Apple harvest season has wrapped and Halloween pumpkins are on borrowed time - which means it’s prime season to turn those last bits of fall bounty into something warm and wonderful. This cozy cider is like a farewell toast to peak New England autumn.

Ingredients

Instructions

Add 1-2 oz of bourbon, spiced rum, or apple brandy to each mug.
(Extra Hartford County points for John Fitch Distilling Company.)

Sip it slow, savor the maple steam, and officially welcome the cozy-hibernation phase of fall 🍎🎃🥃

CT Rhythm & Blues Fest is rolling into Trinity-on-Main (69 Main St, New Britain) on Saturday, Nov 8, 2025. Picture a church for blues fans; pews swapped for bar stools, sermons replaced by soul shouts. With a killer bill headlined by Grammy-nominated powerhouse Sugaray Rayford, plus Vaneese Thomas, Snake Hill Blues, and a special set from Queen Ann Nzinga/Nzinga’s Daughters. It’s the fest’s third annual run, an intimate, high-octane throwdown built by a nonprofit that channels ticket money back into music education and aid for local musicians. So yeah, you get scorching solos and good karma. Expect an afternoon-into-evening groove that hits like a freight train: big voices, fat backbeats, zero filler. Bring your friends, your dancing shoes, and a plan to brag about it later.

🍗 Wingstop is now open at 1235 Farmington Ave, Bristol and it’s your new late-night chicken fix (open till 1am Sun–Wed, 2am Thu–Sat).

Partner with us to reach thousands of engaged Hartford County locals. High open rates, real-world foot traffic, trackable results.

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Valerie - a 1.5-year-old, 50-lb Lab mix who’s house-trained, spayed, vetted, microchipped, and friendly with dogs, kids, and cats. Sweet, steady, and ready to go home today; come meet your new couch buddy.

🏡House of the week: A 7,188-SF brick Victorian with the good bones everyone wants - tin ceilings, fireplaces, slate roof, copper Yankee gutters, and those turret vibes - plus fresh oak floors and paint where it counts. Two levels of flexible office space downstairs, a big apartment (or suite) up top, and tons of rear parking make it plug-and-play. In an Opportunity Zone, this one pencils for investors (office, live/work, or condo conversion) without losing the historic swagger. Check it out!

🥾Trail of the week: Glastonbury | Cotton Hollow Preserve
Short, scenic gorge along Roaring Brook with photogenic mill ruins and small cascades. Park at 500 Hopewell Rd for the eastern trail (~1 mile), or start near Main St for the western side (~1.5 miles). Dog-friendly on leash; rocks get slick in cold snaps; check town advisories before you go.

🔭Sky report: The Beaver supermoon tops out Wed, Nov 5 (8:19 a.m. ET), so evenings Nov 4-6 will be washed in moonlight before it wanes later in the week. For easy stargazing, grab Saturn in the southeast right after dusk any clear night. It’s also Taurids season; expect the odd slow fireball around Nov 4-5 (South Taurids) and Nov 8-9 (North Taurids), but the bright Moon will knock down the faint ones.

Hartford | Hamilton (11/4-11/16) | (Times Vary) $ - Broadway’s mic-drop musical storms The Bushnell (166 Capitol Ave), where duels, democracy, and rhyme schemes punch above their weight. Mortensen Hall. Seats go fast, move quick. Grab Seats

South Windsor | Early 2000’s Disney Channel Trivia | 6:30-8:30PM - Think you still know Zack & Cody, Kim Possible, and those deep-cut theme songs? Prove it at Connecticut Valley Brewing Company (765 Sullivan Ave). Winners get bragging rights; everyone else gets IPAs and nostalgia.

