Things to Do in Middletown

The Survival Race’s 5-kilometer track challenges racers to navigate a gauntlet of mud-laden terrain. Staggered waves of 300 runners each conquer military-style obstacles, wade through murky water, and slide through muddy trenches before reaching the finish line to celebrate at a shindig awash with delicious eats and smitten swamp monsters. Afterward, a Facebook album aids online nostalgia by showcasing dirt-caked athletes and their marshy feats.

In 2012, the Bluefish became the first team in Atlantic League history to reach 1,000 victories. It was a huge milestone for a franchise that today, stands as one of only two remaining charter teams throughout the entire league. The 'Fish initially brought baseball back to Park City in 1998, and advanced to the league championship series in a losing effort. A year later, though, they returned with their first league title after defeating the Somerset Patriots.

The team's early success established a winning tradition–in fact, the Bluefish didn't suffer their first losing season until their eighth year of existence. Winning hasn't been the only tradition in Bridgeport, however. The Bluefish battle the Long Island Ducks every season for the Ferry Cup, trying to establish regional supremacy on the baseball diamond instead of by firing a barrage of used baseballs across the Long Island Sound.

Jenks Productions has been handling the nuts and bolts of consumer trade shows for 33 years. Partnering with local and national businesses, Jenks specializes in home, bridal, and pet shows, which fill sprawling spaces with vendors eager to share their wares and visitors looking for inspiration. The services that Jenks Productions provides are extensive, as the team can do everything from onsite event management and budget planning to marketing efforts such as developing newsletters, logos, and jingles that rhyme the words “impending nuptials.”

Each year, the banks of the Saugatuck River transform from a serene New England retreat to a raucous Southern street fair during the annual two-day Blues, Views & BBQ Festival. The syncopated chords of live blues performers waft through the air as visitors nosh on barbecue, jerk chicken, and other down-home favorites supplied by local eateries. Visitors can showcase their own culinary skills by helming grills during barbecue competitions, or highlight their stomachs’ capacity without undergoing embarrassing public x-rays during pie- and rib-eating contests. Carnival-style entertainment rounds out the festivities, ranging from a mechanical bull to inflatables for tots.

After investing $1 million in its opulent decor, entrepreneur and theater impresario Sylvester Z. Poli opened the Palace Theater in the early 1920s. Architect Thomas Lamb, known for building some of the United States' first movie houses, used Poli's funds to build the Palace Theater into an extravagant venue modeled after the Second Renaissance Revival style of architecture. The theater’s ornate dome ceilings, grand lobbies, and seats equipped with crown holders added to a palatial setting fit for royalty. Though the venue eventually closed in 1987, it sprung back to life 18 years later with a $30 million restoration project that expanded it into a 90,000-square-foot arena suitable for large performances, including Broadway productions.

Under the bright lights of the world-famous Madison Square Garden arena, four of the best women’s college basketball teams in the country will tip off in the Maggie Dixon Classic. The first game pits Baylor against St. John’s before DePaul takes on Tennessee to guess the number of jellybeans hidden inside the basketball. The undefeated Baylor Bears, ranked No. 1 in the nation nine games into the season, follow the lead of junior slam-dunk machine Brittney Griner. Pumped up from her placement on the Naismith Trophy early-season watch list, St. John’s senior forward Da’Shena Stevens will induce frustrated growls from Baylor as she makes them work for their points. With 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 23 years, DePaul’s squad enters the high-pressure match gracefully, and Tennessee confidently follows the lead of its celebrated coach, Pat Summitt, named Sports Illustrated’s Sportswoman of the Year for her more than 1,000 wins and ability to slam dunk while riding a unicycle.