Performance on October 7^th, 7 pm features screening, post-film talk- back and drawing for special pet gifts 

Merryall’s 72^nd season climaxes with the screening of “The Dog Doc”, a documentary written and directed by Cindy Meehl of Sundance Film Festival fame is known for her hits “Buck” and “Trapped.  ‘A thought-provoking look at what is missing from modern medicine for animals and people,” critiques the New York Times.

In her inspirational film, Director Meehl documents the life, times, dedication, and rewards of Dr. Marty Goldstein, founding father of integrative veterinary medicine, and his colleagues who are passionately committed to providing care and hope to animals in need and, just as importantly, to their owners.

“The Dog Doc” offers the audience an intimate look into the world of Dr. Goldstein and his team who have created a mecca for holistic care in South Salem, NY.

The documentary explores the unique philosophy embraced by Dr. Goldstein combining conventional medical training and cutting-edge alternative therapies underscoring the power of the extraordinary bond between humans and their animal companions and the importance of holistic care. It asks: are we over-medicating our pets, our children, and ourselves and provides some intriguing answers via the good doctor’s life and death interaction with pets and people. 

The screening will be introduced with a performance by singer and songwriter Nick Petrone. A local favorite of Merryall audiences, he will perform, “My Shadow (My Jake),” a song he wrote in memory of his beloved dog, Jake, whom he lost two years ago. 

Says Petrone, “In his last few years of life, Jake had many health issues. I feel certain that the care he received from Dr. Marty and his staff of veterinarians at Smith Ridge Veterinary Hospital truly gave him a better quality of life for a longer period of time. I believe the care Jake received gave him an additional 6 - 7 years of life.”  

The evening will conclude with a post-film discussion with the film’s director and veterinary practitioner, Dr. Jenna Lenarz-Salcedo, a colleague of Dr. Goldstein’s at the Smith Ridge Veterinary Center, South Salem NY.

Last but worth waiting for. ...a drawing of fabulous gifts from generous local businesses including Paul's Custom Pet Food, Barkery Boo'Tique, Agway, Stella's Natural Dog Treats, DoggyLicious, Unleashed Day Care, all located in New Milford, and Patricia's Presents of Bethel CT. Also, artworks from pet painters Christina Maschke and Chris Osborne, Merryall’s artist-in-residence.

One of the biggest stars of the evening is The New Milford Animal Welfare Society, which takes in 500 pets annually and finds loving homes for them. Founded in 1965, AWS is an independent, nonprofit, non-destroy animal rescue organization.  According to the Society’s President, Diane Saraceni, “Our mission is to provide refuge for homeless and abandoned dogs and cats by placing them in loving responsible homes. Thank you Merryall for your support and generous contribution... our four-footed friends thank you, too. And, a nod to our loyal volunteers and donors.”

“The Dog Doc” will be screened at Merryall on Saturday, October 7^th at 7 PM. Tickets are $15 and are available at the door or online at www.merryallcenter.org. 

Merryall is a non-profit arthouse and community center located at 8 Chapel Hill Road in the heart of Litchfield Hills. For membership, sponsorship, or ticket info, visit the Center’s website at merryallcenter.org.

Screenings Under the Stars, The Bad Guys, rescheduled from August 25, will be shown at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle on Friday, September 1.

Admission and parking are FREE. Screenings Under the Stars are made possible by generous sponsors and hosted by Westchester County Parks and Sharc Creative.

Movies begin at sundown. Moviegoers should bring blankets, folding chairs and a picnic. Refreshments will be available for sale. Movies may be canceled due to inclement weather.

The White Plains Hospital Screenings Under the Stars is presented by Westchester County Parks and Sharc Creative with Westchester Parks Foundation, and support from Robison Oil, HamletHub, 100.7 WHUD, 107.1 The Peak, LOOK Dine-In Cinemas, Inspiria Outdoor Advertising and Westchester Magazine.

Learn more https://parks.westchestergov.com/screenings-under-the-stars

The annual Lewisboro Library Fair is coming soon! 

