Find feathered friends and encounter animals up close at petting zoos in Connecticut. Photo courtesy of Westmoor Park
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Connecticut Childrens' latest Back to School Toolkit provides straight-forward, age-appropriate, expert advice to keep kids happy and healthy.
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Task-tackling service Taskrabbit is able to take on tons of back-to-school projects you may not have even considered outsourcing.
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Hold on tight, because summer festivals and fairs are gearing up for Connecticut families! Photo courtesy of Vernon's Annual Summer Carnival
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Bounce, splash, and make the most of summer at the best inflatable water parks in New England. Photo courtesy of Brownstone Adventure Sports Park
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Our ultimate family bucket list has all the things to do in Connecticut before kids grow up. Photo courtesy of Lake Compunce
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Get up close with history and find even more fun things to do in Connecticut for August 2023! Photo courtesy of King Tut in Hartford
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Costumed interpreters share stories of colonial life along the historic Mystic seaport. Photo courtesy of the Mystic Seaport Museum
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Try to keep your balance at Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Norwalk. Photo courtesy of Sky Zone
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Grab some friends for some birthday laps around the track. Photo courtesy of RPM Raceway
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Elevate the fun at these 8 New England theme parks that are great for families. Photo courtesy of Lake Compounce
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As classic as the roller rink or modern as a VR experience, these fun indoor places are perfect spots for teens and tweens to hang out! Photo by Ally Noel
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Indoor spots offer plenty of adventure in Connecticut. Photo courtesy of Urban Air.
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Bike the ground of Fort Trumbull. Photo courtesy Visit CT
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A double slide at Jonathan's Dream. Photo courtesy of O'Brien and Sons Landscape Structures
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Ball pit fun at Chelsea Piers.
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Young hikes can tackle these short nature walks. Photo courtesy of Roaring Brook Nature Center
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Essex has genuine appeal for every family. Photo by Ally Noel.
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Outdoor fun and healthy activity await at one of the top Connecticut playgrounds! Jonathan's Dream playground photo courtesy of O'Brien & Sons
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Practice new skills at Calf's Pasture Beach, photo courtesy of Norwalk Skate Park, Facebook
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Create colorful storm clouds out of shaving cream and food coloring.
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Revel in nature's majesty at Webb Mountain. Photo by Ally Noel
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Explore The Wizard Realm, photo courtesy of Puzzle Theory
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With a working farm, plenty of trails to explore, and hands-on programming, the Stamford Museum & Nature Center is a family-friendly wonderland. Photo courtesy of Stamford Museum & Nature Center
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Light up autumn nights with the best of September and the top things to do in Connecticut! Photo courtesy of the Goshen Fair
Light up autumn nights with the best of September and the top things to do in Connecticut! Photo courtesy of the Goshen Fair
8/28/22 - By Jennifer Coe

As the air gets cooler, kids head back to school and the summer comes to a close, there's a lot of reasons to get out and experience how special Autumn is in Connecticut. Autumn brings apples and mums, fall fairs and many more opportunities for family outings. Connecticut's coastline is also popping with fun things to do and if you don't mind mazes and you love cider donuts, Lyman's maze is opening this month too! 

Explore our Fall Fun Guide for our top picks for autumn activities. You can find family-friendly ideas for things to do on our ever-growing event calendar. Still looking for more fun? Be sure to sign up for our newsletters and get all our Connecticut picks delivered to your inbox.

 

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Give kids a screen break and a peek at the past! Photo courtesy of The Connecticut Renaissance Faire
Give kids a screen break and a peek at the past! Photo courtesy of The Connecticut Renaissance Faire

Best of September - Events in Connecticut

Woodstock Fair

Friday, Sept. 1 - Monday, Sept. 4 — Woodstock
It's a Labor Day tradition: the Woodstock Fairgrounds! Enjoy agricultural exhibits (including a birthing center where you can view a cow birth a calf right before your eyes!), animal and farm equipment competitions, entertainment, music, food, and carnival rides. READ MORE

Haddam Neck Fair

Friday, Sept. 1 - Monday, Sept. 4— Haddam Neck
All weekend long, there will be rides, concessions, petting zoo, children's activities, agricultural contests, entertainment, and more. READ MORE

