Envisionfest Hartford
Envisionfest began in 2012 as Connecticut’s Capital City Festival, featuring over 100 events, activities, and performances. Every aspect of this free event showcases Hartford’s abundance of innovative history, arts, and extraordinary cultural wealth, allowing a unique opportunity for people of all ages to discover and celebrate the capital city.
Hundreds of live acts and hands-on-activities stimulated the senses; from free live musical entertainment and dramatic performances on six stages, to free admission to more than eight museums, landmark building tours, and lawn games in Bushnell Park. All Envisionfest activities took place along the GreenWalk and the new routes connecting the State Capitol, historic Bushnell Park, downtown streets, and Constitution Plaza.
Each step taken or pedal pushed had visitors making discoveries throughout Hartford and provided an opportunity to experience the ongoing transformation made through the implementation of the iQuilt Plan. Visitors were introduced to how the city and scenic riverfront are alive with music, art, and science – not just on the date of Envisionfest – but every day in Hartford.
The fifth and final Envisionfest Hartford drew 14,000 visitors. Free admission was offered at eight venues, Gold Street became a mini food truck festival, and the Bushnell Park artisan market returned. Envisionfest favorites this year were the ubiquitous Waldos, our event ambassadors, interactive LEGO playscapes, live-doodling and an evening concert under Alexander Calder’s Stegosaurus. There were more than 98 performances, and installations created by 186 artists/groups of artists and 80 organizations.
Overall, Envisionfest attracted 60,000 festival goers and engaged more than 350 artists, 45 cultural venues and 400 volunteers. Arts and culture activities featured tours of the Riverfront Lincoln Sculpture Walk, Connecticut's Old State House, Phoenix Boat Building, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, and The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, and performances by The Bushnell, GOZA, Hartford Gay Men's Chorus, Hartford Hot Several, Hartford Stage’s Children's Cabaret Theatre and Breaking Dancing Shakespeare, Hartford Steel Drum Symphony, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, The Professors of Sweet Sweet Music, Scapegoat Garden dance company, and, in 2013, a free concert from recording artists They Might Be Giants.