The Library Fair will be held rain or shine, on Saturday, September 9 from 10 am to 4 pm at Onatru Farm Park (99 Elmwood Road in South Salem). 

The Library Fair is one of the largest community events in Lewisboro. There are activities to appeal to all ages - like the Car Show, Beer Garden, Dunk Tank, food trucks and booths, music, and tons of shopping at the Book Sale, Attic Treasures Sale, Silent Auction and Vendor Market. There is also a “Kids Zone” with multiple activities such as a Bouncy House, face painting, a Fairy Garden Workshop area and more.

Lewisboro residents can shop the Book Sale early for free on Thursday, September 7 from 5 - 9pm (non-residents pay $25). Admittance to the Book Sale is free for all on Friday, September 8 from 10am - 2pm. VIP ticket holders ONLY can shop Attic Treasures early on Thursday, Sept 7 from 5 - 9pm. Those who want to shop Attic Treasures early on Friday, Sept 8 from 10am - 2pm will pay a $25 admittance fee. There will be an After-Sale of Book and Attic Treasures bargains on Sunday, September 10 from 10 am to 2 pm. Get all the info on Fair and pre-Fair activities HERE.

A Lewisboro Library Fair VIP ticket grants early access to Attic Treasures the night of September 7 for up to two people, one Priority Parking Spot on Fair Day, two Raffle Tickets, two Beer Tickets and two free Book Vouchers. Valued at over $100, the VIP tickets are on sale now for $75. Tickets can be purchased online through the Library website, or in person at the Library.

The 4th Annual KCSFF takes place on Saturday, August 12th beginning at 8pm. Please note that the event has been moved indoors due to the threat of inclement weather. 

Since then KCSFF has grown to become the go-to festival for the region, catering to filmmakers and audiences of all ages. We now present films both outdoors under the stars and indoors in a state-of-the-art cinema. We accept short films from all over the globe and from any genre. This year we have expanded our short film categories to accommodate our growing kaleidoscope of submissions. These categories are Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Made in Westchester County, NY, and Student*.

The festival will be held at Bedford Playhouse, a historic, nonprofit cinema in Bedford, NY.

Learn more about the festival https://filmfreeway.com/KatonahClassicStageFilmFestival

Run Time: 120 min.
Tickets: $25 Adult/$20 Senior/Child
Members: $21.25 Adult/$17 Senior/Child

Purchase your tickets HERE.

The Lewisboro Library Fair is one of the largest community events in Lewisboro and truly has something for everyone!

The Library Fair will be held a bit earlier this year. It takes place, rain or shine, on Saturday, September 9th from 10 am to 4 pm at Onatru Farm Park (99 Elmwood Road, South Salem).

There are activities to appeal to all ages, like the Car Show, Dunk Tank, Food Trucks, Bake Sale Booth, Music, Beer Garden, a “Kids Zone” with a Fairy Garden Workshop, a bouncy house & more! Plus tons of shopping at the Book Sale, Attic Treasures Sale, Silent Auction and Vendor Market.

See the Library Fair page on our website for details on all activities.

VIP TICKETS ARE BACK!

Last year we introduced "Lewisboro Library Fair VIP Tickets" and they quickly sold out! They are back this year - with even more perks. With each $75 ticket you get:

*VIP Priority Parking Spot (your parking spot can be accessed anytime throughout the fair!)

*Thursday Night Attic Treasures Early Access (Exclusively for VIPs on September 7 from 5pm-9pm)

*2 Beer Tickets at our Beer Garden

*2 Raffle Tickets (that's two chances to win $1000)

*2 Book Vouchers for Free Books of your Choice

VIP tickets are limited so purchase yours now at the Library or via the Library Fair Page. VIP Packages will be available for pick-up at the Library beginning September 5.

DONATION DAYS BEGIN AUGUST 12

The Library Fair's Book and Attic Treasures sales are popular shopping spots and each summer we happily accept books and attic treasures in clean, high quality and gently used condition to sell at the Fair.

