For years, downtown New Haven has mastered the art of the second stop. Dinner becomes drinks, drinks become dessert, and somehow you’re still downtown hours after your original plans ended. With its new downtown location, C.I.T.A Park Beer Garden is giving people another reason to stay awhile.
Now situated in the heart of the city at 265 South Orange Street, the seasonal outdoor beer garden and event space has transformed a once-underused parcel of land into one of the city’s liveliest summer gathering spots. Operated by the Change in the Air Foundation, C.I.T.A Park was created to celebrate community through music, food, culture, and connection while supporting local creatives, artists, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
“This move represents the next chapter for C.I.T.A Park as we continue our mission of creating unique experiences, fostering community, and transforming overlooked spaces into places people are excited to gather,” says Jamal Robinson, founder of the Change in the Air Foundation, the nonprofit behind C.I.T.A Park. “Once again, we’ve taken an underutilized urban space and reimagined it into a vibrant destination that brings people together.”
The move downtown puts C.I.T.A Park in the middle of New Haven’s most walkable neighborhood, where an afternoon outing can easily become dinner, drinks, and live music without ever needing to move the car. This season features more than 18 days of programming, from live bands, DJs, and outdoor games to food trucks, local vendors, and cultural celebrations.
Signature annual events like the BBQ & Wing Festival, Black Wall Street Fashion Show and Afterparty, C.I.T.A FEST, the Beer, Wine & Spirits Festival, and the Leaf Lounge Cigar & Bourbon Tasting return alongside new collaborations with local creative groups including On and On Radio, Future Royalty, PGLA Amapiano, Dukes & Boots, and Trapacana.
