ADD TO CALENDAR

Boar’s Head & Yule Log Festival: Listen, it won’t be the same as when you’re crammed shoulder-to-shoulder inside a church angling to get a good view of the animals whose scent makes the whole scene all the more real, but nothing lately is the same anyway. Asylum Hill Congregational Church is offering a free, full-length performance video recorded from a previous year which can be viewed from January 6-10, 2021 at specific times. See the AHCC page for more details. Perhaps worth checking out if you’ve always been curious about the event but are someone who has reservations about going inside churches.

Talkin’ To This Chick Sippin’ Magic Potion: First of all, can we all applaud Theaterworks for being? They closed their venue for about a year and held performances elsewhere so they could do a major renovation of their place on Pearl Street. It was only October 2019 when they showed off all the new changes. When the pandemic smacked them around like it did all other cultural organizations, any self-pitying laments that might have been sung over there did not make it out of the door. They’ve adapted. They created a new membership system for their virtual offerings, with a built-in reserved seat to be used when live and in-person is an option again. Okay, so a virtual performance coming up in January will be a streamed reading of this play as it is in development. The description begins “Jornay is a professional cuddler,” and I feel like that is all some of us need to know…but there’s more: “Jornay is a professional cuddler who learns that her new client Ruben needs more than her touch. Through Ruben, Jornay also learns that she must do what she can to repair her relationship with Tiffany, her 17-year-old daughter. Old wounds are reopened when Jornay attempts to get a ticket to Tiffany’s high school graduation. Talkin’ to This Chick Sippin’ Magic Potion explores love, resentment and the journey to becoming the best version of oneself.” There are many chances to view this from January 10-29, 2021. One ticket is $25.

Freedom Journey 1965 Opening Reception: The Connecticut Historical Society is hosting a virtual opening reception, and the event will include a look at another new exhibit: Connecticut’s Freedom Workers: Remembering the Civil Rights Movement. A combo of live and pre-recorded content, there will be a chance for attendees to ask questions at this January 28th event. This is free, but advance registration is required. Note that the two new exhibits are both opening on this date and can be viewed in person — there just won’t be an in-person party for the occasion.

ON A BUDGET

Whether you are newly broke or have been here all along, you still need enriching shit in your life. This maps shows places you can go for free. Zoom in and click on the label to learn more. This has been and will continue to be routinely updated. Also, if you’re someone who does well with unstructured activities, seriously, give this map a look.