Donation Days will be held on Saturdays August 12, 19 and 26 from 9am to 1pm. Donations are accepted at Onatru Farm Park ONLY. The address is 99 Elmwood Road in South Salem. A list of items that we do and do not accept can be found here.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!

The Lewisboro Library Fair is a successful community event each year largely in thanks to our amazing volunteers! We need helpers beginning in August to accept donations of books and attic treasures on Donation Days. In September we need volunteers to work on Fair Day as well as at the Pre-Sales and After-Sale. There are a number of volunteer positions available throughout the Fair.

Please check out THIS LINK to see all the available dates and spots and consider volunteering alongside your neighbors and friends!

REGISTER YOUR CAR FOR THE CONCOURS d'ELEGANCE

Are you a car buff? The Fair’s Concours d’Elegance, is a low-key, elegant car show that showcases a wide variety of vehicles from show cars to much-loved weekend cruisers. The show is both a popular event at the Fair and an opportunity for car owners to enjoy the day’s many activities while showcasing their cars in the beautiful surroundings of the farm. Awards are given in each of eight categories, courtesy of the sponsor. The first 40 attendees receive dash plates and all cars are roped off. There is no entrance fee, but space is limited.

To register your vehicle, email ssalemconcours@optimum.net or call 914 763-5402.

JOIN THE VENDOR MARKET

Do you have a small business? Our outdoor vendor market features a curated vendor list of artwork, antique and repurposed furniture, jewelry, apparel, unique crafts, home services and much more by small businesses and local artists, designers and merchants.

The Library Fair has a limited number of outdoor 10 x 10 vendor spaces available for $100. All forms must be received by September 1, 2023. The form to apply can be found HERE.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS DISPLAY

The Lewisboro Library Fair is a community event and we would love to feature your local community group. A limited number of outdoor spaces are available free of charge to non-profits. The form to apply can be found HERE.

BE A LIBRARY FAIR SPONSOR

Get exposure for your brand, engage with the community, and show your support for the Lewisboro Library as a sponsor for the Library Fair! Sponsorship of this event includes a number of marketing benefits and is a wonderful opportunity to get your business in front of a large audience. Sponsor levels begin at $200 and can be customized to include exclusive sponsorship of a specific area of the fair (think dunk tank, kids zone, or live music)! For more information, email Maggie Liegey at maggie.liegey@gmail.com

Shaye Kirman, a rising high school senior, has created the Free Ukraine Library, a project to provide free books to customers of local coffee shops and other businesses, in order to help people learn more about the culture and history of Ukraine.

To create the library, Shaye repurposes unused shoe boxes, which he decorates with Free Ukraine Library’s logos, in the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine's flag. Each box, or “library branch,” contains five books about Ukraine’s unique identity – cultural, literary, and historical. Each box is a different collection of books, and in addition to the more typical fare of novels and history books, some boxes include photo books, children’s books, cookbooks, and even Ukrainian language books. Customers can take a book for free and either return it or pass it along to a friend.

According to Shaye, “When the war broke out in 2022, many people rushed to help Ukraine — clothes, food, money. I wanted to do something different, so I turned to the tool I knew best as a student — books. I wanted to learn more about Ukraine as an independent country and to share that knowledge with others.” 

Shaye minimizes costs by repurposing unused or donated shoeboxes to serve as the “library.” Each box of books costs approximately $75 to $100, and Shaye is actively fundraising (with email appeals and through the Free Ukraine Library website) to fund the cost of the books. Free Ukraine Library is a registered 501c(3) non-profit, so all donations are tax deductible.

To date, Free Ukraine Library has set up 15 libraries in New York City, Long Island, and Connecticut, and has recently expanded to Westchester, with two “branches” in Katonah (at Tazza Café and the Katonah Reading Room) and one in Tarrytown. The library has been embraced by businesses, which view the initiative as a win-win that provides a benefit to customers while also encouraging customers to return to the store: “We are excited to host a Free Ukraine Library in our coffee shop and to partner with Shaye to allow our customers to learn about the country of Ukraine,” says Eddie Carrion, manager of Tazza Cafe in Katonah.

