February
Cabin Fever Festival
Olde Mistick Village
Over 20 restaurants will serve up their signature chowder brew from the warmth of sponsoring shops in the Village. Celebrity judges and the public will decide the winners of each category.
Ice Festival
Mystic Seaport Museum
Celebrate the winter season during Presidents’ Day Weekend. Shake off those winter blues with a weekend of fun – at the first-ever Ice Festival at the Mystic Seaport Museum! Bundle up and celebrate the great outdoors in New England, then warm up in one of our many cozy indoor spaces. Kids and adults can enjoy special programs throughout the weekend! Discover “life in the ice” with games, activities, music and entertainment.
March
Mystic Restaurant Week
Enjoy prix fixe menus at discounted prices at some of Mystic’s finest restaurants.
Mystic Irish 5K
Over 500 runners try their luck in the Annual Mystic Irish 5K Road Race as part of an exciting weekend of Irish merriment in Downtown Mystic. The certified course starts and ends in Downtown Mystic and travels along scenic River Road and the banks of the Mystic River. The race winners have a reserved spot to march in the parade the next day!
Mystic Irish Parade
Each year, a sliver of Ireland is brought to the small town of Mystic, Connecticut and friends & family from near and far celebrate together in support of the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation! Mystic Irish Parade has transformed into Mystic’s largest single-day celebration!
April
Pirate Days
Mystic Seaport Museum
Enjoy a day of family fun and meet our friendly pirates. Decipher clues on a treasure map to find concealed pirates and the final hidden treasure. Learn how pirates of old navigated the open seas at our High Seas Planetarium Show and create your own pirate souvenir to take home (best for ages 4-10). There will be photo ops with pirates and high-spirited activities throughout the day.
Sidewalk Sale
Olde Mistick Village
Great savings on select merchandise on the sidewalks, on the porches, and in the stores.
Easter Egg Hunt
Olde Mistick Village
Hunt for eggs in the Apple Orchard and children can meet Mr. Bunny in the Gazebo.
May
Mystic Half Marathon and 10K
Like Mystic itself, this event is a true New England classic. Enjoy the beauty of the Connecticut coast with the Mystic Half Marathon & 10K. Experience 13.1 miles past historic ships, through charming downtown and along the scenic shoreline. Enjoy a spectacular fan-filled finish line in front of Mystic Aquarium.
June
Sea Music Festival
Mystic Seaport Museum
The annual Sea Music Festival is one of the world’s premier sea music events. Fans of traditional sea music gather each year to hear national and international performers, along with the Museum’s chantey staff, perform music from the golden Age of Sail through the best of contemporary composition.
The roster includes music from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Canada, along with singers from across the United States. The weekend’s festivities include daytime and evening concerts, special performances for children, instructional workshops, and a unique opportunity to witness sea music at work aboard the Museum’s historic vessels.
Wooden Boat Show
Mystic Seaport Museum
See more than 100 traditional and classic wooden boats of every type at the Annual Wooden Boat Show. The festival, which is hosted in partnership with Wooden Boat Publications, celebrates the design and craftsmanship of wooden craft
Mystic River Jam Festival
Mystic Shipyard
The River Jam Festival is a two-day Music Festival at Mystic Shipyard, the last weekend of June showcasing music from rock to reggae, blues to punk.
July
Mystic River Day and Sharkfest Swim
Mystic River and Mystic River Park
Vendors and activities celebrating the Mystic River and a 1500 Meter swim in the historic Mystic River
Blue Mondays
Mystic River Park (July and August concert series)
Free blue’s concerts in the Mystic River Park made possible by generous donations from local businesses and supporting school music programs.
Tuesday Summer Soundwaves Concert Series
Mystic River Park (July and August concert series)
The Summer Sounds concert series at Mystic River Park by the Mystic Drawbridge on Tuesday evenings at 7 PM from June 14 to August 2. The series features a different area community musical organization each week for eight weeks. Admission is free to the public to these popular concerts, which draw a large and appreciative audience each year.
August
Mystic Outdoor Arts Festival
Downtown Mystic
The oldest festival of its kind in the Northeast, the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival attracts more than 85,000 people from New England and beyond to our region during this two day event. The festival showcases over 250 artists, with more than two miles of arts and crafts including: oils, watercolors, photographs, pastels, sculpture, woodwork, comics, acrylics and more.
Downtown Mystic Sidewalk Sale
Downtown Mystic
Visit the Downtown Mystic shops for great end of Summer deals during this outdoor event.
September
Garlic Festival
Olde Mistick Village
Enjoy the annual garlic festival! Over 50 farmers, vendors, bakers and restaurants are showcased at this terrific free family event. Live musical entertainment all day both days from lots of different musicians and bands and terrific kids’ activities with a live birds of prey program, a martial arts demonstration and a reptile show…. Lots of great food and family fun for sure!
Mushroom Festival
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center’s Wild Mushroom Festival features local chefs and vendors displaying their culinary skills with all things mushroom – sweet and savory!
October
Chowder Days
Mystic Seaport Museum
Chowder Days menu is sure to satisfy all appetites and features a variety of chowders and bisques, along with clam fritters and other fall favorites. Seasonal desserts, including apple fritters, berry pie, and mulled cider will also be available.
Trick or Treat at Mystic Seaport
Come dressed in costume and trick-or-treat throughout our 19th-century seafaring village.
November
Mystic Restaurant Week
Enjoy pre-fix menus at discounted prices at some of Mystic’s finest restaurants.
Lighted Boat Parade & Santa Arrives by Tugboat
Mystic River
Santa Claus is coming to town and so is Mystic’s Holiday Lighted Boat Parade in Historic Downtown. Thousands gather at Mystic River Park to watch Santa arrive on a 60’ tug boat to open his ears to the wishes of children waiting anxiously in line to see him.
After a brief break, festivities in the Park resume with the lighting of the Christmas tree at 6 pm. Spectators then flood both sides of the Mystic River to see the decorated ships pass by. Decorated vessels parade down the Mystic River at and return to the Mystic River Park, where spectators and judges gather.
December
Luminaria and Downtown Mystic Stroll
Stroll the bustling streets of Downtown Mystic lined with beautiful luminaries. Shops will be open late and serving cookies and cider so you can enjoy a treat while you browse for the perfect holiday gifts for everyone on your shopping list. Enjoy the sounds of carolers singing holiday favorites as they roam the streets.
Lantern Light Tours
Mystic Seaport Museum
Lantern Light Village is an outdoor, free-roaming experience designed to exemplify the differences between the modern and 19th-century holiday seasons. Take a journey through time as you seamlessly transition between the holidays you experience today and the holidays of the past. Enjoy festive lighting displays, live music, horse and carriage rides, fire pits, a visit from St. Nicholas, and more, including holiday-themed stories, crafts, and games!
