Good morning, Westport.

Sephora will replace Brooks Brothers at Elm and Main in downtown Westport when the lease expires late 2027 or early 2028, while RTM members planted over 5,000 tulip bulbs—1,500 of which were donated by Andrew Colabella—along Compo Beach and Grace Salmon Park and Raechel Alaimo opened Studio 111 at Sola Salons offering a range of beauty services. Hundreds joined ALS and Making Strides events at Sherwood Island over the weekend to raise over $180,000, and a youth football camp featuring Cam Skattebo is scheduled for May 24 while the community mourns longtime Staples High administrative assistant Lynette Birkmaier, who passed away at age 95.

Mantras Market in Woodbridge opened on Saturday at 9 Lucy St. to offer fresh fruits, vegetables, artisanal products and imported items; owner Julian Brown left a corporate cooking world to chase his dream—he partnered with CitySeed for local produce and now offers a chef’s table for multi-course meals starting Nov 1—adding a unique dining experience.

Rush will return to Connecticut for a performance on October 30, 2026 as part of its 50th anniversary tour—the band makes its first stop in 13 years to mark the milestone.

Fans in Westport can look forward to the band celebrating this long-awaited return.

Shonda Rhimes, an award-winning television producer and Westport resident, closed StoryFest 2025 at the Westport Library Monday night to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her memoir 'Year of Yes' and highlight her milestone of creating three TV dramas that each reached 100 episodes — a first for any woman. Fans at the sold-out event praised her impact on women in television and her contributions to storytelling.

Three photographers with local ties will speak at the Westport Arts Advisory Committee’s 10th annual TEA Talk, Seeing Is Deceiving: A Search for Visual Perspective, next Sunday (October 26, 2 p.m., Westport Library).

Photographer-graphic artist Miggs Burroughs will introduce the panel while poet laureate Donna Disch recites a poem, and a reception will follow with an art exhibit on view until December 16.

Janice Egan, senior director of development and philanthropy at MoCA CT, appeared on the '06880' podcast at Westport Library’s Verso Studios—she traced her career from Brooks Brothers to two decades at Lafayette College and explained how her passion for art and shared values has guided her work.

The Connecticut State Department of Education announced over $10 million in after-school grants to fund new programs in 30 towns for the 2025-26 school year, with awards ranging from ($50,000 to $150,000).

The grants will support tutoring, mentoring, enrichment activities, and community engagement to help students succeed after school.

Connecticut’s Department of Transportation is testing over 200 wrong way detection systems on highway ramps that use flashing lights, cameras, and sensors to alert drivers and caught 9 wrong-way drivers over the weekend — officials say the program is saving lives and plan to expand it to 325 ramps soon.

Hartford HealthCare transformed St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport into an advanced care center after investing over $326M and raising its safety grade from a D to an A—showing significant improvement in quality.

It also won the bid for Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals and plans to use similar methods to boost care quality at these sites.

On Friday night at Dunning Field, No. 1 New Canaan will host No. 2 Greenwich in a playoff week game— the first meeting of the top teams since 2022— which could prove key in the season rankings; another Top 10 contest has No. 9 St. Joseph set to host No. 10 Darien on Saturday.

Tonight, hosts Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga will go live with a midseason recap of Connecticut high school football as they review Week 6 games, including NFA's comeback and a key matchup between No. 1 New Canaan and No. 2 Greenwich—adding a fantasy football draft of top state players to spark local interest.

Reservoir Run Half Marathon

8:20 a.m.–12:00 p.m. — Weston High School — Proceeds benefit local charity — Run for a great cause and enjoy the scenic route across the finished bridge.

Honor Our Veterans 5K Family Run/Walk

8 AM – 12 PM — Sherwood Island State Park — $35 entry — Celebrate Veterans Day with a scenic 5K supporting Heroes for the Brave.

Westport Farmers' Market

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. — Westport Farmers' Market — Free entry — Enjoy fresh, local produce and engage with the community in a vibrant market atmosphere.

Winter Wreath Workshop at Jenni Kayne

6:00-7:30 p.m. — Jenni Kayne Home - Westport — All materials included — Get crafty and festive by creating a beautiful winter wreath with seasonal florals.