Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival saw thousands of visitors exploring arts and crafts galore at a variety of locations. The photo above features the lawn at the side of the Old Lyme Inn.
OLD LYME—UPDATED WITH MORE PHOTOS 7/28: The Old Lyme Midsummer Festival on Saturday turned part of the town’s historic district into a vibrant celebration of the arts. Visitors enjoyed a view of Americana set in the same estuarine light that lured Impressionist painters more than a century ago.
Visitors of all ages enjoyed viewing the artwork on display.
Tents featuring individual artists with works in a vast range of media, local non-profits explaining their mission, culinary delights from nearby farms, and refreshments for immediate consumption were spread across five locations.
These latter comprised the Lyme Art Association, FloGris Museum, Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, Old Lyme Inn and Lyme Academy of Fine Arts..
The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions hosted their 20th Annual Classic Car Show at the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center.
On the shaded grounds of the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, George Willauer took home a first place trophy for the Packard convertible his father bought new for $3,400 back in 1935. He attributed the vehicle’s pristine condition to Vintage Motorcars of Westbrook, the local shop with an international reputation that undertook a partial restoration after the car was damaged in a crash several years ago.
The 90-year-old Packard came into the world the same year Willauer did. He learned to drive on the three-speed manual transmission he still shifts today.
“It’s a part of me,” he said.
George Willauer, of Lyme, drove his 1935 Packard convertible to victory in Class B (1930- 1942) of the 20th Annual Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club Classic Car Show.
Inside the Kelsey Family Children’s Innovation Discovery Center at the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, conservation and education coordinator Joe Attwater helped 6-year-old Nova Berman examine a feather through a digital microscope. As Attwater described the “incredible” properties that make feathers such ideal insulation for comforters and coats, Nova magnified the fluffy down beneath her scope.
“There’s nothing warmer in the world than a feather,” Attwater said.
Nova Berman, 6, uses a digital microscope in the Kelsey Family Children’s Innovation Discovery Center at Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center.
The festival is a destination not only for locals, but for visitors. This year marked the first Midsummer outing for Christine Mestler of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was in town to visit her sister, Ross Higgins. The women both went home with prints from the “Fence Artists” displayed on the grounds of the Old Lyme Inn.
Ross Higgins, of Old Lyme, and her sister Christine Mestler of Cincinnati, Ohio, survey the artwork outside the Old Lyme Inn.
The Lyme Artisans Guild began in 2023 when Carol Hunts Stanland, a textile artist, forged the crafts collective of jewelry makers, potters, sculptors, weavers and woodturners. Stanland said shoppers can also find their wares at the Guilford Art Center Holiday Expo and Light Up Old Lyme later this year.
Paul Maulucci, a woodturner from Coventry who belongs to the Lyme Artisans Guild, shows his wares at the Midsummer Festival.
Starting off with a 5K race to benefit the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau and ending with fireworks set off from behind the Lyme-Old Lyme High School, each year brings enough active artistry to keep attendees coming back for more.
Aidan Kerrigan gave a stirring rendition of the national anthem immediately before the race began.
And they’re off! Serious runners were called to the front of the pack before the race began..
Around 500 runners and walkers competed in the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau 5K race.
Some runners even wore tutus!
The Parading Paws dog parade at the FloGris Museum was delightful … as always.
Alfie went through his paces capably led by Quinn Ressler before walking away with the “Sweetest” dog.
Ed Shyloski (left) and Greg Symonds, longtime members of VFW Post 1467 continued their service by engaging with many of the visitors and explaining their important work.
A wonderful display of hydrangeas from ‘Hydrangeas Galore’ by Mark Comstock greeted festival-goers as they arrived at the Lyme Art Association.
The Duck River Garden Club—complete with little duckies—was offering beautiful bouquets for sale.
The Old Lyme Town Band gave a rousing concert as a perfect prelude to the fireworks display.
A fabulous fireworks display rounded off another marvelous Midsummer Festival.
The ‘Mighty Soul Drivers’ performed on a stand set up on the banks of the Lieutenant River,
OLD LYME—Despite the intense rain storm in the afternoon, by the time the evening rolled around, the skies were clear and a wonderful night of music and friendship took place on the grounds of the FloGris Museum.
Concert-goers settled in for an evening of music, food and friendship.
The ‘Mighty Soul Drivers’ kicked off Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival 2025 yesterday evening with a rousing concert.
‘The Rolling Tomato’ was doing a roaring trade before the concert began. Things quietened down after the music had started.
Picnics were eaten, beverages were consumed, friends reconnected, and some people even stood up and danced!
Some kayakers listened to the concert from the idyllic setting of the Lieutenant River.
Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival takes place July 26, with one of the venues being the Florence Griswold Museum. The antiques car in the foreground of this photo is a reminder that the Lyme-Old Lyme Lions host their Classic Car Show next door at the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center during the Festival from 9:30am to 1:30pm
OLD LYME—The Old Lyme Arts District has announced two of the town’s premier summer celebrations: the Midsummer Kickoff Concert on Friday, July 25 and the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival on Saturday, July 26.
The Arts District in a press release said the family-friendly events showcase the town’s rich artistic heritage and welcoming community spirit in a weekend of art, music, and family fun.
Midsummer Kickoff Concert at the FloGris Museum, July 25
Come enjoy a free concert by the Mighty Soul Drivers on the lawn in this beautiful venue along the Lieutenant River.
