Events
While any time is a good time to visit Inn at Stonington, there are numerous events, festivals and holidays during the year that you may want to specifically schedule your trip around!
Our list below will help you find events in Stonington and our surrounding area to compliment your stay with us at The Inn at Stonington. Please scroll to the bottom of this page to see ongoing events calendar of events throughout the year.
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
21st Annual Cabin Fever Chowder Cookoff at the Olde Mistick Village 2026
https://oldemistickvillage.com/chowder-cook-off-olde-mistick-village/
This event will bring nearly 10,000 patrons to the Olde Mistick Village where they will enjoy dozens of delicious, savory, and hearty chowders from many local restaurants and eateries. Over 26,000 cups of chowder will be served!
MARCH
Mystic Restaurant Week
Date: To be announced
Enjoy pre-fix menus at discounted prices at some of Mystic’s finest restaurants. Noah’s in our Borough participates as well!
Mystic Irish 5K 2026
http://www.groton-ct.gov/depts/parksrec/mysticirish5k.asp
The runners in this 5K start in downtown Mystic and travel along scenic River Road and the banks of the Mystic River, ending again in downtown Mystic. This is a festive run to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, so be sure to wear your green! The winners have a special spot in the following weeks Mystic Irish Parade.
21st Annual Mystic Irish Parade 2026
http://mysticirishparade.org/
This will be the 21st Annual 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!
Kicking off at 1:00 pm, the parade, extending from the Mystic Seaport Museum to the Mystic Art Association, brings 2,200 local community members together while they march alongside creatively designed floats and dance to the Celtic music echoing throughout the village while over 32,000 supporters cheer and celebrate the day!
APRIL
Pirate Days at the Mystic Seaport 2026
https://pyracy.com/events/event/658-pirate-days-2026-mystic-seaport-mystic-ct/
Avast, me hearties, head over to Mystic Seaport Museum for Pirate Days on April 16 and 17 for a treasure trove of outdoor fun for the whole family! Storm the Seaport Village to get your treasure hunting kit, and put those navigation skills to the test. Follow the clues on the map to find the secret loot, meet our friendly pirates, and enjoy performances to boot! Pirate lads and lasses of all ages will love our games, crafts, and activities.
Dress the part and join in a pirate parade—ye won’t want to miss it!
MAY
Mystic Half Marathon & 10K 2026
https://www.hartfordmarathon.com/mystic-half-marathon-10k/
Beautiful course through all parts of Mystic! Starts at Olde Mistick Village and ends in front of Mystic Aquarium.
JUNE
Taste of Mystic
Olde Mistick Village
Date: To be announced
Bring your appetite to the Annual Taste of Mystic at Olde Mistick Village. Over 20 local restaurants, each offering a unique and delicious taste of their specialty. Don’t miss free live performances by the area’s best bands and musicians!
Mystic River Jam Festival
Mystic Shipyard
On break for 2026
The River Jam Festival, held at Mystic Shipyard, is a two-day music festival showcasing music from rock to reggae, blues to punk.
33rd Annual Wooden Boat Show 2026
Mystic Seaport
https://www.thewoodenboatshow.com/
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.
JULY
Mondays throughout July 2026
Blue Mondays
Mystic River Park
https://www.wailingcity.com/p/blue-monday-mystic-river-park.html
Free blue’s concerts in the Mystic River Park made possible by generous donations from local businesses and supporting school music programs. Bring a blanket, and a picnic.
Tuesdays throughout July & August 2026
Tuesday Summer Sound waves Concert Series
Mystic River Park
https://www.noankmysticcommunityband.com/
On Tuesday nights, the Noank-Mystic Community Band hosts the Summer Sounds concert series. This is the twenty-first year for Summer Sounds, and these free concerts always draw a big – and dancing – crowd. The music begins at 7 pm in Mystic River Park by the drawbridge. Admission is free.
