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• Let's Walk! Irwin Park

  • When
    13 May 2026
  •  
    8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
  • Location
    Irwin Park, 848 Weed St, New Canaan

  Register

  • Let’s Walk!

  

  Let’s lace up our athletic shoes, get outside and enjoy a 2-3 miles walk together. Walking is a great way to socialize, stay active, and boost your mood — all at the same time.

   Walks take place (weather permitting) from April through mid-November.  

  May 13th walk is led by Edna Calastro.  

  Lead a Walk: If you would like to lead a walk on other days, please notify Shean-Mei Sheu or simply post the details on TeamReach. I’m sure many of us will be happy to join you!

  Let’s walk and make every step count!

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• Pickleball

  • Start
    13 May 2026
  •  
  • End
    21 Oct 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    24 sessions
  • Location
    Mead Park, New Canaan

  

  Encore Pickleball 

  Wednesdays @ Mead Park Courts

  
  

  Courts reserved 9:00am - 10:30am

  with an organized random rotation

  
  

  The group plays at an intermediate level. Beginner classes are available through the New Canaan Recreation Department (under Programs), YMCA, and private instructors. 

  
  

  Prior to play, you must purchase a Mead Park Pickleball Membership (seniors $80, adults $160, family $300) at the New Canaan Recreation Department. Go to https://newcanaanct.myrec.com/info/default.aspx   and select Membership.

  
  

  Permits are only available to New Canaan Residents. Encore members w/o a Permit can play for $15 each session, payable by credit card at the courts.  

  
  

  If you want to join us, we use the TeamReach App (group is Encore Intermediate).

  
  For questions, please email Mary Liz Lewis 
  

  
  

  
  

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• Bridge Group

  • Start
    13 May 2026
  •  
  • End
    14 Oct 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    3 sessions
  • Location
    Lapham Center

  

  This group was created for social bridge players of intermediate level to have fun practicing and improving their skills while enjoying the company of other ladies who are there to do the same thing. We are a fun-loving group and welcome players to be members of a set group or as substitutes. We play bridge on the second Wednesday of the month from September through May starting at 9:15 at the Lapham Community Center. 

  If you would like to join us for social bridge, or as a substitute, please email Simin Zendehrouh.

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• Mahjong

  • Start
    13 May 2026
  •  
  • End
    15 Jul 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Lapham Community Center

  The Encore Mahjong group will meet on Wednesdays from 2:00–4:00 PM at the Lapham Community Center.

  Mahjong is the classic tile game that originated in China in the early 1900s. With growing popularity, New Canaan has become one of the area’s hottest Mahjong spots!

  If you would like to be added to the list please email Geri Rhoades.

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• EATS Luncheon

  • Start
    14 May 2026
  •  
  • End
    12 Nov 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    5 sessions
  • Location
    Lapham Community Center

  EATS (The Eating and Tasting Society) is a fun, diverse group of 36 ladies, divided into 3 groups.  Each group gets together every three months, to plan and prepare a lunch for all the members.  Luncheons are usually held at Lapham Community Center.  Recipes are emailed to members and discussed at the luncheon.  There are 9 luncheons each year on the second Thursday of each month (except December, July and August).  Interested in EATS recipes? Explore past Recipe Packs here. 

  If you would like to join the group, find out more, or come as a guest, please email Deborah Golden.

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• Canasta

  • Start
    14 May 2026
  •  
  • End
    17 Dec 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    32 sessions
  • Location
    Lapham Community Center

  

  The Encore Canasta group meets on Thursdays from 1:30 to 3:30 at Lapham Community Center. You must already know how to play.

  The first twenty people who respond to the TeamReach invitation will have a seat at a table. 

  If you would like to be added to the list please email Geri Rhoades.

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• Encore Book Group

  • When
    18 May 2026
  •  
    1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Lapham Downstairs
  • Spaces left
    11

  Register

  Encore Book Group

  The May meeting of the Encore Book Group will be held at 1:30, Monday, May 18, 2026, downstairs at Lapham.  We will be discussing "I See You've Called in Dead" by John Kenney.  

