By Laura Bailey
The 1st Annual Cultural District Celebration, commemorating the city’s cultural district designation from the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development, will be held this weekend.
“As one of only five designated Cultural Districts in Connecticut, Bristol’s passion for continuously advancing the art, dining and history is truly amazing,” said Arts and Culture Supervisor Arianna Therriault.
The Cultural District Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 10, from 12 to 3 p.m. at Federal Hill Green, admission is free to the public. Hosting the event will be the City of Bristol Department of Park, Recreation Youth and Community Services (BPRYCS) along with the City Arts and Culture Commission.
“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.”
The event will feature live music Lori and The Legends and a food truck provided by Dem Boyz Grill & Catering. Local vendors and artists will be displaying live paintings, caricatures, poetry and other diverse works of art.
“We are so privileged and excited to be able to shine the spotlight on our newly recognized Cultural District,” said chairman of the City Arts and Culture Commission Walter Lewandoski.
“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.”
As part of the celebration, Drag Queen Bingo sponsored by Donate Life CT will be held on Friday, June 9 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Carousel Museum. Admission to all Bristol museums will be free on Saturday for Connecticut Open House Day.
“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,” said Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano.
“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.”
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, which lists all the amenities within the district.
For questions related to the celebration please contact City Arts & Culture Supervisor Arianna Therriault, at ariannatherriault@bristolct.gov or (860) 584-6160.
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