Be A Part of EnvisionFest Hartford at Connecticut’s Old State House

Think that there is nothing to do in Hartford? Join Connecticut’s Old State House on Saturday, September 29 for EnvisionFest Harford and spend the day exploring the city’s rich history of innovation and its exciting future! The Old State House will be open for free from 10 AM to 4 PM and will offer special tours and activities featuring some of Connecticut’s most important innovators.

Visitors will be able to choose from an array of activities showcasing Connecticut innovators and Old State House treasures like

• Meet historic innovators such as Prudence Crandall and Frances Ellen Burr as you stroll through the building’s restored rooms.
• Use family-friendly hands-on activities, including a fun scavenger hunt to  explore the building, its stories and unusual objects—like a 2-headed calf and Mark Twain’s bicycle.
• Pick up some  healthy local fruits and veggies at a special Saturday OSH Farmers Market, a tradition started by the General Assembly in 1643.
• See old Hartford through new eyes in three exhibitions:

Ø  There’s a Map for That: excerpted from a recent exhibit sponsored by the Hartford Public Library’s Hartford History Center at and Connecticut Explored. The exhibit showcases Hartford’s evolution through maps and birds-eye views

Ø  A new temporary display of images located in the Treasurer’s Office area that shows the Old State House and its neighborhood over time.

Ø  History Is All Around Us: an interactive exhibition developed by the Connecticut Historical Society that explores Hartford’s rich and innovative past with lots of historical artifacts and hands on activities.

The Old State House is going to pulse with music throughout the day:

·         10:30 am: The Alumni Senior Drum & Bugle Corps in the Main Street Court yard   

·         11:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 1:30 pm: Drummer Bob Bloom brings in his colorful cargo of drums and percussion trinkets that will take everyone on drum ride with the highest octane songs that Hartford has ever heard. Each show lasts a half hour.

·         2 pm: St. Peter Drum Corp

·         3 pm: The Sweetest Key—an amazing all-female, Hartford area a cappella group, that brings its love of music, passion for singing, and unique and powerful harmonies to the OSH courtyard and the streets of Hartford

Parking is easy and convenient! Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage) for $5 and is good for the entire day. For more information on this program and other activities go to www.envisionfesthartford.com



Barstools to Ballots presents Back to the Future of Transportation: How will we get around Hartford?

Hartford, CT –Hartford, CT: How does transportation shape our lives and environment?  How has it impacted Hartford’s development?  How will you navigate the city in the future?  Join in the conversation about these important questions on Monday, September 10 when Connecticut’s Old State House hosts the second program in its popular Barstools to Ballots series.  Co-sponsored with Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE), this informal evening program and networking opportunity encourages attendees to join in the discussion about the past, present and future of transportation in Hartford.

Christine Stuart editor of CT News Junkie will moderate the evening’s discussion. Thomas Maziarz, Connecticut Department of Transportation Bureau Chief of Policy and Planning will discuss the agency’s priorities and projects, including the CTFastrak Project.   Other panelists are: Richard Deluca, author of Post Roads and Iron Horses, and BikeWalkCT board member, Christopher Brown. 

The Old State House doors will open at 5:30 PM for networking and refreshments.  The program will start at 6 PM. Salute Restaurant will provide appetizers and a cash bar. Pre-registration is $8 for HYPE members and $10 for others. All walk-ins are $12 at the door. Go to www.HYPEHartford.com to register for the program. Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5.

The Old State House will tweet live from the event.  To be part of the conversation, follow @CTOldStateHouse and use #CTBar2Ballot. Funding for Barstools to Ballots is provided by the Greater Hartford Arts Council.

The Old State House offers a variety of year round lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

HYPE’s mission is to help young professionals become better engaged in community life, expand professional and social opportunities and become ambassadors for the Hartford Region. In the process, they endeavor to position the Hartford Region as an attractive area for diverse young professionals and entrepreneurs to live, work and play. HYPE caters to young professionals and entrepreneurs in their 20s and 30s from the Hartford Region, though they invite professionals of all ages to participate.