For all those interested, 'Mark Twain Days' is a three-day-long festival
sponsored by The Mark Twain House et. al. in Hartford, CT, August 16-18.
Some interesting items on the menu:

Friday, August 16
Grand Opening: Free concert in Bushnell Park with Arlo Guthrie, Richie
Haven, and Aztec Two-Step
5-10 pm.: Ticketed performances of Mark Twain's _The Diaries of Adam
and Eve_ featuring David Birney
Ticketed performances of _Mark Twain: The Musical_ (a musical revue of
Twain's
life and selected works, including _HF_, _Connecticut Yankee_, and others
- please write if you want more details, I have the brochure).

Saturday, August 17 - 10 am-9 pm
-Tours of the Twain House, Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Victorian
collections
at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Old State House
-Walking tours of Victorian Hartford.
-At Nook Farm: recreation of Twain's neighborhood with costumed friends
strolling the grounds.
-Victorian craft activities for kids, music, and story-telling (and
astrologers, palmistry, & tarot card readings for the adults!)
-Victorian dance performances, 19th magic lantern slide show
-Hartford Public Library exhibition of Twain books and materials
-Black history exhibition
-Ice cream social
-"Markathon" reading of Twain's works
-Celebrity spelling "fight"
-Frog jumping and fence painting
-Civil War encampment, medieval sword fights (for you bloodthirsty lot!)
-Old-fashioned bicycle races, carousel rides, sack races
-Live musical scenes from _Tom Sawyer-
-Riverboat rides, barbershop quartet, raft races, cane-pole fishing clinic
-Victorian ball in City Hall
-Festival of Comedy in Bushnell Park
-_The Diaries of Adam and Eve_
-_MT: The Musical_

Sunday, August 18
12 noon - 5 pm
-Tom, Becky, & Huck look-alike contests
-Mark Twain writing contest awards
-Tours of houses....
-same as above for the most part.....
-Free gospel concert by the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble
-_Adam and Eve_
_MT: The Musical_

Parking: available in downtown lots at Hartford Public High School on
Forest Street with shuttle service to The Mark Twain House

Shuttle Bus/Trolley Stops: Continuous shuttle service will connect all
sites throughout the festival.  Look for Mark Twain Days shuttle stop
signs at most event sites.

Admission: All events are FREE unless noted here.  Mark Twain House &
Harriet Beecher Stowe House: $5 adults, kids under 13 free
Wadsworth Atheneum: $6 adults, ages 6-17 $3, kids under 6 free
Riverboat rides: $5 adults, kids under 13 $2.50
Purchase tickets at the sites.

Ticketed performances:
For _Adam and Eve_, call Hartford Stage at 860-527-5151 for info.
For _MT:The Musical_, call 800-4-PROTIX

More phone numbers:
Greater Hartford Tourism District: 1-800-793-4480
The Mark Twain House:  860-247-0998
Connecticut Vacation Guide: 1-800-CT-BOUND
Group Tour Information: 860-247-0998
Whew!  If anyone would like more information, please e-mail me at
[log in to unmask]  I will be happy to look through my brochures
and help!  Please let me know if you plan to attend; it would be nice
to meet a few fellow Forum members!

Enjoy!

Beth Regish
Smithsonian Institution Libraries