New London Sailfest Downtown New London
Date: To be announced
AUGUST
68th Mystic Outdoor Arts Festival 2026
The Mystic Outdoor Art Festival serves an audience of discriminating art enthusiasts, as well as weekend visitors and residents from surrounding communities including Groton, New London, Waterford, and southern Rhode Island. The festival showcases over 230 artists from around the United States, with more than two miles of arts and crafts including oils, watercolors, photographs, pastels, sculpture, woodwork, comics, acrylics, and more. The Mystic Outdoor Art Festival is free of charge, and features activities and artwork for all ages to enjoy, including a Children’s Art Park.
SEPTEMBER
Mystic Garlic Olde Mistick Village Date: To be announced
An award-winning food festival dedicated to all things garlic. To celebrate the abundant fall harvest, farmers from around the region will present an amazing variety of garlic for sale in addition to fresh produce. Throughout the day and evening, dozens of local restaurants and food service establishments will be serving, for purchase, delicious garlic-related foods as well as non-garlic favorites. A host of merchants, artisans, authors and artists will line the pathways of Olde Mistick Village displaying their foods, crafts, gifts, and talents. Along with these vendors, you will find Olde Mistick Village merchants offering garlic-related activities or products at their stores.
Wild Mushroom Festival Denison Nature Center Date: To be announced
OCTOBER
Chowder Days Mystic Seaport https://www.mysticseaport.org/event/chowder-days/
With cool fall days comes the desire to indulge in a hot bowl of chowder and what better place to do so than Mystic Seaport Museum? Coastal Gourmet’s 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. Enjoy seasonal desserts.
Inn at Stonington Halloween!
One of our favorite nights here at the inn! Help us hand out candy to the hundreds of children trick or treating in the borough. We welcome everyone to dress up and join in on the fun. Also, don’t worry… we always order enough candy for our guests at the inn too.
NOVEMBER
Santa Arrives by Tugboat & Tree Lighting
Mystic River Park
Santa Claus arrives in Mystic! Spectators flood Mystic River Park to watch Santa arrive at 2 pm on a 60’ tug boat, the John Paul, to open his ears to the wishes of children waiting anxiously in line to see him. At 6:20 pm decorated vessels parade down the Mystic River and return to the Mystic River Park, where spectators and judges gather. Boats are judged on creativity and team spirit, and prizes are offered for Most Charismatic Crew, Innovative Vessel, Best Dressed Vessel, and Miss Mystic Vessel of Grandeur.
The Christmas tree in Mystic River Park will be lit at 6 pm. Keep your eyes out for Saxophone Santa, too!
DECEMBER
Downtown Holiday Stroll & Luminaria
Downtown Mystic
Don’t miss the Downtown Mystic Holiday Stroll & Luminaria on Tuesday, December 3rd from 6-9pm.
Enjoy the festive sounds of local choirs and specials in the shoppes. Come visit Santa and his North Pole friends while getting your presents wrapped at the Mystic Museum of Art. And be on the lookout for local pirate troupe; Free Men of the Sea will be strolling around performing sea shanties as well. To add to the ambiance, the streets and Mystic River Park will be lined with hundreds of beautiful luminaria to light your way through town. Wandering entertainment including: Saxophone Santa, Ledyard High School Carolers, Noank-Mystic Community Band, Union Baptist Bell Choir, Freemen of the Sea, Mystic River Chorale, Pine Point School Choir & more.
Stonington Borough Holiday Stroll Water Street, Stonington Borough
Every year, the SVIA decorates a tree in Wadawanuck Square and lights it (with generous help from the nearby Stonington Free Library) at a community-wide ceremony that includes singing carols, sipping mulled cider, and the countdown to the lighting of the tree. Following immediately afterwards is the annual Christmas Stroll through the Borough, when local merchants keep their shops open late and welcome visitors with hors d’oeuvres and eggnog and other goodies.
The Stonington Village Christmas Carol Sing, Tree Lighting & Merchant Stroll is held in front of the library in Wadawanuck Square the first Friday in December at 5:30 PM.
Weekends throughout November & December
Lantern Light Tours: Finding Your Place
Mystic Seaport Museum
More information to come as it becomes available.
Each performance of Lantern Light Tours is an approximately 90-minute tour.
Click on the direct links to see activities at some of our favorite venues
