September 2014 Events

September 1

Shop the Park Street Farmers’ Market (161 Washington) from 9am-1pm.
The First Presbyterian Church (136 Capitol) will be holding its farmers’ market from 10am-1pm today.
Chabad Chevra is holding a Labor Day Kosher BBQ to welcome new and returning students. Free food, t-shirts, and Israeli music. They say, “stop by to get a mezuzah for your dorm room.” This event will take place at Alumni Plaza (residential side of University of Hartford campus next to University Commons. 5-6:30pm.
Free jazz at Black-eyed Sally’s, 350 Asylum Street. 8-11pm. There’s no cover, but don’t be stingy — if you want to hear local music, you need to keep the venues running.

September 2

The farmers’ market at the Old State House (800 Main) runs from 10am-1pm.
The West End Farmers’ Market is open on Tuesdays from 4-7pm on the Clemens Green on Farmington Avenue.
There is no public hearing at the Board of Education workshop meetings, but if you like to stay informed on the state of public education, it may be worth your time. This meeting will be held in the Achievement First Hartford Academy, 305 Greenfield Street, from 5-7pm.
For those who like to compete, tonight is Real Bored (Games) at Real Art Ways. They provide the games, but you can also bring your own. 6-10pm. Free. 56 Arbor Street.

September 3

The North End Farmers’ Market (80 Coventry) operates from 10am-1pm.
Still hungry? The farmers’ market at 255 Homestead runs from 3-6pm today.
Pedal and Path: Hartford & The Bicycle goes on display today on the third floor of the Hartford Public Library. These bicycle maps and images will be on view through October 7th.
The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center will be hosting the Nook Farm Book Talk on Vanished Downtown Hartford by Daniel Sterner. It may not be a happy thing to enter a discussion on all the great places a city had, knowing they are gone now, but the silver lining is the ability to learn from those years of terrible decisions that turned the center from a vibrant hub into a sea of ugly surface parking lots and vast expanses of concrete. Reception at 5pm, talk at 5:30. This is free, but registration is suggested: 860-522-9258, Ext. 317. The talk will be followed by a book sale and signing.
Local artists Nina Salazar and Rachel DeCavage will be leading a pop art screen printing class/activity at City Steam Brewery from 5:30-7:30pm. $10 gets you some food and all the materials you will need to make some art.
This month’s Get HYPEd networking event will be at the Coliseum Club in the Civic Center (XL Center). This is from 5:30-8:30pm and free. Remember business cards and money for beverages. This month, they are collecting school supplies for the Burns Latino Studies Academy (Burns School) in Frog Hollow. Consider bringing an item (or multiple) from this list to donate: glue sticks, crayons, staples, pencils (#2), dry erase markers, construction paper, writing paper (K-1 or essay), lined composition notebooks, and post-it chart paper.
MakeHartford‘s public Show & Tell night is from 6-9pm. Bring a project you are working on or have completed to show off and get input on. The theme this time: Inventions! This can be something you have designed, created, or want input in designing. There is a monitor available; bring your own laptop. 30 Arbor Street, B7.
The Introduction to Microcontrollers class begins tonight at MakeHartford. Learn how to program a microcontroller, a computer on a chip. There is a fee for the class which meets four times, 7-9pm. Register online.

September 4

The Old State House farmers’ market is open from 10am-1pm.
The Billings Forge Farmers’ Market, which runs year-round, is open from 11am-2pm today. This is located at 536 Broad.
Reception for That’s Life: An Exhibition of Artist Fellowship Recipients will take place from 4:30-6:30pm at The Gallery at Constitution Plaza (1 Constitution Plaza, second floor). Work by Amy Bilden, Meredith Miller, Kathryn Myers, Perry Obee, and Cara Vickers-Kane will be displayed.
Attend a Greening of Hartford workshop in the community garden on Niles Street at 5pm.
First Thursday: Sing the Blues at the Wadsworth Atheneum. Listen to music from the XY Eli Blues Band, take a tour of artworks with the color blue, and take part in a landscape painting workshop. Tick Tick BOOM!, a local improv group, will perform. It’s $5 to get in, free for members. 5-8pm. Le Week-end will be screened following the First Thursday event; admission to this is included with the First Thursday ticket.
Thook, a multimedia performance about food security, begins at 7:30pm in HartBeat Ensemble’s Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington. Tickets are $25, $20 for students, seniors, and Let’s Go Arts members.
Movies UNDER Moonlight, sponsored by the West End Civic Association, will feature It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World at 8:15pm (or when it is dark enough). This will be on the East Lawn of Elizabeth Park. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Free.

