Tap! Tap! Tap! For Ages 9-99

For anyone who’s ever wanted to give tap dancing a try, this is a free, fun class for the whole family. Amber Cameron, a former Radio City Music Hall Rockette, will teach basic tap steps, terminology and a short tap routine via Zoom. Tap shoes and a piece of plywood are ideal, but hard-soled shoes or even socks are fine. Weekly March classes begin Wednesday, March 3, at 5 p.m. Please register on the Norfolk Library website or call 860-542-5075.

Author Talk with Janice Nimura

The world recoiled at the notion of a woman doctor, yet Elizabeth Blackwell persisted. In 1849 she became the first woman in America to receive an M.D. She and her sister Emily, also a physician, prevailed against fierce resistance from the male establishment and founded the first hospital staffed entirely by women in New York City. On Sunday, March 7, at 5 p.m., author Janice Nimura discusses her acclaimed new biography celebrating these two pioneering women. For Zoom link, please register on the library website or call 860-542-5075.  

Bilingual. In Irish. Annie Gill and Friends

Norfolk Library’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day has become an annual tradition for fans of the Emerald Isle. Although this year there can be no in-house event, the library is excited to present an online comedy show live from Dublin. On Sunday, March 14, at 4 p.m., take a virtual trip to Ireland with Annie Gill and Irish comedians for a romp through the Irish American love story that is poetry, accents and cultural differences. Please register on the library website or call 860-542-5075; Zoom link will be sent before the show.

Thomas Jefferson and Slavery

On Wednesday, March 16, at 5 p.m., Dianne Pierce, a guide at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, will discuss Jefferson’s complicated relationship to issues of slavery and race. Jefferson was a lifelong slaveholder, and his many accomplishments were built within a system of enslavement. Pierce examines how this contradiction, central in the founding of the United States, has continuing effects today, and she shares individual stories of those enslaved at Monticello. Please register on the library website for the Zoom link or call 860-542-5075. 

Legendary Civil Rights Activist to Speak on the Kingian Legacy of Nonviolence

Dr. Bernard LaFayette Jr., one of the last of a legendary generation of civil rights activists, will speak on Thursday, March 18, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Dr. LaFayette worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, and for the last six decades has dedicated his life to the teachings and practice of nonviolence. He will give a historical glimpse into the civil rights movement and discuss the agency of nonviolence and its relationship to current efforts for equal rights. Please call or visit the Norfolk Library website to register.  

Author Talk by Birder Robert Tougias

Robert Tougias’s house on Berry Lane may look like a typical suburban Connecticut home, but his three-acre backyard is teeming with nature’s mysteries. On Thursday, March 25, at 5:30 p.m., Tougias will present a virtual program on his year-long observation of thousands of birds. He will share the wonders of bird migration, the sensitive interaction of birds with their habitat and the hidden meaning of their call notes and songs. Please register on the library website or call 860-542-5075.

Susan Galassi to Reprise Talk on Monet

On Sunday, March 21, at 5 p.m., Susan Galassi, curator emerita at the Frick Collection, will reprise her talk “Monet’s Little Ice Age.” Please register on the library website for the Zoom link or call 860-542-5075.

Norfolk Artists & Friends 

The pre-spring exhibit of works by Norfolk Artists & Friends is now on display at the Norfolk Library through the month of March. Face masks are required in the library. A video of the exhibit can also be found on the library website.

Make Some Noise!

Join a seated drumming and movement group Mondays at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. at Battell Chapel. Bring an exercise ball and support to raise the ball to lap height and have fun playing with the rhythm of energizing music. Drumsticks will be provided for up to 12 participants. The live class will be socially distanced and masked. The first class is free; a $10 donation thereafter benefits the Church of Christ Congregational. Call Kristin Mudge with questions at 203-240-8813.

Identifying Connecticut Trees

Connecticut has a wide variety of coniferous and deciduous trees, many of which can be found right in your backyard. On Wednesday, March 24, at 7 p.m., the NW Connecticut Land Conservancy presents a live Zoom program by biologist Jim Arrigoni on identifying local tree species. Register at ctland.org/event. 

9/11 Commemorative Committee

The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department seeks community members to serve on a Sept. 11 commemorative committee for the purpose of planning a ceremony to observe the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa, as well as to dedicate the 9/11 memorial that is being created from steel from the Twin Towers. Please contact Chief Matt Ludwig or President Paul Padua at Norfolkfirect@gmail.com.

Working with Communities during a Changing Climate

Norfolk Hub Talks presents Maria Horn, State Representative for the 64th District, on Monday, March 22, at 6 p.m. for an update on how the Connecticut General Assembly is addressing climate issues. Register for Zoom link at norfolkfoundation.net/hub-events.