October 2014 Events

October 1

• Free gallery talk with Carole P. Kunstadt whose Between the Lines exhibit is currently at Charter Oak Cultural Center. Noon.
• AK Smith Visiting Scholars Series: “Society, Gender and Politics in Iranian Documentary Films”: The long history of the Kurdish people reveals a tangled web of geography, covering large portions
  of the modern-day Middle East. Road to Kurdistan examines the relationship between Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan after the fall of Saddam Hussein and the subsequent opening of the Iraqi border. The film follows a group of Kurdish travelers crossing the border in search of their dreams. A young musician wants to promote his music in Kurdistan, the filmmaker’s father wants to find the grave of a famous Kurdish poet, and they all want to witness a land that has been off-limits to Iranian Kurds for many years. Of Kurdish descent, Persheng Vaziri ‘81 was born and raised in Iran and lives in New York City. She directed several personal documentaries about Iran such as Women Like Us and A Place Called Home. She is a producer for Bridge to Iran series on Link TV, and has worked on documentaries in the U.S. and Iran. A graduate of Trinity College and New York University, she is completing her PhD at Temple University in Philadelphia. For more information, contact Christina Bolio at Christina.Bolio@trincoll.edu.This will take place in the Smith House Reese Room of Cinestudio. Lecture at 4:30, reception at 6p.m.
• Get HYPEd, the monthly networking event for younger (generally in the 25-35 range) adults, will be at Nixs on Front Street from 5:30-8:30pm. There’s no need to register. Admission is free. There are typically some complimentary snacks, but if you want other food or to drink you will have to pay for yourself or sweet-talk someone you meet into picking up the tab. This is described as “casual,” but we have learned that this really means “business casual.” (Those of us who work from home or in non-corporate careers need to have that type of warning). Bring your business cards.
• Want another type of networking event? Come to Faculty Lounge, a free after-hours social event for educators. 5:30-7:30p.m. at the Connecticut Science Center. Pre-registration required.
• Take a Jamming 101 class with Kelly and Caroline at the Hartford Public Library. Billings Forge describes it: “This hands on class will cover the basics of making simple jams. Kelly and Caroline will share techniques for making lower sugar jams; cover the use of pectin; introduce savory jams; and briefly review basic canning practices.” This is $45. Participants will leave with jars of jam, recipes, and an instructional booklet. 6-8p.m.
• MakeHartford Show & Tell takes place from 6-9p.m. at 30 Arbor Street, B7. Bring something that you are working on, or just stop by to check out others’ projects. Free.
• Edward Quinlan will discuss the new book The Justice Imperative: How Hyper-Incarceration Has Hijacked the American Dream. This free talk begins at 6p.m. in the Center for Contemporary Culture in the Hartford Public Library. Refreshments available at 5:30.
• Trinity College Spanish Film Club will be screening La Yuma at 7p.m. in the McCook Auditorium at Trinity College. This is free and open to the general public. Post-film discussion will be in English and Spanish.

October 2

• Free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch (Bushnell Park) from 12-1:30p.m.
• Opening reception for Hartford: Heights, Hopes, and History at the Connecticut Historical Society, One Elizabeth Street. This show includes photographs by Pablo Delano and ink drawings by Richard Welling. 5:30-7:30p.m.
• Frohawk Two Feathers / MATRIX 170 opens tonight and is the focus of the Wadsworth Atheneum’s First Thursday event. There will be an artist talk at 6 p.m. and a performance by hip hop duo Superdeluxe (Frohawk Two Feathers and Micah James) at 7p.m. First Thursday goes from 5-8p.m., $5 general admission, free for members.Usually there is free admission to the film that follows, but this month there is a separate admission cost for that.
• Bomba Y Plena Musical Presentation Taller Folklorico Experimental Tamboken: Join Victor Sterling, fellow percussionist, singer and dancers from the Cepeda family for an evening of Bomba y Plena; a percussion-driven musical tradition with African heritage from Puerto Rico that will move you to dance. This takes place on the terrace of the downtown Hartford Public Library, 6-7:30p.m.
• Eastern Boys screens at Cinestudio at 7:30p.m. They say: “In Paris’ Gare du Nord, 50-something Daniel (Olivier Rabourdin) picks up one of the many “eastern boys,” undocumented immigrants who hang around train stations looking to score some Euros. Although he is treated badly at first, Daniel creates a fragile relationship with Marek, who lives in Dickensian circumstances, holed up in a YMCA room with many other refugees from the former Soviet republics.” General admission is $9, cheaper for students, seniors, and members.
• Sea Tea Improv, Hartford’s improv company, will be hosting Hanging with Harold. They say: “Hanging with Harold is not a class or a workshop. It’s not a show, either. It’s a learn-by-doing drop-in jam where Sea Tea Improv and members of the improv community (that’s you, just by showing up!) perform a kind of longform improv together known as the Harold.” This takes place from 9-11p.m. at 75 Pratt Street, Suite 500. $5.

