Around Town

New Canaan ‘Taste Tours’ Set for Thursday

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The creators of a popular food-centered event that’s run for seven years in downtown New Canaan say they’ve reimagined it in a way that focuses the experience for attendees as well as merchants. 

To be held 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, the New Canaan ‘Taste Tours’ offer four options for food-lovers, featuring signature bites from local restaurants, wine tasting, dessert and craft and draft beer sampling. Designed in partnership with locally owned Rock Paper Scissors Events, the Taste Tours carry on the tradition of welcoming residents back to New Canaan at summer’s end, according to Laura Budd of the Chamber of Commerce. 

“Adults or couples might choose the beer or wine tour, while larger families or anyone not interested in beer endwise could do the tasting and then families with really young kids could do the dessert tour, which is a much smaller footprint,” Budd said. 

Referring to the predecessor ‘Taste of the Town’ event, Budd said the Taste Tours were “customized to different groups as opposed to just one tour for everyone. 

“I think that we are going for a higher quality experience for both the strollers and the merchants who are so generous with their donations,” she said. A portion of all proceeds will go toward the New Canaan Food Pantry. The four Taste Tours options encompass between four and 12 stops, as follows (purchase tickets here):

“Taste Crawl”—up to 12 stops ($15 now or $20 on the day)
“Dessert Dash”—up to four stops ($10/$15)
“Wine Tasting Trail”—up to six stops ($20/$25)
“Beer Tasting Trail”—up to six stops ($20/$25)

Taste Tour-goers will be identified by a wristband that can be picked up in front of The Playhouse on Elm Street. Those buying same-day tickets may do so in front of The Playhouse starting at 5 p.m. The event is on, rain or shine.

Around Town

New Canaan Chamber of Commerce Adds Eight Directors

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The New Canaan Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of eight new members to its Board of Directors as well the creation of a new, dedicated board composed of past chamber presidents that will help oversee the organization’s charitable foundation. Nimble, engaged and innovative, the new chamber directors form an exciting group of business and organization leaders in town, according to Tucker Murphy, executive director of the chamber. “Our mission is ‘connecting community with commerce,’ and we kept those four words very much top of mind in putting together this board,” Murphy said. “Our new directors not only represent successful local businesses stories—they’re also deeply involved in our town. Beyond participating in chamber events such as the Sidewalk Sales, Holiday Stroll and Taste of the Town, they actively fundraise for community agencies, volunteer with service organizations and connect with each other for their mutual benefit.”

The newly appointed directors each have started serving a 3-year term, and they are:

David E. Hoyle Esq.—Hawthorne, Ackerly & Dorrance
Lisa Oldham—New Canaan Library
Mamoune Tazi—Le Boudoir
Anna Simons—New Canaan Pediatric Dentistry
Michael Dinan—NewCanaanite.com
Ben & Elaine Young—New Canaan Dance Academy
Sara Koch—Oxygen Fitness
Kinsey Ferguson—Vineyard Vines

Helping to acclimate them are three current directors who now form a new executive committee for the chamber: Steve Risbridger of Reynolds & Rowella is president, Tom Stadler of the Town of New Canaan First Selectman’s Office is treasurer and HamletHub’s Rachel Lampen is secretary.

Around Town

Industrial-Grade Umbrellas, New Seating Coming To Pop Up Park, AKA ‘The Launchpad’

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The volunteers who oversee the soon-to-return Pop Up Park downtown say they’re upgrading the furniture there this summer and partnering with nonprofits to help the organizations gain visibility. As requested, the Pop Up Park’s organizers have checked with New Canaan’s Special Events Committee and are ready to run the makeshift park continuously from Aug. 5 to 28, according to Martin Skrelunas. Merchants have come to the Pop Up Park Committee requesting participation in the space this summer and “they are starting to refer to it as ‘The Launchpad,’ ” Skrelunas told members of the Police Commission at their meeting Thursday, held in the Training Room at the New Canaan Police Department. “I think we also have a grant opportunity that we are going to apply to add to the furnishings that we have.

Business

Four Locals Join New Canaan Chamber of Commerce Board

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The New Canaan Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce four new members to the Board of Directors. The new members include: Rachel Lampen with the HamletHub, Michelle Mauro of South End Restaurant, Christa Carr of the Glass House and Phil Williams, owner of New Canaan Music. The Chamber has 21 Board members that all share their expertise, ideas, and time to help promote New Canaan and all it has to offer. “We have a great team and I feel so fortunate to work with each and everyone one of these talented members” said Tucker Murphy, Executive Director of the Chamber. The Chamber would also like to thank Diane Roth and Keith Simpson for their time on the Board and service to the Chamber.