🎇 Museum's 200th Birthday Bash, A Boat Parade & Norwalk Sea Cruise

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Hey there! 🌞 School’s out, the sun’s up, and there’s no shortage of fun popping off across the state. Whether you’re planning a kid-friendly weekend, looking to get out on the water, or want to cruise Long Island Sound like a marine biologist, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s what’s inside this week:

🎉 A museum birthday bash 200 years in the making
🚤 A FREE Fourth of July boat parade in Essex
🦀 Hands-on marine science cruises from Norwalk
📗 This Month in CT History: Elias Boudinot’s Complicated Legacy
📰 Local headlines you might’ve missed

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🎂 CONNECTICUT MUSEUM CELEBRATES 200 YEARS WITH FAMILY-FRIENDLY BIRTHDAY BASH

A new children’s book, mobile art museum, and more take center stage

Get ready to party with purpose: the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History is throwing a 200th Birthday Bash on Saturday, June 28, and it’s a full day of fun for families, educators, and curious minds of all ages.

From 11 AM to 4 PM, guests can enjoy storytime, crafts, and games, along with the launch of the brand-new children’s book The Key to Adventure, illustrated by Mya Concepcion. Bonus? Families get a free copy of the book while supplies last.

Also debuting that day: a statewide traveling exhibit inspired by the book—on wheels! Hop aboard the colorful cARTie bus, Connecticut’s first nonprofit mobile art museum, for a hands-on experience that brings history to life.

Click here for more info.

This is not an advertisement.

🚤 FOURTH OF JULY FUN: INDEPENDENCE DAY BOAT PARADE IN ESSEX

Cannon fire, historic ships, and riverfront views

Make your Fourth of July pop with a visit to the Connecticut River Museum in Essex for a one-of-a-kind Independence Day Boat Parade. From dazzling boat displays to live cannon fire, this is a patriotic spectacle you won’t want to miss. The parade begins at 2 PM and museum admission is totally free—perfect for a budget-friendly afternoon packed with history, education, and riverfront vibes.

🗓️ Friday, July 4, from 12 PM – 3 PM
📍 Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main St, Essex, CT

Click here for more details.

🦀 GET YOUR HANDS WET: MARINE LIFE ENCOUNTER CRUISES IN NORWALK

Sail, sample, and study Long Island Sound's wild side

From June 25–29, the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk is offering its popular Marine Life Encounter Cruise every day at 1 PM. This 2.5-hour science cruise lets you explore what lies beneath the waves—from plankton and mollusks to fish and crabs—using real research tools. It’s educational, interactive, and perfect for curious kids (and grownups too).

🛥️ Cruise departs from 10 North Water Street, Norwalk, CT
🔗 More info + tickets

🧀 CHEESE WHEEL PASTA AT MARCELLO’S: A FLAMING, TRUFFLE-LOADED SHOWSTOPPER

Looking for a meal that steals the spotlight? Marcello’s Italian Eatery in Monroe delivers a pasta experience that’s as dramatic as it is delicious.

Your server wheels out a massive round of premium cheese, sets it ablaze with a splash of grain alcohol, and swirls in fresh linguini as it melts into a silky, decadent sauce. Then comes the finale: a shower of shaved truffle that takes this dish to the next level.

It’s bold, rich, and totally unforgettable—and it’s lighting up social media for a reason.

🍝 Ready to try the dish everyone’s talking about?

Click here to learn more or reserve your table now.

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🧗‍♂️ UP TO 27% OFF CLIMBING PASSES AT ROCK SPOT CLIMBING

Grab a deal, conquer the wall, and chill in the A/C—this is summer adventure done right

Whether you’re a first-time climber or you’ve already got calluses and chalk stains to prove your skills, Rock Spot Climbing is offering an epic deal that makes getting vertical easier (and cheaper) than ever. With a limited-time Groupon offer, you can save up to 27% on a one-day indoor climbing pass—gear included—for one, two, or four people. Prices drop even lower with the current promo code, bringing some options down to under $20!

