Friendly`s free ice cream

Friendly's is offering its customers a free ice cream cone today to start the summer season. Friendly's afficianados are advised to call their local Friendly's to make sure it is one of the 500 franchises participating in this nationwide free ice cream promotion before setting out to
Friendly's Offers Free Ice Cream Today
claim their cone. The free cones or cups are available at Friendly's from noon to 5 pm.

Along the stretch of Main Street that wends its way through this largely Orthodox Jewish community in Queens, Bruce Becker’s candy-colored shop stands out among many of the other businesses.

Like many of his neighbors, he sells a kosher product and draws in regular crowds after Sabbath. But while many fellow shopkeepers are feeling the pain of slower sales in the recession, Mr. Becker’s business, Max & Mina’s Ice Cream, recently added eight workers, and he is working the longest hours he has in 12 years.

Mr. Becker, who owns the shop with his brother, Mark, is struggling to keep pace with a growing appetite for ice cream.

Since last August — a month when New Yorkers typically feel sated from a summer of scoops — customers have continued to pour in for comforting flavors like cinnamon babka and strawberry shortcake: Sales are up by 40 percent. Demand jumped by 70 percent for the Beckers’ wholesale business, which supplies Manhattan shops and restaurants that sell ice cream as a main dessert or in the supportive, à la mode role.

“There’s no question people are eating more,” Mr. Becker said as he darted around his shop in a blue pinstripe suit, a navy baseball cap and flip-flops. “This is an affordable comfort food. What kind of a life is it if you’re not eating something good?”

It is a sentiment shared by Melissa Lowinger, 20, a senior at Yeshiva University who visits the shop weekly with her grandparents and her younger brothers. While her family tries to be more cost-conscious during the recession, she has chosen not to sacrifice the mint Oreos that she likes mixed in with her ice cream.

“It’s been a tradition,” she said. “We try to be careful as we can. But ice cream is important, too.”

Max & Mina’s success, however, has not necessarily helped draw shoppers to neighboring businesses. While Kew Gardens Hills may not have been hurt as much as other neighborhoods by the recession, a sandwich shop and two clothing stores have disappeared from Main Street, said Patricia Dolan, president of the Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association.

She could not recall seeing empty storefronts in the neighborhood for “many years,” she said.

Mr. Becker, who has watched businesses — including a Thai restaurant and a bakery — close in the past year, said he had tried to help his neighbors. He suggested that the owners of one store, Ramat Gan Fruits and Vegetables and Israeli Imports, a market that has served the neighborhood since 1975, draw more customers by playing classical music and offering free samples.

Menashe Israeli, one of the owners, said that while business might have dropped about 20 percent, he did not need Mr. Becker’s advice.

“We help them,” he said, referring to the ice cream shop.

Meanwhile, Mr. Becker said he was receiving more orders from midpriced Manhattan restaurants. Mara Levi, who runs Mara’s Homemade in the East Village with her husband, David, stopped by the shop on a recent Monday morning to pick up two tubs of French vanilla to serve with her homemade peach cobbler and chocolate pecan cake. Ms. Levi said that while customers typically order fewer desserts in the warmer months, she had seen no slowdown this year.

“That’s a lot of à la mode,” she said incredulously, as she added up how much ice cream customers have been eating.

Compared with a year ago, she said, “we’re selling probably double the ice cream.”

Mr. Becker, a consummate food entrepreneur who chats about the investment capital backing cupcake shops and the financial limitations of gelato, has spent the past decade serving locals and promoting his flavors to the rarefied food elite of Manhattan. He found fame and a spot in People magazine’s most eligible bachelor issue along the way.

The shop walls are lined with photographs of celebrity ice cream fans, like the professional wrestler Mick Foley, who enjoyed cupcake ice cream at an event with so much “gusto,” Mr. Becker said, that he was cut off.

Dylan Lauren, who sells the Becker brothers’ ice cream at her Dylan’s Candy Bar shops in Midtown and at Roosevelt Field in Garden City, describes it as a “hippie, Orthodox, New York version of Ben & Jerry.”

