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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260911T083000
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UID:10007209-1789115400-1789160400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide brings two days of ships\, Coast Guard demonstrations\, living history\, family activities\, music and maritime traditions to New London on Saturday and Sunday\, September 12 and 13. \nSpread between New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\, the festival turns much of the city’s waterfront into a celebration of Connecticut’s relationship with the sea. Visitors can tour military and historic vessels\, watch Coast Guard crews in action\, explore living-history encampments\, hear live music and take part in activities for children. \nThis year’s festival also arrives during a significant anniversary year for New London. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is celebrating its 150th anniversary\, and several festival events recognize the milestone\, including the release of a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp. \nThen Saturday night takes a decidedly different turn. \nA procession through downtown New London culminates in the traditional Burning of Benedict Arnold\, followed shortly afterward by a 300-drone light show over the Thames River. \nAdmission to the festival is free\, and free water taxis and shuttle buses will connect its two main locations throughout the weekend. \nTwo Festival Locations\, One Waterfront Celebration\nThe festival takes place simultaneously at New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park. \nDon’t worry about choosing one. \nVisitors can park near either location and use the festival’s free Thames River Heritage Park water taxi or shuttle buses to travel between them. That makes it possible to tour vessels downtown\, catch activities at Fort Trumbull and return to Waterfront Park without repeatedly moving your car. \nMost weekend activities run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday\, although several special events take place outside those hours. \nShips and Vessels You Can Explore\nOne of the festival’s biggest attractions is the opportunity to get close to working military vessels\, historic ships and maritime training vessels. \nUSCGC Eagle\nThe unmistakable USCGC Eagle is scheduled to be part of the festival. \nThe 295-foot\, three-masted barque serves as the Coast Guard’s sail-training ship\, giving Coast Guard Academy cadets practical experience at sea. Originally built in Germany as Horst Wessel\, Eagle was taken by the United States as a war reparation following World War II. \nToday\, the tall ship is one of only two active commissioned sailing vessels in the U.S. military\, alongside USS Constitution. \nAmistad\nThe schooner Amistad recreates the type of Baltimore Clipper believed to resemble La Amistad\, the vessel at the center of the historic 1839 revolt by enslaved Africans. \nThe modern ship was created as a floating classroom\, using the story of the Amistad uprising and its connection to Connecticut to teach history while traveling from port to port. \nDenis Sullivan\nThe three-masted Denis Sullivan is a wooden schooner modeled after the Great Lakes sailing vessels of the 19th century. \nOriginally based in Milwaukee\, the vessel offers visitors another opportunity to experience traditional sailing ship design up close. \nT/V Shuman\nThe 65-foot Training Vessel Shuman gives U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets hands-on experience with navigation\, ship handling and seamanship. \nOriginally constructed as a survey vessel for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\, it now serves as a working classroom on the Thames River. \nCoast Guard Response Boats\nVisitors will also be able to see some considerably faster Coast Guard equipment. \nStation New London’s 45-foot Response Boat-Medium can exceed 40 knots and operates in seas up to 12 feet. It is used for missions including search and rescue\, maritime security and law enforcement. \nThe smaller 29-foot Response Boat-Small II can reach more than 45 knots and is designed for fast response in coastal and shallow-water environments. \nNaval Submarine Base Harbor Security Boats\nThe Navy will also be represented by Naval Submarine Base New London’s Harbor Security Boats. \nThe 27-foot vessels patrol waters surrounding the submarine base. Powered by twin outboards producing a combined 450 horsepower\, they can reach approximately 40 knots. \nKings Point\nBuilt in 2014\, Kings Point is a 3\,000-horsepower twin-screw tug constructed by Chesapeake Shipbuilding for the Vane Brothers Company. \nEnviro-Lab II / Project Oceanology\nGroton-based Project Oceanology brings marine science into the mix aboard Enviro-Lab II. \nProject O introduces thousands of students and adults each year to marine science through hands-on exploration of the ocean and Long Island Sound. \nSaturday: Coast Guard Action\, Music and a Big Night on the Waterfront\nSaturday begins with the festival’s Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. \nThroughout the day\, visitors can explore vendors\, tour vessels