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The challenge: Answer the age-old question “what are we gonna do this weekend?”

The solution: Create an easy-to-use site based on location, interests and date.

The skinny: Expanding upon the calendar of events I had created for The Networker, which targeted kid ’s activities, this new site offered information for all age groups across the entire state.

The real challenge was to do this without the use of a searchable backend database. This for two reasons: lack of funding to go all out and the poor performance of existing Web databases at the time.

Things To Do In Connecticut incorporates a three-step process to finding information: pick a geographic region, declare your age or lifestyle and pick a time frame. The viewer is then presented with a list of events cleanly displayed in tables for quick scanning. After reading a short description, the viewer can opt to select more detailed information about the event including its exact location on custom designed street maps.

For those visiting from out of town, maps include the location of gas stations, places to dine and ATMs within a short distance of the event.

Like The Networker, Things To Do In Connecticut is based on an advertising model, but with even more specific targeting.

For entertainment value, the logo is a 27 part animated GIF created in Photoshop. The logo colors are bright and cheery and are balanced by the menu bar on the opposite side of the page. The map at the bottom is also an animated GIF: a moving slide show of sorts, depicting an event or attraction in each of the 23 geographic regions.

The public version of the site is now out of my hands. Sadly, it has been fornicated and left to gather cyberdust. But you can tour a portion of the site as I had originally intended it to be. The information links at the top right of the home page have been disabled. All other links function and will bring you to a single destination.