January 1

  • While everyone else is hungover, go to the ice rink in Bushnell Park — 11a.m-8p.m. Free ice time, free skate rentals.

January 2

  • GAZE: The gay happy hour is tonight at Real Art Ways, 5:30. Free

January 3

  • Free admission to the Connecticut Historical Society today, 9-5. This is good for all museum galleries, but not the research center. Family programming is planned from 10-1. Artist Robert Charles Hudson will be painting from 10-2. CHS is located at One Elizabeth Street.

January 4

  • Eli Yamin, along with Lakecia Benjamin, Jennifer Vincent and Craig Haynes will kick off the 2015 Baby Grand Jazz series at the Hartford Public Library, 3-4 p.m. This is free and open to the public. Get there early if you want a seat!
  • Last chance to see MATRIX 170 at the Wadsworth Atheneum.

January 5

  • MakeHartford offers a Learn to Solder class from 6:30-9p.m. $35. Bring your own safety glasses if you can!
  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at Arch Street Tavern starting at 8p.m. Free.
  • From 8-11 p.m., there will be free jazz performances at Black-eyed Sally’s. (Arch ends earlier, so if you are trying to go to both, plan accordingly)

January 6

  • Three Kings Day Parade: Begins at approximately 10 a.m. near 95 Park Street, continuing until Pope Park.
  • The Hartford Board of Education will hold its monthly workshop meeting from 5-7p.m. at the Central Office, 960 Main Street. This is open to the public, but there is no public comment period at workshop meetings. Come to learn about what is going on.
  • Real Board (Games) at Real Art Ways, 6p.m. and free. Games provided. Bring your own if you have something that they don’t.

January 7

  • The Cloud Coffee & Martini Bar (10 Maple Ave) will be hosting tonight’s Get HYPEd, the networking event for young professionals and entrepreneurs. 5:30-8:30 p.m. It is free to attend. (They say) Bring business cards and (we say) think about interesting conversation starters that have nothing to do with your job.
  • Open House, Show & Tell, and String Thing at MakeHartford: “Come take a tour of MH, and in the Show & Tell explain your makerly resolution – what do you want to learn, or finish, or make in 2015?” 6:30-9p.m. Free.

January 8

  • Gil Tamary, the Washington Bureau Chief for Israel’s Channel 10 News, will be at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s Lunch & Learn today from noon-1 p.m. The topic: “The Gaza Conflict & The Media War.” This will take place at 100 Pearl Street.  RSVP  ljohnson@jewishhartford.org

January 9

  • Read It and Sleep: Charter Oak Cultural Center’s literary pajama party features a reading of The Lorax at 7p.m. This free event provides hot chocolate, cookies, and a copy of the book for families to take home.
  • SUGAR: Robbie McCauley’s autobiographical solo show about living with diabetes starts tonight at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue. 7:30 p.m. Admission: $25
  • Last chance to see Anita Gangi Balkun’s Upcycled Sampler at the ArtWalk Gallery inside of the Hartford Public Library. Free.

January 10

  • Second Saturdays for Families at the Wadsworth Atheneum: This means free admission from 10-1, and no, if you are a single and not a family, they won’t bar you from entering. What makes it “for families” is the programming, totally optional, offered during this time. Storyteller Tom Lee will be doing his thang, with Jason and the Golden Fleece as the theme for this month’s event.
  • Shabbat Yoga: wear yoga clothes, bring a yoga mat, and go to Temple Beth El in West Hartford. Free. No need to rsvp.
  • SUGAR: Robbie McCauley’s autobiographical solo show about living with diabetes continues tonight at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue. 7:30 p.m. Admission: $25

January 11

  • SUGAR: Robbie McCauley’s autobiographical solo show about living with diabetes continues this afternoon at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue. 2:00 p.m. Admission: $25
  • Today’s installment of the Baby Grand Jazz series features the Nicholas Di Maria Quintet. This free event is hosted by the Hartford Public Library, 3-4 p.m.

January 12

  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at Arch Street Tavern starting at 8p.m. Free.
  • Free jazz at Black-eyed Sally’s, 8-11 p.m.