Wethersfield | Qi Gong: Moving Meditation | 6:30–7:15PM $ - Slow breaths, gentle flow, brain reboot at The Blackbird House (147 Main St). A calm, midweek reset before the holiday chaos kicks in. Sign Up

Enfield | Autumn Birches Paint Party | 7-9PM $ - Birch trees, bold fall colors, and a glass-in-hand BYOB vibe at Tipsy Paint Brush (610 Enfield St). Step-by-step on a 16x20 canvas; you leave with wall-worthy art and paint on your knuckles. Get Tix

Hartford | Music Bingo | 7PM - Free-to-play bingo where the “numbers” are bangers. Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ (25 Front St). Sing along, crush some BBQ, win prizes; your Spotify Wrapped can’t do that.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Hartford - Black Eyed Sally’s | Justin Vedovelli, Andrew Rosenkilde, Jeremy Leon | 7-10PM

Berlin | Meet Your Monger: Guided Tasting of New England Cheeses | 6-7:30PM - Cheese 101 without the snobbery - sample New England wedges and learn what makes them tick at Berlin-Peck Memorial Library (234 Kensington Rd). Free Registration

Bloomfield | Open Mic + Acoustic Jam | 6-9PM - Plug in or vibe out - first-come mic spots and a laid-back jam at Back East Brewing Company (1296 Blue Hills Ave). Bring a tune, leave with fans.

Hartford | Lantern Sewing Circle | 6-8PM - Stitch a fabric lantern for the Winter Solstice project at The Parlour on Pratt Street (54 Pratt St). Minimal skills, maximal cozy. RSVP by calling 860-216-9745.

Manchester | November Hike @ Case Mountain | 10AM - Meet at the Case Pond lot (68 Birch Mountain Rd) and climb for views - friendly pace, all levels welcome. Fresh air beats screen time.

South Windsor | Teen Yoga | 3:30-4:30PM - Stretch, breathe, reset - a beginner-friendly flow at South Windsor Public Library, Children’s Program Room (1550 Sullivan Ave). Mats available.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Collinsville - Bridge St Live | Little Lies (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) | 7PM $
⬢ Glastonbury - Hops on The Hill | KT Lay | 4:30PM
⬢ Hartford - Hartford Symphony Orchestra | Press Play: Rock Anthems | 7:30PM $
⬢ Newington - The Flying Monkey | Mike Childs Soul Jazz | 6PM
⬢ Windsor - Public Library | Homegrown String Band | 7-8PM

East Granby | Murder Mystery Dinner | 7-9:30PM $ - Wild West whodunit with wine pairings at Brignole Vineyards (103 Hartford Ave). Saddle up, solve the crime, leave full and smug. Get Passes

East Windsor | Toys for Tots & Winter Coats for Veterans | 8PM - Benefit show with Murphy’s Law, Steel n Eazy & Paco at Broad Brook Opera House (107 Main St). Good music, good cause, good karma. Info & Free Registration

Enfield | Little Shop of Horrors | 8PM $ - Production by The Opera House Players on weekends starting Nov 7-23 at Enfield Annex (124 North Maple St). Feed the plant, feed your inner theater nerd. More Info & Tix

Hartford | Game Changer Wrestling | 8PM $ - GCW storms The Webster (31 Webster St) with tables, ladders, and loud personalities. Leave your indoor voice at home. Snag your spots

Hartford | UConn Men’s Basketball vs. UMass Lowell | 7PM $ - Huskies tip off at PeoplesBank Arena (1 Civic Center Plaza). Early-season tune-up, big-game energy. Secure Seats

Manchester | Comic: Bill Bellamy (11/7 & 11/8) | 7PM & 9:30PM Fri; 6:30PM & 9PM Sat $ - ’90s MTV legend brings the heat to The Funny Bone (194 Buckland Hills Dr). Four shows, zero excuses. Tix

West Hartford | Roger Ceresi & The All Stars Swing Dance | 7-10:30PM $ - Live big-band grooves and social dance at West Hartford Town Hall (50 South Main St). Shine those shoes and swing.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Hartford - Arch St Tavern | Kendall Street Company | 9PM $
⬢ Manchester - Ryan’s Sports Bar | Marks Brothers | 9:30PM
⬢ Manchester - Murphy’s Pub | Lickity Split | 9PM
⬢ Manchester - Elicit Brewing Co | Groove Grove (Best of 90’s Rock) | 9PM
⬢ South Windsor - CT Valley Brewing Co | Rock Solid Alibi | 6-9PM
⬢ Vernon - Rocking Horse Bar & Grill | Trailer Trash | 9PM
⬢ West Hartford - Smoke Public House | House Music: Mike Nyce, Originate, Scott Carlson | 10PM-2AM

East Windsor | 9-Ball Doubles for Vegas Qualifier | 9AM-11PM $ - Rack ’em with a partner and shoot your shot at Snaps Billiards & Bar (2 North Rd). Win the bracket, punch your ticket to Vegas. Register

Manchester | Extra Life 24-Hour Game Day | 12AM-12AM - Board games, TCGs, caffeine, repeat. The Portal (60 Hilliard St) runs a full-day charity marathon for a cause, brag for a year.

