August 1

  • Tour the Annual Garden at Elizabeth Park. Meet at the Annual Garden for the 10 a.m. tour. Free.
  • Ninah’s Dowry screens free at the Hartford Public Library as part of the Global Lens Film Series, 1 p.m.
  • Taste of the Caribbean & Jerk Festival: Music, food, and family activities by the Connecticut River, 1-11 p.m. Free admission, but food and beverages will cost you. If you’d prefer to bring your own picnic, you can, but no alcohol. But why would you? Isn’t getting food here the whole point?! There are multiple entrances to the Riverfront. You can park for free at Charter Oak Landing and Riverside Park and walk along the path.
  • Church by the Pond: Christ Church Cathedral provides a 2 p.m. service every Saturday by the pond in Bushnell Park. Bagged lunches are provided following the service.
  • HartBeat Ensemble’s Youth Play Institute presents Beyond the Picket Fence. They say: “3 best friends watch their parents struggle with issues of justice in the workplace- and are forced to make some hard choices of their own.”  Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $5. This is at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue.

August 2

  • Free yoga in Colt Park every Sunday at 10 a.m.  Meet on the lawn near the entrance from Wethersfield Avenue across from Morris Street. Bring your own mat.
  • HartBeat Ensemble’s Youth Play Institute presents Beyond the Picket Fence. They say: “3 best friends watch their parents struggle with issues of justice in the workplace- and are forced to make some hard choices of their own.”  Tickets for the 2 p.m. show are $5. This is at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue.
  • HTFD Slow Roll: 3 p.m. at 1429 Park Street. Bring Your Own Bike (and lock). Ride the streets of Hartford. No cost.
  • This was supposed to happen in July, but the new bike lane was delayed, presumably due to weather. Meet at Colt Park around 3:30 to take a ride down the new infrastructure.
  • Steve Davis and Friends play at Max Downtown  (185 Asylum Street) from 6-9 p.m. No cover!

August 3

  • Charter Oak Cultural Center is hosting a week-long Violin & Piano Summer Camp starting today! This is free for Hartford residents, ages 6-10, who are beginning or intermediate level. Instruments are provided. Registration is required.
  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Monday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat
  • Monday Night Jazz: Haneef Nelson and Noah Baerman Resonance Ensemble perform in Bushnell Park. The free performance begins at 6 p.m. and is broadcast live on WWUH.
  • MakeHartford is offering a Learn to Solder class, 6:30-9 p.m. They say: “Participants will learn to solder electronic components to a printed circuit board while assembling and testing a small electronic project kit. The finished project is useful for the further study of electronics and is the participants to keep. Instruction will include workbench safety. All tools and materials will be provided. Eye protection is required.” Cost: approx. $35. MakeHartford is at 30 Arbor Street.
  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at 8 p.m. at Arch Street Tavern. No cover!

August 4

  • Free yoga in Keney Park every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pond House off of Edgewood Street. Bring your own mat.
  • National Night Out: This will be hosted by the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice at the Wilson-Gray YMCA (444 Albany Avenue). They say this is “an annual community-building event that strives to make our neighborhoods a safer, better place to live by promoting neighborhood camaraderie and a partnership between the police and the community.” There will be free food and entertainment. A peace march to and from the YMCA begins at 5:30. Entertainment follows at 6:30 p.m. Ice Cream for a Dream will be there, so you should probably go.
  • The Anthem Reggae Band gives a free performance at the Albany Branch of the Hartford Public Library, 6-7 p.m.
  • Google Maker Camp at MakeHartford for youth, 8-18. Free, but registration is recommended. MakeHartford is at 30 Arbor Street. This is from 6-9 p.m.

August 5

  • North End Farmers’ Market: every Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 80 Coventry Street.
  • Stowe Salons at Lunch: These weekly discussion groups feature a different text each time. Noon-1 p.m. Free.
  • Get HYPEd: free monthly networking for young professionals, 5:30-8:30 p.m. This will be at Arch Street Tavern this time around. Bring your business cards.
  • Negrura Peruana gives a free performance at the Dwight Branch of the Hartford Public Library, 6-7 p.m.
  • K & Ali screens free at the Hartford Public Library at 6 p.m.
  • Goza Salsa gives a free performance in Elizabeth Park, 6:30-8 p.m. This will be on the Rose Garden Lawn. If it rains, this will be postponed until Thursday. Picnics are welcome when the music is outdoors, as scheduled.