September 5

Dominican Republic flag raising ceremony begins at City Hall at 11:30am.
GAZE (Gay Happy Hour) begins at 5:30pm at Real Art Ways. Free.
If you have not gone on BECK & CALL: The Servants Tour, this may be your last chance. The Mark Twain House & Museum says, “The servants at Mark Twain’s House are expecting a full-on assault of overnight guests. With famous faces coming for an elegant dinner, three guest rooms to prepare and 25 rooms worth of dusting, the hired help may need a helping hand. With BECK & CALL, our fun, new interactive nighttime servants tour of The Mark Twain House, we offer a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to get the Clemens home ship-shape for overnight entertaining. You may even be asked to pitch in!” Tours begin at 7pm. Ticket prices vary — call (860) 280-3130.
Thook, a multimedia performance about food security, begins at 7:30pm in HartBeat Ensemble’s Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington. Tickets are $25, $20 for students, seniors, and Let’s Go Arts members.

September 6

Go to Cedar Hill Cemetery for a Mystery Scavenger Hunt. Teams of up to four people will compete to find and follow clues throughout the cemetery grounds. $5, reservations required: 860-956-3311. This begins at 10am. Oh, and there will be prizes for those who solve the mystery fastest.
The RiseUP organization seeks youth volunteers for its community volunteer day. From 10am-5pm there will be graffiti removal at Goodyear on Market Street. After the first phase of this is completed, they plan to create a mural there on another day. Contact the organization to volunteer.
Urban League Greater Hartford is hosting a Family Day & Back to School Cultural Festival from 10am-5pm. This free event will include music, “empowerment sessions,” games, food, and school supply giveaways. The Urban League is at 140 Woodland Street.
Assemble an animation kit using LEDs at MakeHartford. This class (10-11:30am) will involve soldering but not programming. Bring safety glasses. MakeHartford is located at 30 Arbor Street, B7. There is a fee, register online.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair and head to the Riverfront for the annual free Ray Gonzalez Latin Jazz & Salsa Festival. 6-11pm. If it rains, the event will take place on September 7, 2014.
Opening Reception for The Committee Art Show III at ArtSpace Gallery, 555 Asylum. There will be works by Joseph R. Gorneault Jr., Lynn Truby, Leonard Bullaro, Gabe Zane, Nicola Sinclair, R.Mac, and Norbert Waysberg on display. The reception will feature music from Lord Lewis the Velvet Knight (our favorite), along with wine and refreshments. 7-10pm, free.
Thook, a multimedia performance about food security, begins at 7:30pm in HartBeat Ensemble’s Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington. Tickets are $25, $20 for students, seniors, and Let’s Go Arts members.
The Many Colors of a WOMAN jazz festival concert begins at 8pm at Faith Congregational Church, 2030 Main Street. Free.

September 7

Last chance to see Victor Pacheco’s exhibit Extraction at Real Art Ways. This work explores the subject of fracking. Admission to the gallery is free; they do accept donations. Open 2-9pm.
The second annual Festival Dominicano de Hartford is today, 11am-7pm in Pope Park West. This will feature music, food, comedy, networking, and Zumba.
Check out The Trip to Italy at Real Art Ways (9/5-9/11). This is described as follows: “Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reunite for a new culinary road trip, retracing the steps of the Romantic poets’ grand tour of Italy and indulging in some sparkling banter and impersonation-offs. Rewhetting our palates from the earlier film, the characters enjoy mouthwatering meals in gorgeous settings from Liguria to Capri while riffing on subjects as varied as Batman’s vocal register, the artistic merits of “Jagged Little Pill,” and, of course, the virtue of sequels.” $10 regular admission, discounts for members, students, and seniors. Check the Real Art Ways calendar for an update on the screen time.
Hartford’s Beat City Beauties will perform at 85 Arch Street, 8-10pm. Doors open at 6 if you want a good seat, or, you can get VIP seating in advance. Regular admission is $7 in advance, $10 at door; VIP tickets are $20.

September 8

Join area cyclists for a Slow Roll starting near the carousel in Bushnell Park at 5:30pm. Organized by Transport Hartford, this is described as a ride for everyone, regardless of age and skill level. This is the first one planned for Hartford, so there will be some conversation about what this type of ride should include and where it should go. Free. (Bring your own bike)
City Council will hold its regular meeting at 7pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.
Another free night of jazz at Black-eyed Sally’s. 8-11pm. This happens at 350 Asylum but is presented by Charter Oak Cultural Center.

