July 1

  • An event? You tell me. There will be a DUI Enforcement Checkpoint in the vicinity of 90 Brainard Road starting at 5 p.m. today. It is funded through a grant from the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation DUI Enforcement Program, so don’t waste your time blaming Obama or Bronin. Also, if you lived here, you could just walk home and never need to concern yourself with DUIs.
  • Albanian Festival: dance, music, and food at the Albanian Community Center, 161 Franklin Avenue. 6-11 p.m.
Boom Box Parade, Willimantic

July 2

  • Free Yoga in Pope Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; dress for exercise. Instruction will be in Spanish and English. Meet by the pond.
  • Albanian Festival: dance, music, and food at the Albanian Community Center, 161 Franklin Avenue. 4-11 p.m.
  • There will be a dual video release party for Tang Sauce and Zulynette Morales at the Studio at Billings Forge (539 Broad Street), 5-9 p.m. The evening will also include live music, poetry, and visual art. $10 at the door.

July 3

  • Free yoga in Colt Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the Wethersfield Avenue entrance.
  • There will be free walking tours of Coltsville National Historical Park at 2 p.m. Meet by the Colt monument near the Wethersfield Avenue entrance to Colt Park.

July 4

  • If you’d like to celebrate Independence Day in a true community fashion, where the entertainment showcases local creativity, leave Hartford for the day and go to Willimantic’s W.I.L.I. Boom Box Parade. Bring your own boom box and lawn chairs. Parade starts at Jillson Square at 11 a.m. and heads down Main Street. It’s free, wacky, spirited, and not being paid for by Hartford residents’ tax dollars.

July 5

  • The West End Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m. and can be found on the Clemens Green, which is that big lawn area on Farmington Avenue near the Mark Twain House & Museum. They accept and double SNAP/EBT.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.
  • Today is the first part of the three-day workshop, Art for the Earth!, which is led by local artist Pierre Sylvain. From 5:30-8 p.m., youth ages 10 and up will paint 55 gallon drums that have been converted into recycling bins. This is free for Hartford residents, dinner is included, but space is limited so call Rachael at (860) 310-2589 to register. This takes place at Charter Oak Cultural Center (21 Charter Oak Avenue).

July 6

  • Jonathan Clark will be leading a free walking tour of “Nook Farm” from 12-1 p.m. Meet at the Southwest corner of Broad and Farmington.
  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House.
  • Get HYPEd, the monthly networking event for young professionals and entrepreneurs, is going to be in Keney Park! Yes, guys, yes! More like this! Where in the park? Go to the golf course, accessible via the Windsor Avenue entrance (Main Street turns into Windsor Avenue as it enters the “Is this Hartford? Is this Windsor?” territory). The free event is from 5:30-8:30 p.m. They say: “PGA Head Professional, Peter Seaman,  will be offering a complimentary golf 101 course between 6:30-7:30pm. Space is limited to 20 people, and sign ups will be on a first come first serve basis. ” Bring business cards…and mind those speedbumps in the park!
  • Negrura Peruana performs music and dance at the Dwight Branch of the Hartford Public Library (7 New Park Avenue) at 6 p.m. Free.
  • Trinity College hosts free Chamber and Carillon Music Series every Wednesday in July, with the activities beginning in the chapel at 6 p.m., then moving to the Long Walk Quad at 7 p.m. Today, Harmonia V, a wind quartet, will kick things off. Ellen Dickinson, the Trinity College Carillonneur, will follow. And, special today, Emily Cahill — Hartford Yelp’s Community Director — will be judging the picnic spread competition. Free.
  • GOZA performs as part of Elizabeth Park’s Summer Concert Series, 6:30-8 p.m. The free concert is on the rose garden lawn.
  • Asylum Hill Congregational Church (814 Asylum Avenue) hosts a free Faith & Justice Summer Film Series at 7 p.m. A facilitated discussion will follow the film and there will be sign language interpretation. Snacks will also be provided. Tonight’s film is Armor of Light, which they describe as a film that “follows evangelical minister Rev. Rob Schenck, anti-abortion activist and fixture on the political far right, as he breaks with orthodoxy by questioning whether being pro-gun is consistent with being pro-life. Rev. Schenck is shocked and perplexed by the reactions of his long-time friends and colleagues who warn him away from this complex, politically explosive issue. Along the way, he meets Lucy McBath, the mother of Jordan Davis, an unarmed teenager who was murdered in Florida. McBath, also a Christian, decides to work with Schenck. Lucy is on a difficult journey of her own, trying to make sense of her devastating loss while using her grief to affect some kind of viable and effective political action. Armor of Light follows these unlikely allies through their trials of conscience, heartbreak and rejection, as they bravely attempt to make others consider America’s gun culture through a moral lens.”