August 6

  • Take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. It’s open from 12-1:30 p.m. in Bushnell Park.
  • First Thursday Block Party outside of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Burr Mall, 5-8 p.m. Free for museum members and Hartford residents ($5 everyone else). Face painting, Caribbean music, dance lessons, and more. They will be screening Selma at 8 p.m.
  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat.
  • art opening at the Pump House Gallery in Bushnell Park. Starts at 6 p.m. No end time provided. Free.
  • Google Maker Camp at MakeHartford for youth, 8-18. Free, but registration is recommended. MakeHartford is at 30 Arbor Street. This is from 6-9 p.m.
  • Last chance to see The Third Man at Cinestudio, 7:30 p.m. General admission: $9.

August 7

  • Last chance to see the sculptures of David Hayes at Hartford Public Library’s ArtWalk. Free.
  • The Hartford Mobile Market will make three stops today: Chrysalis Center (255 Homestead) from 10 a.m. until noon; Community Health Services (500 Albany Ave) from 1-3 p.m.; and, Wilson-Gray YMCA (444 Albany Ave) from 4-6 p.m. What they call a “grocery store on wheels” accepts SNAP/EBT and WIC.
  • CT Girls Pint Out: Hartford Prints! is hosting a women-only bottle share. Bring a few bottles of your favorite Connecticut beer to share. Starts at 7 p.m.
  • Sea Tea Improv has a “mini-festival” every month at The Studio at Billings Forge (563 Broad Street), 8 p.m. This is a longform comedy showcase. Admission is $10.

August 8

  • West Indian Independence Parade: This begins on Main Street at the intersection with Battles Street. The organizers say this will follow Main to Asylum, and then end in Bushnell Park, where a festival follows. Beenie Man was supposed to headline the free concert, but that won’t be happening. The parade is said to begin at 11 a.m.; music begins in the park after the parade. There will be food vendors, so bring money or your own picnic. Don’t forget the water!
  • K & Ali screens free at the Hartford Public Library at 1 p.m.
  • Church by the Pond: Christ Church Cathedral provides a 2 p.m. service every Saturday by the pond in Bushnell Park. Bagged lunches are provided following the service.

August 9

  • Free yoga in Colt Park every Sunday at 10 a.m.  Meet on the lawn near the entrance from Wethersfield Avenue across from Morris Street. Bring your own mat.
  • Hartford Latino Fest: Food, entertainment, and children’s activities. 12-9 p.m., rain or shine. Free.
  • CT Robotics Society meeting at MakeHartford, 1 p.m. Free.
  • Steve Davis and Friends play at Max Downtown  (185 Asylum Street) from 6-9 p.m. No cover!

August 10

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Monday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat
  • Monday Night Jazz: Natalie Hernandez and Mimi Jones perform in Bushnell Park. The free performance begins at 6 p.m. and is broadcast live on WWUH.
  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at 8 p.m. at Arch Street Tavern. No cover!

August 11

  • Free yoga in Keney Park every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pond House off of Edgewood Street. Bring your own mat.
  • Google Maker Camp at MakeHartford for youth, 8-18. Free, but registration is recommended. MakeHartford is at 30 Arbor Street. This is from 6-9 p.m.

August 12

  • North End Farmers’ Market: every Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 80 Coventry Street.
  • Stowe Salons at Lunch: These weekly discussion groups feature a different text each time. Noon-1 p.m. Free.
  • Take part in an I-84 Hartford Project Open Planning Studio, 12-8 p.m. No, you don’t have to stay for the entire eight hours. This is in the Parkville Community & Senior Center (11 New Park Avenue). Free to attend and participate.
  • Hand Drawn Hartford: Sketchbooks and some drawing materials will be provided to those who preregister. 5:30-8 p.m. in Elizabeth Park. This will begin with a short talk on the history of the area, and then participants will be free to begin the sketchcrawl. Those under 16 should be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Free.
  • Voice of My Father screens free at the Hartford Public Library, 6 p.m.
  • Open House at MakeHartford, 6-9 p.m. The maker space is located at 30 Arbor Street. Free.
  • Locomotion gives a free performance in Elizabeth Park, 6:30-8 p.m. This will be on the Rose Garden Lawn. If it rains, this will be postponed until Thursday. Picnics are welcome when the music is outdoors, as scheduled.

August 13

  • Take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. It’s open from 12-1:30 p.m. in Bushnell Park.
  • Last chance to see Far from the Madding Crowd at Cinestudio, 5 p.m. General admission is $9.
  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat.
  • The Mighty Soul Drivers will perform at the Butler-McCook House & Garden as part of the Sunset Sounds Concert Series, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Bring a picnic dinner.
  • Take a Sunset Tour of Cedar Hill Cemetery’s notable monuments. 6:30-8 p.m. Admission is $5.

