10 am to 4 pm
Celebrate the Arrival of Spring at May Market!
May Market features premium exhibitors, rare and unusual plants, entertainment, children’s activities, food and a museum open house.
May Market’s spacious West Lawn tent and many indoor spaces truly make this a rain or shine event, while our children’s craft activities, Hops & Vines tastings, Museum Open House and a variety of demonstrations promise a fun-filled weekend for everyone.
May Market helps to support the museum’s 152 acres of beautiful gardens, grounds and trails.
Two-Day Admission Tickets
Online | $15 online
At the gate | $20 at the gate
Children under 18 | FREE
Purchase your Two-Day admission ticket and enjoy all that May Market offers!
Artisan Exhibitors
May Market will host more than 65 select “home, garden and gourmet” exhibitors in a spacious festival tent on the West Lawn and throughout the historic buildings and grounds. Browse a beautiful collection of hand-crafted artisan products including apparel, soaps, ceramics, jewelry and accessories, textiles, garden ornaments, linens, original artwork, specialty salad dressings, honey and much more. Gardeners, in particular, will delight in the carefully curated collection of specialty plants and shrubs on offer.
See a list of our 2019 May Market Exhibitors
Hops & Vines, a Tasting in the Garden (21+)
Your May Market admission includes free tastings with a winery, brewery and distillery. This event, sited in Hill-Stead’s beautiful Sunken Garden, is brought to us by Hill-Stead’s Impressionists Council, a group of young philanthropists who share a love of art and culture. Drinks from will also be for sale from our friends at The Liquorist MD and The Wise Old Dog & Off the Wagon Events.
The Hill-Steaders’ Perennials, Artwork, Treasures & Treats
The museum’s Hill-Steaders volunteers will offer their much-anticipated selection of fine unique perennials sourced from leading local nurseries, Hill-Stead’s own Sunken Garden, and gardening friends. Treasure hunters should be sure to visit volunteer-curated Theodate’s Gallery to browse donated artwork and to enjoy a large selection of donated linens, glassware, gardening books, jewelry and more at Theodate’s Attic. Visit the Monet’s Express tables to enjoy amazing sweets and treats.
Family Time
Enjoy a full schedule of children’s activities from 11 am–3 pm both days, including free Mother’s Day gift-making at Hill-Stead’s Education Station, scavenger hunts, a visit with Hill-Stead’s lambs and kid-friendly food. May Market admission is free for children 17 and under.
Demonstrations
Learn how to paint with chalk, ice your cupcakes to look like flowers, integrate native plants into your garden, and create the perfect floral arrangement at demonstrations on the historic Veranda. Learn about native plants at booth-side talks, and enjoy a tour of Hill-Stead’s new garden art installation with landscape artist Bob Chaplin.
Amazing Food
Seasonal Catering, Chet’s Italian Ice, the Farmington Farm Truck, Sweet Equations, Monet’s Express, and an exciting variety of exhibitors selling specialty chocolate, hot sauces, cookies, olive oil, exquisite baked goods and more will delight the gourmand in you. Hill-Stead is pleased to welcome back Seasonal Catering of Milford, CT, whose chef, Jim Calkins, will anchor festival food offerings with a fabulous farm-to-table menu.
Inside the Museum
Tour the museum at your leisure, taking in the beauty of Hill-Stead’s French Impressionist masterpieces. The weekend’s special Open House format will allow you to linger over famous paintings by Monet, Manet, Degas, Whistler and Mary Cassatt. Art lovers and experts alike will delight in seeing these incredible paintings in their beautifully appointed, historic setting.
May Market helps to support the museum’s 152 acres of beautiful gardens, grounds and trails. May Market earned Yankee Magazine’s “Editor’s Choice – Top 20 Event” recognition in 2014 and 2015.
Thank you to our presenting sponsor
