July 4th 2009 After-Action Report

In my opinion, one of the best New Canaan Family Fourths in recent years. The fireworks were great & the weather was perfect.

Police did a better job this year to slow down the mad rush to exit the park at the end of the fireworks. Perhaps the town finally saw our poll where readers stated that the mad scramble was their biggest concern with the festivities.

My only new suggestion would be to ban smoking at the Family Fourth. We had some idiot behind us smoking a cigar. My family & I (and most others) don't enjoy breathing in second hand smoke when trying to enjoy the Family Fourth. People - Be considerate of others!

How would you improve the Family Fourth? Post your ideas in the commentary section or vote in the poll below. I added two new options (to last year's poll) - ban smoking & more garbage cans. Probably throws off the scientific accuracy of the poll (as I am keeping last year's votes) but it gives you more options. :)



Will

July 4th 2009 Weather Update

As of 5 pm, the weather in New Canaan is looking great for the Family Fourth festivities. Remember the gates to Waveny open at 5 pm (don't forget your pass) and the fireworks are scheduled to commence around 9 pm. Also if you have small kids, please watch out for them during the mad scramble at the end to exit the park!

Remember to post your thoughts on how the Family Fourth can be improved on our after-action report & poll.

We are heading over to the park shortly. See you there!

Will

50 Coins Restaurant New Canaan

My family & I just went to the 50 Coins restaurant in New Canaan. We had a great time & the food was delicious. Our favorite was the nachos with chili. My boys & I finished the entire plate!

While 50 Coins serves a wide variety of meals (including items such as a scallop salad), they seem to focus on burgers, wraps and Italian food. Here is a link to their menu.

There are two great advantages to this restaurant; it is conveniently located near to a large municipal parking lot and there is outdoor dining available.

50 Coins is similar to Cherry Street East - a great place for families to get a good meal. However, if you are looking for a quiet romantic evening, you should probably look elsewhere.

My family gives 50 Coins two thumbs up!

For information on other New Canaan restaurants, please visit our restaurant page.

Will

If You Want to Support this Site

First of all, I just want to say that I write this blog because my family loves New Canaan & I want to help families (esp. those with young children) get the most out of this wonderful town.

Therefore, this blog is a labor of love. It does not generate much money (maybe a couple of dollars per month in ad revenue).

Nevertheless, I get an occasional email from people wanting to make a donation because they find the site useful. Thanks! If you want to make a donation, you might want to consider buying me something off my Amazon wish list. These are items that I wish that my family would buy me on Father's Day - rather than the usual ugly tie. :)

Will

New Canaan Pizza

Here is a list of the pizza restaurants in New Canaan. I have also posted my pick for best pizza joint in town.

1. Joe's Pizza - 23 Locust Avenue, 966-2226

2. New Canaan Pizza - 53 East Avenue, 966-3610

3. Pinocchio Pizza - 115 Main Street, 966-8805

4. Vegetable Barn & Deli - 22 Cross Street, 972-0051

5. Vicolo Pizza & Trattoria - 62 Main Street, 966-7009

My favorite is Vicolo Pizza & Trattoria. I love their bianca pizza with green peppers and onions!

Which one is your favorite? Please post your thoughts in our commentary section.

For information on other New Canaan restaurants, please visit our restaurant page.

Will

* Or try making some pizza at home. :)

Cherry Street East Restaurant, New Canaan

Cherry Street East is my youngest son's favorite restaurant in New Canaan. He loves the burgers & fries.

The restaurant attracts a lot of families and the bar gets a number of regulars. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food is focused mainly on burgers, wraps and appetizers. You can also find entrees such as steak and fish & chips. My favorites are the South of the Border burger and their nice cold draft beer. Here is a link to their menu.

My family gives it four stars out of five.

However, Cherry Street East has a fairly small parking lot and customers often have to wait during peak times (because it is a popular restaurant). So get there early to avoid these problems.

Cherry Street East is located at 45 East Avenue in New Canaan. Their telephone number is 203-594-1515.

For information on other New Canaan restaurants, please visit our restaurant page.

Will

New Canaan Memorial Day Parade 2009

Don't miss New Canaan's Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25. The parade starts at 9:30 am and runs down Main Street. Support the town & our veterans!

Will

New Canaan Village Fair & Sidewalk Sale 2009

The New Canaan Village Fair & Sidewalk Sale will take place on July 18th from 9 am - 5 pm (rain or shine). Always lots of fun (i.e. clowns & music) and great deals from the local New Canaan merchants. Support the town & have a great time doing it!

For more, please read this page on the New Canaan's Chamber of Commerce website.

Will

July 4th New Canaan 2009

The New Canaan Family Fourth festivities will be held on Saturday, July 4th, 2009 (with a rain date of July 5th). The gates to Waveny Park will open at 5:00 pm. The fireworks take place around 9 pm.

This is definitely one of the premier events in New Canaan - so don't miss it! There is food, music, games and of course spectacular fireworks.

Remember that you need a pass to enter the Family Fourth. You will receive an application in the mail or you can pick one up at the Rec. Dept at Waveny House (starting on June 8). The pass costs $25.

Also while you are visiting this blog, please take our Family Fourth survey. Tell us what you would improve about this event. Hopefully, our town officials will read this survey & make this great celebration even better.

* Remember to keep an eye on the weather with our weather page. So far it is looking good for July 4th (as of 7/1/09).

* If you are new to New Canaan's Family Fourth, the bathrooms (port-o-johns), food & music are located near to Waveny House.

* Some Family Fourth essentials - your pass (don't forget!), picnic blanket/dropcloth, chairs, food, drink, sunscreen, hats, blanket/longpants/jacket (something for when the sun goes down - it can get a little chilly), frisbee/football (something to entertain the kids while waiting for the fireworks), etc. Other interesting ideas seen at past Family Fourth celebrations - portable tables (eat in style & off the ground) and carts (to drag all your gear). If I am missing any other essentials, please post them in the commentary section below.

Will

2009 New Canaan Farmers Market

In case you missed it, the New Canaan Farmers Market has re-opened for the year. It will be running from May 16 thru Dec 12. It is open from 10 am - 2 pm each Saturday in the center of the town (near the library).

Come for the fresh vegetables, homemade desserts and much more!

Will