How we doing Hartford County!?
Today is September 29, aka National Coffee Day ☕, and I'm celebrating the only way I know how: with a second cup before 8 AM. Hartford County has no shortage of great local roasters and corner cafés, and I'm always looking for a new favorite.
What's the best cup of coffee in your town? Hit reply and tell me where I should go next.
There’s plenty happening around Hartford County this week and we’re walking into Halloween theme, so let’s get to it.
-Todd DiGiovanni
HARTCO HALLOWEEN 🎃
Hartford County gets a little spooky this time of year, and I'm here for it. We rounded up 32 haunted houses, ghost tours, trick-or-treat nights and Halloween parties across the county, all on one page with a map, dates and scare levels.
Want the full scream-park experience? Phantom Fall Fest has five haunted houses. Rather keep your heart rate down? 400 glowing jack-o'-lanterns line an underground copper mine in East Granby. Taking the little ones? Start with the Great Halloween Drive-Thru in Windsor: no jump scares, just good spooky fun.
YOUR FEEDBACK
I spend a lot of time hunting down the good stuff around here, but you’re the one opening this every Tuesday. Give us one click and tell us what would make Buzz more useful to you.
Help us make Buzz better. If we could put more time into one thing, what would be most valuable to you?
HIVE PICK: LAST CALL FOR COCKTAILS
Tomorrow night's the night. Our hands-on cocktail class at Hartford Flavor Company Distillery is Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 PM, and we're down to our last 15 spots.
Your $75 ticket covers a welcome drink, a second cocktail, a hands-on lesson where you'll make your own drink, recipes to take home, a behind-the-scenes distillery tour, charcuterie and three chicken tacos. It's 21+, so bring your ID.
Not free tomorrow? Our cavatelli class at More Italian Pasta Lab on October 13 has 12 seats left, this is your chance to learn how real Italians make food that we all love. Let's cook!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
HELP US TELL MORE CT STORIES
Know your way around Instagram and always spot the Connecticut story everyone else missed? We’re looking for someone local to help find ideas and make Reels and posts for @connecticut_buzz. It’s flexible, part-time paid work with a small weekly commitment to start.
If that sounds like you, shoot me an email [email protected], with your town, and a couple of posts or videos you’ve made. We care more about your eye for a good story than a fancy résumé.
BUZZ GAMES🤔
Our first month of Buzz Games is coming down to the wire: LMDIWW (Hartford) leads with 1,037 points, followed by YIKES (Columbia) at 985 and KOR2026 (Farmington) at 962. Fresh BuzzEye and Buzzword puzzles just dropped, so jump in and play before September’s crown is decided.
HOW IT WORKS:
▲ Take a quick quiz about what you like to eat, what you’re into, and the kind of people you’d like to meet. Nothing complicated.
▲ Get matched with five other people and head to dinner as a table of six.
▲ Find out where you’re going the morning of the dinner. We’ll send you the restaurant and the details.
▲ Keep the night going if you’d like. During dinner, we’ll text everyone the secret afterparty spot. If you’re full and ready for the couch, we get it.
BUZZWORTHY ACTIVITY: NIGHTFALL
Hartford's giant-puppet tradition returns to Elizabeth Park on Saturday, October 3. It's part theater, part parade and part fever dream, with music, dance, costumes and puppets taller than your house. Vendors, food trucks and pre-show fun start at 1 PM, and the main performance begins at 6:30 PM. Bring a blanket. Rain date is Oct 4. Celebrate!
LOCAL BUSINESS? LET’S TALK.
We’re opening a few partnership spots for businesses that want to reach engaged locals in Hartford County. If you think your business would be a good fit for Buzz readers, get in touch with what you do and where you’re based. We’d love to hear from you.
BUZZ & TELL
🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Jitterbug, a sweet, playful 5-month-old Australian Shepherd mix with one blue eye, one green eye, and big “I run this house” energy.
🏡House of the week: This 1820 Colonial has 4 bedrooms, 3½ baths and 2,803 sq ft on 3.57 acres. The renovated kitchen is great, but the 1,672 sq ft barn with original exposed beams is what I’d be showing everyone. Check it out!
🔭Sky report: Saturn gets its big night on Sunday, October 4, when it reaches its brightest stretch of the year. If you’ve got a dark spot, look for the Andromeda Galaxy high in the sky this week. And early risers: the crescent Moon and Mars will appear side by side before sunrise Monday.
FROM THE ARC-HIVES
Cleaning out the closet before the holidays? Our guide to 32 local secondhand shops is still the most-clicked page we've ever made. Go thrifting!
BRIEF BITES
NEW OPENINGS
🍫 Melt Chocolatier: Small-batch chocolates, Italian-style gelato and pastries have landed at 1 North Main Street in Southington.
🥑 Avocado’s Food: Avocado toast, sandwiches and guacamole at a new kiosk in Westfarms’ center court, near Aerie and Garage.
👔 Indochino: Custom-fit suits and menswear have arrived on Westfarms’ first floor, near Lush.
GOOD VIBES
🛝 A more welcoming Candlewyck Park: Newington had a grand opening for its new accessible playground, basketball court and chess tables. The park is at 84 Lamplighter Lane.
🏒 Wolf Pack legend headed for the rafters: The team will retire Brad Smyth’s No. 11 next March, making him only its second player to receive the honor.
BEE LINE EVENTS
TUESDAY (9/29)
Hartford | Anberlin in Hartford | 7:30PM | ($) - The alt-rock mainstays play the Webster's basement room, which is as loud as it sounds at The Webster Underground. Listen!
Hartford | The Great Gatsby (Touring) | 7:30PM | ($) - The Broadway musical adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age novel, on tour at the Bushnell at Bushnell Theatre/ Mortensen Hall. Laugh!