These customer relationships, built in better times, seem not to be suffering in the downturn. Unemployed bankers in suits are still taking two buses and a subway for cones. And when the Barbie doll celebrated its 50th anniversary this spring, Ms. Lauren worked with Mr. Becker to blend pink ice cream with black and white cookies, in honor of the doll’s signature swimsuit.

Next door to Max & Mina’s, Suren Kay, manager of the Mr. Computer Doctor shop, said his business had fallen by 30 percent in recent months as more customers enlisted relatives and computer “geeks” to fix their computers. He recently closed a second shop, in Kew Gardens. And, an unrelated Web site that he runs, TorahAnytime.com, has suffered from declining donations, he said.

Still, he said, he would not trade his financial pressures to run an ice cream shop, even as he sees the line spilling from his neighbor’s store on Sundays.

“Everyone has their thing that they do in this world,” Mr. Kay said. “Ice cream is ice cream.”

Friendly's CEO Ned Lidvall says that the goal of the free ice cream promotion is to give as many people as possible "a cool delicious treat to kick off the summer" after having experienced "a winter that was grueling- both because of the economy and because of the weather..."

The Friendly's free ice cream promotion epitomizes the qualities on which the Friendly's chain was founded. Brothers Prestley and Curtis Blake opened the first Friendly's during the Great Depression in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1935. Their commitment to customer service was legendary even once the chain grew and expanded across the country.

The Blake brothers still owned the chain and emphasized pleasing customers in 1974 when I got my first job at the Friendly's on State Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. If a customer dropped his ice cream cone upon leaving the counter (a common occurrence with children), the protocol was to scoop up a free replacement cone. No customer was to leave the shop unhappy with the food or the service.

Friendly's was ubiquitous in Springfield, and my childhood and teen years are full of happy memories of visiting Friendly's as a customer. No one ever rushed the customers to leave once they finished their food and coffee refills were offered no matter how many times the cup ran dry.

One of my favorite childhood memories is a second grade field trip to the Friendly's plant in Wilbraham, Massachusetts where we saw ice cream being made. We were given a choice of a free vanilla or black raspberry cone on that trip; I tasted Friendly's black raspberry ice cream for the first time and it has been my favorite ever since.



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Free Doughnuts For National Doughnut Day
Free Doughnuts For National Doughnut Day; Free Ice Cream At Friendly's
Dunkin' Donuts And Krispy Kreme Offer Free Doughnuts For National Doughnut Day 2009

BY KORKY VANN | The Hartford Courant
June 4, 2009

Dunkin' Donuts

Asma Attaoui holds a rack of doughnuts at a Dunkin' Donuts franchise in Boston. Dunkin' Donuts celebrates National Donut Day Friday. (LISA POOLE, ASSOCIATED PRESS / February 12, 2008)

Dunkin' Donuts celebrates National Donut Day Friday. Stop by participating locations, buy a cup of coffee, (or any beverage), and you'll get a free doughnut. Information: Dunkindonuts.com.

Don't miss the free ice cream Saturday at Friendly's restaurants. Between noon and 5 p.m., the chain is giving away single scoop cones or cups of any ice cream or sherbet flavors, no purchase required.

After the dreary weather earlier this week, it looks like the weekend is going to be much more agreeable. Perfect weather for one of those outdoor concerts, a little shopping, some First Friday action.

Saturday is National Trails Day. Look for events in Arvada, Aurora, and in Morrison at Triceratops Trail (one of our faves). Celebrate an oft-used but under-appreciated resource: our trail system. Along those same lines, enjoy fishing for free all weekend. The Department of Wildlife has established this weekend as a free weekend, but entry fees to parks still apply, as do bag limits and bait restrictions.

Some girl named Dora is going to do some exploring at the DCPA this weekend. If you’re going, have. . . fun. Yeah.



First Friday

It’s First Friday! Check out the art scene in these neighborhoods:

Tennyson Street between 38th and 44th Avenues, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

Old South Pearl Street, between Evans and Buchtel, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

Santa Fe Drive, between 6th and 13th Avenues, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm.

Golden Triangle Neighborhood, Lincoln between Speer and 13th, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm.

Free Days

Friday, June 5: Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield 303-973-3705, 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton.

