Windsor Event Puts Shad Derby Know-How To The Test

WINDSOR, CT — A fish that helped shape Windsor’s identity is taking center stage again this week.

The Windsor Historical Society is holding its Shad Derby Trivia Contest on Wednesday, April 23, at 6 p.m. at Back East Brewing, 1296 Blue Hills Ave. in Bloomfield.

The event will feature teams of up to six competing across five rounds of questions on local history, pop culture and fish. Prizes will be awarded for the trivia winners, best team name and best shad costume, and organizers said the contest also includes a race for the “shad-tastic” trophy.

In Windsor, the shad is more than just the theme of a spring event. The fish has long been tied to the Connecticut River and to Windsor’s river history, helping make it a lasting symbol of the town and its annual Shad Derby tradition.

That connection is part of why the fish still shows up so prominently in local events. What started as a seasonal river tradition grew into one of Windsor’s best-known community celebrations, and the historical society is leaning into that background with this week’s contest.

Preregistration is strongly encouraged. A registration link was posted in the comments of the Windsor Historical Society’s social media announcement.