May 4 – June 26, 2022
Rethink community. Honor the Earth. Embrace your roots. Meet new neighbors. Baila en la calle. Break the fourth wall. Learn something new. Connect with the Festival, and connect it all.
Explore how artistic genres connect to one another, and how our roots intertwine across generations, planting seeds for the future even as we embody the legacies of our past. Our city and community connect us all through shared space and vital issues. The Festival embraces the multi-faceted nature of all of us by finding ways to connect performance and workshop, new skills and old, and strangers through the arts.
Soul has never sounded as jubilant as it does with singer-songwriter Thabisa, which is no surprise given that her name quite literally means, “to bring joy.” Watch her kick off her 2022 tour here!
Enjoy a romp through Gershwin and original compositions by Israeli pianist Guy Mintus and his trio.
FREE. Travel through space on a ship flown by acolytes of Sun Ra's Arkestra in this outdoor tribute concert hosted by Best Video Film & Cultural Center.
FREE. Kick off the 2022 in-person Festival in style with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra!
FREE. Enjoy an evening of rocking Americana on the Green.
See the next generation of composers fill the stage with their works.
FREE. An evening of Latin dance on the Green
FREE. Experience the allure of catchy electro-pop music that carries a message with Israeli-Persian singer, songwriter, actress, and cultural activist Liraz.
FREE. Nachito Herrera is “explosive, crowd-pleasing. rhythmically intense. Romantic. Dynamic. Jaw-droppingly good.” (Minneapolis Star-Tribune).
FREE. Karim Nagi has spent the last 30 years teaching Arab music and folk dance to audiences throughout the world.
FREE. Get in the spirit Sunday, June 19 at the second annual Gospel on the Green.
FREE. Two-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Gregory Porter injects his passion for jazz, gospel, and blues into live performances with soul-drenched lyrics.
FREE. Meet some animals from the Beardsley Zoo and heard songs like "Flight of the Bumblebee" from the NHSO Brass Quintet.
FREE. An evening of globe-spanning beats and flow.
FREE. Cool Breeze creates a hypnotic meld of sound in a lineup featuring a variety of soul, pop, and R&B performances. Get down and boogie!
FREE. ¡Baila! Fusing passion, energy, and dance, Las Cafeteras celebrates their Chicano heritage and showcases traditional Son Jarocho sonic stylings in their “urgent, relevant music.” (BBC)
CONNECTICUT PREMIERE
Virtuosic dancers perform modern, jazz, ethnic, and spiritual dances that get at the heart of the African American experience.
FREE. Spend an afternoon learning a variety of dances, from hip hop and modern to street jazz, salsa and ballet.
Michelle Buteau has become a household name with her powerful, honest humor about the human experience.
Reginald Dwayne Betts explores the experience and lingering consequences of having a criminal record in a solo theater show based on his poetry collection, Felon.
This fully staged opera created by Toshi Reagan in collaboration with her mother, Bernice Johnson Reagon, brings together more than 30 original anthems drawn from 200 years of black music to recreate Butler’s sci-fi, Afrofuturist masterpiece.
FREE. Inspired by the past few years, this work-in-progress showcase features original songs written and created by Obie-award winner Whitney White and Peter Mark Kendall. The piece is a kaleidoscopic reflection on isolation and longing, about breaking apart and breaking free, the nature of connection and the importance of community.
FREE. Noah Fang is an ethnomusicologist who studies traditional Chinese musical forms and is a musician himself. A 2022 Yale-China Arts Fellow at the Festival, Fang with mezzo soprano Ying Li will present a lecture-recital that illustrates the rich cultural history of Chinese Art Song.
These interactive events and conversations with vital thinkers delve into the most pressing topics in New Haven’s community and beyond. Ideas talks are FREE and open to the public. Ensure your seat with an Ideas fast pass–$20 per event or $100 for the full series. More info on fast passes to be added soon!
FREE. A conversation with James Top, CEO of The Odd Partners Graffiti Crew and New Haven's Director of Cultural Affairs Adriane Jefferson.