With five locations including Wallingford, these gyms offer top-rope walls, bouldering routes, auto-belay stations, and even Jump Start classes for beginners. Plus, the friendly, expert staff and climate-controlled climbing space mean you’ll stay safe, cool, and stoked no matter how high you go.

👉 Book your climb here

TOP EVENTS TODAY YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

• Member Yard Goats Game (Hartford) - Enjoy a night of baseball, fireworks, and family fun at Dunkin’ Donuts Park with the Hartford Yard Goats.

• Museum Tours & Trolley Rides (East Haven) - Experience history with rides and tours at the Shore Line Trolley Museum from 11 AM to 3 PM.

• Sketching in the Galleries (New Haven) - Participate in guided sketching at the Yale University Art Gallery inspired by its historic art collection.

• Home Away From Homeschool: Mask Making (Waterbury) - A creative art session for homeschoolers focusing on mask making and artist exploration.

• Marine Life Encounter Cruise (Norwalk) - Join a cruise to study marine biodiversity in Long Island Sound through exciting hands-on sampling.

• Picturing Barbados | Kendall Francis (New Haven) - Enjoy insightful talks on the exploration of artworks and conservation at the YCBA.

• The Perfect 10[million lbs] (East Haven) - Celebrate Haven’s Harvest’s milestone of rescuing 10 million pounds of food with food, music, and community activities.

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HAVE YOU SEEN THIS YET?

THIS MONTH IN CONNECTICUT HISTORY

A Cherokee Leader’s Connecticut Education Set Him on a Path of Controversy, Courage—and Tragedy

In the early 1820s, a young Cherokee man named Gallegina Uwati arrived in Cornwall, Connecticut, on a mission shaped by hope and diplomacy. Sent north by Cherokee elders, he enrolled in the Foreign Mission School—a radical institution dedicated to educating non-Western students in the ways of Christianity and Western scholarship. Inspired by a friendship with a prominent statesman, he adopted the name Elias Boudinot and embraced his role as a cultural bridge between his tribe and the expanding United States.

But Boudinot’s time in Connecticut wasn’t without conflict. When he and his cousin John Ridge became engaged to local white women, their interracial relationships sparked backlash. In one infamous incident, Boudinot and his fiancée, Harriet Gold, were burned in effigy on the Cornwall green. Still, the couple married and returned to Cherokee territory, where Boudinot became the founding editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, the first Native American newspaper printed in both English and Cherokee.

His advocacy for Cherokee assimilation and his role in signing the controversial Treaty of New Echota—ceding tribal lands in exchange for a forced relocation west—deeply divided his community. Though he believed the treaty would help his people survive, others saw it as a betrayal. Just four years later, on June 22, 1839, Boudinot was assassinated by fellow Cherokees, ending a life shaped by difficult decisions and a uniquely Connecticut connection.

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HEADLINES AROUND THE STATE

🐻 Man Scratched By Bear While Protecting Dog in North Canaan
A man in North Canaan suffered minor injuries after stepping between a bear and his dog on his property. The bear, which had cubs with it, fled the scene and has not been located—DEEP is still investigating the incident.

🚫 Lamont Signs Law to Crack Down on Street Takeovers
Governor Ned Lamont signed a bipartisan bill increasing penalties for street racing and takeovers. The law gives local police more power—including the ability to destroy seized ATVs and dirt bikes—to curb this growing public safety issue.

💊 Four Connecticut Rite Aids to Close Amid Bankruptcy
Court documents reveal that Rite Aid is shutting down four locations in Connecticut as part of a larger plan to close over 800 stores nationwide. Closures are pending court approval and impact stores in Wallingford, Wolcott, Brookfield, and Ridgefield.

🎶 Free Summer Concerts Return to Manchester
MARC, Inc. of Manchester is bringing back its popular family-friendly summer concert series. With food trucks, live music, and local vendors, the free events run every Tuesday in July, rain dates included.

Thanks!

Thanks for checking out today’s newsletter—we’re glad you’re here! 🎉 If you enjoyed it, feel free to pass it along to a friend, neighbor, or anyone who loves staying in the know around Connecticut.

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