Three groups of food festivals fill this guide: oysters from August 14 to September 19, apples from September 25 to October 18, and one garlic festival on October 10 to 11. The oyster and apple dates do not overlap.
Oysters: Milford, Norwalk, and Niantic Bay
Three oyster festivals fell inside about five weeks. The Milford Oyster Festival, founded in 1974, ran August 14 to 15, a Friday evening and a full Saturday, with six live bands and a car show. Admission was free. The Norwalk Oyster Festival, founded in 1978, ran September 11 to 13 and added tall ships and more than 100 artisan vendors. Adult admission was $15.
The Niantic Bay Oyster Festival was a single free day, September 19, of raw bars, beer and live music.
Apples: West Haven, Southington, and Glastonbury
The West Haven Apple Festival was held on the West Haven Green on September 25 to 27.
The Southington Apple Harvest Festival, running since 1969: two weekends on the town green, October 2 to 4 and October 9 to 11, with apple fritters and a parade. Glastonbury’s Apple Harvest & Music Festival: listed for October 16 to 18, with live bands and local food.
Garlic: Bethlehem
The Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival in Bethlehem dates to 2005. The 2026 dates are October 10 to 11, with garlic ice cream, wood-fired garlic pizza and roasted garlic sausage on the menu, seed garlic from growers and cooking demonstrations.
Where the dates collide
The garlic festival overlaps Southington’s second weekend, October 9 to 11. Shortest of the seven: Niantic, at one day. Longest: Southington, at two weekends.
