🎭 Crafts, Casts & Cheers to Dad
Wallingford blooms with hands-on fun, live shows, and bonding moments this week
Hello Wallingford Friends,
Summer is settling in, and Wallingford is buzzing with creativity, community, and sunshine-filled ways to connect. Whether you’re clinking glasses at a vineyard, building a birdhouse with Dad, dancing at a singles bash, or watching your kid belt out Taylor Swift, this week is bursting with energy, emotion, and opportunities to make lasting memories.
🗓️ This Week in a Nutshell:
• Sunday, June 15 – 🧰🎨 Celebrate Father’s Day with a Build + Paint birdhouse
• Monday, June 16 – 🧺🍷 Try your hand at beginner basket weaving
• Monday, June 16 – 🥃👔 Honor the dads with a belated Father’s Day Bourbon Tasting
• Monday, June 17–21 – 👶☀️ Hubling Playschool’s summer program begins
• Wednesday, June 18 – 👠🎭 Rocky Horror shadow cast hits the Wallingford Library
• Thursday, June 19 – 🍓🖌️ Paint a framed strawberry sign at Paradise Hills OR play free Bingo with beer at Center Street Brewing.
• Friday, June 20 – 📖📝 Meet author Mary Moynihan Underwood at Ashlar Village
• Friday, June 20 – 🎨🍹 Enjoy Summer Paint Night at Hard Hat Café
• Saturday, June 21 – 🌵🌅 Create a desert sunset painting at Catalyst Art Studio
• Saturday, June 21 – 🎤🕺 Swifties ages 5–13 sing, dance, and design
• Saturday, June 21 – 💃🥂 350+ singles gather at Traditions for dinner and dancing; plus enjoy painting and pizza with the Lions
🛠 Build & Paint with Dad
Sunday, June 15 | 2:30–4:30 PM
Catalyst Art Studio, 78 Center St
This Father’s Day, skip the gift cards and give Dad something he’ll remember: quality time and creative fun. In this guided workshop, kids and their grown-ups will build a wooden birdhouse from scratch—no tools or experience needed—then decorate it together with colorful paint. You’ll head home with a personalized keepsake and, more importantly, a shared memory.
👉 Register here | $45 per pair
🥃 Father’s Day Bourbon Tasting: Belated but Bold
Monday, June 16 | 6:30 PM
The Gilded Curtain, 86 Center Street
Tucked behind a golden velvet curtain on Center Street, this vintage-inspired lounge sets the scene for an evening of slow sips and rich flavors. You'll sample five thoughtfully selected bourbons—each with its own story—paired with small bites designed to complement the tasting. It's the perfect setting for a sophisticated Father's Day celebration, or a fun night out for bourbon fans.
🧺 Basket Weaving + Wine
Monday, June 16 | 5:00–8:00 PM
Paradise Hills Vineyard, 15 Windswept Hill Rd
Unwind in the golden-hour glow of the vineyard with a glass of wine and a pile of reeds in hand. During this relaxed and welcoming class, you'll learn how to weave a small but beautiful basket from natural materials—perfect for summer picnics or farmhouse decor. No prior weaving experience needed, and all materials are included.
🧒 Hubling Playschool Summer Session
Monday, June 16-Friday, June 20 | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Hub Academy, 801 North Main St EXT
Need a break while your little one has fun? This cozy, low-pressure playschool is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers up to age 4. Drop in for a day or sign up for the week—kids can explore sensory bins, build with blocks, do crafts, and make friends while grown-ups get a moment to breathe (you stay on-site). It’s a gentle start to summer with structure, smiles, and play-based learning.
👉 Register
👄 Rocky Horror Picture Show: Live Shadow Cast
Wednesday, June 18 | 6:30–8:30 PM
Wallingford Public Library, 200 N Main St
Time to dig out your fishnets and let your inner eccentric shine. This isn’t a movie screening—it’s a fully interactive experience. A costumed cast performs the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show live in front of the screen, while the audience joins in with callouts, props, and plenty of cheers. Prop bags provided, and costumes encouraged. For ages 17+.
