50th Anniversary of Olde Mistick Village & Taste of Mystic

Not only is 2023 the 50th anniversary of the Mystic Aquarium, it is also the 50th anniversary of Olde Mistick Village! Just a few short minutes from downtown Mystic, Olde Mistick Village has been a favorite destination for shopping and dining for years! We are celebrating the anniversary in a big way- with the return of Taste of Mystic from September 8th-10th, and a celebratory ceremony on September 12th!

How it started…

The land where Olde Mistick Village now sits, originally Perkins Farm, was bought by Martin Olson in 1963. After much planning and attention to detail, Martin’s children Joyce and Jerry designed and built a 1720’s style colonial village. They had a very specific vision in mind for the village, which included a town green, duck pond and gazebo. Everything from the walking paths to the trees were intentionally placed, and no two buildings were made to look the same. Olde Mistick Village opened to the public on September 11, 1973 and has been charming locals and tourists alike ever since!

How it’s going…

Olde Mistick Village has grown significantly over the past fifty years. Home to dozens of small shops and eateries, and even a movie theater, you can spend hours exploring everything! From handcrafted gifts, high-fashion jewelry, Mystic souvenirs, unparalleled restaurants, and niche specialty shops, there is something for everyone and items you won’t find anywhere else! With rarely a chain store among its 51 distinctive shops, you can find unique favorites like Deviant Donuts, The Toy Soldier, Sticky Situations, & Alice’s Haunted Little Bookshop.

Taste of Mystic

Mystic foodies- rejoice- because the Taste of Mystic is returning to Olde Mistick Village September 8th through the 10th to coincide with the 50th anniversary! Get ready for delicious food, a beer tent, and live music all weekend long! There will be over twenty restaurants participating this year, including Pink Basil, Portuguese Fisherman, and Whisktopia Cupcakes. Admission is free with food tickets available for purchase. In addition, there will be ax throwing by Axtreme Entertainment and awesome live music! New England’s favorite party band Darik and the Funbags will be performing Friday night with a high energy show! On Saturday, catch Huckleberry Pie from 3-5pm and Beacon Street Band from 6:30 to 10. To round out the weekend, fan favorite Sugar will be performing on Sunday from 2-5pm. We are so thrilled for the return of this event!

Are you as excited as we are about the 50th anniversary of Olde Mistick Village?? Will you be attending the Taste of Mystic?? Share all the delicious food you try and make sure you tag @think_mystic so we can see!