Event Details
Celebrate 285 years of tradition at Lyman Orchards with a two-day anniversary festival in Middlefield, Connecticut! Enjoy family-friendly activities, live entertainment, local food and classic farm experiences all in one unforgettable event.
Get ready for a festival like no other! Lyman Orchards is turning 285 years old, and we're throwing the ultimate anniversary bash! From horse-drawn wagon rides to face painting, silhouette portraits to colonial crafts fun, there's something for every age, and every adventurer.
Step back in time and explore history brought to life with jam-making demonstrations, apple pie baking, fife & drum performances, and costumed characters wandering the grounds. Challenge your friends to volleyball, corn hole, or potato sack racing, cheer on brave contestants in the pie eating contest, or just kick back and enjoy live music, tasty colonial-inspired treats, and hands-on activities for the whole family.
This is more than a festival, it's a celebration of 285 years of farming, family, and fun. Come be part of history... and make some memories of your own!
Event Details:
Saturday, May 16th 10 AM - 3 PM
Sunday, May 17th 10 AM - 3 PM
Proudly Sponsored by Middlesex Health, Liberty Bank & Farm Credit East.
Event Schedule and Activities
Ongoing Activities (10 AM - 3 PM)
- Mini Golf Putting Station, Volleyball & Corn Hole
- Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides
- Circle K Petting Farm
- Face Painting by Lara
- Colonial Craft Activity with ToneGrown
- Free Craft Table
- Silhouette Portraits by The Silhouette Lady (Saturday Only)
Demonstrations & Special Events:
- 10 AM - 1 PM: Live Music from Sequoia Rose
- 10 AM, 12 PM & 2 PM: Basket Weaving Demonstrations
- 10:30 AM: Apple Pie Demonstration on the Apple Barrel Patio
- 11 AM & 12:30 PM: Free Lyman Homestead Tours by Historian and Author, Diana Ross McCain. Registration Required. Sign up here.
- 11 AM - 2 PM: East Haddam Strolling Characters
- 11 AM & 1 PM: Basket Weaving Class, $25 per person. Limited availability, Registration Required. Please email tinasbaskets@yahoo.com to sign up. Cash for payment is due the day of class.
- 11:30 AM: Jam-Making Demonstration & Tasting
- 12 PM - 12:30 PM & 1 PM - 1:30 PM: Yalesville Fife & Drum Corps (Saturday Only)
- 1 PM - 3 PM: Cotillion Dancing Demonstration with Glastonbury Square Dance Club (Sunday Only)
- 1:30 PM: Pie Eating Contest for Kids & Adults (first come, first serve)
Colonial-Inspired Treats:
Enjoy specialty items including:
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Molasses Cookies
- Cornbread with Honey Butter
- Dried Apple Chips
- Fresh-Baked Pies & More!
As one of the oldest continuously operating orchards in the United States, Lyman Orchards is celebrating 285 years of farming, family traditions, and community connection. This special anniversary festival brings together everything guests love: from fresh-baked goods and cider to outdoor activities and live entertainment.
No Pets Allowed.