and visit the Project Oceanology touch tank. \nFamilies have several activities of their own\, including free face painting\, costume making and a children’s walking parade featuring mermaids and privateers. \nAt noon\, Steve Elci joins the Little Mermaid and the Wayfinder for a children’s sing-along. \nThings get considerably louder at 1:30 p.m. \nCoast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration\nA U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T helicopter is scheduled to conduct a search-and-rescue demonstration. \nThese aircraft operate from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod and are used throughout New England for search and rescue\, maritime law enforcement\, environmental protection and homeland security missions. \nSeeing one operate over New London’s harbor should be one of the weekend’s standout demonstrations. \nTactical Boat Operations\nAlso beginning at 1:30 p.m.\, crews from U.S. Coast Guard Station New London will demonstrate tactical boat maneuvers during a simulated security-zone intrusion. \nThe demonstration recreates techniques Coast Guard crews use to protect ports and critical infrastructure and intercept vessels that don’t comply with security orders. \nThe commanding officer of Station New London will narrate the demonstration. \nSaturday Night: Benedict Arnold Burns Again\nOne of New London’s strangest and most enduring traditions returns Saturday evening. \nAt 7:30 p.m.\, the March of the Traitor begins its procession along Bank Street toward Waterfront Park. \nThe event commemorates Benedict Arnold’s infamous September 1781 attack on New London and Groton after the Connecticut-born Revolutionary War general defected to the British. \nFlock Theatre brings the history to life with period costumes\, music\, fifes and drums before the procession reaches the waterfront. \nAt approximately 8 p.m.\, an effigy of Benedict Arnold is burned. \nVisitors are encouraged to join the procession\, and period clothing is welcome. \nThen Look Up: 300 Drones Over the Thames\nDon’t leave after Benedict Arnold meets his fiery fate. \nAt approximately 8:15 p.m. Saturday\, a fleet of 300 synchronized drones is scheduled to take to the sky over the New London waterfront. \nThe drones will create illuminated shapes and images above the Thames River through choreographed formations accompanied by music. \nThe show can be viewed from the New London waterfront. \nPersonal drones are prohibited during the festival. \nSunday: Fishing\, Maritime Skills and More Music\nSunday begins another full day of free vessel tours\, vendors\, authors and the Project Oceanology touch tank from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. \nAt 11 a.m.\, Submarine Veterans will conduct a Tolling of the Boats\, a remembrance ceremony honoring submarines and submariners lost at sea. \nFamilies can also head to Fort Trumbull for Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. \nChildren can learn casting\, reeling and fishing safety in a hands-on setting. No registration is required\, equipment is provided\, and participating children can receive a free fishing pole while supplies last. \nNavy vs. Coast Guard: Sea-Service Showdown\nAt noon Sunday\, attention shifts to Waterfront Park for a little interservice rivalry. \nThe Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge pits Navy and Coast Guard participants against each other in a friendly competition involving maritime skills\, strength and teamwork. \nThe competition runs from noon to 2 p.m. \nCome prepared to pick a side. \nSunday’s festival concludes with reggae from Tambulaytay\, performing from 2 to 5 p.m. \nLiving History at Fort Trumbull\nFort Trumbull provides an appropriate backdrop for another part of the weekend. \nAmerican and British colonial reenactors will establish 18th-century encampments Saturday and Sunday\, complete with canvas tents\, camp kitchens and open fires. \nVisitors can walk through the camps\, speak with reenactors and see demonstrations of marching formations\, military drills and everyday life during the Revolutionary era. \nIt adds something the ship tours can’t: instead of simply looking at Connecticut’s maritime past\, you can walk through a piece of it. \nU.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\nThe U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s 150th anniversary will also be commemorated during the festival with a special U.S. Postal Service stamp presentation and availability. \nThe stamp recognizes the Academy’s history in New London and features Coast Guard imagery\, including Eagle. \nThe commemorative stamp will be available during festival hours Saturday and Sunday. \nFriday Prelude: Pirates and The Guardian\nAlthough the main festival takes place Saturday and Sunday\, activities begin Friday\, September 11. \nAt 8:30 a.m.\, New London will hold a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. \nAt 5 p.m.\, the New London Privateers & Buccaneers take over City Pier with a celebration of pirate lore\, including a pirate-map scavenger hunt and an adult costume contest. \nAt 7 p.m.