Scotts’ Jamaican Bakery (801 Windsor St) has been Hartford’s spicy secret for decades. This is officially the oldest Jamaican bakery in New England and it’s still packing patties like no one else. One bite of their beef or chicken patties and you’ll understand why legendary food bloggers and locals can’t shut up about the coco bread and spinach & cheese versions.

It’s takeout-only, low-lit, no walls, but every order moves fast, and prices stay reasonable even if they occasionally crank up the heat on the spice level. Whether you want curry goat, red peas soup, or something sweet, it’s the kind of spot that convinces you there is paradise on Earth, and it's dressed like a patty.

🥤🚚 Avery’s Soda is rolled its fizzy HQ a mile over to 1 Hartford Square, swing by the new digs for pick-ups while Corbin Ave gets a makeover!

🎹🍔 J Bar just hijacked the old Hooker Brewery at 140 Huyshope Ave, flipping it into Hartford’s hottest burger-and-dueling-piano playground, first showdown hits July 11!

🍝 Trolio’s Market in Enfield has flipped the old Subway at 323 Hazard Ave into a sausage-stacked Italian deli slinging paninis, antipasti, and more from 9 AM (closed Tue), go taste Italy without leaving town!

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Maribel, a five-month German Shepherd mix who crushes crate training, adores kiddos, and will swap zoomies for carrot-crunching cuddle breaks, ready to upgrade any family’s fun factor.

🏡House of the week: Price-slash alert, this lovingly restored Victorian on scenic Main St, South Windsor marries period woodwork, four fireplaces, and a brand-new chef’s kitchen with a four-car carriage house, paver patio, and zero historic-district restrictions. Have a look!

🥾Trail of the week: Park at 1420 Farmington Ave, West Hartford and cruise the West Hartford Reservoir Red Loop, a 3.8-mile lakeside circuit so smooth locals push strollers while runners clock tempo miles, all under pine-scented shade that feels like Hartford’s own mini–Central Park.

🔭Sky report: Early on July 15, think an hour before sunrise, step outside. Look south and you’ll spot the nearly full Moon parked just a fist-width from a bright yellow “star” (that’s Saturn), while another bright dot, Jupiter, peeks up over the northeast horizon.

Cover bands are having a full-blown moment this week, and honestly? It kinda rules. Whether you're into Queen-level drama, Foreigner dad-rock anthems, or Beatles bangers on a lawn chair under the stars, there’s a tribute act for every nostalgic bone in your body. Steely Dan meets the Grateful Dead? Sure. Paul Simon at a brewery? Yup. Jimmy Buffett by the river? Bring your flip-flops. It’s like Spotify exploded all over Connecticut and now every town green is a main stage. So grab your cooler, dust off your lawn blanket, and get ready to scream-sing “Don’t Stop Believin’” with 300 strangers who also peaked in '87.

Event details in LIVE MUSIC sections highlighted in bold below.

Hartford | Survival Scavenger Hunt | 9AM-3PM $ - The zombie apocalypse just hit...and you’re leading the squad. This app-based scavenger hunt sends your group of 10 (max) into Hartford to find survival gear - think food, shelter, radios, the essentials. Complete wild challenges, dodge imaginary zombies, and climb the leaderboard to prove your colony’s got what it takes. Passes

Manchester | Family Flicks: Shrek | 2-4PM - Head to Wickham Library (656 Burnside Ave) for a full-family escape to the swamp with Shrek on the big screen - snacks included, no fairy tale creatures harmed. Bonus points if you show up in your ogre-iest green. It’s all-ages, zero dollars, and 100% a better idea than re-watching it on your couch again. Register Free

South Windsor | Summer Playdates | 1‑2:30PM - Kid zone alert: face‑painting, balloon animals, crafts at The Shops at Evergreen Walk (501 Evergreen Way). Free & fun, perfect for toddlers and parents in need of cute chaos

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Bristol - Rockwell Park Amphitheater | Latanya Farrell Soul Jam | 6:30PM
⬢ East Hartford -Town Green | Piano Man Meets Rocket Man | 6PM
⬢ Hartford - The Webster | The Taste of Armageddon | 6PM $
⬢ Windsor Locks - Veteran’s Memorial Park Monthei Brothers | 7-8:30PM

Hartford | Riverfront Yoga Flow | 6PM $ - Breathe, bend, and bliss out by the water. This one-hour Vinyasa class at Mortensen Riverfront Plaza (300 Columbus Blvd) hits the sweet spot - shaded, scenic, and all-levels friendly. Taught by Hartford Sweat, with a suggested $5 donation. BYO mat & water.

