This week in Stamford: Two Friends take Mill River Park, Bluey's Big Play at the Palace, and a Christmas in July bar crawl

Morning, Stamford. Thursday night splits the city cleanly in two: the Big Bootie Mix guys are playing a downtown park until 10, and a few blocks away a cartoon dog is teaching a theater full of preschoolers to play Keepy Uppy. Pick your demographic. The rest of the weekend belongs to Mill River Park, which is running something more or less continuously from Saturday morning through Sunday night.

Best for families this week: Bluey's Big Play at the Palace on Thursday evening, and the Fun Saturday Morning music session at Mill River Park, which is free.

Summer in the Park: Two Friends at Mill River Park, 1010 Washington Boulevard, 5 to 10 PM. Eli Sones and Matthew Halper have built an entire career on the Big Bootie Mix series, and Stamford booked them for the second Thursday of the Summer in the Park run. This is the loudest the park gets all year and the city seems fine with that. Ticketed, 18 and over, outdoors. Details.

Bluey's Big Play at the Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic Street, 6 PM with doors at 5. The Heeler family staged with puppets, new music, and a story written by series creator Joe Brumm. Afterward they release air-filled balls into the house for Keepy Uppy, so plan on your kid being fully activated at bedtime. Tickets run $39.50 to $134. All ages. Details.

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Broadway Bound Intensive Showcase at The Mead School, 1332 Newfield Avenue. The closing showcase of the Rich Sanders Performing Arts Broadway Bound advanced musical theater intensive, which means a room full of teenagers who have been rehearsing since June and families who have earned the right to film it. Ticketed, all ages. Details.

The Stamford Police Financial Crimes Unit is warning residents about a "gold courier" scam that targets seniors. Callers impersonate federal officials, banks, or tech support, tell the victim their accounts are compromised, then talk them into converting savings into cash or gold bars and handing the package to a courier at their own front door. Americans reported more than $300 million in losses across roughly 725 of these complaints in 2025. Nobody legitimate will ever ask you to buy gold to protect your bank account. Source: Patch.

The city will present the final design of its Coastal Flood Resilience Plan. After a July that opened with a tornado watch and street flooding, the timing writes itself. The plan covers how Stamford's shoreline and low-lying downtown handle the next storm surge. Source: Patch.

The Back To School Shop will outfit more than 400 Stamford students before September. The program gives kids a full set of new clothes and supplies ahead of the first day, which matters more than adults tend to remember. Source: Patch.

Christmas in July Bar Crawl starting at Hudson Social, 128 Bedford Street, downtown. A downtown crawl with the tree lights up in the middle of summer, which is either delightful or a lot depending on how you feel about tinsel in 85 degrees. Ticketed, 21 and over. Details.

All weekend at Mill River Park, 1010 Washington Boulevard. The Nissen Carousel runs 9 AM to 5 PM both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday adds Pilates Fusion at 9, the free Fun Saturday Morning interactive music session at 10, and Zumba with Tristan at 11:30. It is the closest thing downtown has to a town common, and in late July it functions like one. Mostly free, all ages, outdoors. Details.

Fairy Day at Designs by Lee, 129 Interlaken Road, North Stamford. Costumed fairies, a hunt for hidden fairy houses, and vendors scattered through a working garden center. Aimed squarely at the seven-year-old set and the adults who quietly enjoy it more. Start time is on the ticket page. Ticketed, family-friendly. Details.

Swing in the Park at Mill River Park, 1010 Washington Boulevard, 4 to 7 PM. Three hours of swing on the lawn, no partner or prior competence required. Free, all ages, outdoors. Details.

Harbor Point Farmers Market at Harbor Point Square, Washington Boulevard at Harbor Point Road. The standing Sunday market: greens, dairy, fruit, flowers, and prepared food, every Sunday through the season. Hours are on the listing. Free to browse, all ages, outdoors. Details.

Ja Rule and Ashanti close out the Summer in the Park Thursday series on July 30 at Mill River Park, with We Heart R&B opening. Ticketed. Details.

The Hey Stamford! Food Festival returns to Mill River Park August 1 and 2, its ninth year. Worth buying ahead if last year is any guide. Details.

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Cooper

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