The new year arrived a few hours early for the young patients and their families at Connecticut Children’s in Hartford.
A large outdoor party came together on Tuesday evening thanks to the generosity of the staff of the restaurant across the street from the hospital along with help from some kind donors.
The reason why the ‘Making Spirts Bright’ event was happening outside J Restaurant Bar on Washington Street was for all the children who have to spend New Year’s Eve in the hospital.
Organizers wanted to bring the revelry to the kids with a party that the young patients could see from the hospital windows. A DJ, street performers, ice carvers and more helped the kids and their families celebrate the start of 2020.
“I think it would be spectacular for the kids in the children’s hospital to look out the window and see the ground packed with people that are here for them, you know, in support of them,” said Jordan Dikegoros, owner of J Restaurant Bar.
“It’s just fun to see people’s reaction, to go you guys are nuts,” said Dikegoros. “It’s like well yeah, we work hard at the restaurant but we love to create events. And it’s just fun to see the look on everybody’s face when you do something like this, or you can pull something like this off.”
Former Lieutenant Governor and current state Democratic party chair Nancy Wyman and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin were in attendance along with hospital personnel and many members of the community.
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Organizers planned both a six o’clock and midnight ball drop on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s gonna be spectacular. I’ll probably have tears in my eyes,” Dikegoros said.
