Take Off At The Air Museum; Folk In Manchester; Jazz In Windsor

Prepare for Take-Off as Air Museum and Children's Museum Fly in Tandem

The New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks and the Children's Museum of West Hartford are co-piloting throughout the month of July, offering a series of related programs for participants of all ages. The evolution of flight, pioneers of aviation, flight simulators, and Mars space exploration are just some of the adventures to be had. The offerings are as follows:

New England Air Museum themed weeks: 

Lighter-Than-Air Flight (July 4 to 10) – An exploration of flying in balloons, blimps, and airships.

Silent Flight (July 11 to 17) – Traveling on the wind from kites to gliders.

Vertical Flight (July 18 to 24) – Helicopters.

Pushing the Limits of Flight (July 25 to 31) – The extreme edge of flying – think air racing, aerobatics and rockets.

The Children’s Museum is offering Thursday activities each week in addition to screenings of Blue Planet, Red Planet and its regular programs. The Thursday activities are:

Animal Day (July 7) — Getting to know animals in the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Wizard Day (July 14) – Think Harry Potter.

Dry Ice Day (July 21) — Exploring cold.

Egg Drop Day (July 28) — Wrap an egg so it doesn't break when dropped.

Visit the Air Museum at the regular admission rate and receive $2 off for up to 4 admission on visits to the Children's Museum, or vice versa. The discounts are good throughout the month of July. Bring your July receipt to the ticket counter at either location to qualify. Members of each museum may visit the other museum for free during this promotion. The New England Air Museum is at 36 Perimeter Road, Windsor Locks. For more information, visit www.neam.org or call 860-623-3305. The Children's Museum is at 950 Trout Brook Drive, West Hartford. Visit www.thechildrensmuseumct.org or call 860-231-2824.

Folk on Fridays at Cheney Hall

Folk music fans, Cheney Hall in Manchester continues its Folk on Fridays series on July 1. Musicians, sign up at 6:30 p.m. for a 10-minute open-mic slot. The public is welcome to attend. The music starts at 7 p.m. Other dates in the series are July 15, and 29, and September 9.

Admission is free, but contributions are welcome. For more information, visit www.cheneyhall.org or call 860-647-9824. Cheney Hall is at 177 Hartford Road, Manchester.

A Mike Leigh Movie and a Rarely Screened All-Star 1933 Drama in Suffield

Fans of indie and classic movies, this is your week in Suffield. The Kent Memorial Library hosts two free screenings. On July 1, it's director Mike Leigh's acclaimed comedy-drama Another Year starring Jim Broadbent. The film, which was nominated for a Best Screenplay Oscar, explores four seasons in the lives of a happily married couple. The screening starts at 2 p.m. The film is rated PG-13. On July 6, an all-star cast including John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Clark Gable, Helen Hayes, Myrna Loy and Robert Montgomery appears in director Clarence Brown's 1933 aviation drama Night Flight, an adaptation of an Antoine de Saint-Exupery novel. Screening time is 2 p.m. The film has long been out of circulation, having been shelved in 1942 when MGM's agreement with Saint-Exupery expired.Night Flight was re-released this year. The film is not rated.

Both screenings are free. No registration required. No food and drink allowed. Children under age 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Kent Memorial Library is at 50 North Main St., Suffield. For more information, visit www.suffield-library.org or call 860-668-3896. 

Dave Palla Quartet Returns to Windsor Art Center

The music of Cole Porter, Miles Davis, and Thelonius Monk is on the playlist along with original songs when the Dave Palla Quartet returns to the Windsor Art Center on July 7. The quartet features Palla on guitar and vocals, Dan Scheer on keyboard, Paul Fuller on bass, and Gregg Allen on percussion.

Concert time is 6:30 p.m. Suggested donation is $10 at the door. The Windsor Art Center is at the corner of Central and Mechanic streets in Windsor. For more information, visit www.windsorartcenter.org or email info@windsorartcenter.org.

