The Listening Room open mic
Thursday, Oct. 15 | 6 – 8 PM
Live Music & Spoken Word are alive and well at WORK_SPACE. Join us for this monthly gathering where you can entertain and/or be entertained!
Welcome to the 3rd Thursday Listening Room / Open Mic event!
Join us every 3rd Thursday in the Main Street Gallery @ WORK_SPACE for a melodic evening of music, poetry, and camaraderie.
Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just looking to enjoy some great tunes, this event is perfect for everyone. Come showcase your talent or simply sit back and relax as you listen to some amazing performances.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow music lovers and have a great time in a great venue.
Produced by Imagine Manchester and hosted by Liz Reed.
FREE
Picture This: A Photography & Poetry Exhibit
Opening Thursday, October 29th, 2026 5:30-7pm
DateNight Downtown Wine & Cheese Tasting at Manchester Historical Society
Manchester Historical Society 175 Pine Street
Join us for a deliciously different DateNight Downtown at the Manchester History Center, where we’ll pair exceptional Connecticut cheese and locally crafted libations with good conversation and a taste of Manchester history.
Cato Corner Farm, nationally acclaimed for its artisan raw-milk cheeses, will provide a selection of distinctive cheeses to taste and enjoy.
Fairy Feastery / Dragonfire Meadery will introduce us to their handcrafted libations—and share some of the flavors, inspiration, and stories behind them.
Come with a date, bring a friend, or come on your own. DateNight Downtown is really about making a date with your community—trying something new, meeting new people, and experiencing Manchester in a different way.
Choose Your Own Price
We want DateNight Downtown to remain accessible while also recognizing the true cost of creating a quality experience.
The value of this event is more than $50 per person, but you choose the ticket price that works for you: $50, $40, or $25.
Every ticket includes the same experience. If you’re able to pay the full $50, your ticket helps us continue offering accessible community experiences like this one. If $25 better fits your budget, that is absolutely fine.
We cover the ticket-processing fees, so there are no hidden costs. During checkout, you’ll also have the option to make an additional donation if you’d like to help support future community experiences.
Got Kids?
Make it a night out for the whole family—just in two different places!
The Firestone | art studio + café offers a companion program every second Thursday from 6–8 PM. While you enjoy DateNight Downtown, children ages 6+ can enjoy a fun, supervised creative activity—including dinner—between drop-off and pick-up.
Separate registration through The Firestone is required for the children’s program:
The Firestone Website
Space is limited at both venues, so reserve your spots early.
What is 2nd Saturday?
2nd Saturday is a monthly community event held on the second Saturday of each month, celebrating local art, music, food, and culture. It’s a time when local businesses, galleries, and vendors come together to showcase their creativity, connect with neighbors, and make downtown come alive with energy and fun.
November 14TH HAPPENINGS:
🫖 Poet-Tea with Nadia Sims (10–11:30A) – There may be a nip in the air, but you can enjoy poetry in a cozy, creative atmosphere.
✍️ Writer’s Playground (12–1:30P) – Monthly creative open house where writers age 16+ can share and hone their skills in a supportive environment.
🎨Ignite Your Inner Light Series – A monthly Creative Collective event, this month features self-care and journaling.
🧩Puzzle Exchange – Bring a puzzle, take a puzzle, work on a puzzle.
🎨 Family-Friendly Crafts – Create a Dream Room diorama.
🎶 Live Music Local musicians will entertain you with their song stylings.
WORK_SPACE is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment. Our building is ADA accessible and includes an elevator at the rear entrance, as well as push-button door openers on exterior, vestibule, and restroom doors. If you have questions or specific access needs, please reach out to us ahead of time so we can help make your visit as pleasant as possible.
November 14th – 2nd Saturdays POET-TEA – 10-11:30a – FREE
In Walter de la Mare’s poem “Autumn (November)”, he says “There is a wind where the rose was/Cold rain where sweet grass was/And clouds like sheep/Stream o’er the steep/Grey skies where the lark was.” But here at Poet-Tea we have a warm cup of tea, camaraderie and creative vibes to dispel the gloom. Write along with Manchester’s Poet Laureate Nadia Sims as she guides you with a creative prompt.
