Virtual & In-Person Events Across CT (Aug.29th – Sept.6th)

While it’s never been so important to stay in-tune, it seems like at the same time, it’s never been more important to disconnect from it all! Here are a few of our favorite upcoming events across Connecticut, both online and in-person!

Saturday, August 29th –  2pm

Virtual Event Discussion with Luciana McClure – New Haven Pride Center

Join us virtually (on facebook or YouTube) for a special artist discussion with Luciana McClure, founder & director of Nasty Women CT with some of the artists of the #ArtAgainstViolence campaign. They’ll be discussing select works and the process behind them, how we can use art to heal ourselves and our communities, and issues of violence that the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized communities face. Read more about this exhibit here.

Saturday, August 29th – 6pm – 2am

Troupe 429 Records and Cocktail Lounge – 3 Wall St., Norwalk, CT

Join us at Troupe429 for our official “Record Store GAY” celebration. This will be a celebration of the annual Record Store Day event which takes place around the world on Saturday, August 29, 2020 Hosted by Troupe429 and OMG Yaaas Kween

We have thousands of vinyls from 60’s vintage classics to brand new releases. We have the largest Madonna vinyl collection in the state, and you can browse sections like, “LGBTQ Artists” and “Queens of Pop.” Cocktails, beers, and snacks are available at indoor or outdoor tables, or you can order a beverage to go. We are the only gay-owned and operated record store in Connecticut! Click for more info on Facebook.

Saturday, August 29th – 8:30pm

New Haven Gag Reflex: A Gay Stand-Up Comedy Show – Bear’s Smokehouse Barbeque, New Haven, CT

Grab your friends and frenemies for a night with some of the world’s funniest gay stand-up comedians. Whether you are a tiny twink or a big ol’ bear, you’re sure to bust a gut! Everyone is welcome. Check out our incredible lineup: Alex Bowen (Mohegan Sun), Kendall Farrell (‘Comic To Watch’ at the 2019 New York Comedy Festival, Vermont’s Funniest Comedian), Phillip Henry & Katie Arroyo (The Wicked Funny Podcast).

Seating is general admission with limited table seating and lawn seating. We recommend bringing blankets and chairs in the event that you are seated on the lawn. If you’d like to reserve a table, contact sky@skycasper.com. Tickets: $25 in advance at SkyCasper.com/events or $30 (cash only) at the door, if there is any availability. Ages 21+ Doors open at 8PM. Performance at 8:30 pm. Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue, 470 James St, New Haven, CT 06513.

Sunday, August 30th – 2pm – 3:30pm

Queer Virtual Tour of The Whitney Museum of American Art 

Since its founding in the early 20th century, the Whitney Museum has been dedicated to collecting works of American Art, often focusing on representational paintings that tell the story of the country’s shifting social and political landscape. Though this mission has expanded over the years, one of its lesser-known virtues is that the museum became an early home for artworks that depict queer life (in coded and explicit ways) in the modern city. In this tour, Joshua Lubin-Levy will guide audiences through the long history of queerness as it appears in the museum’s collection, beginning with the early twentieth century and moving into the present. Cost: $10. Tickets available, here.

Sunday, August 30th – 4pm-8pm

Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus Fundraiser – 168 York Street Café, New Haven, CT

Join us on August 30th for a socially distanced meal with proceeds from food orders going to support the CTGMC. Good food & good company for a good cause! Four menus to choose from. $20 per entrée. Reservations strongly encouraged. Call 203-789-1915 for more info! Unable to attend?Visit ctgmc.org to donate instead!

Sunday, August 30th – 7pm

Barts Tree Service Comedy Series Featuring Dave Attell – Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield CT

He’s New York City’s hardest-working comic and he’s bringing a night of laughs to The Playhouse with an outdoor show on the field next to the Playhouse!  Dave Attell earned a cult following with his Comedy Central hit Insomniac with Dave Attell.  He has worked alongside some of the biggest names in comedy including  Adam Sandler (his old friend from their NYU days) in Judd Apatow’s Funny People, he also starred alongside Amy Schumer in her hit films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty.  Dave can also be seen on HBO’s critically acclaimed series Crashing with Pete Holmes.  His stand up series, Dave Attell’s Comedy Underground and his one hour special Road Work were featured on Comedy Central and Road Work is now streaming on Netflix.