September 9

The Planning and Zoning Commission meets at 5pm in the Plaza Level Conference Room at 260 Constitution Plaza.
Paul Quimby of UTC will speak about Drones and UAVs from 6:30pm-8:00pm at MakeHartford, 30 Arbor Street. They say: “Over the last decade, the field of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) has matured from cutting-edge military technology to recreational toys and budget DIY projects. Open Source software/hardware and online vendors have made it possible for amateurs and engineers to access the same SUAS components as professionals. This talk will explore remote control aircraft concepts, SUAS components, current regulation (and lack thereof), safe operations, research applications, and discuss where the field is going next.
About the Speaker: Paul Quimby started working with SUAS while an undergraduate researcher and continued his investigations as master’s student at MIT in the Humans and Automation Lab. After designing and building quadrotors interfaces flown by minimally-trained human operators, and performing the first real-world studies indoors, his research was continued to advance the understanding of flying SUAS in outdoor conditions. In addition to research, he enjoys building fixed-wing model aircraft for fun. In the past year, he was a co-organizer of the Drones and Aerial Robotics Conference at NYU Law, chairing the Safety and Public Airspace track. Paul currently works at the United Technologies Research Center in East Hartford, in collaboration with Sikorsky, Pratt & Whitney, Otis, and Carrier.” This is free, but you’ll want to reserve your seat in advance.
Myra MacPherson will be speaking at the Mark Twain Museum Center on her new book, The Scarlet Sisters: Sex, Suffrage & Scandal in the Gilded Age, which they say is “a fresh look at the life and times of Victoria Woodhull and Tennie Claflin, two sisters whose radical views on sex, love, politics, and business threatened the white male power structure of the nineteenth century and shocked the world.” This is co-presented by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. The free event begins at 7pm. Reserve a seat:[email protected] or 860-522-9258, ext. 317.
Take a Full Moon Tour of Elizabeth Park. Gather by the Pond House. Tour begins at 7pm. Bring a flashlight and wear reasonable footwear.

September 10

Want to play an educational game about Planning and Zoning? HYPE’s Keep Calm and Hartford On event (we don’t get that name either) features guest Sara Bronin, chair of Hartford’s Planning and Zoning Commission. This will be at the Old State House, 6-8pm. It’s free, but registration is suggested. There will be snacks. If you want drinks, bring cash.

September 11

Opening reception for Hartford High & Low, an exhibit of photography by Karen O’Maxfield. There will be music and light refreshments at the Butler-McCook House & Garden, 5:30-7:30pm. Free.
The Hartford Seminary (77 Sherman Street) is hosting a panel of six women who will be discussing the intersection of motherhood and religion. They will be exploring the “roots of the female, maternal and feminine spiritual figures in six religions/doctrines.” Panelists will include: Donna Gordon, Cantor of Temple Sinai in Newington; Rev. Bridget Fidler, of First Church of Christ in Suffield; Pastor Stacie Harris Byrdsong of the New Generation Christian Center Church in Hartford; Malou G. Dusyn, an ordained lay Buddhist Minister in Connecticut; Hana Saleh, a Muslim who is part of the Greater Suffield Interfaith Council; and, Debbie Humphries, a member of Hartford Monthly Meeting, New England Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. This begins at 7pm and is expected to last two hours.

September 12

If you want to laugh and eat chocolate, maybe at the same time, go to the Connecticut Historical Society. Sea Tea Improv will perform a Katharine Hepburn-themed show. There will be wine and chocolate on hand. This fundraiser event has a $25 admission price. 7-9pm. CHS is located at One Elizabeth Street.
Alive Inside Director Michael Rossato-Bennett and Executive Producer Eric Bertrand are scheduled to speak following the opening night screening of the film at Real Art Ways. The film is described as one that “follows social worker Dan Cohen, who decides on a whim to bring iPods to a nursing home. To his and the staff’s surprise, many residents suffering from memory loss and Alzheimer’s Disease seem to “awaken” when they listen to music from their pasts. With great excitement, Dan turns to renowned neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, and we follow them both as they investigate the mysterious way music functions inside our brains, and its ability to awaken deeply locked memories.” The film begins at 7pm. Tickets are $10, less for students, seniors, and Real Art Ways members.
Another evening of storytelling is planned for tonight at the Mark Twain House & Museum. The theme for this edition of The MOuTH is “it was an accident.” Admission is $5, but if you are one of the speakers, there is no fee. Let that be an incentive. Go to the event’s Facebook page for all the other details. Everything starts at 7:30pm. They allow “profanity,” so if that offends you, perhaps reconsider showing up.

