Festivals in Connecticut

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

Connecticut is known for its Yankee ingenuity and the state festivals show that no matter what the season, the residents enjoy celebrations. The article previews just a few of the festivals that the Nutmeg State has to offer residents and visitors.

Food Festivals

The last week in September and the first week in October are the dates for the 37th Annual Apple Harvest Festival held in Southington, Connecticut. Crafts, music, entertainment, and, of course food, are featured on all days during the festival. The Taste of Connecticut Food Festival is held each September in New Haven. The Main Street Pumpkin Festival is held in Saybrook every October.

Festivals that Celebrate History

The Mystic Coast name comes from the Native Indian word missituk, meaning great tidal river. The Mystic Connecticut area hosts the Norwich Grange Fair in August and the Christmas Torchlight Parade in December. Another village in the Mystic region, Guilford, hosts antique seekers during the month of July. The event is hosted by the Guilford Keeping Society at the Boston Street historic home and grounds of Thomas Griswold. The Native American cultural celebration is held in Stonington at the Schemitzun Festival. The St. Andrew's Society of Connecticut hosts the Highland Games at the Fairgrounds in Goshen every October.

Holiday Festivals

First Night is the city of Hartford's New Year's Eve Festival. Purchasing one button to wear on your jacket allows you admission to all the venues. The party starts at 3:00 and goes until the New Year is brought in. Each year a musical theme is selected and all acts and celebration revolve around the theme. Alcohol is not permitted at this festival.

Festivals of the Arts

The Hartford Festival of Art and Ideas has been held the past four years during the month of June. Dancing, opera, food and art meld into a week-long celebration of the Arts. Guests include Bobby Baker and Salman Rushdie. The Arts and Ideas Festival is a one-of-a-kind experience.

Renaissance Festivals

There are four major Renaissance Faires in the state of Connecticut. A one-day fair in June is held in Greenwich. The ISD Renaissance Festival, near Samford, is a fundraiser for the International School at Dundee, a public magnet school. The Park City Renaissance Festival is held each July and features six stages and 26 acts. Live music, storytelling, fire-eaters and sword fighters join dancers and jugglers over the two weekends of fair activities. Park City is near New Haven. The one weekend Prospect Renaissance Faire recreates Camelot in 1400 each September. Tickets are sold individually or as a family package. The Connecticut Renaissance Faire also takes place in September. The village Caer Leon is the setting for dancers, feasting and archery for this event.

Specialty Festivals

Each February, the Connecticut Audubon Society celebrates the heritage of the Bald Eagle in the town of Essex. Outdoor and heated indoor events include nature exhibits, ice carvings, live music, and instruction and competition in carving birds. Events and activities are designed specifically for families. Special viewing boats will take visitors along the Connecticut River with guides to provide narration and answer questions.

The festival to match all festivals in Connecticut is the Boats, Books and Brushes with Taste Festival that bills itself as A Literary, Art, Maritime, and Food Festival. The festival is held in New London during the month of September and attracts over 100,000 visitors. Make your hotel reservations early, since local accommodations sell out weeks in advance.

Agricultural Fairs and Festivals

The state of Connecticut hosts a number of agricultural festivals that begin in July and run through November. The Windham County 4-H Fair, North Stonington Agricultural Fair, New London County 4-H Exposition, and the Connecticut Agricultural Fair in Goshen are all held in the month of July. August fairs include the Wolcott, Tolland, Brooklyn, Chester, Hartford County, and Lebanon agricultural fetes. Middlesex and New Haven County hold their 4-H fairs in August, as do the towns of Litchfield and Bridgewater. September festivals can be found in the villages and towns of Berlin, Goshen, Guilford, Haddam Neck, Durham, North Haven, Terryville, Woodstock, Hebron and Bethlehem. The Portland Fair is open each October.