Celebrate CT's Defiance & Declaration of Independence at Historic Old State House

Where better to kick off Long Weekend Hartford than at the spot where Connecticut’s patriots conspired, debated, and dared to break with a crown? Step inside the historic courtroom at Connecticut’s Old State House on Wednesday, July 1, at 5:00 p.m. for “A Night at the Tavern,” as the room is transformed into a colonial tavern alive with the spirit of 1776. Join the community for an evening of history, oration, and colonial “musick” marking America’s 250th birthday! Enjoy light tavern fare and a cash bar. Connecticut’s Old State House is located at 800 Main Street, Hartford. This event is free and open to the public. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP here:https://forms.gle/aDwQi6fCJVWtwQkt9.

The theme for the evening is “Defiance & Declaration: Connecticut 1776.” Enjoy a conversation with Historian Dr. Matthew Warshauer of Central Connecticut State University as he traces Connecticut’s bold march to independence: from the publication of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense essay printed in the firebrand Connecticut Courant, to the moment Governor Trumbull called an emergency Assembly on June 14, 1776, and Connecticut declared itself free.

Re-enactor Dayne Rugh will step into the boots of Jonathan Trumbull, giving voice to Connecticut’s own Proclamation of Independence, and musician Richard Franklin Donohue will perform a fiery repertoire of revolutionary-era “musick,” setting the unmistakable mood of a colony on the edge of history.

Parking at the State House Square Parking Garage, located at 75 Market Street, costs up to $10 with validation from Connecticut’s Old State House. Metered street parking is available. Free on-street parking is available after 6 pm and on weekends. Please follow the posted parking instructions.

The Connecticut Democracy Center and Connecticut's Old State House are proud partners of the Long Weekend celebration, running July 1-5 in Hartford. In honor of our nation’s 250th anniversary, Connecticut’s Old State House will be lit up in red, white, and blue during this time as part of Light to Unite!

Located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut’s Old State House served as one of Connecticut’s state capitols from 1796 to 1878 and Hartford City Hall from 1878-1915. Beautifully restored and preserved, this museum and civic space was declared one of the first National Historic Landmarks in 1960 and now operates under a public/private partnership between the Connecticut General Assembly and The Connecticut Democracy Center. Connecticut Old State House is recognized for statewide educational programming including Connecticut History Day, We The People: The Citizen and the Constitution, Project Citizen, and Connecticut’s Kid Governor^®.