FREE. An honest discussion about the difficulties women face when returning home after prison, between Babz Rawls-Ivy and Tiheba Bain, who have been through the experience.
FREE. In this virtual event, director and immersive artist Tamara Shogaolu, the creator of Un(re)solved, will discuss the installation in conversation with artist and filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris.
FREE. Hear from Andrea Jenkins, the nation's first out Black trans person elected to office, on love, social justice, and activism.
FREE. This mini-conference will directly combat racism in the LGBTQ+ community through discussion, group learning, performances, and artistic perspectives that address the diverse needs and struggles of LGBTQ+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
FREE. A 2022 HKETONY Arts Activator Fellow at the Festival, Hollis Ngai interweaves interviews, stories, and memories into a podcast that presents a fresh perspective on cultural identities, the American dream, hopes, and race in New Haven.
FREE. Business entrepreneurs Alisha Crutchfield-McLean, founder and owner of BLOOM, Jason Sobocinski, founder and owner of Black Hog Brewing Company, and New Haven’s newest lifestyle hub, unite for a seminar on how to build a brand and connect with community.
THIS EVENT IS CANCELED
FREE. Learn how humans, art, and biology intersect in this talk with pioneering bio artist Suzanne Anker.
FREE. American troubadour Shawn Taylor draws from his expertise in mythology, theater, and pop culture to discuss fandom that radicalizes for change.
FREE. A film screening with Jamaican designer Neville Wisdom, whose self-titled clothing boutique in New Haven has become a local favorite.
FREE. A panel with Neville Wisdom and Prajje Oscar in conversation with Aaron Peirano Garrison on fashion and identity.
FREE. Critically acclaimed author, chef, and food justice activist Bryant Terry discusses his 2022 James Beard nominated books Vegetable Kingdom and Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora with food justice activist Tagan Engel.
FREE. How can doctors better serve patients from within challenging systems while our basic understandings of human complexity expands? This interdisciplinary celebrates the true art of medicine — seeing patients — spanning topics of misdiagnosis, LGBTQ+ health, medical teaching, and what the arts and humanities have to do with helping clinicians learn to see beyond the surface.
FREE. Paul Greenberg will be talking about the future of our oceans and how we can make changes to help the environment.
FREE. Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK) combats the invisibility and dehumanization of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (APIDA) women using humor and comedy.
FREE. Strike a pose! Drag performer and Beyoncé impersonator Miss Shalae and ball performer Aishah “Spyder” Murray discuss the roots of ball culture.
GRATIS. Aprende acerca de las voces del activismo latino de la mano de la consumada activista de derechos civiles y organizadora comunitaria Dolores Huerta, fundadora y presidenta de la Dolores Huerta Foundation, en El Pueblo Unido en conversación con Camila Güiza-Chavez, co-directora ejecutiva de Heavenly Treats y miembro de Semilla Collective.
GRATIS. Se parte de un seminario en español sobre inmigración narrado a través de la música en The Home We Carry: Immigration and Culture, presentado por la banda Las Cafeteras y la vicepresidenta de iniciativas del Vera Institute of Justice Kica Matos.
FREE. Learn the ins and outs of fashion design in this hands-on workshop with renowned designer Cristina Ruales.
High fashion meets the Festival in this premiere catwalk event featuring Project Runway's Prajjé Oscar, Neville Wisdom, Ng2 Studios, LaMoo Designs, and Isalina Sanchez.
We partner with local restaurants to give you unique, exciting cooking classes, tastings, tours, and more!
FREE. Savor a sneak peak of our new, limited edition Festival beer- &Beer while mingling with artists and enjoying the flavors of summer at Black Hog Brewing.
Sample the cuisines of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, and Puerto Rico at Fair Haven restaurants while exploring the neighborhood’s eclectic history with Lee Cruz, founder of the CSNA.
Raise a pint on the Green and enjoy a variety of beer from more than 20 local breweries, including Black Hog Brewing, Back East Brewing Company, Milford Point Brewery, Alvarium, Armada, NEBCO, and more.
