Free, Cheap or Discounted for Family, Kids, Fairs, and Festivals in Connecticut. There are so many fun things to do with kids and families in Connecticut and we are giving you a way to save money on tickets and admission fees.
This roundup of free events along with discounts has been provide by Sarah Dzialo. Thank you very much!
Fall Events in Connecticut
EXCLUSIVELY FREE
Sat, Sept 7 & Sun, Sept 8 – CT Maritime Heritage Festival in historic downtown Fort Trumbull in New London – free kids activities include crafts, boats to tour, learning, music, face painting, make-a-parade-costume, parade, fishing clinic, nautical demonstrations
Sat, Sept 21:
- 10 AM-4 PM – Hebron Colonial Day (historic demonstrations, etc.)
- 11 AM-4 PM – free Fall Fest in Manchester (1075 Tolland Pke) – kids’ activities, free giveaways, etc.
- 1-5 PM – Celebrate Colchester on town green (kids’ activities, giveaways, etc.)
Sat, Sept 28:
- 10:30-12:30 – painting pumpkins on the Portland town green (sign up through Portland library online)
Sat, Oct 5 – 9 AM-5 PM – South Windsor AppleFest at Nevers Park – free kids’ activities include Rocking Rodeo, pony rides (12-3 PM), petting zoo & kids’ games
Sun, Oct 20 – 10 AM-3 PM – Strong Family Farm Harvest Festival in Vernon, CT – “demonstrations”, “kids activities”, “true, family-friendly, traditional New England fall festival”
Wed, Oct 23 – 4-6 PM – “spooky strolls” behind Riverfront Community Center in Glastonbury – sign up online through Welles-Turner Memorial Library
Sat, Oct 26: 9 AM-3 PM – fall fair at St. Pius X in Middletown – children’s crafts, hay wagon ride to pumpkin patch, children’s games
DISCOUNTED OR CHEAP:
CT Renaissance Faire (weekends in September/October) – kids under age 6 are free, adults are cheap
Pumpkintown USA (East Hampton, CT) – $7/person, kids 2 & under are free
Fair Weather Growers (Rocky Hill) – fall fair (corn maze, hay rides, scarecrow pit, grain corn pit, tire playground, farm animals, jump pillow, pumpkin patch, child hay maze, pedal go karts, tractor barrel train, giant caterpillar slide, gem mine)
Frugal Fridays means that Fridays after 2 PM, tickets (which include a pumpkin) are half priced (so, down from $30 to $15) – Frugal Friday tickets can only be purchased at the ticket booth (they will not be open on Fridays during the month of September, their first Friday open will be October 4th)
Children 2 & under are free
Sept 5-8 – Hebron Harvest Fair – $15/adult, kids 12 & under are free
Sun, Sept 15 – 1-4 PM – Harvest time at Welles Shipman Ward House (historic colonial house/barns owned by the Glastonbury Historical Society) – $10/adult, kids under age 10 are free – crafts, games, spear throwing, etc.
Fri, Oct 13 through Sun, Oct 20 – Glastonbury Apple Harvest & Music Festival – $5/adult on Friday evening ($8/person on Sat & Sun), kids under 6 are free
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Christmas Events in Connecticut
EXCLUSIVELY FREE:
Sat, Nov 30 – 2 PM – Santa arrives by tugboat to Downtown Mystic – free pics with Santa, caroling & “Christmas-themed items”
Fri, Dec 9 – 5-9 PM – free Christmas Tree Lighting at the Glastonbury town fountain – free pics with Santa, candy canes, hot cocoa, Christmas kids’ crafts, live Christmas music, etc.
Christmas Village/Santa’s Workshop in Torrington, CT – free, HUGE/BEAUTIFUL walk-around outdoor & indoor display – days/times TBD
Santa’s Workshop at Wickham Park in Manchester, CT – free pics with Santa/hot cocoa/cookies, etc. – days/times TBD
Fair Weather Acres (Rocky Hill) – free barrel train for kids to ride, with Mr. & Mrs. Claus – late November day/time TBD
Glastonbury Holiday Light Parade (at least 40 amazingly-decorated cars/trucks) – days/times TBD
Christmas Tree Lighting at Hops on the Hill Brewery (in South Glastonbury) – free pics with Santa in front of the beautiful tree – day/time TBD
Olde Mistick Village Holiday Lights Spectacular – free – biggest Christmas light display in New England – lots to walk around & see
FREE WITH AN OPTIONAL PAID COMPONENT:
Star Hill Family Farm in Portland, CT – free Santa hats/hot cocoa/Christmas kids’ games/letters to Santa/farm animals petting zoo – Saturdays/Sundays from after Thanksgiving thru the end of December – particular hours TBD
Sleigh ride or horse carriage ride – $10/person, kids 3 & under are free
Holidays on Main – Old Wethersfield – tree lighting with Santa/elves, caroling, face painting/kids’ activities, ice sculptures, cash for horse carriage rides, etc. – day/time TBD
Dzen Farms (South Windsor) – free live reindeer to visit, Santa & Mrs. Claus from 10 AM-2 PM – costs money to cut Christmas tree – Saturdays/Sundays late November to late December – exact times TBD
PAID ACTIVITIES WITH A DISCOUNTED/FREE COMPONENT:
Sept 11 AM at 9 AM – tickets go on sale online for the Christmas Essex Steam Train Polar Express ride. Cheapest full price for this ride is Tues-Thurs coach seats at $60 each – sale price is ____?
Polar Express ride on Grey Granite Railroad at Cavanna’s Farm in South Glastonbury, CT – $40/person (used to be $35), kids under 1 are free (used to be kids under 2) – ride through the Christmas tree farm & arrive at Santa’s cabin, each kid gets to spend some time with Santa/take pics/have free hot cocoa/cookies
Christmas by Candlelight – Old Sturbridge Village – tickets going on sale this fall (sign up for email list to hear when) – kids 3 & under are free – old historic Christmas festivities, demonstrations of classic Christmas projects, Christmas Tree Trail, stories/live music, Christmas treats, etc.
Best deal I’ve seen so far for cut-your-own-Christmas-trees: $40/tree at East Glastonbury Fish & Game Club
CT Trolley Museum – Winterfest Holiday of Lights train ride – $16/person, children under age 2 are free
Lantern Light Village at Mystic Seaport – 19th-century Christmas village – kids 3 & under are free – adult tickets are $29 each – December 6-7, 13-14, 20-22 – festive lighting displays, live period music, horse & carriage rides, crackling fires, a visit to St. Nicholas, holiday-themed stories/crafts/games, etc.