\, the Garde Arts Center presents The Guardian\, the 2006 Coast Guard rescue-swimmer drama starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. \nSaturday Schedule\n10 a.m. — Opening Ceremony\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Free Face Painting\n10–11:30 a.m. — Make a Free Parade Costume\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11:30 a.m. — Mermaid & Privateer Children’s Walking Parade\nNoon–1 p.m. — Kids’ Sing-Along with Steve Elci\, Little Mermaid and The Wayfinder\n1:30 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter Demonstration\n1:30 p.m. — USCG Tactical Boat Operations Demonstration\n2 p.m. — Community Drum Circle\n3 p.m. — Red Lion\n6 p.m. — Mass Conn Fusion\n7:30 p.m. — March of the Traitor: Benedict Arnold Procession\n8–8:15 p.m. — Burning of Benedict Arnold\nApproximately 8:15 p.m. — 300-Drone Light Show \nSunday Schedule\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Authors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11 a.m. — Sub Vets Tolling of the Boats\n11 a.m.–2 p.m. — Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic at Fort Trumbull\nNoon–2 p.m. — Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge at Waterfront Park\n2–5 p.m. — Tambulaytay \nGetting Around the Festival\nThis is worth explaining prominently because the festival is essentially one event with two campuses. \nFree transportation connects Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull throughout the weekend. \nVisitors can ride the Thames River Heritage Park water taxi between locations or use the festival’s free shuttle buses. \nThat means there’s little reason to drive back and forth. Park once\, then use the boats and buses. \nWhere to Park\nFor Waterfront Park\, visitors have several options. \nWaterfront metered lot:\n13 Tilley Street\nNew London\, CT \nWater Street parking garage:\n160 Water Street\nNew London\, CT \nOn-street parking is also available in downtown New London. \nFor Fort Trumbull State Park: \n90 Walbach Street\nNew London\, CT \nStreet parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. The Fort Trumbull parking lot itself is reserved for handicapped parking during the festival. \nComing by Train or Ferry\nThis is one of those rare regional festivals where leaving the car home is genuinely practical. \nNew London Union Station\, at 27 Water Street\, is within walking distance of Waterfront Park and is served by Amtrak. \nVisitors can also arrive in New London aboard Cross Sound Ferry from Long Island\, Block Island Ferry or Fishers Island Ferry. The ferry terminals are within walking distance of the festival. \nPrivate boaters can reserve overnight dockage or moorings at New London Waterfront Park. \nEvent Details\nConnecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 \nDates: Saturday\, September 12 & Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nMain Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\nLocations: New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\nWaterfront Park: 2 State Street\, New London\, CT\nFort Trumbull: 90 Walbach Street\, New London\, CT\nAdmission: Free\nTransportation Between Venues: Free water taxi and shuttle bus \nMore information\, schedule updates and vessel information are available at the Event Website link below.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/connecticut-maritime-heritage-festival-2026-guide/2026-09-11/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Connecticut-Maritime-Heritage-Festival-2026-Guide.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260912T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260912T220000
DTSTAMP:20260817T041105Z
CREATED:20260817T041105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T041105Z
UID:10007210-1789207200-1789250400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide brings two days of ships\, Coast Guard demonstrations\, living history\, family activities\, music and maritime traditions to New London on Saturday and Sunday\, September 12 and 13. \nSpread between New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\, the festival turns much of the city’s waterfront into a celebration of Connecticut’s relationship with the sea. Visitors can tour military and historic vessels\, watch Coast Guard crews in action\, explore living-history encampments\, hear live music and take part in activities for children. \nThis year’s festival also arrives during a significant anniversary year for New London. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is celebrating its 150th anniversary\, and several festival events recognize the milestone\, including the release of a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp. \nThen Saturday night takes a decidedly different turn. \nA procession through downtown New London culminates in the traditional Burning of Benedict Arnold\, followed shortly afterward by a 300-drone light show over the Thames River. \nAdmission to the festival is free\, and free water taxis and shuttle buses will connect its two main locations throughout the weekend. \nTwo Festival Locations\, One Waterfront Celebration\nThe festival takes place simultaneously at New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park. \nDon’t worry about choosing one. \nVisitors can park near either