Music:
Farm Aid 2021 returns to the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford Saturday. Farm Aid features an all-star music lineup including Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), and Margo Price, as well as Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, Bettye LaVette, Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Allison Russell, Particle Kid, Ian Mellencamp and Wisdom Indian Dancers. HOMEGROWN Concessions® will serve food with ingredients that are produced by family farmers who utilize ecological practices and are paid a fair price for their products. Menu items include local seafood, meats, vegetables and much more. On the FarmYard Stage, farmers and artists will discuss pressing issues and share inspiring stories showcasing food and farming in the region and across the country. Farm Aid's annual online memorabilia auction launches the day of the festival. Collectors will have a chance to bid on rare and unique items, including a number of incredible guitars from Gibson and Epiphone, posters, books, albums and other memorabilia signed by artists at the festival. Bidding closes on Friday, Oct. 8, and all proceeds from the sale of items go to support the organization. All attendees of Farm Aid 2021 are required to show proof of full vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 48 hours prior to entering Xfinity Theatre upon their arrival at the event.
Broadway’s Rock of Ages takes the Big E Court of Honor Stage in a free concert Friday 8pm. Enjoy Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo in the Big E Arena Sunday 7:30pm. Tickets $29-$299. (more on the Big E below)
Crazy On You – A Heart Tribute performs at the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Whiskey Boulevard plays Sunday at 7pm. These shows are FREE. www.mohegansun.com
The Commodores, War and the Village People stars Friday at 8pm in Foxwood’s Premier Theater. Tickets $40-$65. www.foxwoods.com
Hartford Latino Fest is Saturday at the Church of the Good Shepherd on Wyllis St. www.hartfordlatinofest.com
Events:
The Big E is open at the Eastern States Exposition now through October 3rd. Friday and Saturday hours are 10a-11p. www.thebige.com ; The 23rd Annual Connecticut Renaissance Faire is in Lebanon, 122 Mack Road now through October 17th. Admission is $15 for Adults, $10 for Kids 7-15 years old. 6 & under are free. Each weekend celebrates a different theme. This weekend is Wizard’s Weekend… and they swear they are up to no good! www.ctfaire.com ; Brass City Brew and "Que is Saturday noon to 5pm at Library Park, 267 Grand Street, Waterbury. Enjoy over 100 craft brews and barbecue food trucks. www.brasscitybrewandque.com ; The 41st Simsbury Fly-In, Car Show and Food Truck Festival returns Saturday and Sunday at Simsbury Airport, 94 Wolcott Rd. Enjoy the Food Trucks Saturday 9am to 6pm. On Sunday, the event is in full swing from 8am to 5pm. Enjoy the largest display of airplanes in the Northeastern USA, plus a huge car show, and a major food truck festival, all in one great event. It’s like a special kind of country fair, with lots of family activities, live music, judging and trophies, aerial demonstrations, free seminars, new airplane and car dealers, 150 participating businesses including local crafts persons, and amazing things to eat. There is no admission fee, but donations are gratefully accepted. Car parking is $10 to benefit the Boy Scouts. Pets on leashes are welcome, and we provide a watering station. Bike friendly, so park in downtown Simsbury and take the bike trail to the airport.
For full event details, please see www.simsburyflyin.com ; The 101st Durham Fair runs through Sunday. www.durhamfair.com
Ready for Fall Apple Picking? Johnny Appleseeds in Ellington is open daily 9am to 5pm www.johnnysppleseefarmct.com; Irish Bend Orchard in Somers is open Fridays thru Sundays 9am to 5pm. www.irishbendorchards.com; Rogers Orchards in Southington is open Fridays thru Sundays 10am to 5pm. www.rogersorchard.com; Karabin Farms in Southington is open Fridays thru Sundays 9am to 5pm. www.karabinfarms.com; Belltown Orchards in Glastonbury is open daily 9am to 5pm and offers pick-your-own-apples! www.belltownorchards.com; In North Granby, Lost Acres Orchard is the place to be Weekends 10am to 4pm. www.lostacres.com; Roses's Berry Farm in Glastonbury is open Saturday 8am to 5pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm. www.rosesberryfarm.com; Blue Hills Orchard in Wallingford is open Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 11am to 3pm. www.bluehillsorchard.com; Easy Pickin's Orchard in Enfield is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to noon, Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 6:30pm and weekends 9am to 5pm www.easypickinsorchard.com; Scott's Orchard and Nursery in Glastonbury is open daily 8am to 4pm. www.scottsorchardandnursery.com; Lyman Orchard in Middlefield is open daily 9am to 5pm. www.lymanorchards.com
The Hartford Athletic battle the Tampa Bay Rowdies Saturday 7p at Dillon Stadium in Hartford. www.hartfordathletic.com
BNI Connecticut Valley presents a fundraiser for AFMS Foundation Saturday 4-8pm at Shea's, 103 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester. Enjoy live music, a tasty dinner buffet, raffles and more! All proceeds help families with Multiple Sclerosis. Admission $25. Additional raffle tickets available for purchase and additional donations are welcome. www.AFMSFoundation.org
Six Flags New England is open weekends! For daily passes, season passes, park information and more visit www.sixflags.com/newengland
Quassy Amusement Park is open weekends for its 113th season! Lake Quassapaug, Rt. 64, 2132 Middlebury Road, Middlebury, CT. For daily passes, season passes and parking information, please call 1-800-FOR-PARK or visit www.quassy.com