January 13

January 14

  • Free open house at MakeHartford, 6-9p.m. Visit, make small projects, give presentations.
  • Catch Gone Girl at Cinestudio, 7:30 p.m. Admission: $9.

January 15

  • Creative Cocktail Hour at Real Art Ways: art and music. $10 general, $5 for RAW members. Starts at 6 p.m. When does it end?

January 16

  • Fire & Ice Party: ice skating, drinks, and appetizers at the Pump House Gallery in Bushnell Park. The suggested $10 donation covers wine and food. 5-8 p.m.
  • SUGAR: Robbie McCauley’s autobiographical solo show about living with diabetes continues tonight at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue. 7:30 p.m. Admission: $25

January 17

  • Last chance to see Ray Lamoureux’s Portrait of New England at the 100 Pearl Street Gallery.
  • SUGAR: Robbie McCauley’s autobiographical solo show about living with diabetes continues tonight at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue. 7:30 p.m. Admission: $25

January 18

  • Filmmaker Fred Wiseman will be joining the audience via Skype for conversation before the screening of National Gallery, the documentary about The National Gallery in London. This begins at 2p.m. in the Aetna Theater at the Wadsworth Atheneum. Admission is $9, less for seniors, students, etc.
  • SUGAR: Robbie McCauley’s autobiographical solo show about living with diabetes continues this afternoon at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue. 2:00 p.m. Admission: $25. This is the last chance to see it!
  • Eri Yamamoto and Ikuo Takeuchi will create the music for today’s edition of the Baby Grand Jazz series at the Hartford Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free.
  • Fixer’s Cooperative at MakeHartford: Work on repairing items, get help fixing things. 6:30-9p.m. Free.
  • Stop by City Steam Brewery to see Sea Tea Improv’s free monthly show. 7-9p.m. 21+ (be with a parent or guardian if you are not of age)

January 19

  • Free admission to the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center from 9:30-5 today in honor of Martin Luther King Day. At noon there will be a ringing of bells for peace and visitors are encouraged to bring their own bells along. The Center is collecting bath towels today for local homeless shelters; if you wish to give, give a new towel please.
  • Free admission to the Mark Twain House & Museum today for Hartford residents, 9:30-5:30. Bring proof of residence. Last house tour starts at 4:30.
  • Free admission to the Wadsworth Atheneum from 10-5 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Day. Expect poetry, art activities, and more family-oriented events.
  • Free jazz at Arch Street Tavern. Music starts at 8p.m.
  • Free jazz at Black-eyed Sally’s, 8-11 p.m.

January 20

  • Regular Board of Education meeting begins at 5p.m. at MLK, 25 Ridgefield. Stop by a few minutes early if you want to sign up to speak during the public comment period.

January 21

  • “Public Scoping Meeting” about the I-84 Hartford project at the Hartford Public Library. Casual open house begins at 3 p.m. A formal presentation followed by comment period begins at 5:30 p.m. This is the first step of the environmental process. Comments given during this process become part of the official public record for the project. You can speak with reps one-on-one, comment before a larger group, or put your ideas in writing. If you need to submit your ideas in writing, you have until February 20, 2015.
  • Open House and String Thing at MakeHartford: 6-9p.m. and free. Thinking of joining? Working on some kind of yarn project? Stop by tonight.
  • Congregation Beth Israel (just over the line into West Hartford on Farmington Avenue) has been hosting live broadcasts from the 92nd Street Y. At 8 tonight, Ambassador Martin S. Indyk, former U.S. special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, will share his diplomatic and scholarly perspective on the latest Israeli-Arab conflict. $5 (cash or check) at the door. All are welcome.

January 22.