August 14

  • The Hartford Mobile Market will make three stops today: Chrysalis Center (255 Homestead) from 10 a.m. until noon; Community Health Services (500 Albany Ave) from 1-3 p.m.; and, Wilson-Gray YMCA (444 Albany Ave) from 4-6 p.m. What they call a “grocery store on wheels” accepts SNAP/EBT and WIC.
  • Summer Sizzle Under the Stars! at Wadsworth Atheneum begins at 5 p.m. with music: “The Great American Songbook with Matt DeChamplain and Matt Dwonszyk.” The Apartment will screen at approximately 8:15 p.m. in Gengras Courtyard. General admission is $9, with à la carte dinner extra.
  • Never Stop and Drumline will screen in Keney Park (Vine Street entrance) at sunset. Free. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.

August 15

Dragon Boat Races & Asian Festival (2014)
  • Riverfront Dragon Boat and Asian Festival: It’s free to watch the races, listen to music, watch dancing and martial arts demonstrations, and participate in family activities. There is a fee to compete in the races and, it should be obvious, but food will cost you.
  • Take a free tour of Elizabeth Park at 10 a.m. Meet near the Cottage.
  • Join Patrick Haggerty at Cedar Hill Cemetery to learn about which state governors are interred there. The tour begins at 10 a.m. and costs $5.
  • African-American Parade: The details on this are a little vague, so check back to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. They say the parade will begin at 10 a.m. “at the top of Albany Avenue” and will go “all the way down to Keney Park.”
  • Voice of My Father screens free at the Hartford Public Library, 1 p.m.
  • Church by the Pond: Christ Church Cathedral provides a 2 p.m. service every Saturday by the pond in Bushnell Park. Bagged lunches are provided following the service.
  • Family Day in Keney Park (Woodland Street and Greenfield Street entrance) includes music by Nicki Mathis, Alvin Benjamin Carter, Warren Byrd, Lional Crawford, Saskia Laroo, and Doug Long. 4 p.m.
  • Catch some Dramaprov with Sea Tea Improv. The performers turn audience suggestions into serious scenes. This begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Carriage House Theater (360 Farmington Avenue). Tickets are $10.

August 16

  • Free yoga in Colt Park every Sunday at 10 a.m.  Meet on the lawn near the entrance from Wethersfield Avenue across from Morris Street. Bring your own mat.
  • Riverfront Dragon Boat and Asian Festival: It’s free to watch the races, listen to music, watch dancing and martial arts demonstrations, and participate in family activities. There is a fee to compete in the races and, it should be obvious, but food will cost you.
  • The National Theatre of the Deaf will perform an adaptation of Mark Twain’s “The Experience of the McWilliamses” at 6 p.m. at the Mark Twain House & Museum. Tickets are $10.
  • Steve Davis and Friends play at Max Downtown  (185 Asylum Street) from 6-9 p.m. No cover!

August 17

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Monday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat
  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at 8 p.m. at Arch Street Tavern. No cover!

August 18

  • Free yoga in Keney Park every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pond House off of Edgewood Street. Bring your own mat.
  • The regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. If you wish to speak, show up early to sign up. Tonight’s meeting will be at Bulkeley High, 300 Wethersfield Avenue.

August 19

  • North End Farmers’ Market: every Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 80 Coventry Street.
  • Stowe Salons at Lunch: These weekly discussion groups feature a different text each time. Noon-1 p.m. Free.
  • Hand Drawn Hartford: Sketchbooks and some drawing materials will be provided to those who preregister. 5:30-8 p.m. in Bushnell Park. This will begin with a short talk on the history of the area, and then participants will be free to begin the sketchcrawl. Those under 16 should be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Free.
  • The Pardon screens free at Hartford Public Library, 6 p.m.

August 20

  • Take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. It’s open from 12-1:30 p.m. in Bushnell Park.
  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat.
  • The Smoke and Mirrors Trio gives a free performance at the Albany Branch of the Hartford Public Library, 6-7 p.m.
  • Movies UNDER Moonlight: The West End Civic Association is sponsoring a free screening of Mary Poppins. This begins after sunset on Elizabeth Park’s East Lawn. Bring a picnic, blanket, etc.

