What’s Open, What’s Closed Thanksgiving Weekend 2015

Here’s what’s open, what’s closed and what’s got a new time for Thanksgiving and the days surrounding it:

(If your business or organization has changed hours for Thanksgiving, email dave@darienite.com and we’ll add your information to the list.)

 

Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 25

Transportation:

• Metro-North has “early getaway trains, which begin departing Grand Central at 12:58 p.m. See a regular timetable for details. Because of reduced ridership, some evening trains may be cancelled or combined.” Check the schedule here.
• CTTransit bus service in Stamford and Darien: No changes have been announced.
• Norwalk Transit District: No changes have been announced.

Closing early:

• Darien Library closes at 6 p.m.
• Darien Public Schools are dismissed early.
• Grieb’s Pharmacy closes at 5 p.m. rather than the normal 7 p.m.
• Rowayton Library closes at 2 p.m.
• Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk closes at 3 p.m.
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk closes at 3 p.m.

Not closing early:

• Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles in Norwalk is open for its regular Wednesday hours: 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Connecticut state government offices are open for normal business hours.
• Darien Recycling Center/Transfer Station is open for normal business hours.
• Palmer’s Market is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Whole Foods Market is open for extended hours Wednesday (and Tuesday, too): 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Closed:

• Pear Tree Point School is closed.
• University of Connecticut Stamford campus is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Nov. 22 to Nov. 28)
• Norwalk Community College is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 25 to 29).

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26

The Turkey Bowl starts at 10:30 a.m. at Boyle Stadium behind Stamford High School

Transportation:

• Metro-North has additional inbound and outbound trains for those of you heading to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Holiday Parade. Check the schedule.
• Stamford and Darien bus service: “CTtransit and CTfastrak will operate on a Sunday schedule on […] Thanksgiving Day.”
• Norwalk Transit District is closed.

Stores Open

In Darien:

• CVS
• Dunkin Donuts
• Grieb’s Pharmacy is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Normal hours of 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. resume on Friday and normal weekend hours resume this weekend — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday.)
• Whole Foods Market is open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (3 p.m., according to the website; 3:30 p.m. according to a store employee we called on Monday). Normal hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. resume on Friday.
• Stop & Shop supermarkets in Fairfield County are open until 5 p.m.
• Walgreens — 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“Black Friday” sales begin at these times on Thursday, according to TheBlackFriday.com:

• Best Buy — 5 p.m.
• Kohl’s — 6 p.m.
• Macy’s — 6 p.m.
• Old Navy — 4 p.m.
• Radio Shack — 8 a.m. (yes, a.m.)
• RiteAid — open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sports Authority — 6 p.m.
• Target — 6 p.m.
• Toys R Us — 5 p.m.
• Walmart — 6 p.m.

Also Open

• Darien YMCA is open from 7 a.m. to noon (for more detailed information, see below).

Stores Closed

• Trader Joe’s is closed all day.
• Palmer’s Market is closed all day.

These stores are also closed on Thanksgiving, according to TheBlackFriday.com:

• Barnes & Noble
• Bed, Bath & Beyond
• Costco
• P.C. Richard & Son
• Raymour & Flannigan
• Staples
• TJ Maxx

Other Closings

• Darien Public Schools are closed for Thanksgiving Recess.
• Darien town government offices are closed.
• Darien Community Association offices and programs are closed.
• Darien Nature Center is closed.
• YWCA of Darien-Norwalk is closed.
• Pear Tree Point School is closed.
• Connecticut state government offices are closed.
• U.S. government offices are closed.
• U.S. post offices are closed.
• Darien Recycling Center/Transfer Station is closed.
• Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk.
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk.
• University of Connecticut Stamford campus is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Nov. 22 to Nov. 28)
• Norwalk Community College is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 25 to 29).

Black Friday, Nov. 27

 

 

“Before Halloween was the holiday known for dressing up in costume and begging for candy (this practice did not become common until the 1940’s and 50’s), children in NYC often participated in what was called Ragamuffin Day.  On Ragamuffin Day – which was Thanksgiving Day – children would dress themselves in rags and oversized, overdone parodies of beggars (a la Charlie Chaplin’s character “The Tramp”).  The ragamuffins would then ask neighbors and adults on the street, “Anything for Thanksgiving?”  The usual response would be pennies, an apple, or a piece of candy.” — New York Public Library website (see also this National Public Radio article)

Transportation

• Metro-North will operate on a Saturday schedule with additional trains inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon. Check the schedule.
• CTTransit bus service in Stamford and Darien: No changes have been announced.
• Norwalk Transit District: No changes have been announced.

Closed

• Darien Public Schools are closed for Thanksgiving Recess.
• Darien town government offices are closed.
• Darien Community Association offices and programs are closed.
• Darien Nature Center is closed.
• YWCA of Darien-Norwalk is closed.
• Pear Tree Point School is closed.
• University of Connecticut Stamford campus is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Nov. 22 to Nov. 28)
• Norwalk Community College is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 25 to 29).

Open

• Palmer’s Market in Darien opens as normal at 7 a.m. but closes two hours early at 6 p.m.
• Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles in Norwalk is open for its regular Friday hours: 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Connecticut state government offices are open for normal business hours.
• Darien Recycling Center/Transfer Station is open for normal business hours.
• U.S. government offices are open for normal business hours.
• U.S. post offices are open for normal business hours.
• Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk is open for normal hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Stamford Museum and Nature Center is open for normal hours.
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk is open for normal hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Darien Library is open for normal Friday hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Rowayton Library is open for normal Friday hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28

This day is Small Business Saturday. Shop at a local small business!

Transportation

• On Saturday and Sunday, Metro-North trains will be on regular weekend schedules with additional “Shoppers’ Specials” trains. Check the schedule.
• CTTransit bus service in Stamford and Darien: No changes have been announced.
• Norwalk Transit District: No changes have been announced.

Open

• Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles in Norwalk is open for its regular Saturday hours: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Darien Recycling Center/Transfer Station is open for normal business hours.
• U.S. post offices are open for normal Saturday hours.
• Darien Library is open for normal Saturday hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Rowayton Library is open for normal Saturday hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Palmer’s Market is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Closed

• University of Connecticut Stamford campus is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Nov. 22 to Nov. 28)
• Norwalk Community College is closed (Thanksgiving Recess from Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 25 to 29).

AND ON SUNDAY …