Mystic ― Riverfest returned to Mystic Seaport Museum this weekend for the second year, and the museum has its sights set on more musical offerings.

The museum partnered with Westerly Sound to host the three-day event and bring 14 music performances to the center of the 19-acre campus. The museum’s vice president of business development and marketing, Kevin O’Leary, said the hope is to eventually make it a two-day music festival, either in late 2023 or early 2024

O’Leary said he thinks the museum’s unique campus, with multiple performance venues, is ready for an event like that, and so is the community.

“We love this area,” O’Leary said. “We want to bring really cool things to the community that supports us and so we’re trying this out. Seems to be going well.”

The founder of Westerly Sound, Sean Spellman, said the partnership was natural as he and O’Leary are “like-minded.” He added that not too many music festivals are as family- friendly or inexpensive as Riverfest. Spellman said he would like to expand the music offerings to reach as many people as possible.

“The appeal is to do something that has really deep-rooted historical and cultural significance and also just kind of marry that with a new, progressive form of entertainment, or just music in general,” Spellman said on the continued partnership with O’Leary.

“For what we’re looking to do and what he’s looking to do, it’s a natural partnership,” O’Leary said.

Riverfest is more than just the music, however. While the museum’s regular exhibits are open throughout the weekend, there are different offerings specific to the weekend.

Visitors can meet local fishermen, learn about their boats and the various fishing industries. There were whaleboat demonstrations throughout the weekend and rides on the “Liberty” boat, even tours of the 1921 fishing schooner L.A. Dunton, and talks on 19th-century oyster fishing. Shipyard tours, harvest-themed activities for kids and oyster samples all highlighted the weekend-long event.

O’Leary called the educational aspect to the event “crucial” for a cultural institution. He said with so many different ways for people to spend their time and consume content, it’s important for the museum to make a connection to the community when it can.

“We’re just trying to connect with people on their level and then nurture and grow that relationship,” O’Leary said.

Maria Petrillo, director of interpretations for the museum, said it’s exciting to partner with other organizations to tell maritime stories, especially when the weather cooperates as it did this year.

“Maritime history and music history are very closely intertwined, so it’s nice to be able to bring those two things together,” Petrillo said.

Just because the two are connected doesn’t mean they have to be enjoyed at the same time. Just ask 9-year-old Cora Morgan from Stonington. She decided the music was “too loud” so she and her father, Kelsey, went to build some wooden ships instead.

“This has been a really nice day,” Kelsey said as Cora built her own pirate ship. “The bands were fun to see.”

Kelsey said he got to try one of the oysters from Mystic Oyster, which was stationed out by the music.Tim Giulini and a few others were opening oysters for visitors to purchase a $2 a pop, with lemon slices and Tabasco sauce to add as needed. Giulini, who said his title changes by the day, said the Noank-based company exports oysters down the entire East Coast.

Priscilla Wells, the bookkeeper for Empire Fisheries, said she was glad the weather was so nice to give tours of their ship, “Furious.”

The Stonington-based fishery gave visitors a glimpse of what it’s like to operate a scallop fishing boat as well as the struggles the entire industry faces. Wells said while the industry continues to face the idea of overfishing and creating sustainable fishing practices, offshore wind turbines may be the next issue.

“The people seem to be very receptive, and I think our boat represents the future of fishing because we are focused on sustainability,” Wells said.

The three-part tour starts with Wells and an overview on the deck before visitors go inside to learn about shucking scallops and the operations of the ship. Up top is where Joe Gilbert speaks about sustainable fishing practices, the new challenges in the industry and how to overcome them.

“We’re really education focused,” Wells said of the fishing company.

Monday is the last day of the event, which falls on Indigenous Peoples Day. Petrillo said the museum has Silvermoon Larose, a member of the Narragansett Tribe and the assistant director of the Tomaquag Museum in Exeter, R.I., coming to cook a traditional meal on Monday. There will also be a talk about research into a lost book about an indigenous whaler.

Sunday was subtitled “Mystic Folkways in Celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day.” The museum held a talk on indigenous oyster harvesting to lead into Monday’s schedule of events.

k.arnold@theday.com