The Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz is known as New England's largest FREE ADMISSION outdoor music festival and is one of the largest events in Hartford, Connecticut. The festival draws tens of thousands of attendees that make their way from the region and lower east coast and beyond.

The GHFJ draws music lovers and picnickers to Hartford's Bushnell Park for world-class entertainment and relaxation. The festival continues to attract thousands of attendees to "the lawn of the State Capitol". The festival boasts a history of presenting national and international mainstream, cutting-edge, traditional and contemporary jazz performers, aspiring local amd regional artists, and some truly wonderful young musicians from area schools and noteworthy jazz programs. Notable international musicians that have performed at GHFJ include, the Count Basie Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Chuck Mangione, Herbie Mann, and in recent years Gerald Albright, Bobby Lyle, The Rippingtons and Connecticut's own Joel Frahm and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra Jazz and Strings.

GHFJ's mission is to produce a world-class jazz festival that enlivens cultural and economic vitality in Greater Hartford and Connecticut. Our objective is to educate our diverse audience about music.

The 21st Annual Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz will be held on Friday-Sunday, July 20-22, 2012. Over a dozen food and beverage vendors, forty merchant marketplace and arts and craft vendors. ATMs on site.

 It’s been several years since Jennifer Caraluzzi’s soprano filled the air at Merryall — and we’ve missed her. 

Now with a master’s from the New England Conservatory, it will be great to have her back on stage. 

One (1) Hour Historical Walking Tour

The Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford  31^st  Annual Bonsai Show

The Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford will present its 31^st Annual Bonsai Show at the Pond House in Elizabeth Park, Hartford, on Saturday and Sunday, July 21^st and 22^nd. 

Included in the show will be trees trained by club members, demonstrations of bonsai techniques, as well as sales of trees and bonsai related items. 

 The hours for Saturday will be 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and for Sunday, 10am to 4pm. 

 Admission for adults is $3 and for children 6 through 12, $2.  Children under 6 years of age are free.

IMAGES features the work of local photographer Charles Ruger and the 4^th Annual Juried Photography exhibition celebrating the work of talented regional photographers.

Charles Ruger studied art history and politics at Connecticut College and Columbia University. He is a self-taught photographer whose work figures into private and corporate collections internationally.

He lives and works in New York City. For more information on Ruger’s work, view his site: http://www.charlesruger.com/aboutthework.html

Come help us celebrate the 20th anniversary season of the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival! Enjoy readings by major American poets, live music, writing workshops, poet talks, film and drama, museum tours, Poetry on the Trails, contra dance, book sales and signings, food vendors...picnics are welcome! 

Admission:  OPENING WEEKEND, June 1–3: $10 per person, per day, or $25 per person for the weekend. WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, June 13 & 27, July 11 & 25, and August 1: $5 per person, children ages 12 and under free. Parking is free.

Guest poets include: Suji Kwock Kim, Bessy Reyna, B. Yung, Richard Wilbur, Minton Sparks, Toi Derricotte, Dana Gioia, Christian Wiman, Marilyn Annucci, Natasha Trethewey, Sue Burton, Donald Hall and Tony Hoagland.

For more information: http://sunkengardenpoetry.org/

Donate your gently used furniture for the Amherst Survival Center's annual fall used furniture sale! See www.amherstsurvival.org, email furniture@amherstsurvival.org, or call 413-549-3968 x252 for information or to arrange pick-up or delivery. All contributions are tax deductible, and donations will be collected through the end of August so we can set up for the sale at the Survival Center September 7th and 8th. The sale supports Survival Center programs that provide food, health care and clothing to over 4,000 of our neighbors in need in Hampshire and Franklin Counties in MA each year.

The Greater Hartford Green Team is a network of urban and suburban residents lead by Knox Parks that meet monthly to tackle environmental projects in Hartford, CT. Call Charmaine at Knox Parks (or e-mail charmainec@knoxparks.org) for more information.

Their 2012 season will continue with new plantings at the corner of Homestead Avenue and Garden Stret. Join in to:

• Create a beautiful and welcoming entrance to Hartford
• Get some fresh air
• Share lunch with other volunteers
• Listen to local artists perform in an outdoor setting
• Build bridges and create relationships as you help to Green the City.

This will take place Saturday, July 21, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

An outdoor performance of Romeo and Juliet with a 21st century sensibility. This production, crafted by Ellen Lieberman, is at once understandable, entertaining, vibrant and moving.

July 13-15 and July 18-22; 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Attendees should bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo will reopen to attendees at 6:30 p.m. for picnicking. A strolling Renaissance harpist or flutist will entertain early guests. Bridgeport performances may be cancelled when weather is inclement.

www.CTFreeShakespeare.com

WALKING TOURS TO BEGIN JUNE 23-24

Two newly developed walking tours will be offered to the public for the first time on the weekend of June 23-24, and will run through mid-September.

Historic Guilford Walking Tours are Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 a.m., and will focus on Guilford’s history on the Green and areas east, with an introduction to downtown’s house museums.

Tours focusing on Guilford’s architectural heritage will be Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m., and will take place on the Green and neighborhoods west.

All tours will meet in front of Town Hall, 31 Park St., and will be led by enthusiastic high school tour guides/researchers. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children 7-11, and $20 per family. Group tour rates are available upon request.

