Quinnipiac University to host ‘Colors of CT Festival’ on Oct. 5

Press release

HAMDEN, Conn. – Quinnipiac University will host the first “Colors of CT Festival” on Saturday, Oct. 5 on the Mount Carmel Campus.

The event, which celebrates inclusivity and belonging in the entrepreneurial space, is open to the public and will run from 2-7 p.m. in the Recreation and Wellness Center. The festival is sponsored by Quinnipiac University’s M&T Bank Centers for Women & Business and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

The festival will feature a “Sip & Shop” for business owners to feature and sell their products and market their services. Business owners who are people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, immigrants and refugees, persons with a disability (seen or unseen) or neurodivergent will also network with other business owners and meet potential mentors from organizations.

The businesses will include M&T Bank, Small Business Administration (SBA), Community Investment Corporation (CIC), Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce (GNHCC), Hamden Chamber of Commerce, Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Chamber (CTGLC), Disability IN: Connecticut, IRIS, ConnCORP, CitySeed, QPlus and many others.

In addition, the festival will feature a fashion show, panel discussions, live music, a DJ and food trucks. Click here to register to attend.

Colors of CT Festival is the next iteration of the successful Sip & Shop initiative that M&T Bank Center for Women & Business launched in 2022 in support of female entrepreneurs of color.
“The festival aims to engage and increase access for and to small business owners who identify as members of underserved and underrepresented communities, which is essential for expanding the equity of opportunities that these entrepreneurs deserve,” said Tuvana Rua, associate professor of management and the director of the M&T Bank Center for Women and Business. “We are honored to host these business owners and bring them together with the surrounding community and resource groups in a festive environment while having thought-provoking and solution-based conversations to support them in their entrepreneurial journeys.”