October 3

• Hartford Seen: Photographs by Pablo Delano opens at the Connecticut Historical Society. We have been anticipating this exhibit for months. Delano does not stick to Downtown with his work, nor does he simply use fancy equipment and glance at structures from afar…and this is why we like it. Today is also the opening for (Re)Building Hartford: A City Captured by Artist Richard Welling and The Hartford Courant, Connecticut, and the Country. CHS is located at One Elizabeth Street. Admission varies.
• Parker Ramsay — the first American appointed organ scholar at King’s College in Cambridge, England — will perform in the Trinity College Chapel, 8-10p.m. For more details, contact John Rose at John.Rose@trincoll.edu or (860) 297-2014.

October 4

• Cedar Hill Cemetery is a site for mourning, but also learning. Today’s event is Way to Go!, a walking tour that they describe this way: “Mayhem, murder and the hazards of everyday life in times gone by are the subjects of this tour led by Evelyn Bollert. Transportation with a mind of its own, constricting corsets, exploding boilers, odorless gases, melancholia, mysticism and more – Cedar Hill’s denizens tell us tales of the dangers of daily living in the late-19th and early-20th centuries.” This begins at 10a.m. $5 general, free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation and Let’s Go Arts members.
• Another tour option: Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk. 10a.m.-12:30p.m. Participants are encouraged to stick around for a picnic lunch after enjoying the free, docent-led tour along the Connecticut River. Register online.
• Connecticut Historical Society restarts its Free First Saturdays today, 10a.m.-1p.m. Families can decorate magnetic photo frames at 10:15 or 11:30a.m. CHS is located at One Elizabeth Street.
• A Blessing of Animals will take place on Saturday, October 4th at 11:00am  at Holy Trinity Church, located at 53 Capitol Avenue, in Hartford. Please bring dry dog or cat food to be donated to the Connecticut Humane Society. Refreshments and treats will be available for all who attend.  This blessing is in keeping with the Feast of St. Francis on October 4th, who had a special love and respect for all of God’s  creatures. If you have questions, please call Holy Trinity at 860 246-4162. Rain or shine!
• Hartford HodgePodge is happening at State House Square and the Connecticut Old State House, 11am-4pm. Expect food vendors, musical performances, and shopping opportunities. Free admission.
• The Friends of Goodwin Park (FOGP) will hold their annual October Festival from 2 pm – 5 pm in the northwest portion of the park (near the playground and basketball courts; please use the Maple Avenue entrance). The festival will feature live music, hayrides, relay races, pumpkin decorating, zumba, door prizes and more. There will also be informational booths, a voter registration table and a visit from the Hartford Public Library’s Library on Wheel. In addition, a Blessing of the Animals will be held at 2:30 pm. Free and open to the public.
• The Spirit of Ukraine! features the Zolotyj Promin Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in the Maxwell and Ruth Belding Theater at the Bushnell. This is a local group out of the Ukrainian American Home in Hartford. Ticket prices start at $20. Show begins at 6pm.

• Kate Callahan and Echo Joy will perform at the Charter Oak Cultural Center at 8pm. Admission is $20 general, $15 for Charter Oak Cultural Center and Let’s Go Arts members, students, and seniors.

October 5

• Get down to the Connecticut River to watch the Head of the Riverfront Rowing Regatta. Best views will be at Charter Oak Landing or the Riverfront Plaza. 7am-5pm. Free for spectators.
• Last chance to see the Horace Wells exhibit at the Hartford History Center, located inside the downtown Hartford Public Library.
• Remembering the 1944 Warsaw Uprising: Polish National Home, 60 Charter Oak Avenue, Hartford
  The outstanding theatre group “Teatr Wyobrazni” will put on a play in the Chopin Ballroom (2-5p.m.) memorializing the Warsaw Uprising in words and song. A commemorative armband with the Resistance insiginia will be given to every ticket holder. To reserve tickets, please call the Polish National Home at 860-247-1784 or email info@polishomect.org. This event will be in Polish. Tickets are $15.
• The Beat City Beauties perform at the Arch Street Tavern on the first Sunday of each month. That’s today. The burlesque begins at 8p.m. and generally lasts for two hours. Doors to the establishment open at 5. Ticket prices vary, cash only.
• Last chance to view Within the Beyond at Real Art Ways.