For reservations and information, please visit www.HistoricGuilfordWalkingTours.org, email info@HistoricGuilford.org, or call 203-233-1026. Tickets are also available at Mix Design Store and the Greene Art Gallery, 29 Whitfield St., Page Hardware and the Guilford Food Center on the Guilford Green.

 The exhibit uses historic photographs, artifacts, and first-hand accounts to explore 260 years of Cornwall’s relationship with its forests, showing how and why the town transformed from forest to farm and back to forest. The exhibit will also explore changing attitudes about the forest, from the 18^th century view of woods as a source of timber to more recent concepts of the forest as a setting for recreation and as a vital ecosystem.

In the Rio Grande River Valley of central New Mexico and eastern Arizona, the Pueblos, a people spread over 19 communities, continue to practice their ancient art of pottery-making.  Descendents of the Anasazi, the Pueblo People, still use the traditional coiling methods and decorative patterns that have distinguished their work for centuries..

This exhibit compares and contrasts the unique style of each Pueblo community and highlights individual artists who have shaped this timeless craft.

 The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00am - 5:00pm* and Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm *      *Last admission 4:30pm

All-Star Driver, Connecticut's leader in driver's education, is open in Norwalk! Classes will be offered at the Norwalk location during afternoons, evenings and on weekends. The new All-Star Driver facility is located at 430 Main Avenue (across from Merritt 7 about a mile from the DMV) and is now open for business!

July 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30, 31, 2012

Visit us for story time, a special craft and even an animal encounter each weekday. Free with Zoo admission. Families with children under age 6 are welcome.

Outdoor exhibit and sale in an interesting and exhilarating venue.  Meet the artists and discuss their work.

Connecticut Free Shakespeare celebrates another extraordinary summer at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo by presenting “Romeo and Juliet.”

Performance begins at 8:00 p.m.  Zoo opens for picnics at 6:30 p.m.  

All shows at the Peacock Pavilion. Show cancels if inclement weather. FREE. For more information, call 203-393-3213 or visit www.ctfreeshakespeare.org.Shows are July 13-15, 18-22, 2012

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo will host Toucans/Two Can Days in partnership with local food banks to help feed hungry families in the greater Bridgeport region. Two can visit for the price of one with a donation of two cans of non-perishable food. This promotion applies to general admission rates only and may not be combined with other offers. Donation bins will be located by the Zoo's ticket booth.

$15 tickets with valid student ID available beginning at 10 am on any wednesday, Thursday or Friday for that evening's performance.

Name: Fish Tales, Tugs & Sails
Date: Saturday, July 21
Time: 11am - 4pm
Contact email: office@newlondonmainstreet.org
Contact phone: 860.444.2489
Address: New London Waterfront Park, New London
Website: www.fishtalestugsandsails.com

Bring the family down to New London’s Historic Waterfront District and explore the blue planet with big boats, children’s authors and tons of activities along the waterfront. Check out tugboats, climb aboard the Mystic Whaler tall ship, browse the market, touch some sea critters and enjoy live interactive performances. Authors and entertainers this year include Steve Elci, Ariel from Simply Enchanted, Mark Shasha, Tish Rabe, Island Rhythm and more. Admission is free.

Co-produced by New London Main Street, Mitchell College, New London Youth Affairs & the Public Library of New London.

Opening Reception: Friday, August 10, 6-8pm

Artist Demonstration Day: Saturday, August 4^th, 1-3:30pm.

Please see attached images.

The Connecticut Pastel Society, a statewide fine arts organization with national

outreach, is pleased to be returning to the Lyme Art Association for their 2012

Signature Member’s Exhibition.  This juried exhibition of more than 50 paintings

created by the Society’s premier members will be on display and for sale from

August 3 through September 22 in the Goodman Gallery at the Lyme Art

Association, 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tuesday-Saturday 10-5pm, Sunday, 1-5pm.

This year’s exhibition will include a first time ever trio Artist Demonstration Day

on August 4^th, 1:00-3:30 pm.  The public as well as fellow artists are encouraged

to attend this free opportunity to see how a painting comes to life.  You will have

the opportunity to either experience a still life demonstration by Alain Picard,

a cityscape by Janet A. Cook and a macro landscape by Karen Israel.  The

artwork created by these three well known artists, will be graciously

donated and offered for sale at our premier silent auction throughout the six weeks of the

exhibition.  Bids will commence at the Opening Reception on August 10th at 6 pm

and end at 4 pm on the final day of the exhibit, September 22^nd.  Bids will be accepted

throughout the exhibit, either on the auction bid sheet accompanying the

paintings or by phone to the LAA at 860-434-7802.  All proceeds

from the auction will benefit the Connecticut Pastel Society.

In honor of Independence Day and the military’s service to our country, Mystic Aquarium welcomes military (active and retired) with free general admission during the months of July and August.

Family members with a dependent’s ID receive a special military rate of $15 per adult and $10 per child.

This special offer is on general admission only and is valid through August 31, 2012. Valid military identification must be presented at Mystic Aquarium’s admission gate at time of purchase. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer.

Military always receive $10 off any Mystic Aquarium membership category.

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is traveling to Sherwood Island State Park for some fun in the sun. Presented in conjunction with the Sherwood Island State Park Nature Center, these live animal programs will explore the little-known world of these prehistoric survivors and introduce families to beautiful and endangered reptiles from around the world. Presented beachside(weather permitting) or in the Park's new nature center, the programs are sure to engage, educate and inspire! The Zoomobile is FREE. Check with venue for admission fees, if any.