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May 16, 2025

New Canaan Garden Club Presents: Gardens in Bloom

Join New Canaan Garden Club on Thursday, June 5th for the 2025 Gardens in Bloom Garden Tour, hosted by the New Canaan Garden Club (NCGC). This exclusive, self-guided tour will offer an extraordinary opportunity to explore some of New Canaan’s most breathtaking private gardens that are otherwise not open to the public. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, rain or shine, garden enthusiasts will have the rare chance to experience these meticulously curated spaces that span a variety of horticultural styles, sizes and designs.In addition to the private gardens, the tour will feature the New Canaan Garden Club’s ongoing civic initiatives at Irwin Park — a key part of our mission. The NCGC has been a steward of the park since its purchase by the town of New Canaan from the Irwin family in 2005. It has been lovingly cared for by the NCGC with the help of an endowment from the family. Over the years, the NCGC has planted more than 50,000 daffodils and contributed to significant improvements, including the building of the park’s gazebo, the purchase of Wave Hill chairs and benches, and the installation of Flexi-pave paths. Proceeds from the Gardens in Bloom 2025 Garden Tour will support NCGC’s Irwin Park’s initiatives including the removal of invasive species and the planting of native plants, as well as ongoing maintenance and educational efforts. Help us to preserve and enhance this beloved community space! <a href="https://events.humanitix.com/new-canaan-garden-club-gardens-in-bloom" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 63, 146); background-color: transparent;">Purchase your tickets now! </a>Join us for this exceptional event, and take part in helping the New Canaan Garden Club preserve and enhance New Canaan’s natural beauty — one garden at a time.

May 15, 2025

Author Talk with Brooke Shields at New Canaan Library

Author Talk with Brooke Shields at New Canaan Library Thursday, June 5th, 7pm<a href="https://ohvwq5bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rgD29tnTt_5HFmZFIIogKen9psY_YBKlmVBVHvejCqqZ_V769f4pvdea4_G6eaCNy6a30wQGuGXdTMRoqbEGqak7tj-YHSKy7PKagFg3bJh1LhdwqBvwuXeVoOiJZ-3RcD31VClw81FIlOMPJ-ke0HBxr4fn0fW-s_z8SNzsdjiirXZafGFSajC9y4vs7kcdHp1W9sTuOcf0KGGnLZD5g2-0P6ACY9Cw&c=DEDE8FQrBnQeZ7TnJKaW8q0k6tdQ2clUL7nFkOrl9Qz0y50-98E0Vw==&ch=jGmeQ3X3BfN1EY1L-HpPbjxmg7clILWKoQaP6ufFw1QCY5cvTkk3MQ==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(108, 153, 200);">Join us </a>for a special evening with actress, author, and founder and CEO of Commence, Brooke Shields for a discussion about her Memoir Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman. Brooke Shields will be signing copies of the book at the event. Books will be available for purchase at the event, or in advance from <a href="https://ohvwq5bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rgD29tnTt_5HFmZFIIogKen9psY_YBKlmVBVHvejCqqZ_V769f4pvdea4_G6eaCNbKuZGoegr_YGtGzj9k3VyA41Z23Jm0g3uICv9fpEBo0ZipSovxjKyDAmSbDPEfOCM25LMTUkzJFmQ-SxNtIOmMYVFBs_mHPLc5OL9OmHBVEmpBWLBimzhnxknFbxz8yVkuwtOw4vS3XVSRWH7BeSsN9vzvk5sl85NxnyMioQKAmjZGAuvLpX4w==&c=DEDE8FQrBnQeZ7TnJKaW8q0k6tdQ2clUL7nFkOrl9Qz0y50-98E0Vw==&ch=jGmeQ3X3BfN1EY1L-HpPbjxmg7clILWKoQaP6ufFw1QCY5cvTkk3MQ==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(108, 153, 200);">Elm Street Books</a>. <a href="https://ohvwq5bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rgD29tnTt_5HFmZFIIogKen9psY_YBKlmVBVHvejCqqZ_V769f4pvdea4_G6eaCNy6a30wQGuGXdTMRoqbEGqak7tj-YHSKy7PKagFg3bJh1LhdwqBvwuXeVoOiJZ-3RcD31VClw81FIlOMPJ-ke0HBxr4fn0fW-s_z8SNzsdjiirXZafGFSajC9y4vs7kcdHp1W9sTuOccPlP-q2gXqev3Z6yQ-8QVq&c=DEDE8FQrBnQeZ7TnJKaW8q0k6tdQ2clUL7nFkOrl9Qz0y50-98E0Vw==&ch=jGmeQ3X3BfN1EY1L-HpPbjxmg7clILWKoQaP6ufFw1QCY5cvTkk3MQ==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(108, 153, 200);">Registration is required</a> for this event.Brooke Shields has spent a lifetime in the public eye. Growing up as a child actor and model, her every feature was scrutinized, her every decision judged. Today Brooke faces a different kind of scrutiny: that of being a “woman of a certain age.” And yet, for Brooke, the passage of time has brought freedom. At fifty-nine, she feels more comfortable in her skin, more empowered and confident than she did decades ago in those famous Calvin Kleins. Now, in Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, she’s changing the narrative about women and aging. With remarkable candor, Brooke bares all, painting a vibrant and optimistic picture of being a woman in the prime of her life, while dismantling the myths that have, for too long, dimmed that perception. Sharing her own life experiences with humor and humility, and weaving together research and reporting, Brooke takes aim at the systemic factors that contribute to age-related bias.  <a href="https://ohvwq5bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rgD29tnTt_5HFmZFIIogKen9psY_YBKlmVBVHvejCqqZ_V769f4pvdea4_G6eaCNy6a30wQGuGXdTMRoqbEGqak7tj-YHSKy7PKagFg3bJh1LhdwqBvwuXeVoOiJZ-3RcD31VClw81FIlOMPJ-ke0HBxr4fn0fW-s_z8SNzsdjiirXZafGFSajC9y4vs7kcdHp1W9sTuOceCrOhXyu1r4Qqdb08WCVxX&c=DEDE8FQrBnQeZ7TnJKaW8q0k6tdQ2clUL7nFkOrl9Qz0y50-98E0Vw==&ch=jGmeQ3X3BfN1EY1L-HpPbjxmg7clILWKoQaP6ufFw1QCY5cvTkk3MQ==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Register here</a>

