It's another busy week in Middlesex County. Tomorrow, you can check out the arts and crafts fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Westbrook Town Green. It's been going strong for more than 20 years, so they must be doing something right.

On Tuesday, Joseph A. Hern, chairman of the New England Churchillians, will give a lecture and “magic lantern show” on the topic of “Winston Churchill in America as Seen Through his Visits to Boston,” at 7 p.m. at the Essex Library. The lecture is free and open to the public, but advance reservations are requested. Call the Essex Library at (860) 767-1560. What's a magic lantern show, you ask? From what I've gathered, it's a type of visual entertainment that predates motion pictures. Sounds interesting!

The travel film series at the Cromwell Belden Public Library will travel to Northern Spain from 2 to 3 p.m. No registration and no cost, so if you find yourself with an hour to kill in the area, it could be worth stopping by.

For a more mainstream movie, check out "Last House on the Left" at Brainerd Library in Haddam at 6 p.m. Thursday. Or, you could check out the Middletown Elks Lodge's Flag Day celebration, which kicks off at 5:30 p.m. that same day and brings a lot of local groups together to celebrate one of our nation's honored symbols.

As I am a sucker for book sales, it's worth mentioning that The Friends of Russell Library will be holding their book sale at the library next weekend. The books get cheaper as the weekend goes on, but I'm sure all the good stuff will get scooped up the first day. What a quandary.

Relay for Life will also be held next weekend at Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Many members of the community will be stepping out to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Thus far, participants have raised nearly $55,000, and they are sure to raise more as the event draws nearer.