Saturday youth can participate in experiential music learning, Sunday all ages can enjoy live bluegrass, jazz, and salsa

Hartford, CT (July 19, 2024) – Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4, the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History invites the public to “Beat the Heat Weekend,” a free, all-ages indoor music event featuring live local bands, youth music classes and activities, games for all ages, food, and more. The two-day festivities kick off on Saturday, August 3 with family day, followed by live music for all ages on Sunday, August 4. 

On Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm, families will engage in musical discovery with special guests like the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Instrument Discovery Lab, and interactive classes with music and movement educator, Spirit in Tune. Saturday’s festivities will also include Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, music-related arts and crafts, games, and refreshments provided by Kona Ice. This free, drop-in event requires pre-registration for interactive music classes with Spirit in Tune. Families may pre-register at connecticutmuseum.org/beattheheat.  

On Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm, visitors of all ages are invited to experience energizing live performances in the Connecticut Museum’s auditorium, featuring bluegrass group The Ruta Beggars, jazz sensation the Steve Clarke Band, and Afro-Caribbean salsa fusion band Mikata. In between sets, visitors may take part in a scavenger hunt, taste cider with New England Cider Company, and enjoy lunch on-site with La Cocina Cubana food truck. Register for free tickets for the entire day of music and activities at connecticutuseum.org/beattheheat. The first 50 Connecticut Museum Members to get Sunday tickets will receive a $5-off coupon for La Cocina Cubana food truck (limit one per household). Beat the Heat Weekend is sponsored by the Evelyn W. Preston Memorial Fund, The Connecticut Cultural Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Connecticut Office of the Arts. 

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The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1825 as the state’s premier historical society, and cultural institution. Located in the historic West End of Hartford, the Museum houses exhibitions, a library, a research center, and a vast collection that includes more than 4 million manuscripts, graphics, objects, and artifacts. The Museum strives to cultivate deep understanding of the history and culture of Connecticut, and its role in the United States and the world, through reflection of the past, active engagement with the present, and innovation for the future through collections, research, educational programs, and exhibitions. To learn more about ongoing exhibitions and events, please visit: connecticutmuseum.org. 

Image: Steve Clarke Band 

Media Contact  
Samantha Skeels, Marketing and Communications Manager  
sskeels@connecticutmuseum.org  
860-969-6089 x105