Manchester | Dinner and a Movie Under The Stars at Murphy's | 7PM - Fall dinner and a movie Tuesdays under the stars! Sip!
South Windsor | Pilates After Dark | 7PM | ($) - Pilates After Dark is taking over CT Valley Brewing Company for pints & Pilates! Sip!
WEDNESDAY (9/30)
Avon | A Taste of Knowledge: Olive Oil Exploration (in-person presentation and tasting) - Join olive oil sommelier Tassos C at Avon Free Public Library. Fun!
Hartford | Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen | 8PM - Infinity Music Hall. Listen!
Simsbury | Sips & Sparks | 6:30PM | ($) - Sips & Sparks: drinks and a hands-on making session in Simsbury at Talcott Mountain Collective. Create!
THURSDAY (10/1)
Farmington | Pirate Ghost Stories, Shipwrecks, Nautical Tales, and Legends | 6PM - Beyond the lore, we will dive into the creepy questions that have baffled humanity for centuries: What exactly are ghosts, why are they here, and what forces compel them to stay? at Farmington Library. Learn!
Glastonbury | GOZA Latin Jazz | 6PM - Join us for an unforgettable evening with GOZA, a dynamic Latin ensemble bringing the rhythms of samba, salsa, bachata, and more at Cotton Hollow Kitchen. Listen!
Hartford | Greater Hartford Theater Week | ($) - Consider this your permission slip to see what’s playing all over Hartford at Venues across Hartford. Nice!
Wethersfield | Scarecrows Along Main - Scarecrows line Main Street through Old Wethersfield for the autumn. Scary!
FRIDAY (10/2)
East Granby | Paint Your Own Spooky Mug | 6:00PM - Paint a Halloween mug to take home, glass of wine in hand, at Brignole Vineyards. Create!
Simsbury | Mauve Lloyd | 8PM - Mauve Lloyd plays the taproom at Talcott Mountain Collective. Listen!
Southington | Southington Apple Harvest Festival | 5PM - One of the Northeast's biggest fall festivals kicks off its first weekend with rides, crafts, live music, and apple-everything treats at Southington Town Green. Celebrate! (runs through the weekend)
Wethersfield | Matcha Workshop - Whisk up the real thing at a hands-on matcha workshop with Historic Wethersfield. Create!
Windsor | Spookley Movie Night | 6PM - Free outdoor screening of Spookley the Square Pumpkin on the farm; bring a dog-treat donation for Fidelco at Brown's Harvest. Join in!
SATURDAY (10/3)
Bristol | Halloween Terrarium Class | 10:30AM - Come and have a fa-boo-lous time creating a tiny world with us! at The Bristol Bazaar LLC. Create!
Bristol | Urgent: Tribute to Foreigner | 7PM | ($) - Foreigner tribute act Urgent brings Juke Box Hero and the rest to the Rockwell Theater. Listen!
East Windsor | Haunted Makers Market | 12PM - Step into the spooky season at the Haunted Makers Market, held at The Battle Standard in East Windsor, Connecticut and hosted by Moon & Moth Mercantile. Shop!
Hartford | Hartford Harvest Festival 🍂 - Hartford Harvest Festival 🍂 at Pratt St. Celebrate!
Hartford | French Canadian Jam | 2:30PM - A free French Canadian jam session — fiddles, spoons, and anyone who wants to sit in at Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. Listen!
Manchester | CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL TRIBUTE - Cheney Hall. Listen!
Manchester | Shout! A Tribute to Talking Heads | 5PM - Our resident Tribute Band presents a tribute to legendary bands at The Main Pub. Listen!
Simsbury | The Loner: A Neil Young Tribute | 6PM - Brian Dolzani works through the Neil Young songbook at Talcott Mountain Collective. Listen!
South Windsor | Halloween Fest & Night Vendor Market @ Birdhouse Coffee | 4PM - A Halloween night market of makers and food vendors at CT Valley Brewing and Birdhouse Coffee. Shop!
West Hartford | Roast Battle Hartford at Elbow Room Comedy Club: October | 9:15PM - Connecticut's funniest and most competitive roast battle at Elbow Room Comedy Club. Laugh!
Wethersfield | Annual Old Wethersfield Arts and Crafts Fair | 10AM - Old Wethersfield’s long-running arts and crafts fair fills the historic district at Cove Park. Celebrate!
Windsor | CT River & Roots Series: Phil and the Flying Leap | 2PM | ($) - Roots and Americana from Phil and the Flying Leap at the Windsor Art Center. Listen!
SUNDAY (10/4)
Granby | Sunday Music: Liam O'Brien | 1PM - An acoustic performance at the winery at Lost Acres Vineyard. Listen!
Hartford | Five for Fighting with String Quartet | 8PM | ($) - John Ondrasik performs 'Superman,' '100 Years,' and more backed by a live string quartet at Infinity Music Hall. Listen!
Hartford | Hartford Athletic vs. Louisville City FC | 3PM | ($) - USL Championship home match against Louisville City FC at Trinity Health Stadium. Watch!
West Hartford | Birds of Elizabeth Park | 8AM - Early-morning birding in Elizabeth Park with Al Gatti of the Hartford Audubon at Elizabeth Park Conservancy. Get outside!
KID FRIENDLY
10/3
South Windsor | South Windsor Apple Harvest Festival | 10AM - Signature apple pie and homemade baked goods, live music, a bounce house, pony rides and train rides; bring a non-perishable donation for the food bank at John J. Mitchell Fairgrounds. Celebrate!
10/4
Bloomfield | Auerfarm Fall Festival | 11AM | ($) - The 4-H education farm hosts a family fall festival with hayrides, pumpkin painting, and farm animals ($20/car). Play!
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