July 7

  • Every Thursday there is a farmers’ market at Billings Forge, 11 a.m. -2 p.m. This is on the green space on Broad Street between Capitol Avenue and Russ Street.
  • The free Riverfront Food Truck Festival runs from 11 a.m .- 8 p.m. Besides gorging yourself on food (that part is not free), there is a half hour yoga session at noon; a Taylor Swift Tribute from 12-1; Cornhole Tournament at 2; more Taylor Swift Tribute at 3; Braiden Sunshine at 5; Connect A Cappella at 6; and Jeff Przech & the Outfit at 7.
  • Weather-permitting, take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park, any time from 12-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Tours are typically 20-40 minutes. The stairs aren’t that many (like, compared to the Statue of Liberty), but they are steep!
  • Thursday Nights on the Plaza: beer and music on the upper level of Riverfront Plaza, 4-8 p.m.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.
  • Sound Healing for Relaxation at Toivo (399 Franklin Ave.): crystal singing bowls, aromatherapy, and handmade chocolates. 6:30-7:30 p.m.  $5 suggested donation.
  • Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition is offering free training in how to reverse an opioid (OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Heroin, Fentanyl) overdose. Participants will receive free Naloxone kits, which have the potential to prevent overdose deaths. GHHRC hosts these training sessions every Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. at its office, 1229 Albany Avenue. GHHRC requests that those attending get in touch with the date they want to attend on so enough kits are available.
  • The Professors of Sweet Sweet Music play at Peppercorns Grill (357 Main Street), 8:30-10 p.m. No cover!

July 8

  • The free Riverfront Food Truck Festival runs from 11 a.m .- 8 p.m. Besides the food (not free) there are activities and entertainment: 12-12:30 yoga; Hollywood Game Night at noon; Cornhole Tournament at 2; Diminishing Jim at 4; Kathryn Dean at 5; and Mike Thomas at 6.
  • Cinestudio (300 Summit Street) will be screening A Bigger Splash: “A perfect Italian psychological thriller that gets its buzz from the sensuous landscapes, food, and people living on a sun-blasted hideaway on Pantelleria, a volcanic island in the strait of Sicily. Tilda Swinton stars as Marianne Lane, a former rock star recuperating from surgery (and a wild life) that has left her nearly speechless. Marianne’s calm idyll with new lover Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts) is interrupted by the arrival of her former manager, a mad flash of energy played by Ralph Fiennes. As Fiennes tries to seduce Marianne, his pouty daughter (Dakota Johnson) catches the attention of Paul.” This begins at 7:30 p.m. General admission is $9.
  • There are still more free film options than our sedentary selves probably need, and that’s even with the demise of MECA and the City of Hartford’s own free film screenings. Example: the Wadsworth Atheneum will be showing classic films in its outdoor courtyard on six Fridays this summer, and for Hartford residents, admission is free. Doors open at 5 p.m. for this event, if you’d like to get there early to buy dinner at the Museum Cafe. Movie begins at sundown, so approximately 8:15 p.m. The museum provides the seating; lawn chairs are not permitted. Coolers aren’t either, but does that even need to be said? I mean, have you tried going into the Wadsworth with anything larger than a non-standard clutch?  Anyway, the film tonight is Love Me Tonight, which they describe: “A Parisian tailor finds himself posing as a baron in order to collect a sizeable bill from an aristocrat, only to fall in love with an aloof young princess.”