His film credits also include Chris Rock’s cult film Pootie Tang and his television credits include some of the best in comedy including: The Simpsons, Difficult People, Bob’s Burgers, Arrested Development, The Jim Gaffigan Show, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Inside Amy Schumer, Everybody Loves Raymond, Louie, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and the list goes on.  Fellow comics Patton Oswalt and Bill Burr have hailed him as the greatest off-color comedian alive.  He’s a master of the one-liner, and no one is safe from Dave’s comedy! This event is rain or shine. Tickets: $45 . Get all the info, here. 

Monday, August 31st – 7pm

Gay 40s-50s Virtual Speed Dating in NYC

Speed dating has never been more fun! We will make introductions, go on one-on-one dates as well as mingle with everyone with a fun game. For guys 40s and 50s. $20 Early Bird: 25% Off code EARLY. For more information and tickets, visit here. 

Monday, August 31st through September 5th

New Haven Cocktail Week – 168 York Street Café , New Haven, CT

New Haven’s Third Annual Celebration of the wonderful delights in the world. Join us through September 5^th.  Specialty Cocktails All Week. Featured Cocktails: Grapetini * Classic Gimlet * Cherry Coke & Rum * Classica Margarita * Bloody Mary. For more info, call 203-789-1915 or visit here. 

Tuesday, September 1st

7 Day Mindfulness Challenge: The Power of the Present Moment – Copperbeech Institute, West Hartford, CT

Copper Beech Institute’s 7 Day Mindfulness Challenge” is designed to introduce participants to the practice of mindfulness and how it is applied in our everyday lives, whether at work or at home. During these seven days together, we will explore what mindfulness is, how we can use it to manage stress, communicate mindfully, build self-awareness and emotional intelligence, and lastly, how to activate our creativity and leadership potential. Amanda Votto, a master teacher at Copper Beech Institute, will lead you through a daily video, guided meditation practice, a daily challenge and a self-reflection question. It is our intention to help you build greater self-awareness and activate your personal and collective power in the present moment.

We invite you to make a seven day commitment to this course and see what arises! The only moment we have is now so let’s learn how to engage with the present moment and live with intention. Tuition for this course is $50. For more information, visit here. 

Wednesday, September 2nd through November 1st

Floating Beauty: Women in the Art of Ukiyo-e – Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT

The Bruce Museum’s recently renovated art gallery, Floating Beauty: Women in the Art of Ukiyo-e  examines historical perspectives on women and their depiction in art in Edo Period Japan (1615 – 1858). Featuring more than 40 woodblock prints on loan from the permanent collection of the Reading Public Museum in Pennsylvania, this exhibition highlights female characters in literature, kabuki theatre, and poetry; the courtesans and geisha of the Yoshiwara district; and wives and mothers from different social classes performing the duties of their station, in order to gain some insight into the lives of women in pre-modern Japan. For more information, visit here. 

Thursday, September 3rd – 8pm

Gladiator 20^th Anniversary  Starring Russell Crowe – Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

Starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix.  Set in Roman times, the story of a once-powerful general forced to become a common gladiator. The emperor’s son is enraged when he is passed over as heir in favor of his father’s favorite general. He kills his father and arranges the murder of the general’s family, and the general is sold into slavery to be trained as a gladiator – but his subsequent popularity in the arena threatens the throne. For more information and tickets, visit here. 

Friday, September 4th – 7pm

Valley Shakespeare Festival presents:”Cyrano” In The Park LIVE! – Veteran’s Memorial Park, Shelton, CT

Founder and Artistic Director, Tom Simonetti said, “We are very excited that we are able to continue our outdoor free theater series in Veteran’s Memorial Park in our 8th year. We are taking proper precautions both onstage and backstage by using health policies that align with the State of Connecticut, CDC Guidelines, and the latest Scientific research. Each of these three policies have highlighted proper social distancing practices such as staying 6 ft apart, PPE usage, and regular disinfecting of any high touch surface areas are key ways to minimize the transmission of the COVID-19 virus.”

