The Lobsterfest is an annual event hosted by the Canton Volunteer Fire Company. It started in 1983…read moreand is done as a fundraiser. It's a wonderful late summer tradition. This was the first time I've been since living in town. It's located at the fire station and across the street from it on the open lot. A $40 lobster dinner comes with lobster, corn on the cob, and clam chowder. They also served hot dogs, burgers, fries, drinks, and dessert. The meal was delicious! They had touch a truck, face painting, live music, and a balloon station. It's a two day event - I went to the Saturday event. There was no line for the meal; I think the day before had lines but it moved quick from what I heard.

Once a year over the past 45 years! The Town of Canton and its hard working Volunteer Fire…read moreDepartment as well as a crew of other volunteers step on up and deliver a family friendly two day Lobster Festival. All to benefit the Department for the year to come. The lobster, chowder, and FRESH CORN on the cob absolutely worth the ticket and knowing you're helping out a life saving cause. My fess-up confession: My wife shamed this grumpy old guy into going. It was a hot day, I had a list of to-do's, and it had all ready been a long day. So, I gave in, I wouldn't let selfishness win. From the moment we arrive I took immediately to the live music ringing out, the kiddo's playing games, eating hotdogs, and petting our dog. The lobster tent packed with other happy attendees wiping butter from their cheeks, sipping on a beer, and chatting with others. This year was my first experience attending. Yup, this shall be an annual favorite from here forward.

"We've taken all you've given It's gettin' hard to make a…read morelivin' Mr. President, have pity on the working man" (Randy Newman) The American Mural Project is a 2001 nonprofit that honors and dignifies the American worker with the largest indoor collaborative artwork display in the world. The three-dimensional mural is a staggering 120 feet long and five stories high and it visualizes the last 100 years of American history through images of its workers. Some of the images you'll see are heart surgeons, farmers, steel workers, athletes, farmers, assembly workers, musicians, police and fire first responders, and even jet airplane builders. So how is it collaborative? It's visionary artist and creator Ellen Griesdieck saw an opportunity to involve over 15,000 individuals (mostly students) across the country to participate in specific art projects and the results of those projects were incorporated into the gigantic finished mural. A video we watched gave a terrific example of this collaboration. We learned that scores of students at an American Indian school meticulously hand painted red and white mosaic tiles that became the shirt of a blue jean wearing mechanic you'll find near the bottom left corner of the mural. Another great video interviewed Melissa, a Brooklyn firefighter represented on the mural. The American Mural Project campus is undergoing expansion and improvements, starting with the parking lot and entry areas. An adjacent mill building will be renovated and eventually connected to the mural room with an atrium. You can visit the mural on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am-5pm and on Sunday from 12-5pm. Admissions are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and veterans, $5 for students, and free for children age 4 and younger. I have to give a shout out to Abigail, the young lady who checked us in, gave us some background on the project, and answered our questions. She was so enthusiastic about the mural and the stories about it, she was almost evangelical. What a great and passionate ambassador! If you love art, creativity, and want a real "wow factor" you won't be disappointed by the AMP.

American mural project is the largest collaborative artwork in the world 120ft long and 5 stories…read morehigh. It took 21yrs to complete it. The mural is a tribute to the American worker from heart surgeons to steel workers, athletes , farmers, assembly workers, Boeing 747 fabricators...and more.It seeks to inspire, to educate, to invite collaboration, and to reveal to people of all ages the many contributions they can make to American culture. That said, I loved walking through the gallery and the best view for a panoramic photo is probably the 2nd or 3rd level. And not to forget the 10000 watch mural on an aluminum frame... quite impressive!!

A simple marker dedicated to those who served in the Korean conflict between 1950 and 1953. Located…read moreon the Village Green, it shares a place with a WW II memorial, a Viet Nam War monument and the much larger Drummer Boy Statue

This imposing outdoor sculpture is located near the Connecticut Army National Guard on Minuteman…read morePark. I found mention of it at https://www.ctexplored.org/elbert-weinbergs-enduring-monuments/, "In 1988, toward the end of Weinberg's life, one of his proposals received an award in Art for All, a contest sponsored by The Hartford Courant, and was purchased for the City of Hartford with funds donated by The Courant. Although more abstract than Weinberg's earlier works, the sculpture's shining steel forms still evoke forms drawn from nature. An early model for the sculpture was called Tropicale, and while the final work was officially untitled, it was--and is--commonly known as Pickles and Palm Trees." It is hard to miss the tall artwork and I stopped to check the caption. "This sculpture by Elbert Weinberg was commissioned by The Hartford Courant as part of a program initiated by Northeast magazine to bring works by distinguished Connecticut artists into the public domain. The abstract composition is made of stainless steel and is untitled. Mr. Weinberg, a Hartford native and longtime resident, who achieved international recognition, died on December 27, 1991 at the age of 63." The sweeping arcs make for a beautiful piece of art that is worthy of a stop. [Review 15179 overall, 681 of 2021, number 31 in Connecticut.]

