The Great Revival

So it’s as if someone heard my desperate cries. I complained, I pouted, and thought our city might be hopeless. In my post, “The In-Betweens”, I discussed how there was nothing, nothing to do for us 80s babies in Hartford. In response, a friend of mine created a site, Hartford Soultree, where she listed all the great things that are happening around the city. You’d think this would be enough, but no, I needed MORE. In reality, what I really needed was to look for the great events, instead of waiting for them to come to me. This isn’t a large city, where things to do are right outside of your door. If you really want to see the best the city has to offer, it isn’t always going to be right on Main St. It’s going to be in those tucked away spots…that’s where the fun is going to happen.

My former classmates have made my search slightly easier, by posting events on Facebook. Last year, I went to a great event in Philly, by the Raw Artists organization, and I kept thinking, man, they should have something like this in Hartford. Well, they do. Next Thursday, October 4th, The Russian Lady will be holding a Raw event, featuring the fabulous ladies of Hartford Prints! You can support the event by buying tickets here.

If you’re looking for fun and cultural events this weekend, you can find it all throughout downtown. iQuilt, a local organization, will be hosting Envisionfest Hartford, a one-day festival reminiscent of the downtown festivals of my youth, like Kid-Riffic. More information on this great event can be found here. And when you’re all cultured out, head on down to the Duck Pin Alley on Farmington Ave for an after party.

Andddd, if that isn’t enough, a wonderful organization I’ve discovered, Civic Mind Studio, has brainstormed and came up with an awesome project. Every Sunday, beginning on October 7th (through November 18th) there will be an open air market on Pratt St, which has remained an important part of Hartford’s history, reminding of us the bustling city Hartford used to be. If you like the idea of projects like that, check out the organization’s website…it seems they’re open to your ideas.

I admit, I had almost lost all hope in the place I grew up in, the place I had once fiercely defended against naysayers. Instead of trying to fix the problem, I, like many others, decided it would be easier to ignore it and move on to greener pastures. I am proud of my fellow Hartford men and women who are involved in these projects, who decided that our city was worth saving. I hope the rest of you natives give it another chance too, and help me support what can be the start of a great revival.