Mums, Mystics And A Major Music Fest: This Weekend In Connecticut

CONNECTICUT — If the state's largest ag fair and music festival aren't enough to get you out of the house this weekend, there's a terrific antique show, a gathering of psychics, and a Bark-toberfest beckoning.

Mum's the word in Bristol this weekend, where the 62nd Mum Festival will be in full bloom. It may sound like your mom's garden club show, but it's anything but: There will be carnival rides on the midway, 35 food trucks, pony and hay rides, The Bawdy Buccaneers, live music, over 160 booths and lots more. The Bristol Blues baseball squad will also be on hand with their Blues & Brew Fest & Garden. Mum Festival hours are Friday, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m., Saturday, noon – 9:00 p.m., and Sunday, noon – 6:00 p.m., Sept. 27–29, with free admission and free parking.

It'll likely be a different vibe at the 2024 Soundside Music Festival — Connecticut's largest — on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28–29 in Bridgeport. Big names Noah Kahan, The Goo Goo Dolls, Boyz II Men, Norah Jones, and Queens of the Stone Age are among the 20 artists scheduled to perform on one massive stage at Seaside Park. Organizers also promise dance performances, international cuisine, and family-friendly activities. Tickets are available online here.

Beer, pretzels, BBQ, and dogs… If these check all or most of your boxes, consider dropping by Bark-toberfest at Bear's Smokehouse BBQ in New Haven on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free, but a $2 donation to New England Puppy Rescue will enter you and your best friend in the costume contest.

Connecticut's largest agricultural fair, The 104th Annual Durham Fair, is going on now, through Sunday. The schedule of events is packed with monster trucks, horse pulls, over 1,000 animals, a demolition derby, magic, astronomy, cow plop BINGO, and live music performances by Chris Janson, .38 Special, and many more acts.

The Ansonia Harvest Festival, billed as an "old-fashioned New England street fair," is a more modest undertaking, and will be spread out along Main Street on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Look for a petting zoo and pony rides along with a full complement of vendors, crafters and live musical performances.

Expect more down-home New England goodness on Sunday at the 25th Annual Willimantic Downtown Country Fair. In fact, you'll only find crafts and items produced in Windham, Tolland and New London Counties at the show. Everything will be arranged in Jillson Square from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It's Mansfield's largest event of the year, and it's free. The 21st Annual Celebrate Mansfield Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 28 from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Downtown Storrs. Puppets, magic, jazz, cooking demos, and a farmers' market are just a fraction of what the Mansfield Downtown Partnership will try to squeeze in to the six hours.

Also on Saturday, "the greatest little" fall outdoor antique show in Connecticut will be dusting off its curios and laying them out on the Lebanon Town Green from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. Grab a hot dog, hamburger, donut or slice of pie and browse through a large and varied collection of antiques from up to 60 vendors. It's all a fundraiser for the Lebanon Historical Society.

Meanwhile, mystics, tarot readers, and mediums will be converging for Echoes in the Park in Shelton on Saturday from noon to 7:00 p.m. In addition to the psychics at Holy Ghost Park, there will be "live music for every taste," food, drink and other vendors. Organizers call the event "a unique chance to feel connected to those who have passed and to celebrate their lives in a beautiful, spiritual setting."