May 12-20 in Hamden*
Beautiful. Diverse. Community.
Spring Showcase: Bluegrass in Hamden
Hamden has a become a destination for some of the best Bluegrass musicians in the nation, thanks to the efforts of local aficionado Chris Wuerth, accidental founder and owner of GuitartownCT. They book great shows year-round utilizing several intimate Hamden music venues. For more on this great story, check out the following two pieces: NHI article and Bluegrass today story.
For a schedule of upcoming Bluegrass concerts and performances, visit the GuitartownCT website.
In addition to bringing in professional artists, GuitartownCT also organizes a monthly Bluegrass Jam session for local musicians (and fans) on the first Sunday of each month at BVFCC.
Friday May 12
Family Movie Night @ Hamden’s Town Center Park. Film starts at sunset. Free.
“Night Market” on the Orange Street Promenade in Ninth Square. 5-10pm. Relax, eat, drink, play some lawn games, enjoy art, listen to live music, and shop the street vendors. Link for more details.
NHSO @ Lyman Performing Arts Center @ SCSU. 7:30pm. In 1912, a New Haven resident – the first Black woman to earn a degree from Yale University – took the stage with the NHSO to premiere her Piano Concerto. 111 years later, New Haven audiences will once again have the opportunity to experience Helen Hagan’s music live in a concert hall. This program will also include Florence Price’s stunning First Piano Concerto and Margaret Bonds’s musical depiction of the historic Civil Rights events of Montgomery, Alabama. Link for tickets.
Saturday May 13
Final day of the 26th Annual Westville Art Walk. 10am-5pm. A festival with art, music, food, beer garden, games, improv comedy, and more. Link for more details and full schedule.
Migratory Bird Day! 12-2:30pm @ Trowbridge Environmental Center in East Rock Park. Live Raptor Show with the Audubon Society at 12:30pm. Free. Link to register.
Sheeping Sheering @ Brooksvale Park Barn. 12pm. The temps are rising so it's Sheep Shearing time at Brooksvale Park. Be at the Friends of Brooksvale Animal Barn by NOON this coming Saturday to see a pro at work. Lady Baba, Bonnie & Nahna will breathe or Baaaaa, a sigh of relief.
Join the New Haven Bicycle Club for the 1st ever East Rock Century ride! Free. Followed by after party @ East Rock Brewery. Link for more details.
Sunday May 14
Invasive Plant Removal Workday @ Sleeping Giant State Park. You can lend a hand to this important effort by joining as a volunteer. Projects will vary by week, but generally include pulling, cutting, and otherwise removing invasive plants from around the park. 9:30-11:30am. Link for more details.
Tuesday May 16
Suicide Prevention Training presented by QVHD @ Miller Memorial Library. 6:30-8pm.
The May Screening Series begins @ BVFCC. 7pm. Details below.
Spring Cheer Clinics led by the Hamden Hurricanes youth cheer program. Details below.
Wednesday May 17
Dragon Family Night presented by the Hamden PTA Council. For HPS kids in grades K-6 and their families. Details below.
“Night at the Museum” @ Movies in the Plaza. 8pm. Free. Link for more details.
LEGO Club at the Brundage Community Branch Library. Link to register.
Thursday May 18
A vibrant art auction will be held indoors at the Eli Whitney Museum, while a delicious spread of treats from local vendors will be served outdoors accompanied by music from Johnathan Moore. Funds raised by donors and artists will support the museum's efforts in teaching Leonardo's idea of improvisational creativity to K-12 learners, dedicated apprentices, and the entire community. Link for more details and tickets.
Yale Carillion Performance for 45 minutes in the Margaret and Angus Wurtele Sculpture Garden Harkness Tower’s Yale Memorial Carillon. 5:30-6:30pm. Free. As an instrument, the carillon is played in the confines of a small belfry chamber, yet the music produced can be heard throughout the surrounding area, in spaces both public and private. Link for more details.
Salsa in Ninth Square. 6-8pm. Free.
Friday May 19
Final Weekend: A new collaboration between Long Wharf Theater and Space Ballroom in Hamden. Live From the Edge is an experience unlike any other. The show blends a range of performance styles — from childhood rhymes to poetry, community rituals, hip-hop, gospel, and more. Enter an immersive musical that draws inspiration from headline news and builds off the energy of the audience to make you reimagine what theatre can be. April 27 - May 21. Link for more details and tickets.
Chosen Family monthly dinner @ Spring Glen Church. 5-7pm. A monthly LGBTQ+ gathering space over dinner.
Auditions for Whitney Players Theater Company. 5:30-9:30pm. All ages. Details below.
Saturday May 20
Madagascar the Musical at Shubert Theater. 2pm and 6pm. Link for tickets.
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS!!! Just like when you were a kid, wake up early on Saturday morning, come to Best Video grab a bowl of Frosted Flakes, watch some Smurfs and Thundar the Barbarian in your pajamas (optional), and relive the days when Saturday mornings were a kid’s most anticipated time of the week (and grab a coffee too, reliving one’s youth is tiring). You can bring a kid or just show up and be a kid again. Original Nintendo Entertainment System games and very unhealthy cereal and Pop-Tarts will be served along with a big ol’ slice of nostalgia. And coffee.
Cyril the Sorcerer Environmental Magic Show @ East Rock Park’s Trowbridge Environmental Center. 11am. Free. Link to register.
The New Haven Family Stroll & Festival brings the community together for a day of family fun. The event kicks off with a drum-led stroll along the Quinnipiac River bridge loop. Back in the park, activities and entertainment include food trucks, face painting, parachute play, magicians, musicians, Zumba, bubbles, arts and crafts, and information, and information from over 40 resource partners. Link for more details.
Go Public Gardens Days is hosting a public event to honor local seniors. New public artwork will be unveiled. 10am @ Town Center Park. Local non-profit Interfaith Caregivers (IVCG), is working to bring elderly residents together in community gatherings. The latest event is called "the senior garden experience". During the past six months, three dozen greater New Haven seniors have met and helped create a public artwork, which will be unveiled at the event.
Hamden Food in the News:
WingStop: New in the Hamden Plaza. Link for menu.
More Hamden Programs:
Free summer pass for Hamden teens at Planet Fitness. Link to register.
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Please share with your Hamden neighbors, friends, and community groups. Thank you!
*Please confirm event details before attending any events listed in this newsletter. Some events require registration prior to attending. Some programs have limited enrollment.
*Community event submissions: thisweekinhamden@gmail.com