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Newsletter Merge: There wasn’t a clear winner of combining Quiet Corner Buzz with Tolland County Buzz so for now I’ll keep em’ separate. If you want to know what’s happening in Tolland County towns make sure you sign up here!

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To be honest, not a ton going on this week (besides the 4th of July), but I’m not throwing the events yet…(oh, is that some foreshadowing?), just letting you know what’s going on around here.

🔥 Killingly High finally put its mascot feud to bed, voting 6-1 to blaze ahead as the “Trailblazers” after the name narrowly beat out “Riverhawks” in a community poll.

👶 Canterbury just got cuter: Grow With Me Pediatrics has opened its doors, promising same-day sick visits and a kid-friendly, no-rush vibe

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Snag Eddie, Our Companions’ 1½-year-old chinchilla who flips from shy to sofa-snuggler the second you roll out a dust bath and level-up your Netflix nook with one adorable adoption

🏡House of the week: Ex-church alert: this 1837 Greek-Revival in Killingly swaps pews for a 30 × 40 great room with 15-ft ceilings, perfect for yoga, weddings, or the world’s chillest game night. Check it out!

🥾Trail of the week: Hop on at Pomfret Station (13 Railroad Ave), coast the tree-tunnel straightaway north to Putnam, and brag you just knocked off the prettiest “rail-trail espresso run” in Windham County. Peep the map!

🔭Sky report: Peek west just after sunset on July 3–4: tiny-but-mighty Mercury reaches its greatest evening stretch from the sun, hanging below rusty Mars and Leo’s blue-white heart star Regulus, an easy triple-treat to snag over Windham County treetops.

Boombox Parade | Willimantic | 9am

Willimantic’s weirdest (and most wonderful) tradition turns 40 this July 4th—yup, it’s time for the Boombox Parade, where you bring the music and the Main Street energy. No marching bands, just a crowd of red-white-and-blue decked folks blasting WILI-AM from radios, speakers, and yes—actual boomboxes.

Anyone can march, no registration needed. Just show up at Jillson Square around 9am, tune in to WILI 1400AM, and get ready to strut at 11am down Main Street in the world’s largest radio-powered parade. This year marks four decades of DIY floats, homegrown patriotism, and Wayne Norman leading the charge with a mic and those iconic UConn slippers.

It’s loud. It’s quirky. It’s Connecticut’s Fourth at full volume.

Eastford’s own “Fighting Lyon” didn’t just wave the flag, he bulldozed obstacles with it. Born on a farm outside today’s Eastford in 1818, Nathaniel Lyon clawed his way from West Point’s Class of ’41 to brigadier general in only 20 years.

In May 1861 he marched 6,000 Union volunteers into St. Louis, nabbed 669 pro-Confederate militiamen at Camp Jackson, then strutted them through town like a victory parade, a swagger-move that sparked riots and left 28 civilians dead but, more importantly, locked Missouri in the Union column. Legend has it that Lyon even scouted the enemy camp dressed as an “old lady” before the raid, because subtlety was overrated when the republic was on the line.

Three months later, outnumbered more than two-to-one (5,400 Federals vs. roughly 12,000 Rebels) Lyon charged up “Bloody Hill” at Wilson’s Creek, Missouri, shouting, “Come on, my brave boys!” A bullet tore through his chest at 9:30 a.m. on August 10, 1861, making him the first Union general killed in the Civil War and a martyr at just 43. His body took a 1,500-mile funeral tour through St. Louis, Cincinnati, Philly, New York, and Hartford before coming home to a marble-topped monument off Route 198, proof that a Windham-County farm kid could tilt an entire border state and still steal the national spotlight after death

Danielson | Community Photo Walk | 6pm $ - Photographers of all levels are invited to bring their camera of choice to Killingly Dog Park (Quinebaug Dr) to explore nature through a mindful lens. Tix

Pomfret | Youth BBall League | 5pm $ - Get your basketball-loving little ones involved with Pomfret Rec’s (576 Hampton Rd) basketball league on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. More info

Willimantic | Learn About Animal Mimicry | 6pm - The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center will be at the Willimantic Public Library (905 Main St) to teach about biomimicry and human invention inspired by wildlife.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Tyler Fauxbel | 8-11pm

Dayville | Puzzle Comp/Beer Release | 6pm $ - Put your competitive puzzle skills to the test at Black Pond Brews (1001 Hartford Pike) and enjoy a newly released strawberry-rhubarb beer. Sign-up

North Grosvenordale | Movies on the Big Screen | 2-4:30pm - Catch a movie and some popcorn at Thompson Public Library (934 Riverside Dr). You’ll have to pop in to see what the movie is.

Willimantic | Sensory Bottle | 4pm - Bring the littles to Willimantic Public Library (905 Main St) to create a festive 4th of July sparkly bottle craft. Call (860) 465-3079 or email [email protected] to book a spot.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Shaboo Stage - Willimantic | Nightshift | 6-8pm

TRIVIA

Stomping Ground - Putnam | 7pm
Hank’s - Brooklyn | 6:30pm
Mill Town Grill - North Grosvenordale | 6:30pm
Bear Hands - Putnam | 6pm

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Straight Up Jazz Series | 5:30-7:30pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | The Berger Boys | 8-11pm

TRIVIA

Trolley Pub - Willimantic | 7:30pm
Midway Restaurant - Ashford | 7pm

Putnam | Mini Wrestling All-Stars | 9-11pm $ - Celebrate the birth of our nation with little people wrestling (I don’t make these events up, I just post them here) at Montana Nights (50 Providence Pike). Tix

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Garden on the Bridge - Willimantic | Jim Stahr | 6-7pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | A Former Friend | 8-11pm

TRIVIA

Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | 6:30pm

Hampton | Horsemanship Clinic | 9:30am $ - Do a little horsing around at Rohania Farm (91 Lewis Rd) with obstacles and other horse enthusiasts. Message Rohania Farm for more details.

Putnam | Fireworks | 7-9pm - Putnam Parks and Rec is putting on a fireworks display at Rotary Park (196 Kennedy Dr), which will be preceded by a performance by Rock-Kin’-On.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Lovewhip | 8-11pm
⬢ Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | Kylie Harris | 2-5pm

Woodstock | Roseland Park Celebration | 2-4pm - Celebrate the legacy of Roseland Park (205 Roseland Park Rd) with live music by the Jay Bernard Trio ft. Jay Wiggins, wagon rides, park tours, and more. Email questions to [email protected]

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Triple Raven Brewing - North Grosvenordale | Karaoke | 6-10pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Alpaca Lunch | 1-4pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Open Mic | 7pm
⬢ Taylor Brooke - Putnam | JBD Trio | 2-5pm

Willimantic | Kids Clay Camp - 10+ | 10am $ - See if you have the next Michaelangelo with some clay exploration at Spiral Art Studio (750 Main St). Tix

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Music Lady Cafe - Central Village | Brandt Taylor | 5:30pm