October 6

• The City Council will hold a public hearing at 5p.m. in Council Chambers. There are several items on the agenda: three resolutions related to the Downtown North Project, and two leases of retail space at 288 Albany Avenue to Headliners Barber Shop and Linda’s Nails. Show up early to sign up to speak. Bring snacks. This could take awhile.
• The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs on Mondays at Arch Street Tavern, starting at 8p.m. No cover.
• Charter Oak Cultural Center and Hartford Jazz Society c0-sponsor Jazz Mondays at Black-Eyed Sally’s. This is also free and starts around 8p.m.

October 7

• Last chance to see the Pedal and Path: Hartford & the Bicycle exhibit on the third floor of the Hartford Public Library. Free.
• The Board of Education will be holding its monthly workshop meeting. There is no public hearing for this, but the public is welcome to sit and listen. The topic for this meeting will be school choice. Meeting begins at 5:30p.m. at Annie Fisher, 280 Plainfield Street.
• The student-driven University of Hartford Farmers’ Market runs from 11a.m.-2p.m. today in the Konover Parking Lot.
• Real Board (Games) at Real Art Ways, 6-10p.m. Free. Games provided, but you can also bring your own.

October 8

• The Hartford Preservation Alliance organizes walking tours. Today’s meets at the cathedral green at 809 Asylum Avenue. They say: “Architecture speaks to us and perfect examples of this can be found at four historic treasures on Asylum Hill: Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Asylum Avenue Baptist Church, Trinity Episcopal Church and the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Learn about the growth and development of the neighborhood from the mid-19^th century into the mid-20^th century and what the architectural design of these landmarks tell us today about the congregations that built them.” The Free tour, sponsored by Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (NINA), is from 12-12:45p.m.
• Last Full Moon Tour of the season at Elizabeth Park. These walks take visitors around Elizabeth Park at a time of day when most do not experience the space. Wear comfortable shoes and consider bringing a flashlight. Meet at the Pond House at 6p.m. Rain date is October 8. Free.
• Trinity College Spanish Film Club will be screening I Travel Because I Have to; I Come Back Because I Love You at 7p.m. in the McCook Auditorium at Trinity College. This is free and open to the general public. Post-film discussion will be in English and Spanish.

October 9

• Free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park from 12-1:30p.m.
• Butler-McCook House & Garden hosts a Cultural Cocktail Hour on the second Thursday of each month through December. This is free, with snacks and beverages. 5:30-7:30p.m. This is the yellow old-timey house at the corner of Capitol and Main.
• The Hartford Public Library is hosting a debate on the ballot question that could eliminate voting restrictions in the Connecticut State Constitution. Refreshments are available at 5:30p.m., program begins at 6. Free.
• Book Launch Reception and Author Talk: The Logbooks: Connecticut’s Slave Ships and Human Memory by Anne Farrow will take place in the Hartford History Center at the Hartford Public Library. Reception at 5:30, book signing at 6. All are welcome to celebrate the launching of independent historian and writer Anne Farrow’s new book, The Logbooks, which accounts for a series of slave ships’ logs linking New London and West Africa during the mid-18th century. In partnership with the Connecticut State Library the free event will begin with a cheese and wine reception followed by an author talk and book signing.

October 10

• Last chance to see Between the Lines, works by Carole P. Kunstadt at the Charter Oak Cultural Center
• Columbus Day Parade & Festival on Franklin Avenue: A festival will be held on Franklin Avenue, between Bolton Street and Victoria Road, on Friday, October 10 (5-10 pm); Saturday, October 11 (1 – 10 pm); and Sunday, October 12 (12 – 7 pm). The festival will feature carnival rides and Italian food, music and live performances. Open to the public, free admission.
• “Spiritualism doesn’t have to be a drag, but it will be when drag superstar Cashetta unveils her side-splitting, magical and mysterious show featuring the tricks and trappings of mediums everywhere!  Will she conduct a silly séance?  Will she make spirits materialize and disappear (faster than the spirits in her cocktail glass)?” This seance-with-a-twist will begin at 7p.m. at the Mark Twain House & Museum. $25 general admission, less for museum members.
• Read It & Sleep: A monthly pajama party for children and their families to enjoy snacks, hear a bedtime story and the first 25 families can take home a free copy of the featured book. This free event begins at 7p.m. in the Charter Oak Cultural Center.
• Last chance to view RealUnreal at Real Art Ways.