New Britain | CT Rhythm & Blues Fest | 3-9PM - Trinity-on-Main (69 Main St) turns up the soul: tight bands, big voices, zero filler. Early evening groove session that’ll have you nodding all the way home. More info & Passes

Windsor | Aura Photography | 10AM-4PM $ - Get your energy read and leave with a trippy portrait at Mondazzi Book, Bead & Crystal Warehouse Showroom (570 Hayden Station Rd). Weird, cool, and very screenshot-worthy. Call to register 860-285-0538.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Berlin - The Truck Bar | KISSSTORY (KISS Tribute) | 8PM
⬢ Berlin - The New Cambridge Project | Rob Glassman Band “The Q” Acoustic | 6PM
⬢ Broad Brook - Opera House | Back to the Garden 1969 - Woodstock Experience | 8PM $
⬢ East Granby - Almost Famous Brewing | Joshua Aciares & Joel Weik | 2-5PM
⬢ Glastonbury - Rooftop 120 | Jukebox Radio | 8:30PM
⬢ Hartford - Arch St Tavern | Mystic Dead | 9PM $
⬢ Hartford - PeoplesBank Arena | Playboi Cardi | 7PM $
⬢ Manchester - The Hungry Tiger | Shakedown | 9PM-1AM
⬢ Milldale - Kinsman Brewing Co | Desperado’s (Eagles Tribute) | 6:30-10:30PM $
⬢ Simsbury - Talcott Mountain Collective | Corey Reiman & The Dilema Band | 7:30PM
⬢ South Windsor - CT Valley Brewing Co | 384 East | 6:30PM
⬢ Vernon - Rocking Horse Bar & Grill | Raise Your Hands (Bon Jovi Tribute) | 8:30-11:30PM

Manchester | Sculpt, Sip & Shop | 11AM-2PM $ - Sweat a little, sip a little, then shop local makers at Elicit Brewing Co. (165 Adams St). Tickets start around the cost of two pours and a pretzel, vibes included. Get Tix

New Britain | Norman Rockwell Day | 10AM-5PM - A full day of tours and Americana at the New Britain Museum of American Art (56 Lexington St). Walk the “From Camera to Canvas” exhibit and see how the sausage… er, Saturday Evening Post covers get made. Details & Passes

Plantsville | Free Yoga Day | 10AM-5PM - Free yoga class, vendors, and community energy at The Network Yoga (409 Canal St). Pre-register, bring a mat, leave lighter. RSVP

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Berlin - The New Cambridge Project | Howie Therriault | 2PM
⬢ East Granby - Almost Famous Brewing | Built For Comfort | 2:30-5:30PM
⬢ Glastonbury - Hops on The Hill | Wavelength | 2PM
⬢ Milldale - Kinsman Brewing Co | Number 9 (Beatles Tribute) | 6-9PM $
⬢ Newington - The Flying Monkey | Stoltz & Co Blues | 5:30PM
⬢ South Windsor - CT Valley Brewing Co | Mass-Conn-Fusion Jazz | 2PM
⬢ Windsor Locks - Luppoleto Brewing Co | Jason Beckham | 3-5PM

Farmington | Scam Prevention Presentation | 4PM - Learn how to spot scams and protect your info at Riverbend at Farmington (1 Bridgewater Rd). Quick hits, real-world tips, zero scare tactics.

Hartford | Bushnell Children’s Theater: Maddi’s Fridge | 10AM & 12PM $ - A fast, funny, 55-minute story about friendship and food insecurity at The Bushnell - Belding Theater (166 Capitol Ave). Morning shows, kid-tested attention spans. More info & Tix

Southington | SRCC 19th Annual Wing Fest | 5:30-9PM $ - Dozens of sauces, bragging rights on the line at Cadillac Ranch Restaurant (45 Jude Ln). Come hungry; leave opinionated. Secure passes

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Hartford - Parkville Market | Nat Reeves Jazz | 6:30PM