Spring Festivals In CT: The Absolute Solution for Winter Blues

While winter has many wonderful features, such as:

Walking through the snow
Building snowmen
And checking out different ice sculptures throughout town

There comes a time when everyone gets ready for warmth.

We would like to trade in our winter mittens for lighter jackets and to sit outside without freezing to our bones.

When we think of spring, we think of blooming flowers, fresh green grass, and blue skies with a gentle breeze and warmer weather. So, when butterflies start flying around, and we can tuck away our winter coats, it’s time to celebrate with art and culture!

Visiting Connecticut in spring is a great way to celebrate the new season and take in everything the state has to offer. Check out these spring festivals held throughout Connecticut.

Spring festivals in CT

Scattered throughout the state are fairs and festivals devoted to celebrating the vernal equinox.

So finish-up your spring cleaning, and get out there to explore the state!

Connecticut spring festivals in March

March may be the official start of spring, but the weather doesn’t always make it feel that way. There are a few festivals to celebrate the often slow return of warm weather, mostly centered on the local maple syrup season and Saint Patrick’s Day.

Hebron Maple Festival

Every year, thousands of people travel from all over the country to enjoy a weekend of maple-related events. Several local sugar houses offer demonstrations, self-tours, and a variety of maple products. Everyone can also enjoy the dog sled exhibition, chainsaw carvers, crafts, vendors, and food merchants! Head to the Hebron Maple Festival (usually the second weekend of March) for family fun and an adult sugar high.

Saint Patrick’s Day Festivals

Connecticut, like much of the Northeast, has a sizable Irish population. On St. Patrick’s Day, however, even those who aren’t Irish join in the fun.

Greenwich’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade includes:

Bagpipes
Irish step dancing
And Shriners on their miniature cars

And there’s even more to their annual parade route, which runs from Town Hall down Greenwich Avenue and along the Post Road.

After that, grab a pint at The Ginger Man.

If you are on the eastern side of Connecticut, be sure to visit Mystic in March. The town hosts its annual Irish Parade, as well.

Connecticut spring festivals in April

April is when spring actually starts to pop. The spring blooms are in full swing, and the weather is significantly warmer.

Rain may dampen a given day, but temperatures are almost as perfect as May.

Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Festival

Head over to North Haven, CT, to welcome the new season and all the new farm animals that were born in the colder months. At this festival, you can check out goods from more than 50 local vendors, including hand-woven rugs, pottery, soaps, and gnomes.

The Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Festival started back in 1909 to promote sheep throughout the state. It only costs $5 a person to enter, and children 12 and under can gain entry for free. It always happens the last Saturday of April from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM at the North Haven Fairgrounds.

Daffodils on the Estate

This is admittedly not a festival, but still worth checking out. Head over to the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown to commemorate the annual Daffodil Day on April 23rd from 12 PM until 3 PM. You can look bask in all the flowers while you’re there!

Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival

bee on a cherry blossom at one of the best spring festivals in CT, in New Haven

New Haven’s most anticipated spring events, the Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival started as a small neighborhood gathering. It has since become quite a statewide phenomenon.

Attendees can look forward to live entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors, and more.

This event is usually held at the end of April when the Connecticut cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

We hope you find one of the best spring festivals in CT (or 3) on this list that will help make the winter blues go away!

Daffodils Festival

Over in Meriden, you can check out the Daffodils Festival for Daffodil Day to witness lively flowers, a parade, a craft fair, and live music. You can also check out some shows that includes stunts and animals. Other very exciting activities are the carnival rides that are fun for the whole family! After you’ve spent the day enjoying all the activities the festival has to offer, you can head over to the food tent to try out a variety of foods. Menu options include Bratwurst, cheeseburgers, hotdogs, and meatballs on a stick. If you have more of a sweet tooth, you can try out the cotton candy, Belgian waffles, and fried dough. Held on the last weekend of April, this is event is one of the best things to do in CT in April.

Simsbury Flea & Smorgasbord

This festival is a mashup between a flea market and a food trucks event. While you are walking around and shopping among the vendors for hidden treasures and vintage goods, you can enjoy food offerings from the trucks lining the aisles of the event. This event is held on the last Saturday of April.

Woodbury Earth Day Event

The Woodbury Earth Day event is the largest Earth Day celebration in Connecticut. Families can look forward to eco-friendly activities and check out vendors and food options. It will be held on Saturday, April 30th, from 11 AM until 4 PM at Hollow Park in Woodbury.

Hollister House Garden

To celebrate the flowers and the beauty of spring, head over to Hollister House Garden to take a walk through its terraced hills. This English garden will make you feel like you’re walking around in a painting, with its hedges, ponds, and landscaping.

A $5 donation is expected, and the house operates from April until October.

Spring Festivals in CT, May edition

May is one of the best months of the year in Connecticut.

At least in terms of weather.

And the state’s festival season starts to ramp into high gear, especially towards the end of the month.

Dogwood Festival

One of the larger festivals throughout the state is the Dogwood Festival in Fairfield. It features more than 60 vendors alongside live music, games, raffles, and a tag sale. There is also a lot of food to try out if you get hungry during the day’s adventures. What started small has grown into quite a large event. The festival once was just a set-up by a small group of ladies with some refreshments on a small craft table to sell some handmade goods back in 1936. You can look forward to attending this festival at a weekend in early May at the Greenfield Hill Church.

May Market

Another highly anticipated festival is the May Market held in Farmington. It features more than 30 vendors with lots of flowers and plants for purchase to celebrate spring.

The cost of entry is $10 per person for this farmer’s market, but children 12 and under can score free admission.

The festival is held at the beginning of May at Hill-Stead Museum from late morning until mid-afternoon.

Spring festivals in June

Connecticut, and Greenwich especially, truly shines in the month of June.

In between the weddings and graduations, there are plenty of other festivals throughout the state to experience this month.

A few in Greenwich typically include:

Concours d’Elegance
Greenwich Town Party
The Outdoor Crafts Festival at the Bruce Museum

Other spring festivals happening across Connecticut include:

20th Annual Downtown Milford Pirates Day Festival

Ahoy, mateys! Head on over to Milford, CT, on Sunday, June 5th from 9 AM until 3 PM for all things pirates. Bring the family down to have some pancakes with pirates and check out all the local vendors on the Green at Lisman’s Landing. There will be story times, face painting, balloon art, and more. Kids can also board the Elixer at noon for Capt’n Kidd & Crew! The Milford Historical Society hosts pirate tales and old-fashioned games. Participating downtown merchants will even host a treasure map activity from 11 AM until 2 PM. Purchase your breakfast tickets online here.

Little Poland Festival

Whether you have a little Polish in your genes, or you just appreciate different cultures, check out the Little Poland Festival! You will be amazed by folk dancers, live music, authentic food, costumed characters, and activities for kids. There is also over 100 vendors, making this the largest Polish cultural festival in New England. This event will be held on Main Street in New Britain on Sunday, June 5th, from 11 AM until 7 PM. Admission is free!

Cheshire Strawberry Festival

On June 11th, head over to Cheshire, CT, to celebrate strawberries and the beautiful weather! This community event highlights food options, live music, arts and crafts, and lots of strawberry shortcake. Sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Cheshire, the festival will be held from 10 AM to 4 PM on June 11th.

Plan more things to do beyond spring festivals in CT

Still need more to do while you’re exploring the state this spring?

Not to worry!

Plan a day trip or two across the state to find:

And be sure to download a copy of our free guide to Connecticut in the spring, including all the top spring festivals in CT!

Spring Festivals In CT: The Absolute Solution for Winter Blues