The Allen Family Career Advancement Grant (AFCAG) is open for 2026! This is an amazing award for credentialing, licensure, internship, degree, or certificate programs in a chosen field of work. It is available to working residents of Essex, Elizabethtown, Lewis, Westport or Willsboro NY looking to further their career ambitions. The grant may renew for additional years (at a potentially altered amount), provided the recipient furnishes evidence of satisfactory progress. The maximum award amount has increased this year to $5,000!  Application deadline is May 15th.

VOLUNTEER WITH FLOWERS PLUS,SUNDAY APRIL 26!

It’s that glorious time of year when we’re waiting for the daffodils to pop and the weather to get just a bit warmer, and it’s the perfect time to freshen up our community flower gardens with fertilizer and mulch! You can help spruce up the Westport and Wadhams community gardens on Sunday, April 26th, 10am. Meet at the Westport Triangle.

Bring shovels for spreading mulch, gloves, hats & sunscreen, your favorite weeding tool, edger and if you can bring a wheel barrow or cart for moving mulch, that would be great. Many hands make light work! Watch Facebook if we need to call for rain. Flowers Plus! Thanks You! Questions? email flowerspluswestportny@gmail.com.

WESTPORT HAS A NEW COMMUNITY COMPOSTING PROGRAM!

Tired of critters rifling through your back yard compost heap? Or maybe you are wondering how to sustainably compost your food scraps when you don’t have your own composting system? Now you can be one of the first to sign up and help evolve this collaborative new initiative with the Town of Westport and the Westport-Wadhams Community Alliance! Sign up Here.

WESTPORT SEEKS LIFEGUARD!

Work on the beach this summer! If interested contact the Town of Westport at (518)962-4419.

JOIN THE FIRST ADK WOMEN’S HEALTH SUMMIT RIGHT HERE IN WESTPORT!

Wow! This is the VERY FIRST Adirondack Women’s Health summit, right here in Westport, at Camp Dudley! Get support, education, and smiles all around while learning how to gracefully negotiate middle age transitions of body, mind and spirit. Learn more and sign up!

GET YOUR SEASON’S PASS TO THE DEPOT THEATRE!

The Depot Theatre is gearing up for a fantastic 2026 Season! Consider purchasing a season’s pass, and get your preferred tickets before they open to the public on April 16!

THERE’S MUCH ADO AT THE WESTPORT LIBRARY FOR AMERICA’S 250TH!

WEEKLY

Mondays, 7pm: Film Festival! Get cozy in a library sofa and take in a flick with friends and neighbors! Suggested $5 donation, $10 for families

Tuesdays 1-3pm: Craft Group meeting

Thursdays 4-6pm: Writer’s Group meeting

SPECIAL EVENTS

Saturday, April 18, 4pm: ‘Together We Sing: A Celebration in Song’

Thursday April 23, 6-7pm: Free Screening of ‘The Librarians’

Tuesday, May 5, 7-8:30 pm: Seagle Festival ‘Page to Stage’, featuring ‘The Sound of Music’.

Saturday, May 23, 10am - 12pm: Revolutionary art making for kids!

DON’T MISS THE WADHAMS FREE LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE, LECTURES AND MORE..

THE MILL IS HUMMING THIS SUMMER!

Get your tickets to these carefully curated music events before they sell out! Check out the website for all comedy and art happenings, and don’t forget to enjoy Taylor’s expert vegetarian fare and Sadie’s brilliant cocktails at the Knock, Thursday through Saturday. It’s Sadie’s last weekend behind the bar! Come in and give her a toast to her next adventure!!

SNOWFORT IS THE HOPPING LITERARY HUB!

MONTHLY EVENTS

• Silent Book Club ~ Weds, April 15, 6-7:30pm. Every third Wednesday.

• Speakeasy Storytelling Open Mic ~ Weds, April 22, 7pm. Every 4th Wednesday. Share your stories!

• Fiction Book Club ~ Sunday, May 3, 4pm. 1st Sunday. Featuring ‘‘Vigil’’ by George Saunders.

• Sunday Salon ~ Sunday, April 26, 2pm: Chris Toll discussion and workshop.

  SPECIAL EVENT

  ~ Moonglow ~ Thursday, April 30, 6pm: a new series of live literary readings featuring four noteworthy female voices: Jane Boxall, Kristen Holt-Browning, Sara Schaff, and Amie Zimmerman.

MEADOWMOUNT SCHOOL OF MUSIC ANNOUNCES 2026 GUEST ARTISTS

Isidore String Quartet ~Image courtesy of the Meadowmount School of Music

The historic Meadowmount School of Music announces its 2026 concert season with a roster of guest artists: Isidore String Quartet, Ani Kavafian, Ralph Kirshbaum, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, and Arnold Steinhardt. The distinguished performers, artist faculty, and celebrated alumni represent decades of Meadowmount’s far-reaching impact. Additional artists and events will continue to be announced over the coming months. Read more!

We are YOUR Alliance! Follow our Website, Facebook Page and Instagram. Follow all the happenings on the Calendar. Have a friend or neighbor who would like to know what’s going on in town? Don’t forget to subscribe and forward this email!

-Newsletter Editor: Catherine Seidenberg