From historic Main Street and scenic farms to its thriving local businesses and community events, Glastonbury embraces a simple but powerful message: explore your local community.
At the heart of that effort is a highly connected local business community, led in large part by the CT River Valley Chamber of Commerce. The chamber plays a major role in promoting local businesses, organizing networking opportunities and creating community events that bring residents into the town center and commercial districts throughout the year.
Among its most popular events is the annual Apple Harvest & Music Festival, one of Glastonbury’s signature fall traditions. The multi-day event draws thousands of visitors with live music, food vendors, craft booths and family activities while showcasing local businesses and organizations.
The chamber also hosts an annual Riverfront Music Series at Riverfront Park in the field behind the Riverfront Community Center on Welles Street. These popular and free Wednesday evening concerts run throughout the summer and feature live bands. Participants are encouraged to bring a picnic or they can buy food from participating food trucks on site.
The emphasis on connection the chamber promotes is also shared by the Glastonbury Historical Society, which plays an important role in preserving and promoting the town’s rich history through educational programs, exhibits, walking tours and special events.
Much of the town’s appeal comes from its balance of old and new, longtime institutions sit alongside newer cafés, boutiques and restaurants.
Farm stands, orchards and specialty shops continue attracting loyal customers, while newer businesses add fresh energy to the community.
Shopping in Glastonbury offers a mix of upscale retail centers, locally owned boutiques and convenient shopping plazas that draw visitors from across central Connecticut. Destinations like The Shops at Somerset Square feature national retailers, restaurants and outdoor-style shopping, while Griswold Shopping Center and The Shoppes at Fox Run provide everything from specialty foods to everyday services.
Downtown Glastonbury is also known for its charming independent shops, including boutiques like The Silver Dahlia and Gotta Have it Boutique, which add a personalized, small-town feel. The town’s combination of modern retail and locally owned businesses makes it one of Hartford County’s most popular shopping destinations.
South Glastonbury has become a regional dining hub with popular restaurants such as Cotton Hollow Kitchen, 2 Hopewell and Sayulita serving up fresh and distinctive culinary options.
The town’s agricultural heritage remains central to its identity. Orchards, vineyards, roadside farm markets and seasonal attractions continue drawing visitors throughout the year, particularly during the fall harvest season. Visitors go berry-picking in the summer and apple and pumpkin picking in fall at family-owned farms such as Belltown Hill Orchards, Rose's Berry Farm, and Dondero Orchards.
Farmstands dot the landscape in South Glastonbury and provide more than just a myriad of local produce and plants for shoppers. Some, like the Killam & Bassette Farmstand host special events, such as free farm tastings and specialty pop-up markets, including one on Mother's Day.
The Old Cider Mill on Main Street hosts a fall festival each year, featuring signature New England favorites such as fresh-pressed apple cider and apple fritters. Operated by Riverview Farms the Old Cider Mill is one of the oldest, continuously operating cider mills in the country.
Beyond shopping and dining, Glastonbury encourages residents to explore its outdoor and cultural attractions, including the historic Glastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry, Cotton Hollow Preserve, riverfront parks and miles of trails and conservation land.
Town leaders and business owners say the “Explore Local” theme is ultimately about strengthening community ties and encouraging people to invest in the places that make Glastonbury distinctive.