On Saturday, June 9, more than 225 attractions across the state - including more than 30 in Fairfield County - will offer free or discounted admission or special offers to Connecticut residents in celebration of Connecticut Open House Day.

The one-day statewide event, now in its 14th year, is designed to showcase Connecticut's diverse mix of history, art, culture, and tourism. Participating properties span the entire state and range from well-known destinations to hidden gems.

This year, 32 new properties are taking part for the first time, including 11 businesses at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket and seven businesses in the town of Stratford, as well as Saybrook Point Inn, Marina and Spa in Old Saybrook, Leroy Anderson House in Woodbury, and Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort in Middlefield.

Residents can look forward to free admission at 85-plus attractions, including museums and historical sites; free tours over 25 properties, including some that are rarely open to the public; and special offers and giveaways at more than 100 businesses, including hotels and art galleries.

Other special activities throughout the state include farm and house tours; antique car, boat, and train rides; scavenger hunts and crafts; hearth cooking demonstrations; kayak and paddleboard rentals; and food and beverage tastings.

According to Connecticut Office of Tourism Director Randy Fiveash, "Open House Day is a perfect opportunity for residents to become tourists in their own backyard and experience what makes Connecticut such a prime New England destination."

Connecticut's $14.7 billion tourism industry directly supports nearly 83,000 jobs - and over 121,000 jobs in total. Last year, many Open House Day participants reported receiving more visitors on Open House Day than a typical Saturday - sometimes two to four times as many.

Howard Aspinwall, owner of Mellow Monkey in Stratford, which offered exclusive discounts and free giveaways during CT Open House Day 2017, was among those who were happy to participate in the statewide event.

"Last year, the response was overwhelming," Mr Aspinwall said. "The event turned out to be the second best revenue day for the store in 2017."

Mellow Monkey will again be participating in CT Open House Day this month.

Fairfield County Offerings

Among the locations participating in CT Open House Day 2018 is EverWonder Children's Museum. Located at 30 Pecks Lane in Newtown, the museum will be offering half-off its regular admission ($7) on Saturday, June 9.

Participating attractions in Fairfield County will also include Arcade Mall, Bridgeport; Art & Frame of Danbury LLC, Danbury; The Barnum Museum, Bridgeport; Bethel Historical Society; Brookfield Craft Center; Brookfield Museum & Historical Society; and The Bruce Museum of Arts and Science.

Also, Christ Episcopal Church Burying Ground, Stratford; Connecticut Audubon Society Center, Fairfield; Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut + Workspace Collective, Danbury; Fairfield Museum and History Center; and Gallery at Still River Editions, Danbury.

Also, Greenwich Historical Society; Homewood Suites by Hilton Stratford, Stratford; Molten Java, Bethel; National Helicopter Museum, Stratford; and Northrop House & Old Store in Sherman will participate.

Open Door Tea, Stratford; Pequot Library, Southport; Shelton History Center and SportsCenter of Connecticut, both in Shelton; and Stamford Museum & Nature Center, Stamford, will take part.

In addition, Stratford Historical Society and Stratford Library, both within Stratford; Suzanne Benton Studio & Art Showcase, Ridgefield; Walsh Gallery at Fairfield University Art Museum, Fairfield; and William Perry House, Stratford.

For Connecticut Open House Day updates, or to view the complete list of participants and their special offers, visit ctvisit.com/ctopenhouseday; RSVP to the Facebook event; and/or follow #CTOpenHouse on Twitter.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-323295" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CT-Open-House-Day-reminder-Open-House-Day-everwonder-logos-collage.jpg" alt="CT Open House Day reminder -- Open House Day-everwonder logos collage" width="800" height="436" /]

More than 225 attractions across the state will participate on Saturday, June 9, in celebration of Connecticut Open House Day. As of this week, everwonder children's museum was the one entity in Newtown participating in the annual tourism attraction.

[mappress mapid="1398"]