Celebrate food and fellowship among friends and family with music by singer-songwriter Lara Herscovitch; stories from Mark Scerra, ChaChanna Simpson, and Laconia Therrio about human commonality; and nourishment from Soul de Cuba Cafe, Olea, Claire’s CornerCopia, and Olmo Kitchen.
Sip, sip, hooray! Sample small bites from fast-casual vegan and vegetarian Indian restaurant Pataka while flavor masters from modern Indian kitchen House of Naan teach home bartenders to take their craft to the next level by adding pops of flavor to their cocktails.
FREE. Spice up your dishes with a little something extra from local culinary masterminds and fall in love with a variety of flavors at the CT Food Launchpad Expo.
The Peabody Museum, home of the world-famous Babylonian Collection of over 45,000 artifacts, showcases 3D replicas of 4,000 year old Babylonian recipe tablets while you dine on dishes cooked according to these very same recipes by chefs from Sanctuary Kitchen.
Discover the many flavors of Asia with Michael Flora and Natthawut Tipjak of Blue Orchid, who will serve dishes that showcase curries, spices, and textures from throughout Asia, including its New Haven famous Khao Soi.
Let there be brunch! Join us at Westville’s gem of a coffee shop Pistachio for a brunch featuring a variety of Syrian dishes, from cardamom-infused brews to flaky, favorful baklava.
Kayak from Dover Beach launch along the Quinnipiac River, discovering oyster farms and birdwatching spots along the way. Then stop at Fair Haven Oyster Company, where you’ll sample local oysters and sip tasty drinks.
FREE. Who are the men, women and children whose cases were re-examined under the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act? The Un(re)solved installation uses augmented-reality, mixing art and technology with investigative journalism, to investigate racist civil rights-era killings and right wrongs of our country’s past.
Boat, bike, or walk a new path in New Haven in these guided tours.
FREE. How many different kind of libraries can one city have?
FREE. Throughout the last several years, Westville Village has been expanding with new restaurants, a variety of quaint shops, and unique galleries.
FREE. Culturally diverse and teeming with flavor, New Haven soaks up the cuisines of its population.
FREE. Take a guided walking tour of the Mill River Trail with Steve Hamm, local filmmaker and creator of Mill River’s documentary, ""A River Speaks.""
FREE. Ever wish there was a way to travel Eastward on the shoreline by bike?
FREE. There are a million and one ways to get exercise, why not explore a few of the interesting sports New Haven has to offer?
FREE. Explore the Palestinian experience and cultural and artistic achievements through this guided tour of the Palestine Museum with its founder Faisal Saleh.
FREE. Join quantum scientist and New Haven Museum guest curator Florian Carle for a tour of his exhibition to discover how quantum computers were handcrafted in New Haven by generations of researchers.
THIS EVENT IS CANCELED
FREE. Remember the old Anchor neon sign, or the Rubber Match’s distinctive fonts? These iconic New Haven artifacts aren’t lost forever!
The supermoon, or Strawberry Moon, will light up the sky, and you can experience it firsthand from a kayak!
Join a relaxing and reflective morning yoga session on Outer Island National Wildlife Refuge located in the Thimble Islands of Branford. Bring your own mat!
FREE. We’ll get an inside perspective on what it takes to maintain New Haven's bridges, and how decisions to rebuild them are made with the recently re-opened Grand Avenue Bridge as a model of successful city planning.
FREE. Learn how an element as seemingly simple as water can have a major impact on the community by touring an innovative water treatment plant.
FREE. Established in 1875, this is the oldest agricultural experiment station in the country and is still in use by researchers studying mosquitos, invasive aquatic plants, ticks, and soil, among other agricultural issues.
FREE. Celebrate 200 years of history at the Farmington Canal, which dates back to the early 19th century.
This expedition will follow the 14-mile West River, a freshwater stream that flows through Bethany, Woodbridge, New Haven, and West Haven before ending at Haven Harbor.