July 9

Tessellations by Ben Parker will be on view at EBK Gallery through July 17, 2016. // Photo courtesy of EBK Gallery [small works]
  • Meet by The Cottage to go on a park and history tour at Elizabeth Park, 10 a.m. This is free.
  • Mark Twain’s Companions & Cohorts: They say: “While Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, is laid to rest in Elmira, New York, many of his Hartford companions and cohorts are interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Learn about Twain’s life and his many Nook Farm friends, neighbors and colleagues during this tour led by Steve Courtney. Featured residents will include Reverend Joseph Hopkins Twichell, Charles Dudley Warner and Isabella Beecher Hooker.” The tour at Cedar Hill Cemetery (453 Fairfield Avenue) begins at 10 a.m. Admission: $5; free for CHCF, Mark Twain Museum, and Let’s Go Arts members.
  • Free admission to the Wadsworth Atheneum, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., and once you’re in, you won’t be kicked out until the museum closes!
  • Yoga Dance at Toivo Center (399 Franklin Avenue). Like it says, this is a fusion of yoga and dance. 11 a.m – 12:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation.
  • Free Yoga in Pope Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; dress for exercise. Instruction will be in Spanish and English. Meet by the pond.
  • Author and World Wrestling Champion Bob Backlund will make an appearance at the Hartford Public Library at 12 p.m. His book, Backlund: From All-American Boy to Professional Wrestling’s World Champion, will be available for purchase. Free to attend.
  • Stop by EBK Gallery (218 Pearl Street) from 6-8:30 p.m. for an art reception. This is for Ben Parker’s “Disruption: A Study in Broken Patterns.” Free.

July 10

  • Free yoga in Colt Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the Wethersfield Avenue entrance.
  • Hartford Bluegrass Jam: Pickers and singers and listeners welcome! This two-hour jam session starts at 6 p.m. at The Half Door (270 Sisson Avenue). No cover charge.

July 11

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House.
  • Hartford Jazz Society’s Monday Night Jazz — the nation’s longest-running free jazz concert series — returns this year to Bushnell Park with Damian Curtis Latin Jazz Ensemble kicking it off at 6 p.m. Yosvany Terry Quartet headlines at 7:30 p.m. You can bring blankets and lawn chairs, food and drink, dogs (on leash), and whatever else is typically allowed in public parks. It is broadcast live on 91.3 fm WWUH, which is where you can find out if rain has forced the outdoor concert to move inside for the evening. Free is never free: when they ask for donations, drop in a few bucks to help keep this thing going.

July 12

  • The West End Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m. and can be found on the Clemens Green, which is that big lawn area on Farmington Avenue near the Mark Twain House & Museum. They accept and double SNAP/EBT.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.
  • Hartford Public Library hosts a free, acoustic open mic at 6 p.m. Those who wish to perform may begin signing up at 5:45 p.m.

July 13

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House.
  • If this year teaches us anything, it’s that “free” events are never truly free. Case in point: Night Fall. The show in October will be the fifth annual production — music, dance, large puppets, and more. There has never been a charge to attend and view, but that does not mean that to stage this, the creation, talent, rentals, and so forth have magically just happened. Tonight, help support the arts and family-centered entertainment by attending a Night Fall fundraiser at the Pond House Cafe in Elizabeth Park. Expect snacks, puppets from past shows, and a cash bar. 5:30-8 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance.
  • Green Drinks Hartford: “a monthly happy hour for people who care about green issues to connect, network, and have fun.” This month’s will be at Siam Hartford (77 Pratt Street) from 6-8 p.m. and will feature a discussion on “equitable food security in urban environments” with Spencer Curry, CEO and Co-founder of FRESH Farm Aquaponics at 7 p.m. No charge to attend.
  • Free chamber music and carillon concerts at Trinity College: Christopher Houlihan and Doug Perry will perform in the chapel at 6 p.m.; Mathieu Polak of Rotterdam will make the carillon concert happen. Bring a blanket and picnic to enjoy the music on the lawn.
  • River City Slim & the Zydeco Hogs will bring music to Elizabeth Park’s rose garden lawn, 6:30-8 p.m. This free event will postpone until Thursday in case of rain.
  • Asylum Hill Congregational Church (814 Asylum Avenue) hosts a free Faith & Justice Summer Film Series at 7 p.m. A facilitated discussion will follow the film and there will be sign language interpretation. Snacks will also be provided. Tonight’s film is Lives Worth Living, which covers the fights people with disabilities have waged, from civil disobedience to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