Saturday, June 6: Free First Saturdays at the Denver Art Museum, 720-865-5000, 13th Avenue, between Broadway and Bannock in Downtown Denver. Please note that the Psychedelic Experience exhibition is not included in the free day, and does require an additional fee. But the rest of the museum is gratis. Free. No charge.

Sunday, June 7: Free Sundaes on First Sundays, Boulder History Museum, 1206 Euclid Avenue, Boulder. Free admission and free ice cream, all day. Now that’s my kind of free day.

Sunday, June 7, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys. 1880 Gaylord Street, Denver. A free day, but this unique museum will never turn down a donation.

Wednesday, June 10: Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard, Denver. 303-322-7009. The Expedition: Health exhibit is included in the Free Day, but you still need to make reservations to see it.

Summer Concerts

By mid-summer, there’s likely to be a concert just about any night of the week. Sometimes two on the same night. Point being: No matter where you live, there’s something close by. Summer concerts should be called “summer no-brainers.” Got nothin’ to do? Head to the nearest park and listen to some music. How hard is that?

Wednesday, June 10, 6:30 pm: (doors open at 6:00 pm) Swallow Hill’s Shady Grove Picnic Series at Four Mile Historic Park, 715 Forest Street, Denver. This week: Danny Barnes w/ Jake Schepps Duo featuring Greg Schochet. Tickets are $10/adults, $2 kids 12 and under.

Wednesday, June 10, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Littleton Historic Museum Concert Series, 303-795-3950, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton. This week: Dakota Blonde.

Friday, June 5, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Northfield Stapleton Summer Concert Series, Main Street at Northfield Stapleton, 49th and Quebec. Catch the Northfield Stapleton Summer Concert Series on first and third Fridays, June through August. This week: Chase N’ the Dream.

Sunday, June 7, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: City Park Jazz, at the Bandstand at City Park Pavilion. This popular series runs Sundays through August 9. Park either at the Zoo or the Museum for free, then take the shuttle to the bandstand. Free bike parking is also available. This is a great opportunity for a Sunday evening picnic, but if you’re not in the mood (or you’re not that organized), there is always food available, as well. This week’s band is Cocktail Revolution.

Sunday, June 7, 6:30 pm: Summer Concerts in the Park, Memorial Park at 25th and Chase, Edgewater. 303-238-7803 x28. This series runs through July 6. This week: Quickdraw.

Wednesday, June 10, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Bands on the Bricks, 1300 Block of Pearl, Boulder. This one runs through August 12—catch a different band every Wednesday night. This week it’s Funkiphino.

Thursday, June 11, 7:00 pm: City of Thornton’s Summer Concert Series. Runs Thursdays in June, and then again from July 9 – August 6. This week it’s the Manuel Molina Band, at Community Park, Thornton Parkway and York Street.

Summer Movie Programs

I’ll say it again: These programs are awesome! I can’t wait to take the boys to see Journey to the Center of the Earth on the big screen, because we missed it the first time around. Now if they’d only play all the Star Wars movies, we’d be set.

Saturday, May 30, 3:00 pm. Kids Saturday Nickelodeon at the Starz FilmCenter, 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver This week’s feature is Pete’s A Pizza and other Picture Book Classics. Free.

Saturday, June 6, dusk: Babe, courtesy of Movies in the Parks. This week’s movie is at Skyline Park, 1775 Arapahoe. Free popcorn, cotton candy, and sno-cones; other concessions available for purchase. This series runs through the summer at various parks throughout Denver; check the website for more details. But you know we’ll always try to provide complete information here. In addition to Babe, they’re showing some of our other favorites this summer, like Princess Bride, The Iron Giant, and E.T.

Saturday, June 6, 6:30 pm: Starlight Summer Movie Night, Festival Park, 300 Second Street, Castle Rock. Start the evening with live music and children’s activities, then settle in and watch Kung Fu Panda when it starts to get dark.

Tuesday, June 9, 10:00 am Summer Movie Clubhouse at the Century 16 in BelMar, 440 S. Teller Street, Lakewood. Tuesdays through August 4, the Century 16 in BelMar offers a different PG or G rated movie for the kids. Buy a 10-pack for all 10 movies for $5, or pay as you go for a buck a show. This week’s movie is Hoodwinked.

