Things to Do in Hamden

Once the site of an alfalfa field, the original Oakdale sprang up during the theater-in-the-round craze of the 1950s. Its spinning stage drew stars such as Harry Belafonte, The Who, and Led Zeppelin, who all serenaded the open-air crowds of the ‘60s while simultaneously completing their gyroscope training for Apollo shuttle missions. In 1997, the Oakdale Theatre was made over into its current, 4,600-seat arrangement, which has ushered in a new generation of entertainment stars ranging from Barney to Britney.

“Other communities looking to establish museums preserving their regional culture and history would do well to visit The Mattatuck Museum,” raves the New England Travels about the Connecticut treasure. The Museum’s educational programs, rotating exhibits, and permanent collections showcasing over 2,000 works of American art focus on preserving and sharing Connecticut’s cultural history. Members receive free admission and discounts on programs and events including readings of Shakespearian plays, walking tours of local neighborhoods, regular live jazz performances, and field trips to go bully Rhode Island, Connecticut’s diminutive neighbor.

Joker's Wild Comedy Club's stage showcases comics drawn from both the national touring circuit and the local scene. The intimate venue, which recently replaced its space-hogging booths with brand-new seats, features headlining comedians who fill Thursday–Saturday evenings with laughter during 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. shows. On Wednesday night, fledgling funny folk strive for their five minutes of fame at open mic night. Joker’s Wild also runs its own School of Comedy, where budding comedians can chase their dreams of cracking up audiences and keeping glasses of water on a stool. The club’s full menu of pub food mutes growling stomachs with appetizers and entrees for patrons hoping to perfect an onion-ring spit take.

Laser Planet's sprawling facility hosts a trio of attractions: laser tag, black-light mini golf, and an arcade. Competitors don vests and equip their laser-emitting weapons before heading into the multi-level laser-tag arena, where they'll be met with techno music, fog, and strobe lights, as they navigate corridors and attempt to tag the other team in a game of PowerPoint de la muerte. Or, they can head to the mini-golf arena, where black lights illuminate bright colors, aliens, and astronauts positioned around the 10-hole course. Elsewhere, a video arcade presents digital challenges, as players grab joysticks and mash buttons gleefully. Additionally, Laser Planet also offers a host of parties and events, ranging from all-night lock-ins, to corporate team building, to birthdays.

At the turn of the 20th century, bowling alleys routinely locked their doors for the summer, forcing bowlers to brainstorm alternatives. And so, in the early 1900s, a group of bowlers decided to tweak their pastime to accommodate off-season play, shrinking both bowling balls and pins. Modified rules allowed bowlers to roll their scaled-down balls three times per turn. And upon impact, the lighter-weight balls caused pint-size pins to skitter like a flock of ducks. Thus, duckpin bowling was born.

The accessible sport spread throughout the world and, near the peak of its popularity, found a home at Johnson's Duckpin Lanes in 1955. After undergoing renovations in 2009, the alley's synthetic lanes continue to delight duckpin bowlers all year long. The alley also entertains guests with an arcade, onsite snack bar, as well as personalized birthday parties, which unfold on weekdays and during weekend sessions of Glo & Bowl.

Inside Cork & Brew, a husband-and-wife team infects customers with their passion for brewing, judging, and, of course, drinking wines and beers. Primarily, they hope to de-mystify home brewing and winemaking with classes, winemaking parties, and even homebrew get-togethers at a residence or office. They stock all the necessary equipment, including fresh hops, grain, and malt, as well as wine must from all over the world. The duo’s hookup with a custom-labeling source allows their clients to brighten up bottles before giving them away as gifts, displaying them on wine racks, or using them to christen newly-purchased ocean liners. Guests also may mingle through the newly opened banquet and party facility, which hosts soirees of 10–80 people.