September in the Park

Festival Highlights

See FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS for entertainment and boat tour schedules, and more.

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

Historic Ship Nautilus Re-opening Ceremony

Friday, September 9, 2022 | 12:30 PM

Submarine Force Library & Museum

The ceremony for the world’s first nuclear powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN 571) marks the Nautilus’ grand re-opening for public tours following a 10-month and approximately $36 million preservation project.

PUBLIC WELCOME

SEATING MAY BE LIMITED

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

Opening Ceremony

Friday, September 9, 2022 | 3:30 PM

New London Waterfront Park

Come celebrate the start of this year's festival which honors all those who work on, under or with the sea in naval, marine and other maritime industries.

ALL ARE WELCOME

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

Dime Bank Reception Shuttle

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 5:00 PM

City Pier, New London

Representatives from Dime Bank, lead sponsor of the CT Maritime Heritage Festival, will be transported via Thames River Heritage Park's water taxi from City Pier to Fort Trumbull for a private reception aboard the Barque Eagle.

CHARTER

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

New York Yacht Club Reception Shuttle

Friday, September 9, 2022

Burr's Maria - City Pier - Fort Trumbull

Members of the New York Yacht Club will be transported via Thames River Heritage Park's water taxi from Burr's Marina at 4:20PM and City Pier at 4:50PM to Fort Trumbull for a 5PM reception aboard the Barque Eagle. Return transportation departs Fort Trumbull at 8:15PM.

CHARTER

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

Mermaids & Sea Monsters Parade

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 2:00 PM

Bank Street to City Pier, New London

It is not too late to participate in the parade. No registration is necessary at this time to participate in the parade. Arrive at the Municipal Lot by 1 PM, to secure your designated spot in the lineup. Face painters will be at the staging area from 11:30AM-2PM.

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

Arm-of-the-Sea Theater Company

Keep That Lamp Trimmed 'N Burning

Sunday, September 11, 2022 | 2:00 PM

Hygenic Art Park

New London Maritime Society brings this charming production about the history of a lighthouse, from ship wrecks to heroic keepers to successful historic preservation campaigns.

The play features live music and larger-than-life mask and puppet characters in an archetypaldrama about the 1869 Hudson River Lighthouse at Saugerties and the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

Admission - FREE

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

8th Annual Burning of Benedict Arnold

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 7:30 PM

New London Waterfront Park

The festivities begin with Flock Theater's 8th annual "March of the Traitor" from the Shaw Mansion down Bank Street to the Waterfront Park where the "Burning of the Traitor" occurs.

Historic Boat Tours & Harbor Cruises

Final Weekend of the Season

Boat Tour: Discover the Thames

Happy Hour Harbor Cruise

Friday, September 9, 2022 | 5:30 PM

City Pier, New London

Discover the hidden gems on the Thames this Friday evening during the Happy Hour Cruise. You bring the cooler (alcohol permitted), gather your friends, and enjoy a delightful start to your weekend cruising past many historic sites and take in the shoreline views from our navy utility boat.

American Wine Society - Eastern CT Chapter

Happy Hour Harbor Cruise Charter

Friday, September 9, 2022 | 6:00 PM

City Pier, New London

Passionate wine explorers—both beginner and expert—who believe wine discovery is a fun and lifelong adventure that should be shared quench their thirst for wine knowledge through local tastings and through regional and national wine events and formal training and wine courses.

SOLD OUT CHARTER

Boat Tour: Haunted Harbor Cruise

Ghost Stories of the Thames

Friday, September 9, 2022 | 7:15 PM

City Pier, New London

Discover and hear stories of haunted sites on the Thames. You'll view the eerie locations from the water during this harvest moon cruise on the Thames. Tour will be conducted by Hali Keeler and Leslie Evans, two of the authors of the book “Ghosts of Groton Bank”. We’ll leave it to you to decide which stories are the most believable…or not.

Boat Tour: Discover the Thames

One River. A Thousand Stories.

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 12:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2022 | 12:30 PM

City Pier, New London

Discover the hidden gems that tell the stories of colonial life, Revolutionary War, Nathan Hale’s last school house, the 2nd largest whaling port and submarine capital of the world, 19th-century Irish domestics, Nobel-prizing winning playwright Eugene O’Neill, the Gilded Age, and more.

Boat Tour: Water, Wampum, Medicine Wheels

Mohegan Life on the Thames

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 1:30 PM

City Pier, New London

The first inhabitants along the western side of the Massapequatuck (Thames), the Mohegan tribe, settled here the area, roughly between present day Norwich and New London, was and continues to be the vital heart of Mohegan country. Led by Tribal members, this fascinating tour includes stories on food, wildlife, transportation, and trade.

Boat Tour: Submarines, Battlefields, Betrayers

Military on the Thames

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 3:30 PM

City Pier, New London

For centuries our harbor has guarded the Thames with Navy and Coast Guard installations, the ship building industries that support them, and 2 forts that have seen battles, defeats and the birthplace of the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. From the vantage point of the river you‘ll understand the strategic value of this storied waterway and region.

