Following a successful trial of two Caffeine & Carburetors gatherings at Waveny in 2015 that yielded zero complaints, the event’s founder on Wednesday night secured support from parks officials to pursue two more dates this year.
The Park & Recreation Commission voted overwhelmingly in favor of May 22 and Oct. 16 for Caffeine & Carburetors at Waveny—both Sunday mornings. Commissioner Jason Milligan was the sole member of Park & Rec not voting in favor of the event.
Doug Zumbach, owner of the eponymous gourmet coffee shop on Pine Street where Caffeine & Carburetors was born as a far smaller gathering of automotive enthusiasts, told the commission at its regular monthly meeting that he’s already garnered Police Commission support for April 17 and Sept. 11 gatherings downtown (the latter of which will include a memorial service, dedicated to those lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks as well as those injured in risking their lives to save others).
“The police department issued no moving violations in the last six events—I’m very proud of that,” Zumbach told the commission at its meeting, held in the Douglas Room at Lapham Community Center. “And that is over 1,000 cars coming into our community. So I think our participants were very well behaved. I attribute that to my volunteer staff, which we are increasing this year [to 25].”
Caffeine & Carburetors also will boost its social media efforts to get participants and visitors to Waveny into the downtown following the event, Zumbach said.
He added that he’s in conversation with New Canaan Library and the Waveny Park Conservancy about ways they may partner around Caffeine & Carburetors and capitalize on its visibility, and that he is seeking to bring in local nonprofit organizations, too.
“I got to thinking that one of hardest things for nonprofits to do is reach out and get their mission statements across to the community,” Zumbach said. “This is a great platform. We have attracted thousands of people on a Sunday morning that I would like to extend to the nonprofits, to come and just be there and get their message across.”
Commissioners asked whether there’s any conflict with other community events on the Waveny dates (no, checked with Tom Stadler and the Special Events Committee), whether a tie-in for Realtors with open houses has been developed (it’s on the list), how parking has worked (fine) and whether the number of cars coming ever exceeded the number of spaces allotted around Waveny House (no).