Old Lyme Midsummer Festival 2017 Highlights Arts and Culture
June 26, 2017
Old Lyme, CT – A “quintessential New England” weekend, this year’s Old Lyme Midsummer Festival kicks off July 28 with a toe-tapping Friday night concert on the lawn of the Florence Griswold Museum, and continues Saturday, July 29 up and down Lyme Street with new offerings and old favorites throughout the day.
This year’s 31st annual festival again takes place in the heart of Old Lyme's historic district. The mission of the festival partners is to celebrate the cultural heritage of Old Lyme, with art, music, food, and family fun.
The festivities kick-off Friday night featuring the bluegrass sounds of Nick and the Shady Creek with a lawn concert beginning at 7pm. This free concert is sponsored by All Pro Automotive and the Graybill Family. Before the concert the Florence Griswold Museum will host an open house, with free admission to the special exhibition Flora/Fauna: The Naturalist Impulse in American Art from 5pm – 7pm.
The Saturday Festival continues with arts exhibitions, kid’s activities, music, food and specialty shopping at locations along historic Lyme Street. Many locations also include “hands on” arts activities.
Shuttle buses will be available for the length of the festival, and take participants from designated parking lots to stops along Lyme Street. Parking lots will be open at the high school campus on Lyme Street, as well as the Old Lyme Marketplace on Halls Road.
Partner activities and events on Saturday include the following (from the north end to south end of Lyme Street):
A detailed listing of events and activities are available at www.OldLymeMidsummerFestival.com.
Key sponsors of the Festival include Essex Savings Bank/Essex Financial Services, Pasta Vita, Lymeline/Valley News Now, and The Day Publishing. Additional financial support comes from Paul Burdick Oil Company, Old Lyme Marketplace, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, Florence Griswold Museum, Zelek Electric, and Caliber Computing.
This year’s 31st annual festival again takes place in the heart of Old Lyme's historic district. The mission of the festival partners is to celebrate the cultural heritage of Old Lyme, with art, music, food, and family fun.
The festivities kick-off Friday night featuring the bluegrass sounds of Nick and the Shady Creek with a lawn concert beginning at 7pm. This free concert is sponsored by All Pro Automotive and the Graybill Family. Before the concert the Florence Griswold Museum will host an open house, with free admission to the special exhibition Flora/Fauna: The Naturalist Impulse in American Art from 5pm – 7pm.
The Saturday Festival continues with arts exhibitions, kid’s activities, music, food and specialty shopping at locations along historic Lyme Street. Many locations also include “hands on” arts activities.
Shuttle buses will be available for the length of the festival, and take participants from designated parking lots to stops along Lyme Street. Parking lots will be open at the high school campus on Lyme Street, as well as the Old Lyme Marketplace on Halls Road.
Partner activities and events on Saturday include the following (from the north end to south end of Lyme Street):
- Old Lyme Lions Club: Annual Antique Car Show, held at the Bee & Thistle. The Lions will also serve hamburgers and hot dogs.
- Florence Griswold Museum: a new Bohemian Street Fair, Hands-on/Minds-on Activities, Parading Paws Dog Show, food trucks, Folk Musician Dave Fry, The Shop Super Sale, and reduced admission to historic house and exhibitions
- Lyme Art Association: Art sales and exhibitions, savory pies, LAA’s famous Ice Tea and Lemonade, and a fun and interactive “Masterpiece Photo Op”
- Old Lyme Inn: Live music and refreshments under the tent, air-conditioned table service inside the historic inn
- Fence Artists Show: Now at the Old Lyme Inn, this group of local artists will sell artwork and provide art demonstrations throughout the day.
- Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts: Art demonstrations, student/alumni exhibition, live music and refreshments
- Lyme-Old LymeChamber of Commerce: A Vendor fair and youth music tent
- Studio 80: Summer Sculpture Showcase, fashion show, dance performance, live music and artist talk
- Patricia Spratt for the Home: The always-anticipated warehouse sale of specialty linens
- Lymes Youth Services Bureau: The Midsummer 5K
- Old Lyme Historical Society: Handweavers’ demonstration and community loom, troubadour Jim Lampos, Historical Society publications for sale.
- Lyme-Old Lyme Schools: Learn more about the extracurricular activities of the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools including the High School Crew Team and musical opportunities.
- Town of Old Lyme/Senior Center: Music & Movement yoga for families, Magician “Mr. Magic,” caricature drawings, King Arthur Flour Cookie Truck
- Old Lyme-PGN Library: Phoebe’s Bookcellar Midsummer Sale, hourly story times, Young Adult’s screenprinting, History Press authors, hands-on learning on e-books and more
A detailed listing of events and activities are available at www.OldLymeMidsummerFestival.com.
Key sponsors of the Festival include Essex Savings Bank/Essex Financial Services, Pasta Vita, Lymeline/Valley News Now, and The Day Publishing. Additional financial support comes from Paul Burdick Oil Company, Old Lyme Marketplace, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, Florence Griswold Museum, Zelek Electric, and Caliber Computing.
