🌸 Hartford Blooms, Avon Sips, New Haven Performs

February 17, 2026

In partnership with

Hey there — ready to pack your week with color, flavor, and creativity? 🌷🍸🎭 Connecticut is absolutely showing off, and we’ve got the inside scoop on what’s happening. Here’s what’s waiting for you:

🌸 The 44th Connecticut Flower & Garden Show returns to Hartford
🍽️ Avon Restaurant Week kicks off with “Sip & Savor”
🎶 Elm City’s Finest lights up the Shubert Theatre
📗 This Month in CT History: The Hawaiian Scholar Whose Journey from Kona to Cornwall Shaped Global Missions
📰 Local headlines you might’ve missed

Personalized GLP-1 Care, Led by Real Doctors

🎁 Kickstart your weight-loss journey and save 25% on your first month!

Discover a smarter, clinician-guided approach to weight loss with JRNYS. Our metabolic health programs may include GLP-1 medications when clinically appropriate, helping many members reduce cravings and stay consistent.

With JRNYS, you’re supported by licensed providers every step of the way from your initial online assessment to ongoing care throughout your journey. Everything is 100% online and built for real life.

Why JRNYS?

  • Clinician-guided care

  • Ongoing provider support

  • HSA/FSA eligible

  • Plans starting at $89/month*

👉 Use code JRNYS25 at checkout to save 25% on your first month.
⏳ Limited-time offer.

Get started today at JRNYS.com

*Medication cost not included. Eligibility varies.
Clinician-guided wellness care; eligibility varies. Medications prescribed only when clinically appropriate.

This is an advertisement. Looking to partner with Connecticut Lifestyles? Just reply to this email or click here to learn how we can promote your brand to thousands of interested locals!

Four days of blooms, ideas, and hands-on inspiration in Hartford

From February 19–22, 2026, the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford transforms into 150,000 square feet of full-color inspiration during the 44th Connecticut Flower & Garden Show. Open Thursday 10am–7pm, Friday and Saturday 10am–8pm, and Sunday 10am–5pm, this year’s “Signs of Spring” theme showcases more than 20 live garden exhibits designed by professionals, featuring everything from pollinator and native gardens to vegetables, herbs, and low-maintenance landscapes.

In addition to the stunning displays, visitors can attend over 80 hours of seminars and demonstrations included with admission, explore the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut’s 12,500-square-foot Standard Flower Show competition, and shop hundreds of vendors offering plants, tools, décor, and garden essentials. Bring half a cup of soil for free testing and leave with real plans for your own outdoor upgrade.

One night. Local chefs. You decide the winners.

On Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 6–9pm, Avon Restaurant Week launches with the inaugural “Sip & Savor” event at the Avon Old Farms Hotel’s Towpath Ballroom in Avon. Local restaurants come together under one roof to compete for Best Appetizer and Best Cocktail or Mocktail, giving guests the chance to taste, compare, and cast their votes.

For $55, attendees enjoy an energetic evening filled with creative bites, handcrafted drinks, and friendly competition in an elegant setting. It’s a one-night kickoff that sets the tone for a week of dining specials and culinary highlights throughout Avon.

A celebration of New Haven’s creative community

On February 19, 2026, from 7–10pm, Elm City’s Finest returns to the Shubert Theatre on College Street in New Haven for an intimate, table-seated performance in the Elm City’s Cabaret. The series highlights artists across music, dance, spoken word, and visual art, offering audiences a close-up experience with some of the city’s most compelling talent.

Now in its fourth year, the event continues to showcase the depth and diversity of New Haven’s artistic scene, creating a welcoming space for creativity to take center stage. Tickets are $20, making it an accessible and inspiring night out in the heart of downtown.

Need an oil change without the hassle? Valvoline Instant Oil Change offers drive-thru service in about 15 minutes with no appointment needed. Right now, get 30% off a Synthetic Blend Oil Change for $55.99 (reg. $79.99) or a Full Synthetic Oil Change for $73.99 (reg. $104.99). Each service includes up to 5 quarts of Valvoline oil, a standard filter, and a maintenance check.

With certified techs, a 4.7-star rating from over 57,000 reviews, and multiple participating locations including Watertown, Avon, and Torrington, it’s an easy win for your car. Over 300 people have viewed this deal today — don’t wait.

This is an advertisement.