location and use the festival’s free Thames River Heritage Park water taxi or shuttle buses to travel between them. That makes it possible to tour vessels downtown\, catch activities at Fort Trumbull and return to Waterfront Park without repeatedly moving your car. \nMost weekend activities run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday\, although several special events take place outside those hours. \nShips and Vessels You Can Explore\nOne of the festival’s biggest attractions is the opportunity to get close to working military vessels\, historic ships and maritime training vessels. \nUSCGC Eagle\nThe unmistakable USCGC Eagle is scheduled to be part of the festival. \nThe 295-foot\, three-masted barque serves as the Coast Guard’s sail-training ship\, giving Coast Guard Academy cadets practical experience at sea. Originally built in Germany as Horst Wessel\, Eagle was taken by the United States as a war reparation following World War II. \nToday\, the tall ship is one of only two active commissioned sailing vessels in the U.S. military\, alongside USS Constitution. \nAmistad\nThe schooner Amistad recreates the type of Baltimore Clipper believed to resemble La Amistad\, the vessel at the center of the historic 1839 revolt by enslaved Africans. \nThe modern ship was created as a floating classroom\, using the story of the Amistad uprising and its connection to Connecticut to teach history while traveling from port to port. \nDenis Sullivan\nThe three-masted Denis Sullivan is a wooden schooner modeled after the Great Lakes sailing vessels of the 19th century. \nOriginally based in Milwaukee\, the vessel offers visitors another opportunity to experience traditional sailing ship design up close. \nT/V Shuman\nThe 65-foot Training Vessel Shuman gives U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets hands-on experience with navigation\, ship handling and seamanship. \nOriginally constructed as a survey vessel for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\, it now serves as a working classroom on the Thames River. \nCoast Guard Response Boats\nVisitors will also be able to see some considerably faster Coast Guard equipment. \nStation New London’s 45-foot Response Boat-Medium can exceed 40 knots and operates in seas up to 12 feet. It is used for missions including search and rescue\, maritime security and law enforcement. \nThe smaller 29-foot Response Boat-Small II can reach more than 45 knots and is designed for fast response in coastal and shallow-water environments. \nNaval Submarine Base Harbor Security Boats\nThe Navy will also be represented by Naval Submarine Base New London’s Harbor Security Boats. \nThe 27-foot vessels patrol waters surrounding the submarine base. Powered by twin outboards producing a combined 450 horsepower\, they can reach approximately 40 knots. \nKings Point\nBuilt in 2014\, Kings Point is a 3\,000-horsepower twin-screw tug constructed by Chesapeake Shipbuilding for the Vane Brothers Company. \nEnviro-Lab II / Project Oceanology\nGroton-based Project Oceanology brings marine science into the mix aboard Enviro-Lab II. \nProject O introduces thousands of students and adults each year to marine science through hands-on exploration of the ocean and Long Island Sound. \nSaturday: Coast Guard Action\, Music and a Big Night on the Waterfront\nSaturday begins with the festival’s Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. \nThroughout the day\, visitors can explore vendors\, tour vessels and visit the Project Oceanology touch tank. \nFamilies have several activities of their own\, including free face painting\, costume making and a children’s walking parade featuring mermaids and privateers. \nAt noon\, Steve Elci joins the Little Mermaid and the Wayfinder for a children’s sing-along. \nThings get considerably louder at 1:30 p.m. \nCoast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration\nA U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T helicopter is scheduled to conduct a search-and-rescue demonstration. \nThese aircraft operate from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod and are used throughout New England for search and rescue\, maritime law enforcement\, environmental protection and homeland security missions. \nSeeing one operate over New London’s harbor should be one of the weekend’s standout demonstrations. \nTactical Boat Operations\nAlso beginning at 1:30 p.m.\, crews from U.S. Coast Guard Station New London will demonstrate tactical boat maneuvers during a simulated security-zone intrusion. \nThe demonstration recreates techniques Coast Guard crews use to protect ports and critical infrastructure and intercept vessels that don’t comply with security orders. \nThe commanding officer of Station New London will narrate the demonstration. \nSaturday Night: Benedict Arnold Burns Again\nOne of New London’s strangest and most enduring traditions returns Saturday evening. \nAt 7:30 p.m.\, the March of the Traitor begins its procession along Bank Street toward Waterfront Park. \nThe event commemorates Benedict Arnold’s infamous September 1781 attack on New London and Groton after the Connecticut-born Revolutionary War general defected to the British. \nFlock Theatre brings the history to life with period costumes\, music\, fifes and drums before the procession reaches the waterfront. \nAt approximately 8 p.m.