CONNECTICUT, USA — It's Father's Day Weekend, the weekend leading up to Juneteenth, and all around, it's Pride Month.
There are plenty of things to do and events to check out this weekend to celebrate it all!
For more Juneteenth events, head here.
For more Pride Month events, head here.
It's the return of “The Artisan Marketplace” at the 39th Annual Branford Festival Weekend on Saturday! Browse upwards of 100 exhibitor booths featuring original art, crafts, jewelry, decorative home items, apparel, novel cards and gifts, and more. This is a free event for all ages and runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Town of Branford Green. Learn more here.
Get your running shoes ready! Saturday is the Summer Solstice Trail Run, part of the 2023 Blue-Blazed Trail running series. The run takes place at Gay City State Park in Hebron and there's an 8-mile, 5-mile, and 3-mile. Race participants earn a custom-designed Happy Trails water bottle with an option to add on a Happy Trails customer-designed short sleeve tee. The event runs from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Learn more here.
There's no sweeter way to welcome summer than at the Strawberry Festival at Lyman Orchards! The orchards will have plenty of pick-your-own strawberries, live music from the KC Sisters and Braiden Sunshine on the patio, free food tastings at the Apple Barrel Farm Market, Horse-Drawn Hayrides, Face Painting by Lara, Circle K Petting Farm – and so much more! The event runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more here.
Head to Waterbury for the Afro Latino Film Festival, hosted by the Pa'lante Theater Company this weekend from Friday to Sunday. Over 30 independent short and feature-length films will be screened. The Festival will be highlighting and showcasing Black, Latino, and Afro-Latine experiences. Presented in part and hosted at Seven Angels Theatre. The event begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, then on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., with Sunday being 2 p.m. Price is $15 per screening or $40 for a weekend pass. Learn more here.
Head into the city this weekend for Hartford's 3rd annual Juneteenth Celebration. The celebration will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 18, at the Black Lives Matter mural on Trinity Street. The event was organized in partnership with The Amistad Center and Hot 93.7. The event will feature artists, performers, interactive art installations, food, and local vendors.
The Town of Manchester’s Department of Leisure, Family, and Recreation will host their 3rd annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Commemoration on June 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Leisure Labs at Mahoney Center. This year’s event will feature musical performances by Mixed Company & Hartford’s Proud, a Black-owned vendor & food market, family activities, performances from the Black Joy Poetry Contest and much more! Learn more here.
Join the Simsbury Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group on June 17 for their Juneteenth Celebration. Nekita Waller, known for her mix of pop, Motown, soul, jazz and classic rock stylings, will open the celebration with her band beginning at noon. In addition to Waller, FriendZWorldMusic, a group of performing artists specializing in the music and dance of West Africa and the Caribbean, will perform at 1:45 p.m., followed by Damian Curtis African Cuban Jazz Project at 2:30 p.m. Eventgoers will also be treated to several performances throughout the day by MagicSoul Drumline, a show-style marching and percussion dance troupe comprised of Hartford-area youth and young adults. There will also be activities for children and food trucks and so much more. The event will take place at Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center. Learn more here.
The Danbury Juneteenth Coalition will host its 2nd Annual Danbury Juneteenth "Day of Freedom" Celebration on June 17 from noon to 5 p.m. where their theme this year is "Educate. Empower. Engage." Enjoy music, entertainment, kids activities, art installations, and other vendors! Learn more about the event, held at Western Connecticut State University, here.
Out Film CT, which has produced the Constitution State's longest-running film festival for 35 seasons, is moving the landmark Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival to October and presenting a PRIDE MiniFest, June 15 - 17. All films will be presented at the Festival’s longtime home at Cinestudio, on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford.
The MiniFest opens on Thursday, June 15 with Shorts with Pride, an evening of short films that spans the LGBTQ experience. The Friday night feature film Blue Jean finds a young woman at a crossroads when her career and sexual identity collide in Margaret Thatcher's England.
The Saturday matinee features the documentary Kokomo City, followed by a pre-recorded Q&A with director D. Smith. The Saturday evening program includes a live Q&A with Connecticut-native Isaac Krasner, the young star of Big Boys. The MiniFest concludes with a pizza and soft drink party, at no extra charge, outside Cinestudio following the Saturday night screening.
Enfield is holding its 1st Annual Enfield Pride Celebration after the rousing success of their 2022 Pride at the Square! Hosted by Enfield Pride, the celebration is even bigger this year! Come out for a day of food and fun, music, and games. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more here!
Celebrate Pride Month in Mystic with their Concert in the Park! Come listen to the sounds of Shades Soul Band along the Mystic River at Mystic River Park from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free! Learn more here.
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Of course, that's not all there is to do this weekend. Check out more ideas at CT Visit!
See you next weekend!
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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