October 11

• Today is the Hartford Marathon — plan accordingly. The 5K begins on Washington Street at Buckingham by the red balloon arch. The marathon and half marathon start on Capitol Avenue by the State Capitol/State Library. Wheelchair start at 7:55a.m., others at 8a.m. No fee to watch others participate.
• Hartford HodgePodge is happening at State House Square and the Connecticut Old State House, 11am-4pm. Expect food vendors, musical performances, and shopping opportunities. Free admission. If you get there early, prepare to be talked into doing some (free) yoga).
• Second Saturdays are free at the Wadsworth Atheneum. Today, this will be from 1-4p.m., later than usual to accommodate the marathon. Museum admission is free all day, 10a.m.-5p.m.
• Faith Congregational Church 195th Anniversary Jazz Concert: Faith Congregational Church is celebrating its 195th anniversary. As Hartford’s first Black church and the third oldest African congregation, the church’s history of social activism and community leadership is reflected in the anniversary theme “Built on a Solid Foundation Still Serving”. Today, Faith Congregational Church will host a jazz concert as one of the events to celebrate its anniversary. Featured musicians include Emory Smith, Alvin carter, Jr., David Gonzales, Earl W. Gardner, Anil Butler and Dr. Ruth Bass-Green. The concert will take place at Faith Congregational Church, 2030 Main Street, Hartford, CT from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. Tickets are $19.50 For more information contact Sharon Steinle at 860/836-0549 or via email at ssassociates@sbcglobal.net/
• Anne Cubberly’s giant puppets herald the end of autumn and the dawn of winter in Night Fall, 5:30-7:30p.m. This free event in Colt Park will feature music and dance.
• At 7:30p.m., Kendra Emery will be having her cd release party at the Dirt Salon, 50 Bartholomew Avenue. Her album, Beautiful Mess, consists of nine original works for a combination of tenor saxophone, voice, and electronics. The composers involved in this recording are Adam Cuthbért, Alex Dowling, Ben Hjertmann, Brendon Randall Myers, Emma O’Halloran, Erik DeLuca, Finola Merivale, Max Stoffregen, and Stephen Feigenbaum. The concert begins at 8. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students. Cash only.
• The Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra, Puppetsweat Theater, and Hartford Opera Theater present Martin Bresnick’s Der Signal which is based on a 19th century Russian-Yiddish short story. This begins at 7:30pm at the Charter Oak Cultural Center. Admission is $20 general, $15 for Charter Oak Cultural Center and Let’s Go Arts members, seniors and students.
• Hartford Prints! celebrates one year of being on Pratt Street. There will be music, food, and more. The party begins at 8p.m. Free.

October 12

• Two reasons to go just a bit into West Hartford today. From 10:30-11:30a.m. Congregation Beth Israel will be hosting a free book talk. Award-winning journalist Gerri Chanel will talk about her new book Saving Mona Lisa: The Battle to Protect the Louvre and its Treasures During World War II.  In her talk she will provide an update about the current status of Jewish art taken from France during the war. This takes place at 701 Farmington Avenue.
• Columbus Day Parade & Festival on Franklin Avenue: The annual Columbus Day Parade will start at 10:30 am at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Franklin Avenue and continue down Franklin all the way to Columbus Park on the Wethersfield town line. This year’s parade honorees are Concetta Indomenico-Buscema, President of Connecticut Masons; Americo “Rico” Pace, a veteran of the D-Day landings in World War II; Italo Miceli, Air Force Veteran; and Gaetano Leone, engineer. The Parade Grand Marshall is Salvatore Marotta, President of Autumn Transpor­tation. A Catholic Mass in Italian will precede the parade at 9 am in Columbus Park. The festival continues today from 12-7p.m.
• The CT Robotics Society Meeting will be held at MakeHartford, 30 Arbor Street, B7. 1-4p.m.
• Cross that city line again to check out another edition of 92nd Street Y at 7p.m. in Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Avenue. Tonight’s live broadcast is with Mario Batali and Mark Bittman: “Cooking Fast and Slow.” Admission is $5.

October 13

• Charter Oak Cultural Center and Hartford Jazz Society c0-sponsor Jazz Mondays at Black-Eyed Sally’s. This is free and starts around 8p.m.
• The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs on Mondays at Arch Street Tavern, starting at 8p.m. No cover.

