“Why did everyone plan events for Thursday?” was the question I was asked repeatedly this past week. Some expressed annoyance with having to choose between multiple interesting events, and wondered why venues could not be more supportive of each other by arranging major events on non-competing evenings when possible.

We began the evening in a dressing room at the Wadsworth Atheneum. For their circus-themed party, local artist Anne Cubberly provided costumes for brave volunteers.

Masks, wigs, wings, tails, and various other costumes were reused from past productions.

Robin of A Bird in the Hand & We Live in Hartford and You Should Too fame
Robin (in blue) is the author of A Bird in the Hand & We Live in Hartford and You Should Too

Volunteers could select their own costumes and trade throughout the evening.

Again this month, Atheneum Square North was closed to traffic for a few hours. Tables were set out between food trucks. There were free cupcakes.

Children were tattooed.

Street performers entertained adults and youth.

Since there is never anything to do, we had to leave early to go and do that nothing.

We rode our bikes across town to the Studio at Billings Forge. The Studio was the site of Catie Talarski‘s Radio Adventure Theater.

This edition: campfires. To a standing room only crowd, Kate Callahan played folk songs between poetry and ghost stories. Sea Tea Improv performed. The show ended with a raucous Maori-inspired drum circle.

Didn’t know about all this until just now? Click here to see upcoming events in August.