A sign of the times: 51st annual Milford Oyster Festival offers less bang for more bucks.

 Thursday, August 14, 2025

MILFORD -- The 51st annual Milford Oyster Festival that starts Friday Aug. 15 will be smaller than its predecessors and will charge an admission fee, the Connecticut Post reported this week.

#It will take place 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at a vastly downsized site at the city’s Fowler Field. 
#Admission is $8 and free for children age 13 and under. Entry for all ages used to be free.  
#Unlike prior years, the festival will not have activities and events at Milford Green, Lisman Landing, Armory Square, Rotary Pavilion or Milford Harbor. 

Festival organizers in December said rising costs, difficulty in attracting premier musical acts and fewer volunteers caused the now-shrunken event, according to the CT Insider news service. It had been an all-day event. 

This year’s festival will feature carnival rides, food trucks, locally sourced oysters, local bands and tribute bands, according to the festival website. The site lists dozens of foods, including lobster rolls. Downtown restaurants also serve festival customers.

 
Carnival rides begin at 5 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday, according to milfordoysterfestival.com 

Musical acts start with School of Rock, Milford at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by Backstage Pass at 6:30 p.m. 
Saturday’s lineup will have Dave & Chrissy at 5:30 p.m., Philadelphia Freedom at 6:30 p.m. and Almost Queen at 8:30 p.m.

Parking is available at downtown streets and banks, Harborside Middle School, the Milford Senior Center, Wasson Field, Parson’s Government Center and in the 44 River Street lot. A Metro-North station is about two blocks from the festival grounds.