* WORK_SPACE is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment. Our building is ADA accessible and includes an elevator at the rear entrance, as well as push-button door openers on exterior, vestibule, and restroom doors. If you have questions or specific access needs, please reach out to us ahead of time so we can help make your visit as pleasant as possible.
Contact WORK_SPACE with any questions via: 860-647-3168, galleries@workspacemanchester.com
Just stop by or RSVP to be notified of any updates: https://bit.ly/2ndSatPoetTea
Treat Yourself Self-Care Workshop
Saturday, Nov. 14, 10:00 – 11:30am
Isn’t it about time you thought about yourself? Come in and create a custom body spray and a beauty care bag to stash it in. Then take a moment to reflect on your self-care with some journaling. Light refreshments will be provided. Free. Pre-registration is encouraged. Age 18+.
WORK_SPACE is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment. Our building is ADA accessible and includes an elevator at the rear entrance, as well as push-button door openers on exterior, vestibule, and restroom doors. If you have questions or specific access needs, please reach out to us ahead of time so we can help make your visit as pleasant as possible.
RSVP: https://bit.ly/SYLTreatYourself
Writer’s Playground – Monthly Peer-Led Writing Group
November 14th | 12–1:30 PM
Free to attend. Bring a notebook, your ideas, and an open mind.
Questions: Contact info@workspacemanchester.com
Skip the chaos and commercialism of the malls and enjoy shopping small in Manchester’s Cultural District.
Come visit our local artists and small businesses and check off all the items on your gift list. You’ll find one-of-a-kind items for those hard-to-shop-for friends and loved ones all in one place.
Part of Downtown Manchester’s Holiday on Main celebration – come for the day!
DateNight Downtown @ WORK_SPACE Manchester, CT
Over-Booked for the Holidays!
Give old books a new chapter! Fold, craft, and create unique holiday decorations from repurposed books.
You’ll want to make time to join us for a festive evening of creativity as we transform retired books into charming holiday decorations and whimsical woodland creatures.
Using simple folding and crafting techniques, you’ll create your choice of a:
- Christmas Tree
- Angel
- Hedgehog
No special artistic skills or previous experience are required. Whether you’re coming with a significant other, friend, family member, colleague, or enjoying a creative night out on your own, you’ll leave with a unique handmade creation perfect for the holiday season.
All materials and instruction provided. Tickets $25 – $45. https://bit.ly/Over-Booked
Email info@workspacemanchester.com with any questions!
Perspectives of Fantasy & Imagination
Opening Friday, December 11th, 2026 5:30-7pm
Fantasy has always provided important lessons and comfort through difficult times; it allows us to create imagined possibilities from which real change can spring, or to process experiences through metaphor and symbolism. Whatever its purpose may be, the fantasy genre is known for its rich imagery of characters, creatures, and environments in a wide variety of styles. This show aims to explore the vast spectrum of the “unreal”—from high-fantasy landscapes and mythological re-tellings to surrealist dreams and speculative futures. We want to see how you interpret the unseen and the imagined!
Light refreshments will be served.
Meet the artists 6 PM.
PUPPY YOGA
2nd Saturday – December 12th 9AM-9:50AM | the Galleries @ WORK_SPACE
Join us for a morning of downward dogs, cat/cows, and delightful puppies. Maria from Samadhi Yoga Studio of Manchester will instruct a special puppy yoga class on Dec. 12th at 9AM. Get ready to stretch, relax, and cuddle with some adorable, adoptable puppies. This is a perfect way to de-stress and start your weekend with some joy. Ticket price includes a donation to PawSafe Animal Rescue to help support their incredible work. We will also be collecting needed supplies for the rescue. Your participation helps provide food, shelter, and medical care for animals in need.
Please bring your own yoga mat. Ages 12+ welcome; participants under 16 years of age need an adult present.
Sit! Stay after yoga for an adoption event, and leave feeling refreshed, in balance, and with a new best friend!