How we doing Hartford County!?
Happy Tuesday! Today is National Fajita Day, which feels like a pretty solid excuse to eat something sizzling for dinner.
I’m always looking for another local spot to add to the rotation, so if you’ve got a favorite place for fajitas around Hartford County, hit reply and let me know. Bonus points if it’s one of those places that brings them out still popping and smoking like a small kitchen emergency.
In Today’s Hart Co Buzz:
IRL Events
HartCo Art Hunt
Silk City Fest
Local Events
Let’s dive in!
-Todd DiGiovanni
HARTCO IRL
I’m working on two new HartCo Buzz events for September: a hands-on cocktail-making class 🍸 and a pasta-making class 🍝. Dates and locations aren’t locked in quite yet, but if either sounds like your kind of night, vote below and I’ll make sure you’re first to hear about it with early-bird pricing once everything is official.
Which one are you interested in?
And for the mahjong crew: I’m still hunting down the right home for a monthly open-play Mahjong night. Hopefully more on that soon, stay tuned.
HARTCO PUBLIC ART HUNT
Photo: RiseUp for Arts / CTMurals - “Just Grow” by Corey Pane
I pulled together 5 self-guided public art walks around Hartford County, featuring giant murals, sculptures and a bunch of pieces you’ve probably driven past without noticing. Huge credit to groups like RiseUP, Public Art CT and the West Hartford Art League for helping bring so much of this art to our communities. Pick a route and go explore.
DINNER CLUB
We already have 100 people signed up for this month’s Dinner Club in Avon, so if you’ve been thinking about joining, now’s a good time. We will cap it at 120 people!
Fill out a quick quiz about your interests, food preferences and the kind of people you’d actually enjoy meeting.
We match you with five other Hive Members who seem like a good fit.
The morning of the dinner, we reveal which Avon restaurant your group is heading to.
During dinner, you’ll get the secret afterparty location. Totally optional if dinner wins and the food coma takes over.
HARTCO GAMES🤔
Summer’s in the home stretch, so I put together a Hartford County waterways crossword to see how well you know our local lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Give it a shot, or go back and tackle one of the previous crosswords you might’ve missed.
BUZZWORTHY ACTIVITY
SILK CITY FEST
Manchester is showing off a little this Saturday. Silk City Fest returns August 22 from 1–7 PM on Purnell Place with live music across three performance areas, local artists, vendors, food, crafts and activities for all ages. Best part? It’s free. The party keeps going afterward at Urban Lodge from 7–10 PM with DJ Yella, food and drinks.
BUZZ & TELL
🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Millie, a 5-month-old German Shepherd/Husky mix with ice-blue eyes, a serious love of adventures, and plenty of snuggles to go around. She’s looking for a family that’ll make her part of the action, whether that’s errands, farmers markets or just hanging in the backyard.
🏡House of the week: This week’s pick is a 5-bed, 4-bath, 4,943-square-foot reproduction 19th-century New England Colonial sitting on 1.71 waterfront acres along Case Mountain Reservoir. It has six fireplaces, wide-plank floors, a screened porch and private water access for kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing. Check it out!
👀Sighting of the week: Dodder | (Cuscuta pentagona)
🔭Sky report: Look west after sunset tonight (8/18) for brilliant Venus hanging near the waxing Moon, one of the easiest sky sights of the week. On Thursday, watch for the Moon near reddish Antares, the heart of Scorpius.
Saturn is now visible for most of the night, rising in the east around the end of twilight, and the Perseids stick around through Aug. 24, so you may still catch a stray shooting star if you’re out late.
THE PEACEMAKER
Half of you got last week’s trivia right! The Colt Single Action Army, better known as the “Peacemaker,” debuted in 1873 and became one of the most recognizable firearms of the American West. The U.S. government quickly made it a standard military service revolver, with Colt delivering more than 30,000 between 1873 and 1891. It was a six-shooter, and its association with soldiers, lawmen and the frontier helped turn this Hartford-made revolver into an American icon.
BRIEF BITES: TAX FREE WEEK
Connecticut’s Tax-Free Week is happening now through Saturday, Aug. 22, and this year it’s not just about loading up the kids for school.
For 2026, the state bumped the limit from $100 to $300 per qualifying item, meaning most clothing and footwear under $300 is free from Connecticut’s 6.35% sales tax. That includes things like jeans, sneakers, jackets, dresses and work clothes, and there’s no limit on how many qualifying items you can buy. Backpacks and cleats were added this year, too.
One more nice change: non-electronic school supplies are now tax-free year-round, so there’s no need to panic-buy the notebooks this week.
BEE LINE EVENTS
TUESDAY (8/18)
Enfield | Little Lies (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) | 7 PM - Free outdoor concert featuring Fleetwood Mac favorites at Enfield Town Green (71 N Main St). Hear It Live
Hartford | Stanley Cup at Dunkin' Park | 11:30–2 | FREE - The actual Stanley Cup will be at Dunkin’ Park for free fan photos, with donations benefiting Tunnel to Towers. Nice!