One night only at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford

On February 28, 2026 at 8:00 PM, Dirty Dancing in Concert takes over Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford for a one-night-only live-to-film experience that brings the iconic movie to life on stage. Doors open at 6:30 PM, giving fans time to settle in before the unforgettable soundtrack kicks off. The beloved film plays on a full-size screen while a live band performs the hit songs in real time — yes, including that final dance moment everyone waits for.

Right now, Groupon is offering tickets starting at $35 (regularly $53), a 34% savings, with more than 90 people already viewing the deal today. Seating options include 100 Level, Loge, 200 Level, and 300 Level sections, and tickets are mobile-only for easy entry. If you're planning a group night, make sure to purchase together to sit together. This is a final sale event, so once they’re gone, they’re gone.

TOP EVENTS TODAY YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

  • Homeschool Open House (Hartford) - Arts education and creative exploration for students and their families.

HAVE YOU BEEN HERE YET?

Gerard Way Concert GIF by My Chemical Romance

There’s no shortage of live music happening all around the state. Check out the upcoming show calendar below:

THIS MONTH IN CONNECTICUT HISTORY

The Hawaiian Scholar Whose Journey from Kona to Cornwall Shaped Global Missions

In 1817, a young Hawaiian man named Henry Opukahaia arrived in Cornwall, Connecticut carrying more than just personal ambition. Born in 1792 on the island of Hawaii, Opukahaia lost his parents in a tribal conflict as a child and eventually left his homeland aboard a Connecticut merchant ship.

After arriving in New Haven in 1810, he immersed himself in education, learned English, and converted to Christianity while living and studying with local ministers. His dedication and vision to return home as a Christian teacher inspired religious leaders during the fervor of the Second Great Awakening.

That inspiration led to the founding of Cornwall’s Foreign Mission School in 1816, an institution created to train foreign-born converts to become missionaries within their own communities. Opukahaia was among its earliest students and quickly became a powerful symbol of its mission, working on an English-Hawaiian dictionary and writing his memoirs while studying theology.

Tragically, he died of typhoid fever in 1818 at just 26 years old, before he could return to Hawaii. His memoir was later published and influenced generations of American missionaries traveling to the islands. In 1993, his remains were returned to Kona, where he is remembered as a foundational figure in the history of Hawaiian Christianity.

Vivint never outsources your safety. Know you’re protected at all times by claiming our offer for up to 4 months of free monitoring—brought to you by our award-winning, in-house 24/7 Professional Monitoring team that’s ready when every second counts.

This is an advertisement.

HEADLINES AROUND THE STATE

Southington’s Austin Florian Finishes 7th in Olympic Debut

Southington native Austin Florian placed seventh in the Olympic debut of the Skeleton Mixed Team event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games in Italy. Teaming up with Ro Mystique at the Cortina Sliding Centre, the American duo set an early track record before being overtaken by six teams. Florian, 31, also emerged as the top-performing American in the men’s singles event during his first Winter Olympics appearance.

Plainville’s Powerhouse Motorsports Showroom Sits Empty

The showroom at Powerhouse Motorsports on East Street in Plainville appears to have closed, with the space now largely vacant and a “Commercial Property For Sale/Lease” sign displayed in the window. Neither the dealership’s website nor social media pages mention a closure, and no official statement has been released. The business’s last Facebook post was in mid-November 2025.

Soccer Stadium Plan Faces Uncertainty in Bridgeport

Developer Andre Swanston says he remains committed to building a stadium for his new CT United minor league soccer team, but the proposed Bridgeport location may no longer be viable. After Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration declined to provide additional state funding beyond $16 million earmarked for land cleanup, Swanston acknowledged the project could move elsewhere. CT United is still expected to launch its inaugural season in March at temporary venues.

Two Hikers Rescued from Ragged Mountain

Two hikers were rescued Saturday night from Ragged Mountain in Southington after crews trekked roughly 1.5 miles through deep snow and steep terrain. Both were treated for hypothermia, and one was also experiencing a diabetic emergency. Multiple fire departments and emergency responders assisted in the rescue, with Mount Southington Ski Area providing a snowmobile that proved critical to bringing the hikers to safety.

Thanks!

Thanks for spending part of your day with us! We hope this gave you a few solid reasons to get out, try something new, and make the most of what’s happening across Connecticut this week.

If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, pass it along to a friend and let them in on the fun, too.

P.S. Looking to partner with Connecticut Lifestyles? Just reply to this email or click here to learn how we can promote your brand to thousands of interested locals!