Here’s your curated Hartford event calendar for January 2024.
What makes this list? Events that I would either attend or recommend to a good friend. Review events with the host/venue to confirm details have not changed since publication.

ADD TO CALENDAR

  • FIRST DAY HIKE: The “official” list is extremely car-centric, so let’s ignore that entirely. If you’re lucky enough to have January 1, 2024 off from work or school, go make your own fun where you are. Where would I go? It’s not mosquito season, so I’d prioritize Keney Park, and any of the paths on either side of the Connecticut River right now if I hadn’t been in awhile.
  • YOGA: All-levels yoga class at Toivo Center on Tuesdays from 10-11 AM. This month, the class meets on January 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. Free (donations accepted), but register.
  •  1619 CONVERSATIONS: Participate in a free online discussion series sparked by the 1619 Project. This happens on Wednesdays at noon, and people can join even if they haven’t shown up previously. The dates this month: January 3, 10, 17, and 24. Register here.
  • EMO DRAG BRUNCH: Start the secular new year off right with brunch buffet and drag. January 7, 2024 from 11 AM – 2 PM at Thomas Hooker Live. This is $35 and for adults only.
  •  FIRST THURSDAYS: Finally, the Wadsworth is bringing back their free First Thursday event of music, snacks, and general access to the museum. Performances from 5-7 PM, with the film Paris Blues beginning at 7 on January 4, 2024.
  •  GENTLE YOGA: Bring your own mat for yoga at the Unitarian Society of Hartford on Mondays from 10-11 AM. This month, classes are on January 8, 15, 22, and 29. It’s free, but there’s a suggested $5 donation. Great for beginners and those who feel more at ease in a meditative space than a studio.

  •  EVERYWHERE YOU DON’T BELONG: The Stowe Center has been hosting a social justice book club on the second Wednesday of each month. On January 10, 2024 the selection will be Everywhere You Don’t Belong by Gabriel Bump. Meet from 6-7 PM at the Stowe Center’s Day House for conversation and refreshments. It’s free, but register to participate.
  • AMERICAN PATRIOTS: Attend an online chat with author Ralph Young, who “chronicles the key role dissent has played in shaping the United States. He explains that activists are not protesting against America but rather pushing the country to live up to its ideals.” This book talk streams at noon on January 12, 2024. Register here. $5 for those who aren’t Twain House members.
  •  ALL DIRT ROADS: At the Wadsworth Atheneum, watch All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, a film that “delves into the tradition of eating clay dirt and the connection between nature, family, and the culture of the rural South.” This plays at several times on January 13-14, 2024. $10 general admission; $7 for those using Wadsworth Welcome (Hartford residents).
  • PRIDE NIGHT HOCKEY: Pride Night at the Wolf Pack vs. Providence Bruins game on January 13, 2024 at the Hartford Civic Center. Game starts at 7:30 PM. Tickets ~$25.
  • YOU DREAMED OF EMPIRES: In-person book talk with novelist Álvaro Enrigue at the Twain House on January 23, 2024 at 7 PM. About the book: “One morning in 1519, conquistador Hernán Cortés met the emperor Moctezuma in a collision of two worlds, two empires, two languages, two possible futures. You Dreamed of Empires brings to life a moment in history and reimagines what happens next.” $10 for non-members of museum.
  • CONNECTICUT BOOK CLUB: Join others in chatting about Let This Radicalize You on January 28, 2024 from 3-5 PM at a venue in Hartford. It’s free to participate, but you’ll need to RSVP. It’s okay to show up if you weren’t here for the first part of this book dialogue . . . just be sure to have done the reading.

CULTURAL ASSETS
For ongoing free education, entertainment, public art, and resources — like 24/7 food pantries and libraries — check out this map. Zoom in and click on the icons for more information. This was last updated in December 2023:

GETTING TO EVENTS
See CTtransit for bus schedule.
If you would like better bus service, contact CTtransit.
If you would like bicycle parking at a venue, contact that venue directly.
Ask for the kind of world you want to live in.