May 15, 2025

New Canaan Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony set for Monday May 26

Every year the community of New Canaan gathers on Memorial Day to remember with gratitude and honor the proud men and women who gave their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces to protect and preserve a life of freedom for all Americans.The Parade and Memorial Ceremony, sponsored by the Town of New Canaan and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Howard Bossa and Peter Langenus Post 653, will be held Monday May 26 starting at 9:30 a.m.The Parade steps off from St. Mark’s Church and proceeds down Oenoke Ridge to upper Main Street, past the Wayside Cross at God’s Acre, past the Firehouse and Town Hall, and continues down Main Street to Lakeview Cemetery. There, parade watchers and marchers gather with veterans and Town officials for remarks about the true meaning and purpose of the Memorial Day holiday.This year’s Grand Marshal is Brian van der Heyden. The Guest Speaker is U.S. Marine combat veteran Chris Paksi, and Msgr. Robert Kinnally, pastor of St. Aloysius Church, will represent New Canaan clergy and lead the ceremony in prayer.No parking will be allowed on Main Street from 8 a.m. until the parade finishes.The Line of March will be posted on the Town website <a href="http://www.newcanaan.info/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 123, 255);">www.newcanaan.info</a> on Thursday, May 22.In the event of heavy rain, a parade cancelation notice will be posted on the Town website and social media pages, and the Memorial Day Ceremony will be conducted in Town Hall at 10 a.m. with limited seating.(Contributed photo by Grace Duffield.)

