This summer, local alleys in Fairfield, Brookfield and New Milford will participate in Kids Bowl Free — a program that allows kids to bowl two free games every day at their participating center.

Over the past five years, this program has served more than 5.2 million kids.

Bowling is a great way for parents to keep kids active — and it’s fun. Did you know bowling two games burns between 320 and 580 calories?

For more details on all of the bowling alleys that are participating, and to register, go here.

The Bruce Hornsby show scheduled for Sunday, June 19 at the Ridgefield Playhouse is postponed because of a vocal problem the singer is having, according to the Playhouse.

The issue is affecting Hornsby’s ability to speak and sing. The show has been rescheduled for Sunday, Sept. 29.

After more than a decade of running restaurants in some of the world’s top hotels, Gordon Ramsay knows firsthand the importance of surpassing expectations.

The first season of Fox’s “Hotel Hell” was the biggest unscripted network hit of last summer, and now, Ramsay is coming back for a second season. He’s hitting the road to fix some of America’s most horrendous hotels, troubled inns and struggling resorts, many of which are on the brink of closure.

Ramsay will travel from coast to coast, with his first stop set for The Curtis House in Woodbury.

The hot-tempered celebrity chef and his team will be in town from Saturday, May 11 to Tuesday, May 14. If you want to book a room or dinner while the show is filming, email HotelShowCurtis@gmail.com.

The television air date has not yet been announced.

I don’t know why it’s a small “a” in “an,” but getting over that, this book is so moving. It’s a true story about an 11-year-old panhandler, a busy sales executive and “an unlikely meeting with destiny.”

“Invisible thread” refers to a connection between people who are destined to meet. In this case it’s a young saleswoman who grew up on Long Island, close to my hometown. She’s walking on a busy street near her office when a poor kid asks her for money. First she ignores him and keeps walking. But something makes her turn around and go back, and she offers to take him to lunch.

She actually went back and took this boy to lunch. It sounds like a small thing but it’s kind of a big thing. Can you imagine doing that?

The two become friends. They share meals. She takes him to a ball game…

At one point she realizes he has no meals he can count on. She offers him a small daily lunch allowance or, if he prefers, a homemade lunch. He asks her if she can put his lunches in brown bags. She says yes, of course, but “Why brown bags?” He says because when a kid comes with his lunch in a brown bag it means there’s someone home who loves him.  (Actually his mother does love him, but she’s a drug addict. She’s not able to care for him the way a parent should.)

Anyway, I won’t tell you how it ends. But just know this. I read 15 pages the first night. I finished it the second night and there are 238 pages. It’s a beautiful, touching story. The author is Laura Schroff and her childhood was no bed of roses; her dad was an alcoholic, but she didn’t let that hold her back.

If you read this book, let me know if you enjoy it as much as I did.

High school choirs with a penchant for arena rock, take notice.

One of you will have the chance to sing “I Want to Know What Love Is” live with Foreigner at Foxwoods Resort Casino on May 5 — the top prize in an interstate contest that ends April 12.

To enter, high School choirs in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island can upload a video (90 seconds max) of their best rendition of the Foreigner classic, “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

Three finalists will be selected to perform at the studios of Better Connecticut (WFSB) in Rocky Hill on April 22, 24 and 26. One of those three will be chosen to sing with Foreigner on May 5.

For contest guidelines, go here. To vote for your favorite choir, go here.

Eric Clapton and Green Day both performed at Mohegan Sun Arena this weekend, drawing sold out crowds — and a few celebrities — to the Connecticut venue.

Renee Zellweger was at Clapton’s show, as she dates Clapton’s guitarist Doyle Bramhall II. The members of Green Day — Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool — were also on hand to watch Clapton, who performed the night after the punk band took the stage, on April 6.

Tearing through his 50-plus year discography, the three time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer played a mix of ballads (“Tears In Heaven,”  “Wonderful Tonight”) and upbeat blues numbers (“Cocaine,” “Stones In My Passway”).

The following evening, Green Day delivered a slew of hits and album favorites during a two-plus hour set, while giving shout outs to Connecticut and bringing fans on stage to sing along. Los Angeles surf pop group Best Coast opened the show.

