The New Haven Green is a public park in the heart of New Haven that is also home to the Festival’s outdoor stage. Featuring free concerts, performances, and activities; the Festival Info Center; and our Hospitality Lounge, the Green is your backdrop for an unforgettable summer with family and friends.
Don’t just learn to cook. Cook to learn in this delightful kids cooking class centered around environmentalism. Join New-Haven based lifestyle influencer, Tennille Murphy, leads this workshop that helps kids sample the benefits of plant-based cooking and taste the advantages clean, healthy eating.
The Ghost Net: An Environmental Musical of the Sea provides a powerful vehicle for promoting awareness of our planet’s rapidly depleting oceans and endangered marine life. The workshop prior to the show will provide participating children opportunity to be in the show!
You are invited to partake in this 15 minute unique VR experience designed by Kit Hung (Hong Kong) and JLS Gangwisch (New Haven/USA). "Strangelight - Being Bubblicious" offers a powerful and immersive VR narrative that sheds light on the rich and multifaceted experiences of a transwoman of color. Engage with her story, celebrate her resilience, and be inspired to embrace understanding, acceptance, and positive change. Join Bubblicious on this virtual journey and become part of her vibrant and inclusive community.
ARTFARM will offer kids, ages 6–16, an opportunity to try some of the basic elements of circus arts in a fun outdoor workshop setting. Participants will try their hand at juggling, balancing, partner acrobatics, circrobatics, hula hooping and other simple forms of movement. Be ready to toss, tumble and spin on the grassy New Haven Green!
Dive into the magical tones of one of Africa’s most prominent musicians, Angelique Kidjo, as she is joined by the incredible New Haven Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Alasdaire Neale. A Grammy winner five times over, Kidjo entrances listeners by seamlessly mixing genres and powerful messages in her music. A night of musical pleasure that’s not to be missed!
Walker Between Worlds is a journey into the world of Native American Stories. The oral history, natural observations, and culture of the First Americans is shared by Leland Faulkner a world traveler and performing artist who is a member of the Bad River Band of Chippewa.
Universal Sounds’ performers Nate and Marcus will perform current and historical Top 40 music, utilizing current music technology and devices such as digital keyboards, electronic drums and percussion and computers. The performance is a fun, entertaining and often danceable flow of music and demonstration.
New Haven Day brings together organizations, partners, and individuals for an interactive community resource day on the Green happening simultaneously during BEERfest.
Goodnight Moonshine pairs the intimacy and immediacy of the 90's with the sonic explosion of the 60's. Molly Venter (Red Molly) is a viscerally potent singer, à la Fiona Apple and Tracy Chapman, whose songwriting is redemptive and playful. Consummate musician and producer Eben Pariser (Roosevelt Dime), is a devotee of Ray Charles, Wes Montgomery, The Beatles and The Band. Courageous unveiling and depth of experience make the collaboration between married couple Molly Venter and Eben Pariser addictively captivating.
Leave your troubles behind with the help of this tropical Afro-Latin combo whose name literally means “to remove worries.” Their rhythmic songs remix the sounds of the 60s, 70s and 80s as they transport you to magical evenings in Angola, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and beyond. Using the healing mix of guitar, saxophone, keyboards, bass and lot of contagious percussion, these modern- day curanderos will keep you moving to the music all throughout their performance.
This carefully curated fashion show will take you on a chronological journey through the wardrobe of Ghana’s citizenry and royalty. Featuring a special performance by SĀHGE Academy's Contemporary African Dance Class, choreographed by Mariyama Shari Caldwell-Young, this cultural experience is perfect for youth, families and scholars of all ages.
WORKSHOP: We all hear stories, but what does Story do? How does Story affect the Teller? How does Story affect the Listener? How can Story affect Society at large? In this workshop participants will consider why we tell stories and how stories affect us as both Teller and Listener. Be the story Folktale, Fable, Legend, Scary or Personal, something happens when Story is shared.
WORKSHOP: The power of story. This workshop, led by Denise Keyes Page the founder of Ubuntu Storytellers and co-founder of Women Tell by the Decades, introduces storytelling and listening as pathways to reconnect to purpose; to help us fill in the blank. Together in community we will respectfully mine our stories for the buried insights which can both strengthen and enlighten us. Our process begins with prompts for reflection in solitude, followed by pair and/or small group sharing of our recalled stories.
Get ready to move! The Dance Exchange is a fun and exhilarating day of dance on the New Haven Green, bringing five choreographers of different styles to teach all-levels dance classes—salsa, contemporary, hip hop groove, street jazz, and vogue.
Returning to the festival stage, Garba360 introduces the beloved Gujarati folk dances of garba and raas to new audiences; building strong community bonds and celebrating cultural heritage through movement. Take part in this free outdoor event for the whole family with dance lessons, performances, and live music.
Keila Myles is a multidisciplinary artist based in Hartford, CT. She is best known for her work and performance as a musician. Her freshman project titled Just Add Water best sums up her ability to shape shift and aqueous to any genre and art form. Her style is a blend of R&B, soul, boom bap, classic rock and reggae. Keila draws from her American heritage in her lyricism and song-writing yet her delivery is reminiscent of classic reggae music. She will be performing with her band, The Moose Knuckles.
STOUT started her musical journey at the age of three in her grandmother’s basement in New Haven, Connecticut. Since then, she has shared the stage with Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Missy Elliot and Usher, thrilling audiences around the world. Come out for this hometown hero as she proves her title as the Queen of New Era Rock in an electrifying concert!