\, an effigy of Benedict Arnold is burned. \nVisitors are encouraged to join the procession\, and period clothing is welcome. \nThen Look Up: 300 Drones Over the Thames\nDon’t leave after Benedict Arnold meets his fiery fate. \nAt approximately 8:15 p.m. Saturday\, a fleet of 300 synchronized drones is scheduled to take to the sky over the New London waterfront. \nThe drones will create illuminated shapes and images above the Thames River through choreographed formations accompanied by music. \nThe show can be viewed from the New London waterfront. \nPersonal drones are prohibited during the festival. \nSunday: Fishing\, Maritime Skills and More Music\nSunday begins another full day of free vessel tours\, vendors\, authors and the Project Oceanology touch tank from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. \nAt 11 a.m.\, Submarine Veterans will conduct a Tolling of the Boats\, a remembrance ceremony honoring submarines and submariners lost at sea. \nFamilies can also head to Fort Trumbull for Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. \nChildren can learn casting\, reeling and fishing safety in a hands-on setting. No registration is required\, equipment is provided\, and participating children can receive a free fishing pole while supplies last. \nNavy vs. Coast Guard: Sea-Service Showdown\nAt noon Sunday\, attention shifts to Waterfront Park for a little interservice rivalry. \nThe Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge pits Navy and Coast Guard participants against each other in a friendly competition involving maritime skills\, strength and teamwork. \nThe competition runs from noon to 2 p.m. \nCome prepared to pick a side. \nSunday’s festival concludes with reggae from Tambulaytay\, performing from 2 to 5 p.m. \nLiving History at Fort Trumbull\nFort Trumbull provides an appropriate backdrop for another part of the weekend. \nAmerican and British colonial reenactors will establish 18th-century encampments Saturday and Sunday\, complete with canvas tents\, camp kitchens and open fires. \nVisitors can walk through the camps\, speak with reenactors and see demonstrations of marching formations\, military drills and everyday life during the Revolutionary era. \nIt adds something the ship tours can’t: instead of simply looking at Connecticut’s maritime past\, you can walk through a piece of it. \nU.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\nThe U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s 150th anniversary will also be commemorated during the festival with a special U.S. Postal Service stamp presentation and availability. \nThe stamp recognizes the Academy’s history in New London and features Coast Guard imagery\, including Eagle. \nThe commemorative stamp will be available during festival hours Saturday and Sunday. \nFriday Prelude: Pirates and The Guardian\nAlthough the main festival takes place Saturday and Sunday\, activities begin Friday\, September 11. \nAt 8:30 a.m.\, New London will hold a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. \nAt 5 p.m.\, the New London Privateers & Buccaneers take over City Pier with a celebration of pirate lore\, including a pirate-map scavenger hunt and an adult costume contest. \nAt 7 p.m.\, the Garde Arts Center presents The Guardian\, the 2006 Coast Guard rescue-swimmer drama starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. \nSaturday Schedule\n10 a.m. — Opening Ceremony\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Free Face Painting\n10–11:30 a.m. — Make a Free Parade Costume\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11:30 a.m. — Mermaid & Privateer Children’s Walking Parade\nNoon–1 p.m. — Kids’ Sing-Along with Steve Elci\, Little Mermaid and The Wayfinder\n1:30 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter Demonstration\n1:30 p.m. — USCG Tactical Boat Operations Demonstration\n2 p.m. — Community Drum Circle\n3 p.m. — Red Lion\n6 p.m. — Mass Conn Fusion\n7:30 p.m. — March of the Traitor: Benedict Arnold Procession\n8–8:15 p.m. — Burning of Benedict Arnold\nApproximately 8:15 p.m. — 300-Drone Light Show \nSunday Schedule\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Authors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11 a.m. — Sub Vets Tolling of the Boats\n11 a.m.