Hartford | Yard Goats vs. Somerset Patriots | 7:10 PM - Six straight home games against the Yankees affiliate at Dunkin’ Park. Play ball
WEDNESDAY (8/19)
Hartford | Pup Street Canine Carnival | 5 PM - Dog-friendly carnival with vendors, treats, and activities. Bring Fido
Hartford | The Plot Thickens |10 AM - 12 PM | ($) - Cedar Hill walking tour featuring a Communist spy, runaway prince, infamous gambler and other wild cemetery stories. Deets
Simsbury | McLean's Summer Concert Series: Blue River Jazz Band | 6 PM - Jazz band swings at McLean Game Refuge (75 Great Pond Rd).
Southington | Rhythm of the Saints | 7 PM - Paul Simon tribute band on the town green. Catch the Show
THURSDAY (8/20)
Bloomfield | Summer Concert Series | 7 PM - Free outdoor concert on the green (800 Bloomfield Ave). Listen Up
Enfield | C'Sweets Edible Watercolor Cookie Painting | 6 PM | ($) - Paint edible art on cookies at Powder Hollow Brewery (504 Hazard Ave). Get Crafty
Hartford | Eric Gales | 8 PM | ($) - Blues guitar virtuoso brings the heat at Infinity Music Hall. Hear It Live
Manchester | Taste of the Park: The Italian Shrine | 5:30 PM - Outdoor dinner series featuring Italian cuisine (1329 Middle Tpke W). Dig In
South Glastonbury | The Lynn Knapp Trio | 6 PM - Jazz trio performs at the farm brewery (840 Main St). Tune In
South Windsor | Stained Glass Hummingbird Class | 6 PM | ($) - Create a colorful hummingbird suncatcher at CT Valley Brewing (765 Sullivan Ave). Make It
FRIDAY (8/21)
Berlin | Preacher Dogs | 8 PM - Rock band howls at the neighborhood bar (151 Webster Square Rd).
Canton | 44th Annual Lobsterfest | 6 PM - Annual lobster dinner with live music (14 Canton Springs Rd). Dig In
Farmington | Screaming Orphans – From the Porch | 6 PM | ($) - Irish sisters bring Celtic rock to Hill-Stead Museum (35 Mountain Rd). Hear It Live
Manchester | Silk City Fest | Sat. Aug. 22, 1–7 PM - Live music, makers, art, games, food and drinks at Purnell Place.
Manchester | Arnez J | 9:30 PM | ($) - Hilarious stand-up from the Comedy Central veteran at Hartford Funny Bone. Laugh Out Loud
Suffield | Floral Arts: Dahlias with Julie Harrison | 9 AM | ($) - Learn dahlia arranging at Phelps Hatheway House (52 S Main St). Get Crafty
SATURDAY (8/22)
Bristol | Lake Compounce Drone Spectacular | 8 PM | ($) - 300 drones create animated rides, characters and Lake Compounce scenes. Fun (runs 8/22 as well)
Farmington | Dream Ride Experience: Dream Show | 10 AM - 10 PM | ($) - Car show and family fun benefiting Special Olympics (152 Town Farm Rd). Check It Out (also runs 8/22)
Simsbury | Indigo Girls at Simsbury Meadows | 7:30 PM | ($) - Folk-rock duo brings their iconic harmonies outdoors. Hear It Live
South Windsor | Groove Grove debuts @ CT Valley Brewing | 6 PM - New band debuts at the craft brewery (765 Sullivan Ave). Tune In
SUNDAY (8/23)
Bristol | Live Music w/ Steve Mendoza | 2–5 PM - Enjoy live music at the Factory Brewing Collective (139 Center St).
New Britain | Armenian Festival | 12-5 PM - Authentic Armenian food, music, and culture (1910 Stanley St). Dig In
Southington | Legacy Cars, Jeeps & Motorcycles Show | 12-6 PM - Classic vehicles fill the drive-in lot at Southington Drive-in (995 Meriden Waterbury Tpke). Rev Up
Wethersfield | Old Wethersfield 5K & 10K | 8:30 AM | ($) - Scenic race through historic Old Wethersfield at Cove Park. Lace Up
Wethersfield | Flowers & Flavor: Garden Tour with Tea | 10 AM | ($) - Tour beautiful gardens then enjoy afternoon tea (211 Main St). Explore
MONDAY (8/24)
Hartford | Monday Movie Night: Hoppers | Mon. Aug. 24, 5–7:30 PM - Parkville Market, 1400 Park St. Final outdoor movie night of the summer.
Windsor | Music from CT during the Revolution | 6:30 PM - Revolutionary War-era music performed on period instruments (323 Broad St). Discover
KID FRIENDLY
8/21
Bristol | Lake Compounce Drone Spectacular | 8 PM | ($) - 300 drones create animated rides, characters and Lake Compounce scenes. Fun (runs 8/22 as well)
8/22
Burlington | Grange Fair | 10 AM - 2 PM - Old-fashioned country fair with animals, crafts, and food (153 S Main St). Bring the Kids
8/23
Hartford | Spiderman Meet & Greet at Back to School Bash | 1-4 PM - Kids meet Spiderman at the West Hartford celebration. Family Fun
8/24
Bristol | 15th Annual Pooch Plunge | 4:30-6:30 PM - Dogs take over the pool for an end-of-summer splash at Rockwell Park Pool. Bring the Kids
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
