Mark Twain Days runs Friday, August 31 through Sunday, September 2, 2001.

Events at Nook Farm

The 19-room mansion in Hartford where Mark Twain lived, wrote and raised his family from 1874 to 1891 will be open for free tours on Saturday and Sunday during Mark Twain Days. On Friday and Monday, admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for youths ages 13 to 18 and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. The Mark Twain House is located at 351 Farmington Avenue in Hartford.

The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center is the site of the home of the author of the anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Admission to the house is free on Saturday and Sunday during Mark Twain Days. On Friday and Monday, admission is $6.50 for adults,$6 for seniors and $2.75 for children ages 6 to 16. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center is located at 77 Forest Street in Hartford, adjacent to the Mark Twain House.

Play a game of croquet on the western lawn of the Mark Twain House during Mark Twain Days. You'll also have the opportunity to "meet" Twain, his family and his neighbors, as actors portraying the literary great and his contemporaries interact with visitors.

Connecticut's first “Official State Troubadour,” Tom Callinan, will perform at Nook Farm on Saturday, September 1, from noon to 1:30 and 3 to 4:30. On Sunday, Jim Douglas will perform Yankee songs and stories from noon to 1:30 and 3 to 4:30.

Guided walking tours of the Nook Farm gardens and neighborhood will be offered on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 6 pm.

Don't miss Mark & Harriet: Words & Stories of Wisdom, hosted at the Mark Twain Carriage House on Saturday and at the Stowe Visitors Center on Sunday at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Guest storytellers will read excerpts from the works of the two authors. 

Events at Charter Oak Landing

Legends of the Wild West: The Frontier Riders
Cowboy Larry, Brave Beth and Thomi Hawk will entertain visitors with the arts of the West: bull whips, tomahawks, knife throwing and trick shooting. Shows are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at noon, 3 and 4:30 p.m.

Cane Pole Fishing
Learn how to fish just like Tom and Huck on Saturday at 11 a.m., and then test your skills along the banks of the Connecticut River until 3 p.m. Saturday and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Awards ceremonies will be held at 3:30 p.m. both days. Participants will receive straw hats and cane poles while supplies last.

Whitewash Fence Painting
Win prizes for being the fastest team to completely whitewash your fence! Contests will be held on Saturday at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. and on Sunday at 12:30, 2 and 4 p.m. Participants must sign up at the information booth, and space is limited.

5th Annual Riverfront Raft Race
Build your own raft and compete for the following honors: “Pride of the River” (most creative), “Mississippi Belle” (most attractive), “Jim Dandy” (most spirited team, sink or swim) or the “Sand Bar Express” (most spectacular running aground or sinking)! No raft? Be among the spectators on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Entrants must be 16 and older. Call (860) 713-3131 for an entry form.

Huck Finn Harbor Tours
Board the Lady Fenwick for a view of the riverfront parks from the Connecticut River. Harbor Tours leave from Charter Oak Landing at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for 45-minute trips. Special festival rates are $6 for adults $6, $3 for children.

Music
Bayou Brethren performs Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. “Back in the Saddle Again” plays Sunday from noon to 1:30 p.m. Anne Marie Menta performs contemporary folk tunes on Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m. The Riverboat Ramblers play jazz on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Rendezvous Encampment
Visit an pre-1800 Native American encampment. Watch as the blacksmith forges metal into nails and the broommaker makes a broom from a birch tree limb, and learn how to make buckskin. 

Allegany River Indian Dancers
Watch as these Native American dancers perform the “Smoke Dance” along the river. Witness authentic Iroquois Social Dance presentations representing the Northeastern Woodland tribe of the Iroquois on Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 and 5 p.m.

Events at Riverfront Plaza

Cruise the Connecticut
Cruise the Connecticut River aboard the Lady Fenwick. Harbor Tours leave from Riverfront Plaza at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. for 45-minute trips. Special festival rates are $6 for adults $6, $3 for children.

Fish-n-Sticks 
Use art materials to create your own paper and wood “fish-n-sticks” on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Origami Frog Making
Learn the Japanese art of paper folding and create your own jumping frog on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Olde Time Lumberjack Show
World  Champion lumberjacks exhibit chainsaw carving, axe throwing, crosscut sawing, log rolling,  springboard chopping and more on Saturday and Sunday at noon, 2 and 4 p.m.