  Razor-sharp, darkly comedic, and emotionally piercing. With the satirical bite of Richard Russo’s Straight Man, the introspection of Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, and the reinvention of Andrew Sean Greer's Less, Kenney’s vivid prose transforms the mundane into unexpected hilarity.

  Obituary writer Bud Stanley isn’t really living his best life. He’s fallen into a funk after a divorce. (She left him for another man, who, in fairness, was far more interesting.) He’s not doing his job well. He’s given up on dating. And he’s about to be fired for accidentally publishing his own obituary one mildly drunken night (though technically the company can’t legally fire a dead person).

  As Bud awaits his fate at work, he does the only logical thing: He goes to the wakes and funerals of total strangers to learn how to live again.

  There is always a lively discussion.  You can contact Anne Sutcliffe. If you get on the email list, you can be alerted to any changes in the schedule or venue and book availability. 

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• Write with Encore

  • When
    20 May 2026
  •  
    2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
  • Location
    Small conference room near the kitchen, Lapham Community Center
  • Spaces left
    10

  Register

  Write with Encore         

  If you like to write but need a little nudge to get started you may want to join a self-directed, welcoming group of writers who will meet monthly to share an essay, memoir, poem or short story they have written (within 2 pages). The participants will read their piece to their peers who will provide gentle feedback in this friendly environment.  No formal instruction will be involved.

  Warm-ups, prompts and in-class ice-breakers will be provided from time to time. 

  The group is limited to ten participants and meet monthly on the third Wednesday. 

  Location: Small conference room near the kitchen, Lapham Community Center

  For further information, please contact Barbara Mckay 

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• Fifth Avenue Gilded Age Mansions Guided Walking Tour

  • When
    22 May 2026
  •  
    9:45 AM
  • Location
    764 Doris C Freedman Pl., NYC
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  
  

  Fifth Avenue Gilded Age Mansions Guided Walking Tour

  
  

  Take a stroll along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue and discover its Gilded Age past when grand mansions of millionaires lined the illustrious street. Discover the glamorous mansions that remain and those lost to time. 

  Our 1.3 mile/2 hour walking tour begins at General Sherman Monument on 5^th Ave between 59^th & 60^th Streets. We will end our walk at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

  Although many of the Gilded Age mansions on Fifth Avenue are now used as private residences, private clubs or institutions and are therefore not accessible to the public, we will have the opportunity to enter one of those mansions on the tour!

  Highlight

  • Discover the footprint of the largest single residence ever built in Manhattan
  • Visit the oldest building on Millionaire’s Row, Fifth Avenue
  • Learn some of the secrets of the famous Frick Collection as you stroll by
  • Explore a charming bookstore hidden into a Gilded Age mansion
  • Uncover one of the last single residence mansions on Fifth Avenue

  Event Details

  • Date: Friday, May 22, 2026

  • Cost: $44 for tour, includes tip for guide (No refunds, unless the waitlist is honored). There is no rain date.

  • Schedule:

  o   Meet our guide at 9:45am at the gold monument of General William T. Sherman on a horse, located on 5th Ave between 59th and 60th St, Manhattan. The exact address is: 764 Doris C Freedman Pl. Our guide will hold an "Untapped New York" sign.

  § Transportation Options: All times will be updated in the final event reminder that will be emailed to all those registered (approximately 5-7 days before the event).

  => Train: Meet at the NEW CANAAN Train Station and taxi/Uber to the meeting location above. Currently there is a 7:58am train arriving into 125^th Street at 8:56am. That will allow plenty of time to take a taxi or Uber to our meeting location. 

  => Carpool: Meet at Waveny Park approximately 8am - $25 per person (cash) to your driver – covers gas, parking fee, and congestion parking fee.

  Note: The carpool option will be limited by the number of carpool driver volunteers, so please consider volunteering. Must be willing to take the train or drive yourself if there are not enough carpool drivers.

  => Drive yourself

  o   Noon – Tour ends
  o  ~12:30pm: Optional lunch. Place TBD.
  

  o  ~2pm: Head back to Connecticut 

  • Accessibility: The tour is almost entirely outdoors. Guests must be able to walk at least 1.3 miles and be on their feet for 2 hours.

