How we doing Hartford County!?

Happy Tuesday, October 20th! Today is National Chicken and Waffles Day, which sounds like a holiday worth celebrating with crispy fried chicken, a warm waffle, and plenty of maple syrup. It's also National Day on Writing, which seems fitting given how much time I spend putting this newsletter together, but I think we all know which one I'd rather be doing right now!

Got a favorite spot for chicken and waffles around Hartford County? Hit reply and let me know! I'm always up for a good breakfast recommendation.

Now, let's see what's happening around the county this week!

-Todd DiGiovanni

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Well, I threw out my back and missed Saturday's coffee meetup. I'm truly sorry, especially to anyone who showed up!

Want to give it another shot Saturday, November 7? I'll put it to a vote and ask where we should meet, so watch upcoming issues.

And because apparently one mistake wasn't enough, the link for our Hartford County Independent Coffee Shop Guide didn’t work. Check it out!

My brother recently took a trip to Hive in the Hut in Ashford (I know it’s not Hartford County) and he said “it was one of the coolest experiences I've had in a while”.

The place is run by Ryan and Dan, two guys who are incredibly passionate about what they do and, quite frankly, just really nice people.

Ryan actually built the hut himself, right down to the beautiful stained glass windows! Inside, you can experience something called apitherapy, where you lie above a working beehive, safely separated from the bees by wood, breathing in air from the hive while listening to thousands of bees buzzing beneath you.

Here's something he didn't expect: each hive has its own distinct aroma.

He absolutely loved it. He left feeling relaxed, happy, and like everything was a little more in focus. He can't wait to go back, and that's not something he says about every place he visits!

🎁 We're giving one lucky reader the chance to bring a guest and experience it firsthand!

Quick note: I'm no medical professional, and this isn't medical advice. If you have bee allergies, please consult your doctor before participating.

Got a few minutes to kill? 🐝 Put that brain to work with BUZZLE, BUZZWORD, and BUZZEYE and see how you stack up against your fellow Buzz readers! Play now!

Ever thought about becoming a landlord without buying a separate investment property? That's house hacking, and it's worth a look.

Here's how it works: Buy a two-, three-, or four-family home, live in one unit, and rent out the others. That rental income could help cover your mortgage while you build equity.

And here's where things get interesting:

There are occupancy, income, and lending requirements, so understanding your options before shopping is key.

Curious whether house hacking could work for you? Connect with Kimberly Joy at PrimeLending and find out what's possible!

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.

400 glowing jack-o'-lanterns. An abandoned copper mine. A former prison. Yeah, this is pretty cool! Head to Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine in East Granby, where you can explore 100 yards of underground tunnels lit entirely by professionally carved pumpkins. And here's the creepy part: prisoners were once held down there in complete darkness! Oh, and bring a jacket. It's a chilly 52 degrees underground!

📍 115 Newgate Rd., East Granby

Get Spooked

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Poppy, a 20-month-old German Shepherd who's smart, sweet, loves hiking, car rides, and couch cuddles, and is ready to find her forever adventure buddy!

🏡House of the week: Built in 1767, this gorgeous Colonial has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 2,380 sq. ft. of old-school New England charm on nearly 5 acres. We're talking wide-plank floors, three fireplaces, a classic barn, and even a chicken coop! Check it out.

🔭Sky report: The Orionid meteor shower peaks Wednesday into Thursday (10/21–22), with debris from Halley's Comet producing up to 20 meteors an hour under ideal conditions. Your best shot is after 3 AM Thursday, once the Moon sets, so find a dark spot and look up! Friday night, catch Saturn near the nearly full Moon, then watch the Hunter's Moon rise Sunday (10/25) around 5:18 PM, reaching its fullest at 12:11 AM Monday.

Still need your scare for the season? Our guide to 32 haunted houses, ghost tours & spooky nights has everything from the full-blown haunts to the flashlight mazes. Two weekends left to hit them.

