Manga Workshop, Chinese Acrobats, and Lincoln-Douglas Debates

There’s a good mix of things to do as we enter November, and has chosen its top picks for the week of events. Let’s start with the things available for the rest of today. At 6 p.m., Gabriel Kastelle continues his first Wednesday Bonsai concerts with songs by Timothy Swan; these concerts at 40 minutes or less, free (with donations welcome) and take place at the Violin Training Gymnasium accessible by the rear entrance of 300 State Street. The penultimate yoga class in a six-week course offered by Lu-Anne Cox starts at 6:30 p.m. at the ; call ahead to register. There is also a casual meet and greet with at from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Art may be the key attraction this week, as people are invited to stroll among the galleries for the first Friday’s New London Art Night; this runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on that day. The to support the takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at . On Saturday, manga artist Lily Cernak visits the and offers a two-hour course on the Japanese graphic art; the cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members, and it starts at 3 p.m. holds a reception and discussion that day as well, hosting at 6 p.m. Ongoing exhibits include “Follow The Esplanade: Capturing the People, Art and Soul of Burningman” at the and a holiday photography exhibition at .

If you’re looking for other ways to get a bit of culture in your week, you can start with a pair of choices on Thursday. Camille Rankine visits at 7 p.m. for a poetry reading, while the perform at 7:30 p.m. at the ; tickets for the latter are $24 to $32. At , the Palmer Auditorium hosts the L.A. Theatre Works production “The Rivalry,” which is based on the debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas; tickets are $20, or $10 for students, and the show starts at 8 p.m. on Friday.

Finally, the autumn season and food are the theme of the remaining events. A day-long Small American Lawns Today seminar starts at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at Connecticut College’s Blaustein Humanities Center and discusses how to create an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable garden; the cost is $78, or $68 for Connecticut College Arboretum and Wild Ones members, and includes breakfast and lunch. The fifth annual winter farmers market visits from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the same day. This is also the time when you can visit at to get some mulled cider, sample some food, and hear local music performances. Finally, celebrates four years on Saturday with their Black and White Bash, offering a special treat to anyone who visits the restaurant from 4 p.m. to close in a black, white, or black and white outfit.