Baltimore-based actor Felicia Pearson — “Snoop” on The Wire — will be signing copies of her memoir Grace After Midnight at the Wadsworth Atheneum’s Art After Hours in January. The museum will be screening two episodes of the show at 8.
Art After Hours will also feature music by the Nat Reeves Quartet with vocalist Dana Lauren. There will be ice sculpting and fiery hula hoop dancing.
It always seems that people overbook events at certain times of year, like December, and then go for weeks without planning any events, but this January shows little slow down of things to do in Hartford. Here are a few of the offerings:
January 1st
It’s a spendy, but delicious way to begin the new year: Firebox will be having Sunday brunches. Can anyone really complain about adding more breakfast options?
January 5-8th
“Brahms and Beatboxing” at the Bushnell. Just what it sounds like. Way old school meets new.
January 6th
Three Kings Day is celebrated locally with a parade that typically begins at 10 a.m. around 95 Park Street and makes its way down Park Street, ending in Pope Park by the recreation center. The parade is not sprawling, but it features three camels, which is the reason to come out for it.
January 6-8th
The annual Boar’s Head Festival at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church is theatrical, featuring tumblers, dancers, and lots of live animals (geese, camel, etc.). Reserving a seat in advance is advised.
Making 'Of Lamb' on display at Real Art Ways through December 11th
December tends to be a whirlwind of activity, between festive events, office parties, and the gatherings for family and friends. Here are just a few of December’s open-to-the-public highlights:
December 1, 2011
December 1st is World AIDS Day, which means it is also The Day With(out) Art. Real Art Ways will be participating by screening Untitledall day. This is free. While there, check out the “Making ‘Of Lamb’” exhibit.
On Constitution Plaza, some of the decorative lights have already been turned on, and in less than a week, more will be added in downtown, including at the carousel.
“Winterfest” — formerly called “Festival of Lights” 2011-2012 — begins on Friday, November 25th. The carousel will be operating from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on weekends through December 31st. Children will be able to visit with Santa from 12-3 p.m. on weekends in December at the carousel.
The major draw to Bushnell Park, however, will be the skating rink.
Last year there were at least two marriage proposals on the rink, which had been set up temporarily in the middle of the lawn.
This year, it seems more thought was put into aesthetics. So far, no generators — creating noise and air pollution — have been brought into the park. The rink will be nestled between the swing sets and the Pump House Gallery, which is also where there is a power supply in the park, creating less need to run lines in every direction.
Workers have been especially busy this past week, stringing lights and putting together the rink. All lights appear to be of the small, traditional, and non-garish variety. Continue reading 'Winterfest'»
Homegrown Dance can be seen moving to music provided by the Ray Gonzalez Orchestra. The upbeat performance at Billings Forge on Thursday evening was free to all. This was part of the MashUP event which included open artist studios and a cooking class.
Here is your monthly list of hand-picked events. There may be others, but those did not make the cut:
November 1st
Hartford Candidates Forum: Candidates from all parties and running for all offices this year have been invited to participate in a forum hosted by the Greater Hartford NAACP. This will be held in the Northend Senior Center at 80 Coventry Street, from 6 to 9 in the evening. The local NAACP’s president, Muhammad Ansari, says “this forum will provide an opportunity for residents in North Hartford who may not have been able to attend events in other parts of the city.” UPDATE: forum cancelled due to Storm Alfred. It will not be rescheduled.
Get HYPEd at ON20. The casual networking event, open to members and non-members of HYPE, will feature a free raffle. The prize? A tasting dinner for two at ON20. This event runs from 5:30-8:30pm.
November 4th
Women’s Oppression and Liberation Forum: three of the six panelists will include Nellie Bailey, the host of weekly radio program “Inside Housing” on WHCR; Monami Maulik, founder and executive director of Desis Rising Up and Moving; and a representative from Hartford Vecinos Unidos. The event begins at 7:30pm and will be held at La Paloma Sabanera.
“It is important that they are there declaring their existence,” Patti Smith said of the Occupy Wall Street activists, even naming Occupy Hartford. And, she said, in between songs Thursday evening at the Wadsworth Atheneum, “we should look to them with love and pride.”