I'm a new resident to CT but from my short time of being here, I can tell this is a great town…read more Canton is a small town situated right on the Farmington River. For one, when it snows, the roads are cleared and salted quickly. The town itself is very beautiful and nicely maintained. There are good parks and trails throughout. Downtown Canton is on Albany Turnpike, which has everything you would need. There's an Aldi's, CVS, Midas, Farmington Shoppes, gas stations, restaurants, and various of other businesses; and just like that, you can drive 5 minutes and you're back in the quiet countryside/farmland. Collinsville is a hot spot and was named "Ten Coolest Small Towns In America" by Budget Travel Magazine in 2007. It definitely has a small town New England charm for sure!

"We had a great time, it was a fun family moment enjoying the beautiful Christmas lights."read more

We are lucky enough to live not too far from this road. We have been visiting for years. This is…read moreone of the best lighted houses that I have ever seen. The neighbors are joining in now. Get here early, this road was featured on the news and on social media sites. Traffic can get crazy, and the road is narrow. Please consider bringing a donation of food for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry or a donation for an animal shelter.

Fun event. Tasty, too. This year June 1 marked the 7th annual Strawberry Festival at Coe Park in…read moreTorrington. With dozens of vendors, lots of fresh strawberries, decent weather and quite easily accessible, this year's celebration turned out very nicely. We couldn't count all the vendors -- maybe 50 or so? -- but there were lots of things for sale, from homemade candies and jams to myriad craft items and booths offering face paintings and pet products. There several food trucks; we wished for more and more choices. The big deal is, of course, strawberries. They ran out of strawberry pies early, but we enjoyed our shortcakes made with fresh biscuits topped by strawberries and whipped cream ($5). There was also a strawberry-rhubarb salad ($6) and strawberry lemonade ($3) which was kind of thin and not very strawberry-tasting. The festival directors (thank you, Ed!) made sure there was plenty of seating scattered around the park. It was a bit chilly, overcast and windy, so no one complained of sunburn. Lots of free parking around the park, and the area is small enough so no one gets exhausted walking from one end of the event to the other. We didn't and we enjoyed it.

3.5 stars. The City of Torrington hosts the annual Strawberry Festival in Coe Memorial Park. This…read moreyear we went on June 1, 2024. There were vendors with booths selling various arts/crafts, honey, face paint, etc. The park setting was lovely; plenty of shade and memorial monuments. There were a few food trucks. We found paid on-street parking. The line to buy strawberry shortcake was kind of confusing. We had to ask someone in line for information. First you wait in line at the cashier booth and buy tokens; $7 for strawberry shortcake and $3 for strawberry lemonade. Then you wait in another line in the middle that goes inside the building. This line was a little long; took about 20 minutes to get the food/drinks. I actually liked the strawberry shortcake and lemonade. The biscuit was really warm and chewy with the fresh strawberries and whipped cream. I think it's a little on the small side for $7 but I know it's inflation and hard times. Overall, it's a fun little festival and glad to have checked it out.

This was another town we were highly interested in living in. People settled in Glastonbury in 1636…read morebut it officially became a town in 1693. It's 7-miles away from Hartford and has approximately 35,000 residents. The oldest ferry in the nation is still operating since 1655; this ferry crosses the Connecticut River and goes to Rocky Hill. There's a large forest there called Meshomasic State Forest. Part of the town is located on Rattlesnake Mountain which has timber rattlesnakes. If you like history like I do, they have the second highest amount of old colonial homes in the US; these homes were from the 1800s and a handful were from the 1600s. The public schools are highly rated. There are a few plazas with restaurants and stores. The overall aesthetics of the town is beautiful. I enjoy visiting and exploring it!

This is not NYC, or Boston, or even West Hartford - It is a community with a quiet elegance,…read morehistory, lots of beautiful hiking trails and an increasingly welcoming/inclusive community that while not yet as diversified as we would like it to be - I think it will be as more folks discover it. Aside from a great community for all families; including LGBTQIA families, and families of color, it provides a beautiful place to live and/or work remotely. Outside of rush hour, it takes us 2 hours to be in Chelsea, NYC, and 1.5 hours to meet friends for dinner in Boston. It is strategically located in between two mega cities with a great airport nearby (Hartford), and direct Amtrak service to NYC only a few minutes away in Hartford. We are major outdoor folks and on our spare time run hiking groups in the US and Canada - And we keep being surprised by the beautiful trails we keep discovering all around us with the AllTrails app. You may not have the thousand restaurants selection of NYC, but we have found excellent Thai; Mexican, Italian and local coffee shops here - so more than pleased. Three things we would like to see in the near future include: 1. A Bike Share/Rental Program like NYC's CitiBike or at least a local shop with bike rentals; 2. A Glastonbury "Trader Joe" - The Whole Foods here is great but we love many of the Trader Joe products - so hopefully soon, and 3. As per our South Beach experience - the first traditional "Cuban Restaurant" in the entire Hartford Area (Closest one is New Haven). Bottomline, if you are looking for a quiet, understated, lots of outdoor parks/trails, good schools, inclusive (ie, LGBTQIA, Families of Color) community and a nice/welcoming local neighbors - Check out Glastonbury.