Artsucation Network & Juneteenth Coalition 10 Year Anniversary/6th Annual Hip Hop Conference.
The Official Juneteenth Coalition has collaborated with Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities in conducting a parade from the old Stetson Library to the New Haven Green.
A Divine Homecoming is an intergenerational production honoring HBCU (Historically Black College and University) history and legacy through storytelling and step. The multi-disciplinary production creates an imagined experience of what could have been, and closes with headline performance by Toronto native, O’Sound.
Listen, sing, experience – the rich melodies and lush harmonies will be a feast for the senses! New Haven’s own Stefon Hawkins performs with New Hope Fellowship choir. His performance will be paired by a multigenerational community all-sing led by Jarron Taylor. All are invited to a Sunday masterclass with Jarron to learn the gospel techniques and perform for the community on the Alexander Clark stage.
The Reinvention Rebels podcast shares stories of amazing women, 50-90 years young, who have boldly reimagined life on their own terms, to find new purpose and possibilities.
How much can you share in 20 slides, 20 seconds each? PechaKucha, in which performers tell a story on a subject of their choosing in a unique presentational format, began in Tokyo in 2003, and has captured the imagination of storytellers and audiences throughout the world. Show up and learn several new things very quickly!
Learn, connect and join others in advocating for the rights and resources of our neighbors with disabilities. Highlights include tabling from community partners who serve the disability community, the demonstration of a smart home, food trucks with accessible accommodations, speakers and conversations. Join us!
Calling all families! Come celebrate International Make Music Day with members of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra in a fun performance on the New Haven Green. No special musical talents required, but the experience will be super interactive. You may have a chance to conduct, to direct the volume of the music, or to affect the speed of the professional musicians. A great way to get everyone involved in making music.
The KC Sisters have music in their DNA. The girls were raised by two musicians and introduced to multiple genres of music from rock & roll, country, gospel, folk, R&B, pop and jazz. Aside from their a cappella voices that harmonize on their repertoire of selections, each girl plays multiple instruments including piano, guitar, violin, bass, cello, ukulele, and drums. Each girl contributes to song arranging and the creation of new originals, which at times can be challenging, having so many cooks in the kitchen. Somehow they make it work and the song matures into something they all enjoy. They perform both covers and originals, many of which are recorded and produced themselves.
With a career spanning over three decades, three Grammy Awards, 20 million albums sold and starring roles on Broadway, the acclaimed, romantic sounds of Jon Secada have resulted in numerous hits in English and Spanish. The Cuban-born singer-songwriter will grace the New Haven Green with his band to share music from his pop catalogue, including megahits “Angel,” “Just Another Day” and “Do You Believe in Us,” interlaced with Spanish-language melodies.
Join us for a night of curated soul music featuring recording artist Ricky Alan Draughn, Michelle Brooks-Thompson, Jonathan DuBose, and Full Force and friends. Get ready to sway to the sounds of smooth jazz and R&B! Presented by Cool Breeze In Partnership with IFAI.
Festival visitors are invited to circulate through this light installation as if electrons ruminating within a closed quantum system. Not unlike the isolated, cold, and dark environment of a quantum device’s dilution refrigeration tank, the darkness of the night on the New Haven Green is traversed by striking bright lights.
Follow the adventurous and delightful tales of A.A. Milne’s engaging characters, Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, and Piglet in Pooh’s Adventures! With book adaptation by Keely Baisden Knudsen, this fun and witty exploration of the Hundred Acre Wood by the Wheel Life Theatre Troupe will engage audiences of all ages!
Led by innovative dance teacher Masem Enyong of Afro Beat Fun, you’ll work with the group to practice new dance moves, develop a dance routine and learn how African dance has influenced popular culture — all to the joyous sounds of contemporary Afro beats. Join your kids and get groovin!
Explore a buzzing, humming hive of activity, as three human-sized Bees busy themselves in the creation of a community alongside children who transform into bees as they play. Australian based company, Polyglot, brings a joyfully interactive world that welcomes us into community, wonder, and imagination!
Let your heart & soul be serenaded by Connecticut based Haitian Neo Soul, R&B, jazz infused recording artist and songwriter, Berdine Joseph.
Join a Soca party on the New Haven Green! Trinidad’s own Mical Teja will bring his unique sound to close out the Caribbean Day Festival celebration. The man with the hottest pen in Soca music, Teja has written hits for artists like Machel Montano and Patrice Roberts, while putting out high quality music of his own. Teja’s fresh and exciting sound is popular in the annual Carnival catalogue. Don’t miss seeing this star in the Caribbean music scene!
New Inca Son is a renowned Andean Folk ensemble that has performed throughout Latin America, Europe and across the United States, for people of all ages and backgrounds. Its artists hail from the Andes regions of Peru and Bolivia and perform centuries-old music and dances that have been passed along from one generation to the next. We invite you to sing along with the choruses of our music, and if the Spirits move you, to dance with us as well.
The Intergalactic DRAGanza is a theatrical experience fusing Drag and Ball culture through a futuristic space adventure. Drag Queens across the universe must unite using the 5 elements of Vogue to RISE up and defeat an ominous threat to planet Earth. The show will feature a closing performance by American Idol top ten performer and Latina drag star, Ada Vox.