The musical performance by Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye (whom she has worked with for forty years), and her daughter, Jesse Smith, was a benefit show for the museum; it also marked the opening of her exhibition, Camera Solo, and coincided with poet Arthur Rimbaud’s birthday, which she honors every year.
The show began with “Grateful,” written for Jerry Garcia, and the between-song-banter was not nervous noise to fill empty space, but stories about different photographs in her exhibit. To this, she added poetry. If you wondered how poetry was meant to be read, the answer is by Smith, who understands where lines break, where words are meant to be drawn out, and how to enunciate consonants correctly. Her performance of “The Tyger” by William Blake showed more about that poem than most critiques of it could hope for. This was followed by “My Blakean Year.” Continue reading 'Patti Smith Rocks the Wadsworth'»
If you feel a little overwhelmed by the number of activities in October, you are not alone. Here are the Real Hartford picks for next month.
October 1st
Steampunk Bizarre Exhibit: The Mark Twain House is housing the work of eighteen artists through January 15, 2012. If you do not know what steampunk is, check out a photo from a previous exhibit in Hartford. The opening is free from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The Philadelphia Story: matinee screening at 1:30pm at Real Art Ways. Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart.
Madres Unidas — Researching for Change: this is an opportunity to view the documentary and to meet Andrea Dyrness, its author and producer. This event runs from 5:30-7:30pm at the Park Street Branch of the Hartford Public Library (Babcock and Park). Free.
Conozcan a Andrea Dyrness, autora y directora de Madres Unidas: Parents Researching for Change, y vean este documental que cuenta la experiencia de 5 madres inmigrantes que se envolvieron en la lucha de comenzar una nueva escuela pequeña para sus hijos y en el proceso, se convirtieron en videografas e investigadoras para documentar su camino.
October 4th
Real Board (Games): from 5:30-8:30 in the evening you can gather with friends at Real Art Ways and play games, for free, of course. Why? Because bar trivia has jumped the shark. Continue reading 'October Events'»
A wall of LGBT and Pride history in Bushnell Park helped to mark “30 years of Prides,” and it seems the community could not be happier to have the past included in Saturday’s event. An onlooker commented, “this is fantastic.” The wall included quotes and news articles for each year, reminding the community why they make it a point to come together in this way every year.
As usual, information tables were set up in the park, providing support resources, volunteer opportunities, and chances to get more involved in the community. All the standard organizations appeared to have a presence; GLSEN, PFLAG, and the Human Rights Campaign had booths, as did local organizations like the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective and the CT TransAdvocacy Coalition. The Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition will be having another fashion show fundraiser in early October.
Don’t let the flash go off. Why are cameras automatically set on flash? Don’t let the flash go off.
Going to an event as press has some perks. Being allowed to ignored the absolutely, positively no cameras/recorders policy is one of them. But before the show began, we were all informed that flash photography could distract performers, causing injury or worse. So, not wanting dead acrobats on my conscience, and knowing how my camera has a mind of its own regarding its settings, you will just have to imagine what Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam was like.
Imagination is underutilized these days. People demand realistic images in their video games and animated films. They want everything to happen in “real time,” without delay. Even entertainment gets tweeted, live. Something gets lost. Putting down my camera for nearly two full hours meant experiencing something, getting to use my imagination, and being able to step out of reporter mode.
Characters wearing what appeared to be decontamination suits, or maybe lead abatement gear, wandered through the crowd as people began taking their seats. Continue reading 'Cirque du Soleil in Hartford'»
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It always seems that people overbook events at certain times of year, like December, and then go for weeks without planning any events, but this January shows little slow down of things to do in Hartford. Here are a few of the offerings:
On Constitution Plaza, some of the decorative lights have already been turned on, and in less than a week, more will be added in downtown, including at the carousel.
Workers have been especially busy this past week, stringing lights and putting together the rink. All lights appear to be of the small, traditional, and non-garish variety. 
“It is important that they are there declaring their existence,” 
A wall of LGBT and 
Don’t let the flash go off. Why are cameras automatically set on flash? Don’t let the flash go off.