  Questions or cancellation?  Joanne Santulli

  
  

  
  

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• Hiking with Liz

  • When
    27 May 2026
  •  
    9:30 AM
  • Location
    Michigan Road parking lot , Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Pound Ridge, NY

  Register

  Ward Pound Ridge Hike

  

  We are planning a hike on Wednesday, May 27 to the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Pound Ridge, NY. 

  This will be a moderate hike, about 2-3 hours.  We will be visiting the Leatherman’s cave and an interesting lookout, among other places.  Please remember snacks and water. 

  We will be meeting at the Michigan Road parking lot inside the park at 9:30 AM.  After you pass the gateway, it is the first right turn.  The parking lot is at the end of Michigan Road.

  We will be going to the restaurant Bacio afterwards.
  

  Email Liz Orteig if you have any questions.

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• Peonies!

  • When
    28 May 2026
  •  
    8:30 AM
  • Location
    Carpool location: Waveny (parking lot in front of main house)
  • Spaces left
    12

  Register

  

  Peonies!

  • Cricket Hill Garden
  • 670 Walnut Hill, Thomaston, CT
  • Thursday, May 28
  • 10 AM tour

  We are planning a visit to the Cricket Hill Garden in Thomaston, CT, a plant nursery and garden that specializes in both tree peonies and herbaceous peonies. We will get a one hour guided tour of the gardens by the owners, and then we will be able to walk a bit on the property.  Afterwards, we can go to lunch.

  We will be carpooling for this event, meeting at 8:30 AM. Meet at Waveny, parking lot in front of the main house. Passengers contribute $5 to the driver.  

  These spectacular flowers have a short season, and we are planning to go there at their peak of bloom.

  Any questions, contact Liz Orteig

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• Friendly Summer Tennis

  • Start
    29 May 2026
  •  
  • End
    30 Oct 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    6 sessions
  • Location
    Mead Park Courts, New Canaan

  Encore’s Friendly Summer Tennis

  It’s time to get ready for another season of Encore’s Friendly Summer Tennis!

  If you are interested in playing this summer, please email Carolyn Prazenka to be added to the weekly game scheduling list.

  Encore’s Summer Tennis is for intermediate/advanced players interested in playing social tennis.

  Games will be scheduled from 9:00–10:30 AM on Mondays through  Thursdays at Mead Park, Har-Tru Tennis Courts (starting May).

  Each week, you will receive an email inviting you to sign up for the days you'd like to play based on your schedule and availability.

  Tennis Permits must be purchased through the New Canaan Recreation Department prior to play:

  • Resident Seniors (62+): $80
  • Resident Adults: $140
  • Non-Residents: $250

  Or, you may pay a $15 guest fee each time you play—permits are encouraged.

  If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Prazenka.

  
  

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• Peggy’s Trail Trekkers Advanced Hikes

  • When
    29 May 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • Location
    Leon Levy Preserve, South Salem NY
  • Spaces left
    8

  Registration is closed

  Peggy's "Trail Trekkers" Advanced Hikes

  
  

  Friday, May 29th @ 9am

  Leon Levy Preserve, South Salem, NY 

  
  

   Meet at 9am Sharp @ parking lot (address 2-50 Smith Ridge Road)

  https://lewisborolandtrust.org/leon-levy-preserve
  

  Get outside with us on a fast paced hike that will raise your heart rate and work on your agility. Plan on hills and rocky terrain with scenic views. Wear hiking shoes (not sneakers) and bring water/ tick spray.

  
  

  Click the Register, then confirm button to sign up.

  Registration Limit, Waitlist Available 

  Please email Peggy ASAP if you sign up but cannot make it! 

  
  

  Questions? Contact Peggy at peggydemayo@gmail.com or

  text her at 203-984-9182

  
  *If you are looking for a less difficult hike, check out “Liz’s Hikes“ on the Encore website.

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• Critics Corner

  • When
    5 Jun 2026
  •  
    7:00 PM
  • Location
    A member’s home
  • Spaces left
    1

  Register

    Critics Corner

  We will have our next Critics Corner meeting on Friday, June 5th, at 7:00 PM, at the home of Sharon Lazar.

  Any questions or cancellation, please email Lorraine Jacobi. 