This initiative has a special meaning for Shaye, as both of his parents were born in the Russian-speaking areas of Soviet Ukraine and immigrated as young children to this country in the late 1970s as Jewish refugees. His parents grew up speaking Russian and knew little of Ukrainian culture as kids. Likewise, most Americans thought of Ukraine as “one of the republics” and not as an independent country with a distinct history and culture. And today, Ukraine is mostly seen as a war zone. Shaye wants to change that.

As Shaye says, “I wanted to learn more about this part of my heritage and the country where my parents were born, so I set out to do this through reading. What I found was fascinating, so I wanted to share this knowledge with others in settings like coffee shops and other businesses that foster community.” 

Shaye’s goal is to continue to expand the awareness of Ukrainian culture by establishing more “branches” of his libraries in the Tri-State area and share this knowledge through the joy of reading. He is planning to double the number of Free Ukraine Library branches by the end of summer, with new branches planned in lower Westchester, Long Island, and New Jersey.

Lewisboro Library Fair volunteers will be collecting gently used books and Attic Treasures in August to sell at the September 9 Library Fair. Donation Days will be held Saturdays August 12, 19 & 26 from 9 am to 1 pm at Onatru Farm.

Download this list to see what items we do - and do not - accept.

The Library's Fair's Attic Treasures people are in great need of volunteers to help clean out and organize the barn at Onatru NOW, in anticipation of Donation Days in August. A perfect opportunity for high school or college students looking for community service hours.

If you can help, please contact Cindy Rubino at (914) 875-9004 or lewisborolibrary@gmail.com.

Volunteers are also needed to collect items on Donation Days and to work the day of the Fair. Click HERE to volunteer.

The first long-term outdoor installation of this roving project 

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is pleased to announce the installation of Alex Strada and Tali Keren: Proposal for a 28th Amendment? Is it Possible to Amend an Unequal System? (2021-present) in the Museum’s Sculpture Garden, the first time this project will be presented outdoors on a long-term basis. Strada and Keren’s work will be free and open to the public from dawn until dusk on the Museum’s grounds from July 15 to September 17, 2023. 

Via sonic soapbox sculptures, Strada and Keren ask visitors to engage with the United States Constitution by listening to and contributing their own responses to questions about systems repair and abolition. The sculptures, a range of interactive wooden painted objects, build upon the history of the soapbox as a site of collective struggle, while also emphasizing listening, mutuality, and access. The artists pose two questions for visitors to record responses to: What 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution would you propose? And: Do you think it is possible to amend an unequal system?

Opening with the phrase, “We the People,” the United States Constitution, the oldest functioning constitution in the world, was written in 1787 by and for wealthy white male property owners. To date, of 11,000 proposed amendments, 27 have been ratified to change the document. The artists’ proposed questions illuminate this legacy and ask for a collective response interrogating the Constitution’s embedded issues of structural racism, settler-colonial violence, heteropatriarchy, reproductive injustice, labor inequities, and non-human animal and climate neglect.

The soapbox sculptures take several distinctive forms including an ADA soapbox that is fully wheelchair and stroller accessible, a two-person soapbox for collective listening and dialogue, a daybed soapbox for visitors to recline upon and politically imagine, and an individual soapbox. Each soapbox sculpture includes headphones which emit an evolving oral archive of responses to the project’s questions recorded by visitors. At the time of this project’s installation at The Aldrich, the audio will include responses from the project’s former installation locations at the Queens Museum in New York City (October 2, 2021 to February 13, 2022) and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, CA (October 20, 2022 to March 12, 2023). Visitor responses will be collected and added to the project’s oral archive to be shared in future installations. Following the presentation at The Aldrich, the installation will travel to Project Row Houses in Houston, TX. 

