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News and features related to parents, parenting or kids and families
Mini Golf in the Library event is back this Saturday, Nov. 16. Golfers of all ages are welcome. The 18-hole miniature golf course will be set up throughout the building along with face painting and other activities. — an announcement from Darien Library
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the cost to play is $5 per player—each player will also receive a free hot dog!
Here’s who won the Darien Youth Commission’s 22nd Annual Halloween Window Painting Contest this year. Town Youth Director Alicia Sillars announced the winners Thursday and described this year’s contest with this statement:
Fortunately, the weather was absolutely perfect — a bright, crisp, sunny fall day. With 30 teams of middle & high school aged students painting storefronts throughout the community, it was hard not to get caught up in the fun! Like many special events, these activities are made possible as a result of the unique partnership the Darien Youth Commission forges with the public and private sectors. Special thanks to Beth Cherico, owner of Pie in the Sky, LLC (a mobile art education service) for lending her expertise to the judging portion of this event.
Every parent wants to send their child off to college fully prepared. You teach them how to do laundry, how to budget time and money, and how to navigate tricky roommate situations. What NOT to teach your teen? How to drink. On Wednesday, Nov.
Watching your loved one struggle with addiction is heartbreaking, but as they begin to heal, you must also embark on your own journey of recovery. Having a strong support system is key, which is why Mountainside, an addiction treatment center with a location in Wilton invites you to its Family Support Group, a free, monthly event open to anyone who has been affected by a loved one’s addiction. The group generally meets on the second Wednesday of any month. The next meeting of the group is from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13.
Featuring cider, pony rides, historical games and crafts, the annual Homestead Harvest Festival at Mather Homestead
Harvest Fest, from 12 noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, will allow visitors to taste a piece of Darien’s history and enjoy the beautiful property. — an announcement from the Mather Homestead
The third annual festival will feature food from local favorites NEAT, Jen Maher’s Little Bites and Savory Smoke Barbecue. Athletic Brewery will also be sampling their award-winning nonalcoholic Connecticut-brewed beers. Families can tour the historic home during Harvest Fest and participate in a Hunt for the Silver scavenger hunt while learning about the Tory raid on the home during the Revolutionary War.
Open Arts Alliance has announced auditions for its upcoming musical production of Mary Poppins JR. Auditions will be held at 6 p.m., Dec. 4, 5 and 6 at the YMCA of Greenwich (50 East Putnam Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830). — an announcement from Open Arts Alliance
Students ages 8 to 18 are encouraged to come audition for this Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius story about a family in turmoil and the magical nanny who saves the day. Featuring classic songs like: “Step In Time,“ “Jolly Holiday” and “A Spoon Full Of Sugar,” Mary Poppins is one of the world’s most beloved musicals. Performances of Mary Poppins JR. will take place on April 24, 25 and 26, 2020.
Please come to the Darien Depot Youth Center on Sunday, Nov. 3 for a chat with the author, Chrishaunda Lee Perez, as she discusses the themes of her new debut novel, “We Come as Girls. We Leave as Women.” If you have a daughter, this is an afternoon you will not want to miss. Bring them.
An information session about a program to prepare young adults with special needs and disabilities to enter the workforce will be held Thursday, Nov. 7, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Abilis offices at 50 Glenville St. in Greenwich. — an announcement from Abilis
The event is organized by Project SEARCH and sponsored by Abilis, a Greenwich-based nonprofit organization that provides services and support to more than 700 individuals with special needs and their families, in partnership with Greenwich Hospital. This event is for individuals and families interested in learning more about the Project SEARCH internship program that leads to competitive employment.
A complaint about parking led police on Saturday night to a home on Contentment Island Road, where they came across an intoxicated teenager hosting a party with his sibling and 14 other teenagers, police said. No charges were filed, although police said they informed all partygoers that the department’s Youth Division detectives would be getting in touch with them and their parents. Darien police described what happened with this account, including accusations that have not been proven in court (if they ever get to court):
At 9:15 p.m., police received the complaint (the police announcement didn’t describe anything more specific about that report). When they went to the house, police spoke with children of the homeowner, who was out of state. The homeowner later told police that his teens were supposed to be staying with friends.
LiveGirl, a New Canaan-based nonprofit organization that offers leadership development and mentoring for girls, will host a leadership summit for middle school girls (in grades 5 through 8) on Election Day, a school holiday on Nov. 5. — an announcement from Live Girl
The “Dream Big” middle school leadership summit will be held at Grace Farms in New Canaan and will feature keynote speakers, lunch, and team-building. Our leadership summits bring together middle school girls from across Fairfield County for a variety of empowering learning experiences that encourage girls to explore their potential and believe in themselves. The keynote speakers are Amy Rochlin, Founder Rochlin Leadership Consulting, and state Rep. Lucy Dathan.
On Thursday, Nov. 7, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is offering another of its occasional events for guests with sensory-processing differences — but instead of the usual “Sensory-Friendly Morning,” the aquarium is hosting a “Sensory-Friendly Evening.”
— an announcement from the Maritime Aquarium
During “Sensory-Friendly” events, the aquarium makes simple changes — such as dimming lights and muting louder sounds — to offer guests with sensory-processing differences a fun, comfortable and accepting environment. On Nov. 7, the aquarium will close at the normal time of 5 p.m. but reopen from 5:30 to 8 p.m. with discounted admission, lighting lowered and sounds turned down or off. A “quiet room” will be available for guests that need a place to calm.
Darien Depot’s 5th Grade Party has been postponed from this afternoon, Tuesday, to its rain date, Thursday, Oct. 24 at the same time, 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Here’s the original event listing:
Calling all Darien 5th graders! The Depot’s Fall 5th Grade Party will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. DJ Jimmy Jams will supply the music and games; face painting, and pizza. The Depot concession will also be open serving up your favorite treats.
There are plenty of events related to Halloween in and around Darien for kids, kids and adults and even just adults. Here’s a list. The descriptions below give you an idea about what’s offered in each event, but click on the headlines to get the full description and links:
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS
ON TWO WEEKENDS: OCT18-20 and 25-27
Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Becomes a Haunted House for Halloween Tours
—Tour times are at 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. — “Visitors may run into the mansion’s ghosts, who are haunted by the darker memories that are part of the rarely told history of the Lockwood and Mathews families. These ghosts will wander throughout the Mansion, but only during our very special and spooky Halloween tours. […] Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum’s Halloween tours, offered this year on two weekends, Oct.
Because of the expected crowds and traffic surrounding Tokeneke School during the annual Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival this Saturday, Darien police have issued a traffic advisory and pointed out where extra parking is available. Police said you can’t park on Old Farm Road, where the entrances to the school are located, nor on private streets in the Tokeneke Association. See also: Something Spooky and Fun, the Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival This Way Comes on Saturday, Oct 19
The police announcement also said: “If traveling in the area, please expect minor delays and watch for pedestrians of all ages. Motorists not attending the event should consider alternate routes to their destination.” Here’s an online map (not including route suggestions).
The Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival brings some Halloween spookiness and fun for kids this Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Every October for over 50 years, the Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival has transformed the Tokeneke Elementary School, located on Old Farm Road in Darien, into a Halloween-themed haunted house and amusement park where kids of all ages can find delicious food, unique games and activities. UPDATE, Wednesday, 1:46 p.m.: Darien Police issued a traffic advisory on Wednesday, Oct. 16, describing traffic restrictions, advice on driving through the area and parking availability. The new information is published both at the bottom of this article and separately on Darienite.com.