Mostly Free and Fun Things To Do In CT With Kids This Weekend March 21-22: Parades, Pancakes, and Petting Zoos

3/18/15 - By Jacqueline Miller

It's finally here: the first official weekend of spring! As the weather slowly catches up with the calendar, the weekends are beginning to provide more and more excuses to be outside and savor the almost seasonal temperatures. We are finishing up the St. Patrick's Day holiday with parades in Mystic and Greenwich, and the countdown to Easter is officially under way with the Easter Bunny in position and ready for photos at Stamford Town Center, Westfarms, and the Shoppes at Buckland Hills among other locations.

If the warmer weather has you looking ahead to summer, be sure to check our Summer Camp and Day Camp Guide as some of the more popular options are filling up quickly (our handy guide to Summer Camp Open Houses is a good place to start).

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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and be sure to get the weekend round up every Thursday in your inbox. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Pinterest in order to get updates on events, contests and free giveaways. Our event calendar is updated constantly with the best activities around the state.

Without further ado, here are our suggestions to get the most fun out of this weekend.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

All Weekend 

Hebron Maple Festival (Tolland County)
Rescheduled from last weekend, a full weekend of maple-themed events in charming Hebron! Tour local sugar houses and see demonstrations, watch the antique tractor parade, get your face painted, sample great local food, buy local craft items, and more! Saturday-Sunday. Free.

Connecticut Golf Show (Hartford County) 
Love the links? The Connecticut Golf Show offers adults and children a range of activities and opportunities to preview name-brand golf clubs, equipment and apparel; special offers on local golf courses, products and services; free lessons from top PGA pros; and more. There will be a junior golf area with games and prizes too! Friday to Sunday. Adults, $13; children 12 and under are free.

Kids Fun Fair and Petting Zoo (Hartford County) 
The Kids Fun Fair is a friendly, and safe place to enjoy rides, games, and exotic animals including elephants, camels, llamas, goats, zebras, and more. Saturday and Sunday. Adults $15 ($10 if ticket is purchased online in advance); children are free with coupons.

Saturday, March 21

Syrup Saturday and Pancake Brunch at the New Canaan Nature Center (Fairfield County)
Bring the whole family out by the Sugar Shack to celebrate this year’s Syrup Season! The day will include tree tapping demos, a real maple sap boil down using sap from our resident Nature Center maples, and a look into the past of historic and native methods of producing maple syrup, as well as the Second Annual Lumberjack Challenge. Finally there will be a delicious Pancake Brunch where you can sample first hand the sweet treat from the sugar maple trees atop a short stack of flapjacks. Members: $8/person; Non-Members: $12/person

WILD! Saturdays (Fairfield County)
Discover the newest addition to Heckscher Farm at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center — Heckscher WILD! Meet some of the animals up close and create lunch for some, too. Don't forget to visit the river otters, Bert and Edie, to see them get their lunch. Activities begin at 12:30 pm. Included with museum admission.

ASAP's Maple Sugaring at Flanders Nature Center (Litchfield County)
Participants will get a full sensory experience as they learn the history and folk-lore of maple sugaring, learn how to identify sugar maples, use the tools involved, and taste the final product. $35 per family.

The Jungle Book at Ridgefield Playhouse (Fairfield County)
Join young Mowgli as he learns the laws of the jungle in this time-honored adventure.  With the help of friends like the black panther, Bagheera, and Baloo the lovable bear, Mowgli learns about friendship and survival. Cheer as Mowgli faces his fear and foils his nemesis the tiger Shere Khan. This musical version of Rudyard Kipling’s classic will delight both the young and the young at heart. Showtimes at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Tickets $15 er person.

Johnny's Jog (Hartford County) 
The Johnny’s Jog 5K will be held for the fifth year in a row with plenty of its usual outdoor fun and Irish festivities. The event will start and finish at the West Hartford Town Hall. Participants are welcomed to run, walk, and push strollers or show support of the event with family and friends. Adults, $35; kids 13 and under, free.

Sunday, March 22

St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt (Fairfield County) 
Head to Ballard Park in Ridgefield to learn a wee bit about St. Patrick, Ireland and Irish folklore. Learn what "bodhrans & bones" are and why the Irish flag has three colors. Find the pots of gold left by tiny (or big) leprechauns. There will be a prize for those who participate in the hunt. Discovery Center Members are free, Non-members $7/person.

Greenwich St. Patrick's Day Parade (Fairfield County) 
Greenwich Hibernian Association is sponsoring their 38th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade beginning at Greenwich Town Hall and making its way down Greenwich Avenue. Free.

Design Your Own Minecraft Character at the MakerBot Store (Fairfield County) 
The Minecraft enthusiasts in your house will love this workshop that teaches kids ages 7-14 how to design their own Minecraft character using the 3D design software Tinkercad. The class provides an overview of Tinkercad and kids will be able to 3D print and take home their own Minecraft character designs. $25 per person. Pre-registration required. (Note that the Greenwich St. Patrick's Day parade precedes this event so parking may be tricky.)

Leprechaun Five-Miler, Two Mile Walk and Kids Fun Run in Madison (New Haven County) 
The race tracks Madison's picturesque shoreline on Middle Beach Road for one of the flattest and fastest 5-Milers around. Not up for 5 Miles? Try the 2 mile fitness walk along some of the same famous coastline. Get kids started on a lifelong path of healthy activities with the kids fun run! This beach includes a fantastic playground for kid and a gorgeous beach for strolling. $10 and up.

Mystic Irish Parade (New London County) 
Kicking off at 1:00 pm, the parade, extending from the Mystic Seaport Museum to the Mystic Art Association, will be host to over ten Celtic rooted Pipe Bands, representing more than any other parade statewide. In addition to Fife & Drum Units and Drum & Bugle Corps that will contribute festive music as well. Free.

For more ideas, don't forget to check our events calendar often!

Have a wonderful weekend!