It’s a relatively peaceful time of the season, so it’s fitting that this week in New Haven begins with a series of peace-promoting gatherings and ends with a pleasant stroll through an historic house, though there are plenty of laughs, love songs and jazz bands in-between.
Monday, August 6
Three local peace organizations—the City of New Haven Peace Commission, the Greater New Haven Peace Council and Promoting Enduring Peace—are commemorating the 67th anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan with a variety of meditative events, and one mordantly mirthful one. On August 6 at 8:15 a.m. (in honor of Hiroshima) and August 9 at 11 a.m. (in honor of Nagasaki) there will be silent vigils at the flagpole on New Haven Green. Outlines of human bodies will be chalked on downtown sidewalks by Out of the Shadows public art project. Also on August 6, at 5:45 p.m., there’s free film screening of Stanley Kubrick’s classic anti-war satire Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott and Slim Pickens) at the Mitchell Branch Library, 37 Harrison St., New Haven.
Tuesday, August 7
National Night Out has been around for nearly three decades, an annual event where neighborhoods can band together to think about community-building and crime prevention. One local NNO event this year is a “Weeding and Greeting” gathering at the gazebo in the Westville end of Edgewood Park. Local police officers, elected officials, and management team organizers will be among those whom you can meet. The weeding refers to what needs to be done in the flower bed around the gazebo; you’re welcome to do that too. Let ’em know you’re coming by contacting friendsofedgewoodpark@gmail.com.
sponsored by
Wednesday, August 8
Blues, Berries & Jam!, the annual summer Wednesday afternoon concert series on New Haven Green, opened last week with the Travis Moody Band and has quickly struck a rich groove. This week’s act is Bluzberry Pi, followed August 15 by The Langley Project and Mojo Boys on the 22nd. The Cobalt Rhythm Kings conclude the series on August 29. All have played Blues, Berries & Jam shows (organized for a decade now by UltraRadio.com, and has been sponsored the last few years by Gateway Community College) in other years. Their rousing roots music is not to be confused with the equally enticing root vegetables sold across the street Wednesdays at the CitySeed Farmers Market.
Thursday, August 9
The Queer Queens of Qomedy are courting a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and heterosexual audience for what it hopes will become a new tradition in town: a frantic stand-up show attuned to modern sexual attitudes and realities. Assembled by Poppy Champlin and featuring Ellen Mochetto, Amy Tee and Cara Kilduff, this first edition has an all-female line-up. 8 p.m. at Jokers Wild Comedy Club, 232 Wooster St., New Haven. (203) 773-0733. $18.
Friday, August 10
The third and last of the 2012 Music on the Green concerts is the BoDeans, the accomplished alt-rock-country-pop band from Wisconsin. They’ve been around for three decades and 11 albums, the latest of which is American Made. Since the BoDeans created the affirmative anthem “Closer to Free,” tonight’s concert is being used as the official launch of the second annual Closer to Free bike ride, which is named after the song. The ride is September 8, and supports the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven Hospital, which is a key sponsor of the Music on the Green series. The BoDeans sing of miracles, still nights, good things and pretty girls starting at 7 p.m.
Saturday, August 11
Come downtown a little early for the 4:30-9:00 p.m. New Haven Jazz Festival on New Haven Green and you can add an art opening or a film screening to your agenda. As for the jazz fest (organized by Jazz Haven), here’s the line-up: students from the music programs of two downtown high schools, High School in the Community and Co-op High, kick off the outdoor show at 4:30 p.m., followed by Godwin Lewis at 6 p.m., Annette A. Aguilar & the StringBeans Sextet at 7 p.m. and headliner T.S. Monk (son of Thelonius) with his sextet at 8 p.m.
Sunday, August 12
At the Pardee-Morris House on the East shore, Sunday afternoon from noon to 5 p.m. is a regular time for tours of the house, which was first built in the mid-18th century, destroyed in a British raid in 1779, rebuilt and still elegant and colonial today. Today’s an excellent time for one of those tours, since they’re only giving them for a couple more weeks, Sundays through August 26. 325 Lighthouse Rd., New Haven. (203) 562-4183.