Tuesday, June 9, and Wednesday, June 10, 10:00 am Regal Free Family Film Festival, West Village Stadium, 14225 West Colfax; Greenwood Plaza 12, 8151 E Arapahoe Road; Park Meadows 12, 9355 Park Meadows Drive; Continental 10, 3635 S Monaco Pkwy. Free movies for the family; movies vary by location, so check the website for complete listings.

Harkins Kid Summer Movie Program, Northfield Theater, 8300 E 49th Avenue. This movie program runs through August 1st; buy a 10-pack movie pass for $5.00, or individual movie tickets for $2.00. Adults must be accompanied by a child. Check the website for complete details and movie listings specific to this program.

Happenings and Other Fun Things to Do

Saturday – Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday through July 5: Family Summer Camp at Bass Pro Shops, 7970 Northfield Blvd, Denver. Head over to the Bass Pro Shop and partake in one of several different fun, camping/outdoor-oriented crafts and activities. Check the website for complete details and times.

Saturday, June 6, 10:00 am – 11:00 am: Stories in the Park, West Side of City Park, behind the Graham-Bible House, at 21st and York. This series runs Saturdays through June 27th, and features special guests reading stories to kids. Best for ages 3 – 7. Lemonade served after.

Saturday, June 6, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Centennial Spring Fling, deKoevend Park, 6315 S. University Blvd, Littleton. Kick the season off with activities for the kids, including a creation station, as well as wandering entertainment, food. . .all the things you simply must have at an event of this kind. If you haven’t been to deKoevend Park, you should go. It’s huge, and it’s adjacent to the Highline Canal trail, so bring your bikes. Go north and travel through some truly lovely areas.

Saturday, June 6, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Arvada Celebrates its Trails, Majestic View Nature Center, 7030 Garrison, Arvada. Enjoy wildlife displays, hikes, and bike rides; get inspired to get out and go this summer!

Saturday, June 6, 8:00 am. Aurora Trails Day, Aurora Reservoir, 5800 S Powhaton, Aurora. Aurora pulls out all the stops for National Trails Day, with a 5k run/walk, a bike ride, and a wellness fair. Register online for the run or the ride, check in begins at 8:00 am.

Saturday, June 6, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm: National Trails Day at Triceratops Trail, 16831 West Alamada Parkway, Morrison. Walk the Triceratops Trail, and experts stationed along the trail will answer questions and provide more information. Other activities include digs and track painting. Call 303-697-3466 for more information.

Saturday, June 6, 10:00 – 8:00, and Sunday, June 7, 10:00 – 7:00: Capitol Hill People’s Fair, Civic Center Park, Denver. Going strong since 1971, this eclectic fair celebrates the diversity that is the Capitol Hill area. Family activities, tons of live entertainment on four stages, arts and crafts, food. . . all the while supporting non-profits.

Saturday, June 6, 10:00 am – 10:00 pm and Sunday, June 7, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm: La Piazza dell’ Arte: Chalk Art on Larimer Square, Downtown Denver. 303-685-8120. 200 artists create chalk art on the streets of Larimer Square. Italian food will be on hand (mmmm. . . gelato. . . ), along with beer, wine, and other delicious treats. A unique festival, featuring beautiful art. Fleeting, but beautiful. And I can’t help but think of Mary Poppins: “Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with Mary. . . “ Oh c’mon, you were thinking it, too.

Saturday, June 6, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm: Colorado Asian Pacific Heritage Event at the Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion, 400 East 8th Avenue, Denver. Learn about Asian Pacific culture, including dancing, lei making, tea ceremonies, and more. This event is free!

Saturday, June 6, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Denver Day of Rock, at the Fillmore Plaza (2nd and Fillmore) in Cherry Creek, and the Downtown Theatre District (14th and Curtis). Support Concerts for Kids by showing up for an afternoon of free music. Part of the proceeds from concession sales benefit kids’ charities. Check the website for the lineup at each site.

Sunday, June 7, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm: Boulder Jewish Festival, Boulder County Courthouse Lawn, on the Pearl Street Mall, between the 1200 and 1500 blocks, Boulder. A celebration of Jewish culture, with live entertainment, activities, ethnic food, the works.