May 14, 2025

The Aldrich Commissions Two Artists, Presents Aldrich Box Outdoors

Two artists were commissioned to create participatory objects to be experienced in the Museum’s newly renovated Sculpture Garden<a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=a59a8a825c&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum</a> is pleased to present the 2025 <a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=219f2c1f57&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a>. Inaugurated in 2021, the <a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=6fdb4a44ad&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a> is an ongoing annual series featuring a year-long traveling exhibition housed in a box, available for loan to the public free of charge. For this series, the Museum commissioned artists to create participatory objects meant to be handled and to travel beyond the boundaries of its walls. This year’s edition will feature two artists: Mongolia-based artist Jantsankhorol Erdenebayer, which will debut in July, followed by Kingston, NY-based artist Koyolzintli in September. Their contributions will be on view for an entire year.In past years, the public has been invited to take the <a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=8d06b408f1&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a> home to engage with the contents in varied environments. This year, for the first time, the <a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=a59c9541a1&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a> will be sited on the Museum’s campus for the public to interact with en plein air. Visitors will access the <a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=e9de9237c4&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a> by checking in at the Museum’s Front Desk during open hours to obtain a key and instruction guide.Jantsankhorol Erdenebayar has created Channeling our human energy for the journey ahead, 2025, an object he describes as a “travel kit,” featuring a copper outer shell adorned with imagery of human ears and an interior outfitted with faux fur, a mirror, and goat horns. Erdenebayar’s practice spans sculpture, video and performance, drawing from Mongolian mythology and exploring themes of resistance, protection, and survival. For the <a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=d9852fb6a0&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a>, Erdenebayar focused on the concept of nomadism—a foundation of Mongolian culture and ancestral traditions—symbolizing a profound connection to the natural world. By transforming the museum visitor into a traveler, Erdenebayar’s object has been reimagined as a “treasure purse,” shrine, or shamanistic tool. Equipped with a handle to suggest its portability, its reflective copper surface alludes to Mongolia’s significant copper industry. The goat horns inside evoke movement, strength, and protection, while the mirror serves not only as a tool for self-reflection, but also as a symbolic portal to the spirit realm.Koyolzintli’s practice encompasses sculptures, drawings, photographs, performance, and video. Born in New York and raised between the Pacific coast and the Andean mountains of Ecuador, Koyolzintli’s research into pre-American sound instruments has influenced her objetos sonoros – Sound Objects, which she believes hold and carry forward ancestral memory, ritual, and storytelling about the land and indigenous wisdom. For the <a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=80871ea16d&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a>, Koyolzintli will create Whistling Jar, 2025, a work activated by water. “Its resonance,” she explains, “will connect the latitude of The Aldrich to that of our celestial super star, the Sun.” Whistling Jar will be accompanied by instructions on how to play it, as well as a brief meditation to be performed before activation. For the artist, this work is deeply connected to the land, the position of the Sun over the Museum’s Sculpture Garden, and the birds singing in the trees, carrying both ceremonial significance and site-specific resonance.Jantsankhorol Erdenebayar (b. 1992, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) earned a BA from City University of New York, Hunter College in 2015 and an MFA from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2019. His works have been shown in numerous locations globally including BLUM, Los Angeles in 2020; Frieze, New York in 2020; Half Gallery, New York in 2021; Art Basel Miami Beach in 2021; Red Ger Creative Space, Arts Council of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2022; Art Basel Hong Kong in 2024; Lkham Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2024. In 2019, Erdenebayar represented Mongolia at the 58th Venice Biennale.Koyolzintli (b. 1983, New York, NY) lives and works in Ulster County, New York. Nominated for the Prix Pictet in 2019 and 2023, her work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.; the United Nations, New York, NY; the Parrish Art Museum, Water Mill, NY; Princeton University, Princeton, NJ; Aperture Foundation, New York, NY; and Paris Photo, France. She has had two solo exhibitions at Miyako Yoshinaga Gallery, New York, NY; a solo exhibition at Leila Greiche, New York, NY; and was included in Flow States – LA TRIENAL 2024 at El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY. Koyolzintli has performed at venues including the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY; Wave Hill, Bronx, NY; Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens, NY; the Brooklyn Museum, New York, the Queens Museum, New York; Performance Space, New York, NY; Dia Chelsea, New York, NY; and Ann Street Gallery, Newburgh, NY. Koyoltzintli has taught at California Institute of the Arts, School of Visual Arts, International Center of Photography, and the City University of New York. She has received multiple awards and fellowships including at the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris; New York Foundation for the Arts; We Women; the Latinx Artist Fellowship by the US Latinx Art Forum (USLAF); and most recently the Anonymous Was a Woman award. Her first monograph, Other Stories, was published in 2017 by Autograph ABP.<a href="https://thealdrich.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ee247c786df390b919fc2b0cf&id=298489a3b6&e=05ba91ffce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aldrich Box</a> is organized by Director of Education Namulen Bayarsaihan and Diana Bowes Chief Curator Amy Smith-Stewart.

