🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Caden, a 4-month-old Great Pyrenees mix. Dog and kid-friendly, leash-ready, and built for big cuddles

🏡House of the week: Live like Gilded Age royalty in the Charles Cheney Mansio; 8 beds, 6 baths, koi pond, and nine garage bays sprawled across 5+ manicured acres. Have a look!

🥾Trail of the week: Talcott Mountain Tower Trail (560 Simsbury Rd) in Bloomfield: A 1.25-mile, 30-minute uphill stroll (~430 ft gain) drops you at the 165-ft Heublein Tower for Hartford-to-Berkshires panoramas; dog-friendly, fee-free, and shaded enough to keep the August sun tame.

🔭Sky report: Perseid preview with the best show overnight Aug 12-13 (pre-dawn), but a bright waning gibbous Moon (~85–88% lit) will knock rates down to ~15-30 meteors/hr vs. the usual 60–100. For Hartford County, go after 1 a.m., face NE from a dark spot, and block the Moon with trees or a building for better contrast.

Hartford’s West Indian Independence Celebration Parade is a full-on vibe check for the city. Bands and masqueraders roll out at 12 PM from Albany and Main by the Keney Memorial Clock Tower, then wind their way to Bushnell Park with soca, reggae, and dancehall thumping from flatbed trucks. Color, culture, and big energy from start to finish.

Once they hit the park, the party levels up. Two stages run in Bushnell Park, with a concert starting at 3PM and a separate judging stage in Carnival Village. Grab food, browse crafts, and soak up the sound while bands chase bragging rights and trophies.

🍦Cold Stone lands at 19 Cedar Ave, South Windsor on Aug 10 - hand-mixed ice cream, choco-tacos, the works!

🍕 Square Peg Pizzeria takes over East Hartford Golf Club (130 Long Hill St) on Aug 8 with Detroit-style pies, breakfast sammies, and laid-back vibes

🏝️ Jamaican Kitchen in Enfield (25 Palomba Dr) opens it’s doors for their grand opening on August 6th 11AM-7PM. Free yard box meal per person.

Berlin | Restorative Yoga | 5:30-6:30PM $ - Melt into the mat at Minful Movenent & Meditation (130 Webster Square Rd) and let your nervous system clock out early. BYO calm. Register

Canton | Taproom Trivia Night | 6:30-8:30PM - Flex your fun facts at At The Rooftop’s taproom (220 Albany Turnpike); win bragging rights, lose track of pours.

East Hartford | Farmers Market | 2-4:30PM - Fresh picks on the Town Green (1047 Main St); veggies, honey, and zero algorithms.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Enfield - Town Green | ERAS - Taylor Swift Tribute | 7PM
⬢ Hartford - Xfinity Theatre | Lil Wayne - Tha Carter VI Tour | 7PM $
⬢ South Windsor - Evergreen Walk | Nightshift | 7-9PM
⬢ Windsor Locks - Veterans Memorial Park | FullKrew | 7PM

Bristol | Carousel Museum: Carousels Around the World | 6:30-8PM - A fast trip through carousel history at Bristol Public Library (5 High St) with the Carousel Museum. RSVP

Southington | Taste of Southington | 4-7PM - Food fest on the Barnes Museum lawn (85 N Main St): local bites, live tunes, zero kitchen duty.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Glastonbury - Riverfront Park | Town Band | 6:30-8:30PM
⬢ Hartford -State House Square | Jedd Chlebowski - Solo Electric Bass | 12PM
⬢ Southington - Town Green | Soul Sound Revue | 7-9PM

Manchester | Karaoke Night | 9PM - Belt it out at Audacity British Style Pub (829 Main St); three hours to chase that high note.

Manchester | Michael Wald Magic & Comedy Show | 11AM - Kid-friendly sorcery under the tent at Wickham Park (1329 Middle Tpke W). Laughs, gasps, repeat.

Milldale | Musical Bingo | 7-9PM - Three rounds, multiple prizes, totally free—bring your crew, sing the hooks, and rack up wins at The Salty Dog Tavern (1783 Meriden-Waterbury Tpke).