Tuesday, June 9, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Feast on the Fax, East Colfax between Colorado Boulevard and Yosemite Street. More than a dozen restaurants participate in this smorgasbord of food. Travel up and down this section of Colfax to sample everything from Morroccan to Mexican and beyond. Shuttles are available, but you can also bike or walk. Tickets are $20 in advance at King Soopers or online; $25 the day of the event from participating restaurants. Part of the proceeds go to the revitalization effort along this corridor. Great for the adventurous eater.

Wednesday, June 10, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Beat the Recession at Little Tykes Trading Post, 15250 East Hampden Avenue, Aurora. As if buying on consignment weren’t already a smart idea, this place is having a special night to encourage you to do it. The first 35 in the door receive a gift bag with even more deals, so RSVP to 720- 870-7191.

Sundays in June (except June 31), 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Firehouse Kitchen at the Denver Firefighters Museum, 1325 Tremont Place, Denver. This program is designed to teach kitchen safety, but you get to enjoy firehouse treats at the same time. We all know what great chefs those firefighters are! Take your favorite fire engine fanatic for a little afternoon getaway. $5 per class, or $15 for the 4 week session. Another session runs in July.

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, now through August 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Tebo Train Rides on the Pearl Street Mall, Boulder. Let your little ones (10 and younger, please) hop on the train and get a little tour of the Pearl Street Mall—two whole blocks of it. Adults can ride with their child. Catch the train at the Wells Fargo Bank in the 1200 block of the Pearl Street Mall.

New Museum Exhibits and Such

The Little Star That Could at the Gates Planetarium at the Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver. This animated program is geared toward younger children, and explores the life of a star. Separate ticket prices apply. The Gates Planetarium has several great shows going on right now; check the website for more information, along with show times and ticket prices.

Through September 7: Junior Jobsite at the Children’s Museum, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive, Denver. A construction site just for the little ones, complete with scaled-down hard hats and construction tools and materials. Let the little ones explore and learn about electricity, plumbing, and all the other intricacies that allow us to live in comfort. Regular hours and admission fees apply.

Globeology at the Wildlife Experience, 10035 South Peoria Street, Parker. 720-488-3300. This new exhibit is really cool. It definitely takes dioramas to the next level. Interactive, computerized, animatronics. . . need I say more? My kids (those who can form complete sentences, anyway) kept saying “Mom, look at this! Mom, look!” all the way through the entire 25,000 square feet of educational extravagance. Regular hours and admission fees apply.

Theater and Music

Through September 5: Annie at Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, 5501 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder. The Broadway musical you love. . . with dinner! Special matinees added for families, so you can bring the little ones and you can all leave singing “It’s a hard knock life. . .” Check the website for show times and ticket prices.

Through June 28: Mouse Tales at the Denver Puppet Theater, 3156 West 38th Avenue, Denver. 303-458-6446

Show Times: Thursdays and Fridays, 10:00 am and 1:00 pm, Saturdays and Sundays, 1:00 pm Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. Tickets are $6.00. Group discounts and discounted ticket packs available.

Shows at the Denver Puppet Theater are appropriate for children ages 3 and older.

*Please note: Times change during the summer months. Check before you go!

The Denver Puppet Theater is a funky little hidden gem in North Denver. Puppets truly are art, and take on a life of their own (but not in a creepy, Poltergeisty way). Definitely worth a visit.

Thursday, June 11 (and every Thursday night during the summer) Music on the Streets in Old Town Arvada, Old Wadsworth and Grandview Avenue. Stroll through Old Town Arvada as live music plays. A lovely way to spend a warm spring evening.

Farmers’ (and other) Markets

Saturday, June 6, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm: A Paris Street Market, Aspen Grove, 7301 South Santa Fe, Littleton. Vintage, antique, and just plain cool. That’s the sort of stuff you’ll find at this funky little market down south. It only happens on the first Saturday of the month through October, so don’t miss your chance to find that cool objet that will make all your friends drool.

The Farmers’ Markets have been rearranged by region, to improve your shopping experience. Additional markets open in June.

