On Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27 the Stonington Fishermen’s Dock will be home to the 54th annual Blessing of the Fleet. A celebration which has been a summertime hallmark of the town for decades, the “blessing,” as it is warmly referenced in Stonington, is well-known for its Saturday evening events, which include live music and dancing. But what many outside of the community don’t realize is that the blessing is so much more. Blessing of the Fleet Chairman Arthur Medeiros explained.
“For me it’s all about the memory of all the sea fishermen and asking for protection for the next year,” Medeiros said. “This is our 54th annual blessing; it started in 1954. Saturday night is really a celebration. We have food and music and dancing, and that’s all really to pay for Sunday; that’s why we have Saturday night, it’s like a reunion. Then Sunday is much more serious. It starts off with a 10:30 Mass and then we have the parade and the blessing. But it’s all in memory of all the sea fishermen—and we have 37 names on that plaque down there—who died at sea, and that’s 37 too many. That’s what the blessing is all about—it’s about Sunday.”
Originally inspired by similar festivals held for other eastern fishing fleets, the blessing is a celebration of the Stonington fishing fleet, the last fishing fleet in the state of Connecticut. For the fishermen and their families and friends, it is a time for remembrance, religion, rejoicing, and hope, with a memorial at the dock which honors those who were lost at sea. The fleet is blessed to ensure safe voyages and successful harvests, keeping alive the proud tradition of the Stonington fishermen. And as Medeiros attested, organizing and putting on such a festival takes more work than most realize.
“I usually start in January with a committee meeting, where we set a date and make sure we book the bands well ahead of time,” Medeiros explained. “We have to work with the town and the police, and we have to get permission to use the town properties, like the streets for the parade and such. We really make sure we do it right, and have everything set up well ahead of time.”
On Saturday the 26th, the blessing begins at 5 p.m. with a New England-style lobster bake, featuring a menu of lobster and other seafood, many traditional Portuguese favorites, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, soft drinks, and, of course, beer. Music by local DJ John Soares will accompany the lobster bake until 7 p.m., when popular band Special 20 will headline the night of “dancing on the dock,” which runs until 11 p.m. Admission is $5, with the price of food and beverages separate.
On Sunday the festival begins with a fishermen’s Mass at St. Mary Church at 10:30 a.m., followed by a parade down the streets of the borough at 1 p.m. The actual blessing takes place at 3 p.m. at the fishermen’s dock where the entire fleet of fishing draggers and lobster boats is blessed, culminating in a colorful and festive boat parade. The ceremonies end with the release of a wreath made in the shape of a broken anchor to honor the memory of the fishermen who lost their lives at sea.
For more information, visit www.stoningtonblessing.com.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, July 26 at
Stonington Fishermen’s Dock
5 to 11 p.m. - New England Lobster Bake
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Music by DJ John Soares
7 p.m. to 11 p.m. - Dancing on the Dock, featuring
Special 20; admission is $5
Sunday, July 27
10:30 a.m. - Mass at St. Mary Church
1 p.m. - Street parade through Stonington Borough
3 p.m. - Blessing of the Fleet and boat parade
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Lobster, seafood, and refreshments at
Stonington Fishermen’s Dock.