1. Playing With Garbage At The CRRA Trash Museum
It may seem a little strange to outsiders, but people from Hartford love playing with garbage at the CRRA Trash Museum. It doesn’t matter if you’re a senior citizen or an elementary school student: you’ve definitely visited this museum and think it’s pretty cool.
2. Wishing They Still Had A Hockey Team
The Hartford Whalers professional hockey team might have relocated to North Carolina in 1997, but that doesn’t stop the people from wishing they were still in CT. The loyal Hartford Whalers Booster Club (still!) meets monthly to reminisce about the Whalers.
3. Hanging Out At The Hartford HodgePodge
As the name suggests, the Hartford HodgePodge has a little bit of everything for everyone in the city: music, food, art and crafts. Local vendors from all over Hartford sell their wares at the festival, which takes place annually in September and October.
4. Complaining About The Eternal Blizzard That Is Winter
When winter comes to Hartford, complaints are quick to follow—about the length of winter, the amount of snow and how terrible the city is at plowing the streets. But maybe it’s for good reason: Hartford consistently ranks as one of the snowiest cities in the US.
5. Running For Every Occasion
There seems to be a race for every occasion in Hartford: the Roller Polar Run, Max’s O’Hartford Run, Run to Win CT, Kevin’s Run 5K and Red Dress Run, to name a few. No matter the cause or time of year, locals from Hartford are willing to lace up their sneakers and run for it.
6. Bragging About Their Most Famous Residents
Has anyone famous ever lived in your town? Correction: has anyone as famous as Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe ever lived in your town? People from Hartford will proudly tell you all about their city’s two most famous residents, who also happened to be next-door neighbors.
7. Dedicating Themselves To Improving Their City
Hartford Rising is a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of all the city’s citizens by combating poverty, unemployment, and education inequality. The group is currently drafting a “Community Bill of Rights,” intended to address these issues, and create a plan for a safer, happier Hartford.
8. Taking Care Of The Environment
In Hartford, people are dedicated to taking care of Mother Earth. This year, they will celebrate the 2nd annual Riverfront Earth Day, in which citizens from all over Hartford gather to learn about how to protect the environment through workshops, speakers and eco-friendly business presentations.
9. Chilling Out At The Greater Hartford Jazz Festival
People from Hartford love the annual Greater Hartford Jazz Festival, which will celebrate its 23rd anniversary this summer. Put together entirely through fundraising, the Jazz Festival is free to attend and attracted more than 50,000 people in 2013.
10. Drinking Great Beer At City Steam Brewery
With a special brewing process powered by the Hartford Steam Company, City Steam Brewery is a unique and favorite local watering hole that brews 14 different beers.
Frequent visitors can join the Mug Club, which gets you your very own extra-large mug that City Steam keeps on hand for your every visit, discounts on beer and food, and free admission to the Brew HA HA Comedy Club on your birthday.
11. Skating The Day Away At Winterfest
Designed to ring in the holiday season and make the winter months a little more bearable, Winterfest is a free ice-skating event that runs from late November to early February. Every day, locals can strap on their skates and hit the rink in Bushnell Park. This fun and family-friendly event also offers carousel rides and photos with Santa on the weekends.
12. Getting Schooled At The Connecticut Science Center
There isn’t a kid in Hartford who hasn’t gone on a school trip to the Connecticut Science Center, and for good reason. With ten permanent exhibitions and one on rotation, there is something for everything at this museum. The River of Life is an exploration of the Connecticut River ecosystems, while Exploring Space teaches kids about everything from black holes to moon craters. All exhibits are highly interactive and make for the perfect field trip, birthday party or even overnight trip.
13. Being Totally Obsessed With UConn Sports
Not only is the main campus located just a few minutes away, but UConn also boasts some of the best teams in college sports. The rabid fans of Hartford recently held a parade to celebrate the school’s men’s and women’s basketball teams as the 2014 NCAA basketball champions, which drew a crowd of over 200,000.
14. Thinking They Come From A Big City
Yes, Hartford is the capital of Connecticut. Yes, it’s the third-largest city in Connecticut. And it certainly does boast a host of cultural attractions—but with a population of just under 125,000, it’s not quite as big as the locals would have you believe.
15. Unleashing Their Inner Hipster At Real Art Ways
All the Hartford hipsters love Real Art Ways, a multi-faceted arts center devoted to independent cinema, visual and performing arts. Whether you want to catch a documentary about indie rock band The National, wander through Joell Baxter’s latest exhibition or insert yourself into the scene with Other People’s Stories, you will feel oh-so-cool and oh-so-Hartford doing it.
16. Devouring Tantalizingly Tasty Italian At Carbone’s
Have a special birthday or anniversary coming up? Hartford locals know the best way to celebrate is with dinner at Carbone’s Ristorante. Be sure to try the ultra-decadent Surf ‘n Turf Risotto, made with buttery lobster and tender short rib. Finish off your meal with Cannoli Carbone, made with lemon and orange-infused ricotta.
17. Hanging Out With Hartford’s Finest
Think cops don’t know how to have fun? Think again! While Hartford’s police force certainly works hard to keep the city safe, they know when to take some time to mingle with the local college kids.
18. Making Art Everywhere
If one person’s junk is another person’s treasure, then it’s safe to say that one person’s graffiti is another person’s masterpiece. While it may be frowned upon by some, there is no denying that some of the street art in Harford is truly remarkable.
19. The Hooker Day Parade
This event is much more family-friendly than it sounds. The Hooker Day Parade celebrates the history of Hartford and honors the city’s founder, Thomas Hooker. Described by its own organizers as the “weirdest, most made-up, rag-tag, cut loose, high-spirited, Mardi Gras beaded and candy-filled parade in Hartford,” the Hooker Day Parade is a strange and fun festival that everyone in Hartford can enjoy.
20. Summer Concerts In Elizabeth Park
Yet another free event for the people of Hartford, the concerts in Elizabeth Park take place every Wednesday night during the summer. Locals can pack a picnic, stretch out on the lawn and enjoy every kind of music, from swing to salsa.
21. The Old State House Farmers’ Market
In 1643, the city of Hartford was required to provide its citizens with a public market: thus, the Old State House Farmers’ Market that was born. Now the Old State House Farmers’ Market is the oldest in Connecticut, and provides the people of Hartford with fresh produce and local crafts from early summer to late fall.
Feature Image Source: Hartford Whaler Nation via Facebook
