B aseball, cherry blossoms and prom can only mean one thing: spring.
Monday, April 8
In downtown New Haven, today’s highly anticipated eclipse begins at 2:12 p.m., peaks at 3:27 and finishes at 4:37. Yale’s Leitner Observatory will have telescopes and sunspotters (and, likely, lines of people waiting to use them), while a Solar Eclipse Party from 2 to 4 at East Haven’s Hagaman Library promises “activities for all ages and free eclipse glasses.”
Tuesday, April 9
The Hartford Yard Goats’ 2024 home opener starts at 7:10 and offers a couple of promotions to go with the baseball: “The first 1,000 fans to the game will receive a commemorative chocolate bar, courtesy of Munson’s chocolates, then proceed to eat the keepsake immediately. We also play Baseball Bingo on Tuesdays, presented by Hartford Provision Company.”
Wednesday, April 10
Unsung Heroes: The Music of Jazz in New Haven, “a documentary that depicts the fantastic jazz scene in New Haven from the Harlem Renaissance period through World War II,” screens at 6 p.m at Stetson Library and is followed by a talkback.
A benefit concert for A Chance For Love Rescue, “whose mission is to rescue abandoned, neglected, and feral cats,” starts around 8 at Cafe Nine and features local acts The Problem With Kids Today, Angel Loor, Brooke Dougan and Luke McDoozy.
Thursday, April 11
From 2 to 5 p.m. at the Beinecke Library, “immerse yourself in an exclusive pop-up exhibit… showcasing artifacts tracing back to the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] region. Gain insights into the collection’s rich history through a captivating talk”—starting at 2—“by Roberta L. Dougherty, librarian for Middle East Studies.”
At 6 (following a 5:30 reception) at the New Haven Museum, Ricardo Gutiérrez will discuss the thinking and creative process behind King Lanson, 2022, a portrait of William Lanson—“a 19th-century New Haven civic leader, entrepreneur and engineer who was elected Black governor in New Haven in 1825”—that now resides in the museum’s collection.
Yale Cabaret’s next flash production kicks off at 8 p.m. “Survivors of the end of world Sylvia, Emmett, and Viktor search for what caused the brutal murder of a dove. With flying grenades, broken court systems, and a puppet show, Pride of Doves is an absurdist exploration of inaction, apathy, distraction and violence.”
Friday, April 12
Neon Trees bring their bevy of pop rock hits from the 2010s to the relatively intimate climes of Toad’s Place at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 13
The first of three monthly Appetizer & Dessert Crawls featuring “13 appetizer and dessert tastings from some of Downtown New Haven’s most popular restaurants” runs from noon to 3.
From 1 to 3:30, Orange Congregational Church hosts and the Orange Historical Society presents Taste of the Past with President John Adams. “Hearty soups, breads, and desserts from the early days are joined by George Baker who will portray President John Adams. This unique event held annually is an afternoon of fun, food, and a fabulous raffle.” Purchase instructions offer a taste of the past as well: “For reservations of $35 per person, please remit to: Orange Historical Society, PO Box 784, Orange, CT 06477 with your name, phone number, and email.”
From 1 to 5 today and tomorrow, NXTHVN’s annual Open Studios event offers a chance to enter the studios of the arts incubator’s current artist cohort and view To Echo a Shadow, an exhibition curated by curatorial fellows Marquita Flowers and Clare Patrick. Also on the docket are a pair of family-friendly activities, including a 2-to-4 event today where “teens and their families are invited to… create art related to the sounds of the Dixwell neighborhood and New Haven more broadly.”
Also from 1 to 5, Armada Brewing hosts its third So You Think You Can Brew? homebrew competition and festival. Aside from entry, a ticket gets you “a souvenir tasting glass, unlimited samples of homebrews, a redeemable token for a taster pour of the champion’s brew and a voting ballot for the people’s choice.”
At 3 at SCSU’s Lyman Center, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, led here by Chelsea Tipton III and joined by pianist Christian Sands and soprano vocalist Lisa Williamson, present Harlem Renaissance: Orchestral Voices, a performance of “orchestral music written by Black composers and performers at the heart of the Harlem Renaissance.”
“We don’t write songs, we smith them against the anvil,” say Wind Rose, an Italian metal band themed after Tolkien- or D&D-style dwarven mythology. Their “metal” isn’t as sharp as Gimli’s axe, though—a balance you can experience tonight at Toad’s Place on an early 6:45 bill opened by “symphonic metal” and equally fantasy-oriented German band Xandria.
At 7, The Beeracks in East Haven hosts Prom, an adult party themed after everyone’s favorite or least favorite high school social affair. “Get ready 4 a night u will never forget,” organizers say. “Music, formal photos, dancing, bad snacks, good beer (don’t tell ur parents).”
At 7:30, as part of a multi-event celebration for longtime and soon-retiring musical director Walden Moore, Trinity Church on the Green presents an “unforgettable night” of “incredible harmonies and powerful vocals” by “legendary a cappella group” Sweet Honey in the Rock, who’ve performed in prestigious venues all around the world during their 51-year history.
Sunday, April 14
New Haven Restaurant Week begins.
The 2024 Cherry Blossom Festival—featuring 24 food trucks, live music, an “Engagement Zone” and an Italian Heritage Zone—blossoms in Wooster Square Park from noon to 4:30, with the park’s peripheral flowers estimated to hit peak bloom a few days before.
Spring Heat, a climate change-themed super-exhibition spanning eight solo and group exhibits, gets an opening reception today from 1 to 3 at ECOCA.
Creative Arts Workshop’s annual Edible Book Tea, where participants contribute “savory or sweet treat[s] that look like a book or make reference to a book title, content, or binding” and then they and other locals eat them, opens at 2 as an exhibition and changes at 3 to a meal.
Treasures on Tracks, a fundraising dinner for East Haven’s Shore Line Trolley Museum, begins at 3:30 at The Woodwinds in Branford. The dinner offers five buffet stations, unlimited table wine and soft drinks, a premium cash bar, a DJ and a keynote by local historian Colin Caplan discussing “how the trolley system helped create commercial enterprise and spurred the growth of cities and neighborhoods.”
At 5 at Bethesda Lutheran Church, Elm City Consort promises “everything but highland pipes!” in their presentation of “‘Remember me my deir’: Early and traditional music of Scotland.”
Written by Dan Mims. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations, prices and other details before attending events.
