Events:
It's the 20th Anniversary Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals today through Sunday at Goodspeed Operahouse! The Festival has launched more than 50 new musicals into the universe (including the Tony Award-winning sensation Come From Away), sending them across the country, to Broadway, and around the world! It’s a weekend filled with insider events, seminars, cabarets, and three staged readings of brand-new works as the brightest writers and performers collaborate to create the future of America's greatest art form. You never know…you could see a future Broadway blockbuster in its earliest form at The Festival of New Musicals! Staged Readings, Friday Cabaret: Rona Siddiqui, the 20th Anniversary Concert and Saturday Dinner at Gelston House are all on sale! Order tickets at www.goodspeed.org
Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto now through Sunday at People's Bank Arena. Join Elsa on an unforgettable adventure, dream of summer with Olaf, and sing along with Kristoff and Sven.
Then step into the world of Disney’s Encanto and sing and dance with Mirabel, Isabela, Luisa, and more. www.peoplesbankarena.com
Are you ready for a SOUP-er Winter Hike? Bring a thermos full of soup, cider, hot chocolate…anything warm! and join Kelly Orr and Gerri Griswold for a night hike somewhere (we’ll let Old Man Winter decide where we’ll be going!) After the hike, enjoy your treat by a roaring fire. Listen for owls, watch the stars above, share a story, or meet a new friend who also realizes it is winter but knows that there is no such thing as bad weather…only bad clothing. 5:00 pm.
Meet Kelly and Gerri at the Mott Van Winkle Classroom (68 Whitehall Road) at White Memorial. $5.00 per person, Children under 12 FREE. Please register online https://pci.jotform.com/242345712748157/prefill/69271a6e35383577f51d5b0b7b16
Hartford Stage presents The Cottage, a fast-paced farce set in a quaint English countryside home in 1923, where love, betrayal, and telegrams collide.
When Sylvia announces she's married the wrong man, chaos ensues-unraveling a tangled web of affairs, surprises, and sharp-edged wit. The Cottage plays now through February 8th at Hartford Stage. Tickets are $20. 860-527-5151 or www.hartfordstage.org
The NIKE Junior Volleyball Tournament continues through January 25th with over 730 teams in attendance at the CT Convention Center. https://www.ctconventions.com/event/nike-new-england-winterfest-2/
The Farmer’s Market is Saturday 9am to noon in Stonington at the Velvet Mill. Over 150 Unique Shops.
2026 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY CELEBRATION “KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE”
Honoring Dr. King’s 97th Birthday & Celebrating the Commission’s 40th Anniversary
In 2026, the Connecticut Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission commemorates the 97th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Commission. Established in 1986, the Commission advances Dr. King’s legacy statewide by promoting the principles he championed and sustaining programs that keep his dream alive for future generations.
Monday, January 19, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Connecticut State Capitol | Hartford, Connecticut
Bell Ringing Ceremony at 12:00 noon
FEATURED GUEST SPEAKER
Dr. Jeffrey Hines
Vice President, Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights
University of Connecticut & UConn Health
MUSICAL TRIBUTES AND PERFORMANCES
Reverend Joquan Kinsey (Guest Soloist, Waterbury)
Shane Davis, Vocalist
Christopher Dukes, Psalmist
Charles Taylor, Saxophone Tribute
Watkinson School, West Hartford
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
High School Essayists • Honoring individuals whose leadership and service have strengthened the Commission’s mission over 40 years.