New Canaan Parks Board Approves Two Fall Festivals

Parks and Recreation · Meeting of April 15, 2026

New Canaan Parks Commission clears Shakespeare in the Park and the Waveny Park Arts Festival for a fall return. Commissioners unanimously recommended closing Bristow Park for Shakespeare performances October 4 and 11, and approved the Carriage Barn's October 11 Waveny Park Arts Festival, expected to draw about 150 guests per hour. Nova Hall of Summer Theater of New Canaan reported the group is "regularly selling about close to 900 seats every show run," but its building campaign estimate jumped to $5.1 million from an original $3 million goal.

Friends of Irwin Park detailed a native meadow project backed by $25,000 in town-funded trees. Parks Director John said an elevator delay at Waveny House has forced cancellation of nearly all weekday events there through midsummer, while a new Waveny Park playground targets a late-May opening.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 1,021 words

Source: the Parks and Recreation meeting of April 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

NEW CANAAN — April 15, 2026 — The New Canaan Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the return of two signature fall events, an immersive Shakespeare performance at Bristow Park and the Waveny Park Arts Festival at the Carriage Barn, while also learning that a local nonprofit theater's building campaign now needs $5.1 million, up from an original $3 million goal.

Commissioners also heard updates on a $25,000 town funded tree planting underway at Irwin Park, a monthslong elevator delay at Waveny House that has forced the cancellation of weekday events through the spring wedding season, and a new playground at Waveny Park expected to open by late May. The commission approved its March 11 meeting minutes, with one member abstaining.

The Full Story

Nancy Deus and Diane, representing the newly formed Friends of Irwin Park, told commissioners the group is building a native plant meadow near the park's Bayberry Lane entrance, replacing invasive growth around the park's gazebo with a white flowering garden, and overseeing more than 60 new trees the town is paying for, valued at $25,000. The group asked the commission to place a September 26 guided meadow walk, expected to draw 30 to 40 people, on the May 13 agenda for formal approval, after concluding it was too late in the season to hold its planned daffodil fundraiser this year.

Ed, organizer of the park's Shakespeare event, described a free, immersive walking performance featuring 10 to 12 professional Shakespearean actors that drew roughly 200 attendees last year. Commissioners voted to recommend the Board of Selectmen approve closing Bristow Park for two Sunday performances, October 4 and October 11, to allow the cast to work in costume.

Hillary and Lindsay, representing the Carriage Barn Arts Center, won approval for the fourth annual Waveny Park Arts Festival, set for October 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature about 50 juried artist and artisan vendors and draws roughly 150 guests per hour. Lindsay, in a separate annual update, said the Carriage Barn completed a $40,000 kitchen renovation, aided by a $10,000 grant from the New Canaan Community Foundation, and is planning a courtyard renovation with new hardscaping and an outdoor sound system.

Nova Hall, describing herself as co-leader of the Summer Theater of New Canaan alongside Patricia Sagani, told commissioners the theater has quadrupled its per-show attendance in four years, now regularly selling close to 900 seats per production. She said the theater's capital campaign to expand its lobby and add an education building has raised or committed $3 million, its original target, but a new professional estimate put the full project cost at $5.1 million. Hall separately outlined a proposed two week children's theater camp starting June 29, which will need state licensing and a sign-off from a doctor or nurse before returning to the commission May 13.

Parks and Recreation Director John told commissioners the elevator project at Waveny House, delayed since an April 1 target date, is now expected to be completed by late July or mid-August, forcing the cancellation of nearly all weekday meetings and events at the venue during wedding season. He said a water line leak at the town pool is being repaired without delaying the pool's opening, and the department is interviewing to replace a retiring custodian. Park Superintendent Ryan Restivo said the new Waveny Park playground's rubber surfacing was completed but remains closed during a curing period, with an opening targeted for late May pending Board of Selectmen approval of a walkway and patio contract on May 5. A commissioner asked about long-delayed pickleball courts; John said the project remains with the town's Public Works Department with no timeline.

Jack Baney, representing the New Canaan Aquanauts swim team, asked commissioners for practice time at the Banko Pool and said he plans to bring a formal presentation, based on research done with Keith Richie, on installing a seasonal air dome over the pool to allow winter swimming.

"It's great for a date. It's great for a family. It's great to just spend an afternoon and walk through the park." — Ed, organizer, Shakespeare in the Park

"We belong to New Canaan and no one knows we're here." — Nova Hall, co-leader, Summer Theater of New Canaan

"We don't know what's going to happen with the Irwin House site. We know it's going to be grassed over for right now, but if anybody ever wants to do something, we want to be involved in that." — Diane, Friends of Irwin Park

Why It Matters

Two of New Canaan's most visible fall traditions, the Shakespeare walking performance and the Waveny Park Arts Festival, are formally cleared to return, pending a routine Board of Selectmen sign-off on the park closure for the Shakespeare event. The Irwin Park meadow project, funded partly through $25,000 in town-purchased trees, marks the first major push from a brand-new friends group, with a public event planned for September pending a May 13 vote. Meanwhile, Summer Theater of New Canaan's jump from a $3 million to a $5.1 million building estimate could reshape its expansion timeline, and residents waiting on Waveny Park's new playground and long-delayed pickleball courts got mixed news: one project nears completion, the other remains stalled with no date.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Approve March 11, 2026 meeting minutes Tally: Approved; one commissioner abstained, exact roll count not stated in the recording

- Vote: Recommend Board of Selectmen approve closing Bristow Park for two Shakespeare in the Park performances, October 4 and October 11 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Approve the Waveny Park Arts Festival at the Carriage Barn, October 11 Tally: Approved unanimously

• Action: Friends of Irwin Park's proposed September 26 guided meadow walk — Continued to May 13, 2026 meeting for formal vote
• Action: Summer Theater of New Canaan's proposed June 29 children's theater camp — Continued to May 13, 2026 meeting for formal vote

- Vote: Motion to adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Town Of New Canaan: Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, April 15, 2026