July 14

  • Every Thursday there is a farmers’ market at Billings Forge, 11 a.m. -2 p.m. This is on the green space on Broad Street between Capitol Avenue and Russ Street.
  • Weather-permitting, take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park, any time from 12-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Tours are typically 20-40 minutes.
  • Thursday Nights on the Plaza: beer and music on the upper level of Riverfront Plaza, 4-8 p.m.
  • The KNOW GOOD Market starts at 5 p.m. at 30-50 Bartholomew Avenue. In a nutshell, this is live music and a few food trucks. Free to just hang out.
  • Sunset Sounds Garden Concert Series and Art for Life Exhibit: The Butler-McCook House and Garden (396 Main Street) will host an outdoor performance by the Red Hot Horns, along with an opening reception for a veterans’ photography exhibit. Bring your own picnic. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.
  • The Artists of Cedar Hill: At 6:30 p.m., take a tour of Cedar Hill Cemetery (453 Fairfield Avenue) where you “Learn about the lives and accomplishments of some of Cedar Hill’s noteworthy artists. Debbie Alter leads this tour focusing on the cemetery’s creative residents including William Glackens, Albert Entress and Katharine Seymour Day.” $5; free for CHCF and Let’s Go Arts members.
  • Swing by Toivo (399 Franklin Ave.) from 6:30-8 p.m. for Cindee Rifkin‘s yoga ceremony, Explore Your Strength: A Deeper Discover of Your Breath. This will include drumming, calling in the Four Directions, singing prayers, pranayama, yoga asana, chakra meditation, and sound healing. There is a $5 suggested donation.
  • Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition is offering free training in how to reverse an opioid (OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Heroin, Fentanyl) overdose. Participants will receive free Naloxone kits, which have the potential to prevent overdose deaths. GHHRC hosts these training sessions every Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. at its office, 1229 Albany Avenue. GHHRC requests that those attending get in touch with the date they want to attend on so enough kits are available.
  • Again this year, WECA is sponsoring Movies Under Moonlight — free outdoor movies in the West End. No start time is included in their newsletter, but it’s safe to assume nothing starts until it’s dark enough outside. Tonight’s film is Minions and will take place at 45 Evergreen Avenue, a vacant lot owned by the City of Hartford. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets.

July 15

  • Free admission for Hartford residents to The Gay Divorcee, screening in the outdoor courtyard of the Wadsworth Atheneum at sundown. Dinner is available for purchase from the Museum Cafe starting at 5 p.m.
  • Flow with Floyd: Hilary Bryant will lead a vinyasa flow class set to the tunes of Pink Floyd. This will be set at moderate level, but participants are welcomed to pick their own speed. This is 6-7:15 p.m. at Toivo (399 Franklin Avenue). There is a $5 suggested donation.
  • Today is the last chance to see Headstrong, a photo exhibit by Marc-Yves Regis, at the ArtWalk Gallery located inside of Hartford Public Library.

July 16

  • Join the KNOX Green Team today to clean up and beautify Bushnell Park, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Let Nicola know you are coming so enough refreshments are provided: (860) 951-7694 ext 14 or nicolaa@knoxhartford.org.
  • Free Yoga in Pope Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; dress for exercise. Instruction will be in Spanish and English. Meet by the pond.
  • The Urban Roots Workshop Series offers up free learning opportunities every month. July offers a two-day workshop in natural paper making, with the first session today from 1-3 p.m, and the second session at the same time on July 17. Hong Hong is leading the workshop. They advise participants to bring rain boots. RSVP to Emily Petersen, Community Garden & Education Manager (860) 951-7694 ext 28  or emilyp@knoxhartford.org. This is run through KNOX with funding provided by the Aetna Foundation. This will take place at 75 Laurel Street.
  • The 25th Annual Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz presents Phil French at 3 p.m.; Jeff Bradshaw at 5 p.m.; Marcus Anderson at 7 p.m.; Najee at 9 p.m.; Side Street “New England’s Premier Dance Crew” at 11 p.m.; and Jus Us after that. It’s free to attend. Since this is a public park, all the normal public park items are allowed. Bring cash for the arts & crafts and food vendors, and to throw something in the bucket.This takes place in Bushnell Park.

