M emorial Day is the harbinger of summer, and this week reflects it with several outdoor, sometimes waterside, affairs.
Monday, May 28 – Memorial Day
At 10:30 a.m., the public is invited to attend a tour of graves of Civil War veterans in Grove Street Cemetery (227 Grove St, New Haven). Discussing the veterans “and their role in that war,” flags will be placed on graves and “there will be… opportunity for participation and for questions.”
Tuesday, May 29
As New Haven Bike Month—that is, May—gears down, Chainbreakers, a women’s bike repair and support group held at Bradley Street Bike Co-op (138 Bradley St, New Haven), is hosting a one-year anniversary party open to all. Featuring “food, games, booze, prizes and awesome people” with tunes from DJ Shaki, the party runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Free.
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Wednesday, May 30
The Canal Dock Boathouse, the crowning result of a long-simmering effort to put Long Wharf’s waterfront to better public use, is set to open this summer. It’s plausible nobody’s happier about it than architect Rick Wies, the designer of the boathouse, who’s discussing the project’s history—“a story of tension, collaboration, defeat and eventual success” that took about two decades and cost about $37 million—at Yale’s Kroon Hall (195 Prospect St, New Haven). After a 5:45 welcome, the talk, titled “My 20-Year Life with the Boathouse,” starts at 6 p.m., followed by a reception to honor John Herzan, the retiring preservation services officer of the New Haven Preservation Trust. $20.
Thursday, May 31
The New Haven Documentary Film Festival begins today in the Whitney Humanities Center (53 Wall St, New Haven) with a 7 p.m. “special work-in-progress screening” of Gorman Bechard’s Pizza, A Love Story, whose tagline reads, “Pizza wasn’t invented in New Haven. It was perfected there.” And it really is just the beginning, with more than 75 films screening over the course of the 11-day run. All screenings are free but some do fill up, which is where a $50 “fast pass”—getting you reserved seating at every screening plus admission to the opening night party—or a $200 “fast pass deluxe package”—including a fast pass, access to six “filmmaker parties and events” and a T-shirt, poster and tote bag—come in.
Friday, June 1
Speaking of filmmaking, it’s Lights, Camera, ActiOn9 tonight in downtown’s 9th Square. Part of the long-running On9 series, organizers invite attendees to “enjoy local food, drink and storefront light art installations during a downtown block party while being an extra in a promotional film highlighting the historic 9th Square!” Attendees can “purchase food and drink tastings from local neighborhood businesses” while playing free games and enjoying the art. 6 to 8 p.m. on Orange Street between Center and Crown. Free to attend.
Saturday, June 2
Two annual events, the New Haven Food Truck Festival and the Dragon Boat Regatta, converge today where Long Wharf Drive meets the New Haven Harbor. The fest’s food and the regatta’s races—the latter propelled by teams of 20 rowing long, thin boats—both begin at noon and are free to attend. The festival boasts “over 30 food trucks,” according to a recent press conference, plus live music, “a carnival for kids,” an additional “open-air market” and beer for purchase from the New England Brewing Co. Parking, which costs $5 per car, is available at the Long Wharf Maritime Center Garage (555 Long Wharf Dr, New Haven) and Sports Haven (600 Long Wharf Dr, New Haven).
Sunday, June 3
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the YMA Annex Hall (554 Woodward Ave, New Haven), the New Haven Comic & Collectible Spectacular gathers vendors selling, buying and trading “old and new toys,” “old and new comics,” “books and magazines” and other “collectibles and nostalgia.” Featuring “hourly prize drawings” and “on-site concessions,” admission costs $5.
And from noon to 4 p.m., the New Haven Museum’s Pardee-Morris House (325 Lighthouse Rd, New Haven), a preserved 18th-century farmhouse in Morris Cove, opens for the summer with tours, crafts and colonial-era games. Free.
Written and photographed by Dan Mims. Image depicts a scene from last year’s Dragon Boat Regatta. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations and prices before attending events.
