Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days Of Summer Fun

Sure the lawn might need mowing and the rest of the “to do” list tending to, but it is a summer weekend and there are so many better things to do!

Grab your thongs (not those thongs, the kind that used to be worn on your feet in the 60s) your cut-offs and your  beach towels and head down to the Goodspeed’s Norma Terris theater Thursday for the opening of “The Bikinis.”  It’s about a  sixties girl group in New Jersey that wants to raise money for a good cause, and along the way sings more than 30  hits including “It’s In His Kiss,” “Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,” “Heat Wave,” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”  The show runs through Sept. 9. For ticket information go to goodspeed.org.

There’s more music, albeit a bit different genre, at the Goshen fairground Friday when the Litchfield Jazz Fest opens.

The 17th annual festival will open with a Friends Gala that will include  food from the  Bantam Bistro, private reserve French wines courtesy of Vandoren Vineyards, microbrews by the Olde Burnside Brewing Company, signature cocktails, and music and dancing all night long.

Special guest is  Dominic Chianese, Uncle Junior of HBO’s hit series The Sopranos, who, when he isn’t “running a crime syndicate” is an accomplished singer and guitarist. After the opening party, the festival kicks off with a performance by The Four Freshmen, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, and artist-in-residence Gary Smulyan. Saturday performances include the Helen Sung Trio and Ambrose Akinmusire  while Sunday includes Hubert Laws and the Gregoire Maret Quartet.

For ticket information and the complete lineup go to litchfieldjazzfest.com.

On Saturday, treat yourself and  head down to East Hampton where the 8th annual Capt. Grizzy Boat Parade will be held on Lake Pocotopaug beginning at 2 p.m. Parade entries wind around the 500-acre  lake and prizes will be given in a variety of categories. Sponsored by the Friends of Lake Pocotopaug,  judges include  former CT First Lady Nikki O’Neill, WDRC radio personality Brad Davis and Carmen Vacalebre, who owns the Carmen Anthony restaurants.

Admission is free. Rain date is Sunday.

There will be a series of events at the park before the boats launch  and at Angelico’s Lake House restaurant including entertainment and a raffle drawing with a $10,000 first prize. The drawing will be held on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Angelico’s Lake House.

Tickets, which are $20 each,  are available from any FLP member, or at Angelico’s Lake House, Governor’s Tavern, Paul and Sandy’s Too and Loco Perro. Tickets will be sold at Angelico’s until the time of the drawing

Go to ehflp.com for information.