Barn Rock ~ Photo by Catherine Seidenberg

“Spring!” The birds are singing in Westport, from the red-winged blackbirds to the chickadees and robins and bluebirds. The ducks don’t have much space to swim , as the lake still carries a slab of ice that is moaning and crackling in the frigid mornings, still bearing the scars of ice boats. We’ve entered the time of big transition….mud season…which means the sap is flowing, sugaring weekends are coming up soon, seedlings are sprouting, and soon we can all roll up our sleeves and get to work, in shorts.

COME ON OUTSIDE WITH FRIENDS AND CLEAN UP WESTPORT!

JOIN THE ALLIANCE FOR THE SECOND COMMUNITY CHAT APRIL 7TH!

The first Community Chat was a big success, with over 20 attendees and lots of enthusiasm! Come join us at the Westport Library on Tuesday, April 7th, from 5:30–6:30 pm for casual conversation with the WWCA! Hear what the Alliance has been working on, share your feedback and ideas, and get to know a few of our board members. Everyone is welcome. We’d love to see you there!

CHAMPLAIN AREA TRAILS ACQUIRES EXPANSIVE TWIN VALLEYS PROPERTY

CATS Executive Director Arin Burdo ~ Photo by Amy Feiereisel for NCPR

Champlain Area Trails has added the Twin Valleys Outdoor Recreation Center to its impressive quiver of properties that bring the community closer to nature! This massive property is just under 700 acres, and includes over 15 miles of trails, a lodge and bunkhouse, cabins, and observatory, and even outdoor classrooms. The land includes cedar wetlands and several mountaintops with expansive views: Payne Mountain, Hornbeam Hill, and Horseshoe Ledge. Read the full story from NCPR!

VOLUNTEER FOR THE GRAND HIKE, MAY 9!

Photo courtesy of Champlain Area Trails

Yay! It’s our favorite time of year: when the CATS Grand Hike is coming into view! If you’d like to be involved and help make this another hike to be remembered, here are some open positions:

1) Parking Attendants

Location: Essex County Fairgrounds, Westport 

Responsibilities: Help direct attendees to designated parking areas and ensure a smooth traffic flow. 

Timing: 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM

 2) Check-in/Registration

Location: Whallonsburg Grange, Essex NY  

Responsibilities: Welcome participants by checking them in, distributing event T-shirts, processing registrations for those not pre-registered, and handling payments. 

Timing: 8:15 AM – 11:00 AM

If interested, please contact Samantha Beck at samantha@champlainareatrails.com, and consider being a sponsor of this yearly event that delights more locals and visitors each year!

Registration for the hike is now OPEN! And don’t forget to sign up for the CATS mailing list, where you’ll find all the latest news and event details.

THE MILL UNVEILS NEW SCULPTURE BY STEPHEN HENDEE!

The new season brings new art and ideas to Westport! Don’t miss the reception for Gold Linear Beam this Thursday, March 19th from 5pm - 7pm to celebrate the artist Stephen Hendee on his new 40' wall sculpture. A complimentary wine tasting will be hosted by wine-bow. RSVP requested: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1983715325940?aff=oddtdtcreator

“Stephen Hendee (b. 1968, California, USA) is an innovative sculptor renowned for creating large-scale installations that challenge traditional notions of space and form. Drawing inspiration from the world of digital culture, he is widely regarded as a pioneer of the low-poly aesthetic. Through his work, he translates the vectorized properties of digital design into physical materials, creating real-world simulations of virtual reality spaces.”

Read more in the SUN Community News.

~ Don’t miss the chance to have some great laughs at the standup comedian Alex Kumin’s 2 shows, March 20 and 21! Add to that the enormously multitalented comedian Isabel Hagen, on April 17 and 18!

FIND PEACE 4 DAYS A WEEK WITH YOGA AT THE MILL!

How lucky are we, to have such distinguished yoga instructors to guide us through our practice in such an uplifted space? (Unbelievably lucky!) For more information, contact Michael Fergot at yogifergot@gmail.com, or Nora Nadire at notesofbalance@gmail.com.

DEPOT THEATRE JOINS CCE FOR YOUTH MENTORSHIP PROGRAM!

From the Depot Theatre: “We’re pleased to share a new partnership between the Depot Theatre Academy and Cornell Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program to bring theatre-based communication and mentorship opportunities to youth across Essex County.

This spring, Depot Theatre Academy teaching artists will lead a series of pop-up workshops in area schools, followed by regional workshops and theatre career sessions designed to help young people build confidence and presentation skills.”

Thank you to Sun Community News for covering the story.

Read the full article:

https://suncommunitynews.com/.../depot-theatre-and-4-h.../

Registration information: https://bit.ly/4H_Academy

LEARN AND GROW AT THE WESTPORT LIBRARY!

