Spring Has Officially Arrived — and Downtown Ridgefield Is Ready for It

May First Saturday is back, and this year it's bringing a full day of live music, flower crowns, lawn games, cupcakes, garden plants, and — finally — the splash pad. Mark May 2 on your calendar right now.

If you've been waiting for a reason to get downtown, May First Saturday is it. The city's annual Spring Festival takes over Davis Park, Overlook Park, and the surrounding blocks of Main Avenue for a full day of free community fun — and this year the lineup is a genuinely good one.

Here's everything happening and where to find it.

Davis Park: Vendors + Live Music

The vendor market kicks off at 9 AM at Davis Park and runs until 2 PM. Local food, artisan goods, and the usual satisfying mix of things you didn't know you needed until you're holding them — you know the drill.

The live music this year comes from Robby Mayer, who takes the stage at 10:30 AM and plays through 1:30 PM. Mayer is a singer-songwriter and live looper — meaning he builds layered, full-band sounds entirely on his own in real time. If you haven't seen a live looper perform before, it's worth stopping for a few minutes even if you think you're just passing through. He also has original releases out there if you want to preview before you show up.

Overlook Park: The Heart of the Day

Overlook Park is where a lot of the action is concentrated, and it runs from 9 AM through the early afternoon. A few highlights:

304 Pioneer Street: The Garden Club Plant Sale

Over at the Greely Building on Pioneer Street, the Ridgefield Garden Club is hosting their annual plant sale from 9 AM to 3 PM (or until they sell out, so don't sleep on it). We're talking hanging baskets, sun and shade planters, homegrown veggies and flowers, herbs, shrubs, and color spots.

A few members of the Ridgefield Art Association will also be selling outdoor and garden art alongside the plants. Heads up on payment: Garden Club is cash, check, or debit/credit only — no Cash App or Venmo due to nonprofit tax regulations. Plan accordingly.

Evening in Downtown: Art, Wine, and More

The day doesn't wrap up at 2 PM — it just shifts gears. If you want to extend the afternoon into evening, here's what's happening around Main Avenue:

Spring Festival is one of those Ridgefield days where you show up for one thing and end up staying for three others. Vendor market in the morning, splash pad opening for the kids, a plant for your garden, live music, cupcakes with the mayor at noon, and art receptions into the evening — there's genuinely something at every hour of the day.

It's all free. It's all downtown. And it's one of the better arguments for why this town is worth paying attention to.

See you there on May 2.