September 13

Immaculate Conception Shelter & Housing Corp. will hold its annual Give Me Shelter – Walk to End Homelessness at the Riverfront Plaza with registration beginning at 9:15am. This will be a three-mile walk along the Connecticut River. This is a fundraiser, so there is a $25 per-registration or $30 day-of fee. As with most fundraisers, walkers are asked to try to raise money above that amount.
Come to Cedar Hill Cemetery for a day of free Victorian-themed festivities. Expect music, costumed dramatizations, and a horse and carriage ride. 10am-5pm. Cedar Hill is located at 453 Fairfield Avenue.
Hartford HodgePodge returns this year, but in a different location and on a different day. The small street festival will now be at State House Square from 11am-4pm. Expect merchandise and food vendors, along with live entertainment.
The 13th annual Lift Every Voice and Sing Gospel Festival and Fair begins at noon, wraps up at 7pm in Bushnell Park. Besides music, there will be health screenings, hula hoops, Double Dutch, face-painting, basketball, and more. Free.
Last chance to check out the paintings by Kathi Packer. These have been on display at EBK Gallery (218 Pearl) since the beginning of the month.

September 14

Tonight is Sea Tea Improv’s free monthly show at City Steam Brewery, 942 Main Street. 7-9pm. Doors open to the comedy club area at 6pm so you can grab a seat and a bite. If you are under 21, you need to find an adult to accompany you.
Oh, you’re wondering what else you can be doing? It doesn’t start until October, but Real Art Ways is looking for volunteers who like cats. Not like, theoretically like cats, but hands-on, able to play with cats. Take a moment to send them an email for details about the October, November, and December volunteer opportunities.

September 15

Seen at last year’s Pipes in the Valley festival

Free jazz from 8-11pm at Black-eyed Sally’s.
Artwork, mostly sculptures, by Adam Niklewicz will be on display at EBK Gallery, 218 Pearl Street. If his name sounds familiar, it might be because of “The Charter Oak,” his water-activated mural on the side of the former Ados Israel Synagogue on Pearl Street. This exhibit runs through September 27.

September 16

The Connecticut Old State House will hold an hour-long conversation at noon: The American Dream Machine: Bicycles Past, Present & Future. They say: “From high wheelers to bicycles to electric cars, all made in one Hartford factory. Author Steve Goddard joins us for our next installment of Conversations at Noon to explain how a Civil War veteran became the father of the American bicycle and went on to build other dream machines. Join a discussion about making CT more bike friendly and promoting bike racing among CT kids with Goddard, Aidan Charles, the Founder and Executive Director of the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program, and Kelly Kennedy, Executive Director of BikeWalk CT.” The Old State House is at 800 Main Street.
The Board of Education holds a regular meeting tonight, meaning that the public has the opportunity to provide comment at the beginning. The meeting begins at 5pm and is scheduled to end at 8pm. This will be at Bulkeley High School, 300 Wethersfield Avenue.
The Frog Hollow NRZ meets at the Lyceum on Lawrence Street starting at 5pm. If you live in, work in, or just care about this neighborhood, show up to learn about what is going on here.
Learn about your rights during the foreclosure process, along with how to prevent that from happening. The Connecticut Fair Housing Center is offering a free clinic from 5:30-8pm at the University High School of Science and Engineering, 351 Mark Twain Drive. There is no need to register, just show up. The next one of these sessions in the area will be offered in October.

September 17

Frankly, we’ve been tired of the baseball talk in Hartford all summer. More specifically, we’re sick of the politics of it all. So, it’s a welcome change to see that there will be a discussion of the actual sport, and we’re confident that the pesky stadium proposal won’t emerge during the evening’s program. Historians John Thorn, David Arcidiacono, Gary O’Maxfield, Joe Williams, and Bill Ryczek will be on the “Base Ball in Twain’s Time” panel. This will be a chat by experts from the Society for American Baseball Research about what base ball was like in the 19th century. The free event begins at 7pm at the Mark Twain House & Museum. They ask that you make reservations and I’ve been told the seats are getting snatched up quickly for this one.
Last chance to watch God Help the Girl at Real Art Ways, described as: “While in the hospital dealing with some emotional problems, Eve starts writing songs as a way of getting better. Songwriting becomes her way forward, leading her to the City where she meets James and Cassie, two musicians each at crossroads of their own. What follows is a story of renaissance over the course of a long, dream-like summer in Glasgow, Scotland.” Admission is $10 regular, discounts for members, seniors, and students. Check the Real Art Ways calendar for updates on screen times.