  • Salons at Stowe: “Has inequality reached the tipping point?” is the question focusing the conversation tonight. This free event is from 5-7p.m. at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (77 Forest Street). Make reservations: Info@StoweCenter.org or 860-522-9258, ext. 317

January 23

January 24

  • Certification training in Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation: This program begins today, 9-2, at the Hartford Public Library. It is held on Saturdays through March 28, 2015. This program, co-sponsored by the Hartford Public Library and Connecticut Center for Nonviolence, is free for Hartford residents, but reservations are required info@ctnonviolence.org or call 860-567-3441.
  • Stop by the Charter Oak Cultural Center to join in the discussion on The Courage to Change, Haymarket’s “chronicle of experiences to people who work in non-profit organizations – within human services, foundations, community organizing, advocacy, education, and those working with constituencies of any age and identity. Because Haymarket is a New England organization, this experience is grounded in the particularities of the organizational culture of this location. This includes the intersection with the manifestations of institutionalized racism, historical amnesia,and continuous denial.” It is free to attend but an rsvp to events@haymarket.org is requested so they know how many books to bring. This begins at 1 p.m. If it postpones due to snow, Plan B is the same time and place on January 31st.
  • The Tarantino/Terefenko Duo performs as part of the Baby Grand Jazz series today at the Hartford Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free.
  • Shag Frenzy, the indie dance party, returns to Arch Street Tavern at 9:30 p.m. This is 21+. Tickets: $7-10.

January 25

  • It’s Sensory Friendly Day at the Connecticut Science Center, 10a.m.-12 noon. This is the time when guests who prefer a quieter, dimmer environment will have just that for two hours. Admission: $12 (plus transaction fee) in advance, or approx. $15 at door.

January 26

  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at Arch Street Tavern starting at 8p.m. Free.
  • Free jazz at Black-eyed Sally’s, 8-11 p.m.
About 5% of the Hartford Hot Several, who’ll be playing at Black-eyed Sally’s on 1/31

January 27

  • Journey Home will be conducting its annual Point-in-Time Count today through January 29th. They are looking for volunteers to go to shelters and streets to interview people who are homeless. This will be 4-7 a.m in the streets today.  Contact willem.donahue@journeyhomect.org to get more information and volunteer.

January 28

  • Journey Home will be conducting its annual Point-in-Time Count today at two separate times. They are looking for volunteers to go to shelters (7-11 p.m.) and streets (4-7 a.m.) to interview people who are homeless. Contact willem.donahue@journeyhomectt.org to volunteer.
  • The theme for tonight’s Syllable Series is “argument.” Coming out of the holiday season, it’s likely you have new material. The reading will begin at 8 p.m. at Hartford Prints! on Pratt Street. Submit ten minutes’ worth of material to syllableseries@gmail.com. It’s free, but small donations are accepted.

January 29

  • Today is the last day of Journey Home’s annual Point-in-Time Count. They are looking for volunteers to go to the streets to interview people who are homeless. This will be 4-7 a.m. Contact willem.donahue@journeyhomect.org to get more information and volunteer.

January 30

  • Hartford Wolf Pack plays Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 7p.m. Tickets: $12-45.

January 31

  • Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861-2008: This is a big deal. It’s also the opening of MATRIX 171 today. So much of the Wadsworth Atheneum has been off limits over the last year. The Coney Island exhibit will be the first presentation in the Wadsworth’s newly expanded and renovated special exhibition galleries.
  • R-Rated Twain. They say:  “The Mark Twain House & Museum spices things up with Mark Twain’s most shocking works. This theatrical show will take the audience through the naughtiest puns, poems, parodies, and passages that Mark Twain wrote. Suffice to say the material covered by Twain in these writings is not suitable for most publications, family audiences or polite society.  As Twain said, ‘There are no people who are quite so vulgar as the over-refined,’ so the historic house is looking forward to letting its hair down and introducing the public to these hysterical and deliciously deviant lesser-known works.” This adults only performance by Sea Tea Improv starts at 7p.m at the Mark Twain House & Museum. $20 general; $15 members. Contact: (860) 280-3130.
  • The Polish National Home is planning a vodka tasting fundraiser — details to be ironed out. If you are interested, give them a call 860.247.1784 to get information and a ticket.

DISCLAIMERS: All events posted are in Hartford proper unless noted otherwise. To get an event published, send details to realhartford@gmail.com by the 25th of the preceding month (Feb events due by Jan 25th). This is not intended to include all events — it’s curated, with preference given to what the widest range of Hartford residents can afford (free or low cost). All events should be in Hartford unless it is something that is simply not offered within city limits…yet.

This information is accurate as of publication to the best of our knowledge. Keep in mind that events are sometimes cancelled or postponed, and that incorrect details are at times given to us. Verify with the venue if you are concerned about last minute surprises.