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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260912T100000
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SUMMARY:Southeastern Connecticut Out Of The Darkness Walk
DESCRIPTION:Southeastern Connecticut Out Of The Darkness Walk brings hundreds of people together at McCook Point Park in Niantic on Saturday\, September 12\, for a morning centered on remembrance\, support\, and a shared determination to prevent suicide. \nOrganized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Connecticut Chapter\, the annual community walk welcomes people who have lost someone to suicide\, those with their own lived experience\, friends and family members\, mental health professionals\, and anyone who wants to support suicide prevention. \nCheck-in begins at 10 a.m.\, followed by the event at 11 a.m. Participation is free\, although advance registration is encouraged. The walk itself is noncompetitive and will cover between one and three miles\, with organizers posting the final Niantic route as Walk Day approaches. \nMore Than a Fundraising Walk\nOut of the Darkness Walks take place in hundreds of communities around the country each year\, but AFSP deliberately designed them to be more than charity walks. \nFor many participants\, the reason for showing up is deeply personal. \nSome walk in memory of a child\, parent\, sibling\, spouse\, friend or coworker lost to suicide. Others have survived a suicide attempt or experienced suicidal thoughts themselves. Some come to support someone they love\, while others simply believe mental health and suicide prevention deserve more attention. \nThe result is an event where people who might never otherwise meet discover that they share an experience. \nThat idea is built into the name. Out of the Darkness is about bringing suicide into the open\, replacing silence and stigma with conversation and making it easier for people to seek help before reaching a crisis. \nThe Niantic event includes an opening ceremony\, activities focused on hope and healing\, resource tables and AFSP’s Honor Bead program. \nThe Meaning Behind the Honor Beads\nOne of the most recognizable parts of an Out of the Darkness Walk is also one of its quietest. \nParticipants receive complimentary Honor Beads\, with different colors representing the reason a person is walking. \nWhite represents the loss of a child. Red represents the loss of a spouse or partner. Gold represents the loss of a parent. Orange represents the loss of a sibling\, while purple represents the loss of another relative or friend. \nOther colors speak to different experiences. Teal represents someone who has struggled personally or attempted suicide. Green represents a personal struggle or attempt\, while blue shows general support for suicide prevention. Silver represents the loss of a first responder or member of the military. \nParticipants may wear more than one strand. \nThe beads create a kind of visual language throughout the walk. Someone who has difficulty approaching a stranger and explaining why they’re there may notice another person wearing the same color and immediately understand that they share something significant. \nFor an event dealing with experiences that can be difficult to put into words\, that recognition can matter. \nWhy AFSP Walks\nThe American Foundation for Suicide Prevention was established in 1987 by a group that included researchers and families who had lost loved ones to suicide. \nIts work now stretches across scientific research\, public education\, advocacy\, community programs and support for people affected by suicide loss. \nThe Out of the Darkness program has become one of the organization’s most visible efforts. AFSP reported nearly 600 Community and Campus Walks and more than 220\,000 participants in its 2025 annual reporting. \nThe money raised through the walks helps fund research into suicide and its prevention\, educational programs in schools and workplaces\, advocacy for public policies related to mental health and suicide prevention\, and programs supporting people who have experienced suicide loss. \nFunds raised through the Southeastern Connecticut Walk specifically help support AFSP programs and work across Connecticut. \nWalking During Suicide Prevention Week\nThis year’s Niantic walk falls at a particularly meaningful point on the calendar. \nSeptember is National Suicide Prevention Month\, and September 6–12 is National Suicide Prevention Week in 2026. World Suicide Prevention Day takes place Thursday\, September 10\, just two days before the Southeastern Connecticut walk. \nAFSP is using the month to encourage people to talk more openly about suicide prevention\, learn how to recognize when someone may need help and become