How we doing Hartford County!?
Today is September 1st, aka National Burnt Ends Day, which feels like a pretty solid excuse to talk BBQ. I love me some smoked meats, and lately I’ve been on a quest to find the best BBQ and burnt ends in Hartford County. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, those crispy little meat-candy burnt ends... I’m looking for all of it.
More on my BBQ hunt below.
In Today’s HartCo Buzz:
Introducing Buzz Games
Local BBQ
LeatherMan
Buzz & Tell
Local Events
Let’s dive in!
-Todd DiGiovanni
🐝 Buzz Games Starts Today
Alright, this one is pretty fun. Buzz Games is officially live today, and now you can compete against your neighbors, your town, and the rest of Connecticut without having to leave your couch.
Here’s what’s waiting for you:
🟨 BUZZLE: Our Wordle-style game, with a fresh puzzle every Monday through Friday.
🧩 BUZZWORD: A new crossword drops every Tuesday morning at 7 AM, with general clues and a little Connecticut mixed in.
👀 BUZZEYE: Also new every Tuesday at 7 AM. Slowly reveal a Connecticut photo and see how quickly you can figure out where it is.
It’s free, there’s no account to create, and you can represent your town while climbing the leaderboard.
Give all three a shot today. I’m very curious to see which Connecticut town ends up owning the leaderboard.
BURNT ENDS HUNT
Walk into Smoke BBQ Cafe in East Windsor (122 Prospect Hill Rd) and the first thing that hits you is that unmistakable smoky BBQ aroma that tells you you’re probably in the right place. I went straight for the burnt ends with mac and cheese, added the spicy BBQ sauce, and this one delivered. The burnt ends were smoky, flavorful, tender, with that rich bark you want, and the sauce brought legit heat without overpowering the meat. Safe to say I’ll be ordering this exact plate again. Next up on the list of things to try will be the brisket, it looks fantastic!
In honor of National Burnt Ends Day, I rounded up some of the best BBQ spots across Hartford County. From brisket and ribs to pulled pork and, obviously, burnt ends, consider this your excuse to eat your way through the local smokehouse scene.
📣 Want to Reach 8,000+ Local Readers?
We’re looking for a few great local businesses to partner with. If you want to put your business in front of 8,000+ engaged locals who actually want to know what’s happening in their community, we’d love to talk. Get in touch and let’s find a way to get your business noticed.
👉 Interested in partnering with us? Reach out here.
DINNER CLUB: HARTFORD
Last week, 120 people came out to meet new friends, make new connections, and share a meal with a table full of people they probably never would’ve met otherwise. Now we’re doing it again, this time in Hartford on September 24th at 6:30PM.
Here’s how it works:
Sign up and save your seat.
We match you with a table of new people.
The restaurant stays a secret until the morning before the dinner.
Show up, grab dinner, and meet your table.
After dinner, we’ll send everyone an optional spot to keep the night going.
Come solo, bring a friend, whatever works. The whole point is just to get out of the house and meet some new people.
🥾 In Case You Missed It...
We recently shared a pretty fascinating piece about the Leatherman, one of Connecticut’s strangest bits of local lore, but it didn’t get nearly the attention we thought it deserved. So we’re giving it another shot here, because if you missed this story the first time around, it’s definitely worth a few minutes.
BUZZWORTHY ACTIVITY: BEES KNEES FEST
This one sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday. Bees Knees Fest takes over Heaven Skatepark in Hartford on Saturday, September 5, from noon–9 PM, bringing together live music, skating, dance, art and poetry. Expect local and regional artists, sounds from Flip Factory, a freestyle cypher hosted by Nu Eleven, plus an open jam where musicians can jump in. Best part? It’s completely FREE.
HARTFORD’S FOUR-TIME OSCAR QUEEN
Almost everyone nailed last week’s trivia: Hartford-born Katharine Hepburn still holds the acting record with four Best Actress Oscars: Morning Glory (1933), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968), and On Golden Pond (1981).
A few fun extras: she earned 12 Oscar nominations, tied Barbra Streisand for her Lion in Winter win, and didn’t attend the Oscars until 1974, decades after winning her first. She also grew up on Hawthorn Street in Hartford and started acting in a little backyard theater her father built.
BUZZ & TELL
🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Millie, a 5-month-old German Shepherd/Husky mix with show-stopping ice-blue eyes who loves dogs, adventures, snuggles, and tagging along wherever her people go.
🏡House of the week: The Howe Quarry Cliff House is perched high above a historic quarry and pond on nearly 25 wooded acres, with incredible 180-degree views stretching from the Hartford skyline and Connecticut River Valley all the way to Sleeping Giant in New Haven. The recently renovated 2-bed, 3-bath, 2,312-square-foot home features a floor-to-ceiling fireplace built from stone quarried right on the property, walls of windows, vaulted ceilings, wide-board floors, and decks where eagles and hawks can soar by at eye level. Have a look!
🥾Trail of the week: Oops I missed this last week. Pinnacle Rock via Metacomet Trail in Plainville. Or choose from 28 other HartCo trails.
🔭Sky report: Late Wednesday night into early Thursday, look for the Moon passing right by the Pleiades, the bright little star cluster often called the “Seven Sisters.” By Sunday morning before sunrise, a thin crescent Moon will appear very close to Mars, making an easy-to-spot pairing low in the eastern sky.
