***** Please keep in mind that although the State of Connecticut has begun a phased reopening, most events have been postponed or cancelled due to the Coronoavirus.*****
Events:
Hartford Holiday Light Fantasia is open for the season Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings 5-10 through January 3rd at Goodwin Park in Hartford. This drive-thru Holiday lights display is two miles long and includes more than one million lights. It benefits the Channel 3 Kids Camp. Admission is $15 per car, $25 per Limousine, $50 per Mini Bus and $100 for a Full Size Bus. This year you can also buy tickets online! www.holidaylighfantasia.org
Your family might also enjoy The Festival of Silver Lights at Hubbard Park in Meriden, 1000 West Main St. Open dusk til dawn Thanksgiving through January 2nd. Over 350,000 lights! Admission is free! https://www.meridenct.gov/community-events/2018/01/01/festival-of-silver...
The Witch's Dungeon Classic Movie Museum is open weekends through Sun. Jan. 3rd - with a Special Event - "THE MONSTERS HOLIDAY" - every weekend Fri. thru Sun (except Christmas Dec. 25th) at 103 East Main Street in Plainville CT. Tours are limited to only 5 people , masks are required - no advance ticket sales. For additional details & directions - go to our website - www.preservehollywood.org - This has never been done before, anywhere, loosely based on the song by Bobby Picket ("Monster Mash") and also recorded by Lon Chaney Jr. See how the classic movie monsters celebrate the holidays, with life size figures and their elaborate sets decked out in seasonal dressings. This colorful event also features rare vintage movie related toys, even Nosferatu's rats are wearing miniature Santa hats! Plus original movie makeup and props, such as the actual "E.T." used in the bike riding sequence. Have your photo taken with a six foot tall "Grinch"! A magical real event, not "virtual" for the entire family.
Open House was cancelled but you can find great gifts from our friends at Hartford Artisans Weaving Center. Their mission is to enrich lives through hand-weaving. They run a one-of-a-kind weaving program for the blind, visually-impaired, and senior populations. They offer classes for all ages and sell equipment and supplies to fellow weavers. The Weaving Center promotes inclusion, improves accessibility and creates opportunities for the blind and senior community through a shared appreciation and love for hand-weaving. The program has a positive impact on the artisans’ well-being and offers a support system they might not otherwise have. Our artisans weave the incredible fabrics which are turned into beautiful products by our volunteer sewers. We sell these products as a way to support the artisans and our program. Their Open House and Sale is their largest fundraiser but had to be cancelled this year due to COVID-19. But you can shop on-line with Curb-side pick up available from their online store, www.weavingcenter.org/shop
Mohegan Sun is open! Comix Roadhouse has also reopened. Safety measures have been instituted including reduced attendance, sanitation procedures, social distancing, physical barriers and more. To learn more, visit www.mohegansun.com
Foxwoods Casino is open. Safety measures have been instituted including reduced attendance, sanitation procedures, social distancing, physical barriers and more. To learn more, visit www.foxwoods.com.
MGM Springfield Casino is now open! www.mgmspringfield.mgmresorts.com/
Nomad's Adventure Quest, 100 Bidwell Rd, South Windsor is re-opened with limited capacity and some activities restricted. Hours are Friday 4pm-10pm, Saturday 12pm-10pm and Sunday 12pm-8pm. www.nomadsadventurequest.com or 860-290-1177
Revolutions Bowling and Lounge, 60 Bidwell Rd, South Windsor, CT 06074 is open daily. Please make a reservation and follow mask and social distancing guidelines! Call (860) 282-2695
Mystic Seaport is open with many family friendly outdoor activities. Listen to Mary's family visit HERE. www.mysticseaport.org
Mystic Aquarium's outdoor spaces including the Penguin Pavilion, Marsh Trek, Pacific Northwest habitats and the Arctic Coast habitat featuring New England’s only beluga whales are open! Hours of operation will be 10am to 6pm daily for timed-ticket visitation. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.mysticaquarium.org/visit/tickets/
Theater Venues:
Most venues are closed for in person concerts and events. Hartford Stage has postponed their reopening to the Fall of 2021. wwwhartfordstage.org Theaterworks Hartford has cancelled the remaining shows of 2020 and pushed FUN HOME to their 2021 Season. www.twhartford.org The Bushnell's last show in 2020, Hamilton has been postponed to 2022. www.bushnell.org The Goodspeed Operahouse will return in 2021. www.goodspeed.org Please check their respective websites for more information.
Goodspeed Musicals will open in 2021 with a two-show season that begins with the long-overdue and much-anticipated production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific will run June 11 - August 22, 2021. In the fall Goodspeed will produce the World Premiere of Anne of Green Gables, based on the beloved novel by L.M. Montgomery September 10 – November 14, 2021. Exclusively for 2021, audiences will have the option to attend a live performance or watch from the comfort of their own home. www.goodspeed.org
Jorgensen Digital Stage: Great news! Live shows are back! Just different. The Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts is nor JORGENSEN DIGITAL STAGE. The platform was created over the summer in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. An Evening with Kelli O'Hara Live from the Jorgensen Stage and including a Live Q&A with audience and interview with Director Rodney Rock post-performance Saturday at 8:00 pm. Stage and screen star Kelli O’Hara returns to perform on the Jorgensen stage – but this time to a virtual audience. Known as one of Broadway’s greatest leading ladies, she will perform a collection of holiday favorites mixed in with classics from the Great White Way and the American Songbook. Tickets are $20 at jorgensen.tickets@uconn.edu. You will receive a code and instructions for viewing from home!
Unique Dining Options:
Visit J Restaurant Bar, 297 Washington Street in Hartford for the Gazeebos and Box Car Dining Experience. A large area of their secure parking lot has been transformed - their parking lot is now a Paved Paradise complete with tables, lighting, heaters, firepits and safety! Dine outside all winter! 860-527-7764.
Mykonos Mediterranean Restaurant, 2414 Berlin Turnpike in Newington has expanded their dining room into Outdoor Dining, inside. 3 walls are all glass with screens and sliding windows allowing a constant flow of fresh air. UV lights and Heaters in the ceiling have also been added for your safety and comfort. Complete Family Meal To Go Offerings are still available for $35 & $45. 860-594-0900
Millwrights Restaurant and Tavern in Simsbury has Igloos! Dine in your own outdoor bubble! www.millwrightsrestaurant.com or 860-651-5500.