Weekend fun. We like to Visit this festival almost every…read moreyear. First visit is to the delicious apple fritters stand. OMG its just a very popular treat, eating it as soon as they come out its an amazing experience. We noticed how popular this festival is becoming and more people visiting every year. The stands and food vendors are always great. We stopped to watch a few dances too. It was a bummer that they didn't have a second parade, most people gather for that but its only once over two weekends event. Until next time

The annual Southington Apple Festival occurs in the fall for 6 days and on two weekends. In the…read moreNortheast, it is one of the longest and largest festivals. There's plenty of activities for the 100,000 people that visits. There were plenty of food tents, a parade, fireworks, carnival rides, arts & crafts, live music, and more. There were parking ordinances throughout. I saw many lots charging a fee and free parking throughout. We were able to find free parking at a municipal parking lot, after some driving aorund. The event was packed! I had apple cider margarita at a booth with live music. Also, I had apple crisp with vanilla ice cream from a church; both items were good! My family had a fun time at this traditional event and glad to have checked it off our list.

Q1: - What did I see at the Farmington Food Truck Fest?…read more A1: - Over twenty food trucks, a DJ, kiddie rides, games of chance Q2:- What kind of food could you get there? A2: - Steak tips, fried dough, barbecue, burgers, dogs, brats, poutine, fried dough, kebabs, meatballs, baked potatoes, ice cream, kettle corn, tater tots, tacos, even fried cookie dough. Q3: -What food truck had the most provocative double entendre of a name? A3: - Just The Tip (steak Tips) The Farmington Food Fest was a blast! It was in an office park that was empty today, and there was a ton of parking with lot attendants to keep everything running smoothly. There was a big crowd, but the grounds were so spread out and there were so many food trucks we never really felt crowded in. We walked around the place a few times to get the lay of the land, see what trucks were there, and plan out our strategy for the day. We both went to the Tots Hots & Brats truck for a hot dog and a red hot .My Red Hot was excellent -big juicy with onions and peppers on a soft roll. I loved it. Dessert was an easy choice as we made a mutual beeline for the Shaved Ice truck. It was a different kind of shaved ice because you applied your own syrup to your personal mountain of shaved ice. The Food Fest was operated by USA Festivals out of Fort Myers, FL and they have a niche in organizing these events across the country. They sure did a great job with this one. Only negative is that it's just a 2-day affair -Saturday June 26 and Sunday June 27. So tomorrow's your last chance.

If you're looking for a fall escape filled with charm, Rogers Orchards is a must. Picture rows of…read moreapples stretching into the horizon -- the perfect backdrop for those fall golden-hour photos. During my visit, the trees were full of Pink Lady, Evercrisp, Red Delicious, and Empire apples. After tasting these fresh, juicy picks straight from the tree, I don't think I can go back to store-bought apples - not that I really have a choice! Every bite was crisp perfection, and honestly, this might become an annual tradition for me. You can choose from a few bag sizes when you go apple-picking: Large ($40) - labeled at 30 lbs Medium ($25) - labeled at 12-15 lbs Small ($15) - labeled at 7-8 lbs Separate from the orchard, there's a large open field that's perfect for picnics, with plenty of seating and cozy fire pits to keep you warm. It's a beautiful, family-friendly space -- kids running around, birthday celebrations happening, and couples just relaxing in the fall breeze. You don't need to pick apples or pay any additional fees to enjoy this area, which is a big plus. Bring your own chairs if you want extra comfort. There were three food trucks on-site during my visit. My favorite was Pika Food Truck -- their Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich was delicious. Chef O's Streatery offered empanadas but they weren't my favourite-- a bit too salty and lacking flavor. We also tried a flight of ciders, which was such a fun way to sample different seasonal flavors. Before you leave, make sure to check out the scenic overlook -- it's stunning, especially with the fall foliage. I loved that they even had a tripod set up for easy photo-taking. Rogers Orchards truly captures everything great about fall -- fresh apples, good food, cozy vibes, and community. They accept cards, which makes checkout super easy.

On Sunday my Bro brought up a 'fruits of the forest pie" from ROGERS FARMS, SOUTHINGTON, CT. I'm…read morenot a pie lover (prefer cakes); how- ever, this was the best home-made pie I've tasted recently! The pie crust was home made, flaky, delicious (unlike the frozen pie crust I use when asked to make a pie). The fruit selection was tasty, this priced about $20.00!) I have fine pie places near where I live but Rogers is better, in my opinion. Take the family, pick fruit, buy a pie, donuts, et al -- you'll have an enjoyable family experience. Let's continue to patronize all CT orchards to keep them in business! Fine family tradition (lose the cell phones for the day)! Tootsie

"You Hit the Wrong Note Billy Goat" (Bill Haley and the…read moreComets) Bradley Mountain Farm was more fun than a Barrel full of ............Goats! We signed up for a 1:00 "Barnard Buddies" session. For ten bucks, we reserved our own bench at the fence that pens in their goats, were given a bag of goat food (compressed hay pellets), and enjoyed a half hour of Goat Wackiness. The fun began when the other 1:00 groups were escorted to our benches by our Guide. We immediately saw the goat herd march to the fence and follow us as to our benches. Obviously, they been through this a zillion times and knew there was chow on the way. I asked out guide if the goats can eat all day and was told yes--of course because goats have 4 stomachs. Another odd feature of the goat's anatomy is their eyes -they have bizarrely rectangular pupils. Apparently, their vulnerability to predators caused their eyes to evolve. They have a broad line of sight, and those rectangular-shaped pupils lets them better see danger approaching. We were instructed to hold the food pellets in our outstretched hand and let the goats "kiss" it out of our hands. It was so interesting to see hoe different goats had personalities -some were super mellow, while others were super aggressive and literally shoved their goat brothers and sisters out of the way to be fed. We did see a few males really go at each other with violent head butts, but our guide said that was normal. Go and take your kiddies and maybe you can take the goats for a walk on a leash or buy some "cuddle time" or Goat Yoga or Dress the Baby Goats in pajamas. I kid you not. They have a lot of activity options.

