Clamdigging around Rowayton

Bring out the whole family to participate in the 32nd annual RCA Rowayton Fun Run, to take place on Father's Day, Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the Rowayton Community Center. Choose the 2.2-mile short course or the 4.4-mile long course. Divisions include 10 and younger, 11 to 15, Open, Masters (45-59), Senior (60+), and Single, Double and Triple Jogger. Children under 15 may only run the short course, and children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. T-shirts designed by local artist Lynn Stephens Massey will be awarded to the top five finishers in each division and to all runners as supplies last. Registration runs from 9 to 9:25 a.m. on race day. The fee is $10 for adults and $5 for children. For information, contact Erica Merrill at 853-7977 or visit www.RowaytonCT.com.

Meet and greet Rowayton author

Sarah French is one of Rowayton's own -- a painter, collage artist and writer. She has been practicing her art for more than 20 years. Her "Summer Friends" children's book was originally produced as a hand-made and hand-sewn book. It was inspired by her daily summer beach walks with her dog, Minnie, when a seal would suddenly appear in the ocean and follow them as they walked down the beach. "It made me wonder what the seal was thinking and this story unfolded. Being an artist, I was able to `paint' the story with my hand-made papers and collage," she said. Come to the Rowayton Library at 7 p.m. Monday to hear a wonderful story, and enjoy a meet and greet, wine and appetizers.

Fun-filled Fridays at Pinkney Park

The Rowayton Farmers Market is back at Pinkney Park from 2 to 6 p.m. Look for your favorite vendors returning with the addition of several new and exciting offerings including a boutique organic farmer, bakers and prepared local foods producers. This week, after the market closes, the park will be transformed into a Shakespearean set for "Much Ado About Nothing," this season's Shakespeare on the Sound's production. Pack a picnic supper and bring a blanket. At 6:30 p.m., there is a children's pre-show and the play starts at 7:30. The event is free with a suggested donation of $20 asked for adults and $10 for students. The play runs through June 26.

From the Sixth Taxing District

Those currently holding parking permits for the Rowayton RR Station may renew those permits for the next fiscal year (2011-12) on Saturday between 8 a.m. and noon at the Rowayton Community Center. Bring your renewal application (replacements provided, if needed, at the renewal event) and a check for $325 made out to the Sixth Taxing District. You will be issued a permit, which is valid beginning July 1 until June 30, 2012. Failure to renew your permit during these hours will result in loss of permit and your permit will be offered to the next person on the wait list. For information, call Andrea Woodworth at 203-854-5066 or email her at awoodworth@sixthtd.com.

Space open in summer art event

Lots of creative fun is in store at the Rowayton Arts Center this summer for children ages 6 to 11. Space is still available in some of the weekly art sessions, which feature diverse activities. Call 203-866-2744 for prices and to register for one week or multiple weeks. Each session is from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The dates are: Week 1 -- June 28-30; Week 2 -- July 5-7; Week 3 -- July 12-14; Week 4 -- July 19-21; Week 5 -- July 26-28; Week 6 -- Aug. 2-4; Week 7--Aug. 9-11; Week 8 --Aug. 16-18; Week 9 -- Aug. 23-25.

Lamm to host writer's workshop

Local author Drew Lamm is having an open house writer's workshop at her Rowayton home. Come sip tea and hear and enjoy local writing with "Women Who Write With Pens" on Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Rowayton Library. If interested, email yaydrew@aol.com or call 203-838-1692.

Celebrate the summer solstice

The Rowayton Library will be celebrating this year's Summer Solstice -- the first day of summer/longest day of the year -- with Dre Towey, Tuesday at 7 p.m. Summer Solstice celebrations date back to ancient times. Here in Rowayton, we are going to create our own tradition with music and stories from award-winning musician Towey and the African drums and rhythms of Kwame Henry Jones. Everyone is invited. There will be refreshments, music, song, dance and fun for kids of all ages. Bring a blanket and make it a picnic.