Hartford | Mamma Mia | 7:30PM | ($) - "Mamma Mia!" brings the ABBA-fueled musical to the Bushnell at Bushnell Theatre/ Mortensen Hall. Watch!

Hartford | OUIJA MACC "America's Most Wicked Tour" | 7PM | ($) - OUIJA MACC Live In Concert! at The Webster. Step back in time!

Manchester | Dinner and a Movie Under The Stars at Murphy's | 7PM - Fall dinner and a movie Tuesdays under the stars! Watch!

Rocky Hill | Paranormal Night with Joe Franke | 8PM - Paranormal investigator Joe Franke shares ghost-hunting stories and evidence at Cora J. Belden Library. Get spooked!

Hartford | Melvin Seals & JGB | 8PM | ($) - Organist Melvin Seals leads the Jerry Garcia Band tribute at Infinity Music Hall. Listen!

Newington | The New England Vampire Folk Belief: the Archaeological Record | 6:30PM - What archaeology reveals about New England's 19th-century vampire panic, at Newington Public Library. Learn!

Wethersfield | The American Revolution: Artifacts and Stories from Across Connecticut Exhibit Opens | 10AM - At Keeney Memorial Cultural Center. Explore!

Windsor | Pumpkin Carving Party | 5PM - Carve a pumpkin at Brown's Harvest in Windsor. Fall for it!

East Granby | Halloween Cookie Decorating Class | 6PM | ($) - Decorate Halloween cookies with an instructor in a two-hour evening class at Brignole Vineyards. Get spooked!

Farmington | Artist Talk: Karen Bondarchuk, Ergo Sum — A Crow a Day | 6PM | ($) - Karen Bondarchuk shares the year-long practice behind 365 small works, followed by a book signing and a visit to the exhibition at Hill-Stead Museum. Explore!

Glastonbury | David "Davey Blues" Sadloski | 6PM - David “Davey Blues” Sadloski is a Connecticut guitarist/ vocalist with over 12 years experience in entertaining crowds of all shapes and sizes at Cotton Hollow Kitchen. Listen!

Hartford | Sam Grisman Project | 8PM | ($) - Bassist Sam Grisman leads a bluegrass and Americana set at Infinity Music Hall. Listen!

Manchester | 2nd Annual Pumpkins with Purpose Event Benefiting Shine Your Light CT | 5PM - Paint your own medium-sized pumpkin while enjoying delicious food and soft drinks, and a live DJ at Elicit Brewing. Create!

South Windsor | FIRST FLIGHT: EXCLUSIVE COFFEE TASTING EVENT | 4:30PM - Coffee Flight Tasting! at Connecticut Valley Brewing. Sip!

Berlin | Legend of Ozzy | 8PM | ($) - A live tribute to the music of Ozzy Osbourne at The Truck Bar. Listen!

East Windsor | Will Evans with The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow | 8PM | ($) - Singer-songwriter Will Evans headlines a night of roots and Americana at Broad Brook Opera House. Listen!

Hartford | Dinur Conducts Tchaikovsky 4 - Fate knocks loudly in Tchaikovsky's powerful Symphony No at The Bushnell. Listen! (daily 10/23-10/25)

Hartford | Gaelic Storm | 8PM | ($) - The high-energy Celtic-rock band of 'Titanic' fame delivers a rowdy night of jigs, reels, and pub sing-alongs at Infinity Music Hall. Sing!

Hartford | Hartford Wolf Pack vs Providence Bruins | 7PM | ($) - Enjoy Hartford Wolf Pack vs the Providence Bruins. Drop the puck!

Windsor | CT River & Roots Concert Series: Kimaya Diggs | 6:30PM | ($) - Soul and folk songwriter Kimaya Diggs headlines the Windsor Art Center series. Listen!

Bristol | Floydian Trip: A Pink Floyd Experience | 7PM | ($) - Pink Floyd tribute Floydian Trip's Echoes Through Time tour stops at the Rockwell Theater for one night. Step back in time!