Full Moon Harbor Cruise

Shine on Harvest Moon

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 8:00 PM

City Pier, New London

Join us for an unforgettable evening, illuminated by the light of the full moon. Our harbor cruise begins with a stunning sunset, as our boats make their way to the mouth of New London Harbor. Guests are welcome to enjoy snacks and beverages, including alcohol (no glass, please), on board.

Photo Credit: New London Ledge Light Moonrise by Kevin D. Jordan Photo on Etsy.

Boat Tour: Blowholes, Blubber, & Breaches

Whaling Tales on the Thames

Sunday, September 11, 2022 | 1:30 PM

City Pier, New London

This tour will tell some of New London’s whaling stories: from the captains who commanded the ships and the racially diverse crews who risked their lives on the voyages to the women who waited in port and the few who joined their husbands at sea.

Last Tour Inside Ledge Lighthouse

Special $5 Ticket Offer for NL Youth

Sunday, September 11, 2022 | 3:00 PM

City Pier, New London

New London Maritime Society will host its last public Ledge Lighthouse tour of the season. The trip is for everyone, but special tickets for New London school children and parents are still just $5, thanks to a Veolia/NL Water Authority grant.

Exciting Programs & Events in the Park

Album of Flowers

Interesting Times Opening Reception

Friday, September 9, 2022 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Celebrate the opening of Album of Flowers | Interesting Times with an evening reception at the Museum. The large paintings that form the core of Catherine Christiano’s exhibition chronicle a year, each month’s panel juxtaposing naturalistically painted seasonal flora with a collage of content from The New York Times. Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres on this special evening.

Girls Scouts ❤ State Parks

Exploring the Solar System

Saturday, September 10, 2022

4:00 PM - 6:30 PM and 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Fort Trumbull State Park - South Lawn

Join Girl Scouts of CT for a special afternoon and evening exploring the solar system. NASA Solar System Ambassador, Geoff McLean will be on the south lawn with his telescopes from 4 - 6:30 PM to observe the sun and look for sun spots. Evening viewing will start at around 8PM with Saturn, followed by Jupiter and the Moon at 9PM. This is a great opportunity to look through the telescopes and ask your astronomy questions.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Forever Young

Neil Young Music Tribute

Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 8:00 PM

Garde Arts Center

Drawing on the 40+ year career of Neil Young the show highlights many of Young’s popular songs and a few “deep cuts”. The band performs both the acoustic and electric songs that Neil Young is famous for. Their performances are reminiscent of and are heavily influenced by the “Four Way Street” live album recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. They are a high-energy band that is just as fun to watch as to listen to. Audiences are always “wowed” by a Forever Young show!

One Night of Queen will Rock You!

Gary Mullen & the Works

Sunday, September 11, 2022 | 7:00 PM

Garde Arts Center

A spectacular live concert, recreating the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of arguably the greatest rock band of all time. Hailed as the World’s Premiere Queen Tribute Band fans will delight in this note-for-note experience of Queen's mega-hits.

Outdoor Fall

Story Time

Monday, September 12, 2022 | 10:00 AM

Bill Memorial Library

Outdoor Story Time with Miss Mary-Jane is suited for ages birth to 5, but all ages are welcome. Outdoor Story Time features stories, fingerplays and songs with live music. Bring your own chairs or blankets or sit on our benches.

Volunteering at Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Info Session

Tuesday, September 13, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Lyman Allyn Art Museum is pleased to expand its docent program to include volunteer opportunities for all levels of interest. Learn about what it means to be an interpretation docent, an events volunteer, outreach volunteer, or studio volunteer. Meet current team members, explore the museum, and get involved.

Homeschool Workshop

Amusing Art

Tuesday, September 13, 2022 | 1:00 PM

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Hands-on workshops, designed specifically for aspiring homeschool artists ages 5-12, provide a wonderful opportunity for students to learn innovative art techniques and make new friends. This month students explore the vibrant works featured in Sol LeWitt: Artist and Collector at Playexhibition and create their own “puzzling” work of conceptual art.

Bill Memorial Library Book Club

Food for Thought

Tuesday, September 13, 2022 | 1:00 PM

Par 4 Restaurant, Groton

Food For Thought, a monthly book discussion group sponsored by the Bill Memorial Library, will discuss The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Copies of the book are available at the library. New members are always welcome!

Museum Day

hosted by Smithsonian Magazine

Saturday, September 17, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Museum Day is an annual celebration of boundless curiosity hosted by Smithsonian magazine. The Lyman Allyn is a participating museum and will provide free entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket.

Science Saturday

In Season Botanicals

Saturday, September 17, 2022 | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Learn about the scientific importance of growing seasons for different plants and flowers. Why do some plants grow in winter when most thrive in the spring and summer? How do different climates, soil makeups, and other factors affect where plants grow. Make a work of art that connects a plant to a specific date and place.

The CarLeans

Saturday, September 17, 2022 | 8:00 PM

Garde Arts Center

The CarLeans are an acoustic-based quartet from Connecticut. It’s members include singer-songwriter/producer Jim Carpenter of Loco Dare Records and The Hoolios; Sarah MacLean and Rachel Sargent-MacLean — singer-songwriters and identical twin sisters, originally of the MacLean Sisters; and upright bassist, Corina Malbaurn.