The Florence Griswold Museum, 90 Lyme St., is once again hosting the kickoff concert the night before the Midsummer Festival. This year the Mighty Soul Drivers will entertain. Bring your chairs or blanket and get ready for this favorite party and dance band. Bring a picnic or enjoy food vendor fare.
5 to 7 p.m. Free admission to exhibitions Nancy Friese: Living Landscapes and Cow Tales, plus early access to the FloGris Shop’s Midsummer Super Sale.
7 to 9 p.m. Midsummer Concert on the Lawn featuring The Mighty Soul Drivers—a high-energy Memphis-style soul band. Bring a picnic or grab food from local vendors. Free and open to the public.
38th Annual Old Lyme Midsummer Festival, July 26
Find art, music, food, and family fun at the 38th Annual Old Lyme Midsummer Festival. The day’s events begin with a 5K road race and then continue with festivities at the Lyme Art Association, Florence Griswold Museum, Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, and the Old Lyme Inn. More information can be found at ExploreOldLyme.com/MidsummerFestival2025.
Midsummer 5K Run hosted by Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, 59 Lyme Street
A raised hand held the starting horn for the Kids’ Race at last year’s 5K Midsummer Run.
5K Run/Walk (8 a.m. start): A morning run that winds through the beautiful streets of the village. Pre-registration online or onsite beginning at begins at 6:45 a.m.
Kid K (9 a.m. start): Takes place on the high school running track. Check in at LYSB.
Lyme Art Association, 90 Lyme St.
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Outdoor Activities (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.): Meet local artists, enjoy craft-making, get refreshments from Del’s Lemonade, and explore booths from garden clubs and community groups.
Live Music: The Wandering Fiddlers (9 a.m. to noon) and Kipp Sturgeon (12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.)
Gallery Exhibitions: 104th Elected Artists Exhibition, Red Hot Members Show, and New Haven Paint & Clay Club Select Members Exhibit
Florence Griswold Museum, 96 Lyme Street
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Admission: Explore exhibitions and the historic Griswold Boardinghouse for artists, c. 1910
Food Truck Court (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.): Delicious offerings for all ages
Dog Show (10 a.m. to noon): Parading Paws returns—every dog’s a winner!
Gallery Tour (2 p.m.) and hands-on crafts. Face painting, fairy hair, and more throughout the day
Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, 100 Lyme Street
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Kelsey Family Discovery Center: Science experiments, crafts, and wildlife watching
Special Appearances:
10 a.m. Michele Urban Music Show—a whimsical interactive concert for families made possible by the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Old Lyme Library
CT River Museum rope-making demos
Great Island Foundation oyster & mussel touch tank
Environmental presentations by the Old Lyme Land Trust, Old Lyme Open Space Commission and Old Lyme Harbor Management Commission
Lions Club Classic Car Show (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.): Enjoy antique, exotic, and hot rod vehicles. Entrance fee of $5 gives attendees the chance to judge entrants. Trophies awarded after 1pm. The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club will also be offering its popular grill items onsite.
Peterson Collection on View: Artist proofs and signed prints in the Eleanor Robinson Center
Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Browse fine arts and crafts from theFence Show Artists, Lyme Artisans Guild, and other vendors.
Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, 84 Lyme Street
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
De Gerenday’s Fine Art Materials & Curiosities (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.): Offering the finest art materials hand selected by our renowned faculty of professional artists and exquisite giftable objects from around the globe.
Chauncey-Stillman Gallery On view: (12 to 4 p.m.): Annual Student and Faculty Exhibition.
*There is also an exhibition of Jac Lahav’s paintings of iconic record covers at Nautilus Architects at 9 Halls Rd. Admission is free and light refreshments will be offered. There will be live music between by Eggshell between 2:30 and 4:30pm*
There will be a concert by the Old Lyme Town Band starting at 7:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Center School, which will be followed by the traditional fireworks display.
Mark your calendars, bring your friends and family, and make memories this summer in Old Lyme!
The Midsummer Festival is generously supported by Connecticut’s Eastern Regional Tourism District, Pasta Vita, Essex Savings Bank/Essex Financial Services, the Herb Chambers Charitable Foundation, Inc, Bluewater Millwork & Construction Inc, Mercer Advisors, the Nancy Mesham Team at Coldwell Banker Realty, and LymeLine.com.
About the Old Lyme Arts District Located in the heart of Old Lyme, Connecticut, the Old Lyme Arts District is a collaborative cultural community that celebrates the town’s artistic legacy through exhibitions, events, and partnerships. Anchored by the Florence Griswold Museum, Lyme Art Association, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, Cooley Gallery, Side Door Jazz Club, Nightingale’s Acoustic Café, Musical Masterworks, Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, and Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, the District offers year-round programming that inspires creativity and fosters community.
There will be plenty of cars to photograph at Saturday’s Classic Car Show hosted by the Lyme-Old Lyme Lions. LymeLine file photo.
OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Lions Club will once again hold their Annual Classic Car Show during Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival on Saturday, July 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center (formerly the Bee and Thistle Inn) at 100 Lyme St. in Old Lyme.
What a beauty! See classic cars galore at the the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center on Saturday.
Samples of work by Lilywork Artisan Tile grace the walls of the studio. File photo.
OLD LYME–Lilywork Artisan Tile is opening its doors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday for Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival.
The studio is located at 56 Lyme St. Studio tours will give visitors the opportunity to see how handcrafted tile is made. The open house event includes special sale pricing.