October 14

• The Hartford Public Library is hosting the Attorney General & Secretary of State candidate forum. Invited candidates include George Jepsen, Kie Westby, and Steve Fournier (AG), and Denise Merrill, Peter Lumaj, and Mike DeRosa (Sec. of State). Refreshments are available at 5:30p.m., program begins at 6. Free.
• Hartford Minimalists meet at MakeHartford, 7-9p.m. There is no charge to attend this meeting at 30 Arbor Street, #B7.

October 15

• Listen in on award-winning journalist and biographer Joshua C. Kendall as he examines the life of American lexicographer Noah Webster, and how his obsessional behaviors may have been instrumental to his work. The event is free and will include light refreshments and a cake to celebrate Noah Webster’s 258th birthday. Presentation at 5:30, book signing at 6p.m. in the Hartford History Center at the Hartford Public Library.
• Ghosts and Ghouls Playshop: Make Hartford says: “Like the elves’ toy-making workshop at the North Pole before Christmas, only this is a Halloween version, MakeHartford style, with ghosts and ghouls and other costumes in the making. Bring your supplies and work on your Halloween costume along with others. We’ll have some supplies/equipment to share, multiple work tables, plus knowledgeable costumers and generally creative people who might be able to help with brainstorming techniques and solutions to make your wildest Halloween costume ideas a reality. This is also the perfect opportunity to work on an entry for the Trash-O-Ween competition. Please post in the comments below if you are in need of supplies that someone else might be willing to share. The playshop is open to the public three nights in October and happens at the same time as MakeHartford’s Open House nights, so you’ll be able to get your costume ready, see others’ interesting projects (Halloween and otherwise), possibly learn a bit along the way, and definitely have a good time. These events are free, with donations in support of MakeHartford happily accepted. This is also the perfect opportunity to work on an entry for the Trash-O-Ween competition.” Starting today and taking place on the next two Wednesdays, 6:30-9p.m. at MakeHartford, 30 Arbor Street, #B7.

October 16

• Free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park from 12-1:30p.m.
• Mary Falvey of the Hartford Preservation Alliance will be leading a free tour inspired by Connecticut artist Richard Welling’s drawings. This hour-long tour begins at the Old State House at 12 noon. Pre-registration is encouraged: (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jennifer_steadman@chs.org.
• The Connecticut Science Center is hosting an evening with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend: Women Taking Power Seriously. This begins with a networking reception and includes Kennedy Townsend speaking about women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 6-8p.m. $25 for adults, $18 for students, seniors & CT Science Center members.
• Creative Cocktail Hour at Real Art Ways. 6-10p.m. Admission is $10 general, $5 for members.
• Colette Collage and A Cabaret: The musical opens tonight in Garmany Hall, Austin Arts Center at Trinity College. This is free, but tickets are required. 7:30-11p.m. For tickets, contact: (860) 297-2199.

October 17

• Sea Tea Improv’s Longform Showcase will be at Billings Forge tonight. They say: “Every month’s show is like a miniature improv festival! Laugh with Sea Tea Improv, a guest group, and a mixed group of area improvisers as they perform different kinds of *longform* improv comedy! What’s *longform* improv comedy? It’s the styles of improv comedy made popular in Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and other big cities where a single suggestion or story from the audience can become a 15-30 minute improvised comedy, created right before your eyes!” Tickets are $10. The Studio at Billings Forge is located at 563 Broad Street.

October 18

• Mary Falvey of the Hartford Preservation Alliance will be leading a free tour inspired by Connecticut artist Richard Welling’s drawings. This hour-long tour begins at the Old State House at 10a.m. Pre-registration is encouraged: (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jennifer_steadman@chs.org.
• Hartford HodgePodge is happening at State House Square and the Connecticut Old State House, 11am-4pm. Expect food vendors, musical performances, and shopping opportunities. Free admission.
• The Hooker Day Parade is a not-to-be-missed fast-moving affair. It starts at 2pm and finishes in under and hour. Let your freak flag fly! It is free to watch, free to participate.
• Behind-the-Scenes Tour: CHS Gets Creepy: History gets creepy with this spooky look behind the scenes tour. Tales of vampires, corpses on ice, death portraits, and even séances haunt the storage vaults of the CHS. Come and get the history scared out of you! Tour beginning at 2p.m. lasts approximately 1 hour and are appropriate for ages 12 and up. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Questions? Call (860) 236-5621×289 or email Jenny Steadman. Tickets: $6 CHS members, $12 non-members. CHS is located at One Elizabeth Street.