May 14, 2025

New legislation requiring school districts statewide policy on smartphones

Governor Ned Lamont is applauding the Connecticut House of Representatives for approving legislation on Tuesday that requires all school districts statewide to adopt a policy on the use of smartphones by students in K-12 public schools as part of an effort to promote distraction-free learning in the digital age.The legislation, which is included in section five of <a href="https://officeofthegovernor.cmail20.com/t/j-l-wtuykid-tlluktttuu-u/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 113, 187);">House Bill 7009</a>, as amended, directs local and regional boards of education to use <a href="https://officeofthegovernor.cmail20.com/t/j-l-wtuykid-tlluktttuu-o/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 113, 187);">the policy guidance document</a> crafted by the Connecticut State Department of Education in the development of their local smartphone policies. Districts will be required to adopt a policy in time for the start of the 2026-2027 school year and continue having an approved policy each school year thereafter.“Young people learn best when they are actively listening to classroom instruction and interacting with their teachers and peers, not swiping, clicking, and scrolling,” Governor Lamont said. “In this day and age when technology is causing addictions and distracting people from developing social skills in interpersonal communication, school districts should have policies that promote a healthy balance on the use of personal devices. The state has developed guidance that provides a clear framework, and this legislation requires each school district to review that document and adopt their own local policies on this issue. I applaud the bipartisan members of the Connecticut House of Representatives for approving this legislation, especially the leadership of Education Committee co-chair Representative Jennifer Leeper, and I urge the Senate to pass it in concurrence with the House so that I can sign it into law.”The legislation will next be transmitted to the Senate for its consideration. That chamber must approve the bill by the end of the 2025 Regular Session, which concludes on June 4.

May 12, 2025

Summer Twilight Golf Just Got a League of Its Own at The National - Register NOW

The National at Golf Performance Center is teeing up a summer of friendly competition with Tuesday night Men’s League and Thursday night Ladies League play. The Men’s League kicks off May 27, with the Ladies League following on June 3. Both leagues begin at 7:30 PM with two-person teams and a shotgun start.Registration fee is $30.00, and green fees are reduced to $15.00 for league nights. Points are awarded each week—18 for first place, 17 for second, and so on—leading up to bragging rights and prizes at the season’s end.You’ll hit the course as the sun goes down and finish under the lights. The National Short Course is now open at night, offering a fast, fun, and public 9-hole round designed to be completed in under 40 minutes.Whether you're chasing a title or just out for an unforgettable evening on the greens, The National is your place to play.Spots are limited to 18 teams per league. Learn more and register:<a href="https://thegolfperformancecenter.com/summer-golf-league/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://thegolfperformancecenter.com/summer-golf-league/</a>

May 09, 2025

The Fairfield County Dance Festival Comes to New Canaan Library on July 29!

“The Fairfield County Dance Festival” Now in its fifth year the Ted Thomas Dance Foundation and East Coast Contemporary Ballet is proud to present a series of free dance performances entitled “The Fairfield County Dance Festival,” throughout Fairfield County to provide greater access to the dance arts and arts education throughout the community.This series of performances is sponsored in part by the Connecticut Office of the Arts DECT, New Canaan Community Foundation, Fairfield Museum and Historical Society, Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County, Connecticut Office of Humanities, Museum of Contemporary Art of Westport, Darien Arts Center, Harmony Lodge #67, New Canaan Library, New England Dance Theater and New England Academy of Dance.DATES OF PERFORMANCESBallard Park, Ridgefield, CT - - July 9, 2025, 6:30 PMFairfield Museum and History Center, Norwalk, CT - - July 11, 2025, 6:30 PM. (Rain Date July 12)Mill River Park, Stamford, CT - - July 15, 2025, 6:30 PMMerwin Meadows Park, Wilton, CT - - July 17, 2025, 6:30 PM (Rain Date July 18)Weed Beach, Darien, CT -- July 22, 2025, 6:30 PM (Rain Date July 23)Museum of Contemporary Arts, Westport, CT - - July 24, 2025, 6:30 PMNew Canaan Library, New Canaan, CT - - July 29, 2025, 6:30 PM (Rain Date July 30)Continuing the initiative of community outreach which started during the Covid-19 pandemic, The Fairfield County Dance Festival, presented by the Ted Thomas Dance Foundation and East Coast Contemporary Ballet is a series of outdoor presentations that provide instant accessibility to the dance arts in Fairfield County communities. A mobile outdoor stage will be traveling to different communities to conduct a wide variety of outreach dance programs and performances, including master classes, lecture demonstrations and workshops. Along with guest dance companies, Garet & Company, Lydia Johnson Dance Company, Neville Dance Company, Thomas/Ortiz Dance and East Coast Contemporary Ballet will present a series of shows in multiple locations throughout Fairfield County. The response during our 2021 summer engagements to our open-air events was enthusiastic and well attended. The ability for audience members to be social in an open-air environment and enjoying dance performances to music was welcomed during that uncertain time. This year we will be presenting in 6 towns and expect to have over 3000 audience members in attendance. This year in our 2025 season we have invited campers ages 7-9 yrs. from The Horizons Community Schools Norwalk CT. This organization’s mission is to close opportunity gaps for all children and to ensure they graduate high school and are prepared for college and careers. To perform outdoors on stage is a comfortable environment ideal for this age group to participate uninhibited. The Companies, and dancers look forward to bringing this wonderful summer event to the several Fairfield communities.