–2 p.m. — Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic at Fort Trumbull\nNoon–2 p.m. — Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge at Waterfront Park\n2–5 p.m. — Tambulaytay \nGetting Around the Festival\nThis is worth explaining prominently because the festival is essentially one event with two campuses. \nFree transportation connects Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull throughout the weekend. \nVisitors can ride the Thames River Heritage Park water taxi between locations or use the festival’s free shuttle buses. \nThat means there’s little reason to drive back and forth. Park once\, then use the boats and buses. \nWhere to Park\nFor Waterfront Park\, visitors have several options. \nWaterfront metered lot:\n13 Tilley Street\nNew London\, CT \nWater Street parking garage:\n160 Water Street\nNew London\, CT \nOn-street parking is also available in downtown New London. \nFor Fort Trumbull State Park: \n90 Walbach Street\nNew London\, CT \nStreet parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. The Fort Trumbull parking lot itself is reserved for handicapped parking during the festival. \nComing by Train or Ferry\nThis is one of those rare regional festivals where leaving the car home is genuinely practical. \nNew London Union Station\, at 27 Water Street\, is within walking distance of Waterfront Park and is served by Amtrak. \nVisitors can also arrive in New London aboard Cross Sound Ferry from Long Island\, Block Island Ferry or Fishers Island Ferry. The ferry terminals are within walking distance of the festival. \nPrivate boaters can reserve overnight dockage or moorings at New London Waterfront Park. \nEvent Details\nConnecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 \nDates: Saturday\, September 12 & Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nMain Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\nLocations: New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\nWaterfront Park: 2 State Street\, New London\, CT\nFort Trumbull: 90 Walbach Street\, New London\, CT\nAdmission: Free\nTransportation Between Venues: Free water taxi and shuttle bus \nMore information\, schedule updates and vessel information are available at the Event Website link below.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/connecticut-maritime-heritage-festival-2026-guide/2026-09-12/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Connecticut-Maritime-Heritage-Festival-2026-Guide.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T170000
DTSTAMP:20260817T041105Z
CREATED:20260817T041105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T041105Z
UID:10007211-1789293600-1789318800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide
DESCRIPTION:Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 Guide brings two days of ships\, Coast Guard demonstrations\, living history\, family activities\, music and maritime traditions to New London on Saturday and Sunday\, September 12 and 13. \nSpread between New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\, the festival turns much of the city’s waterfront into a celebration of Connecticut’s relationship with the sea. Visitors can tour military and historic vessels\, watch Coast Guard crews in action\, explore living-history encampments\, hear live music and take part in activities for children. \nThis year’s festival also arrives during a significant anniversary year for New London. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is celebrating its 150th anniversary\, and several festival events recognize the milestone\, including the release of a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp. \nThen Saturday night takes a decidedly different turn. \nA procession through downtown New London culminates in the traditional Burning of Benedict Arnold\, followed shortly afterward by a 300-drone light show over the Thames River. \nAdmission to the festival is free\, and free water taxis and shuttle buses will connect its two main locations throughout the weekend. \nTwo Festival Locations\, One Waterfront Celebration\nThe festival takes place simultaneously at New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park. \nDon’t worry about choosing one. \nVisitors can park near either location and use the festival’s free Thames River Heritage Park water taxi or shuttle buses to travel between them. That makes it possible to tour vessels downtown\, catch activities at Fort Trumbull and return to Waterfront Park without repeatedly moving your car. \nMost weekend activities run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday\, although several special events take place outside those hours. \nShips and Vessels You Can Explore\nOne of the festival’s biggest attractions is the opportunity to get close to working military vessels\, historic ships and maritime training vessels. \nUSCGC Eagle\nThe unmistakable USCGC Eagle is scheduled to be part of the festival. \nThe 295-foot\, three-masted barque serves as the Coast Guard’s sail-training ship\, giving Coast Guard Academy cadets practical experience at sea. Originally built in Germany as Horst Wessel\, Eagle was taken by the United States as a war reparation following World War II. \nToday\, the tall ship is one of only two active commissioned sailing vessels in the U.S. military\, alongside USS Constitution. \nAmistad\nThe schooner Amistad recreates the type of Baltimore Clipper believed to resemble La Amistad\, the vessel at the center of the historic 1839 revolt by enslaved Africans. \nThe modern ship was created as a floating classroom\, using the story of the Amistad uprising and its connection to Connecticut to teach history while traveling from port to port. \nDenis Sullivan\nThe three-masted Denis Sullivan is a wooden schooner modeled after the Great Lakes sailing vessels of the 19th century. \nOriginally based in Milwaukee\, the vessel offers visitors another opportunity to experience traditional sailing ship design up