Outdoors

Limited Lifeguard Coverage Coming to Weed, Pear Tree Point Beaches

Trail Upgrades Almost Complete at Waveny Park

Sidewalk Sales Days Weekend Has Just Begun in Lower Fairfield County

Food, Fine Arts, Fun at Westport Fine Arts Festival This Weekend, July 14 and 15

Starting Tuesday: ‘Stories by the Sea’ Darien Library’s Storytime for Kids at Weed Beach

Take a Free ‘Champion Trees’ Tour at Bartlett Arboretum Sunday, July 22: Register Soon

Isn’t Too Late to Register Your Kid for a Town Summer Camp Program

Displays Showing Real-Time Dangers of Sun Exposure Installed at Town Beaches

Friday and Saturday Sunset Cruises Offered by Maritime Aquarium

First West Nile Virus-Infected Mosquitos of the Year Found Near Darien: How to Stay Safe

Weed, Pear Tree Point Beaches Closed Friday: Here’s How and Why That Happens

What the Police Boat Commander Wishes More Darienites Out on the Water Would Know

At Waveny Pool, Just North of Darien, New Canaan Welcomes Out-of-Towners

Weed Beach Fest Coming June 2: Must Buy Tix for Clam Bake, But Admission and Puns Are Free

Family Concert Series at Weed Beach, June 6 to 27 — and Beach Stickers Are NOT Required

By DARIENITE.COM | August 16, 2018

Outdoors

By CATHERINE GOREY | August 8, 2018

Business

By David Gurliacci | July 14, 2018

Art Exhibits

By David Gurliacci | July 11, 2018

Darien Library

By DARIENITE.COM | July 8, 2018

Gardening

By DARIENITE.COM | July 7, 2018

Outdoors

By DARIENITE.COM | July 5, 2018

Healthy Living

By David Gurliacci | July 4, 2018

Maritime Aquarium

By David Gurliacci | July 4, 2018

Healthy Living

By David Gurliacci | July 2, 2018

Healthy Living

By David Gurliacci | June 29, 2018

Outdoors

By David Gurliacci | June 21, 2018

Outdoors

By EVA PACE | June 14, 2018

Around Town

By David Gurliacci | June 1, 2018

Arts & Entertainment

By David Gurliacci | May 23, 2018

Starting next week, through Sept. 3, there will be only limited lifeguard coverage at both Weed Beach and Pear Tree Point Beach, the Parks & Recreation Department has announced. The reason: There are a limited number of lifeguards at the beaches, and some are getting ready for fall sports in school or going back to school or college, a Parks & Rec official said. “Signs will be placed at both beaches notifying the public as to dates and hours of lifeguard coverage,” the announcement said. “Guarded swim areas will be determined by lifeguards on a daily basis.

Waveny visitors benefitting from a nonprofit organization’s efforts to improve trails at the popular park just over the border from Darien soon will have another new footpath to enjoy. The Waveny Park Conservancy’s long-standing plans to upgrade pedestrian paths alongside the main road through the park, from South Avenue to the main house, soon will be completed. _______________

— This article originally was published by NewCanaanite.com. _______________

“The old trails there are very worn down and basically dirt trails,” conservancy board member and New Canaan Parks & Recreation Commission Chair Sally Campbell said when asked about the project. “These new ones give it a good surface that can take a beating and helps runners stay out of the mud and tree roots, things like that,” Campbell said.

Sidewalk Sale Days Darien Chamber pic 7-3-16

Chambers of commerce in Darien, New Canaan and Greenwich are all holding “Sidewalk Sales Days” in their downtowns on the same weekend, and the Downtown Westport Merchants Association is holding its annual Arts Festival on the same weekend. Since these are all multi-day affairs, you could attend all four on different days, if you want to. Just remember to keep hydrated and wear sun block lotion (bug spray and a hat wouldn’t be a bad idea, either). Here’s a quick description of each. For more information, click on the headings, which link to more information:
Darien Sidewalk Sales and Family Fun Days
Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Shoppers of all ages will find bargains under the tents and inside shops on the Post Road, in Goodwives, and Noroton Heights shopping centers.

This weekend, renowned local chef Bill Taibe brings the unique Japanese inspired flavor of Kawa Ni to the Westport Fine Arts Festival taking place Saturday and Sunday, July 14 to 15 in downtown Westport.

The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s a rain or shine event and free to the public. “Since opening Jesup Hall in 2017, we have begun a love affair with the downtown area and are committed to taking part in events that strengthen the commerce and culture of Westport,” Taibe said. _____________

— an announcement from the Downtown Westport Merchants Association

_____________

Kawa Ni can be found in the Saugatuck area of Westport, and specializes in Japanese small plates. Featured menu items at their festival booth this weekend, located on the corner of Main Street and Post Road, will include shaved broccoli salad, scallop hand roll, creamy spicy tuna and cold sesame noodles. Taibe and Kawa Ni are among a diverse and inspired culinary offering at this year’s festival that includes Jeera Thai, Skinny Pines Wood Fired Catering, El Segundo and M.O.C. Eatery, a food truck offering locally sourced pub style sandwiches and salads.

Starting Tuesday, July 10 and continuing every Tuesday into September, Darien Library presents “Stories by the Sea,” a storytime program for kids at Weed Beach. This is a family storytime for all ages, according to the library’s announcement. The program is co-sponsored by the Darien Parks and Recreation Department. *Patrons must have a beach pass to attend this program.

Advanced Master Gardener Greg Moonie will give a tour of the Bartlett’s Connecticut and New England Champion trees and other notable and interesting trees around the great lawn at the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford. The tour takes place on Sunday, July 22 at the Bartlett Arboretum in North Stamford. It should last approximately 60 minutes. Flat shoes are recommended. Meet in front of the Silver Education Center at 3:30 p.m. The event will be cancelled if it rains.

