The Stonington Historical Society’s annual benefit The Cannon Ball will be held at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 25 on the North Lawn at Mystic Seaport.

“River to River: Celebrating Stonington’s Historic Neighborhoods” sets the theme for this year’s event at 109 Greenmanville Ave.

According to Frances Ashley, president of the Stonington Historical Society, “Our rivers including the Mystic and the Pawcatuck define not only our boundaries but also the rich legacy of Stonington. Our waterways and surrounding neighborhoods have and will continue to play an important role in commerce and leisure activities for generations.”

The Cannon Ball has become one of the region’s most popular charity events, attracting attendees nationwide, including local residents, organizations and companies and other individuals that support the positive efforts of the Historical Society.

Rivers define the Stonington area, forming its east and west borders. The tidal Pawcatuck River on the east flows eight miles south to Little Narragansett Bay. The tidal Mystic River and Whitford Brook form the border to the west, along the towns of Groton and Ledyard.

Stonington has been known for being a collection of neighborhoods that have been home to notable individuals and industries including shipbuilding, agriculture, textiles, granite and the arts. This year’s Cannon Ball and the “River to River” theme will celebrate the Stonington area’s historic neighborhoods between the waterways.

The event will be under a tent at the Mystic Seaport, providing a historic and scenic riverfront setting. This year’s Cannon Ball will include cocktails, dinner, a silent and live auction, dancing to music by Dr. K’s Motown Revue, and the presentation of the 2022 Hero Award.

To participate from home, bidding for items in the silent auction is available online through the GiveSmart app or website. For live auction items, bidding can be done in person or via proxy. This year’s live auction features items including: week-long luxury accommodations in Puerto Rico, a cocktail cruise for 10 aboard a historic yacht, a progressive dinner in the Stonington Borough and the rights to the 1814 Cannon Ball for one year.

In addition to the June 25 Cannon Ball, the Stonington Historical Society will hold a Benefactor’s Event on Aug. 21 on the Pawcatuck River.

The Cannon Ball proceeds will benefit the Stonington Historical Society, supporting its exhibitions, collections, educational and community programs, as well as the Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House, Lighthouse Museum and Woolworth Research Library. Founded in 1895, the Society preserves, interprets and celebrates the history of Stonington.

For more information and tickets, visit thecannonball.givesmart.com or call (860) 535.8445. Information about the Stonington Historical Society and its programs can be found at stoningtonhistory.org.

Laurie Hobbs is the director of public relations and marketing for Ocean House and a member of the Stonington Historical Society.