Government

Town: Fourth Of July Fireworks Attendance Drops Sharply Amid Heat, Storm Forecast

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The Summer Internship Program is sponsored by the New Canaan Racquet Club. Attendance at New Canaan’s annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration at Waveny Park fell dramatically from last year, with town officials estimating only 2,000 to 3,000 people attended the event, according to Parks & Recreation Commission member David Shea. Speaking during the commission’s July 8 meeting at Lapham Center, Shea said unofficial attendance figures were far below the nearly 8,000 people who attended the 2025 celebration. “The unofficial attendance was really down from 2025,” Shea said. “The estimates that we have from parking cars, somewhere between 2,000 to 3,000, which is really well off the almost 8,000 of 2025.”

Around Town

Waveny Fireworks Return July 4 with New ‘Launch Site’ and ‘Sensory Zone’ for the U.S. 250th

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The Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. New Canaan’s Fourth of July fireworks, set for this Saturday at Waveny, are getting two changes this year, officials say: a relocated “launch site” meant to ease post-show traffic, and a new Sensory Zone for attendees sensitive to the noise. Parks & Recreation Commission member David Shea said organizers are “very happy with the improvements we’re doing, which is moving the location of the fireworks so that the South Lapham Road egress is going to be open, so people getting out will be faster. The town is also rolling out a new traffic notification system tied to this year’s entrance passes, he said,” Shea told fellow members of the appointed body during their June 10 meeting at Lapham Center. “The next [new feature] is the usage of the notification system, where all entrance passes sold will have a QR code on them to receive traffic notifications,” Shea said.

Government

Price for Pass to July 4th Fireworks Up $5 to $40

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Town officials last week approved a modest increase to the price of a family pass to the New Canaan Fireworks set for Saturday, July 4. The new price, $40, is for those purchasing their passes early (up from $35) and it will cost $50 to buy a pass on the day of the picnic and fireworks show at Waveny. “This entrance pass has been in place for—I’ve gone back through the records that Tom [Stadler] has provided me for 10 years and our costs have gone up and I think it’s time that we at least increase the price from $35 to $40,” New Canaan Fireworks Committee Chair David Shea told members of the Board of Selectmen during their March 17 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “On the day of, it will go up to $50. So buy your passes early.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the increase. 

The passes generally are used on a per-vehicle basis for those driving into Waveny for the fireworks, or on a per-group basis for those walking in, officials said.

Around Town

Fourth of July Fireworks and Picnic at Waveny [Q&A]

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One of New Canaan’s most cherished community events—the Fourth of July fireworks and picnic—will be held July 4 at Waveny. Ahead of the widely anticipated event, we put some questions to its chair, David Shea. Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: This year’s Fourth of July fireworks and picnic at Waveny are happening on July 4 itself. Talk a little about this history of this New Canaan tradition.

Around Town

New Canaan Exchange Club’s Annual Christmas Tree Sale Opens Nov. 29 [Q&A]

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One of New Canaan’s most active service organizations, the Exchange Club (background here), is preparing to launch its hugely popular Annual Tree Sale at Kiwanis Park. The sale, whose proceeds go toward the club’s grant-giving program, benefitting local charities, will open Nov. 29 in the Old Norwalk Road park. 

We put some questions to New Canaan’s David Shea, a Board member at Exchange, ahead of the sale, which runs through Dec. 22. Here’s our back-and-forth.