July 17

  • Free yoga in Colt Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the Wethersfield Avenue entrance.
  • Today’s Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz schedule is somewhat unclear at the moment, but looks to include the Funky Dawgz Brass Band at a mystery time. Marcus Young performs at 4 p.m. Carl Allen & The Art of Elvin will take the stage at 6 p.m. The Hartford Legacy Jazz Orchestra performs at 8 p.m. This free event is in Bushnell Park.

July 18

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House.
  • Hartford Jazz Society’s Monday Night Jazz — the nation’s longest-running free jazz concert series — brings music to Bushnell Park with the Erica Bryan Ensemble at 6 p.m., followed by The Afri-Garifuna Jazz Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. You can bring blankets and lawn chairs, and food and drink. It is broadcast live on 91.3 fm WWUH, which is where you can find out if rain has forced the outdoor concert to move inside for the evening. Free is never free: when they ask for donations, drop in a few bucks to help keep this thing going.

July 19

  • The West End Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m. and can be found on the Clemens Green, which is that big lawn area on Farmington Avenue near the Mark Twain House & Museum. They accept and double SNAP/EBT.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.
  • McKinnon’s Irish Pub (114 Asylum Street) will be hosting HYPE’s Civics 101 Trivia, 6-8 p.m. The game will be electronic, with one phone needed per team. Appetizers will be provided. $5 for HYPE members; $10 for non-members.

July 20

  • Participate in an “Herb Garden Walk & Talk” at Elizabeth Park. This free event begins in the Herb Garden at 10:30 a.m.
  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House.
  • Judith Lee, Noemi Miloradovic, Lu Friedman, and Peter Zay will perform chamber music in the Trinity College chapel at 6 p.m. A carillon concert follows at 7 p.m. Bring a picnic and blanket to enjoy the free event.
  • Bring a blanket and picnic to the rose garden lawn in Elizabeth Park, where you can enjoy a free concert by Latanya Farrell, 6:30-8 p.m. If it rains, the music will be moved to Thursday.
  • Asylum Hill Congregational Church (814 Asylum Avenue) hosts a free Faith & Justice Summer Film Series at 7 p.m. A facilitated discussion will follow the film and there will be sign language interpretation. Snacks will also be provided. Tonight’s film is Food Chain, which they call an exposé about “an intrepid group of Florida farmworkers battle to defeat the $4 trillion global supermarket industry through their ingenious Fair Food program, which partners with growers and retailers to improve working conditions for farm laborers in the United States.”

July 21

  • Every Thursday there is a farmers’ market at Billings Forge, 11 a.m. -2 p.m. This is on the green space on Broad Street between Capitol Avenue and Russ Street.
  • Weather-permitting, take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park, any time from 12-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Tours are typically 20-40 minutes.
  • Thursday Nights on the Plaza: beer and music on the upper level of Riverfront Plaza, 4-8 p.m.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.
  • Alfred Rivera and Amor y Cultura perform traditional jibaro songs as part of the free outdoor concert series at Connecticut Historical Society (1 Elizabeth Street), 6-7:30 p.m. The series celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Connecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program, which is now housed at CHS. The grounds and galleries open at 5 p.m. Bring a chair, blanket, and picnic.
  • Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition is offering free training in how to reverse an opioid (OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Heroin, Fentanyl) overdose. Participants will receive free Naloxone kits, which have the potential to prevent overdose deaths. GHHRC hosts these training sessions every Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. at its office, 1229 Albany Avenue. GHHRC requests that those attending get in touch with the date they want to attend on so enough kits are available.