October 19

• Today is the first day of Charter Oak Cultural Center’s Sacred Art Workshops. They describe this as: “Charter Oak Cultural Center and The Academy for Jewish Religion are pleased to offer a series of workshops engaging text through study and the arts. We will integrate serious textual study with deep artistic inquiry as we see that the arts are a forum to bring together clergy, scholars, artists, and all interested individuals in partnership. This program gives all involved new and rich connections to text by expanding the modalities through which we teach Torah. We will study sections of Genesis using various artistic media including writing, visual arts, and circus arts. No previous knowledge or artistic experience is necessary to enjoy these workshops.” Today’s workshop is “Writing the Garden: Encountering the Story of Eden through the Practice of Creative Writing” with instructor Rabbi Jill Hammer. 10am-12noon. There are also workshops taught by other instructors in November and December. Classes are $18 each ($9 for students) or $45 for all three. Each class is held at the Charter Oak Cultural Center.
• Halloween on Vernon Street: It may be early, but don’t look a free candy gift horse in the mouth. 1-4p.m.
• Our Lord of Miracles Procession: Our Lady of Sorrows Church (Corner of New Park Avenue and Greenwood Street) HEMIPERU will hold its annual mass and procession in honor of Senor de los Milagros (Lord of Miracles). The event concludes a month of programs in honor of Our Lord of Miracle, who is the object of great devotion in Peru as well as among Peruvian-Americans. During the procession, which takes several hours, HESMIOERU members carry a shrine to Our Lord of Miracles through the streets of Parkville. The event draws Peruvian-Americans from throughout the Northeast. Please Note: The public is welcome to observe the procession, but because this is primarily a solemn religious ceremony, an attitude of respect and reverence is requested. This begins at 1:30p.m.
• Fixers’ Cooperative: This is a monthly work party for projects that involve fixing broken stuff. Fix them yourself or get help from others. MakeHartford says: “sharing skills and brainstorming are the cooperative and empowering aspects of this group.” Some tools and supplies will be available, but contact them if there is something specific you are looking for. There is no fee, donations welcome. This takes place 6:30-9p.m. at MakeHartford, 30 Arbor Street #B7.
• Black 47 performs at Infinity Music Hall & Bistro at 7:30p.m. Tickets begin at $20.

October 20

• Art.Food.Family: Enjoy a free dinner donated and served by volunteers from Beth El Temple, followed by a Rap Poetry Workshop. Come for one or both! This all ages event is free at Charter Oak Cultural Center. 5:30-8:30p.m.

October 21

• University of Hartford Farmers’ Market is in the Konover Lot, 11-2.
• The Board of Education will hold its regular meeting, complete with public hearing, at 5:30p.m. Show up early to sign up if you wish to speak. This will take place at Batchelder, 757 New Britain Avenue.
• Julia Toda en Mi, a film about the life of poet Julia de Burgos, will screen beginning at 5:30p.m. in the Center for Contemporary Culture at the Hartford Public Library. It will be followed by a panel discussion. Free.

October 22

• There will be an educational panel discussion in the Center for Contemporary Culture at the Hartford Public Library from 6-7:30p.m. They say: “How is Hartford building and rebuilding its educational spaces? What impact does the built environment have on learning, and how can an understanding of that impact lead to better schools and public education spaces?” Free.
• Ghosts and Ghouls Playshop continues tonight at MakeHartford, 6:30-9p.m. This free workshop takes place at 30 Arbor Street, #B7.

October 23

• If you missed Carole P. Kunstadt’s work at Charter Oak Cultural Center or just want to see more of it, head to the Clare Gallery at St. Patrick/St. Anthony Church today through December 28, 2014.
• Free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park from 12-1:30p.m.
• The Hartford Public Library will host a One Book One Hartford event at 6p.m. They say: “Hartford Stage’s Tony Award-Winning Creative Director Darko Tresnjak leads a discussion on Art Spieglman’s powerful, introspective visual account of the tragic events of 9/11 and its life-altering aftermath.” The Spiegelman account is In the Shadow of No Towers. Free.
• Tonight is the opening reception for The Sexuality Spectrum at the Charter Oak Cultural Center, 6-8pm. They say that artists explore the “social and religious attitudes toward sexuality, issues of marginalization and inclusion, and the influence of the LGBTQ community in the Jewish world. Free.
• The Geometric Origami Club meets from 6-9p.m. at MakeHartford, 30 Arbor, B7.