The Newtown Historical Society will host an antique appraisal day at The Meeting House, 31 Main St., Newtown on Sunday April 7, 1-4 p.m.

Four appraisers will be on hand to evaluate your goods:

• Lincoln Sander, executive director of The Antiques Dealers Association of America
• Tucker Frey, owner of Tucker Frey Antiques in Woodbury,  with an expertise in early 17^th to 19^th century decorative arts and paintings
• Jack DeStories, owner of Fairfield Auction in Monroe
• Steve Stiegitz, with an expertise in gemstones and jewelry

There’s a fee of $10 per item and photographs of large items will be accepted.

In conjunction with the Appraisal Day, across the street at the Matthew Curtiss House, 44 Main St., Newtown, the Society will have an open house of the 1750 house museum from noon to 4 p.m. Costumed docents will be available for tours of the house before or after you have your appraisal done.

For more information, visit the Society online, on Facebook or call 203-426-5937.

Bill McCarty, Allen Enlow, Kerri Louise and Tony Powell are slated to perform. Guests can also enjoy chocolates, a free glass of champagne and a cash bar.

Tickets, which cost $35 and $30 for season subscribers can be purchased online or by calling 203-757-4676.

About the comedians:

Kerri Louise – She’s known for hysterical stories, original humor, boisterous characters and razor-edge wit. Louise was a regular correspondent on the “Oprah Winfrey Show.” She’s also been on NBC’s “Access Hollywood,” “The Apprentice,” ABC’s “The View,” “Comedy Central,” “VH1,” “20/20″  and “The Dr. OZ” show.

Bill McCarty - Clever and quick, thoughtful and aware, he elevates stand-up comedy to the level of fine art.  His funny, imaginative routines and good-humored jibes are perfect for any audience, any event. He’s been on television’s “The Rosie O’ Donnell Show” and “Late Night with Conan O’ Brian” (NBC), as well as “Evening at the Improv.”

Allen Enlow – This guy does  impersonations of Al Gore, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Joan Rivers, Homer Simpson, Dr. Phil, Regis Philbin, Don Pardo, and many others. He’s performed at Caroline’s, The Improv, Dangerfield’s,  Trump Hotels and Caesar’s Resorts, among other spots.

Tony Powell is a veteran stand-up comic/writer and can be seen and heard weekday mornings on the nationally syndicated radio program “The Imus in the Morning Show.” His television appearances include “USA Live” on USA Networks, “A&E Comedy on the Road” and NBC’s “Showtime at the Apollo” to name a few. Powell has also appeared on national commercials for Visa All Star Café (with Andre Agassi), Ritz Crackers, Dawn Dishwashing Liquid, Fila and Heineken. He was the national radio spokesperson for both the Miller Genuine Draft and U.S. Army.  As a stand-up comedian, Powell has worked as a warm-up for Bill Cosby and Nickelodeon’s “Keenan and Kel.”

Pictured: John Bruno, Bene Raia, Miller Gaffney and Kevin Bruneau star in “Market Warriors” on PBS.

The Elephant’s Trunk flea market in New Milford will be featured on television tonight, Jan. 21 at 9 p.m. on the PBS show “Market Warriors.”

On the latest episode of the antiques reality show, the “pickers” are challenged to find something made of metal. They find a wide array of items, from a vintage toy truck to an antique coffee grinder and more.

The Elephant’s Trunk is closed for the season now but will re-open on March 17. It is located at 490 Danbury Road in New Milford.

Above: Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough star in Relativity Media’s “Safe Haven.”

Author Nicholas Sparks will be on hand to discuss “Safe Haven,” the film adapted from his book of the same name,  at the AMC Lowes Danbury on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m.

“A Night with Nicholas Sparks’ Safe Haven: Filmmakers, Author and Stars Bring the Book to Life,” will feature a discussion and Q-and-A moderated by Maria Menounos, with Sparks, the New York Times best-selling author of books like “Message in a Bottle” and “A Walk to Remember.” Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough, co-stars of “Safe Haven,” will join the discussion.

What’s more, attendees can catch a sneak peek at exclusive clips, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from the crew behind “Safe Haven.”

Tickets to the event, which cost $12.50, can be purchased at the box office at the AMC Loews Danbury 16, at 61 Eagle Road, by calling 203-796-7770 or online.