New Yorker Talker Magazine Club

The Rowayton Library is starting a new book club for devoted readers of the New Yorker magazine. The New Yorker Talker group will meet each Wednesday for the next six weeks beginning Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. to talk about recent articles and cartoons in the magazine. Week after week, the New Yorker offers its community of dedicated readers a unique perspective on current ideas and evolving issues; one that combines humor and intelligence with depth and style. Author Diana Loevy will be the discussion leader. Coffee and muffins will be served. This program is free and open to the public. Multiple copies of the New Yorker will be available to participants each week. This program is made possible, in part, through a grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council. This week's focus will be on the double issue of June 13-20.

Scrapbook Making for Kids program

The Rowayton Library will be conducting a special "craft time" for kids (ages 8 and up) on Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon. Kids will learn about and take part in the creative art of taking books with blank pages and adding photos, memorabilia, journaling and embellishments. The focus of this workshop will be on the Father Daughter Ball memorabilia, but any interests are welcome. Bring your scrapbooks and pictures. Basic scrapbooking supplies will be provided. New scrapbooks will be provided to children for their first visit if they do not have one already. Pizza will be served. Space is limited to 20. Registration is required.

Celebrate Jim Flora Day

The Rowayton Library and the Rowayton Arts Center will celebrate the art and career of local legend Jim Flora, one of RAC's founding members, during two special events on June 24 at the library. Everyone knows Flora's art whether it is one of his distinctive album covers for RCA Victor and Columbia Records designed during the 1940s and 1950s or one of his 17 popular children's books. He was a prolific commercial illustrator and author/illustrator, and also was a fine artist, who created hundreds of paintings, drawings, etchings and sketches prior to his death in 1998. If you have a Flora "artwork" (in any format), please bring it along and share in our Flora "Show & Tell" during our ArtTalk at 7 p.m. At noon, children of all ages can join musician/teacher Beth Sorrentino for an engaging interactive art and music program centered on Flora's "The Day the Cow Sneezed." A pizza lunch will be served. The ArtTalk presentation about Flora will be given by Irwin Chusid, Flora's archivist and biographer. Make a reservation at 203-838-5038.

Take the summer reading challenge

Join young readers of Rowayton in the Summer Reading Challenge, "Back to Basics -- It's the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary." Registration begins on Wednesday. As of the start of the program, you may pick up your summer reading bag, summer library activity schedule, summer tide calendar, summer reading list, and reading log book. Summer reading bags will be distributed through Rowayton Elementary School to all students. Rowayton Library child patrons may also receive a bag at the library while supplies last. Readers of all ages, as well as young listeners, are invited to participate. All children are encouraged to stop by the library between June 27 and Aug. 29, to update their reading log, check out new books for the week and pick up reading progress awards. Prizes will be awarded to children ages 3 and up for every five books they read (or have read to them) and record in their summer reading log books.

Explore the Norwalk Quilt Trail

The Rowayton Historical Society will have their Norwalk Quilt Trail exhibit, A Common Thread: Family History Told through Quilting, open from 2 to 5 p.m.This exhibition illustrates important milestones and events in family life through the medium of quilts. The Rowayton Historical Society has collected almost 30 quilts from town residents and their own collection that tell stories of family love, loss, joy, pioneering spirit, aesthetic beauty and community. Hours Tuesdays: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Fridays: 2 to 5 p.m.; Sundays in June: 1 to 4 p.m. Admission for adults is $5; children 12 and under are admitted for free

For information on library programs, please call 203-838-5038. All programs are free and open to the public. Some may require a courtesy reservation. Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

Got Rowayton News? Please send it along to our email Cldigging@Rowayton.org. And now you can follow the goings-on in Rowayton on our Blog at www.NorwalkCitizenOnline.com. Feel free to comment and start a Rowayton conversation. You can also sign up for an RSS feed and get Clamdigging sent to you.