In order to assist our community in enjoying this fun-filled holiday as safely as possible, the Darien Police Department has compiled a list of Halloween safety tips. To enjoy a fun and safe Halloween, we suggest parents, children, motorists, and homeowners follow this advice:
PARENTS
• Always escort your children and carry a flashlight. • Be familiar with the neighborhood where your children will be trick-or-treating. • Set a specific time for your child/children to be out. • Always know who is trick-or-treating with your children.
The Rowayton Arts Center is seeking original, handcrafted works for the organization’s annual Holiday Gift Show. The RAC will accept small ornaments and holiday-related items as well as jewelry, pottery and ceramics, candles, wooden toys and items, small furniture, knitted or crocheted items, fiber art, original cards and small prints or paintings. — an announcement from Rowayton Arts Center
Proceeds from the Holiday Gift Show, which runs from Nov. 26 through Dec. 24, are used to support RAC and its educational outreach.
The Darien Community Association is getting in the spirit with their annual Mom’s Morning In Halloween Parade, happening at 10 a.m., Friday, Oct. 29. It’s back! Our parade is a colorful tradition! Dress up your little ones and bring a bag for trick or treating at the doors of local Darien merchants along the Post Road.
First Selectman Jayme Stevenson made these brief comments Saturday morning at Darien’s 9/11 ceremony. Here’s her speech, as prepared:
Good morning. Thank you for coming together today as one community to remember. We’ve felt the anxiety leading up to this day, haven’t we? How is it possible 20 years have passed since that tragic morning?
12:33 p.m. — The area’s soggy weather has created ground conditions that are soggy enough to cause a postponement of Darien’s Fireworks to Thursday, July 22, a town official said. Jami Gore, program supervisor for the town Parks & Recreation Department, asked to confirm a tip about the possible postponement, said that it was taking place, and an announcement was about to come out. Other than the one-week postponement, Gore said other details about the event are expected to be the same. Darienite.com will have further information about the event as it is released. The planned Weed Beach Festive Night, originally scheduled for July 2, then postponed to Saturday, July 3, had to be cancelled because of continued wet weather, part of the weeks of unusually wet weather in the area.
Even though on-campus parking passes are sold out for Darien’s fireworks display this Thursday night at the high school, anyone can still walk-in to enjoy the show for free. Here are some more reminders and tips about attending the event from the Darien Parks & Recreation Department:
PARKING OFF-CAMPUS:
If you’d like to park off-campus and walk to Darien High School grounds, here are some suggestions: parking lots are available at both Middlesex Middle School and McGuane Field. Parking is also permitted on the south side of the public part of Holly Lane and the west side of Libby Lane. No parking is permitted on Noroton Avenue! IF YOU’VE GOT A PARKING PASS:
Those with paid parking passes must enter Darien High School from Noroton Avenue.
UPDATE: Thursday, July 8 — All parking permits have already been sold for Darien’s fireworks display on July 15 at the high school campus, the town government Twitter account announced at 8:38 this morning. Original article, July 7:
Darien Fireworks are BACK! After they were canceled by the pandemic last year, Darien’s fireworks display returns to the high school campus on Thursday, July 15. The rain date is Thursday, July 22. Darien residents can buy the $30 parking permit tickets online or at Town Hall in order to be able to use one of the 375 parking spaces available at the high school, or you can walk in for free and don’t even need to be a town resident.
The annual Push-n-Pull Parade will be held at a new location in town on Sunday, July 4, 2021. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. at Darien High School, go down Noroton Avenue and end up at the Darien VFW Post 6933 at 205 Noroton Ave. — This article combines information from a Darien police announcement, which was sent to Darienite.com, and a Darien VFW announcement, which wasn’t (we snagged it from elsewhere). They, and anyone else, can send announcements to dave@darienite.com. The parade location has changed for 2021. It will step off from the Darien High School at 10:30 AM sharp, proceed south on Noroton Avenue, ending at the VFW located at 205 Noroton Ave.
Weed Beach Festive Night, which was originally scheduled for Friday night, then postponed for 24 hours, is now cancelled due to expected rain, Darien Parks and Recreation Department announced just before 10 a.m., Friday. If you pre-purchased a meal for the event, you can still pick it up between 5 and 6 p.m., Saturday, Park & Rec Program Supervisor Jami Gore said in the 9:59 a.m. emailed announcement. You’ll be able to get into the beach to do it, she said. The next Weed Beach Festive Night is scheduled for Aug. 27. Here’s the full text of Gore’s announcement:
Unfortunately, we have made the difficult and disappointing decision to cancel the Weed Beach Festive Night scheduled for this weekend due to potential inclement weather.
