Midsummer Festival returns to Old Lyme with community race and free museum admission

The Old Lyme Arts District has finalized the schedule for its upcoming community celebrations, featuring the Midsummer Kickoff Concert on Friday, July 24 and the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival on Saturday, July 25. The weekend events are organized to highlight the region’s artistic heritage and local cultural spaces.

The activities begin on Friday evening with a free outdoor concert on the riverfront lawn of the Florence Griswold Museum. The musical group Mass-Conn-Fusion will perform a live set from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with local food vendors stationed on the grounds for attendees.

Saturday’s programming opens with the annual Midsummer 5k Run hosted at the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau. Following the race, events will transition to the primary festival grounds located across the Lyme Art Association, the Florence Griswold Museum, the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, and the Old Lyme Inn.

The daytime schedule includes the Old Lyme Lions Club Classic Car Show, the Parading Paws Dog Show, children’s activities, and a market featuring local artisan and nonprofit vendors. Visitors can view original artwork at the Fence Artist Show at the Old Lyme Inn, and both the Lyme Art Association galleries and the Florence Griswold Museum will offer free admission throughout the day.

Additional programming, shopping, and art demonstrations will be hosted by nearby businesses and partners, including the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. The free community festival is supported by regional entities including Connecticut’s Eastern Regional Tourism District, the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, Pasta Vita, Essex Bank, and Essex Financial Services.

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July events at Fairfield Theatre Company

7/24 – Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville
7/25 – Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville
7/26 – Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville
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July events at PeoplesBank Arena

7/28 – Billy Strings click here to purchase tickets

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Midsummer Festival returns to Old Lyme with community race and free museum admission