Tom Kretsch, dedicated to photography since he retired in 2004 after a 37-year career as a schoolteacher, travels throughout New England to show and sell his pictures in shows and exhibitions.
Tom Kretsch, photographer, art his booth during the Waveny Park Arts Festival—Sept. 28, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
A Westport resident and member of the Carriage Barn Arts Center, Kretsch has participated in the organization’s Waveny Park Arts Festival since it launched three years ago.
“I like the fact that it’s not too big and the town really comes out to support it,” he said Sunday afternoon from his bustling booth at the festival on a clear, sunny day. “You get really good crowds here and there’s a mixture of different crafts and things. They’re not overloaded in one thing. I really think it’s nice. I’m very pleased with it.”
The Waveny Park Arts Festival—Sept. 28, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
Kretsch was one of 60 artists and artisans who participated in the popular festival. Held in dozens of booths set up around the “artsy” part of Waveny Park—including the Carriage Barn itself and Powerhouse Theatre—the festival featured live music and food trucks, drawing hundreds of families and art-lovers to the park. Works ranged from candles, jewelry, tea, spices, plates and ornaments to paintings, photographs, sculpture and woodcrafts. The festival coincided with the Carriage Barn’s Member Show, which was open to the public throughout the day.
Inside the Carriage Barn during the Waveny Park Arts Festival—Sept. 28, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
“It’s going great,” the Carriage Barn’s executive director, Hilary Wittmann, said as throngs of residents and visitors—many with young kids and dogs—moved through the comfortably spaced out festival, sitting down on a hill overlooking the Carriage Barn itself to enjoy the live music from School of Rock New Canaan, New Canaan Town Brass, CT Stage Company and The Parkway Ramblers. “Beautiful day. Tons of people here. Everyone seems very happy.”
The Farmer’s Grind served up fresh brew during the Waveny Park Arts Festival—Sept. 28, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
Sunday’s event appeared to be the largest one yet.
“The first few hours were just jam-packed, and there are still people coming in throughout the day,” Wittmann said.
New Canaan nonprofits such as the Connecticut Stage Company also participated in the event.
The CT Stage Company tent during the Waveny Park Arts Festival—Sept. 28, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
“We did a performance at 12 o’clock with four of our stars from ‘In the Heights’ and it was awesome,” said Kate Simone, who founded CT Stage Co with Lorah Haskins. “It blew me away and I hope it blew the crowds away here too. Nice to have some representation.”
The Young Entrepreneurs Marketplace was once again a big hit, with local kids selling their own creations in a dedicated area that drew wide interest from the crowds.
L-R: Second-graders Sneha Malhotra (West School) and Elizabeth Moor (South School) sold their doggie (and cat) bowties and other crafts during the Waveny Park Arts Festival—Sept. 28, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
Second-graders Sneha Malhotra (West School) and Elizabeth Moor (South School) teamed up to create and sell doggie bowties, bowties for cats, bandannas and hair clips, many of them themed for holidays. By early afternoon, the girls had already made two sales.
“We make a lot of crafts at home,” Sneha said. “And after this, we’re still selling bowties and bandannas when this festival is done. We’re selling them at Waveny Park and stuff like that.”