Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival Returns Saturday July 27

Old Lyme Arts District announces its Midsummer Festival returns on Saturday, July 27, 2024. The Lyme Art Association and CT Audubon Society’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center are co-chairing this community event along with committee organizations including the FloGris Museum, Old Lyme Inn, Lymes Youth Service Bureau, the Town of Old Lyme, the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, and the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library. The Festival kicks off with the traditional free lawn concert at the FloGris Museum on Friday evening, July 26 at 7pm featuring Locomotion. With art sales, children’s activities, live music, a classic car show, a dog talent competition, and science experiments, the Festival will have something for a wide variety of interests for all ages.

Friday, July 26:
A free lawn concert at the FloGris Museum (96 Lyme Street) takes place on Friday evening, July 26 from 7pm to 9pm. Locomotion will rock the riverfront to kick off this year’s Midsummer Festival. Concert goers are strongly encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the evening overlooking the Lieutenant River, and can bring their own refreshments or take advantage of the onsite food trucks. Also on Friday, the Museum will host an open house to view its current exhibitions and FloGris Shop Super Sale from 5-7pm. The Midsummer Concert at the FloGris Museum is generously sponsored by All Pro Automotive and Benchmark Wealth Management.

Saturday, July 27:
The Saturday festival begins with the LYSB 5K Run/Walk and Kids K. Pre-registration is available at LYSB.org or onsite the morning of the race beginning at 6:45am for the 8am run. The 5K winds through the historic Old Lyme Village while a 9am “Kids K” takes place on the Lyme-Old Lyme High School running track.

Major festival activities will run from 9am – 3pm on the grounds of the Lyme Art Association, Old Lyme Inn, FloGris Museum, and Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center.

The “Midsummer Fence Artists” will hold their traditional art sale on the lawn of the Old Lyme Inn (85 Lyme Street). Oil painters, pastelists, photographers, and other artists display their works for sale “Parisian style” on fencing. The Old Lyme Inn will also host this year’s Hands-on/Minds-On Activity Center. Join local nonprofit organizations on the south lawn of the Inn to enjoy free family-friendly crafts and activities.

The Lyme Art Association (90 Lyme Street) will feature artists’ booths, vendors, children’s activities, and nonprofit organizations. The Duck River Garden Club will have free plants for its first 100 visitors, and the Lil Plant Bus will be on site. The Wandering Fiddlers will be playing throughout the afternoon. The Art Association will also have three shows on view from 10am-5pm: the Hudson Valley Art Association’s 91st Annual National Juried Show, Expanding Visions: Traditional and Beyond Member Exhibit, and the Young Artist Show: Hope Is the Thing with Feathers.

The Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center (100 Lyme Street) will host the Lyme-Old Lyme Lions’ Club Classic Car Show from 9:30am-1:30pm. The show features antique, exotic, and hot rod vehicles from across the region. Participants can register their classic cars at lymeoldlymelionsclub.org for $20, and admission is $5 for spectators. Car Show attendees can also enjoy the Lions' Club popular Grill serving burgers, hot dogs, and fries.

The Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center also welcomes visitors to walk its new StoryWalk,® presented in partnership with the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library.

Dogs with the Best Smile, Best Costume, and Best Trick take the prize at the Parading Paws Dog Show held at the FloGris Museum (96 Lyme Street) and hosted by Vista Life Innovations. Dogs can be registered from 10am-10:30am to take part in the entertaining show beginning at 10:45am on the shady lawn.

The FloGris Museum’s historic boardinghouse and current exhibitions, Impressionism 150: From Paris to Connecticut and Beyond and From Art Colony to Connecticut Collection: Highlights from the FloGris Museum, will be open from 10am-5pm on Saturday, and festival goers will receive free admission to both the boardinghouse and exhibition gallery. Several food trucks will be set up on the Museum grounds and the FloGris Shop will hold its annual Super Sale with heavily discounted unique finds. The FloGris will also host the Lyme Artisans Guild and other art vendors on its grounds.

The Lyme Academy of Fine Arts’ exquisite de Gerenday’s Fine Art Materials & Curiosities Shop will be open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday. De Gerenday’s materials hand selected by the Academy's renowned faculty of professional artists. Located at the rear of the Academy campus (nearest the parking lot), De Gerenday's also offers high-quality giftable objects from around the globe. In the Academy’s Chauncey Stillman Gallery is Beyond the Figure: A Student and Faculty Exhibition on view through September 1.

The annual Patricia Spratt for the Home Midsummer Warehouse Sale takes place during the festival weekend Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm at 60 Lyme Street. The sale offers up to 80 percent off of table linens, pillows, and other home goods.

The Midsummer Festival is a production of the Old Lyme Arts District, a partnership of a dozen arts and cultural organizations and businesses along Lyme Street. To learn more about the Festival and partnership go to ExploreOldLyme.com/Midsummer-Festival. Sponsors of the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival include Pasta Vita, Essex Savings Bank, Essex Financial Services, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, Nancy Mesham Team at Coldwell Banker Realty, Caliber Computing and LymeLine.

Events are subject to change; go to ExploreOldLyme.com/midsummer-festival for detailed information and the Old Lyme Arts District Facebook page for updates. You can also sign up for text message updates by texting “Midsummer” to 888-777, the Town’s Everbridge System. Check website for parking locations. A shuttle bus will be available from 9:15am to 3:45pm to assist people moving to and from remote parking lots.