Corn Maze and Cider Donut Festival

Saturday, Sept. 2 - Sunday, Sept. 3 — Middlefield
Enjoy live music, free food tastings at the Apple Barrel Farm Market. There will also be horse-drawn hayrides, face painting by Lara, drumming circle, silhouette portraits, and more! Don't forget to try the freshly-made Apple Cider Donut Sundae and apple cider and ice cream float!   READ MORE

Goshen Fair

Saturday, Sept. 2 - Monday, Sept. 4 — Goshen
A great country fair with loads of animals, food, entertainment, and rides. Enjoy this Litchfield County Labor Day tradition that features fireworks, pie eating contests, a draft horse show, and a lumber jack contest.  READ MORE

The Connecticut Renaissance Faire

Saturday, Sept. 2 - Sunday, Oct. 15 — Lebanon
Step back to the past at The Connecticut Renaissance Faire. It's a time to play and unwind, to feast and drink, and a time to celebrate the old-fashioned way. READ MORE

Wapping Fair

Thursday, Sept. 7 - Sunday, Sept. 10 — South Windsor
Head out and join the fun at the Wapping Fair where family fun abounds. Enjoy racing ducks and pigs, jugglers, acrobats, two stages filled with live music, carnival rides, food, and so much more. READ MORE

Hebron Harvest Fair

Thursday, Sept. 7 - Sunday, Sept. 10 — Hebron
One of the largest fairs in Connecticut, the Hebron Harvest Fair is an agricultural event that features animal displays, various food, animal pulls, truck pulls, country music, carnival midway, and something to do for the entire family.  READ MORE

Norwalk Seaport Association's Oyster Festival

Friday, Sept. 8 - Sunday, Sept. 10 — Norwalk
The beloved annual Oyster Festival features live music from dozens of bands on multiple stages, as well as festival entertainment and attraction for the whole family.  READ MORE

CT Maritime Heritage Festival

Saturday, Sept. 9 - Sunday, Sept. 10 — New London
Free
The Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival will feature a range of fun-filled activities for visitors of all ages on the waters of Long Island Sound and along the waterfront in one of Connecticut’s historic ports.  READ MORE

Four Town Fair

Thursday, Sept. 14 - Sunday, Sept. 17 — Somers
Music, entertainment and fun for the whole family at the annual Four Town Fair in Somers where you will find various agricultural contests, livestock competitions, music, jugglers, a midway and more. READ MORE

Super Hero Day: Sensory Friendly

Friday, Sept. 15 — Niantic
Join the Niantic Children's Museum for a special evening, which is free for families with children on the autism spectrum or with sensory processing challenges. Dress as your favorite Superhero and come help keep the Museum safe! Participants will do experiments related to super powers and have the chance to decorate Superhero masks and magic wrist cuffs During this event, the Museum will be made more welcoming to our more sensitive guests, along with having some quiet corners and sensory bins set-up throughout the facility. Children will be able to choose what activities they would... READ MORE

Touch a Truck @ Brown's Harvest

Saturday, Sept. 16 — Windsor
Get to see a large variety of vehicles up close; city and school bus, cement trucks, crane, garbage and mail trucks, all emergency response vehicles, SWAT, a variety of tractors, and more. Let your kids run around and admire them, take photos, honk the horns and play all the kids activities/games we have. READ MORE

Norwalk Boat Show

Thursday, Sept. 21- Fri. Sept. 24 — Norwalk
The Norwalk Boat Show offers something for everyone from nautical novices to seasoned sailors. Enjoy family fun activities, including Touch Tanks with live tidepool creatures; Keep on Truckin’, the chance to climb aboard and take pictures with different kinds of trucks; paddle boating in a mini pool, toy boat-building workshops, and more. READ MORE

Bristol Mum Festival

Friday, Sept. 22 - Sunday, Sept. 24 — Bristol
This year's festival theme is "Mumma Mia, Here We Grow Again" and events include live music, a carnival midway, food trucks, a car show, children's programming, and plenty more. READ MORE

Wolcott Country Fair

Friday, Sept. 22 - Sunday, Sept. 24 — Wolcott
The annual extravaganza includes live entertainment, carnival rides, contests, pig racing, a petting zoo, concerts, and fireworks. READ MORE

South Windsor Apple Festival

Saturday, Sept. 23 — South Windsor
The Apple Festival is back and even bigger! Over 100 vendors and food trucks will be there as well as live music, dancers, children's activities and more. Kids will love the Roaming Railroad ride, pie a la mode, cider donuts, and henna artist. Adventurous types can try to win the pie eating contest. READ MORE

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