Southington | Disney Trivia Night | 7PM - Witchdoctor Brewing (168 Center St) puts your mouse-ear brain to the test - top teams snag prizes.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Glastonbury - Rooftop 120 | Eminent Domain | 6-9PM
⬢ Glastonbury - Bar Hollow | GOZA | 6-9PM
⬢ Hartford - Parkville Market | A-A-Ron | 6-9PM
⬢ Manchester - Center Memorial Park | Cheap Brew | 6-8PM
⬢ Marlborough - The Farm at Carter Hill | Blues Night ft. Garry Segal | 6-9:30PM

Farmington | Firefly Fridays on the Farm | 5:30-8:30PM - Live music, Dough Boy Pizza & The Mobile Pub, cut-your-own flowers, and sunset vibes at Hein Farm (303 Meadow Rd); free admission/parking

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Bloomfield - Back East Brewing | Deadheads go Back East | 6-9PM
⬢ Broad Brook - Main Street Grille | DriveTime | 6:30-9:30PM
⬢ Broad Brook - Opera House | Mystic Dead & She Sings Dylan | 8PM $
⬢ Hartford - The Webster Underground | Dreamwake | 7PM $
⬢ Hartford - Infinity Music Hall | The Mountain Goats w/ Craig Finn | 8PM $
⬢ Hartford - Black-Eyed Sally’s | The Chicago Dawgs | 8PM
⬢ Southington - Hawk’s Landing | Spirit Shaker | 6PM
⬢ Weatogue - Talcott Mountain Collective | Retro Floyd | 8-11PM

Bloomfield | Northeast Tunnels to Towers Car Show | 10AM-5PM - Chrome, cool causes, and cold ones at Dudleytown Brewing (100F Granby St).

Farmington | 5th Annual Summer Farm Festival (8/9-8/10) | 10AM-4PM - Crafts, food trucks, live music, and flowers at Hein Farm (303 Meadow Rd).

Hartford | West Indian Independence Celebration Parade | 12-8PM - Mas bands, steel drums, and big color from Albany Ave & North Main (Keney Memorial Clock Tower) to Bushnell Park.

Manchester | Artisan Market (8/9-8/10) | 10AM-3PM - Local makers take over the courtyard at The Market at 1115 Main (1115 Main St). Free to browse, dangerous for wallets.

Windsor | Sunflower Festival | 10AM-4PM $ - Wander 3+ acres with 30+ varieties at Brown’s Harvest (1911 Poquonock Ave); tix include up to 3 blooms/adult (1/kid), hayrides, jump pad, vendors, and the Luck Dog Food Truck. More Info & Passes

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Hartford - The Webster Underground | DEBÍ TIRAR MÁS FIESTAS | 9PM $
⬢ Hartford - Xfinity Theatre | Luke Bryan | 7PM $
⬢ Hartford - Arch Street Tavern | Carabetta, Mike & Manta, So Good Looking, Daniel Lawrence | 9PM $
⬢ Hartford - Parkville Market | Fairfield Street Band | 7-10PM
⬢ Manchester - Hungry Tiger | InDeep | 6:30-10PM
⬢ Manchester - Ryan’s Sports Bar | Shakedown | 9PM-1AM
⬢ New Britain - Trinity-on-Main | Piano Man Meets Rocket Man | 7:30PM $
⬢ Simsbury - Simsbury Meadows | Max Creek w/ Booyah | 5-10PM $
⬢ Weatogue - Talcott Mountain Collective | Dead Show | 8PM

Enfield | Spin Art Wheel Workshop | 12-2PM $ - Throw a bowl, spin the glazes, and leave with a kiln-fired keepsake at Kil’n It Pottery (610 Enfield St). Tix

Farmington | MFEST BMW Meet | 10:30AM-12PM - Casual BMW meetup at the Colt Hwy Park & Ride (575 Colt Hwy), Roll in, show off, be chill.

Glastonbury | Pig Yoga | 11:30AM-12:30PM $ - 50-minute all-levels flow with snuggly piggies; $34 includes a drink token at Hops on the Hill (275 Dug Rd).

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Hartford - Keney Park Pond House | Jazz in the Park | 3-5:30PM

South Windsor | GTO: Cruise Night | 3-9PM - Theme night at Connecticut Valley Brewing Co. (765 Sullivan Ave); park, sip, and talk Pontiacs, though ALL cars are welcome.