close. \nT/V Shuman\nThe 65-foot Training Vessel Shuman gives U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets hands-on experience with navigation\, ship handling and seamanship. \nOriginally constructed as a survey vessel for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\, it now serves as a working classroom on the Thames River. \nCoast Guard Response Boats\nVisitors will also be able to see some considerably faster Coast Guard equipment. \nStation New London’s 45-foot Response Boat-Medium can exceed 40 knots and operates in seas up to 12 feet. It is used for missions including search and rescue\, maritime security and law enforcement. \nThe smaller 29-foot Response Boat-Small II can reach more than 45 knots and is designed for fast response in coastal and shallow-water environments. \nNaval Submarine Base Harbor Security Boats\nThe Navy will also be represented by Naval Submarine Base New London’s Harbor Security Boats. \nThe 27-foot vessels patrol waters surrounding the submarine base. Powered by twin outboards producing a combined 450 horsepower\, they can reach approximately 40 knots. \nKings Point\nBuilt in 2014\, Kings Point is a 3\,000-horsepower twin-screw tug constructed by Chesapeake Shipbuilding for the Vane Brothers Company. \nEnviro-Lab II / Project Oceanology\nGroton-based Project Oceanology brings marine science into the mix aboard Enviro-Lab II. \nProject O introduces thousands of students and adults each year to marine science through hands-on exploration of the ocean and Long Island Sound. \nSaturday: Coast Guard Action\, Music and a Big Night on the Waterfront\nSaturday begins with the festival’s Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. \nThroughout the day\, visitors can explore vendors\, tour vessels and visit the Project Oceanology touch tank. \nFamilies have several activities of their own\, including free face painting\, costume making and a children’s walking parade featuring mermaids and privateers. \nAt noon\, Steve Elci joins the Little Mermaid and the Wayfinder for a children’s sing-along. \nThings get considerably louder at 1:30 p.m. \nCoast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration\nA U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T helicopter is scheduled to conduct a search-and-rescue demonstration. \nThese aircraft operate from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod and are used throughout New England for search and rescue\, maritime law enforcement\, environmental protection and homeland security missions. \nSeeing one operate over New London’s harbor should be one of the weekend’s standout demonstrations. \nTactical Boat Operations\nAlso beginning at 1:30 p.m.\, crews from U.S. Coast Guard Station New London will demonstrate tactical boat maneuvers during a simulated security-zone intrusion. \nThe demonstration recreates techniques Coast Guard crews use to protect ports and critical infrastructure and intercept vessels that don’t comply with security orders. \nThe commanding officer of Station New London will narrate the demonstration. \nSaturday Night: Benedict Arnold Burns Again\nOne of New London’s strangest and most enduring traditions returns Saturday evening. \nAt 7:30 p.m.\, the March of the Traitor begins its procession along Bank Street toward Waterfront Park. \nThe event commemorates Benedict Arnold’s infamous September 1781 attack on New London and Groton after the Connecticut-born Revolutionary War general defected to the British. \nFlock Theatre brings the history to life with period costumes\, music\, fifes and drums before the procession reaches the waterfront. \nAt approximately 8 p.m.\, an effigy of Benedict Arnold is burned. \nVisitors are encouraged to join the procession\, and period clothing is welcome. \nThen Look Up: 300 Drones Over the Thames\nDon’t leave after Benedict Arnold meets his fiery fate. \nAt approximately 8:15 p.m. Saturday\, a fleet of 300 synchronized drones is scheduled to take to the sky over the New London waterfront. \nThe drones will create illuminated shapes and images above the Thames River through choreographed formations accompanied by music. \nThe show can be viewed from the New London waterfront. \nPersonal drones are prohibited during the festival. \nSunday: Fishing\, Maritime Skills and More Music\nSunday begins another full day of free vessel tours\, vendors\, authors and the Project Oceanology touch tank from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. \nAt 11 a.m.