It’s almost that time of the year again when the Stonington lobster trap tree draws thousands of spectators to town for its annual display.
On Monday, dozens of volunteers spent the day assembling the tree for its third holiday season.
The tree is larger in size compared to last year’s tree, with 450 buoys and just as many lobster traps.
“The finished size will range between 445 and 460 [lobster traps]. We won’t know until we get to the very end exactly,” said Lisa Konicki, president of the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce.
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Konicki, the tree’s founder, brought the idea to Stonington three years ago after seeing a lobster trap tree in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
“When I learned that it was basically to pay homage to the fisherman and their community, I thought, why the heck don’t we have this in Stonington where I’m from? We have the state’s last commercial fishing village,” Konicki explained. “And I said, 'I’m gonna do this next year in my town!'"
But Stonington’s tree is unique. The buoys are designed by locals and aren’t just painted. Some are designed with stained-glass, and some are even made of yarn.
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“Our buoys are all painted by professional artists so we have more than 220 professional artists from every corner of Connecticut and Rhode Island that have contributed artwork that will go on this tree,” she said.
Andrew Fields, owner of Noah’s Restaurant in Stonington, helped Konicki build it that first year and has helped ever since. His employees even help with the assembling.
“I have a problem with lobsters. I like them quite a bit. Them as creatures and of course their flavors so it was a no brainer for me,” Fields said.
The public’s outpouring of support for the tree has well exceeded Konicki’s expectations and has provided a boost to downtown businesses.
“It made such an impact,” she said. “It put Stonington borough on the map in the winter months, which generally is a quiet little village. It made a huge impact on the business community, particularly the restaurants and bars, which is a wonderful thing and aligns with our mission as a chamber of commerce.”
Her favorite part is how it brings everyone together during the holiday season.
“When you walk around the tree, you’re learning the story of our community that year,” Konicki said. “It’s very touching and beautiful.”
The first lighting is set for Saturday, November 25, at 4:30 p.m. The tree opens at dawn each day and is lit every night between 4:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. until January 8, 2024.
