Culinary Carnival at Stone Acres Farm
At a Glance
What: Second annual family-friendly culinary carnival celebrating local food, farming, and hands-on learning
When: Sunday, October 18, 2026, 2–6 p.m.
Location: Stone Acres Farm, 389 North Main Street, Stonington, CT 06378
Admission: $10 general admission; children ages 2 and younger are free
Activity Tickets: $5 each for select hands-on experiences
Activity Package: $35, including admission and five ticketed activities
All Access Package: $100, including admission and unlimited activities
Family Supporter Package: $500, including unlimited activities for four guests and a $100 donation
Featured Activities: Vegetable sushi making, parfait making, oyster tasting, miso making, natural dyeing, and herb salt making
Entertainment: Music and additional activities included with general admission
Food & Drink: Available for purchase; Stone Acres Farmstand and Ice Cream Truck will be open
Beneficiary: Yellow Farmhouse Education Center
Registration: Advance registration recommended; activity packages must be purchased online in advance
Parking: Free on-site parking in designated areas, subject to event arrangements
Contact: (860) 245-5119 or info@yellowfarmhouse.org
Event Description
Culinary Carnival at Stone Acres Farm returns to Stonington on Sunday, October 18, for an afternoon that turns food and farming into hands-on entertainment for the whole family. Presented by Yellow Farmhouse Education Center, the second annual celebration invites children and adults to experiment with ingredients, discover unfamiliar flavors, and learn how food travels from local farms to the dinner table.
From 2 to 6 p.m., the historic farm becomes a playground for curious eaters and aspiring cooks, with interactive culinary stations, music, food vendors, and activities designed to make learning about food enjoyable.
Rather than simply sampling dishes prepared by someone else, visitors can roll up their sleeves and try making something themselves. Some experiences introduce familiar foods in new ways, while others encourage participants to venture beyond their usual eating habits.
From Vegetable Sushi to Your First Oyster
The Culinary Carnival’s special activity stations offer a range of experiences inspired by the region’s agricultural and coastal food traditions.
At the Veggie Sushi Making Station, participants can explore the ingredients and techniques used to assemble vegetable-based sushi. The Parfait Making Station provides a chance to create a layered treat, while the Herb Salt Station introduces the possibilities of combining herbs and seasonings.
More adventurous visitors can try the Taste Your First Oyster experience, an introduction to one of southeastern Connecticut’s best-known seafood traditions.
The Make Your Own Miso station explores a fermented ingredient widely used in Japanese cooking. Participants can also discover how natural materials produce color at the Dyeing with Natural Dyes Station.
These activities introduce different aspects of food preparation, from assembling and seasoning to fermentation and tasting.
Some stations require separate activity tickets, while other carnival activities and music are included with general admission.
A Carnival That Connects Children With Their Food
The event’s playful format serves a larger educational purpose.
For many children, food is something that arrives packaged at a grocery store or prepared on a restaurant plate. The Culinary Carnival offers a different perspective by introducing the ingredients, agricultural practices, and culinary techniques involved in producing what we eat.
Making a simple dish or tasting an unfamiliar ingredient can lead to questions about where food comes from, how it grows, and why different cultures prepare it in different ways.
The event is designed with children in mind, but adults are encouraged to participate as well. Families can explore the activity stations together, making the afternoon an opportunity for shared discovery rather than an event where parents simply watch from the sidelines.
Discover Stone Acres Farm
The carnival takes place at Stone Acres Farm, a historic working farm in Stonington that has become a destination for agricultural education, culinary events, and community gatherings.
The property encompasses approximately 65 acres of fields, gardens, greenhouses, and preserved historic landscapes. Its agricultural history extends back generations, while its present-day operations combine food production, education, and public events.
Visitors to the Culinary Carnival can experience the farm during the fall season, when southeastern Connecticut’s agricultural landscape is transitioning from summer harvests to cooler-weather crops.
The Stone Acres Farmstand will remain open throughout the event, offering an opportunity to explore the farm’s retail offerings. The farm’s ice cream truck will also be operating, and additional food and beverages will be available for purchase.
The setting adds an important dimension to the carnival: the activities take place on an actual working farm rather than in a conventional festival venue.
Supporting Yellow Farmhouse Education Center
Proceeds from the Culinary Carnival benefit Yellow Farmhouse Education Center, the nonprofit organization based at Stone Acres Farm.
Founded in 2017, Yellow Farmhouse uses cooking and agricultural education to help people better understand the food system and their relationship with it.
Its programs include hands-on cooking classes, farm experiences for children, educational partnerships with schools, professional development for teachers, and workshops for adults.
The organization also works to promote a local food system that is environmentally sustainable and accessible to more people.
Through its school partnerships, Yellow Farmhouse helps students learn about agriculture, nutrition, food preparation, and the environmental consequences of food production.
The Culinary Carnival brings that educational mission into a public festival setting, allowing families to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment while supporting programs that continue throughout the year.
Tickets and Activity Packages
General admission is $10 per person, with children ages 2 and younger admitted free. Every guest must have a general admission ticket, and attendees receive a wristband upon arrival.
General admission includes access to the carnival’s free activities and music. Special culinary stations require additional tickets, available at the event for $5 each.
Several advance-purchase packages offer alternatives for visitors who plan to participate in multiple activities.
The $35 Activity Package includes general admission and five ticketed activities. The $100 All Access Package includes admission and unlimited participation in the carnival’s activities.
A $500 Family Supporter Package provides admission and unlimited activities for four guests, along with a $100 donation to Yellow Farmhouse Education Center.
The Activity Package and All Access Package are available online in advance only. General admission and individual activity tickets may be purchased on-site, subject to availability.
Advance registration is recommended, particularly for families planning to participate in several culinary stations.
Planning Your Visit
The Culinary Carnival takes place outdoors at Stone Acres Farm on Sunday, October 18, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Visitors should dress comfortably for walking around a working farm and participating in hands-on activities. Comfortable shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather are recommended.
Free parking is available in designated areas of the property, although parking arrangements may change during special events.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase, and guests can visit the Stone Acres Farmstand and Ice Cream Truck during the afternoon.
For questions about activities, tickets, or accommodations, contact Yellow Farmhouse Education Center at (860) 245-5119.
To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.