Central:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Cherry Creek Fresh Market, 1st Avenue and University (in the Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot), Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com

Sunday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. City Park Esplanade Fresh Market, East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street, Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Wednesday, 9:00 am – 1:00. Cherry Creek Fresh Market, 1st Avenue and University (in the Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot), Denver. www.coloradofreshmarkets.com.

South:

Saturday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Highlands Ranch Farmers’ Market, Highlands Ranch Town Center, 9288 Dorchester Street, Highlands Ranch. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

North:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. Northfield Stapelton, Northfield Stapleton Shopping Center, I-70 and Quebec. www.laughingdogfarms.net

Saturday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. Boulder Farmer’s Market, Downtown Boulder on 13th Street between Canyon and Arapahoe 303-910-2236.

Sunday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Orchards Farmers’ Market, 144th Avenue and I-25. www.laughingdogfarms.net

Southwest:

Saturday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. Metro Denver Farmers’ Market, Southwest Plaza SE Parking Lot, Wadsworth and Bowles, Littleton. www.denverfarmersmarket.com

Southeast:

Saturday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Southlands, E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, in the Southlands Shopping Center, Aurora. www.laughingdogfarms.net. This market opens this weekend, and will then be open Saturdays, 9:00 – 1:00 and Thursdays, 10:00 – 1:00.

Bank of America customers get culture for free this Saturday and Sunday. If you have a Bank of America credit, check or ATM card, present it at any one of 100-plus museums across the country, including the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Bronx Zoo in New York or the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and your admission fee will be waived. The "Museums on Us" promotion takes place on the first weekend of each month. For details and a list of participating museums, visit Bankofamerica.com/museums.

It's deal time at Artichoke, where you'll find deep discounts on fashions from Cambio. The sale, which includes hundreds of one of a kind pants samples, (originally $300 to $400, now $100 each), runs until discounted merchandise is gone. All reduced items are final sale. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Artichoke Inc. is at 20 LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center. Information: 860-232-4961.

TK & Brown's Flowers celebrates National Rose Month with a cash and carry special on roses. Throughout June, get a dozen roses for $12.99. The company's website, Tkandbrownsflowers.com, offers coupons for other specials. TK & Browns Flowers is at 1761 Silas Deane Highway in Rocky Hill (860-563-8880); and a new location, 38 Tunxis Ave. in Bloomfield (860-243-8882).

Tag sale and flea market lovers, take note. The Pine Grove School PTO holds a community-wide tag sale Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, at the Pine Grove School, 151 Scoville Road, Avon.

New Hartford Lions Club holds a giant flee market Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brodie Park, 580 West Hill Road in New Hartford. (For a $5 fee, early birds can shop from 6:30 to 8 a.m. From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., admission is $1 for adults. Kids under 12 are admitted free.) The event features antiques, arts and crafts and tag sale items.

The Avery Heights Auxiliary in Hartford holds its semi-annual rummage sale through Saturday. Hours are today and Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Saturday is $5 bag day. The event takes place at 550 Avery Heights, off New Britain Avenue. Information: 860-953-1201, Ext. 455.

In Good Company, a new antique, jewelry and craft store at 159 Whiting St. in Plainville, celebrates its grand opening this weekend with savings of 10 percent to 35 percent. Hours are Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information: 860-410-1022.

Nassau's Drexel Heritage Gallery, 15 Waterville Road in Avon, holds a "Meet the Experts" event Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Along with free refreshments, giveaways and special discounts, factory representatives will be on hand to answer questions about upholstered furniture, bedding, rugs and more. Information: 860-677-9499 or TheNassauFurniture.com.

If you're up for a summer drive, Cottage Street Gallery, 1 Cottage St. in Easthampton, holds a spring open studio and sale Saturday and Sunday. (The gallery is about an hour's drive from Hartford.) The event features a range of fine arts and crafts from more than 25 artists, with many items priced at $25 or less. Hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Information: Cottagestreetstudios.com.

•Send Savvy Shopper suggestions to Korky Vann, The Hartford Courant, 285 Broad St., Hartford, CT 06115 or kvann@courant.com. For daily sale updates and tips on cutting spending, visit the Savvy Shopper's Living on Less blog at courant.com/savvyshopper.