Hartford Reporter

The City of Bristol Department of Park, Recreation Youth and Community Services (BPRYCS) along with the City Arts and Culture Commission is excited to host the 1st Annual Cultural District Celebration on the weekend of June 9-11, 2023.  In 2022, the City of Bristol received a Cultural District Designation from the State of Connecticut Department of Economics and Community Development.  

As part of the celebration there will be Drag Queen Bingo on Friday, June 9, 2023 from 7:00 to 10:00 PM, sponsored by Donate Life CT at the Carousel Museum.  The Cultural District Celebration will be on Saturday, June 10, 2023 from 12:00 to 3:00 PM at Federal Hill Green.  The celebration event is free and allows the public to experience the Cultural District through celebration of art, music, museums and dining.  

The event will feature live music from local band Lori and The Legends and a food truck provided by Dem Boyz Grill & Catering.  Guests will enjoy various merchants displaying live paintings, caricatures, poetry and a wide array of diverse art work spanning several mediums.  Saturday is also Open House Day in Connecticut and every museum in Bristol will offer free admission.

Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano stated, “Many thanks to City staff and the Arts and Culture Commission for putting together this celebration for the community to come out and experience art and culture, music, museums, and dining within the Cultural District. Bristol is undergoing dramatic downtown revitalization and we are proud that we have a good story to tell with our historical, arts and cultural presence. This weekend celebration to recognize Bristol’s Cultural District will create an economic boost downtown and accelerate the great progress we are seeing in and around this district.”

Chairman of the City Arts and Culture Commission Walter Lewandoski remarked, “We are so privileged and excited to be able to shine the spotlight on our newly recognized Cultural District. We encourage the entire community to join us as we celebrate this shining accomplishment with our 1st Annual Cultural District Celebration and invite everyone to visit and experience all the venues, events and businesses that comprise Bristol’s Cultural District.” 

 Arts and Culture Supervisor Arianna Therriault shared, “As one of only five designated Cultural Districts in Connecticut, Bristol’s passion for continuously advancing the art, dining and history is truly amazing.  We are thrilled to boast our beautiful district to our residents and all of Connecticut.  This celebration will be the first of many with the goal of sharing our culture and learning about all the amenities the district has to offer.” 

Street signage with an embedded QR code will be displayed throughout the district.  The QR codes will lead to Bristol’s All Heart Cultural District website.  This site lists all the amenities within the district with links for patrons to learn more.  This event is posted in the City of Bristol Arts and Culture Commission Facebook, as well as on www.bristolrec.com.  For comment of questions related to the celebration please contact Arianna Therriault, City Arts & Culture Supervisor at ariannatherriault@bristolct.gov or (860) 584 – 6160.

Original source can be found here.