Fairs & festivals of music, food, comedy, arts, ethnic heritage, and more

The Renaissance Faire returns to southeastern Connecticut for five consecutive weekends and Columbus Day. Don’t miss one of the state’s most popular tourist destinations complete with knights in shining armor, fair maids, jousting, comedy, games, archery, rat circus, fire eaters, rope walkers, birds of prey demonstrations, interactive characters from history, contests, and continuous themed entertainment on nine stages – and all shows are included with your admission!

Shop in New England’s largest medieval marketplace featuring handcrafted and unique items you can’t find anywhere else. Feast like a king on turkey legs, bread bowl stews, cheesecake, and many other delectable food options and then wash it all down with an ice-cold craft beer from Thimble Island Brewery.

Make The Connecticut Renaissance Faire your family tradition this fall. It’ll be the event you look forward to all year long.

Hours: 10:30am-6pm. Parking: Free of charge. Tickets: General (Ages 16+) $17, Youth (7-15) $10, Children 6 & under FREE. Call or visit our website for directions, discounts, special events, shopping & more!

Art, music, dance workshops plus 50 artisans from all over the Northeast and plenty of food and candy and ice cream. Entrance is $5 each day; children under age 12 admitted free.

The Bridgewater Country Fair is a long standing tradition, preserving the character of the country fairs of yesterday, when farmers and other country folk congregated to compete with their prized livestock, produce, and arts and crafts. The weekend opens with the Tractor Mac Show on Friday at 4 p.m. The fair includes displays of livestock, produce, arts and crafts, farm and lawn equipment, midway with rides, motocross, pig racing, and food tents. Cost: $8; children under age 12, free; 3-day pass, $16; seniors, $5 on Saturday and Sunday. Time: Fair opens 4 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Free parking. Information:

The annual Plainville Hot Air Balloon Festival attracts thousands of spectators. The festival opens up Friday night at 5 p.m. and live music is performed from 6 to 9:45 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Balloon glows from 8:15 to 9 p.m. On Saturday the festival opens at 6 a.m. with a balloon launch (weather permitting), followed by a craft fair from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Classic Car show from noon to 5 p.m.; a balloon launch at 6 p.m.; and live entertainment from noon until 10 p.m. by various bands. Sunday opens at 6 a.m. with the final balloon launch and the festival closes at 9 a.m.

The upper and lower areas of Mortensen Riverfront Plaza are transformed into a Caribbean village. Bring the whole family to enjoy musical and dance performances while you sample authentic and world famous Caribbean dishes. Other highlights include a children’s village, domino tournament and salsa, merengue and calypso dance lessons. Parking at Science Center/Riverfront Garage, CT Convention Center Garage, Morgan Street Garage, and Constitution Plaza Garage. Time: 1-10 p.m. Rain date is August 3. Admission: Free.

Featuring delicious small plates of food prepared from blackberries grown on the farm. The blackberry festival will feature small plates of food prepared with the farm grown blackberries. Live music, free farm museum, winery and field tours will be held throughout the day. Music on Saturday, 1-4:30 p.m. by Al Rivoli; music on Sunday 1-4:30 p.m. by Martin Meyer and Kayla Schine. This is a family event. Time: Noon-5 p.m. Admission: Free admission; charge for wine and food.

Taste the best products of Connecticut’s wineries at this two-day event sponsored by the Connecticut Wine Trail. Along with the wine, guests can enjoy locally produced foods. live music, handicraft displays and sales, and more. Hours: Saturday, noon-7 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m. Admission: $30; guests for designated drivers, $10.

Mainstage Performers for the 2014 jazz festival include: Cyrus Chestnut Trio, The Gospel According to Jazz with Kirk Whalum, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jimmy Greene Quartet, The Litchfield Jazz Festival Orchestra Django Reinhardt Project, Mike Stern Band featuring Bob Franceschini, Janek Gwizdalaand Lionel Cordew, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Curtis Fuller and Friends, Mario Pavone Octet - The Accordion Project, Anthony Strong, Carmen Staaf Sextet - Standards Reimagined, and Claudio Roditi Brazilian Jazz Sextet.

Animal exhibits and demonstrations, homemaking and crafts exhibits, tractor pulls, races and competitions, fireworks on opening night. Music by Collin Raye, Roomful of Blues, Eric Paslay, Danielle Bradbery. Hours: Thursday, 4-11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Admission: Adults, $10; seniors, $6 on Friday; children under age 12, free. Parking is $5.

Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival is a town-wide celebration of the arts. The celebration takes place at the Florence Griswold Museum, the Lyme Art Association, and the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. A favorite event of the day is Market En Plein Air at the museum. This outdoor market features Connecticut-grown flowers, fruits, vegetables, breads, fine cheeses, herbs and specialty foods in a setting modeled after outdoor markets in French villages. Also enjoy the artisan fair, outdoor concert, author talks and sidewalk sales. Time: Friday, 5-9 p.m.; Saturday,9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Agricultural exhibition building, civil war camp, Brunn Barn Agricultural Museum complex, barnyard babies, heritage breeds, antique engines, antique cars, craft tents, midway by Fiesta Shows, fireworks, Labor Day parade, antique farm machinery, antique trucks, the living statue, go-kart racing, ceremonial Indian dancing, open horse show, grange exhibits,live music on stage. Hours: Friday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.; Monday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Admission: General, $12; seniors age 65 and older, $8; children age 10 and younger admitted free. Parking, $5.

Dive in a sample the oysters at this longstanding food festival, which also include children's entertainment, live music by Bret Michaels, a schooner cruise, a fire department open house, and police K-9 demonstrations. Free admission. No pets. Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

25 jazz performances in venues throughout New Haven. See event website for detailed schedules.

Four-day celebration of Greek food, music and culture. Featuring authentic Greek cuisines, live music and dancing, marketplace, folk dance performances, giant raffle, church tours, children's activities and much more. Free admission and parking. Time: Friday-Sunday, noon-10 p.m.; Monday, noon-8 p.m.

Celebrate peach season at Lyman Orchards with a host of fun family activities. Enjoy fresh baked peach pies, live music, contests with prizes, & horse-drawn wagon rides.

Enjoy three days of food, fun, and entertainment for the whole family at this free community festival, featuring fireworks, a tractor pull, games, rides, and more. Time: Friday, 4-11 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Admission: Free.

Live bands each night. Food vendors, rides and amusements. Saturday and Sunday there's also a craft fair from noon to 8 p.m. Time: Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to midnight; Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. Performances by Vinnie Carr and the Party Band, Fools on the Hill (Beatles tribute), The Nu Groove Band, Changes in Latitude (Jimmy Buffet tribute); Top Hat Dance Academy, Tears Fall Down, The Cobalt Rhythm Kings, Cindy Hotchkiss, Rubber City, Funk That, Magic of Motown (Motown Tribute), Simply Dance, Infinity, The Mike and Mike Band, The Peter Lucibelli Band, The Asberry Boys, The Navels (Stevie Nicks Tribute) Cost: Admission is free. There is some free parking.

Taste the harvest of 10 Connecticut wineries; enjoy food from local restaurants and crafts from local artisans. Food and wine seminars will be offered by local experts. Live bands from around New England will entertain.