Beat the heat with music at this FREE indoor weekend music festival! The festivities kick off with family day on Saturday, August 3, followed by fun for the grown-ups on Sunday, August 4! With live music you’ll be dancing to, interactive kids’ classes, food, games for all ages, and more, there’s an experience bound to strike everyone’s chord. View the details below!
Museum closing @ 3 pm on December 24, CLOSED December 25. Museum closing @ 3 pm December 31, CLOSED January 1. Inspire Center open during the holiday week!
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saturday, august 3
@ 11 am – 4 pm
Join us for an interactive, all-ages day of musical discovery through fun classes, hands-on experiences, crafts, snacks, and more. Whether the kids are singing along with Miss Kaite of Spirit in Tune, learning to play instruments with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, or making their own instruments to take home, there are plenty of engaging ways for families to enjoy and explore the possibilities of music. Drop in throughout the day; no tickets for general Saturday admission. However, please note free pre-registration is required for interactive kids’ classes with Spirit in Tune! (linked below).
saturday highlights
Kids can try the Violin, viola, cello, recorder, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, baritone horn, trombone, tuba, drums, guiro, triangle, sleigh bells, tambourine, glockenspiel, egg shakers, maracas, wood block, cowbell, spoons, claves, and tone block. (Inventory subject to change.)
11 am – 2 pm:
Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s
Instrument Discovery Lab
Kids will have an opportunity to play stringed, brass, woodwind, and hand percussion instruments with the support of a Hartford Symphony Orchestra musician. Kids are sure to be inspired by new instruments and the chance to interact with them!
Spirit in Tune owner Kaite Corda is a singer/songwriter, actor, musician, trauma-informed children’s yoga and mindfulness educator, as well as an early music specialist, who has been entertaining and teaching for over 15 years.
2:15 – 3 pm & 3:15 – 4 pm: Spirit in Tune
Shake eggs, bang on drums, dance with scarves and more during fun, research-based early childhood music & movement classes for birth to 9 years old, and for the grown-ups who love them! Together discover the joy of an interactive, playful family music class that supports all learning. Two sessions available: one for birth to age 5, and one for ages 6 and up. Pre-registration required (and free!) for Spirit in Tune classes.
saturday schedule
11 am – 2 pm:
Hartford Symphony Orchestra Instrument Discovery Lab
Hartford Symphony Orchestra Instrument Discovery Lab
11:30 am – 3:30 pm:
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
A vivid collection of books to peruse, enjoy – and even take home!
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
A vivid collection of books to peruse, enjoy – and even take home!
2:15 – 3 pm:
Music Class with Spirit in Tune, birth – age 5 (pre-registration required)
Music Class with Spirit in Tune, birth – age 5 (pre-registration required)
3:15 – 4 pm:
Music Class with Spirit in Tune, ages 6+ (pre-registration required)
Music Class with Spirit in Tune, ages 6+ (pre-registration required)
All day:
Craft station, scavenger hunt, snacks available, and more!
Craft station, scavenger hunt, snacks available, and more!
sunday, august 4
@ 11 am – 5 pm
Fun for the grown-ups! Experience how culture influences music—and vice versa—as three diverse musical genres perform under one (air conditioned) roof. From bluegrass vibes, to cool jazz tunes, to salsa rhythms you can’t help but dance to, enjoy these talented bands throughout the day. In between sets, explore the Museum on a scavenger hunt to earn prizes, enjoy cider tasting, and more. Don’t forget to visit the onsite food truck for a relaxing picnic break. You’ll want to stick around for the full experience! Get free tickets to reserve your spot; tickets grant admission to the entire day.
sunday performances
Best-of-friends since their inception, The Ruta Beggars are Micah Nicol (guitar), Trevin Nelson (banjo), Noah Harrington (bass), Sam Stage (fiddle), and Jean-Baptiste Cardineau (mandolin), who met through studying in Berklee College of Music’s American Roots Program.