July 22

  • Free admission for Hartford residents to My Man Godfrey, screening in the outdoor courtyard of the Wadsworth Atheneum at sundown. Dinner is available for purchase from the Museum Cafe starting at 5 p.m.
  • Cedar Hill Cemetery is hosting a free musical concert, Music Among the Memorials, from 6-8 p.m. They say: “The Professors of Sweet Sweet Music bring energy and fun to Cedar Hill with covers of music they love from The Grateful Dead and Johnny Cash to reggae and rock-influenced original music featuring the ukulele and guitar.” Bring blankets, chairs, and picnic dinners. If it rains, the concert is moved to July 23rd.

July 23

  • Barnstormers & Aviators: at 10 a.m., come to Cedar Hill Cemetery to “Learn about Connecticut’s role in aviation history through the stories of noted stunt flyers, aviation innovators and early supporters of winged flight. Tales of daring pioneers, from Charles K. Hamilton to Edson Gallaudet and Mary Jenson, will delight and amaze.” Admission is $5 general; free for CHCF and Let’s Go Arts members.
  • Free Yoga in Pope Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; dress for exercise. Instruction will be in Spanish and English. Meet by the pond.
  • Free outdoor movie and dinner at Charter Oak Cultural Center (21 Charter Oak Avenue). Dinner is served at 6 p.m., film is at 7 p.m. The Borrowers, based on the book by Mary Norton, will be screened. Every family goes home with a copy of the book. This will take place in the courtyard.
  • Connecticut Ballet Summer Dance Caravan: the opening act is at 6:30, main performance at 7. This free event is on the rose garden lawn at Elizabeth Park. Rain date: July 24.

July 24

  • Free yoga in Colt Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the Wethersfield Avenue entrance.

July 25

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House.
  • Hartford Jazz Society’s Monday Night Jazz — the nation’s longest-running free jazz concert series — brings music to Bushnell Park with Mike Casey at 6 p.m., followed by the E.J. Strickland Quintet at 7:30 p.m. You can bring blankets and lawn chairs, and food and drink. It is broadcast live on 91.3 fm WWUH, which is where you can find out if rain has forced the outdoor concert to move inside for the evening. Free is never free: when they ask for donations, drop in a few bucks to help keep this thing going.

July 26

  • The West End Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m. and can be found on the Clemens Green, which is that big lawn area on Farmington Avenue near the Mark Twain House & Museum. They accept and double SNAP/EBT.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.

July 27

  • Free yoga in Bushnell Park at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn between the pond and Pump House.
  • Trinity College provides free music tonight, starting with None of the Above, an a Capella group, at 6. This will be in the Trinity College chapel. Lynnli Wang of New Haven will start her carillon performance at 7. Bring a blanket and picnic to enjoy this music on the quad.
  • MassConnFusion gives a free performance in Elizabeth Park, 6:30-8 p.m. Set up your picnic on the Rose Garden lawn. If it rains, the event is postponed until Thursday.
  • Asylum Hill Congregational Church (814 Asylum Avenue) hosts a free Faith & Justice Summer Film Series at 7 p.m. A facilitated discussion will follow the film and there will be sign language interpretation. Snacks will also be provided. Tonight’s film is Southern Rites, which they describe as following “photographer Gillain Laub as she returns to the community in Georgia where she documented segregated proms that garnered national attention when her photographs were published in 2009. The proms are now integrated, but in the aftermath of a fatal shooting of a young black man and in the midst of a heated local election, the community still grapples with issues of race that extend well beyond the senior prom.”