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, March 21, 10am-1pm: The Garden/Cookbook and Seed Swap! Raid your bookshelf, bring treasures you no longer want, and discover new ones! Bring seeds in well-sealed, clearly labeled envelopes. Come find delights even if you have nothing to swap! Drop off is on Saturday the 21st from 10-1 only.

Saturday, March 28, 11am: Microgreen growing workshop presented by the CCE. Join this hands-on workshop and learn to grow your own microgreens!

Tuesday, April 7, 5:30-6:30pm: Join us for the second Community Chat (the first was a huge success!) with the Westport-Wadhams Community Alliance! This will be a casual time to chat, meet board members, find out what the Alliance is up to, and give your feedback and ideas.

Tuesdays, April 7, May 5. 7pm: “From Page to Stage”, a Seagle Festival Community Program. April 7 features “Dead Man Walking: Elvis, Empathy, & the Human Cost of Execution”. Each session will feature a lively 60-75 minute discussion of one of Seagle’s four productions from its upcoming summer season, which will use compelling storytelling, musical excerpts, and a brief history of each work to delve into the literary and historical inspirations behind each production. These presentations are getting rave reviews!!

Tuesdays starting Feb 27, 4-6pm: Parenting workshops! Learn some useful strategies for lovingly living with adolescents. Call 518-585-7424 to register.

HERE COMES ANOTHER NEW WESTPORT BUSINESS: THE FINISHING STONE!

Elizabeth Karson ~ photo courtesy of Elizabeth Karson

Westport is continuing to grow and diversify, and now the Finishing Stone will be arriving in April, to 6511 Main Street, next to the new Homestead Spirits location. Stay tuned for the exact ribbon cutting date! Here’s what the artist, Elizabeth Karson, has to say about her business:

“I’ve been creating all my life and started exploring metal smithing a few years ago. My focus is on small-batch, handcrafted pieces formed using traditional silversmithing practices. My path into jewelry making grew out of a lifelong love of working with my hands and a curiosity about how objects carry meaning. I have a degree in Geology, which naturally drew me to working with stones—I especially enjoy sourcing ethical and one-of-a-kind materials. What began as experimentation at the bench slowly turned into a practice and eventually a business. I chose to base my work in Westport because the town has such a strong sense of community and creativity, and the landscape along Lake Champlain continues to inspire my designs. In the studio, my process usually begins with sketches or small ideas sparked by landscapes, animals, and flowers—my work almost always carries some element of nature. I then carefully form, solder, and finish each piece by hand. Every step happens slowly and intentionally, which is part of what I love about the work. I grew up in the North Country, and after the pandemic it made sense for me to return. It’s a place I continue to choose because of the quiet beauty, the changing seasons, and the supportive community that makes it possible to live a creative life here. Looking ahead, I’m especially excited to begin teaching my craft and sharing these skills with others. I hope to contribute to the community in a meaningful way—not only by growing my own jewelry line, but also by supporting other local artists and creating an inspiring place where they can share and sell their work.”

REVEL IN COMMUNITY AND IDEAS AT SNOWFORT BOOKS!

Snowfort is offering another wondrous month of literary delights!

• Wednesday March 18, 6pm-7:30pm: Silent Book Club

• Sunday, March 22, 2pm: Sunday Salon (see above)

• Wednesday March 25, 7pm: SpeakEazy Storytelling Open Mic

• Sunday March 29, 4pm: Fiction Book Club, “the Inheritance of Loss” by Kiran Desai

SOME SPRINGTIME LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS:WINTON’S IS OPEN!

Just a few notes about local business transitions: WINTON’S 1898 TAVERN is reopening for the season on St Patrick’s Day, March 17! Yahoo! March hours will be Tues - Sat lunch and dinner, and in April, lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Come out and check out all of their enticing new menu items!

JAMBS is on a well-deserved break, and will be closed until around April 20.

DOGWOOD BREAD COMPANY will close in April, and is recalibrating how they will continue to serve the community.

COUNTERSPACE is a brand-new coffee shop in Elizabethtown in the Farmacy building 7567 Court Street (where Solace Cycles is located), and has opened just in time to provide excellent coffee, baked goods, work space, and so much more. They are open all days but Sunday and Wednesday, from 7am-4pm.

PORTSIDE RESTAURANT AT THE MARINA is hiring for all positions! Apply at https://www.portsiderestaurant.com/jobs

REMINDER: This year is AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY! And Westport is gearing up for a huge celebration. Please contribute by donating, volunteering, and definitely by having fun! BUSINESSES, avail yourselves of ROOST’S generous resources HERE.

HAPPY SPRING, WESTPORT! Westport’s blooming!

-The WWCA Team

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