Music
Washboard Slim and the Bluelights play “jugabilly” rock and blues on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. The Riverboat Ramblers play jazz on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Hall High Jazz Combo will entertain visitors on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.

Frog Jumping
Pick your lucky frog and cheer him or her on to victory. Contests run on Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m. Sign up at the information booth, as participation is limited.

Tom & Huck’s Critters
Bugs, turtles, snakes and other nature critters are some of Tom and Huck’s favorite things! Learn more about them at a nature exhibit on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Pie Eating Contest
On both Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m., all ages are invited to compete to eat a piece of blueberry pie--no hands allowed! Sign up at the information booth, as space is limited. Parents must be present.

Face Painting
Face painting will be available Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Events in Bushnell Park

Medieval Jousting
Three jousting knights and mounts will perform exhibitions on Saturday and Sunday at noon, 2 and 5 p.m.

The Twain Stage
The Proper Ladies perform a cappella arrangements of folk and composed songs of the Victorian era on Saturday and Sunday at noon and 3 p.m. An ensemble troupe will perform select Shakesperean pieces on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch Tours
Climb 96 steps for a bird’s-eye view of Bushnell Park! Free 20-minute tours of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch will be available on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Invention Tent
Mark Twain ridiculed and admired inventions, while investing in new technology and obtaining patents for designs of his own. Take a look at the phonograph, sun spot viewer, sewer gas cannon, telegraph, telephone and other inventions that relate to Twain’s life and books on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Paddleboats, Whirligig and Marbles
Kids can learn how to play Pigs in Clover, a popular marble game that appeared in the 1890s, design and operate their own paddleboats or make a whirligig on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Horse & Buggy Rides
Climb aboard period carriages and take a leisurely ride down Trinity Street through the Sailors Arch. 

Old Tyme Baseball
Twain’s favorite pastime, old tyme baseball, comes to life as the Hartford Dark Blues play against the Middletown Mansfieldon Saturday and Mystic Oceanics on Sunday at 1 p.m. both days. 

Antique Cars
Visit the display of prestigious Mark Twain-era automobiles supplied by the Antique Car Club of America throughout the weekend.

Medieval Encampment
Reenactors portray life as it was during the medieval times of King Arthur. Traders present their wares for show and sale.

Antique Bicycles
Catch a glimpse of old-fashioned cycling as bicyclists ride through the park on antique bikes on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Art of the Carousel Horse
On Saturday, meet Juan Andru, master carver at The New England Carousel Museum, and watch how this renowned sculptor brings the Bushnell Carousel pieces to life. On Sunday, see Judith Baker, carousel master painter, demonstrate her remarkable skills. Both artists will be featured from noon to 5 p.m. You can also design your own horse to take home.

Aunt Miss Betsy’s Victorian Games
Learn games from the Victorian era on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Birds of the Gauntlet
Falconry will be featured on Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Flying falcons and hawks will entertain and educate audiences during the shows and will be on display for an up close and personal view.

Historic House Tours
The Antiquarian & Landmark Society operates two historic homes near the park in downtown Hartford, and admission to both will be free from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. during Mark Twain Days. The Isham-Terry House is a Civil Ear-era museum house. The Butler-McCook Homestead contains the oldest intact collection of art, antiques and household items.

Round & Round 
Rides aboard Hartford’s own historic carousel are available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is 50 cents.

The Game of LaGrace
Learn how to play LaGrace with your own decorated hoop adorned with flowers and ribbons. 

Food & Grog
A variety of food and beverages will be available throughout the weekend in Bushnell Park. 

Bushnell Park Pavilion

Opening Ceremonies are Friday evening, August 31, at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, September 1, the Hartford Gospel Choir performs at 6:30 p.m., followed by Roberta Flack at 8 p.m. On Sunday, September 2, The Mohegan Sun All-Stars play at 6 p.m., followed by The Temptations at 8 p.m. After dark, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Pierre Alain-Hubert returns to the festival to bring it to a dramatic close with a spectacular fireworks, show, "Twain’s Electric Sky."

More About Hartford

Looking for more Hartford, Connecticut, news and information? Start with the Hartford Home Page, where you'll find current articles and links to the best of the Net for Connecticut's capital city.

Don't miss our free email newsletter, About Hartford, which keeps you up to date on what's happening in the area. Subscribe today!

Previous Articles