September 18

It’s EV Day at the Capitol. From 11am-noon, listen to a panel discussion on “automobile technology innovations.” Then, from 12-2pm, test drive electric vehicles on a first come, first served basis. This is at the Legislative Office Building (panel) and on the North Capitol Grounds (test drive) Free.
Natasha Pierre from the CT Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and Gretchen Raffa from Planned Parenthood of Southern New England will be speaking about women’s healthcare today. This free program is from 5-7pm and held at the Stowe Center. Reserve your seat: [email protected] or 860-522-9258, ext. 317
Creative Cocktail Hour at Real Art Ways, 6-10pm. Music, dancing, art. $10 general admission, $5 for members. Price includes light refreshments.

September 19

Today is the official PARK(ing) Day — what are you going to do to reclaim streets and lots for people?
Fiesta del Norte will be playing music from 12-1 during the farmers’ market at the Old State House.
Show & Tell night at MakeHartford for Etsy crafters. Bring one item from your shop to show off, bring your business cards, and network. $5 for MakeHartford members, $10 for non-members. This event is from 6-9pm at 30 Arbor, #B7.

September 20

Volunteer with KNOX to clean up Keney Park! Pick up litter, plant trees, and partake in the free breakfast and lunch given to volunteers. Get there at 9am. Leave around 1pm. Keney Park is huge, so you’ll definitely want to contact KNOX in advance to let them know you’ll be there and find out where “there” will be.
Join in the International Day of Peace celebration sponsored by Music Together in Elizabeth Park. The day will begin with a ringing of bells, followed by singing, meditation, and yoga. This is a free, family-centered event. Bring picnic blankets, chairs, food, and any instruments you’d like to play. 10am-1pm.
The Bushnell will be providing free family entertainment and activities from 10am-1pm. Expect jugglers and acrobats.
A State of Makers Marketplace will be running in Bushnell Park today from 10am-6pm. “Maker” is the term now being used to describe artists, musicians, chefs, artisans, and more. You might see pottery, jewelery, t-shirts, chocolates, soaps, and things of that sort. It’s free to browse.
Free carousel rides today in Bushnell Park, 10am-6pm.
Watch dancing and get lessons from Felix Reyes of the Bated Breath Theater Company. Bushnell Park from 10:30-10:45am, free.
Stop by State House Square for another Hodgepodge event, 11am-4pm. Expect food and merchandise vendors, along with live entertainment. Free to browse and listen.
The Wadsworth Atheneum will be offering free talks in the galleries on each hour and half-hour from 11am-4pm. The talks will last 15-30 minutes. The museum will also be having free Zentangle workshops on the lawn; these workshops are sponsored by the Charter Oak Cultural Center. The Wadsworth is located at 600 Main Street. Free admission to the museum from 10am-5pm.
The Butler-McCook House & Garden will be hosting free events today, noon until 4pm. The venue is where Main and Capitol meet (look for the yellow, old-timey house).
Free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch on Trinity Street. 12-6pm. This requires the ability to walk up steep steps.
Sea Tea Improv will perform starting at approximately 12:40pm. This is in Bushnell Park and will be free.
The Damian Curtis Trio will play on the Hartford Public Library terrace from 1-2pm, free.
The Professors of Sweet Sweet Music will be playing in Bushnell Park (free) from 4:30-5:45pm.
Something very right in Hartford is the various cat-themed offerings in the next few months. The Mark Twain House & Museum will be offering a free talk tonight called “Meow-za! Cat Writers Come Clean.” At 7pm, you will hear from Allia Zobel Nolan, Clea Simon, and Darlene Arden.” This is free, reserve a space.

September 21

Join in the Hartford Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Bushnell Park. It’s two miles and up to participants to get sponsored. Registration is at 9am, the walk starts around 10am.

September 22

The Friends of Keney Park Walking Club meets at 9am on Mondays outside of the Pond House.
City Council holds its regular meeting at 7pm in Council Chambers at City Hall

September 23

Planning and Zoning Commission meets in Plaza Level Conference Room at 260 Constitution Plaza, 5pm.
The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center will be hosting a free author event at 7pm. They say: “Over the past fifty years, Puerto Rican voters have roundly rejected any calls for national independence. Yet the rhetoric and iconography of independence have been defining features of Puerto Rican literature and culture. In the provocative new book Dream Nation, María Acosta Cruz investigates the roots and effects of this profound disconnect between cultural fantasy and political reality.” The Stowe Center is big on reservations, so play along: [email protected] or 860-522-9258, ext. 317.

