“Night Fall” is rising again with a full-length performance of music, dance, pageantry and more for a single performance on Oct. 4 at the pavilion in Bushnell Park.
The free event starts at 4 p.m. and also features information booths, food trucks and family activities. The show is scheduled to begins at 6:30 p.m.
Jeanika Browne-Springer began her “Night Fall” journey as a skunk, a beaver and other animals in the beloved outdoor annual autumn pageant. Then she got more involved backstage. She developed a knack for the community engagement aspect of “Night Fall” and became a part of related programming like lantern-making and puppet yoga. Now she is the new president of the board of directors.
“Night Fall” has been welcoming fall since 2012. For most of its existence, it featured the puppets and design concepts of local artist Anne Cubberly. In 2023, Cubberly stepped down as artistic director and last year “Night Fall” stopped using her puppets and designs. A transition to a new creative process for the company, which essentially operates as an artists’ collective, had already begun during the COVID years. When the 2020 and 2021 productions went “virtual” due to the pandemic, separate groups were formed to handle different scenes or elements. A version of that process is now being used for the live shows.
Due to the ongoing transition from the Cubberly years, last year “Night Fall” decided not to create a full-length staged show and instead held a “community jam” with a mix of performances, activities, community workshops and special treats like stilt walkers and a Double Dutch team. That October 2024 event was the culmination of smaller events held in the weeks leading up it.
“This one feels more traditional,” Browne-Springer said of the 2025 rendition of “Night Fall.” “This year we’re really leaning into our collaborative team. There are more costumes again. We’ve been doing a deep dive into learning how to fabricate things ourselves. Now we get to be the designers.”
Some of the designs are the result of a creative partnership with MakerspaceCT. Other community partners and sponsors include Sustainable CT, the city of Hartford’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment, the Vermont Community Foundation, the Hartford Community Loan Fund and the J. Walton Bissell Foundation.
Some of the participants have been with “Night Fall since its beginnings over a dozen years ago and others for several years, but fresh talent is always part of it. “We hold auditions each year,” Browne-Springer said. “There are some new faces but old familiar ones, too.”
Bushnell Park has been part of the “Night Fall” circuit of Hartford-area parks for years, joining the rotation in 2017. Other parks have included Pope Park, Keney Park and Elizabeth Park. “Night Fall” was last held in Bushnell Park just two years ago but in another part of the park. This is the first time it has been at the iconic pavilion behind the Capitol building.
“Night Fall” has always been about the transition of seasons but there are other themes, including awareness of the environment, urban green space and community spirit.
The community-driven “Night Fall” is still looking for volunteers for cleaning up after the environmentally friendly event and other duties. Once the show is over, planning for the next year begins.
“This is a year-round operation for us,” Browne-Springer said. “There’s a new vibe.”