Southington | Sea Glass Jewelry Making | 6:30PM $ - Craft your own sea glass bling while sipping craft beer at Witchdoctor Brewing (168 Center St). Supplies + first drink included. Only 18 spots - beachy, boozy, and booking fast. Email [email protected] to grab your seat.

West Hartford | Ted Lasso Trivia | 7PM - World of Beer (73 Isham Rd) is running full-on AFC Richmond mode. Biscuits not included, but the bragging rights are.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Glastonbury - River Front Park | Beyond 1969 | 6:30-8:30PM
⬢ Southington - Town Green | Jukebox Hero’z (Foreigner Tribute) | 7-9PM
⬢ Suffield - Town Green | Chalk Dust | 6-8PM
⬢ West Hartford - Elizabeth Park | Number 9 (Beatles Tribute) | 6:30-8PM

Berlin | Taste Test Challenge (grades 6‑12) | 2-3PM - Berlin‑Peck Memorial Library (234 Kensington Rd) hosts the ultimate snack showdown: identify chips, rate cookies, and declare store vs name brand winners. Register

Bristol | Acoustic Open Mic | 6:30PM - The New Cambridge Project (139 Center St) shuts up the world and turns on the mic. Share a poem, a song, or just vibe while others perform. PA + mics provided. Free entry, low-pressure feels.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Avon - Sycamore Hills Recreation Area | Vivid | 6-8PM
⬢ Bloomfield - Town Green | Mass‑Conn‑Fusion | 7-8:30PM
⬢ Bristol - Bristol Public Library | Rock Solid Alibi | 6:30-8PM
⬢ East Hartford - Great River Park Amphitheatre | Sound Pipers Band | 6-8PM
⬢ Hartford - Butler‑McCook House & Garden | Nigel Bello & Friends | 6-8 PM
⬢ Newington - The Flying Monkey | Mike Childs Soul Jazz | 6-10PM

Enfield | Speed Dating (Ages 38-47) | 7-9PM $ - Skip the apps, this is real-life romance, not left-swipes and ghosting. Sips & Sparks at Powder Hollow Brewery (504 Hazard Ave) is your shot to meet singles face-to-face in one night. Icebreakers? Supplied. Loud room? That’s the energy. Grab a drink, swap stories, mark your matches. Flirty, fast-paced, and actually fun. Passes

Manchester | Comic Marcus D. Wiley | 9:30PM $ - The Funny Bone (194 Buckland Hills Dr) brings Marcus D. Wiley to town. You're paying for jokes, sass, and probably a few questionable truths about adulthood and Zoom fatigue. Atmosphere: packed room, cocktails sloshing, laughter echoing off the walls. Tix

Southington | ’90s Music Bingo | 7-9PM - Forget B‑12 shots and early nights. Smoke & Muddle (15 N Liberty St) transforms into a nostalgia machine - Picture bingo… but instead of numbers, you’re jamming to 90s hit clips. Four rounds, themed cards, and PRIZES for winners.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Berlin - Strykers Cafe | The Second Chance Acoustic | 8-11PM
⬢ Bloomfield - Back East Brewing Co. | The Deadheads | 6-9PM
⬢ Bristol - Bleachers | RBF & Top | 8PM
⬢ Broad Brook - Opera House | Something Big w/ Natalie Brooke | 8PM $
⬢ East Granby - Almost Famous Brewing | Face Down | 7-10PM
⬢ Enfield - Town Green | Trailer Trash | 7PM
⬢ Hartford - The Webster | Carnifex | 6PM $
⬢ Hartford - Black Eyed Sally’s | The Mighty Soul Drivers | 8-11PM
⬢ Hartford Mortensen Riverfront Plaza | Jimmy Buffett Tribute | 7PM
⬢ Simsbury - Simsbury Performing Arts Center | Hartford Symphony Orchestra - The Music of Queen | 7:30PM $

Bristol | Shovelhead @ Pork & Blues Festival | 3-9PM $ - Bristol Swedish Social Club (38 Barlow St) brings Shovelhead to the Rockin’ Pork Festival. Southern and classic rock from 7-9PM with support from Delusions of Grandeur at 3.

Manchester | Artisan Market (7/12 & 7/13) | 10AM-3PM - The Market at 1115 Main (1115 Main St) is your weekend maker’s paradise. Jewelry, home goods, treats, live music, and even a watercolor postcard station on Sunday. Hosted by Firestone Art Studio + Cafe. Free entry, high vibes, good eats.

