Connecticut’s maritime industry will be on display this weekend during the annual Maritime Heritage Festival in New London.
The three-day event kicks off Friday at the New London Waterfront Park.
The festival will feature local musicians, entertainment and food trucks, as well as ships from the Coast Guard, the replica of the infamous Amistad slave ship and a commercial fishing vessel for the first time.
“So, this is the first time we’re moving away from totally maritime military and bringing in a fishing boat because we had people that were interested in, you know, how the fish from Long Island Sound are getting into the land and onto our tables,” Eleanor Mariani, the chair of the festival, said. “So, we have somebody there that will be telling stories about fishing in Long Island Sound.”
Also new this year is their very first Mermaids and Sea Monsters Parade.
“We have roller-derby people, we have people marching from the ROTC,” Mariani said. “We actually have some drag queens that will be part of it. We’ve had just a whole group of people that have come in and said they’re interested in being a part of this mermaid parade.”
Mariani said they still have costumes and spaces available for anyone else who wishes to be part of the parade.
Details about the festival can be found online.