📚 Book Launch: The Heart Remembers
Thursday, June 19 | 4:00 PM
Ashlar Village Auditorium, 74 Cheshire Road
Author Mary Moynihan Underwood will read excerpts and sign copies of her heartfelt new novel The Heart Remembers, set in a small New England town. Enjoy light refreshments, a chance to chat with the author, and a sense of community as local literature takes center stage.
📞 RSVP: mbloom@masonicare.org or call 203-679-6460
🍓 Paint & Sip: Summer Strawberries
Thursday, June 19 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Paradise Hills Vineyard, 15 Windswept Hill Rd
Celebrate summer’s sweetest fruit with a cheerful farmhouse-style painting class. You’ll create a framed sign featuring bright red strawberries and a charming seasonal phrase. No painting skills required—the instructor guides you through every brushstroke while you enjoy your favorite Paradise Hills wine.
👉 Sign up
🎨 Summer Paint Night at Hard Hat Café II
Thursday, June 19 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Hard Hat Café II, 181 North Colony Road
Unleash your inner artist at this casual, beginner-friendly paint night in a lively neighborhood pub. All materials are included, and your first drink is on the house—come for the painting, stay for the atmosphere. Expect lots of laughs and a colorful masterpiece to take home.
🍻 Free Bingo Night at Center Street Brewing
Thursday, June 19 | 7:00 PM
Center Street Brewing, 24 Wallace Ave
Bingo just got cooler. Every Thursday, Center Street Brewing hosts a free, no-frills bingo night complete with locally brewed beer, bar snacks, and hilarious prizes. Arrive early to grab a table—seating fills up fast.
🌀 Emotional Detox Through Movement
Thursday, June 19 | 6:30–7:30 PM
Hidden Gem on Main, 45 S Main St
This gentle but transformative class combines mindful stretching, deep breathing, and flowing movement to help release emotional blockages stored in the body. It’s part therapy, part yoga, and all about renewal. Led by a trained emotional detox facilitator in a cozy Main Street studio.
👉 Register
🌵 Sunset Cactus Paint Night
Friday, June 20 | 7:00–9:00 PM
Catalyst Art Studio, 78 Center St
Capture the warm, dreamy colors of a desert sunset in this striking cactus landscape painting class. The studio supplies everything you need, and the laid-back vibe makes this a perfect Friday night hangout. BYOB and bring a friend!
👉 Register
🎤 Swiftie Workshop for Kids
Friday, June 20 | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Square Foot Theatre, 950 Yale Ave
Calling all young Taylor Swift fans! This high-energy, half-day workshop lets kids sing, dance, and craft their way through Taylor-inspired fun. Led by theatre professionals, participants will learn a short routine to perform at pickup time. Sparkles, sass, and smiles guaranteed.
👉 Sign up
💃 350+ Singles Summer Bash
Saturday, June 21 | 7:00 PM–Midnight
Wheeler Family Traditions Golf Club, 37 Harrison Road
Looking to mix, mingle, and maybe meet someone new? This major summer event brings together over 350 singles for a night of dancing, music, desserts, and a cash bar. Hosted in a country club setting, the evening includes icebreaker activities and a DJ spinning party favorites until midnight.
👉 Details | $45 at the door
🎨🍕Paint, Pizza & a Peak at the Lions
Saturday, June 21 | 2-4 PM
East Side Pizza Palace, 827 East Center Street
Spend your Saturday afternoon with the Wallingford Lions at a creative and tasty event! Head to East Side Pizza Palace for a fun-filled session of wood sign painting, delicious pizza, and community connection. 🎨🦁You’ll get to choose from a variety of stencils and paint colors to make your own mini masterpiece — and learn more about the local Lions Club while you’re at it. Space is limited, so be sure to register in advance by calling Tracy Bottone at 203-494-0427.
🏁 That’s a Wrap!
Thanks for spending part of your week with us. We’ll see you out there. ❤️
—The Wallingford Wrap Team