JUNE
Saturday, June 10, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Connecticut Open House Day
In conjunction with the Connecticut Office of Tourism’s annual Connecticut Open House Day, the Hurlbut-Dunham House, located at 212 Main Street, and the Cove Warehouse Maritime Museum, located at 533 Main Street, will open on Saturday, June 9 at 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm. The Hurlbut-Dunham house was built in the 1790s and remodeled in the 1860s. It is shown as the early 20th century home of Howard and Jane Robbins Dunham. The Cove Warehouse sits at the foot of Main Street in Cove Park. Built in the 17th century, it was once one of six warehouses that served Wethersfield’s bustling maritime trade.
The Wethersfield Museum at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main Street, will be open 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Current exhibits are the award winning Castle on the Cove: The Connecticut State Prison and Wethersfield; Legendary People, Ordinary Lives, also an award winning exhibit about Wethersfield’s history. Currently on view in the Watson Gallery is Wethersfield Art League’s Annual Spring Show through June 27th! This year marks the Wethersfield Art League’s 65th anniversary! The first one hundred visitors will receive a free refrigerator magnet depicting one of the society’s properties.
Admission is free at all Wethersfield Historical Society properties.
JULY
In what is one of the most popular events on the Wethersfield Historical Society calendar, Keeney Koolers Concert Series returns on Tuesday evenings in July at 6:30 pm starting July 11. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, food and beverages, and don’t forget your dancing shoes. Come early and stake out your space on the lawn in front of the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center (200 Main Street, Wethersfield) for a great time. Due to popular demand, all three acts are returning artists. Concerts take place on the showmobile stage and thanks to the generosity of the Robert Allan Keeney Memorial Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, admission is free. In the event of inclement weather, concerts move indoors to the Ballroom at the Keeney.
Tuesday, July 11, 6:30 pm
Keeney Koolers Concert Series: Ed Fast & Conga Bop
According to their website, Ed Fast & Conga Bop use “Afro-Cuban influenced rhythms and hard-bop harmony fused to create unique, soulful originals and creatively arranged jazz standards”. Anyone who has heard this remarkable ensemble perform live knows exactly what these words mean. Led by Hartt School-trained percussionist Ed Fast, Conga Bop brings a sophisticated sensibility to their playing with enough edge and rhythmic drive to hold your interest. Last year, due to threatening skies and tropical levels of humidity, the performance moved indoors. When all was said and done, it was hard to tell which was hotter; the weather outside or the sounds being produced by Conga Bop in the Keeney Ballroom.
Tuesday, July 18, 6:30 pm
The Patty Tuite Group
The Patty Tuite Group takes the showmobile stage for the second time. Last year, the band made their Keeney Koolers debut just days after the release of their album “Hard Case of the Blues”. The album charted in the top 50 of the RMR Contemporary Blues Charts for 10 weeks and spent 7 weeks in the top 20, reaching a high of number 3! The Patty Tuite Group’s synthesis of blues, jazz, and rock made them an instant hit with the discerning Wethersfield audience. Join WHS in welcoming Patty and crew back for a well-deserved encore.
Tuesday, July 25, 6:30 pm
Number Nine
Number Nine returns to Keeney Koolers after a year’s hiatus, closing out the series on Tuesday, July 25. Long a favorite with Keeney audiences, this Beatles tribute band consistently gets the audience up on their feet and dancing. While Number Nine can often reach twice the size of the original Fab Four, the complexity of some of the music Number Nine covers call for the availability of additional resources. It also doesn’t hurt that a certain drummer has some binding ties to the town of Wethersfield.