New Canaan parks panel approves 18th car show, 2026 calendar
Parks and Recreation · Meeting of January 14, 2026
New Canaan Parks and Recreation Commission backs return of Caffeine and Carburetors car show. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the 18th annual event at Wave Park, which organizers said has raised nearly $27,000 for the Wave Park Conservancy after pulling in about $24,000 the year before. Staff told the panel the town's new playground, with curbing and fencing already installed, won't fully open until spring because poured-in-place surfacing needs temperatures consistently above 50 degrees.
The father-daughter dance sold out in six minutes for roughly 265 attendees and moves to the Roger Sherman Inn this year because of elevator construction at its usual venue. The commission also approved its 2026 meeting calendar and heard that the town's Fourth of July parade will be held June 27, not on the holiday itself, as part of a busy America 250 commemoration calendar running from Flag Day through Veterans Day.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 895 words
Source: the Parks and Recreation meeting of January 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
NEW CANAAN — January 14, 2026 — The New Canaan Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the return of Caffeine and Carburetors, a car show fundraiser that has raised nearly $27,000 for the Wave Park Conservancy, along with the commission's slate of 2026 meeting dates.
The commission also heard an update on the town's new playground project, now expected to open for full public use sometime this spring, and a preview of New Canaan's slate of events marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The Full Story
Commissioners opened the meeting by approving minutes from their prior regular meeting and a special meeting, then voted to approve the commission's full slate of 2026 meeting dates by a show of hands.
The bulk of the meeting centered on a presentation from organizers of Caffeine and Carburetors, a classic car show now entering its 18th year at Wave Park. Presenters, including a commissioner identified only as Doug and an organizer identified as Claire, told the commission the event has become a fundraising vehicle for the Wave Park Conservancy, exceeding its goal with roughly $24,000 raised the year before last and nearly $27,000 raised most recently. Organizers said they plan to expand outreach to local nonprofits, which used free coffee giveaways at the event to draw visitors to their booths and raise additional money, and said they hope to add QR-code donation options for nonprofits at next year's show. A commissioner asked about a new shuttle bus system introduced last year to help with parking; organizers said roughly 80 percent of attendees liked the added accessibility, though some riders complained about wait times, and organizers said they plan trial runs before the next event. The commission voted unanimously to approve the event.
Recreation staff, including a staffer identified as John, briefed the commission on New Canaan's America 250 commemoration, tied to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. A 24-member town committee is coordinating events from June 14, Flag Day, through November 11, Veterans Day, including a Fourth of July parade that will actually be held June 27 because of staffing constraints on the holiday itself, a family Fourth of July event and fireworks on July 4, and patriotic programming at the Powerhouse Theater. The Memorial Day parade will remain a separate, unaffected event. Staff said resident Keith Simpson is among community members planning to add his own programming, including public readings, to the town's 250th calendar.
Staff also reported the town's annual father-daughter dance sold out in six minutes and will be held this year at the Roger Sherman Inn rather than its usual waterside venue because of ongoing elevator construction there. The event drew roughly 265 attendees across two seatings, with more than 100 people on a waiting list.
A staffer identified as Ryan, who oversees the parks crew, gave commissioners an update on the town's new playground project. Site preparation work, including curbing and perimeter fencing, is complete, with equipment installation planned for late February. The poured-in-place rubber surfacing requires temperatures consistently above 50 degrees, pushing a full opening into the spring. Ryan said the equipment contractor asked to begin installation next week but that the town is holding off because an incomplete, unfenced site would create a policing and liability risk.
"That's what scares us. So, the company that is doing the install, they wanted to start next week as far as the equipment install goes, but we're hesitant to do that because it'd be a big policing, maintenance issue, which we just can't maintain." — Ryan, parks staff
Staff told commissioners the parks and recreation budget has gone through an initial round with the Board of Selectmen but that no decisions on cuts or additions have been made yet, since the department was first in the budget queue. Staff said a capital request to replace heaters at the paddle courts is being prepared with the town's public works department, and that funding approved in July for new pickleball courts is still in the design phase rather than construction.
"We thought it went very well. There was little glitches. Apparently the first bus driver didn't know where Wavy was." — Claire, Caffeine and Carburetors organizer
Why It Matters
The car show's approval keeps intact one of New Canaan's larger private fundraising sources for the Wave Park Conservancy, which has brought in tens of thousands of dollars in each of the past two years. The playground update matters to families waiting on the town's new play space, which remains closed to the public until walkways and safety surfacing are finished, likely in the March-to-April window. And the America 250 preview signals a busy 2026 civic calendar, with the traditional July 4 parade date shifting to June 27, a change residents planning around the holiday should note.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Approval of minutes from the prior regular meeting Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of minutes from the special meeting Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of 2026 commission meeting dates Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of the Caffeine and Carburetors car show event at Wave Park Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Motion to adjourn the meeting Tally: Approved unanimously
Source
Town Of New Canaan: Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, January 14, 2026