September 24

Congregation Beth Israel will be again holding an Erev Rosh Hashanah service outdoors in Elizabeth Park. This will be on the Rose Garden Lawn at 6pm. If you are driving, leave early…parking took forever last year. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the service will be moved to Haas Hall at CBI in West Hartford. This is free for all. Arrive early to set up your lawn chairs and blankets.
The Mark Twain House & Museum will be hosting a panel, The Kennedy Assassination: 50 Years of Conspiracy! starting at 7:30pm. They say: “2014 marks the 50^th anniversary of the Warren Commission, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s investigation into the assassination of his predecessor, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Was it the CIA? The Russians? LBJ? Or was it Lee Harvey Oswald acting completely on his own? Authors Jerome Corsi, Patrick Nolan and Peter Janney will be discussing their conspiracy theory books on one of the most controversial subjects in American history.” This is a free event, reservations suggested.

September 25

The Billings Forge Farmers’ Market is open each Thursday from 11am-2pm. This is outside on the green through October. The market is on the block of Broad Street between Russ and Capitol.

September 26

Goza performs from 12-1pm during the Old State House farmers’ market.
So many chances to see Sea Tea Improv perform this month! They will be doing longform improv at the Studio at Billings Forge (563 Broad) from 8-9:30pm. There is a $10 admission price.

September 27

Take part in the Source to Sea Cleanup today! Groups look to be gathering around 9am. Go to the website to see which location and team could most use your help. Wear clothing that if it gets dirty, won’t cause you to cry.
Go to Bushnell Park to participate in the Hartford Walk for Farm Animals, a benefit for the Farm Sanctuary which has locations in California and Watkins Glen, NY. Check-in begins at 10am, with a yoga stretch at 10:30. The two-mile walk through Downtown begins at 11. There is a registration fee and each walker is expected to set her own fundraising goals.
Maybe you’ve wandered around Cedar Hill Cemetery before and seen grave markers with names you recognized from city streets. Take a tour — expanded from a previous version — that highlights some of the Cedar Hill Cemetery “residents” for whom those streets were named. This begins at 10am. $5 general, free for CHCF & Let’s Go Arts members.
Help make Hartford safer for everyone. Get rid of your guns. Bring them to Hartford Communities That Care, 2550 Main Street, from 10am-3pm. Residents getting rid of firearms will receive gift cards in exchange. This is a collaboration between the Hartford Police Department and others.
Dr. Raouf Mama of Eastern Connecticut State University will be leading a storytelling class from 10am-12:30pm at the Albany Branch of the Hartford Public Library starting today. It will also meet on October 4, 18, 25, and November 1st. This is free, but registration is required: 860-695-6300.
It’s Grandparents’ Day in Bushnell Park, 11am-3pm. Expect family entertainment. Free.
The annual Pipes in the Valley Celtic Festival will be at the Riverfront today, 11am-10:30pm. Besides the bagpipes, there will be birds of prey, step dancing, Highland games, storytelling, sword demonstrations, Celtic food, and family activities. This is a free event.
Hodgepodge from 11am-4pm at State House Square. Free to listen and browse.

September 28

Walk Hartford: organized by Transport Hartford (and some Real Hartford writers might have gotten conned into participating), this will be a leisurely loop walk beginning near the carousel in Bushnell Park. It starts at 1pm. Carve out a few hours and bring some cash if you want to stop for refreshments along the 5-7 mile route. There may be a small off-road segment, but basic sneakers should be enough. Free.

September 29

Free jazz at Black-eyed Sally’s, 8-11pm.
Paintings by Terry Donsen Feder will go on display at EBK Gallery, 218 Pearl Street, today.

September 30

Time to exit the city for something: Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows: What the Internets is Doing to Our Brains and The Glass Cage: Automation and Us, will be the feature of a live broadcast shown at Congregation Beth Israel (the large synagogue on Farmington Avenue just a few blocks into West Hartford) from 8:15-10:30pm. Admission is $5 and can be paid at the door.

Disclaimer: We strive to be accurate but cannot guarantee that event info was delivered correctly to us, nor can we guarantee that the venue won’t change or the event won’t cancel due to weather conditions or the whims of the event planner. Contact the venue if you are unable to manage last minute changes in plans.

If you would like an event listed on an upcoming calendar, send details before the 25th of the month preceding. Items are not added post-publication.