\, Submarine Veterans will conduct a Tolling of the Boats\, a remembrance ceremony honoring submarines and submariners lost at sea. \nFamilies can also head to Fort Trumbull for Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. \nChildren can learn casting\, reeling and fishing safety in a hands-on setting. No registration is required\, equipment is provided\, and participating children can receive a free fishing pole while supplies last. \nNavy vs. Coast Guard: Sea-Service Showdown\nAt noon Sunday\, attention shifts to Waterfront Park for a little interservice rivalry. \nThe Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge pits Navy and Coast Guard participants against each other in a friendly competition involving maritime skills\, strength and teamwork. \nThe competition runs from noon to 2 p.m. \nCome prepared to pick a side. \nSunday’s festival concludes with reggae from Tambulaytay\, performing from 2 to 5 p.m. \nLiving History at Fort Trumbull\nFort Trumbull provides an appropriate backdrop for another part of the weekend. \nAmerican and British colonial reenactors will establish 18th-century encampments Saturday and Sunday\, complete with canvas tents\, camp kitchens and open fires. \nVisitors can walk through the camps\, speak with reenactors and see demonstrations of marching formations\, military drills and everyday life during the Revolutionary era. \nIt adds something the ship tours can’t: instead of simply looking at Connecticut’s maritime past\, you can walk through a piece of it. \nU.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\nThe U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s 150th anniversary will also be commemorated during the festival with a special U.S. Postal Service stamp presentation and availability. \nThe stamp recognizes the Academy’s history in New London and features Coast Guard imagery\, including Eagle. \nThe commemorative stamp will be available during festival hours Saturday and Sunday. \nFriday Prelude: Pirates and The Guardian\nAlthough the main festival takes place Saturday and Sunday\, activities begin Friday\, September 11. \nAt 8:30 a.m.\, New London will hold a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. \nAt 5 p.m.\, the New London Privateers & Buccaneers take over City Pier with a celebration of pirate lore\, including a pirate-map scavenger hunt and an adult costume contest. \nAt 7 p.m.\, the Garde Arts Center presents The Guardian\, the 2006 Coast Guard rescue-swimmer drama starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. \nSaturday Schedule\n10 a.m. — Opening Ceremony\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Free Face Painting\n10–11:30 a.m. — Make a Free Parade Costume\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11:30 a.m. — Mermaid & Privateer Children’s Walking Parade\nNoon–1 p.m. — Kids’ Sing-Along with Steve Elci\, Little Mermaid and The Wayfinder\n1:30 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter Demonstration\n1:30 p.m. — USCG Tactical Boat Operations Demonstration\n2 p.m. — Community Drum Circle\n3 p.m. — Red Lion\n6 p.m. — Mass Conn Fusion\n7:30 p.m. — March of the Traitor: Benedict Arnold Procession\n8–8:15 p.m. — Burning of Benedict Arnold\nApproximately 8:15 p.m. — 300-Drone Light Show \nSunday Schedule\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Vendors\, Authors\, Free Boat Tours and Project O Touch Tank\n10 a.m.–5 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Academy 150th Anniversary Stamp\n11 a.m. — Sub Vets Tolling of the Boats\n11 a.m.–2 p.m. — Breezeline’s Reel Time with Kids Fishing Clinic at Fort Trumbull\nNoon–2 p.m. — Sea-Service Showdown Maritime Skills Challenge at Waterfront Park\n2–5 p.m. — Tambulaytay \nGetting Around the Festival\nThis is worth explaining prominently because the festival is essentially one event with two campuses. \nFree transportation connects Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull throughout the weekend. \nVisitors can ride the Thames River Heritage Park water taxi between locations or use the festival’s free shuttle buses. \nThat means there’s little reason to drive back and forth. Park once\, then use the boats and buses. \nWhere to Park\nFor Waterfront Park\, visitors have several options. \nWaterfront metered lot:\n13 Tilley Street\nNew London\, CT \nWater Street parking garage:\n160 Water Street\nNew London\, CT \nOn-street parking is also available in downtown New London. \nFor Fort Trumbull State Park: \n90 Walbach Street\nNew London\, CT \nStreet parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. The Fort Trumbull parking lot itself is reserved for handicapped parking during the festival. \nComing by Train or Ferry\nThis is one of those rare regional festivals where leaving the car home is genuinely practical. \nNew London Union Station\, at 27 Water Street\, is within walking distance of Waterfront Park and is served by Amtrak. \nVisitors can also arrive in New London aboard Cross Sound Ferry from Long Island\, Block Island Ferry or Fishers Island Ferry. The ferry terminals are within walking distance of the festival. \nPrivate boaters can reserve overnight dockage or moorings at New London Waterfront Park. \nEvent Details\nConnecticut Maritime Heritage Festival 2026 \nDates: Saturday\, September 12 & Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nMain Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.\nLocations: New London Waterfront Park and Fort Trumbull State Park\nWaterfront Park: 2 State Street\, New London\, CT\nFort Trumbull: 90 Walbach Street\, New London\, CT\nAdmission: Free\nTransportation Between Venues: Free water taxi and shuttle bus \nMore information\, schedule updates and vessel information are available at the Event Website link below.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/connecticut-maritime-heritage-festival-2026-guide/2026-09-13/
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