Contact: Mariangie Pena, Stowe Center for Literary Activism
Phone: 860.522.9258 Ext. 321
Email: MPena@StoweCenter.org
Annual Lawn Party at Nook Farm Returns June 13
Official Tom and Becky Ambassadors from Hannibal, Missouri, join celebration of the 150th anniversary of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 215th birthday
HARTFORD, Conn.– Join the fun at the Lawn Party at Nook Farm, presented by The Mark Twain House & Museum, the Stowe Center for Literary Activism, the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association, and the Town & County Club. This free community celebration will take place Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the lawn between the Harriet Beecher Stowe House (77 Forest St.) and The Mark Twain House & Museum (351 Farmington Ave.).
This year’s Lawn Party celebrates the 150th anniversary of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 215th birthday, the legacy of Josiah Henson, and Connecticut Open House Day.
Visitors can enjoy:
- Free tours of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House and The Mark Twain House & Museum
- Meet the official 2025-26 Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher Ambassadors from Hannibal, Missouri, Thatcher Johnson and Malaina McIntyre
- Try your hand at Tom Sawyer-inspired fence painting
- Create your own pirate hat
- Celebrate Harriet Beecher Stowe and Josiah Henson with birthday cake
- Explore lawn games and scavenger hunts
- Visit community and social justice organization exhibits
- Say hello to the giant Mark Twain puppet
- Enjoy free hot dogs and ice cream sandwiches while supplies last
- Visit local food trucks
- Enjoy music and family activities throughout the afternoon
The Lawn Party is free to attend as part of Connecticut’s 22nd annual Open House Day. In addition to free tours of both historic houses, visitors may explore the Stowe Visitor Center, the Mark Twain Museum Center, the historic gardens at both properties, and the first floor of the Katharine Seymour Day House.
“The 150th anniversary of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer gives us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate one of America’s most beloved stories while bringing people together for a day of fun, learning, and community,” said Jeffrey L. Nichols, executive director of The Mark Twain House & Museum. “We’re especially excited to welcome the official Tom and Becky Ambassadors from Hannibal and share this milestone year with visitors from across Connecticut. I’m especially pleased that my first Lawn Party at Nook Farm coincides with this anniversary.”
“The Lawn Party continues Nook Farm’s tradition as a place where neighbors gather, ideas are exchanged, and communities grow stronger,” said Karen Fisk, executive director of the Stowe Center for Literary Activism. “As we celebrate the birthdays of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Josiah Henson, we invite visitors to explore how literature and civic engagement continue to inspire empathy, action, and positive change.”
Parking is available at The Mark Twain House & Museum Visitor Center lot, the Stowe Center parking area, and on surrounding neighborhood streets. Admission is free and no reservations are required.
About Nook Farm
Once a hub of civic engagement, Nook Farm was famously described by Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Joan Hedrick as a place where “there was no pot left unstirred.” Neighbors such as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain regularly engaged in spirited discussions about literature, politics, and social reform. Through the Lawn Party, the Stowe Center for Literary Activism, The Mark Twain House & Museum, the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association, and the Town & County Club honor that tradition by bringing the community together for a day of learning, connection, and celebration.
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For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Mariangie Pena, Director of Marketing, at MPena@StoweCenter.org or (860) 522-9258 ext. 321.
