Old Lyme Sets Stage for Nation’s 250th With July 4 Festivities, Yearlong Programming

OLD LYME, CT – With 100 days until the 250th anniversary of the nation’s independence, Old Lyme’s America 250 Committee is announcing a full slate of events and commemorations.

In a news release, committee Chair Cheryl Poirier last week said all events and activities will be listed on ExploreOldLyme.com/America250 as well as OldLyme-CT.gov.

Independence Day weekend will be the highlight of the calendar. The morning of July 4, the Town will share a proclamation and dedication to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. At 2 p.m. local time, residents will be encouraged to join citizens across the nation in ringing a bell thirteen times in honor of the original thirteen colonies.

Also on July 4^th, parades in the Sound View and Rogers Lake communities will take place as they have in past years.

On July 5^th from noon to 4 p.m., the committee will host a Townwide Picnic at Town Woods Park. The event is open to all Old Lyme residents and will include live musical performances, games and the opportunity to catch up with friends and neighbors.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own picnic makings, and the Lyme-Old Lyme Lions’ Club will also be on hand selling their popular grill items and cold drinks. Pre-ordering options will be announced in the weeks before the picnic.

A tablescape competition is planned in which judges will award prizes based on a variety of themes such as “Most Historic,” “Most Creative” and “Most Patriotic.” Children’s games and a pie-eating contest are also planned. More details will follow in the weeks leading up to the picnic.

The event is part of the nationwide “America’s Potluck” on July 5.

Year-Round Celebrations

Throughout the coming months, there will be lectures and performances relevant to the 250^th sponsored by several organizations in town.

The Old Lyme Historical Society Inc. (OLHSI) is holding a lecture series throughout the year, beginning with an April 23 lecture and book-signing, “Lyme, Connecticut: From Founding to Independence” by Bruce P. Stark. Stark authored a book by the same name, now printed in a special 50th anniversary edition.

During its events and a Memorial Day open house, the Old Lyme Historical Society will have on exhibit memorabilia and ephemera from July 1776, the nation’s Centennial celebration in 1876, and its Bicentennial celebration in 1976.

More information can be found at OldLymeHistorical.org. 

The Lymes Senior Center and the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library are also planning lectures or special events, with topics to be announced.

Old Lyme is closely associated with the arts, and the town’s arts organizations are participating with thematic exhibitions. The Florence Griswold Museum currently has a Call for Artists for participation in the juried show “Patchwork: Connecticut Artists Consider the 250” opening on June 27 (flogris.org).

The Lyme Art Association will have on view “A Connecticut History” June 5 through July 17 (LymeArtAssociation.org).

At the Cooley Gallery, artist Jac Lahav will show his popular life-sized portrait “George Washington: Over the Mountain” (2018), which tells the story of the iconic hero.

Townspeople will also be able to participate in creating a Community Friendship Quilt, to be announced in early April. Connecticut residents, including those in Old Lyme, participated in community friendship quilting projects during the 1976 Bicentennial celebration. The Bicentennial Quilt created by the Lyme Historical Society will be on display during the Florence Griswold Museum’s Patchwork exhibition and is the inspiration for the 2026 Quilt project. The 2026 Friendship Quilt project will be sponsored by the Old Lyme America 250 Committee.

The Town began its recognition of America’s 250th in 2025 with its proclamation of David Ruggles Day in March of last year. Ruggles was a 19th century abolitionist born in Lyme. Old Lyme then promoted “Two Lights for Tomorrow” in April 2025, celebrating the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s legendary ride to Concord.

Stay Updated

The Committee has a series of articles on ExploreOldLyme.com/America250 profiling both individuals and events that link Old Lyme to the Revolutionary War and the country’s overall history. Blog posts will continue to be added to the website for the remainder of the year.

Additional commemorations will be announced in the coming weeks on ExploreOldLyme.com/America250 and OldLyme-CT.gov.

Announcements are expected to include the planting of a Charter Oak descendant seedling by the Town’s Tree Commission, the dedication of the Duck River Garden Club’s Blue Star and Gold Star Memorial Markers at Town Hall and a Commemorative Booklet which will capture the activities and festivities of the town during this Semiquincentennial celebration. 

Old Lyme residents and businesses are encouraged to participate. Learn more at ExploreOldLyme.com/America250 or email America250@oldlyme-ct.gov. All programming is subject to changes and updates.