Evelina Parker, East Haven: "In 1981, my dad took me and a girlfriend from Bridgeport to my first concert, which was Rick James and Teena Marie. We also saw the Harlem Globetrotters, Sesame Street and the circus. A few years ago, I ended up taking my daughter Vanessa to see Barney there."
Joanne Mallinson, East Haven: "I remember getting great seats when I took my dad to see Frank Sinatra there in the early 80s. He remembered Frank from his days as a young crooner. I also remember gong to many Nighthawks hockey games, and my mother would say, 'how can you watch hockey, it's so violent.' I finally convinced her that hockey is a good family night out, and took my parents to a game. Naturally, it was a horrible game, fights all night, blood all over the ice. I think the fans were worse than the players; they were tearing the arms off the seats and throwing them on the ice."
Tim Jensen, Branford Review editor: "My senior year at Fermi High School in Enfield was historic. On March 14, 1983, our hockey team came into the Coliseum and defeated South Windsor, 8-5 to win the Division II state championship. Our crosstown rivals, Enfield High School, then defeated Notre Dame, 5-4 in overtime to win the Division I title. It was the first time in state history that two schools from the same town won both championships."
Nicole DaRos, Clinton: "I was about 7 when I first went to the Coliseum. I went to the circus, the Nighthawks games, monster trucks, and pro wrestling."
Francesca Lonetti, Guilford: "I used to take skating lessons, and sometimes skated there. I never saw a concert there, but in 1994 I had tickets to the Stone Temple Pilots show. I didn't go; kind of a boyfriend issue."
Lori Cirillo, Branford: "When I was around 5, my grandparents took my sister and me and our cousins to the rodeo; Grandma had to buy hats for us. I also remember seeing the Ice Capades, and especially the Elton John concert."
Bill O'Brien, Branford: "The Walter Camp Foundation used to have their basketball game there. We drew up to 5,000 people. It was interesting to see football players like Steve Young and william "The Refrigerator" Perry trying to play basketball."
Jane Peck, Branford: "My brother, John Bloomquist and my cousin, Anthony Floyd and I saw the Yes concert and loved it. We also went to see Ted Nugent; we couldn't hear for three days!"
Not every memory was necessarily a good one, as summed up by Pete DaRos of Branford: "It was always a pain to park there for hockey games."
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