July 28

  • Every Thursday there is a farmers’ market at Billings Forge, 11 a.m. -2 p.m. This is on the green space on Broad Street between Capitol Avenue and Russ Street.
  • Weather-permitting, take a free tour of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park, any time from 12-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Tours are typically 20-40 minutes.
  • Thursday Nights on the Plaza: beer and music on the upper level of Riverfront Plaza, 4-8 p.m.
  • The Mark Twain House & Museum (351 Farmington Avenue) is hosting its 8th annual ice cream social on the patio, 5-7 p.m. Everyone can get free UConn ice cream (provided by Bear’s). Free arts & crafts activities for the kids.
  • ¡Fiestas Patrias Celebration! — Peruvian food and drink, and live music, will be in Gengras Court at the Wadsworth Atheneum to celebrate Peruvian Independence Day. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free.
  • Free yoga in Elizabeth Park at 5:30. Bring your own yoga mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the rose garden.
  • Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition is offering free training in how to reverse an opioid (OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Heroin, Fentanyl) overdose. Participants will receive free Naloxone kits, which have the potential to prevent overdose deaths. GHHRC hosts these training sessions every Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. at its office, 1229 Albany Avenue. GHHRC requests that those attending get in touch with the date they want to attend on so enough kits are available.
  • Again this year, WECA is sponsoring four Movies Under Moonlight — free outdoor movies in the West End. No start time is included in their newsletter, but it’s safe to assume nothing starts until it’s dark enough outside. Tonight’s film is Pitch Perfect and will take place on the East Lawn of Elizabeth Park. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets.

July 29

  • Straight Talk about Heroin with Martin Jackson: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. They say that this full-day session is “designed to educate social workers, clinicians, youth workers, educator and faith leaders on the signs and symptoms of addiction; common interventions and best practices for treatment.” They say: “Martin Jacksion is a nationally recognized expert on Heroin and Opiate addition and is the founder and clinical director of The Institute of Health and Healing Sciences at The 224 EcoSpace,” which is where this session will be taking place. Tickets are $99.
  • The Funky Dawgz Brass Band will perform on the Hartford Public Library terrace at 12 p.m. This free concert will also include performances by students participating in Charter Oak Cultural Center’s summer camp.
  • Mommy & Me Paint Class at Carmen’s Events & Beauty Showroom (942 Main Street), 3-5 p.m. They say: “The perfect Saturday afternoon fun for mommy and daughter (or any combined relation) to enjoy a fun activity. In just about two hours our instructor will guide you through a fun paint class. We will also feature a fun snack bar for all to enjoy. Class includes canvass and all paint supplies. Child should be old enough to paint following the art instructors direction. It’s best for pair to paint at the same pace (to complete the matching canvas.” Tickets (one per pair) are $45.
  • Free admission for Hartford residents to The Lady Vanishes, screening in the outdoor courtyard of the Wadsworth Atheneum at sundown. Dinner is available for purchase from the Museum Cafe starting at 5 p.m.

July 30

  • Learn about seed saving and herb drying from Emily Petersen of KNOX in a free Urban Roots Workshop Series, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. today! This is at 75 Laurel Street. Contact Emily if you intend to attend: (860) 951-7694 ext 28
    emilyp@knoxhartford.org
  • Free Yoga in Pope Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; dress for exercise. Instruction will be in Spanish and English. Meet by the pond.
  • Summer Courtyard Concerts at Charter Oak Cultural Center (21 Charter Oak Ave) features Samba Rio Trio today, 2-3:30 p.m. Food will be served about 1:30. Free.

July 31

  • Free yoga in Colt Park at 11 a.m. Bring your own mat and water; wear comfortable clothing. Meet on the lawn near the Wethersfield Avenue entrance.
  • Sea Tea Improv keeps its monthly short-form comedy show going at City Steam Brewery’s Brew Ha Ha Comedy Club (942 Main Street) at 7 p.m. It’s free, with food and drink available for purchase. Doors to the club open at 6 p.m.

This monthly event listing includes arts and entertainment, civic engagement, academic, cultural, wellness, and other types of activities happening in Hartford during July. There is no intent to include all events — it’s curated, with preference given to what the widest range of Hartford residents can afford (free or low cost) and what sounds most interesting to us.

This information is accurate as of publication to the best of our knowledge. Keep in mind that events are sometimes cancelled or postponed, and that incorrect details are at times given to us. Verify with the venue if you are concerned about last minute surprises.

To get an event published for next month, send details to realhartford@gmail.com by July 25th. Nothing is added after the calendar is published.