involved in their own communities. \nThe September 12 gathering at McCook Point Park puts that national effort into a distinctly local setting. \nPeople aren’t simply sharing a social media post or wearing a ribbon. They’re physically showing up beside neighbors who may be carrying grief\, supporting someone who’s struggling or dealing with experiences of their own. \nFundraising Is Encouraged\, But It Isn’t Required\nThere is no registration fee or fundraising minimum to participate in the Southeastern Connecticut Out of the Darkness Walk. \nPeople can register individually\, join an existing team or create a team of their own. Each registered participant receives a personal fundraising page that can be customized with a photograph and the story behind why they’re walking. \nAFSP also offers incentives for participants who choose to fundraise. \nAnyone who individually raises at least $150 by September 12 earns the official 2026 Out of the Darkness Walk T-shirt at the event. Participants who raise more than $250 qualify for an additional recognition gift sent after Walk Day. \nBut raising money isn’t a condition of joining the community. \nSomeone who simply needs to be there can walk. \nDonations to the Southeastern Connecticut event remain open through December 31\, 2026. \nMcCook Point Provides a Waterfront Setting\nThe walk takes place at McCook Point Park\, overlooking Long Island Sound in Niantic. \nThe East Lyme town park encompasses McCook Point and the adjoining McCook Beach\, with lawns\, walking areas and views across Niantic Bay and Long Island Sound. Its combination of open green space and waterfront makes it particularly well suited to an event that includes gathering\, remembrance and a community walk. \nParticipants should plan to arrive before the 11 a.m. start if they need to check in. Registration opens at 10 a.m.\, providing time for walkers to gather\, visit resource tables and take part in activities before the formal program begins. \nThe exact 2026 walking route has not yet been announced. AFSP says Community Walk routes generally range from one to three miles and are noncompetitive. \nThere is no pressure to finish first. That’s not what this walk is about. \nA Place for People Who “Get It”\nPerhaps the most important part of an Out of the Darkness Walk happens outside the mileage and fundraising totals. \nAFSP describes the walks as places where people can find others who “get it.” \nSuicide loss can leave families and friends carrying questions and grief that are difficult to explain to people who haven’t experienced it. People who have survived their own suicidal crisis may face a different kind of isolation\, including fear about how others will react if they talk about what happened. \nAt McCook Point Park\, those experiences don’t have to be hidden. \nSome participants will arrive carrying photographs or wearing shirts honoring someone they’ve lost. Others will wear Honor Beads that quietly tell their story. Teams may walk together under the name of a person they’re remembering. \nAnd some people may simply walk. \nAll of them belong there. \nDetails\nEvent: Southeastern Connecticut Out Of The Darkness Walk\nDate: Saturday\, September 12\, 2026\nCheck-In: 10 a.m.\nEvent Start: 11 a.m.\nEvent Hours: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nLocation: McCook Point Park\nAddress: 12 Atlantic Street\, Niantic\, CT 06357\nOrganizer: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention\, Connecticut Chapter\nAdmission: Free\nRegistration: Advance registration is encouraged\nWalk Length: Between 1 and 3 miles; final 2026 route to be announced\nFormat: Noncompetitive community walk\nProgram: Opening ceremony\, hope and healing activities\, resource tables and complimentary Honor Beads\nFundraising: Encouraged but not required to participate\nWalk T-Shirt: Participants who individually raise at least $150 by September 12 receive the official Out of the Darkness Walk shirt at the event\nDonations: Accepted through December 31\, 2026\nEvent Contact: Natasha Mozden\nPhone: 860-917-8831\nEmail: natashamozden@gmail.com \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo register for the walk or make a donation\, click the Event Website link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n\nIf you or someone you know is in crisis\, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.\nReference:\nAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Connecticut Chapter \nAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Out of the Darkness Walks \nAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Honor Beads
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/southeastern-connecticut-out-of-the-darkness-walk/
LOCATION:McCook Point Park\, 8-10 Atlantic Street\, Niantic\, 06357\, United States
