Picnic in the Park, A Unique and Safe Outdoor Experience This Fall!
weHartford presents a unique and safe experience for greater Hartford locals, that will generate business for hard-hit Hartford restaurants and benefit the Bushnell Park Foundation!
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This September, get ready to enjoy one-of-a-kind picnic baskets curated by Hartford’s favorite local restaurants while you lounge with friends or family on your own special picnic set up in Bushnell Park!
Each Wednesday night during the series, Picnic in the Park will partner with an interesting or well-known chef in the Hartford area to curate their own take on a picnic basket meal. These picnic baskets will sell for $30 per basket (feeds one person) and will be available for pickup at 5:30 on the designated date. Attendees will bring their own picnic blankets to set up and attendees will enjoy FREE curated entertainment in the park!
This is a great way to help support our local restaurants, the amazing Bushnell Park Foundation (they do so much for our park!), AND to have a unique and safe experience in a time where it feels like life has been canceled. We can’t wait to see you there… just try and beat our Picnic Setup, we dare you!
We’re excited to bring this experience to you in collaboration with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, the Bushnell Park Foundation, Hartford Yard Goats, Republic at the Linden, El Pollo Guapo, Red Rock Tavern, and Capital Ice Cream. With a very special thanks to our sponsors The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts, Spectra Apartments, and The Gottfried Family!
Here’s what you need to know about this limited experience happening each Wednesday in September:
- Wednesday evenings in September Picnic in the Park will partner with a local Hartford restaurant to curate their very own take on their perfect picnic basket.
- Picnic baskets will be available for pickup between 5:30-6:00 PM at Bushnell Park where you can enjoy a socially distanced night of special outdoor entertainment
- Baskets are $30 per person
- This is a family-friendly event, with kids meal options at our 9/9 and 9/16 events
- The Hartford Yard Goats have created special social-distance-safe circles for picnickers – so once you pick up your basket at check-in you can head over and claim one!
- Make sure to bring your own blankets, pillows or chairs, and anything else to make your most picture worthy picnic set up ever!
September 2nd | Partnering with Republic at the Linden
- Chef Joe’s Famous Potato Salad
- Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwich with Balsamic Onions on Ciabatta Bread
- Miss Emily’s Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- ALTERNATIVE VEG. OPTION: Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich
PLUS
- Capital Ice Cream will be in the park with their ice cream cart for an after-dinner sweet treat.
- The very talented West End Wizbangers will be providing FREE entertainment during the event. If you don’t know who they are, you are in for a fun surprise.
- This event is BYOB.
September 9th | Partnering with El Pollo Guapo
- Guapo Chicken Salad Sliders with garlic-lime aioli, marinated cucumber, pickled onion
- Scrumptious side salad
- Smashed avocado and chips
- Chocolate chip cookie
- ALTERNATIVE VEG. OPTION: Coming soon!
- Also, check out our kids meal for this event!
PLUS…
- Capital Ice Cream will be in the park with their ice cream cart for an after-dinner sweet treat.
- The very talented The Carabello Trio will be providing FREE entertainment during the event.
- This event is BYOB.
September 16th | Partnering with Red Rock Tavern
- Kale Quinoa Salad with lemon mustard dressing
- Chicken and Fig Sandwich with caramelized onions, arugula, and goat cheese spread
- Housemade Zuchini Chips
- ALTERNATIVE VEG. OPTION: Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich with sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, goat cheese spread, and honeyPLUS Capital Ice Cream will be in the park with their ice cream cart for an after-dinner sweet treat.
PLUS…
- Capital Ice Cream will be in the park with their ice cream cart for an after-dinner sweet treat.
- The very talented Golden Scroll Soloists will be providing FREE entertainment during the event.
- This event is BYOB.
Quick Facts…
- As seen in the above map, the event is being held on the East side of the park, with the entrance and food pickup at the Pump House
- Each picnic basket feeds one person (and we guarantee it’ll fill you up!)
- Street parking is recommended (it’s free after 6pm!) or the closest parking garage is 100 Trumbull Street, only half a block away from the park
- In case of rain, picnic baskets will still be available for pickup that same day/time, but you may decide to eat from the comfort of your home and watch some virtual entertainment on the weHartford live IG feed
- If you choose to eat your basket in Bushnell Park, please be aware that there are no public restrooms other than two port-o-potties that you can utilize at your own risk 😉
- This is a family-friendly event – feel free to bring the kiddos if they can respect social distancing rules of course!
- There will be a designated area roped off in the park for those people who purchased picnic baskets and where free entertainment will be held. If you do not purchase a picnic basket you cannot enter this roped off area – but there is plenty more room in other areas of Bushnell Park for all to enjoy!
- There will be indoor bathrooms available right next to the event in the park’s Pump House
- People gathering in the park to enjoy their meals must follow state-issued guidelines of wearing a mask when close to others, and please be respectful of everyone’s space in the park. We suggest the following guidelines if you plan to enjoy your basket in the park:
Picnic rules and suggestions for guests:
- Bring a large sheet, blanket, or bedspread, to allow the dishes to be spread far apart for easy individual access.
- Guests must be at least six feet apart at all times.
- Everyone should bring and utilize hand sanitizer! We will have hand sanitizer on-site as well.
- Meals will be individually wrapped to reduce sharing hazards.
- Plating and utensils will be disposable (and biodegradable where possible!) to reduce transmission of germs
- If guests are passing a common serving container, wine bottle, or other picnic item, they should sanitize their hands first, and if anyone has to sneeze or cough, they should leave the immediate area to do so.
- Wear masks when not actually eating or when not on your own picnic blanket.