Alex Strada (she/hers) and Tali Keren (she/hers) are New York City-based artists and educators who have been collaborating since 2016. Their projects have been shown at the Queens Museum, New York; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA; Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY; Socrates Sculpture Park, New York NY; Goethe-Institut, New York, NY; Museum of Moving Image, New York, NY; MuseumsQuartier, Vienna, Austria; Kaunas Biennial, Kaunas, Lithuania; and on the screens of New York City’s Times Square with Times Square Arts’ Midnight Moment. Strada and Keren both received an MFA in Visual Arts from Columbia University. They are recipients of the 2022 New York Artadia Award and are 2022-23 artists-in-residence at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

In addition, Keren has had solo exhibitions at the James Gallery, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY; Eyebeam, New York, NY; Ludlow 38, New York, NY and MOCAD, Detroit, and she is the recipient of the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship. Strada is a recipient of grants from NYFA, NYSCA, and the Graham Foundation, and she currently serves as the inaugural Public Artist-in-Residence with the NYC Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Cultural Affairs.

Proposal for a 28th Amendment? Is it Possible to Amend an Unequal System? is organized for The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum by Namulen Bayarsaihan, Director of Education.

We are thrilled to welcome back New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, to talk about her latest novel The Spectacular.

Fiona has written six historical fiction novels, set in iconic New York City landmarks. Her books tell the stories behind the famous buildings at key moments in history through the eyes of her characters. Her previous bestsellers include The Lions of Fifth Avenue, set at the New York Public Library, and The Magnolia Palace set at the Frick Collection.

In The Spectacular, Fiona Davis invites readers behind the shimmering gold curtain of one of the most famous stages in the world - Radio City Music Hall. A talented young dancer in the 1950s defies her family’s expectations when she joins the glamorous Rockettes. At the same time, a madman is terrorizing New York City by leaving explosives in some of the Big Apple’s busiest locations - Radio City among them.

Fiona’s talk will be followed by a book signing. Our thanks to Ridgefield’s Books on the Common, which is providing books for sale at this event. Space is limited. Please register HERE.

Come celebrate Italian culture and special honoree, local resident Stefania Migone, Commissioner of Public Works for the City of White Plains, at the Italian Heritage Festival on Sunday, July 23, from noon to 6 p.m. at “Kensico Dam Piazza” in Valhalla.

County Executive George Latimer said, “Italy’s history and culture are entwined with its ancient legacy, which is rich in art, history, religion, cuisine, architecture and fashion. I take great pride in my family’s Italian heritage and am thrilled to see the beautiful plaza become a piazza as we gather to celebrate the culture of Italy with our loved one and encourage everyone to be a part of the family.”

Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathleen O’Connor said, “Italians take the time to enjoy and revel in the simple aspects of life. Food is deeply ingrained in Italian culture and is at the center of each celebration. This festival is a great opportunity to sample some of Italy’s customary fare with family and friends.”

The Italian Heritage Festival takes place from noon until 6 p.m. The festivities will include delicious Italian food, arts and crafts, children’s games, dancing, music, Italian cultural exhibits and fun for the entire family. Live entertainment will feature Carozza Entertainment, with music on the patio by DJ Marcello “MC” and hosted by Nando Alpuche.

The festival will be held rain or shine. Seating is informal; bring blankets or folding chairs for seating on the lawn. No coolers will be allowed. Admission and parking are free. Carpooling or taking mass transit is encouraged. To attend the festival via Metro North, ride the Harlem Line to Valhalla Station.

The other heritage festivals in the series are:

•          India                Sunday, Aug. 6 Noon – 6 p.m. Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla
•          Jewish             Sunday, Aug. 20 Noon – 6 p.m. Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla
•          Muslim            Sunday, Aug. 27 Noon – 6 p.m. Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla

The Italian Heritage Festival is sponsored by Antonio Meucci Lodge 213, Inc. and the Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy, both in White Plains, and co-sponsored by Westchester County Parks.