CATEGORIES:McCook Point Park
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T210000
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SUMMARY:Celebrate East Lyme Fireworks Display
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate East Lyme Fireworks Display has been rescheduled to Sunday\, July 19\, after severe weather brought an early end to Saturday’s Celebrate East Lyme festival. The fireworks will now light up the skies over Niantic Bay beginning at 9:00 p.m.\, giving residents and visitors another opportunity to enjoy one of southeastern Connecticut’s most anticipated summer traditions. \nOriginally planned as the grand finale of the annual Celebrate East Lyme festival\, the professionally choreographed display will take place over the waters of Niantic Bay and is expected to draw spectators to beaches\, parks\, and waterfront viewing areas throughout downtown Niantic. Designed by East Lyme’s own Tom Quinn and sponsored by Dominion Energy – Millstone Power Station\, the show has become one of the shoreline’s signature summertime spectacles. \nWhether you attended the festival on Saturday or are simply looking for a beautiful way to end the weekend\, the Celebrate East Lyme Fireworks Display offers a memorable evening along Connecticut’s shoreline. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Celebrate East Lyme Fireworks Display \nDate: Sunday\, July 19\, 2026 \nTime: 9:00 p.m. \nLocation: Niantic Bay\, Niantic\, CT \nAdmission: Free \nBest Viewing Areas\nThe fireworks are launched over Niantic Bay and can be viewed from several public locations along the waterfront\, including areas near Main Street\, Niantic Bay Boardwalk\, and McCook Point Park. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early\, as shoreline viewing areas are expected to fill well before the scheduled start time. \nAbout the Fireworks\nThe Celebrate East Lyme Fireworks Display serves as the traditional finale to one of southeastern Connecticut’s largest community celebrations. Although Saturday’s festival activities were cut short because of weather\, the fireworks have been rescheduled so the community can still enjoy one of the region’s premier displays. \nWhy Attend\n\nOne of southeastern Connecticut’s premier fireworks shows\nBeautiful waterfront setting over Niantic Bay\nFree family-friendly event\nDesigned by East Lyme’s own Tom Quinn\nGreat way to wrap up the weekend\n\n  \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/celebrate-east-lyme-fireworks-display/
LOCATION:McCook Point Park\, 8-10 Atlantic Street\, Niantic\, 06357\, United States
CATEGORIES:McCook Point Park
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260710T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260710T200000
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CREATED:20260709T143050Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T143050Z
UID:10006766-1783706400-1783713600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Wicked Peach at East Lyme Summer Concert Series
DESCRIPTION:Wicked Peach brings an evening of live rock music to McCook Point Park on Friday\, July 10\, as part of the East Lyme Summer Concert Series. Set against the scenic backdrop of Long Island Sound\, the free outdoor concert invites residents and visitors to enjoy a summer evening of live entertainment in one of the shoreline’s most popular waterfront parks. \nKnown for energetic performances and a crowd-pleasing setlist\, Wicked Peach delivers an upbeat concert perfect for relaxing by the beach or dancing with friends and family. The East Lyme Summer Concert Series has become a seasonal tradition\, offering free Friday night performances throughout the summer in a family-friendly setting. \nConcertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets\, settle in on the lawn\, and enjoy an evening of music overlooking the water. Snacks and refreshments are welcome\, making it easy to turn the concert into a relaxing summer picnic. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Wicked Peach at East Lyme Summer Concert Series\nDate: Friday\, July 10\, 2026\nTime: 6:00-8:00 p.m.\nVenue: McCook Point Park\nLocation: East Lyme\, CT\nAdmission: Free\n\nWhat to Bring\nGuests are encouraged to bring: \n\nLawn chairs\nBlankets\nSnacks and refreshments\n\nWhy Attend\n\nFree outdoor concert\nLive music overlooking Long Island Sound\nFamily-friendly atmosphere\nBeautiful waterfront setting\nPart of the East Lyme Summer Concert Series\n\n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/wicked-peach-at-east-lyme-summer-concert-series/
LOCATION:McCook Point Park\, 8-10 Atlantic Street\, Niantic\, 06357\, United States
CATEGORIES:McCook Point Park
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