Annual Mum Festival To Bloom In Bristol

The annual Chrysanthemum Festival in Bristol is a town-wide celebration of the beauty of chrysanthemum.

Opening ceremony and crowning of "Miss Mum" on Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. at Bristol Central.

The parade steps off Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:30 p.m.

Events include food fest, carnival, arts and crafts, house tours, auto show, Oktoberfest and much more. (Bring your camera.)

The colorful fun amid blooms and flowers happens Friday through Sunday (weekends through Oct. 11), with the first weekend Sept. 25, 26 and 27.

Related events happen around the city, including the 11th Annual Illumination under the stars at the Giamatti Little League Center, 335 Mix Street, Bristol Friday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m. (free).

For more details and a complete listing of all the fun, see www.bristolmumfestival.org.

NCAA Champs Parade April 19

The State of Connecticut and the City of Hartford will host a parade for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team for winning the 2009 NCAA National Basketball Championship on Sunday, April 19.

The UConn women won their sixth NCAA Basketball Championship on April 7 by beating the Louisville Cardinals in St. Louis. They finished the season undefeated and were the regular season champions of the Big East and the winners of the conference tournament championship.

The 3 p.m. parade, which will take place near the Bushnell Park, Main Street and Capitol Avenue areas of the city, will begin and end at the State Capitol. A rally will take place on the north steps of the Capitol immediately following the parade.

The UConn parade planning committee is coordinated by Governor Rell's office, the Hartford Business Improvement District and the MetroHartford Alliance and consists of representatives from the Office of the Governor, the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford, the University of Connecticut, the Hartford Hospitality Task Force and civic organizations and businesses from throughout the Greater Hartford region.

For parade sponsorship opportunities, contact Michael Zaleski at the Hartford Business Improvement District at (860) 728-2274.