I’ve Never Been Disappointed at These Three Annual Events in Connecticut

Are you sick of seeing the same handmade arts & crafts booths at every community event? How about going to a strawberry festival, and they don't have any strawberries left? I love wandering through annual events across Connecticut, but I've been disappointed by so many. Here are three that have never let me down.

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The photo you see above is Skeet Ulrich signing some autographs at the 2021 CT Horrorfest, which I think is the most unique annual event in Connecticut. Why? The vendors. From novelists pushing their latest book, to film, music, and sports stars signing autographs, to the brave few that come decked out in handmade costumes that blow your mind, the Connecticut Horrorfest has generated more 'Ooohs & ahhh's' out of me than any Apple or Potato festival. The 2024 CT Horrorfest is scheduled for September 21-22 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

My second choice is two events that take place at the same location within weeks of each other - The Bethlehem Fair, and the Connecticut Garlic and Harvest Festival. The Bethlehem Fair is everything that you want a small town country fair to be, it's in a beautiful location with plenty of parking, and the food, animals, and rides are all there. Same goes for the Garlic Festival, the incredible variety of vendors they bring every year is unlike any other event. The 2024 Bethlehem Fair is September 6-8, and the 2024 CT Garlic Fest is October 12 and 13.

Those first two choices were for you, this is more personal, but you'll love it too. The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Feast happens every July in the church parking lot off Highland Avenue in Waterbury. The fried dough they sell here is the best you'll ever have, it's legendary, and it's tasted the same my whole life. Authentic old-school Italian street fair, and I've always enjoyed it.

Runners up? I used to enjoy the Norwalk and Milford oyster festivals, but not lately. The Greek festival at the Holy Trinity Church in Waterbury is always good, and I'm truly looking forward to Danbury's San Gennaro Festival again this year, it keeps getting better.