Darien Parks and Recreation Summer Camp from catalog 2018

The Darien Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of programs for the residents of Darien. Registration for programs takes place online, at the Parks and Recreation office located in Town Hall, or through the mail. — an announcement from Darien Parks and Recreation Department

For more information please call the office at 203-656-7325. Safe Boating Classes

Boat Safe Connecticut, LLC comes to Darien to offer this eight hour course that will meet the requirements to obtain a Connecticut Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation with Waterski endorsement from the CT DEEP. Class will meet on Tuesday, August 7th and Thursday, August 9th from 6 – 10 PM at the Darien Town Hall.

Sun Exposure Display Weed Beach Pear Tree Point Beach

A display to inform beachgoers about the dangers of sun exposure and UV levels in real time has been set up at both Weed Beach and Pear Tree Point Beach.

The “modular sun safety education system,” also shows information on recommendations to protect yourself from dangerous levels of sun exposure, according to an announcement from the Darien Parks & Recreation Department and the company that created and donated the display. Darien is the first town to receive the innovative products as part of the SOLaware Technologies’ summer pilot program in Connecticut. Darien Health Director David Knauf worked to get Darien as a participant in the pilot program, resulting in the town becoming the earliest partner to get the displays, according to the announcement. “Sun safety is one of my priority educational areas as health director, and the SOLaware solution is a great way to raise awareness within our community,” Knauf said.

The idea of a relaxing Friday or Saturday evening out on the water with friends sounds great. But not everyone has a boat. The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk does have a boat, and is happy to do the happy-hour driving for TGIF and Saturday Sunset cruises this summer. “Evening is the prettiest time to be out on the water,” said Dave Sigworth, the Aquarium’s publicist. “These cruises are nothing more than a relaxing, 90-minute trip out to the Norwalk islands, and the best way to wrap up your work week or to kick off a fun Saturday night.”

Food and drink are not available for purchase on the boat, but you may bring food and beverages in a small bag or soft-sided cooler.

mosquito https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aedes_aegypti_biting_human.jpg

The State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program (MMP) announced that mosquitoes trapped in New Canaan on June 19 tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). — an announcement from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

These results represent the first WNV positive mosquitoes identified in the state by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) this year. Connecticut residents are reminded to protect themselves from mosquito bites and mosquito-borne diseases. “The first West Nile virus positive mosquitoes of the season have been identified,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at the CAES. “This is one of the earlier detections of virus recorded during the last 20 years of the statewide monitoring program.”

Darien Health Department has closed for Friday, June 29 the town’s two public beaches, Weed and Pear Tree Point.

The beaches are expected to be open again on Saturday, June 30, the Health Department announced on the town government website. In general, beach closures tend to happen after heavy rain, when water coming from land creates less healthy conditions, the Health Department says on the town government website:

To ensure safe water quality, the Health Department collects water samples once per week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Beaches will be closed after heavy rainfall so contact the hotline if you have any questions about whether the beaches are opened or closed. The hotline is: 203-656-7323. “This is a mandatory policy directive anytime Darien experiences over 1 inch of rain in a 24 hour period of time,” First Selectman Jayme Stevenson tweeted Friday afternoon. “We experienced well over this amount in a very short time yesterday.”

Darien Police Officer Derek Mulcahy says that one of the more frequent things he and other officers on the department’s police boat do when out on the water is tell boaters that they’re violating a safety regulation. “When we’re out there and we’re not responding to calls, we’re kind of driving around, out looking for boating violations,” Mulcahy, commander of the Marine Division, told the Darien Police Commission at a recent meeting. “A lot of it is just kind of educating people. We don’t see people intentionally breaking laws — a lot of people just don’t know what they’re supposed to do.” “Overloading boats — too many people on them — we see that a lot with the younger kids,” he said.

Lifeguard by Eva Pace Waveny Pool NewCanaanite.com

In recent summers, more out-of-town families have been using New Canaan’s Waveny Pool, just north of the Darien border in Waveny Park, and the town is welcoming them. In preparation for this year’s season, which once again saw an uptick in interest among new users, Waveny Pool concentrated on maintenance of the facility, according to New Canaan Recreation Director Steve Benko. (An employee at the New Canaan Recreation Department said registrations for the pool are part of a lottery, which is now over, and only 100 registrations for nonresidents go out.)

— This article previously was published by NewCanaanite.com. Both pool heaters are active and working, Benko said, the locker rooms have been entirely re-painted and wood re-stained. The town-owned and -operated facility’s strongest client base tends to be families, but they generally don’t think about buying passes until summer weather comes along, according to Benko.

On Saturday, June 2 Darien Parks & Recreation Department will once again be SHELLABRATING with live music, food and games everyone is SHORE to enjoy! The event runs from 2 to 8 p.m.

__________

— This is an announcement from the Darien Parks and Recreation Department, with additional details from the department’s Web pages. Darienite.com takes no responsibility for the puns — this time. Direct your groans to Park & Rec. __________

Three bands will take the stage through most of the event, providing awesome TUNAS from 3 to 8 p.m.

New this year, Capt’n John’s will be providing a mouthWATERing fresh clam bake right on the beach that will leave you feeling GILLTY if you don’t partake!

« August 2022 »

The Youth Commission is pleased to announce plans for its Family Concert series at Weed Beach. Taking place on Wednesdays in June, these events promise to be fun for the whole family. Whether you pack a picnic dinner or buy dinner at “Uncle’s By the Shore,” grab a blanket, the beach chairs and come enjoy the evening at one of Darien’s finest parks. Show time is 6:30 p.m. for all concerts. The cost (per concert) is $4 per person or $10 per family.