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By Kerri Provost, September 2, 2010 8:53 am

There are two upcoming scavenger hunts in Hartford. Continue reading 'A Walk for Jane and a Dash for a Difference'»

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By Kerri Provost, September 1, 2010 6:13 am

The fourth annual family-friendly community spelling bee will be held on Friday, October 22^nd, from 7-9pm. This event will be at the Theater of the Performing Arts, which is located within the Learning Corridor at 359 Washington Street. It is free to watch teams scramble for correct answers.

It’s not free to play, however. It costs $500 to register a team; the registration deadline is September 30, 2010. This means you have a few weeks to decide whether to compete, study up, find better spellers than yourself to be on your team, and ask for help funding your registration. Team members can be high school age and up, and a word list will be made available so that spellers can study before humiliating themselves in public. A few past teams have included The Goode Spellerz (Asylum Hill Congregational
Church), Habeas Corpses (Law and Government Academy), and Ain’t mis-bee havin The Bee Sharps (Friends of Achieve Hartford!). Participants are encouraged to select names that will make the eyes roll.

Achieve Hartford! — a nonprofit organization that “has been established to monitor, support and be a catalyst for education reform and community involvement in the Hartford Public School District”– says that:

The Community Spelling Bee is our signature special fundraising event.  The funds raised from the Bee will go to support literacy-based resource programs that help students excel in reading.

For more information about the Spelling Bee or the organization, see the Achieve Hartford! website.

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By Kerri Provost, August 27, 2010 8:31 am

The Pump House Gallery reopened its doors as an art space Thursday evening. The site has gone from a state of neglect to one that we can be proud of: the patio has been weeded, walls have been given a fresh coat of white paint, and the terribly faded sign over the entrance has been repainted. As part of The Week of the Parks, Bushnell Park had its grass mowed, shrubs removed from the front of the Pump House Gallery, branches trimmed,  and benches repaired. Continue reading 'Legacy of Hartford Parks'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 21, 2010 2:54 pm

Note: Due to rain, the Asian Festival has been canceled for Sunday. The Dragon Boat races are still going on as planned.

Festivities began Saturday morning and go until 4 pm. They will resume at 10 on Sunday and continue through 2 in the afternoon.

A record-setting 67 teams are participating in this year’s dragon boat races. Participants range in age and ability. There are corporate teams, athletes, and people who have some sense of humor, giving their teams names like Blazing Paddles and Splashing Tigers, Soaking Dragons,

Besides boat racing, there are musical performances, martial arts demonstrations, cultural booths, vendors, and more.

The two females pictured above were part of the Malee’s School of Tai Chi and Kung Fu  demo on the upper level of the Riverfront Plaza.

Continue reading 'Tenth Annual Dragon Boat & Asian Festival this Weekend'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 20, 2010 9:17 am

There are over 300 community garden plots in Hartford, which means that an even greater number of people have the opportunity to grow (or attempt to grow) their own fruits, vegetables, and flowers. On Thursday evening, two bus loads of people (plus some cyclists) toured several of these gardens, checking out the creative choices made by this year’s gardeners.

Though some may be surprised about the presence of community gardens here, the first one in Hartford was established in the early 1970’s. Issues of “food security” are not new by a long shot, even if such phrases have become buzzwords in recent years. After creating a community garden in Keney Park, twelve more have been developed. How does one find space for such ventures in an urban setting? When a building is demolished, the land on which it sat often is left as a vacant, unkempt patch. Sometimes, these lots are converted into a more useful and attractive alternative — community garden space. Continue reading 'Hartford Community Garden Tour'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 18, 2010 12:02 am

The recently spruced up Pump House Gallery has begun to get use again. Last Friday there was a jazz performance and on Tuesday evening there were two short films. Both events were free. The audience brought coolers, blankets, and lawn chairs to make the outdoor entertainment more comfortable. No food is available for purchase at the Pump House Gallery, though its location in Bushnell Park makes for a quick and easy walk to any number of restaurants.

