New Castle’s Arbor Day celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, in Ritter Plaza. The town, chamber of commerce and Lions Club are working together to bring trees, information and fun to the residents of New Castle.

Bur oak and Englemann spruce seedling trees, grown by Colorado State University’s School of Forestry, will be available for New Castle residents.

The New Castle Lions Club will be serving hot dogs and other goodies.

The event includes activities for children – sponsored by the chamber – and information on tree planting and xeriscaping. A landscape designer will be on hand to answer questions.

A Celebrate Spring Craft Fair will also be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the New Castle Community Center. Crafters will sell their unique creations, just in time for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations, and for friends who have just had babies.

Ward Samuelson’s Boy Scout Troop will be selling lunch and conducting a raffle. Come on down and check out the crocheted blankets, candles, scrapbooking and stamping items, and some Tupperware and Avon products, too!

Also on Saturday, there will be a 4th Street Block Party for the Historical Museum and New Castle Art Guild, starting at 6 p.m.

Perhaps you’ve noticed some recent changes at Burning Mountain Park. The town is starting Phase 2 of improvements to the park, including removal of the bathroom/shelter, installation of a large planter in the center of the park, and building brick-paver sidewalks from Main Street to the planter and to the park’s gazebo.

The town has a vision of a combination planter/sculpture depicting a coal miner holding a lantern, casting light upon the names of miners who perished in the mine disasters in the town’s early history. With community fund-raising, the town could make the sculpture a reality.

Last year’s “Frightmares” fund-raiser for the New Castle Rec Department raised money for an after-school program. This first-year program provides computer access, tutoring, mentoring and a supervised “hanging out” after school hours at the New Castle Community Center.

This year’s event has been in the planning stages since the beginning of January. Marcee Little, creator of last year’s event, dreams of a bigger, badder, and bolder experience, adding pneumatic props and many other special effects.

If a truly great Spook House is near and dear to your heart, contact Little at 984-2530. She’s looking for sponsors to purchase special items that can’t be built, borrowed, or donated. Donations are tax-deductible.

The Silt Historical Society will host a Silt Chautauqua living history celebration from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 9 and10 at the historical park in Silt, located at 8th and Orchard, across from the Roy Moore Elementary School. Local history presentations will range from old cowhands telling stories of days living at cowcamps to demonstrations of turn-of-the-century blacksmithing techniques.

The Chautauqua is open to the public both days on Friday and Saturday, with local school classes invited on Friday. The Silt Chautauqua will bring history alive and illustrate the daily life and duties of the Western Slope pioneers in the early 1900s.

More general volunteers, handicraft demonstrators, and storytellers are needed to help at the Chautauqua. To volunteer, call Alice Boulton at 876-2668, Alice Jones at 876-2966 or Bonnie Grant evenings at 876-5652.

Please call Kay Vasilakis at 984-2308 if you have any New Castle news or inspirations to share.