With temperatures on the rise this week, outdoor events are top of mind, and organizers are planning ways to keep people safe and cool.
With temperatures on the rise this week, outdoor events are top of mind, and organizers are planning ways to keep people safe and cool.
In Waterbury, the city’s Juneteenth celebration is set for Wednesday at 11 a.m., and after an outdoor flag raising, the celebrations will be moved inside and out of the summer sun. It’s a decision organizers made after seeing the forecast.
But Wendy Tyson-Wood, president of the Greater Waterbury NAACP, said the heat can put things into perspective for people.
“It's kind of like a tribute to the slaves and the conditions that they had to work in. We are blessed, you know, we have air conditions, we have buildings, we have civil rights. Back then, they didn't have anything. They did it all regardless of the weather,” Tyson-Wood said. “The weather's a little uncomfortable for an hour, but if you can imagine doing that for the entire time of your life livelihood, you can bear that hour.”
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In Middletown, the city’s Juneteenth parade will kick off Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. After the parade, a celebration will be held at Harbor Park.
"We are staying mindful of the heat conditions,” said Erica Hunter, chairperson for the Middletown Ujima Alliance. “The Middletown Health Department will have a cooling tent. We have bunch of donations of cases of water, we're giving out free water, we also have from the city two refill stations."
In Harford this weekend, the Hartbeat Music Festival will welcome thousands of attendees and dozens of local acts across three stages. The day-long, free event takes place at Mortensen Riverfront Plaza.
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“Last year was rained out, so we're looking forward to bringing back the Hartbeat Music Festival. An opportunity for people to see live, local music,” said president and CEO of Riverfront Recapture, Michael Zaleski. "The weather will be hot, but the music is gonna be hotter!"
He said they’re prepared to keep people safe and cool, and hope the breeze off of the Connecticut River will work in their favor.
"Ultimately, it's all about staying hydrated, finding as much shade as you can and then just being smart about how you approach the day,” Zaleski said. “[We’ll have] lots of water, lots of opportunities to hydrate, [and] a misting tent that'll be on the upper plaza giving people the opportunity to cool down.”