A roundtrip water excursion along the historic 3-mile Mill River.
FREE. New Haven has had a colorful role as the backdrop to many movies.
FREE. New Haven has its share of mixed surfaces often creating a challenge for even the most seasoned rider.
FREE. Walking tour among New Haven's nine squares that reveals the region's hidden queer history.
FREE. Focusing on New Haven’s foundational history of Black creativity and innovation, this ride takes bikers through key historical landmarks.
FREE. Yale University mascot Handsome Dan XIX is excited to take YOU for a walk on a tour of Yale’s campus...from a bulldog’s point of view.
Awaken your balance and core muscles in this structured class.
Visit Outer Island National Wildlife Refuge, the only public island in the famous Thimble Islands of Branford, Connecticut.
FREE. Granite rubbing stones are scattered throughout New Haven Parks.
FREE. Gather New Haven will discuss the seasonal production cycle of the Ferry Street urban Farm along with the programs that the farm supports.
FREE. Tour the vibrant ecosystem within District New Haven.
FREE. In 2012, a tree toppled by Hurricane Sandy led to the discovery of the Colonial burial ground.
FREE. Travel South on the East Coast Greenway to Silver Sands State Park in Milford.
FREE. Trace the City Point Historic District’s evolution from a 19th-century oystering village to a hidden beauty packed with charm on New Haven’s modern waterfront.
FREE. Go behind the scenes and learn how to make movie magic during this tour of Black-owned and operated Jaigantic Studios.
FREE. A mobile music and relationship-building ride to bring joy to the New Haven community.
FREE. A River Speaks is a beautiful, deeply bioregional film that weaves together the human and natural history of a watershed.
FREE. A gallery space and creative hub nestled in the heart of New Haven, NXTHVN is devoted to intergenerational mentorship, collaboration, and incubation.
FREE. Travel North from New Haven to Cheshire and learn about plans to connect the former rail trail to Northampton, Massachussetts.
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free (two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation). The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order; but with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.
FREE. Celebrate Liberation Day with the Festival in this concert highlighting jazz and the internationally recognized Jesse "Cheese" Hameen.
FREE. The Elder Honoring is an annual tradition and trademark of the Juneteenth Coalition of Greater New Haven.
FREE. The Juneteenth Village, represented by vendors in that section of the Green, symbolizes thriving towns like Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, often referred to as "Black Wall Street".
These events, designed for our youngest Festival attendees, are fun for the whole family!
FREE. Watch the Green turn into a museum as staff from the Peabody showcase the four-billion-year intertwined evolution of dinosaurs and birds in an interactive exhibit featuring fossils, bones, feathers; and other artifacts.
FREE. Learn collage with Faustin Adeniran, a contemporary sculptor from Lagos, Nigeria, now working in New Haven. You’ll use newspapers, cardboard, cans, and other items to create treasure from trash in this session.
FREE. Give bees a place to sleep and hear what all the buzz is all about from the Huneebee Project, who will teach us how to make hotels for native bees.
FREE. View team-built sculptures that use cans to raise awareness about our shared connection to food and the issues around hunger and food scarcity in our community.
FREE. Travel across North America with Sirius Coyote, whose traditional, contemporary world music is renowned for its upbeat rhythm featuring guitar, sax, clarinet, flutes, kalimbas, drums, keyboards, ocarinas and a variety of other eclectic instruments made from materials found in nature.
FREE. Sharpen your pencils and get close to nature in this figure drawing session. Drop in and draw inspiration from butterflies, bird feathers, seashells, and other natural materials as staff from the Peabody guides participants in creating masterpieces worthy of Audubon.
FREE. Karim Nagi has spent the last 30 years teaching Arab music and folk dance to audiences throughout the world.
FREE. Learn the ins and outs of fashion design in this hands-on workshop with renowned designer Cristina Ruales.
FREE. In this captivating storytelling event for kids, award-winning storyteller and mime Antonio Rocha showcases stories from around the world with character movements, sound effects and voices.
