Gary Turco

 I was feeling lucky and full of Newington pride marching in the Greater Hartford Saint Patrick’s Day Parade last weekend!

It was wonderful seeing so many Newington friends, families, and neighbors lining the route and celebrating together.

I was proud to walk alongside dedicated community leaders — including Mayor Jon Trister, Sen. Matt Lesser, members of the Newington Town Council and Newington Board of Education, the Nor’Easters Yeti, the Newington Police Department Honor Guard and Newington Fire Department.

Days like today remind me how lucky we are to live in a community with so much pride, service, and spirit.

From the town of Newington

Newington's new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations located at 100 Garfield St. are officially live and available for public use. This milestone supports the growing demand for convenient, reliable EV infrastructure and reinforces our commitment to sustainable transportation. 

Drivers can begin using the charging stations immediately, and there is no pay station at these chargers (similar to Market square). Users can access the devices through the synergEV, or EV Connect apps (see detailed instructions). 

With temperatures (mostly!) climbing and winter’s bitter chill beginning to thaw, many of us are looking forward to getting out and enjoying all that Connecticut has to offer. Here are a few great activities happening across the state this weekend for you and your family.

Things to Do….

St. Patrick’s Day Parades
Everyone is a little bit Irish this weekend. Wear your green and head out to one (or more!) local St. Patrick's Day celebrations taking place (information in links):

• Norwalk St. Patrick's Parade (Saturday, March 14).
• Milford St. Patrick's Parade (Saturday, March 14).
• Greater New Haven St. Patrick's Day Parade (Sunday, March 15, 1:30 p.m.): One of the state's largest, starting at Chapel St. and Sherman Ave.
• New London St. Patrick's Day Parade (Sunday, March 15).

Women’s History Month
Communities across Connecticut are celebrating Women's History Month with events and recognitions, including the following:

• Women Take Flight at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks (Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) Meet women working in the aerospace industry, participate in hands-on STEM activities, explore historic aircraft, try flight simulators, and learn about careers in aviation and engineering.
• New Britain Museum of American Art (Ongoing): Features Women's History Trivia Night with Five Churches Brewing, Virtual Slow Art, and Gallery Talks highlighting women artists.
• Mystic Seaport Museum (Ongoing): Offers "The Story of Gerda III," "Adventure Series: Crossing Every Ocean for Science," and a members-only program on a century of women in the Rosenfeld Collection.
• The Florence Griswold Museum (Ongoing) in Old Lyme: Showcases the legacy of "Miss Florence" Griswold, a crucial figure in American Impressionism.

All Things Maple

• Maple Sugar Fest – The Stamford Museum & Nature Center (Sunday, March 15). Visitors can learn how maple syrup is made while enjoying family-friendly activities celebrating this classic New England tradition.
• Maple Festival – Sweet Wind Farm, East Hartland (Saturday, March 14): Historic farm offers guided tours, pancakes, live music, children's activities, and demonstrations. Just in time for some cabin fever relief.
• Syrup Saturday: A Pancakes & PJs Party – New Canaan Nature Center, New Canaan (Saturday, March 14). Annual end-of-syrup-season celebration with fun activities including tree tapping demonstrations, a real maple sap “boil down,” and a real versus fake syrup taste test.
• Maple Weekend – Auerfarm, Bloomfield (March 14-15): Enjoy a pancake breakfast, sample fresh maple syrup, and get a tour of the farm's maple trees. Watch farm educators tap the trees and collect sap, then follow the steam to the sugar shack to watch the sap get boiled down into maple syrup.

New Haven Museum Exhibit – “Pronounced Ah-Beetz”

The New Haven Museum is hosting “Pronounced Ah-Beetz,” a major exhibition exploring the history, culture, and evolution of New Haven’s iconic apizza. Running through October 2027, the exhibit features artifacts including Frank Pepe’s original hat, historic pizza boxes, and memorabilia from local institutions like Sally's Apizza and Modern Apizza.

Howling Good Time

A recent video of red wolves howling at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo has generated excitement among animal lovers across the state. It’s always fun to visit the zoo and see the exotic wildlife.