Upcoming Special Events 

Meet Two Players from the Connecticut Sun Women’s Basketball Team
August 25, 2008

Join us for a chance to meet Barbara Turner and Danielle Page, WNBA players for the Connecticut Sun. They will be here at the Aquarium to sign autographs from 1pm to 2pm on Monday, August 25.

Ocean Blue Catering and the Aquarium in the Taste of Mystic
September 5-7, 2008

Ocean Blue Catering and the Aquarium will be participating in the highly anticipated Taste of Mystic event. Visit our booth at this event and try some of our delicious offerings and see what our wonderful Ocean Blue Catering team has to offer. Our Executive Chef, Trad Dart, will be preparing Honey Cilantro Shrimp and New Orleans Style Chowder. Click here for more details about the Taste of Mystic.

As a subsidiary of Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, Ocean Blue Catering shares in the cause to "inspire people to care for and protect our Ocean's Planet through education, research and exploration." All proceeds will go to supporting this important mission and the animals that live at the Aquarium.

Ocean Commotion
September 20, 2008

Put on your best black and white attire and join us for a memorable evening as the Aquarium transforms into an enchanting world of undersea beauty. Enjoy fine dining, dancing and a live auction! Our most elegant annual gala, Ocean Commotion raises important funds for Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration. Tables are available for $10,000, $5,000 and $1,500. Individual tickets cost $150 pp. For more information on tickets, tables and corporate sponsorship opportunities, please call the Development Office at 860.572.5955 ext.518 or email development@mysticaquarium.org.

National Estuaries Celebration & Cleanup
September 27 & 28, 2008

Join us at the Aquarium from 10am to 4pm for two fun filled days of activities, games, storytelling and live animal presentations as we celebrate our National Estuaries and learn about Long Island Sound. Also, on September 28 from 10am to 1pm you can help clean up our local estuary at Bluff Point State Park in Groton, CT. You’ll be joining millions of others around the world as we participate in the annual International Coastal Clean-Up Initiative. Activities at the Aquarium are free with the cost of admission.

Reservations are requested for the September 28th International Coastal Clean-up and can be made by calling 860.572.5955 ext.520.

Run or Walk for the Penguins
October 18, 2008

Join us for a really fun 5K run or walk and help us raise money for a great cause- our research and conservation efforts here at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration. This event is for runners and walkers of every age and skill level.

Entry fee: $20 on or before October 11, 2008 or $25 after October 11. Children $10 (ages 3-13).

Everyone who raises $50 or more in pledges will get a free race T-shirt. Our top fundraiser receives an original piece of penguin art created by the penguins themselves! Click here for more information and to register online.

Sea Scare
October 24 & 25, 2008 
6:30pm to 10:00pm (Last admission is at 9:00pm)

Join us for two ghostly evenings of Halloween Fun! If you think it’s all about things that go bump in the night- wait until you see what swims by in the dark! Come to Sea Scare and enjoy costume contests, trick or treating along a trail lit with hundreds of grinning jack-o-lanterns, games and special Halloween shows. This event is perfect for ghosts and goblins of all ages and is held rain or shine.

Holiday Sea of Trees
November 28, 2008 to January 2, 2009

A brightly decorated Christmas tree certainly gets people in the holiday spirit, and not just people look forward to this time of the year, but animals at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration do as well! The Aquarium’s annual Holiday Sea of Trees is set to spread its colorful branches from November 28, 2007 to January 2nd, 2008. Over 20 Christmas trees will be on display throughout the Aquarium, all with different themes and decorated by local organizations. It is a magical time for visitors to the Aquarium, a time of the year when bright lights reflect off the glass of many of the inside exhibits, giving both visitor and animal a chance to enjoy the brightly illuminated scene.