12 pm: The Ruta Beggars
Appealing to traditional and progressive acoustic music fans alike, The Ruta Beggars combine bluegrass and early swing to create a timeless act filled with intricate vocal harmonies, fiery instrumentals, and plenty of fun. They’ve been praised for their creative yet tasteful arrangements and charming performances. Since 2018, they have brought the joy to their audiences across the US and Canada from festival stages to storied folk listening rooms and as support for legacy acts Lyle Lovett and Ricky Skaggs. The Ruta Beggars are 2019 Thomas Point band competition winners, 2023 IBMA official showcasing artists, Freshgrass Foundation commissioned composers, Freshgrass Award finalists, and Skyline Records artists. Listen here.
“Clarke’s free-flowing compositions showcase plenty of fusion chops, but his rich tone and spaced-filled lines steal the show”
– Gregory Isola, BASS PLAYER MAGAZINE
1:30 pm: The Steve Clarke Band
Steve Clarke brings funky jazz music to the stage with his lifelong musical experience, love for bass guitar, and rhythmic band! Groove to their unique fusion of funk and soul tunes and classic, skilled jazz improvisations. Frontman Steve Clarke has toured the U.S. and Europe performing his music, and is also an avid music educator. After studying music business as well, he now records other artists as well as himself. Listen here.
Mikata means “all of us” – as in everyone join in the singing, dancing, and chanting as this ten piece performs traditional West African and original Afro-Caribbean Funk ensemble. African, Brazilian and Latin percussion blend with bass, guitar, marimba, horns and 3-part vocals!
3:30 pm: Mikata Salsa
It’s dance…it’s rhythm…it’s Mikata! Feel your pulse quicken as this powerful salsa band ignites the stage in a joyful celebration of contemporary Latin music. Mikata, which means “all of us” in Ghana’s Ewe dialect, fuses the musical elements of Reggae, Afro-beat, High Life and Calypso with the elegant sounds of Latin music. Each beat of the conga beckons you to take a step closer and become a part of Mikata. This New Haven-based group has performed nationally, internationally, and locally for over twenty years. Listen here.
sunday schedule
12 pm: The Ruta Beggars
Toe-tapping bluegrass tunes with early swing vibes.
1:30 pm: The Steve Clarke Band
Cool jazz fused with funk and soul.
3:30 pm: Mikata Salsa
Rhythmic salsa with fun Afro-Caribbean vibes!
Throughout the day:
11 am – 5 pm: La Cocina Cubana food truck
First 50 Connecticut Museum Members to get Sunday tickets receive a $5-off coupon to La Cocina Cubana food truck! Check in upon arrival to receive.
1 – 4 pm: New England Cider Company cider tasting
Taste cider, and buy your favorite!
Scavenger hunt with prizes, Kona Ice frozen treats, and more!
Additional schedule updates will be posted here.
get free sunday tickets
directions and parking
Parking is available on-site at:
One Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105
The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History is located in the West End of Hartford, at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Asylum Avenue. There is ample free parking available.
Free overflow parking is also available at:
UConn School of Law
55 Elizabeth St.
Hartford, CT 06105
Classical Magnet School
85 Woodland St.
Hartford, CT 06105
Overflow parking sites are minutes away from the Museum by foot.
For directions and public transportation information to the Museum, click here.
Accessibility Notice:
The elevator that connects our auditorium wing to the rest of our building is currently out of order. Individuals using wheelchairs and/or unable to climb stairs will be able to enter the Museum using the auditorium lobby entrance. The concerts will be accessible.
To access the accessible bathroom and exhibitions, the stair-free route will require exiting the building and re-entering through the courtyard. Staff will be available to assist with this process. For any questions, call 860-236-5621 x289 or email nbelanger@connecticutmuseum.org. Thank you for your cooperation, we apologize for the inconvenience.
SPONSORED BY
Evelyn W. Preston Memorial Fund,
Bank of America, N.A., Trustee
Location
One Elizabeth Street
Hartford CT, 06105
860.236.5621
Museum Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, Thursday until 8 pm
Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm
Research Center Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday 12 pm - 5 pm, Thursday until 8 pm
Always by appointment only.