ISGA is a non-profit organiz is a non-profit organization positively supporting sea and beach glass collectors and the beachcombing community through festivals, information, educational opportunities, membership, and more.
The International Sea Glass Association is pleased to announce that the 18th Annual International Sea Glass Festival will be held on July 27-28, 2024, at Mystic Seaport Museum.
The International Sea Glass Festival is the premier sea and beach glass event in the country, celebrating the history and beauty of genuine sea and beach glass. With talented artists and jewelers, knowledgeable speakers, the Sea Glass Contest, and an opportunity to connect with fellow sea glass enthusiasts, the annual Sea Glass Festival is always an unforgettable weekend.
The Sea Glass Festival will be held at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut, on July 27–28, 2024. We hope that you will save the date for our return to this beautiful coastal New England location.
It’s time to bring your favorite finds to the Sea Glass Festival and maybe you’ll bring home a cash prize…and bragging rights! The 17th Annual Sea Glass Contest is a chance for you to enter your favorite sea and beach glass finds in a dozen categories. Judges will award winners for Find of the Year (aka Best in Show), Frosted Bottles, Pottery/Ceramics, Whimsical/Toys, Bottle Stopper, Most Unusual, Historical, Art Glass, Marbles, Buttons/Beads, Figural, and Vendor Entry.
Judges are looking for well-worn sea and beach glass, special markings, beautiful finds, rare colors, unique shapes, whimsical finds, and large pieces that are still intact after years in the waves. While letters on pieces or shapes like hearts aren’t rare, if the wording shows that a piece is historical, or the heart is a rare color or large size, it’s a potential winner. See photos from past festivals for an idea of what judges are looking for.
You must be at the festival on Sunday to enter the contest. Entry cards are sold in the ISGA booth at the show on Saturday and Sunday and cost $5 per card, each with spots for up to three entries. You enter your card and entries on Sunday morning and at 3 p.m. on Sunday we announce the winners. Winners of the Sea Glass Contest will take home cash prizes ($250 for Find of the Year winner and $50 for winner in each category), winner certificates, and their pieces will be featured in Beachcombing Magazine. Good luck!
The 17th Annual International Sea Glass Association Festivalwill be held July 29-30, 2023, on the Village Green of the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. Learn more about attending this two-day sea and beach glass festival with talented artisans, knowledgeable speakers, the annual sea glass contest, and an opportunity to connect with fellow sea glass enthusiasts in a beautiful New England coastal setting.
New England Sea Glass Stories
Sunday, July 30, 2023
Roxie Zwicker
It’s hard to resist the lure of beachcombing in New England, with tales of shipwrecks and pirates dating back to the 17th century, where there are places to walk the beach and find relics of the past with stories to tell. Roxie has amassed a collection of over 4,000 beach finds, with some dating back to the 17th century. With a focus on Boston, Cape Cod, and the coast of New Hampshire she will share dramatic stories, images of her collection, and a virtual tour of her favorite spots.
New England’s Mystery Maven, Roxie Zwicker has been entertaining the locals, visitors from away, and curious souls since 1994. Her company New England Curiosities, located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has been offering award winning tours, presentations, and special events since 2002 based on New England folklore and mysterious history. Roxie’s TV appearances include New Hampshire Chronicle, New England Cable News, The History Channel, and the Travel Channel. Roxie is a published author of eight books that delve into the region’s history, legends, and lore, and her next book has a focus on New England sea glass. Wicked Curious Radio is Roxie’s podcast available on all major podcast platforms. Her extensive collection of sea glass takes up an entire room in her house and her website can be found at newenglandcuriosities.com.
Join us for educational presentations about sea and beach glass, local coastal information, and more during the 2023 Sea Glass Festival. These presentations will take place in the historic 1850s Meeting House, part of Mystic Seaport Museum’s seaport village. This bustling village was recreated with trade shops, businesses, and buildings that were transported to the museum grounds.
A History of Maritime Mystic
Saturday, July 29, 2023
Rich Froh
Mystic has long been a major hub of the seafaring world, playing host to shipbuilding, fishing, global trade, naval warfare, and everything in between. Come learn about our rich local history, and discover what makes Mystic such a special place.
Richard (Rich) Froh has spent his life exploring local waters and waterfronts and feeding his hunger for history, especially local and maritime histories. With his wife, June, Rich has traveled to many historic sites in the U.S. and Europe, but his appreciation for the history of the Mystic River area and Mystic’s connection to national and world events remains the center of his focus and passion. His full-time job at the Museum allows him to, as he puts it, “de-mystify Mystic” by helping history buffs and those less familiar with our past, appreciate what has happened on these grounds and the surrounding waters.
