Following the popularity and warm reception of last year’s Night Fall performance in Elizabeth Park, the free outdoor event was held for the second year in a row, this time in Pope Park. With a few phrases here and there in Spanish, signs posted around town, and promotion of the event at seemingly every other event in Hartford over the past few months, the effort for community outreach is hard to challenge. The attendance was more than that of the previous year, with some representation from those actually living in the Frog Hollow neighborhood where Pope Park is located.
Before the official start of Night Fall on Saturday evening, the Colonel Albert Pope & The Hartford Hot Several — a local marching band — stationed itself on the Trinity College campus, inviting students to join in.
Not a single student took up on this offer. There was little interaction between the band and student body, despite marching across the campus during early evening hours, playing loud, lively jazz.
When the band reached Summit Street, the response was different. Drivers tooted car horns and waved. At Summit and Zion, Families leaned out apartment windows and watched as they were serenaded.
The hope was to pique the interest of residents and passersby, and invite them to the Night Fall performance. Things may not have played out in that way, but it gave folks something to talk about, or at least some pics and video to post online.
In Pope Park, children especially stopped to watch.
Hartford Hot Several’s appearance was part of the pre-Night Fall activities.
Caitlin
Great post and I loved reading your description of the Hartford Hot Several’s march before the event. I was unfortunately not able to attend but was definitely curious especially after hearing Chion Wolf talk it up like mad! Too bad no Trinity students joined in the fun but the costumes are amazing (love the mole, haha!) and that dream truck is fantastic! Thanks for providing coverage and showing folks that #hartfordhasit!
Kerri Provost
I’m sure you’ll get to hear the Hartford Hot Several some time. If nothing else, I can let you in on when they practice and you can stand outside and listen 🙂
Jim C
I would have loved to have seen the Trinity samba band doing their carnivale thing along with the Hot Several. Maybe next year.
To what do you attribute the non response of Trinity bystanders? Did any other bystanders along the route join in?
Kerri Provost
There was one person — an acquaintance — who tagged along, plus the mole.
Given the time of day, I don’t know what the students were doing. It was a time when they would be awake, but not so late that they would be doing homework or partying. There was some kind of big game (football? I have no idea) happening on campus, but not all students attend.
Jim C
As for community response in general, it takes a few years and a ton of publicity/buzz/word of mouth to clue people in as to what’s happening. It took the old Peace Train fiddle contest (1974ish-mid 80s ) 4-5 years to build from an initial audience of several dozen to 50,000+ folks in Bushnell Park. Ditto for Hooker parade. Give it time. In a few years, people will be saying,
“Burning Man? Big whoop. Nightfall is where it’s at.”
Tim
Jim, it didn’t hurt that the Fiddle contest began selling beer in the park (lots of it) and some of that growth was nothing to crow about.
Johana
This was my first year attending Night Fall Hartford and it was thanks to you Real Hartford! It was a wonderful event which my whole family enjoyed and we loved singing along with the banc when they played ‘No Diggity.’ Can’t wait for next year and I’m so thankful I discovered this amazing Hartford site.
Kerri Provost
Great to hear this!