October 24

• Last chance to see Family Traits an exhibit by Isabel Acosta in the ArtWalk Gallery at the Hartford Public Library.
• Tonight’s event at Cedar Hill Cemetery is a little bit spooky for the season, but is educational and grounded in history. They say: “The Friday before Halloween brings Cedar Hill’s Haunted History Lantern Tour! Join us for the only night the Cemetery is open to the public after dark. Led by lantern light, attendees will visit the final resting places of some of Cedar Hill’s notable and not-so-notable residents. Character actors will share their true-yet-darker-tales. To ensure your participation in this tour, reservations are required for specific time slots. Book your reservations early by calling 860-956-3311. Please note: This tour may not be suitable for children under 13. Wear appropriate walking shoes and bring a flashlight. Refreshments will be available for purchase.” The tours are from 6-9:30pm and admission is $15.
• Liquid Lounge: Trick or Treat, Halloween Edition from 6-10p.m. at the Connecticut Science Center. Play without any kids around. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. 21+ only.
• An Evening with Noam Chomsky: This man needs no introduction. If you want to see and hear him talk at the Mark Twain House & Museum, it’ll cost you $30 ($25 if you are a MTH&M member). This begins at 7p.m.
• LGBT Masquerade Ball: Greater Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Chamber (CTGLC) will host its first LGBT Masquerade Ball from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. This grand event will take place in the atrium of historic Hartford City Hall and is co-sponsored by the office of Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra. The event will feature dancing, vendors, appetizers, raffles, a best mask contest and more. $10 Suggested Donation; cash bar. For more information, please call the CTGLC office at (860) 612-8351.
• American organist Christopher Houlihan returns to his alma mater to help celebrate the inauguration of Dr. Joanne Berger-Sweeney as 22nd president of Trinity College. Listen at the Trinity College Chapel, 8-10p.m. Free, but registration is required.

October 25

• The Greater Hartford Children’s Latino Film Festival is at Cinestudio from 10a.m. – 1:30p.m. They say that this “showcases Latino and global youth themed art films including shorts, animations, documentaries, and full-length feature films for children ages three to eighteen free of charge. The project concept is based on utilizing art cinema as a powerful agent of change by exposing youth to films that nurture innovative and critical thinking, celebrate imagination, and promote positive cultural/human values that empower them to reach their fullest potential.” Free for kids, $5 for adults. Recommended for children age 8-14.
• Transport Hartford will be having another Walk Hartford event today. This is designed to be a slow, meandering walk. The kind that involves stopping to smell the roses, take Instagrams of them, and then head in a different direction than planned because those roses were so distracting. These walks are opportunities to see the city from another perspective, while socializing and maybe stopping for refreshments. Wear comfortable shoes and bring cash if you don’t want to just drool while others are noshing. Last month, the walk went through south and east sections. This time, it heads north. Meet by the carousel in Bushnell Park around 1p.m. and expect to return in a few hours. Free. Cancels for torrential downpours or blizzard conditions. Also, if there are clouds of locusts.
• Also at Cinestudio: Guardians of the Galaxy. Screens at 2:30 and 7:30p.m. today. General admission is $9, less for students, seniors, and members.

October 26

• The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford will have one of its “Back to the Old Neighborhoods” Hartford bus tours today. The tour includes stops at former synagogues in Hartford. Tours begin at 9:30am and 1:30pm. It begins at the Community Services Building at 333 Bloomfield Avenue in West Hartford and lasts approximately three hours. The ability to climb some stairs is needed for those who wish to fully participate. Advanced registration is required. Tickets are $28 general, $24 for JHSGH members.
• For a number of obvious reasons, the inauguration of Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Trinity College’s new president, is pretty groundbreaking. If you want to be part of the welcome, show up at the Koeppel Community Sports Center, 175 New Britain Avenue. The inauguration begins at 11a.m. This is free and open to the public, but you will need to register in advance.
• Last chance to see Into the Light, an art exhibition of paintings from the 1600’s-1800’s, belonging to the Kress Collection at Trinity College. This display celebrates the conservation of four Italian paintings from the Kress Collection. This is in the Widener Gallery in the Austin Arts Center. Gallery hours 1-6 p.m., Sunday through Friday.This is free and open to the public.
• MakeHartford says: “Our discussion this month will be about blood diseases and behaviours that can underlie the historical myths about vampirism.  Then we will watch the classic 1931 version of Dracula, and those who wish may remain for a discussion about movie special effects, vampires in literature and film, or other topics.  Feel free to bring your dinner or a potluck contribution to eat during the lecture or film.” 6-9p.m. at 30 Arbor, #B7.
• Come to City Steam Brewery’s Brew Ha Ha Comedy Club for Sea Tea Improv‘s monthly free comedy show. They say: “See why the Hartford Advocate recognized Sea Tea Improv’s monthly show as one of the top things to do in Hartford. Enjoy City Steam’s dinner menu and locally brewed beers while performers take suggestions from you and weave them into comedic scenes. The comedy club doors open at 6PM for seating and food. Improv begins at 7PM. Call ahead to City Steam at 860-525-1600 to reserve seats. All ages are welcome. Due to the sale of alcohol, those under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.” City Steam is at 942 Main Street.

