CONNECTICUT, USA — It's the final weekend of September, and fall celebrations are well underway in Connecticut! As the spooky season approaches, many haunted trails and events are beginning this weekend as well.
Don't miss Connecticut's biggest music festival, which features an amazing lineup of performers! The Soundside Music Festival at Seaside Park in Bridgeport will take place on Saturday and Sunday. The festival will include headliners, including Noah Kahan, as well as other performers like the Goo Goo Dolls, Boyz ll Men, Teddy Swims, and more! The festival will also have a craft beer hall, wine grove, lounges, brand experiences, and a lot of local food and drink vendors. Learn more about the festival and purchase tickets here.
Bristol will hold its 62nd Annual Mum Festival this weekend! Bristol was once known as the Mum City and is famous for this colorful flower. Each year, thousands of people come from all over to celebrate! There will be over 40 food trucks and booths on site, along with over 160 local vendors as well! There will also be amusement rides, live performances, an activities tent, and much more for the whole family to enjoy! The festival will conclude Sunday with a parade as well. Learn more about the festival details here.
Are you a lover of dogs and also enjoy Oktoberfest? Head to Bear's Smokehouse BBQ in New Haven this Sunday for their Bark-toberfest event! This is a special, dog-friendly Oktoberfest event where guests can enjoy great beer and BBQ while spending time with their furry best friends! The event includes a dog costume contest, a bandana-making station, yard games, and more fun. All proceeds and donations during the event will go to New England Puppy Rescue! Learn more about this event here.
The 104th Annual Durham Fair will be held this weekend! The fair begins Thursday and will run until Sunday. It's the state's largest agricultural fair. It will feature nationally known country music performers, thousands of exhibits to see, a midway, and plenty of food to try! Check out the demolition derby, monster truck rally, and much more. It's an old-time country fair in the typical New England village setting! Learn more about the fair and see information on parking and tickets here.
Spooky season is upon us, and the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry wants to help you get into the spirit of the season! Their special, flashlight-lit tours, "Things That Go Bump in the Night," will take you around the property and into the house, all the way up to the dark and shadowy attic. Prepare to be scared while surrounded by the history that spawned all of the stories! Hear long-standing and new Homestead ghost stories from staff members and spooky encounters reported by guests. This is not recommended for children. The tours run Thursdays and Fridays beginning this week and to Halloween, Oct. 31. Learn more about the tours and see available times here.
Another spooky tour to get you in the Halloween spirit is exploring the Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine in East Granby! In the late 18th century, those incarcerated at the prison were housed in the abandoned copper mine in total darkness. Now, they're bringing "Light Into the Dungeon" this fall season as you can explore the 100-yeard loop of the underground copper mine, illuminated by a display of 350 professionally charged jack o'lanterns! This event runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 27. Learn more and purchase advance tickets here.
Powder Ridge Park is transforming from a peaceful mountain filled with family fun and smiling staff to a haunting spectacle with sightings of ghouls and monsters that roam the trails! Head to the park in Middlefield for their Haunting at the Ridge event beginning this weekend and ending Oct. 27! The terrifying journey starts with a chair lift ride up the mountain through the darkness, where you'll catch glimpses of creatures below! Make your descent down the mountain on foot while encountering all the mountain's mysteries. Learn more about the event and purchase tickets here.
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These aren't the only things happening this weekend in Connecticut! For more ideas, head to CT Visit.
See you next weekend!
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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