There is no better indication that the summer festival season is upon us than the arrival of the annual New Haven Canal Days Festival, taking place June 4-8 throughout the city of New Haven.

Dubbed as the city’s premier homecoming event, Canal Days serves as a focal point for the city in welcoming current and former residents as well as guests from all over the tri-state area for a week filled with camaraderie and family-friendly fun.

Canal Days has proven over the years that it truly has something that just about everyone will enjoy, and this year is no different. First, the Midway will be packed with games, activities, and enough thrill rides to satisfy the adventurous spirit in all of us. With fabulous vendors positioned strategically throughout the area, there should be enough “fair food” available for purchase to fill every belly in New Haven and beyond. Selections include those sugary elephant ears, lots of cotton candy, deep fried everything, and delicious lemonade shake-ups.

The always popular arts and crafts tent provides festival-goers with the chance to take home unique items for themselves as well as an opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping for those “hard to buy for” people in their lives and the merchant tent is a perennial favorite introducing and re-introducing local businesses to the community.

Entertainment takes place on stage in Schnelker Park each night with Joe Justice crooning for the crowd on June 5 followed by the country sounds of Cadillac Ranch on June 6, rockers The Band Brother on June 7, and nationally recognized contemporary Christian artist Jason Gray on June 8.