Cyrano de Bergerac is a master of swordplay and wordplay, but a “magnificent Mount Everest of a nose” blocks his path to true love. From Parisian balconies to bloody battlefields, tongue-tied Christian borrows Cyrano’s words to woo beautiful Roxane, but is she falling for Christian’s looks or Cyrano’s soul? A cast of three triangulates this classic, live, into a lightning-paced romance of duels, panache, sacrifice, and one enormous schnoz. Admission is free, with a suggested $10 donation. For more information, contact (203) 815-5489 or visit here.

Friday, September 4th (through Oct.31st)

Virtual Art Exhibit @ Gallery One CT

The “True Vision” exhibit celebrates work of Gallery One artists, a diverse group of established artists representing different backgrounds and artistic traditions. The eight Connecticut artists share a commitment to each artist’s unique voice. “True Vision” celebrates new works, many of which were created while sheltering in place during these challenging times. Member Artists include: Victor Filepp (New London), Ann Knickerbocker (Old Saybrook), Molly McDonald (Branford), T. Willie Raney (Ivoryton), Diana Rogers (Clinton), Rick Silberberg (Ivoryton), and Jill Vaughn (Ivoryton). Kathleen DeMeo (Old Lyme) is an Invited Artist. To view the virtual show visit the Gallery One website. 

Friday, September 4th – 8pm

Neil Berg’s 50 years of Rock-n-Roll – Palace Theatre, Stamford, CT

From the progenitors of Rock and Roll in the 1940s, through the glory years of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, up until MTV in the early 1980s, Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock & Roll uses fascinating stories and groundbreaking music, with tributes to such important and iconic rock stars/groups/genres as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Frankie Valli, The Beatles, Beach Boys, Motown, Aretha Franklin, The Who, Janis Joplin, Woodstock, Simon & Garfunkel, Carole King, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Linda Ronstadt, Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Disco, New Wave, Journey, and others! Tickets range from $30-$50. For more information, contact (203) 325-4466 or visit here.

Saturday, September 5th – 2pm (Virtual Event)

White Memorial Through The Seasons – White Memorial Conservation Center, Litchfield, CT

We pay tribute to Connecticut’s greatest land conservationists, Alain and May White. This brother and sister pair left their fingerprints all over Litchfield County beginning with our 4,000 acre sanctuary, but also in the gifts they bestowed upon the State of Connecticut: Kent Falls, Peoples State Forest, Macedonia State Park, Dean Ravine and more! Sit back and enjoy breathtaking images from a variety of contributors depicting the extraordinary people, places, and things which make up this living masterpiece! This free virtual program will be hosted in Zoom and simulcast on The White Memorial Conservation Center’s Facebook page via Facebook Live!  Please pre-register here. 

Saturday, September 5th – 5:30pm & 7:30pm

Fairfield Comedy Presents: Paul Virzi – Circle Hotel, Fairfield, CT

An outdoor, live stand-up comedy at Circle Hotel’s backyard. Bring your chairs, blankets, and picnic and bring your appetite for laughter. For more information, contact (475) 999-2087 or visit here.

Sunday, September 6th

An Unfinished Revolution: The Women’s Suffrage Centennial – Greenwich Historical Society, Greenwich, CT

FINAL DAY OF EXHIBIT. A dynamic exhibition that showcases the role Greenwich women played on the national stage in achieving the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment. Featuring a wide variety of historic objects from museums, libraries, private collections and descendants of suffragists to illustrate the long struggle for the right to vote. Free with regular museum admission. Wed – Sun. Noon-4pm. For more information, (203) 869-6899 or visit here. 

Sunday, September 6th – 6pm

Goodspeed Musicals – Goodspeed By The River, East Haddam, CT

Final evening for the season. The concerts are held on the Goodspeed lawn overlooking the scenic Connecticut River and feature songs, stories and plenty of live music. Pack a picnic basket and lawn chairs and bring the family for a safe, fun and enjoyable evening. Weather permitting. Concerts on the lawn will have designated seating areas.

Admission is $25. An exclusive dinner and concert package is available which includes a two-course meal and reserved table seating on the Gelston House lawn for $49 per person. Tickets are only available by calling the Box Office, (860) 873-8668, Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit here, for more info.

We hope you’re able to enjoy some of these wonderful events both online or in-person! To submit info about upcoming events of your own, please feel free to reach out to paul@ctvoice.com. #LiveOutLoud #OurVoice #ConnecticutVoice