October 27

• Catch Mood Indigo at Cinestudio. Here is their description of the film: “The newest film by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) stars Audrey Tautou (Amélie) and Romain Duris (The Beat That My Heart Skipped) in an extraordinary adaptation of the novel by Boris Vian. Duris plays a rich Parisian who one day decides to fall in love. As if by magic, he meets Chloe (Audrey Tautou), sweeping her into a cloud-shaped saucer which gives a fantastical overhead tour of the City of Light. With the use of puppets, animation, and ingenious inventions like a piano that makes cocktails to order, their love story is a dream come to life…until it isn’t.” Start time is 7:30p.m. General admission is $9, less for students, seniors, and members.

October 28

• University of Hartford Farmers’ Market is in the Konover Lot, 11-2. This is the last one for the season.
• Today is also the final West End Farmers’ Market of the season, 4-7p.m. on the Clemens Green on Farmington Avenue.
• Punk Jews: Profiling Hassidic punk rockers, Yiddish street performers, African-American Jewish Activists and more, Punk Jews explores an emerging movement of provocateurs and committed Jews who are asking, each in his or her own way, what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century.This begins at 6p.m. in the Charter Oak Cultural Center. Admission is at the low, punk rock price of $5.

October 29

• Ghosts and Ghouls Playshop: tonight at MakeHartford, 6:30-9p.m. This free workshop takes place at 30 Arbor Street, #B7.

October 30

• Free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park from 12-1:30p.m.
• The Institute for Community Research will host the opening of Warmth and Creativity: The Hudson Family Quilts from 5-7p.m. at the ICR Gallery, 2 Hartford Square West, 146 Wyllys Street. The exhibit will include traditional southern African American hand-sewn quilts made by the late Laura Hudson, along with new multi-media art works crafted by members of her family, including her son Robert Charles Hudson and her husband Joseph Hudson. The Second Baptist Male Choir will perform at the opening reception. The event is free and open to the public.
• Sea Tea Improv will be live dubbing a horror film (to be decided) at Real Art Ways. Check back as the time approaches to get details on the exact time and admission cost. If you enjoy bad things being done to worse films (think MST3K), this is where you need to be tonight.

October 31

• Last farmers’ market of season at Old State House, 10-2.
• Last chance to see Land & Sea by artist Jane Penfield at the 100 Pearl Street Gallery.
• Thriller & Beyond Holiday Party: Hartford City Ballet will host “Thriller & Beyond,” a special Family Halloween Party o from 5 – 7 pm at 224 Farmington Avenue. Tickets are only $3 per person! Hartford City Ballet teachers will lead Thriller Dances, based on the legendary Michael Jackson video, at 5:15, 5:30, 5:45, 6:15, 6:30 and 6:45 pm. At 6 pm there will be a costume parade. Party-goers will also get a chance to decorate their own treat bucket and take part in a scavenger hunt. For more information, call 860-233-8552 or go to the website: hartfordcityballet.org.
• Shag Frenzy, the monthly dance party, will be celebrating its ten year anniversary with shows tonight and tomorrow. Starting around 9:30 p.m. at Arch Street Tavern, there will be several DJs, along with two bands: Farewood and Cult of Ulysses. Tickets are $7-10.

DISCLAIMERS: This list is not intended to include every single event happening in Hartford. We include those that are affordable to the widest range of readers, making exceptions for those that are for a very good cause, are especially unique, or offer some kind of long-term benefit (like a cooking class). The list includes only Hartford events, except for when nothing like it is being offered in city limits currently.

Details are as accurate as we can verify, but venues, times, and so forth are known to change. If this sort of thing bugs you, contact the venue before schlepping out.

Once published, no changes are made unless information is inaccurate. Deadline for details is the 25th of preceding month.

Thanks to Andy Hart/Hartford News for collaboration on this calendar.