BEE LINE EVENTS
TUESDAY (9/1)
Hartford | Hartford Yard Goats vs. Reading Fightin Phils | 6:30 PM | ($) - Cheer on the Yard Goats under the lights at Dunkin’ Park. Play Ball (daily this week)
Manchester | Music Bingo Tuesdays at Elicit | 6:30 PM - Team trivia with a soundtrack at Elicit Brewing.
WEDNESDAY (9/2)
Hartford | Jazz Wednesdays at Black-eyed Sally's | 7 PM - The long-running midweek jazz night. Listen Up
Hartford | Salons at Stowe | 6 PM - Evening conversation series at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. Join In
Newington | Acoustic Wednesdays: Marty Q | 6 PM - Weekly acoustic set at The Flying Monkey Grill. Tune In
West Hartford | Ashlee Mack Guest Piano Recital | 7:30 PM - Hartt School guest artist at Berkman Recital Hall. Listen Up
Southington | Concert: Soul Sound Revue | 7 PM - Live music at the Town Green. Listen Up
West Hartford | Open Mic Night | 6 PM - Take the stage at New Park Brewing. Sign Up
THURSDAY (9/3)
Hartford | Street Sounds: Erin Earth & Cazz Piano | 5 PM - Live event at 825 Main Street Hartford. Listen Up
Hartford | Riley Cotton, Low Ceilings & Archangel of the Wasteland | 8 PM | ($) - Indie triple bill at Arch Street Tavern. Rock Out
Manchester | Thursday Night Trivia | 8 PM - Weekly quiz at The Main Pub.
Simsbury | Michael Sasportas | 5:30 PM - Acoustic evening at Talcott Mountain Collective. Listen Up
FRIDAY (9/4)
Hartford | Brazilian Independence Day Celebration | 7–10 PM - Celebrate Brazil at Parkville Market with live music from José Paulo, authentic food, and cultural activities. Celebrate Brazilian style
Hartford | Free Movies in the Park: A League of Their Own | 8–10 PM | FREE - Bring a blanket to Bushnell Park for an outdoor screening of the beloved baseball comedy.
Hartford | The Blues Machine | 8 PM | ($) - Blues night at Black-eyed Sally's.. Hear It Live
Manchester | STEAMROLLER: A TRIBUTE TO JAMES TAYLOR | 7 PM - Tribute band rocks Cheney Hall. Hear It Live
Simsbury | Shakedown Citi | 7 PM - Dead-inspired jams at Talcott Mountain Collective. Rock Out
South Windsor | Decoupage Goose Workshop | 6 PM | ($) - Craft night with a beer in hand at Connecticut Valley Brewing. Get Crafty
Wethersfield | The Beatles Experience | 4 PM - Live event at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield. Rock Out
Woodbury | Friday Night Lights – Summer Concert Series 2026 | 6 PM - Live tunes at the Farm at Carter Hill. Tune In
SATURDAY (9/5)
East Hartford | UConn Football Home Opener vs. Lafayette | 12 PM | ($) - Huskies open the season at Rentschler Field. Go Huskies
Hartford | & Juliet | 7:30 PM - Live event at The Bushnell Theatre. Enjoy
Hartford | Harvest Fest Hartford | All day - Fall festival on Riverfront Plaza. Celebrate
Manchester | ALTERNATIVE FIX BAND: A 90's Rock Tribute | 7 PM - Tribute band rocks Cheney Hall. Hear It Live
New Britain | Foodie Fam Fest | 2 PM - All-day fun at One City Celebration. Taste It
Simsbury | Mike DelGuidice Under the Stars | Gates 6 PM | ($) - Billy Joel's own guitarist plays a Favarh benefit at Simsbury Meadows. Get Tickets
South Windsor | Barktoberfest @ Connecticut Valley Brewing | 12 PM - Dogs, beer and vendors. Bring the Dog
SUNDAY (9/6)
Hartford | Chayanne: Bailemos Otra Vez Tour | 7 PM | ($) - Latin pop superstar at PeoplesBank Arena. Get Tix
Hartford | Emarosa | 8 PM | ($) - Post-hardcore at the Webster Theater. Get Tix
Manchester | Alok | 6 PM | ($) - Stand-up at the Funny Bone. Laugh
Manchester | SILK CITY JAZZ BAND | 4 PM - Live jazz at Cheney Hall. Listen Up
Newington | David Stoltz & Co. Sunday Blues | 5:30 PM - Sunday blues at The Flying Monkey Grill. Hear It Live
Southington | Live Music: Walter Jacobson | 2 PM - Weekend set at Witchdoctor Brewing. Listen Up
MONDAY (9/7)
Manchester | Hartford Jazz Orchestra Mondays | 7:30 PM - Big-band Mondays at Elicit Brewing. Listen Up
West Simsbury | Eric Paradine @ Music Mondays | 6:30 PM - Live music at Simsbury Grange
KID FRIENDLY
9/4
New Britain | Free Planetarium Show: Stars | 7 PM | FREE - Copernican Planetarium at CCSU (. Blast Off
New Britain | Hard Hittin’ Card Show - Friday Night Edition | 5-10 PM - Live event at Veterans of Foreign Wars. Shop Local
9/5
New Britain | NBMAA First Saturday | 10 AM–5 PM | FREE for New Britain residents - Free admission day at the New Britain Museum of American Art. Explore
That’s a wrap for this week’s Hart Co Buzz. If you enjoyed Hart Co Buzz then please share with friends and family who will also benefit from staying in the loop with local happenings. See you next week!
Talk soon,
Todd
