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- 🐉 Dragon Boats, Shoreline Fun & Free Kids' Haircuts
🐉 Dragon Boats, Shoreline Fun & Free Kids' Haircuts
Happy Tuesday, Connecticut! This week is shaping up to be a great one! There are plenty of ways to get out and enjoy Connecticut.
This week inside:
🐉 Celebrate Asian and Pacific Island cultures in Hartford
🦪 Explore Milford's Fair on the Half Shell
✂️ Enjoy free kids' haircuts and family fun in Branford
📗 This Month in CT History: Connecticut's Deadliest Tornado
📰 Local headlines you might’ve missed
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Watch thrilling dragon boat races while enjoying Asian and Pacific Island food, music, art, and traditions
The Riverfront Dragon Boat & Asian Festival returns to Hartford on Saturday, August 15, bringing a full day of cultural celebration to Mortensen Riverfront Plaza. Visitors can enjoy traditional music and dance, hands-on art activities, food, and martial arts demonstrations while teams compete in exciting dragon boat races along the river.
Admission is free, and everyone is welcome to join the fun. Cheer on your favorite paddlers, explore the festival activities, or learn more about the tradition of dragon boating while taking in the waterfront atmosphere.
A beloved shoreline tradition returns with hundreds of vendors, live music, food, and family fun
Fair on the Half Shell returns to Milford Green on Saturday, August 15, continuing a Connecticut shoreline tradition that has brought the community together for more than 50 years. The free festival will feature more than 300 arts and crafts vendors, 20-plus food trucks, live music, family activities, and a variety of local organizations and businesses.
There's plenty to explore throughout the day, from handmade goods and coastal-inspired treats to environmental exhibits and entertainment. Visitors can also explore downtown Milford before or after the festival, making this a perfect summer day trip for the whole family.
Free haircuts, school supplies, food, and family activities make this Branford event a win for local families
Freedom Road Harley-Davidson is hosting a free Back to School Party on Saturday, August 15, helping local kids head into the new school year feeling confident and prepared. From noon to 4 p.m., children can receive free haircuts courtesy of Skull & Combs Co. while families enjoy fried dough, kid-friendly vendors, activities, and more.
The event also includes a school supply drive to help local students start the school year with what they need. Admission is free, so bring the family, enjoy an afternoon together, and help support kids in the community.
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Catch 50+ bands, enjoy four stages of music, and make the most of a summer weekend in Harwinton
The Black Bear Music Fest returns August 14–16 for its seventh annual celebration, bringing more than 50 bands to the Harwinton Fairgrounds for a weekend packed with rock, blues, folk, and bluegrass. Right now, you can save up to 24% on festival passes, with one-day tickets starting at just $44.
Make it a full weekend getaway with on-site camping, food trucks, and family-friendly activities between performances. Whether you grab a single-day pass or settle in for all three days, there's plenty of live music and festival fun to keep you entertained.
TOP EVENTS TODAY YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
Storytime Tuesdays (East Haven) - Introduce young readers to the joy of books and historic transportation.
Tavern Talks (Hartford) - Step into the social world of early Connecticut during Tavern Talks at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
The Wild Party (West Hartford) - This electrifying musical transports audiences to the roaring 1920s for a night where excess and desire spiral into chaos.
The Revivalists with Olivia Barnes (Westport) - Enjoy an evening of live music when The Revivalists, joined by special guest Olivia Barnes, perform at Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts.
Suzanne Lambert (Manchester) - Comedian and internet personality Suzanne Lambert takes the stage at Hartford Funny Bone Comedy Club.
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HAVE YOU SEEN THIS YET?
There’s no shortage of live music happening all around the state. Check out the upcoming show calendar below:
THIS MONTH IN CONNECTICUT HISTORY
Connecticut's Deadliest Tornado
In 1878, a massive tornado tore through Wallingford, leaving a path of destruction nearly two miles long. The storm's half-mile-wide funnel caught many residents off guard, as severe tornadoes were considered uncommon in New England. At least 34 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured.
The powerful storm destroyed homes, factory buildings, trees, and the town's new brick schoolhouse. A community of day laborers near the train station was completely destroyed, while downed telegraph poles made it difficult for Wallingford to communicate with surrounding towns in the immediate aftermath.
Help soon arrived by train, bringing doctors and nurses to assist the injured. The devastation also attracted thousands of curious visitors, and photographs taken after the storm have since provided historians with a remarkable visual record of one of Connecticut's worst natural disasters.
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HEADLINES AROUND THE STATE
Hundreds of Thousands of Swallows Could Fill the Connecticut River Sky
A spectacular late-summer wildlife show is returning to the Connecticut River, where an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 tree swallows gather each evening before continuing their migration south. The Connecticut River Museum will offer sunset cruises from August 21 through September 23, giving visitors a chance to watch the birds swirl overhead while learning about the phenomenon from onboard naturalists.
Spirit Halloween Is Already Taking Over Connecticut
Halloween season is arriving early, with Spirit Halloween planning stores in 17 Connecticut communities this year. Several locations have already opened, while others are expected to launch throughout August, bringing back the familiar mix of costumes, decorations, animatronics, and pop-culture merchandise.
Ross Dress for Less Is Expanding Across Connecticut
Ross Dress for Less is growing its Connecticut footprint with three new stores planned for Hamden, Newington, and Manchester. The locations will fill former retail spaces, with the Hamden store expected to open in the fall and the Newington location targeted for spring 2027.
Waterbury Theater Goes Big With ‘The Bodyguard’
Waterbury’s City Stage Company is taking on the Whitney Houston-inspired musical The Bodyguard with an ambitious local production featuring professional actor and social media personality Mona Swain, also known as Theater Barbie. The show runs August 13–22 and combines a live seven-piece band, cinematic projections, and an immersive staging concept designed to put audiences right in the action.
Connecticut Reports 77 Confirmed Cases of Cyclosporiasis
State health officials say Connecticut has recorded 77 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis this year, though no Connecticut-specific outbreak or single food source has been identified. The illness is treatable, and health officials continue to monitor cases as part of a broader multistate investigation involving the parasite.
Thanks!
That’s a Wrap for Tuesday! From can’t-miss events and local happenings to stories worth knowing around Connecticut, we hope today’s edition gave you a few ideas for what to check out next.
Have a great Tuesday, and we’ll be back tomorrow with more from around the state!
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!