CONNECTICUT, USA — Need something to do this weekend? You have options whether you're looking to head indoors due to the heat or if you love the sun and hotter temps.
Plenty of events are happening around the state this weekend to enjoy with the entire family!
Running through August 21st is "Pippin" at West Hartford's Playhouse on the Park. Heir to the Frankish throne, the young prince Pippin is in search of the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power (after disposing of his father, King Charlemagne the Great). In the end, though, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors but instead in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day. The show runs multiple times a weekend and you can learn more and buy tickets here.
Celebrate the popular music of the legendary songwriting duo of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stolle with "Smokey Joe's Cafe," running Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays until August 31. The show is held at the Ivoryton Playhouse in Essex. This Grammy® Award-winning and Tony Award®-nominated smash made history as Broadway’s longest-running musical revue. The show features 40 of the greatest songs of the past century, including show-stopping classics like “On Broadway,” “Stand by Me,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion No. 9,” “Spanish Harlem,” “Yakety Yak” and “Charlie Brown." Learn more about the show and buy tickets here.
Friday is the last day to take in the Windsor Monarch Festival! Designers, artisans, and local gardening enthusiasts will be crafting butterfly-friendly planters from a variety of unusual items. You can even vote and bid on the planters here. Learn more about the festival at their website.
From now through September 10, learn more about the Connecticut River's history from the Mohegan tribe who used the river to sustain their way of life. The "Water, Wampum, & Medicine Wheels. Mohegan Life on the Thames" tour is guided by tribal members. It includes stories demonstrating how crucial the Thames River was for food, wildlife, transportation, and trade as well as their relationship with the colonists. Learn more about the tours here.
Bring your dancing shoes to Ramon Santiago's 10th Annual "Salsa Meets Jazz" Festival this Saturday at Bushnell Park in Hartford! The event starts at 1 p.m. and lasts until 7 p.m. Ramon Santiago, known to many as "Ray," "Herc (short for Hercules)," or "Unc," started this festival in 2012. Santiago founded "Orquesta Espada," one of the PREMIER "salsa," "Latin Jazz," and beyond collective units throughout the city of Hartford. Santiago passed away in 2017 before the 8th running of his festival. This year, headliners include artists like Steven Kroon and Alex 'Apolo' Ayala. The event is open and free to the public.
For this weekend, East Hartford Parks and Recreation is extending pool hours to help residents beat the heat.
Saturday, July 23:
These pools will be open from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.
- Terry Pool - Hockanum Park 320 High St.
- Martin Pool - Martin Park 307 Burnside Ave.
- Lord Pool - Gorman Park 258 May Rd.
These pools will be open from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
- Drennan Pool - McAuliffe Park 30 Remington Rd.
- Goldstar Pool - Goodwin Park 1235 Forbes St.
Sunday, July 24:
All five pools will offer extended hours 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
For more information click here.
And don't forget that from July 1 to September 5, kids 18 years old and under – plus one accompanying adult – can receive free admission to participating museums around the state.
Some notable attractions that are participating include:
- Connecticut Science Center, Hartford
- Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport
- Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington
- Institute for American Indian Studies Museum & Research Center, Washington
- Kidcity Children’s Museum, Middletown
- Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Norwalk
- Mystic Aquarium, Mystic
- Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic
- Prudence Crandall Museum, Canterbury
FOX61 is proud to spotlight Connecticut Summer at the Museum 2022!
For more events and other activities to do this weekend, head to CT Visit.
See you next weekend!
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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