Southington | Grown-up Book Fair | 12-4PM - Remember those Scholastic book fairs? This is that, but with cider and sarcasm. Head to Rogers Orchards - Sunnymount Farm (2876 Meriden-Waterbury Tpke) for an afternoon of authors, artisans, and adulting.

Suffield | Outdoor Movie on the Green | 8:30PM - Movie night under the stars? Yes, please. Suffield Parks & Rec is rolling out Saturday night flicks on the green (2 High St). BYO blanket, grab some popcorn on-site, and settle in as the movie starts at dusk (~8:30PM). Weather dependent

Windsor | Wilson Park Grand Re-Opening | 11AM-3PM - Brand-new park, same old summer fun, but better. Windsor Rec is throwing down at Wilson Park (458 Windsor Ave) with bounce houses, face painting, a live DJ, police demos, and all the Kona Ice you can handle. Whether you're here for the slides or the vibes, it’s the kind of community bash you’ll wish happened every Saturday.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Berlin - The Truck Bar | The Recliner Pilots | 8PM
⬢ Hartford - Black Eyed Sally’s | Bees Delux | 8-10:45PM
⬢ Hartford - The Bushnell | HSO POPS - Music from Final Fantasy | 7:30PM $
⬢ Hartford - The Webster Underground | Luzcid | 8PM $
⬢ Hartford - Arch St Tavern | Lucidity - The Tame Impala Experience | 9PM
⬢ Hartford - Infinity Music Hall | Steely Dead | 8PM $
⬢ Simsbury - The Old Well Tavern | Shakedown | 7:30-11PM $
⬢ West Hartford - New Park Brewing | Graceland - Paul Simon Tribute | 7-11PM

Enfield | Pilates & Prosecco | 10-11:30AM $ - Elemental Studios Yoga & Wellness (2 Pearson Way) hosts Pilates with a prosecco toast. A 1.5-hour sweat sesh followed by bubbles, because balance is everything. Secure your spot

Enfield | Celebrate Enfield Fireworks | 9:30PM $ - Come down to the Town Green to watch the show in the sky!

Hartford | From Start to Spin: DJ Essentials in a Day | 10AM-4PM $ - Trinity Innovation Center (1 Constitution Plaza) hosts this all-in-one workshop for aspiring DJs - a full day of beats, branding, and controllers led by DJ Michelle Bee & Hook Gawdess. Ages 16+. Tix

South Windsor | Cars & Coffee | 8-11AM - CT Valley Brewing Co. (765 Sullivan Ave) host South Windsor’s Cars & Coffee. Classic rides, fresh brews, and chill vibes. Family-friendly meetup with no cost.

Wethersfield | Big Thrift Energy Pop-Up | 11AM-3PM - Big Thrift Energy invades Mill Street Marketplace - over 70 vendors of vintage finds, upcycled gear, and community flair.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Enfield - Enfield Town Green | Jingo (Santana Tribute) | 5:30PM
⬢ Hartford - The Webster Underground | Bear Ghost | 5:30PM $
⬢ Manchester - Elicit Brewing Co. | Tino & Malone | 1-4PM
⬢ Simsbury - Talcott Mountain Collective | Allman Bro’s Tribute: Faster Things | 4PM $
⬢ Windsor Locks - Luppoleto Brewing Co. | Tenpenny Bounce | 3-5PM

Berlin | Tween Tie Dye (Grades 5-8) | 2-2:45PM - Berlin-Peck Memorial Library (234 Kensington Rd) Children’s Department hosts tie-dye fun. Your pre-teen will leave drenched, sparkly, and proudly wearing their new DIY tote. Registration opens July 7-spaces limited.

East Hartford | Farmers Market Pop-Up | 3-5PM - Gorman Park (280 May Rd) becomes farmers’ central with Killam & Bassette Farmstead hauling fresh produce your way. Pop-up style, two hours of local goodness, free entry. Support local famers and pick up berries before dinner.

South Windsor | Cruise Night - MOPAR Night | 4-9PM - Connecticut Valley Brewing Co. (765 Sullivan Ave) hosts the weekly Cruise Night with a MOPAR theme for July 14. Expect gleaming rides, craft brews, firepits, and Birdhouse food trucks.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ New Britain - Walnut Hill Park | Roost (Rock/Blues/Funk) | 7-9PM