Bristol | Phantom Fall Fest | 1PM | ($) - Halloween-season weekend at the amusement park, with hours running into the evening at Lake Compounce. Get spooked! (daily 10/24-10/25)

Canton | HOBGOBLIN FAIR - Roaring Brook Nature Center's Hobgoblin Fair — costumes, crafts and not-too-spooky fun in Canton. Get spooked!

East Windsor | Story Songs of the 70's with Tom DiMenna | 8PM | ($) - Tom DiMenna plays storytelling hits from the 1970s at Broad Brook Opera House. Listen!

Glastonbury | Share The Light - Diwali Celebrations | 3:30PM - Share The Light is an evening of celebration, cultural programs, Diwali arts & crafts, Henna and delicious treats. Play!

Hartford | Día de Muertos Community Celebration | 11AM - A free Día de Muertos celebration with altars, music and food at Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. Celebrate!

Hartford | Election Cake Bake-Off 2026 | 12PM - In Connecticut's 18th and 19th centuries, Election Day combined voting with parties, libations, parades, and CAKE at Connecticut's Old State House. Celebrate!

Hartford | Gallery Talk: Ocean Vuong, MATRIX 199 | 2PM | ($) - A guided talk through the MATRIX 199 exhibition; included with museum admission at Wadsworth Atheneum. Explore!

Hartford | Sinooka | 9PM | ($) - A four-piece indie rock band with blues and jazz touches plays its first Arch Street show. Listen!

New Britain | Museum After Dark | Halloween Party | 8PM - Museum After Dark's annual Halloween Bash—Connecticut’s hottest Halloween party—returns for its 18th year to haunt the galleries of the Museum with spook-tacular dancing, dining, and drinks! Get spooked!

Wethersfield | Ancient Burying Ground Tour | 10AM - October 24th, 10:00am – 11:30am at First Church of Christ Ancient Burying Grounds. Step back in time!

Granby | Legacy Jazz Reimagined | 1PM - Afternoon live jazz at the vineyard at Lost Acres Vineyard. Listen!

Hartford | Insane Clown Posse | 7PM | ($) - The Detroit horrorcore duo bring their live show to the Webster at Webster Theatre. Listen!

Manchester | Wickender Bare Bones Tournament - A Halloween themed disc golf tournament with some rules contortions at Wickham Park. Get spooked!

Southington | Fall Coaster Paint & Sip | 2PM - Join The Paint Bar CT for a cozy fall paint & sip! at Morava Restaurant & Bar. Create!

Canton | Night Hike | 7:30PM | ($) - Explore the woods after dark on a guided night hike at Roaring Brook Nature Center. Walk!

Glastonbury | An Evening with Ann Dávila Cardinal: Hear the Dead | 6:30PM | ($) - Author Ann Dávila Cardinal talks about her ghost-tinged novel Hear the Dead at River Bend Bookshop. Read!

West Hartford | Full Moon History Tour | 7PM - Join us for an evening history tour of Elizabeth Park under the Hunter’s Moon at Elizabeth Park Conservancy. Step back in time!

10/23

Hartford | Urban League Trunk or Treat 2026 | 4PM - Costumes are optional, but the candy haul is very real at the Urban League of Greater Hartford’s Trunk or Treat. Play!

Windsor | Flashlight Maze Nights | 6PM - Another year of Flashlight Maze Nights! at Brown's Harvest. Fall for it! (daily 10/23-10/30)

10/24

Manchester | Spooktacular | 9:30AM | ($) - A costume-friendly Halloween morning for kids with trick-or-treating; $5 per child at Lutz Children's Museum. Get spooked!

West Hartford | West Hartford Halloween Stroll | 10:30AM - Costumed kids and families stroll through West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square (rain date Sunday). Get spooked!

Windsor Locks | Halloween Harvest Festival | 10AM - Join for an all ages Harvest themed Halloween Festival. Get spooked!

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