2026 Connecticut Sea Music Festival

The 2026 Connecticut Sea Music Festival will take place in Essex, CT on June 12-15. We’re a traditional maritime folk festival, partnering with the town as well as with individual venues to bring you the music. The daytime events are free, with donations accepted. Evening Concerts are ticketed.

Advance Tickets – Adults: $30 / Children 3-17: $15 / Children age 2 and under admitted free. Tickets are available for advance purchase until the night of Wednesday, June 10 at midnight. A limited number of walk-in tickets will be available on the grounds for $35 (Adults) and $20 (Children) immediately preceding each concert and valid only for that night’s show. Attendees are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. 

As with any outdoor concert, make sure you have weather-appropriate layers, hydration, etc., as it may get chilly by the water at night. No animals, except service animals, are allowed under the tent. Smoking is not permitted on the museum grounds.

Get Your Evening Concert Tickets Here!

The Evening Concerts will Feature:

Looking for even more activities? The town of Essex is celebrating its history and the United States Semiquincentennial with events throughout the year.
Find out more below.

Weekend Schedule

The weekend starts on Friday with our famous Symposium on the Music of the Sea. The festival continues with the Evening Concerts and music throughout the town!

The music starts throughout town at 10:15 AM on Saturday with the first open chantey sing of the festival, and continues until 4:00 PM for the start of the second open chantey sing! Sunday, as always, starts with our “tent revival” hymn sing at 10:00 AM, then music throughout town from 12:00 to 3:00. The final concert on Sunday is free, from 3:30 to 6:00 pm. There are also opportunities to sail on the Connecticut River Museum’s vessels Onrust and Riverquest with music on board. (separate tickets required, purchase from the museum).

Want to see the full weekend schedule? Download our grid below!

How to Get There

Essex, CT is most easily accessed off of Connecticut Route 9. Parking in town is very limited; satellite parking will be available for festival attendees, with some Accessible Parking reserved in town. Check back soon for more info.

From the East, South, or West:
From Interstate 95 (either direction), take Exit 69 onto CT Route 9 North. Take Exit 3.

From the Old Saybrook train station, take the Boston Post Road towards CT 154 North. Turn left off of CT 154 for the entrance to Route 9 North. From Route 9, take Exit 3.

Coming off Exit 3, turn left (you will be crossing a median) and then right at the light.

From the North:
From Interstate 91 South, take left Exit 22S to merge onto CT Route 9 South (Middletown / Old Saybrook). Off Route 9 South, take Exit 3. Turn left , then left again at the light.

No Car? No Problem!
9 Town Transit is a public transportation service, of the Estuary Transit District in CT, that serves Essex. Take a train to the Old Saybrook Train Station (via Amtrak, Metro North, or Shoreline East), then an Estuary Transit Bus to downtown Essex and the Festival – without having to park!
More info: https://rivervalleytransit.com/
info@estuarytransit.org, 860-510-0429

Where to Stay

Hotels and Motels:
In Essex:
The Griswold Inn (one of our venues) is directly downtown and has lodging and excellent food.

In Ivoryton:
The Copper Beech Inn
The Ivoryton Inn

In Old Saybrook:
Liberty Inn
Quality Inn
Super 8 by Wyndham
Econo Lodge Inn & Suites
Saybrook Point Resort & Marina

In Old Lyme:
Old Lyme Inn

In Deep River:
Riverwind Inn B&B

Campgrounds:
Wolf’s Den Campground – East Haddam, CT
Riverdale Farm Campsites – Clinton, CT
Rocky Neck State Park – Niantic, CT
KOA – Niantic, CT
Hammonassett State Park – Madison, CT
Selden Neck Campsites – Lyme, CT
* NOTE – Selden Neck and some other local state river campsites are only accessible by boat. There is no shuttle or boat available.

Where to Eat

Support the town of Essex! Food is available at various restaurants throughout town.

Supporting the festival specifically are:
The Griswold Inn
Drift Restaurant
Olive Oyl’s
Privateer’s Pizza
Sweet P’s Essex Ice Cream
Joy Chocolate
Essex Coffee & Tea Company

Quick Navigation

Performers

Weekend Schedule
– Symposium
– Full Schedule

Directions

Lodging

Organizers