From February through December, the first Thursday of every month is "Aetna First Thursday" in Greater Hartford.  Designed to bring people downtown to enjoy the city’s many wonderful arts and heritage offerings, "Aetna First Thursday" features a variety of music, theater, exhibitions and other cultural events in Hartford's neighborhoods and around the capital region.  An entire spectrum of activities, both during the day and in the evening, are offered, ranging from brown-bag lunchtime concerts to large-scale music festivals in the evening.  There also are a variety of interactive events and family activities.

Among the most popular Aetna First Thursday events are:

Big Red For The Arts - February
Black-Eyed & Blues Fest - June