Sharad Samy, in his keynote speech at Darien’s Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, asked his listeners to remember what the red, white and blue of the U.S. flag stand for and to “Remember those who gave their lives for us today. “Remember that they were just like you and me,” he told the crowd of about 200 people at the veterans’ burial ground in Spring Grove Cemetery. “Remember that they gave what we all treasure the most — life — so that you and I can enjoy our great nation each and every day.” And he described several of them who were cut down in wars from the American Revolution to Vietnam. He explained the symbolism of the flag’s colors: “the red stands for heartiness and valor, the white stands for purity and innocence, and the blue stands for vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Planning an early getaway on Friday, May 28 for the long weekend? Metro-North will operate a regular weekday schedule on Friday, but we are increasing capacity by adding train cars — so your weekend starts when you want it to. — an announcement from Metro-North
If you’re returning on Monday, May 31, we are running regular weekend service that day (not that anyone wants to think about the weekend ending yet). Wondering when to go and return? Check the schedule.
Are you a Democrat in town who would like to march in the Darien Memorial Day parade on Monday? The Darien Democratic Town Committee is inviting you to join in the town’s patriotic procession. “As many of you may recall, we did this in 2019 and it was a smashing success. We would love a good turnout to reflect our increased presence in town, so please join us,” DTC Chair David Bayne said in an announcement Thursday to his fellow Democrats. The parade is solely a patriotic event, not a political one (and both the parade rules and the Democratic Town Committee forbid “overt political signs or messaging” at the event.
The town Monuments and Ceremonies Commission released a list of marchers for the Memorial Day parade and the order that they’re marching in, as well as the program for the ceremony after the parade. At the bottom of this article is added the list of instructions given to parade marchers. Here’s the announcement:
Darien’s Memorial Day Parade, and our time-honored Commemorative Ceremony for those who gave their lives in service to our country will take place Monday, May 31. The Parade will start at 10 a.m. from the Goodwives Shopping Center, and proceed south [east] on the Post Road, ending at Spring Grove Veterans Cemetery, where our commemorative ceremony will take place immediately afterward. Grand Marshal Peter O. Kenyon, Commander, USNR (retired,) will open our ceremony.
The Darien Memorial Day Parade will start at 10 a.m., Monday, May 31, at Goodwives Shopping Center, go through downtown and end at Spring Grove Cemetery. Traffic detours and restrictions will be in effect at some locations as early as 8 a.m., Darien police said. The parade grand marshal will be Peter Kenyon, and Sharad Samy will deliver the Memorial Day speech after the parade at the Veterans Cemetery at Spring Grove Cemetery. The post-parade ceremony is expected to begin at 11:30 a.m.
At 12 noon, Darien Police will conclude the 40th anniversary observance of Officer Kenneth Bateman’s death in the line of duty. The observance takes place at Police Headquarters on Hecker Avenue, across the street from the Veterans Cemetery.
Navy veteran Peter Kenyon will be the the grand marshal for Darien’s upcoming Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31, and Sharad Samy will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony after the parade, the Monuments and Ceremonies Commission announced. The Memorial Day ceremony at the Veterans Cemetery in Spring Grove Cemetery is scheduled to take place at 11:30 a.m.
Parade Marshal: Peter Kenyon
From the announcement about the parade marshal:
Commander Peter Kenyon served on active duty in the Pacific from 1963 to 1966, aboard USS Bausell (destroyer DD-845.) While attached to the 7th Fleet they engaged in plane guard duty, naval gunfire support (shore bombardment), Search and Rescue operations, amphibious task force escort duty, Formosa Patrol, and Anit Submarine patrols. Pete qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer, a Command Duty Officer, Tactical Action Officer, Officer of the Deck (both Fleet Activity and Independent Steaming), CIC Watch Officer, and JOOD. His assignments included Electronics Officer, CIC Officer, Intelligence Officer, and Administrative Officer. After active duty, Pete served in the Navy Reserve service from 1966 to 1985, mainly in Convoy duty units, and with three short tours on reserve destroyers, and a final tour on the Naval War College Reserve Staff. Pete had 2 tours as a Commanding Officer (VTU and NCSO).