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By Kerri Provost, August 15, 2010 8:05 am

On Saturday, the Hartford Senators beat the Westfield Wheelmen in the last game of the day. Both teams showed good sportsmanship before, during, and after the game. The first pitch was thrown by Mayor Segarra.

Games at Colt Meadows are free. Handlebar Hooch, Pop’s Pop, and Dead Red are sold at the concession stand.

The full schedule is posted. More photographs are available for your viewing.

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By Kerri Provost, August 12, 2010 2:11 pm

A walk downtown this week reveals that business is far from “as usual.” The USA Gymnastics Visa Championships happening in various locations across the city has brought a lot of people in, even creating lines at the Marriott Starbucks — the one Starbucks where one can almost guarantee there will never be a line.

It will be interesting to see to what extent this week-long event has affected business in Hartford. The promotion of it has been incredible in a way that does not typically happen with events and conferences here.

For folks with money, there are many opportunities on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to view competitions.

The rest of us can drop by the Old State House on Friday from 11-1 to catch free demonstrations:

Continue reading 'Tumbling Downtown'»

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By Kerri Provost,

The Discover Hartford Bicycle and Walking Tour is less than one month away. High-intensity training is not needed, but if this is the first time you would be riding a bike in years, it might be to your advantage to take a few short rides before the big day. That suggestion comes from a place of experience. It’s not a race, but it’s embarrassing to get passed by people forty years older than you.

The early bird registration has come and gone. There is also still plenty of time to register at a regular rate, and Bike Walk Connecticut explains that city youth have some opportunities to receive deals: “While we don’t have a specific discount for Hartford residents, Bike Walk Connecticut and the City of Hartford are working together to register many young people in the city through existing organizations like the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs, the PAL program, Hartford Youth Services, YMCA, etc., and the City of Hartford Recreation Division will assist with registration fees where they can.” My young reader(s) might want to request more information from those groups sooner than later. Participants under age 18 must have an adult chaperone participate in the tour.

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By Kerri Provost, August 3, 2010 6:34 am

There’s more than a one in four chance that if you are reading this blog, you have ridden a bike some time in the last year. If statistics hold true, then it’s also more likely that you’re riding for recreation than for commuting to work or school. More importantly, if you’ve made it here, then you are probably interested in riding your bicycle around Hartford, and if not, then walking will do just fine.

That’s great because September 11, 2010 is the Third Discover Hartford Bicycling and Walking Tour — an event designed to show off the city, get off the sofa, and have fun. Because Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance changed its name to Bike Walk CT, more emphasis is being placed on the pedestrian aspect this time around. For those who do not ride or want another activity, there will be historical walking tours.

This year’s event is will feature four different 1.5 mile walking tours and several options for cyclists — 10, 25, or 40 mile loops. The 40 mile route includes an excursion to Hartford-owned Batterson Park in Farmington/New Britain. All routes begin and end in Bushnell Park, where one can partake in after-ride festivities.

The ride begins at 9:15. Check-in starts at 7:00. Based on past experience, I recommend going through the check-in process sooner than later, especially if you want to make sure you get a swag bag.

Discover Hartford Bicycling and Walking Tour is dubbed an “anti-sprawl, pro-fun, pro-sustainable city, anti-pollution, anti-couch potato, pro-bicycle pro-pedestrian event” and is not a race. Even though most photos show people decked out in racing gear, such things, except for the helmet, are not necessary. Typically, when I ride, I wear my regular clothes — skirt, trousers, jeans, what have you. Because it is most definitely not a race, there is no reason to feel intimidated by those who are dressed like they are going to one. If you’re still not certain, there are plenty of websites devoted to explaining how to ride in the rain, wear a suit while biking, ride in heels and a skirt, ride in higher heels, and even more on how to ride in a skirt. Step away from the Lance Armstrong and accept that regular people wearing regular outfits can get on a regular bike — even if all the magazines and websites you’ve been reading make it sound like you need to immediately invest in specialty gear and get yourself on some weird diet regiment. Continue reading 'Discover Hartford by Foot and by Bike'»