Kensico Dam Plaza is located at 1 Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla. Directions Directions   

Please be advised that on Sunday, July 23 the Bronx River Parkway will be closed for Bicycle Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Scarsdale Road in Yonkers and the Westchester County Center in White Plains. The park can be accessed via Route 22, from the north or south.

ADULT PROGRAMS

AFTERNOON MOVIE SERIES:

"JERRY & MARGE GO LARGE"

Monday, July 10 at 1:00 pm

A real "feel-good" movie. Based on the true story of retiree Jerry Selbee, who discovers a mathematical loophole in the lottery and goes on a winning spree with the goal of reviving his small Michigan town.

Please register HERE.

WESTCHESTER POWER

Wednesday, July 12 at 6:30 pm

Representatives from Westchester Power and Sustainable Westchester will be discussing the details of the upcoming contract for NYSEG rates, which starts December 1, 2023.

For more information on attending in person or via Zoom, please click HERE.

Understanding & Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior

Thursday, July 13 at 2:00 pm

This workshop helps caregivers identify triggers for common behaviors associated with dementia and learn strategies for addressing these behaviors.

Space is limited, register HERE.

ROBERT FROST POEMS OF SUMMER: A DISCUSSION

Tuesday, July 18 at 7:00 pm

A close look at two short poems (“Hyla Brook” and “The Oven Bird”) set in summer that illustrate Frost’s deep knowledge and probing response to our ever changing natural world.

Everyone is encouraged to take part in the discussion. The Library will provide copies of the poems.

Space is limited, register HERE.

CRAFT: GARDEN FAIRY WANDS

Thursday, July 20 at 2:00 pm

Come make glass bead “fairy wands” to decorate your summer planters.

Space is limited, please register HERE.

Also Coming: Virtual Author Talk: Once We Were Home & More

TEEN PROGRAMS

COOL FOR THE SUMMER: MOROCCAN MINT LIMONANA Friday, July 7 at 7:00 pm

For Teens in Middle & High School

Take in some cool culture! Make this refreshing middle-eastern mint lemonade with fresh ingredients, and then paint a Moroccan tile. Browse some great YA titles that take place in this intriguing part of the world.

Please register HERE.

MINUTE TO WIN IT

Tuesday, July 11 at 7:00 pm

For Teens in Middle & High School

Bring your squad and find out who can hold the record in a number of hilarious challenges, like who can eat Fruit by the Foot fastest – with no hands!

Space is limited, please register HERE.

TEEN PAINT NIGHT

Friday, July 21 at 7:00 pm

For Teens in Middle & High School

Enjoy an evening with friends creating your unique take on this whimsical painting.

Space is limited, please register HERE.

SPECIAL CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS

LEGO HOUR

Mondays at 4 pm, beginning July 3

Grades K - 5

Come build Legos with your friends this summer! Each week there will be a different project (build your house, build a playground, etc) followed by free play.

Space is limited, please register via the calendar.

PAJAMA STORYTIME

Tuesdays at 7 pm, July 11-25

All Ages

Put on your jammies and come join Ms. Marie for bedtime stories on Tuesday evenings!

Space is limited, please register via our calendar.

Learn more => www.lewisborolibrary.org

17th Annual Pleasantville Music Festival 

On Saturday, July 8, 2023, the Pleasantville Music Festival will once again rock. Thousands of friends, families and lovers of live, world-class rock, setting out their chairs, blankets and tents, going up to the stage and dancing. 

Food and drink, a beer & wine garden for the adults, fun activities to keep the kids happy, and a zero-waste program to keep the Earth happy. Plus stuff to buy, charities to learn about, and a warm, positive backyard vibe.

All combined with world-class headliners, breakout stars and local artists you need to know, hand-picked and brought to our stages by dedicated music fans.

It's New York's Backyard Jam. 

It all happens right here on Parkway Field in beautiful Pleasantville, New York in the heart of Westchester County.

Learn more pleasantvillemusicfestival.com