***** 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:
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra presents the 2021 Bravo! Virtual Gala: Metamorphosēs Saturday at 7 pm. Like last year’s virtual gala, all are welcome at this event! Register for free at https://hartfordsymphony.org/bravo/. This year’s virtual event, titled Metamorphosēs, will celebrate the future we aim to build together while acknowledging our communal and individual hardships over this past year. During this year’s Bravo! Virtual Gala we will be celebrating HSO Music Director Carolyn Kuan’s 10th season with the HSO, as well as introduce exciting new content, including newly recorded and never-before-seen orchestra performances! ASL interpreting will also be provided, sponsored by Imagineers, Robinson & Cole and Solinsky Hearing Center. Everyone can participate in our online auction this year – filled with wine, home improvement, getaways and more!
Join the Manchester Lions as they host a fabulous paper shredding event Saturday, 9am to noon in the parking lot of St. Bridget’s Church, Main Street, Manchester. Two (2) box limit of paper - $10 Fee to benefit the Charitable efforts of the Lions. For more information, call Wayne Johnson at 860-874-7820.
The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and The Mark Twain House & Museum are reopened to the public for guided tours beginning Saturday. Situated in the historic Nook Farm neighborhood in the West End of Hartford, these adjacent tourism attractions welcome tens of thousands of visitors and field trips annually. Both museums will resume tours with safe visitation protocols including reduced tour capacities and frequency and mandatory mask use for guests and staff. Due to the smaller tour sizes, advance online ticket reservations are highly recommended for both sites to avoid disappointment. 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. Residents should be prepared to show and ID or proof or residence. This was made possible by the museums receiving grants from local foundations. 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
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. Please make a reservation and follow mask and social distancing guidelines! Call (860) 282-2695
Farmington Miniature Golf & Ice Cream Parlor is open daily, weather permitting! Great family fun on route 4 in Farmington!
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:
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra Spotlight Series continues with Spotlight: Spring Strings was filmed at the Connecticut Historical Society and will be available on-demand now through May 9. Tickets are on sale now. Tickets and information are available at hartfordsymphony.org. Spotlight: Spring Strings will feature Edward German’s Three Dances from “Henry VIII”, Philip Glass’ String Quartet No. 2, “Company”, Florence Price’s Adante, George Gershwin’s Lullaby, John Williams’ Hedwig’s Theme (arr. Peter Zay), and Ludwig Van Beethoven’s String Trio in C Minor, Mvt. I & II. The concert is performed by the HSO String Quartet (Lisa Rautenberg, violin; Martha Kayser, violin; Nicholas Borghoff, viola; and Jeffrey Krieger, cello), the HSO Piacere Quartet (Jaroslaw Lis, violin; Deborah Tyler, violin; Michael Wheeler, viola; and Jia Cao, cello) and the HSO Mosaic Trio (Lu Sun Friedman, violin; Pat Daly Vance, viola; and Peter Zay, cello).
Tune in for an exciting virtual Sunday Serenades presentation from two vibrant Hartford institutions: The Hartford Symphony Orchestra and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art every Sunday till June 10, 2021. Chamber music curated by HSO Concertmaster, Leonid Sigal will include HSO musicians perform music by Samuel Barber, Astor Piazzolla, Richard Strauss, and Ludwig van Beethoven surrounded by the shimmering sculpture of Paul Manship. Tickets are $15, and $10 for HSO subscribers and Wadsworth Atheneum members, and are available at hartfordsymphony.org To visit the exhibition Ancient Made Modern, check thewadsworth.org for current museum hours and covid precautions.
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, fire pits and safety! 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. The expanded outdoor patio is also open for the season. 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.
