Phone: 860.572.9578

Location: Historic Downtown Mystic, CT

The annual Mystic Outdoor Art Festival will be celebrating its 57th year, Saturday, August 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. along the streets of historic downtown Mystic, CT.

The art festival has evolved in many ways from its humble beginnings 56 years ago. In 1957, Milton Baline and several other local business owners and art lovers proposed that Mystic pattern a festival after the famous Washington Square Festival in New York. That first show featured 105 artists and 500 paintings. Between 4,000 and 6,000 visitors came to admire and purchase art. Today the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival stretches over two miles and is the oldest of its kind in the Northeast. In fifty-five years, the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival has grown to over 250 artists who come from all corners of the United States and bring more than 100,000 works of art.

As the years go on, the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival is keeping its feet firmly planted in the area. Community pride is seen in the donations of time from over 100 volunteers and the donations of money and services from the local businesses.