This Weekend in Lyme and Old Lyme, July 24 & 25

OLD LYME, CT – The Midsummer Festival, a production of the Old Lyme Arts District, returns with a kickoff concert on Friday, July 24, and a day-long celebration of the town’s rich artistic heritage on Saturday, July 25.

Friday, July 24

Free Concert with Mass-Conn-Fusion

The free Friday concert from 7 to 9 p.m. showcases Mass-Conn-Fusion on the riverfront lawn of the Florence Griswold Museum. Bring your lawn chair or blanket to hear this seven-piece band featuring vocals, horns, and a rhythm section perform its mix of classic hits. Food vendors will be available

Saturday, July 25

Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau’s Annual Midsummer 5K Run & Walk

The race kicks off the annual Old Lyme Midsummer Festival at 8 a.m. Beginning at 59 Lyme St., it features a flat, fast course through the streets of Old Lyme’s Historic District. Participants can choose from a 5K run, 5K walk or Kids K. The first 200 registered participants will receive race shirts, and all finishers will receive medals. Proceeds benefit the Lymes’ Youth Services Bureau’s programs for youth and families, including mental wellness initiatives, drug and alcohol prevention, juvenile justice support, positive youth development and early childhood programs.Volunteers are needed on race day. For registration, race details or volunteer information, visit the event website or email lysb@lysb.org.

Art Sale and Exhibitions

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., you’ll find art for sale by the Fence Show Artists on the lawn of the Old Lyme Inn as well as works by the artists of the Lyme Art Association and the Lyme Artisans Guild. In addition, a variety of artisans will be selling handcrafted goods. There are free art exhibitions at the Lyme Art Association, Lyme Academy’s Chauncey-Stillman Gallery, the Florence Griswold Museum, and the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center.

The Lions Club Classic Car Show and the Parading Paws Dog Show

The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club Classic Car Show will take place at 100 Lyme St. from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Admission to view cars is $5. The Parading Paws Dog Show will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Dogs may register beginning at 10 a.m. for 10:45 a.m. judging on the lawn of the Florence Griswold Museum.

Kids Activities to Make Everyone Smile

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. you’ll find a variety of activities at the Florence Griswold Museum, the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, the Old Lyme Inn, the Lyme Art Association and by local nonprofits that will have your younger family members thinking and doing. At 12 p.m. the Michele Urban Music Show takes place on the Estuary ground.

The Old Lyme Town Band and Fireworks

The Old Lyme Town Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. followed by a fireworks show set to launch around 9 p.m. A raindate is set for the following evening.

Festival admission is free. Some individual activities may have separate registration fees or admission charges.

The Midsummer Festival is supported by Connecticut’s Eastern Regional Tourism District, the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, Pasta Vita, Essex Bank/Essex Financial Services, the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, Bluewater Millwork & Construction Inc. and LymeLine Inc.

Full schedules, maps and updates are available on the Explore Old Lyme website.