August 21

  • The Hartford Mobile Market will make three stops today: Chrysalis Center (255 Homestead) from 10 a.m. until noon; Community Health Services (500 Albany Ave) from 1-3 p.m.; and, Wilson-Gray YMCA (444 Albany Ave) from 4-6 p.m. What they call a “grocery store on wheels” accepts SNAP/EBT and WIC.
  • Bring a blanket to Cedar Hill Cemetery to watch Pat and Mike, a Katharine Hepburn film. This begins at 7:30 p.m. and is $5 admission. The rain date is August 22.

August 22

  • The Pardon screens free at Hartford Public Library, 1 p.m.
  • Church by the Pond: Christ Church Cathedral provides a 2 p.m. service every Saturday by the pond in Bushnell Park. Bagged lunches are provided following the service.

August 23

  • Walk Hartford: Go on a free, slow walk through different sections of Hartford. This loop begins in Keney Park off of Windsor Avenue and will go through the woods. Gather at 9:25 a.m., leave at 9:30.
  • Free yoga in Colt Park every Sunday at 10 a.m.  Meet on the lawn near the entrance from Wethersfield Avenue across from Morris Street. Bring your own mat.
  • Roberto Clemente Day: Because they have shared no details yet, there’s not much to say except that this will be in Colt Park.
  • Steve Davis and Friends play at Max Downtown  (185 Asylum Street) from 6-9 p.m. No cover!

August 24

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Monday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat.
  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at 8 p.m. at Arch Street Tavern. No cover!

August 25

  • Free yoga in Keney Park every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pond House off of Edgewood Street. Bring your own mat.

August 26

  • North End Farmers’ Market: every Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 80 Coventry Street.
  • Stowe Salons at Lunch: These weekly discussion groups feature a different text each time. Noon-1 p.m. Free.
  • Hand Drawn Hartford: Sketchbooks and some drawing materials will be provided to those who preregister. 5:30-8 p.m. in Riverside Park. This will begin with a short talk on the history of the area, and then participants will be free to begin the sketchcrawl. Those under 16 should be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Free.
  • Excuse My French screens free at Hartford Public Library as part of its Global Lens Film Series, 6 p.m.

August 27

  • Take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. It’s open from 12-1:30 p.m. in Bushnell Park.
  • Opening reception for Mas: Costumes from Hartford’s West Indian Community. Not only will this reception at Connecticut Historical Society feature costumes, but there will also be Jamaican food, music by the Hartford Steel Symphony, and a chance to try on one of the costumes. This free event is 5-7 p.m.
  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat.

August 28

  • The Hartford Mobile Market will make three stops today: Chrysalis Center (255 Homestead) from 10 a.m. until noon; Community Health Services (500 Albany Ave) from 1-3 p.m.; and, Wilson-Gray YMCA (444 Albany Ave) from 4-6 p.m. What they call a “grocery store on wheels” accepts SNAP/EBT and WIC.

August 29

  • Take a Hartford Landmarks & Legacy Tour at Cedar Hill Cemetery. $5 admission. Tour begins at 10 a.m.
  • Excuse My French screens free at Hartford Public Library as part of its Global Lens Film Series, 1 p.m.
  • Check out the Dahlia Show at Elizabeth Park. This is in the Pond House, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Free.
  • Church by the Pond: Christ Church Cathedral provides a 2 p.m. service every Saturday by the pond in Bushnell Park. Bagged lunches are provided following the service.
  • Sodaliscious: a pop art tribute show and event at the Dirt Salon (50 Bartholomew Ave). There will be snacks, music by June Bisantz, and a cash bar, along with complimentary Wild Moon Liqueurs tastings. Art work by Katie Fogg and Thomas Radovich will be on display. $20 suggested donation (at door); $15 in advance.

August 30

  • Free yoga in Colt Park every Sunday at 10 a.m.  Meet on the lawn near the entrance from Wethersfield Avenue across from Morris Street. Bring your own mat.
  • Steve Davis and Friends play at Max Downtown  (185 Asylum Street) from 6-9 p.m. No cover!

August 31

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park every Monday at 5:30 p.m. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House Gallery. Bring your own mat.
  • The Hartford Jazz Orchestra performs at 8 p.m. at Arch Street Tavern. No cover!

DISCLAIMERS

This listing is not intended to be all-inclusive. Events that are free or low-cost are given preference over those that would exclude a large number of Hartford residents.

To have items included in the September listing, send details to realhartfordATgmailDOTcom by August 25. Once published, late submissions are not added.

We strive for accuracy, but if showing up to something that has been canceled makes you nervous, contact the venue in advance. Sometimes we are given incorrect information about dates, people, times, and cost.