Around Town

‘A Significant Partnership’: Caffeine & Carburetors Raises $16,000 for NCCF

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What New Canaanites know today as “Caffeine & Carburetors” had a short test run in 1995, outside of Doug Zumbach’s eponymous coffee shop on Grove and Pine Streets. It was a small gathering of just 30 cars and, though it was fun, the event was halted for several years—until about 15 years ago, when Zumbach resurrected the gathering of auto enthusiasts in what has become what he calls “the modern day Caffeine & Carburetors.”

This year, the town approved two of the hugely popular shows—one held downtown on June 16, and another planned for Oct. 20 at Waveny. For the first time in C&C history, that first show raised significant funds for a respected New Canaan nonprofit organization—a longtime goal of Zumbach’s. The Zumbach’s/C&C director of business development, Claire Drexler, said, “We’re so excited that the event has grown to this size where we’re able to leverage it in a way that gives back to the community, and we are really excited to continue to do so in the future.”

Last week, Drexler and Zumbach presented the New Canaan Community Foundation with a $16,000 check.

Government

Parks & Rec Pushes Back on June ‘Caffeine & Carburetors’ in Waveny; Oct. 20 Event Approved

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The chair of the New Canaan Parks & Recreation Commission said Wednesday night that a proposed June 2 date for the popular Caffeine & Carburetors car show in Waveny is problematic. Hosting the specialty and antique auto show in the spring “has been filled with a lot of issues that we’ve heard from the town,” according to George Benington. 

“Those issues need to be resolved before they come back to us,” he said during the Commission’s regular meeting, held at Lapham Community Center and via videoconference. “There’s a lot of opposition based on concerns about the field that time of year with the weather and what not. So we cannot vote on June tonight.  We can vote on October, but not June. … I think we all agree that this is a great event.