Summer Garden Party & Harbor History Tour

Celebrating Maritime History

Sunday, September 18, 2022 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Avery-Copp House Museum

Enjoy a festive, late summer afternoon overlooking the Thames River. Explore the historic house museum and its special maritime exhibits, including the sea chest of fabled whaling Capt. Ebenezer Morgan, mingle on our terraced lawn while enjoying live music, wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a raw bar featuring delicious locally sourced oysters.

Followed by a Harbor History Tour at 6:30 PM aboard the Thames River Heritage Park water taxi.

Anglican Singers

Sunday, September 18, 2022 | 5:00 PM

Pequot Chapel

The Anglican Singers have a deep interest in music of the English choral tradition and hail from a wide variety of musical and personal backgrounds. Each of the singers is individually auditioned, highly motivated, and drawn to the beauty and rich tradition of the group’s music. Many of the singers are members of other professional and non-professional choral groups within the southeastern Connecticut area.

HBO Limited Series

I Know This Much is True

hosted by author Wally Lamb

Wednesday - Friday, September 21 - 23, 2022 | 7:00 PM

Garde Arts Center

The HBO 6-part series I Know This Much Is True an adaptation of the New York Times bestseller and award-winning novel by the Garde’s “resident novelist” Wally Lamb.

From September 21 to 23, the Garde will show the entire 6-episode series over 3 nights.

On Thursday and Friday nights, Wally Lamb will host an audience chat along with director Derek Cianfrance, and three-time Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo whose starring role in the film won him an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild award.

The movie follows the parallel lives of identical twin brothers in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice, and forgiveness set against the backdrop of 20th-century America inspired by the communities and characters of eastern Connecticut that have influenced much of Wally’s work over the years.

Sol LeWitt

Gallery Talk

Wednesday, September 21, 2022 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Join Lyman Allyn curator Tanya Pohrt and LeWitt Collection curator Janet Passehl for a special exploration of Sol LeWitt: Artist and Collector at Play.

Author Talk

With Judy Cotton

Thursday, September 22, 2022 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Join us for a reading, discussion, and book signing with artist and author Judy Cotton. Copies of her debut publication Swimming Home: A Memoir will be available for purchase to be signed after the event.

LEARN MOR E

2nd Annual Outdoor

Artisan Market

Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Bill Memorial Library

Local artists and crafters will offer an extensive selection of unique goods. The Alpacas from Six Paca Farm will be visiting as will a Dog Dancing and Frisbee Demo by "Top Hats and Tails" and we will have free activities for kids! In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held on September 25.

Winterizing Your Garden

Planning for Next Year

Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 3:00 PM

Bill Memorial Library

Join the Bill Memorial with Craig Floyd, Farm Manager at Coogan Farm of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, for this online class about prepping your garden for next spring by taking steps this fall. Includes fall soil test, remineralization, cover crops, regenerative soil primer, garden amendments to feed the soil's microbiology, and beneficial insects for winter.

Old Crow Medicine Show

Paint this Town Tour 2022

Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 8:00 PM

Garde Arts Center

Old Crow Medicine Show started busking on street corners in 1998 in New York state and up through Canada, winning audiences along the way with their boundless energy and spirit. They eventually found themselves in Boone, North Carolina where they caught the attention of folk icon Doc Watson while playing in front of a pharmacy. He invited the band to play at his festival, MerleFest, helping to launch their career. Shortly thereafter the band was hired to entertain crowds between shows at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN.

Open Mic at the Museum

Hosts: Doc Frazier | Christina Corcoran

Sunday, September 25, 2022 | 6:00 PM -9:00 PM

Custom House Maritime Museum

New London Maritime Society's monthly open mic welcomes performers of all kinds. Share your music, poetry, prose, stand-up, or just say what is on your mind. Bring your instruments, perform, or just sit back and enjoy!.

Ongoing Events in the Park

Sol LeWitt

Artist and Collector at Play

Through October 16, 2022

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Examining friendship, humor, and collaboration in modern and contemporary art, with art from the Sol LeWitt Collection.With close to 40 objects, the exhibition includes art from the late 1960s onward, as artists sought new ways of working and exploring ideas, rejecting traditional art forms and methods.

Album of Flowers

Interesting Times

Through November 6, 2022

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

The large paintings that form the core of Catherine Christiano’s exhibition, Album of Flowers | Interesting Times chronicle a year, each month’s panel juxtaposing naturalistically painted seasonal flora with a collage of content from The New York Times. The still lifes are placed directly within the context of 2016, the emotionally charged election year during which the series was conceived.

Poetry of the Wild

Environmental Art

Install Spring 2022 - Ongoing

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Sculptural “Poetry boxes” featuring poems by area poets Michael Bradford, Jose Gonzalez, and Rhonda Ward, who have a deep awareness of place in the City of New London. The poems call attention to the poet’s perception of nature and encourage viewers to reflect on their own relationship with place, the natural world, and memory.