This was ridiculously pricey. It cost so much just to make soap when we actually went to the pen to…read morelook at the goats. They there was no goats out there. I was so disappointed, and when I went to the back to see the goats there was literally no goats there at all so we finally went to the side that had goats, and then a dog randomly started barking at us. The lady walked out of the door and told us to leave this was an extremely disappointing experience. The supervisor was really rude. and overall it was way too pricey and just a waste of time I would not recommend.1star

"What if we went to Italy…read more                                                                                             I don't speak a word of Italian Except for Campari and soda for two" (Mary Chapin Carpenter) What a nice time we had at the Southington Italian American Festival. Lower Center Street was closed off to vehicle traffic, creating a pedestrian mall of sorts. But no worries, there were tons of street parking and parking lots on upper Center Street. The street was lined with colorful high top tables and Italian flags making it quite festive. Many of the nearby restaurants had outdoor sales booths, so the festival kind of expanded beyond its boundaries. Once we entered the fairgrounds, there was live music from the big entertainment stage, a big tent to buy raffle tickets for dozens of gift baskets, and oh yeah-- the food stations. Sausage and peppers, gelato, pasta fagiole, soffrito, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and of course.... pizza! I had a pepperoni slice from Nonna's, and I swear, I was transported back to the great Italian pizza I grew up on from Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. Oh, and they even had a petting zoo for the little Bambinos and a Sunday morning Mass. The Festival is only open for a few days, and we were there on Sunday which marked the end of the Southington Italian American Festival's 2022 edition. I'd love to go back next year and try the sausage and peppers!

Bristol Bazaar is an overstimulation for all of your senses. There are sparkling lights to see,…read morethey have plush things to touch, they have handmade soaps to smell, they have tasty samples to taste, and of course all of the excitement to hear. Bristol Bazaar is a collection of vendors selling their handmade merchandise at the same place. They are open all year, six days a week. With the holiday season in full force, you will find ornaments and tree toppers galore. They have screen printed and embroidered t-shirts and hoodies. There are toys, keychains, jewelry, plants and more. The best part about shopping or browsing at Bristol Bazaar is the checkout process. There's no need to make an individual purchase at each vendor, instead you can collect all of the goodies in your shopping basket, then cash out at the register. This helps keep things moving, and less people standing around. The items are marked with barcodes, so the makers receive their portion of the sale. If you're looking for a unique handmade gift, Bristol Bazaar is the place to go!

"What of the neighbours and the prophets in bars? What are…read morethey saying in our public bazaars?" (The Clash) The Bristol Bazaar is one of the most colorful and visually appealing marketplaces I've ever seen. It was a kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, and patterns. What a cool concept - a rotating ever-changing roster of over 65 local makers and artisans in a beautiful space with a built-in coffee bar and cocktail lounge (Yellow King Bristol). And if that isn't enough, they also offer crafting workshops, special events, and a classroom. Their website summarizes their mission - "We are looking for entrepreneurs who make their products by hand and are looking to make their side hustle, a full-time gig". Well said! We had a blast strolling through the Bazaar and marveling at the creativity and talent of the local makers. Everything here is made by hand by the sellers- no reselling is allowed. We walked out with a jar of caramel sauce from La Famiglia Tedesco for a certain caramel loving grand-daughter and a jar of Bloody Mary mix from Bloody Good Mud for a certain Bloody Mary loving Yelper. Because the roster of makers can change every month, you'll never really run out of new stuff to look at.

May 18, 2024 Every…read moreyear, the City of New Britain hosts a street festival right in downtown. Parking is located in the parking garage for free; there were plenty of spaces when we went right around 12, when the event first started. A large stage on the overpass with live music; another stage near the Central Park. There were quite a few food trucks; fried dough, Thai, Latin, tacos, ice cream, etc. There were plenty of picnic tables and hand washing stations. Other entertainment included, a car show and kid zones; bouncy houses, bubble machine truck, and live animal demonstration. They even had a touch a truck event; huge police swat vehicles, ambulance, and public works trucks. If you're thirsty there was a 21+ area you can get alcoholic drinks at. The event was from 12-8; we had a fun filled day. The city of New Britain did a great job with organizing this event!

This is a review on the venue, because the event I attended was insane. There's a good amount of…read moreparking in front and to the side of the building. Immediately inside is access to a gym that seems to be used for children's sports. If you keep going, you reach a large room with a stage for events and festivities. The ceiling has seen better days, but overall the building has a very nostalgic feel for when communities would get together. There is also a very nostalgic wooden themed bar, and a food service area that makes crispy fried clams! You ordered at the counter, and (at least when I was there) the food was brought into the event space for you. The restroom are also very small - definitely more geared to the children sports activities than adults.

The take out is absolutely fantastic!! They have the best…read morewings in town!!! Highly recommend! We go there several times a month and spread the word all the time

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