News

New Canaan Pride Kicks Off with Celebration Wednesday at Pesca [Q&A]

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New Canaan Pride has put together a kickoff to Pride Month with Wednesday, June 5 Pride celebration at Pesca on Main Street. We had the chance to chat with organizer and New Canaan resident Genevieve Schettino about what to look forward to at this upcoming event, and an inside look at New Canaan Pride as an organization. Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: Let’s get straight into it, can you talk a little bit about what this event is on Wednesday night and the group behind it?  

Genevieve Schettino: So this is the kickoff of Pride Month for our town. A couple of years ago—I guess a few years ago now—we started a small group who wanted to show that we’re supportive in New Canaan of the LGBTQ+ groups in town.

Around Town

Coffee’s on for Thursday

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Join fellow residents and NewCanaanite.com editor Michael Dinan for the monthly Community Coffee, to be held 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 6 in the Jim & Dede Bartlett Auditorium at New Canaan Library. The Coffee is presented in partnership with the library, and the brew is supplied by Zumbach’s Gourmet Coffee (thank you, Doug). The free, public coffee is a group conversation about what’s happening around town, moderated by Dinan. Topics come from attendees and we spend no more than 10 minutes per subject. Those who would like to receive a friendly reminder email about the coffee—held the first Thursday of each month—should email Dinan at editor@newcanaanite.com.

Around Town

DPW: Swap Shop at Transfer Station ‘A Successful Program’

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A public-private partnership at the Transfer Station is saving the town money, officials say. The Swap Shop, organized and operated by Planet New Canaan with support from the Department of Public Works, has helped New Canaan become more green-friendly by keeping many items out of the municipal waste stream. That also has helped reduce the town’s bill for disposing of waste, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “We feel this is a successful program,” Mann said during the May 21 Board of Selectmen meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “I still think it’s saving money.”

Although some donated Swap Shop items ultimately become garbage because they’re not claimed, “it’s less than what we would have received having not had the Swap Shop,” Mann said.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Police at 12:36 p.m. Monday received a report from an Oak Street resident that their vehicle had been stolen overnight. The keys were left inside. It was recovered in West Haven. ***

The best ‘open house’ in New Canaan—The Glass House’s Summer Party—is almost here (12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 8—tickets here). Here’s some background on The Glass House and Summer Party with Kirsten Reoch, the organization’s executive director.

Around Town

Summer Theatre of New Canaan Presents ‘Mary Poppins’ for 2024 Season [Q&A]

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The Summer Theatre of New Canaan returns for the 2024 season with “Mary Poppins” (tickets here). The show will run July 12 to 28. 

We caught up with the nonprofit organization’s artistic director, Melody Meitrott Libonati, and its executive director, Ed Libonati (they’re married) about the headline show and full upcoming season, including STONC’s popular educational programs such as the Junior Company and DramaRamas Performance Program for kids with special needs. 

Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: For our readers who are not yet familiar, could you just—before we get into the specifics of this summer’s activities—give a very brief background on Summer Theatre, please? 

Ed Libonati: This is our 21st professional season based here in New Canaan. We started in 2004 and have been presenting musicals and plays in the summer for New Canaan and surrounding communities. And it has grown each year.