The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is pleased to announce two community nights to help you reconnect with friends and raise funds for the museum. On Thursdays, May 13 and June 10, the museum will host Community Nights. Please join us to visit with your neighbors from a safe distance and raise money to support the museum which, like many cultural institutions, has lost significant revenue due to event cancellations and closures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
On Thursday, May 13, and Thursday, June 10, you can pick up dinner from your favorite food truck, shop with local vendors, play lawn games, do some crafts with the kids, enjoy free custard samples from Shake Shack, and play tourist in your own town. The National Historic Landmark birthplace of founding father Noah Webster, will be open for tours as well as the grounds, where you can explore the colonial kitchen garden or try your hand at oversized games like Jenga and Connect 4.
May and June are the perfect months for al fresco dining, and the museum will have plenty of seating available in its patio and adjoining parking lot. Food will be available for purchase from participating food trucks. On both nights, Iron & Grain Co. will be cooking up favorites like Black & Blue Burgers and Street Corn on the wood-fired grill in their repurposed 1959 Chevy Viking. They also will be serving up draft beer and their signature cocktails (valid ID required). Iron & Grain’s menu of fresh and locally sourced foods cooked over an open flame is a fixture at farmers markets and events throughout the state. In May, Craftbird Food Truck will offer their unique sandwiches and sides using fresh seasonal and local ingredients. Craftbird believes in farm-to-truck deliciousness, priding themselves on guests enjoying every finger-licking second of their experience. In June, East-West Grille On Wheels will be offering their exciting combination of traditional and “fusion” dishes from Laos, Thailand, China, Japan, and Vietnam. East-West Grille On Wheels is a new spin-off of the Zagat-award winning restaurant of the same name, one of a few Pan-Asian restaurants in Connecticut to specialize in Laotian food.
Local vendors will be showcasing their wares, including WeHa Candle Co., Wildflower Art Space, WeHa Brewing, Knebels Kreations, the West Hartford Garden Club (May only), and The Farmington Farm Truck (June only). Additional vendors are being added daily!
For dessert, why not try a free sample of homemade frozen custard provided by Shake Shack? The Shake Shack West Hartford location makes this sweet treat fresh daily. What’s the difference between ice cream and frozen custard? Nelson Perez, the store’s General Manager, explains that custard uses eggs, which gives it a different consistency and rich taste. (Custard, n. a pudding-like, usually sweetened, mixture made with eggs and milk.)
To attend Community Nights at the Noah Webster House, the museum requests a $5 per person donation. All proceeds will benefit the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Museum members and children 5 and under are free. Food and beverages are available for purchase. Skip the line! Pre-register at noahwebster.yapsody.com. Please wear masks when unable to maintain a 6 ft. distance. Alcohol is available to those 21 years or older with valid ID.