July 4th Fun at Noah Webster House

Combine a bit of fun with a lot of learning when West Hartford's Noah Webster House hosts Fun for the Fourth. The July 3 event features patriotic crafts and lessons about the American Revolution. 

Drop by with the kids between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Regular admission applies. The Noah Webster House is at 227 South Main St., West Hartford. For more information, visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org or call 860-521-5362.

Celebrate America with HSO at Simsbury Meadows – Farmington Choirs Featured in Patriotic Extravaganza

What better way to mark America's independence than with patriotic music and a sky full of fireworks? That's exactly what's on offer when the Hartford Symphony Orchestra presents Celebrate America, a concert of patriotic favorites conducted by new music director Carolyn Kuan. Also featured at the outdoor event, which is part  of the Talcott Mountain Music Festival at Simsbury Meadows, are the Farmington High School choirs. They join the orchestra for excerpts from John Williams' Star Wars soundtrack. Other musical highlights include Copland'sLincoln Portrait (with the guest narrator Howard Sprout), and Bernstein's Overture to Candide, plus the traditional soundtrack to Independence Day: The Star Spangled Banner, Armed Forces Salute, Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. 

Pack a blanket and a picnic. Gates open at 6 p.m. Concert time is 7:30 p.m. A variety of seating options are available – from lawn to table arrangements. Ticket prices range from $20 to $45. (Lawn tickets for kids 12 and under are $5.) For reservations and more information, visit www.hartfordsymphony.org or call 860-244-2999. The Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows is at 22 Iron Horse Boulevard, Simsbury. (In the event of severe weather, the concert will be performed the following night, July 2, at the same time.)

Celebrate America with the Simsbury Community Band

Looking for something free and festive for the 4th holiday? On July 6, the Simsbury Community Band presents a Celebrate America concert. Conductor Ertan Sener leads the band through a program of patriotic hits.

Concert time is 7 p.m. at the Simsbury Farms Hockey Arena, 100 Old Farms Road, West Simsbury. For more information, visit www.simsburyband.org or call 860-658-3836.

A Rockin' Week at 41 Bridge Street

The Collinsville performance hall this week welcomes acoustic and electric rockers the Random Concept on July; the nine-piece Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds on July 2; and four-part harmony aces Delta Rae & Little Ugly on July 3.

 41 Bridge Street is at that address in Collinsville. For times and ticket prices, visit www.41bridgestreet.com or call 860-693-9762. 

All Aboard for Goodspeed's Show Boat

Jerome Kern's heart-wrenching musical Show Boat launches in a new production  at Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam starting July 1. The sweeping tale explores the lives, loves and heartbreaks of three generations of show folk on the Mighty Mississippi River. Kern's indelible tunes include Ol' Man River, Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, and You Are Love. The show is based on the novel by Edna Ferber with book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Goodspeed favorite Rob Ruggiero directs. Among the cast members are David Aron Damne of Broadway'sBig River and The Life as Joe; Sarah Uriarte Berry of Broadway's The Light in the Piazza, Taboo, and Beauty and the Beast, as Magnolia; and Ben Davis, who performed in Broadway's A Little Night Music and Les Miserables, in the role of Ravenal.

Show Boat runs from July 1 through Sept. 11. Tickets are available at www.goodspeed.com or by calling 860-873-8668. Goodspeed Opera House is at 6 Main St., East Haddam. 

Celebrate July 4th at Old Sturbridge Village

July 4th was one of the few holidays celebrated by early Americans, and the staff at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Mass., are continuing the tradition. While the village's annual fireworks display has been cancelled due to flooding, July 4th brings a day brimming with special activities including a reading of theDeclaration of Independence by Massachusetts State Senator Stephen Brewer , games, music, a citizen's parade, a patriotic fashion contest, and more.

For complete details, visit www.osv.org or call 800-SEE-1830. Old Sturbridge Village is at 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, Mass.