THIS EVENT IS CANCELED
FREE. Staff from the Eli Whitney Museum will show how we can use marbles to learn about our world in a community-built marble run as well as with take-home kits.
FREE. Mario the Maker Magician has appeared on Sesame Street, NBC’s Universal Kids, and HGTV, and has toured with illusionist David Blaine, who called him “the best kids’ magician in the world.”
FREE. When the court of the moon is invaded by ruffians, and the stars are stolen out of the sky, the queen of the night sets out to find out why in this circus showcase.
FREE. Air Temple Arts performers will teach fundamental circus skills like partner acrobatics, weight sharing, learning how to base and fly simple poses, and more—suitable for all ages and bodies!
FREE. Get ready to WORK and SLAY on the DRAGtastic Journey featuring some of New Haven’s local drag royalty!
Dig deeper into Parable of the Sower with fellow readers from across the city.
FREE. The NHFPL will be featuring screenings in every branch!
FREE. Watch a hero's journey unfold in this African acid western with an introduction by the film's director.
FREE. Travel through space on a ship flown by acolytes of Sun Ra's Arkestra in this outdoor tribute concert hosted by Best Video Film & Cultural Center.
FREE. Transport yourself to an out-of-this-world experience for an outdoor screening of the Afrofutusim sci-fi film Space Is The Place (1974) at the Spring Glen United Methodist Church. BYOChair!
FREE. Hear local, best-selling science fiction author Tochi Onyebuchi speak in this library event.
This fully staged opera created by Toshi Reagan in collaboration with her mother, Bernice Johnson Reagon, brings together more than 30 original anthems drawn from 200 years of black music to recreate Butler’s sci-fi, Afrofuturist masterpiece.
FREE. One City, One Read includes teens and kids too!
Just some of the places you can find a copy of PARABLE in the Elm City
Hear the power of the spoken word through poetry, storytelling, slam, and more in these events.
FREE. See rising stars of the spoken word world and cheer on the next generation of poets.
Returning to the Festival with a $1000 prize at stake, WordFest brings together a number of the Northeast’s hottest slam poets in heated competition.
GRATIS. Néstor “The Boss” Gomez trae las historias de inmigrantes y refugiados de todo el mundo en su espectáculo de narración de cuentos 80 Minutes Around The World.
FREE. Learn how to craft engaging stories with veteran storyteller Nestor Gomez, three-time Chicago Grand Slam Champion and author of Your Driver Has Arrived
Storytellers Nestor Gomez, Shawn Taylor, Nick Baskerville, Terry Wolfisch Cole, and Motoko Dworkin will take the stage for 10-minute performances, each bookended by the indie folk stylings of musical guest Lys Guillorn.
Nick Baskerville’s elaborate stories intertwine humor with legacy and memories to generate an experience centered on creating deep-rooted human connections.
How much can you share in 20 slides, 20 seconds each? In PechaKucha, performers tell a story on a subject of their choosing in a unique presentational format.
The International Festival of Arts and Ideas High School Fellowship Program offers New Haven public school sophomores, juniors, and seniors a unique, fully funded opportunity to learn about the arts in a semester-long college level course that immerses them in all things Festival.
FREE. Congratulations to our 2022 High School Fellows!
Neighborhood Festival Committees, local arts and business partners, and Festival staff and volunteers host local talent for one-day festivals celebrating New Haven's historic and culturally rich neighborhoods. These festivals would not be possible without the incredible leadership of each neighborhood's committee chairs.
FREE. This Neighborhood Festival is organized for, of, and by Fair Haveners!
FREE. All roads lead to the Hill- and to an amazing Neighborhood Festival! See musician Manny James, Bridgeport-based rapper Famous, multitalented artist Nbs Malay, the incredible Donny Wright and the InnerVizion Band, and more.
FREE. This Neighborhood Festival is organized for, of, and by folks from Newhallville!
FREE. This Neighborhood Festival is for, of, and by folks from West Rock & West Hills!
