MYSTIC, Conn. (WTNH) — With the unofficial start to summer coming up, Mystic is expected to be booming over Memorial Day weekend.

“I expect it’s going to be pretty busy,” said Stephanie Marshall who owns three downtown shops, Trove, Tidal River, and Hang the Moon.

Marshall believes Mystic’s recent ranking as a top ten destination in the country by USA Today could make this Memorial Day weekend even more memorable.

“I think anytime Mystic gets mentioned it reminds people that we’re still here if they’ve forgotten,” Marshall said.

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“We’ve seen larger crowds already,” said Bruce Flax, president of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.

Crowds will also be heading to Olde Mistick Village, Mystic Seaport, and Mystic Aquarium which is debuting its new DinoSeas exhibit this weekend. Visitors are expected to bring more traffic into town and on Interstate 95.

“Have some patience and make sure you have some good music on,” Flax said.

There have already been backups due to bridge work and mowing along the highway and starting on Friday there will also be travelers heading to Mystic and the beaches beyond Connecticut.

“When you live in an area like this you have to be patient with traffic especially this time of year,” said Christy Rose, a Mystic resident.

She and her daughter Elyse are both locals.

“Today’s my birthday and we figured we’d come down before it gets a little too busy for the weekend,” Rose said.

The holes which line the sidewalk in downtown Mystic are for flags that are placed along the road for parades like the one this weekend on Memorial Day.

The sidewalks will also be filled with spectators for the Mystic Memorial Day parade after a paperwork snafu almost derailed it.

To learn more about this weekend’s events check out the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce’s website.