Lake Compounce celebrates her 175th season. For the best deals on tickets and season passes, please visit www.LakeCompounce.com
Come Ride the Bushnell Park Carousel Saturdays 12-5pm and Sundays 12-4pm. The Bushnell Park Foundation and City of Hartford will be offering rides on this beautiful gem of a merry-go-round. Rides are $2 per person. Children and adults of all ages are welcome. We will be following all mask and social distancing guidelines required by the City of Hartford, which includes wearing a mask inside the pavilion. www.bushnellpark.org
Farmington Miniature Golf and Ice Cream Parlor on Route 4 in Farmington is celebrating 60 years of miniature golf family fun and over 31 years of scooping the best ice cream! Their September hours are Sunday - Thursday 10:30am, last tee time of 8:30p and ice cream parlor closing at 9:30p. On Friday and Saturday, the course opens at 10am, last tee time 9:30p and ice cream parlor closes at 10pm. www.farmingtonminiaturegolf.com
Gillette Castle is open weekends through Columbus Day. Masks will be required to enter the Castle, regardless of vaccination status. Tickets will be on sale at the door of the Castle. Additionally, the State is optimistically hoping to also have ticket sales available to pre-purchase up to 12 individuals for specific time slots in 15 minute intervals. To guarantee a slot, advance purchase is recommended. To pre-reserve a slot, guests should check online at the Reserve America website and look for "Gillette Castle State Park Tours" to purchase a ticket. www.reserveamerica.com/tourParkDetail.do?contractCode=CT&parkId=101150&legacy=true
The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and The Mark Twain House & Museum are open to the public for guided tours. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center new tour hours are Thursdays, 12:30pm-8pm (last tour at 7pm); Fridays, 11:30am-6:00pm (last tour at 5pm); and Saturdays, 8:30am-5:30pm (last tour at 4:30pm). Tours will run every hour on the hour Thursdays and Fridays. On Saturdays tours will expand with start times every 30 minutes. The museum highly recommends purchasing tickets online ahead of time; for more information, visit stowecenter.org/visit/tour. The Mark Twain House & Museum tours will go out every hour on the half hour, with the first tour departing at 10:30am EST and the last tour departing at 3:30pm EST. Tours will be limited to six guests to allow for social distance between visitors in every room of the house. To ensure the best possible visitor experience, the museum highly recommends purchasing tickets online ahead of time. For the most up-to-date information on hours and to purchase tickets, please visit marktwainhouse.org/visit.
The New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks hosts the Flights of Fun Family Programs offering social distanced activities for families on Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 4pm including Flight Science Demonstrations, the Investigation Station, and take-home versions of our popular Build and Fly Challenges. Additional activities include QR Code Tours, Scavenger Hunts, and opportunities for visitors to peek inside select aircraft cockpits. All programs are included with general admission. Limited Capacity and Covid-19 safety measures are in place. Please visit www.NEAM.org before you go!
The New England Carousel Museum and Museum of Fire History, 95 Riverside Avenue, Bristol are open to the public and offer free FREE general admission to visitors that live in the cities of Bristol and Burlington through December 31, 2021. General admission includes guided tours at noon and 2:00 PM during public hours and one carousel ride per person. Additional carousel rides are $1 each or $3 for an unlimited ride bracelet. Presently masks are required for all visitors over the age of 2. Other towns may make a reservation online or visit the Museum for ticket prices and special events. www.thecarouselmuseum.org
Take a Fall Hike from Giuffrida Park to Chauncey Peak in Meriden along the Mattabesett Trail to enjoy marvelous views atop the state’s famous traprock ridges. Or there’s Campbell Falls State Park in Norfolk, where you can hike to see a 50-foot waterfall. The waterfall at this park features a rugged form that is not often found in New England. And Bluff Point State Park in Groton, is great place to hike along the Long Island Sound. Hikers can enjoy both wooded trails mixed with spectacular views of the water and maybe even spot some wildlife along the way. And don’t forget Talcott Mountain State Park in Simsbury, where you can hike to the famous 165-foot Heublein Tower and look out to see amazing views of New Hampshire, the Berkshires and parts of Long Island Sound.
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. 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. NEW for 2021 – Outdoor Sand Volleyball Courts! 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.
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/Streaming:
A Grand Night For Singing celebrates over 30 hit songs from all your musical treasures like Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Carousel, The King and I, Cinderella and more. It's the perfect welcome home to Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam and runs now through November 28th. Call the Box Office for Tickets 860-873-8668. www.goodspeed.org
Theaterworks Hartford streams Harrison David River’s workshop piece, “Proximity” Friday through September 29th. The show is about two single parents who get to know each other through their kid’s school during covid isolation. $25 per stream. www.twhartford.org
