A nnual acts of athleticism and leisure meet a Yale that’s back in action.
Monday, September 4 – Labor Day
Aside from rest and relaxation, Labor Day in New Haven means exercise and exertion. As is its custom, the yearly Faxon Law New Haven Road Race—whose 5K, 20K and half-marathon courses, plus a half-mile kids’ run, begin and end at the New Haven Green—happens today, with the youth run starting at 8:10 a.m., the other runs beginning at 8:30 and a “post-race party” to follow. If you want to register, you can still do so in person, as early as 6:45 a.m. on the Green ($12-75); if you want to spectate, these handy maps should help you find a good spot.
Tuesday, September 5
At 7:30 p.m. in Woolsey Hall (500 College St, New Haven), the Yale Political Union, an undergraduate organization that invites public officials, journalists, academics and activists to debate students regarding pressing issues of the day, hosts its next clash of ideas. The featured guest this time is Bobby Jindal, former Republican governor of Louisiana, who’s set to make his case against an increasingly popular idea: instituting a single-payer healthcare system in America. Free and open to the public.
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Wednesday, September 6
By the light of a glowing white circle in the night sky, the New Haven Parks, Recreation and Trees department is leading a free full moon hike, stepping off from the West Rock Nature Center (1090 Wintergreen Ave, Hamden) at 7:30 p.m. To register in advance, which is required, email city park ranger Joe Milone at [email protected].
Thursday, September 7
At 6 p.m., the Yale Bookstore (77 Broadway, New Haven; 203-777-8440) hosts a talk by a man who knows a lot about local organizations that would prefer to remain shrouded in mystery. That man is alumnus David Alan Richards, and those organizations are the subject of Richards’s new book, Skulls and Keys: The Hidden History of Yale’s Secret Societies. Touted as the first “scholarly history of the [Yale secret society] system as a whole,” Skulls and Keys “takes us through the history from Phi Beta Kappa in the American Revolution (originally a social and drinking society) through Skull and Bones and its rivals in the 19th and 20th centuries,” explaining how “secret societies have fundamentally shaped America’s cultural and political landscapes.”
Friday, September 8
At 12:30 p.m. in the Yale University Art Gallery (1111 Chapel St, New Haven; 203-432-0601), “Joshua Klein, a furniture maker and conservator based in Brooklin, Maine, demonstrates 17th- and 18th-century techniques that were used in the construction of tables—including ‘kitchen’ tables, card tables, drop-leaf tables and worktables—common to New England homes of the colonial and Federal eras.” Advance registration required; call (203) 432-9525 to secure a spot.
Saturday, September 9
With four 10- to 100-mile routes starting and finishing at the Yale Bowl complex (81 Central Ave, New Haven), this year’s Closer to Free Ride, a biking fundraiser benefitting Yale-New Haven’s Smilow Cancer Hospital, is up and at ’em by 5:30 a.m. Gathering first in the Bowl around that time, then pedaling out together at about 7 a.m., riders—and their “friends, family members and supporters”—will return to find a Finish Line Festival that, among other things, promises live music, a “food truck village,” a 21+ beer garden and an obstacle course for kids. Before then, during the ride, spectators are encouraged to congregate at a number of “cheering stations” set up along each route.
The annual CT Folk Festival and Green Expo returns to bucolic Edgerton Park (75 Cliff St, New Haven) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Featuring folksy live music from 11 acts—including a headlining performance by singer/guitarist Livingston Taylor, whose voice is a hair edgier than his famous older brother James Taylor’s—and a concurrent expo featuring environmentally friendly vendors, plus abundant food and drink, admission is free, though organizers suggest a $5 donation.
From 6 to 8 p.m., two downtown art galleries host wine and cheese-style opening receptions. At Giampietro Gallery (1064 Chapel St, New Haven; 203-777-7760), the new exhibit is Under the Apple Tree, a show of sculptures by Elisa Lendvay and paintings by Becky Yazdan, with an honorable-mention appearance of painted works by Judith Simonian. At Reynolds Fine Art (96 Orange St, New Haven; 203-498-2200), the new exhibition is Sea and Stone: The Thimble Islands Paintings by Arthur Yanoff.
Sunday, September 10
Yale’s not the only important institution back in action after a summer break. Long Wharf Theatre’s first play of the season, Small Mouth Sounds, soft-opened August 30 and cleared its previews phase this past Wednesday. Written by Bess Wohl and directed here by Rachel Chavkin, it follows a group of city-dwelling strangers who’ve escaped to the country for “a silent retreat,” where, to comedic effect, “their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect.” Tickets to today’s 2 and 7 p.m. shows, which appear to be selling briskly, cost $80.50 or $90.50. Playing through Sunday, September 24. (Warning: this play contains nudity.) 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven. (203) 787-4282.
Written by Dan Mims. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations and prices before attending events.
