Special Events

A variety of activities will provide hours of entertainment for our residents and visitors alike. The celebration will end with some of the area's best fireworks, in a display over Niantic Bay designed and executed by East Lyme's own Tom Quinn and sponsored by Dominion.

• Sand Castle Competition

  Our first annual sand castle contest as part of Celebrate East Lyme 06 was such a great success, that we're doing it again, and it promises to be even more fun than before! Taking place from 9-11 a.m. at McCook's Point Park, this is a great event for children and families, and is hosted by East Lyme's Parks & Recreation Department.

• Children's Area

  The Children's Area is sponsored by Chelsea Groton Bank and is hosted by the Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut. Don't miss all of the fun activities that the Children's Museum has in store for you and the kids out front. Admission inside the Museum is free from 3-6pm! Cutter the Eagle is flying by at 3pm, and Radio Disney will be on-site live from 3:30-5pm with the Radio Disney Crew providing music, crafts, games and prizes! Excitement and fun for everyone at the Children's Area!

• Teen Area

  The Teen Area will be hosted by East Lyme Youth Services, and will include a Dunking Booth sponsored by People's Bank. There will be a music stage featuring the talents of local high school students throughout the afternoon with the ever popular Battle of the Bands, with DJ Bill Rinoski as emcee.

• Fair Share of Pie Sale  

  Local restaurants, businesses and residents are coming together for the good of the community.  Hosted by La Belle Aurore, tables will display beautiful, savory, sweet and scrumptious pies for sale. All proceeds will go to Care & Share of East Lyme!  Anyone interested in participation in this special event, please contact Dawn Bruckner via email at DBruckner@ct.metrocast.net.

• St. John's Carnival

  St. John's Episcopal Church will be holding its Annual Summer Carnival at 400 Main Street (across from the Children's Museum) during Celebrate East Lyme!  There will be rides, food and midway fun for the whole family. The carnival is open 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and from noon to 10 p.m. during Celebrate East Lyme.

• Amber Alert

  The Niantic Rotary will sponsor an Amber Alert sign-up at the East Lyme Police Station during Celebrate East Lyme. This is a great time to take steps to safeguard your children.

• Basket Bonanza by the Bay

  You can't miss the first annual Basket Bonanza sponsored by the local business community! An eccentric array of baskets from local business and creative communities will be assembled for your review. Baskets will be filled with various products, gift certificates, special offers and more!  Drawings will be held intermittently throughout the event and you will have the chance to win various Street Prizes as well! All proceeds from ticket sales will go to Niantic Main Street for the Niantic Streetscape Project.

• Live Entertainment galore!

  We will have several stages throughout Main Street including the Town Green, ProTek Auto, Police Station and McCooks. The Town Green will be the site of the East Lyme Youth Services Battle of the Bands, emceed by DJ Bill Rinoski.  As you move down the street, stop by the Police Station Stage, sponsored by String Theory School of Music! They have assembled an awesome collection of music that you don't want to miss! ProTek Auto is back with their ever popular music stage which promises to be better than ever! McCooks Stage is sponsored by Ocean Sound and will feature the ever popular 384 East!  Making her Celebrate East Lyme debut, singer/songwriter Katie Marie Perkins will light up our stage before local Tom Quinn lights up Niantic Bay with a spectacular fireworks display! Sponsored by Dominion, our fireworks bash on the bay is back with a most spectacular show.  It is a wonderful ending to a day of excitement!

Don't miss this year's Celebrate East Lyme! Stay and Play all Day in Downtown Niantic!