H orizons expand and contract through space, time, culture, commerce and other dimensions, including during a string of parties and festivals.
Monday, September 30
At 4:30 p.m. in Yale’s Luce Hall (34 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven), Bilahari Kausikan, who spent 37 years as a diplomat in Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is currently the chairman of the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute as well as an ambassador-at-large, offers his take on “How to Think About Southeast Asia.” Free.
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Tuesday, October 1
A Native Hawaiian man climbed aboard a merchant ship in 1807. He left for Connecticut (first New Haven, then Cornwall), where he demonstrated extraordinary intellectual abilities; “was converted to Christianity, becoming the inspiration for later Christian missions in Hawai’i”; and “laid the groundwork for the first phonetic alphabet for the Hawaiian language.” His name was ‘Ōpūkaha’ia, and My Name is ‘Ōpūkaha’ia, being performed at 5:30 p.m. in the New Haven Museum (114 Whitney Ave, New Haven; 203-562-4183), is the name of “an award-winning, one-act play written by and starring renowned theater artist Moses Goods, accompanied by Hawaiian ‘oli’ (chant) and ‘mele’ (song) by Po`ai Lincoln.” Free; donations accepted.
Wednesday, October 2
At District (470 James St, New Haven), Al Bhatt discusses “Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability” in the context of our present gilded age, in which the wage gap between executives and rank-and-filers is extremely large, consumption is pushing the environment to the brink and “employee satisfaction with and trust in their employer is at an all-time low.” A “tentative agenda” includes a meet-and-greet at 5:30 p.m., a Q&A at 5:45 and a group discussion at 6:30. Free; registration requested.
From 7:30 to 11 p.m.—about the length of one of the special extended film editions—the german-style beermaker East Rock Brewing Company (285 Nicoll St, New Haven; 475-234-6176) hosts a Lord of the Rings-themed trivia night. “This will be a crowded one,” organizers warn, “so get here early and claim your seats!” Free to attend.
Thursday, October 3
“Explor[ing] issues of place, cultural identity and dislocation” as well as class and economic opportunity, Sanctuary Cities and the Politics of the American Dream opens today at Creative Arts Workshop (80 Audubon St, New Haven; 203-562-4927). A reception/block party from 6 to 8 p.m. marks the occasion, featuring “food trucks from Ay! Arepa and Sultan’s, beverages served by Block Hog Brewing, and live music by DJ Luis Luna.” Free to attend.
Friday, October 4
It’s a great night to be out and about, as two popular (and free) events converge downtown starting at 6 p.m.
At Artspace (50 Orange St, New Haven; 203-772-2709), this year’s City-Wide Open Studios—a monthlong showcase that’s probably the single-best way to become (and then stay) acquainted with New Haven’s vibrant visual arts community—gets a Grand Opening Reception featuring one work by every participating artist (there are hundreds); a bar, typically involving donations; mixing and mingling; and, from 6:15 to 7, a “one-night only tap dance performance” outside on the corner of Crown Street and Orange.
Meanwhile, on that very block of Orange, the next New Haven Night Market runs from 6 to 11, promising “art, music, shopping, food, drink, community and culture under a canopy of lights!”
Saturday, October 5
“Art, music, food specials, crafts, pumpkin painting, wine tastings, wellness and beauty offerings and so much more” are on the docket for the first annual Whitneyville Fall Stroll, which, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is meant to highlight the local businesses of the Hamden hamlet. The stroll as a whole is free, though the wine tastings part—called the Whitneyville Wine Walk, which starts at noon and boasts eight tasting stops at places like Books & Co., Salon Metta and organizer Wine 101—costs $10 per person.
The New Haven Taco Festival, which might be more of a Greater New Haven festival given its situation on the North Haven Fairgrounds (290 Washington Ave, North Haven), runs from noon to 8 p.m. The festival features 2-for-$5 tacos from 16 different vendors; a dedicated salsa and guacamole bar; a drink-oriented bar area serving beer, cider, margaritas and piña coladas; “lucha libre wrestling matches” and live music all day long; a taco-eating contest; various performances; and, towards the end, a Day of the Dead parade. Tickets cost $15 in advance, or $20 day of.
Sunday, October 6
During this year’s very family-friendly Fall Festival at Hindinger Farm (835 Dunbar Hill Rd, Hamden; 203-288-0700), diner food, ice cream, pies and cider donuts are on the menu, as are live music, balloon creations, games, a photo booth and tractor rides. Also, there’s an apple pie-baking contest, with the top three submissions earning prizes for their makers. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. $3.
Written by Dan Mims. Image, featuring a historical rendering of ‘Ōpūkaha’ia, photographed by Anne Ewbank. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations and prices before attending events.