  The following two movies will be discussed and then rated:

  Sinners (2025):  An American horror film produced, written, and directed by Ryan Coogler. Set in 1932 in the Mississippi Delta it stars Michael B Jordan in dual roles as criminal twin brothers who return to their hometown in the Jim Crow South, where they are confronted by a supernatural evil.

  Can be seen on: HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, You Tube TV, Sling TV, Fandango at Home, Apple TV, Google Play Movies and TV·       

  Song Sung Blue (2025): A 2025 American biographical musical drama film produced and directed by Craig Brewer based on the 2008 documentary film of the same name by Greg Kohs. The film stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as Mike and Claire Sardina, who performed as the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning and Thunder.

  Can be seen on: Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play Movies and TV, Fandango at Home

  Event Details:

  • Each member is asked to bring either an appetizer or dessert. 
  • A $5 contribution per person will be collected to cover the cost of drinks.

  Wednesday Afternoon Viewing Alternative
  

  Please be aware that there is now an afternoon movie group called Matinee Movies that meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm at the Lapham Community Center in the lounge. Matinee Movies and Critics Corner watch and critique the same movies so please join us at the group that best fits your schedule.

  Please be aware that there is now an afternoon movie group called Matinee Movies that meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm at the Lapham Community Center in the lounge. Matinee Movies and Critics Corner watch and critique the same movies so please join us at the group that best fits your schedule.

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• Matinee Movies

  • When
    10 Jun 2026
  •  
    2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Lapham Community Center, Lounge (lower level)
  • Spaces left
    20

  Register

    Matinee Movies 

  We are excited to introduce a new daytime movie discussion group, Matinee Movies. Featuring the same two films discussed at Critics’ Corner and meeting about one week later, this group gives more members the flexibility to enjoy thoughtful movie discussions in a daytime setting.  

  We will be discussing 2 movies each month which you will watch prior to coming to the meeting. At the meeting, we will review and rate each movie.  Questions or cancellations please email Toni Tucker.

  • Date / Time: June 10, 2:00 – 4:00 PM
  • Where: Lapham Community Center, Lounge (lower level)

  The following two movies will be discussed:

  Sinners (2025): An American horror film produced, written, and directed by Ryan Coogler. Set in 1932 in the Mississippi Delta it stars Michael B Jordan in dual roles as criminal twin brothers who return to their hometown in the Jim Crow South, where they are confronted by a supernatural evil.

  Can be seen on: HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, You Tube TV, Sling TV, Fandango at Home, Apple TV, Google Play Movies and TV·

  Song Sung Blue (2025): A 2025 American biographical musical drama film produced and directed by Craig Brewer based on the 2008 documentary film of the same name by Greg Kohs. The film stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as Mike and Claire Sardina, who performed as the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning and Thunder.

  Can be seen on: Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play Movies and TV, Fandango at Home

  Event Details:

  Coffee will be provided.
  Please bring a snack to share.
  

  Show details
• Powerhouse Theater - ONCE

  • When
    12 Jun 2026
  •  
    7:30 PM
  • Location
    Powerhouse Theatre, Waveny Park, 679 South Ave, New Canaan
  • Spaces left
    1

  Register

  Powerhouse Theatre Event - ONCE

  Friday, June 12, 7:30pm

  

  Join us for a trip to our local Powerhouse theater to see a production of ONCE, an award winning musical. 

  Ticket Price: $35
  

  Those who would like can join up for a pre show reception at the Carriage Barn.

  You must sign up by Friday, May 29 to get tickets from Encore.

  Connecticut PUBLIC proudly invites the first 50 patrons to a Pre-Show reception with beverages & bites, at the Carriage Barn Arts Center, 5:30-6:45pm. Learn about your public media station - CT PUBLIC

  2012 Tony Award Winner for BEST MUSICAL - Total of 8 Tony awards of 11 Tony nominations.

  The touching, lyrical musical tells the story of two down-on-their-luck musicians, an angst-ridden Dublin street singer/songwriter who works as a vacuum repairman, and a Czech immigrant who sells flowers in order to support herself and her family. Songs erupt naturally from the action, helped by the fact that the cast all play a variety of instruments including fiddle, violin, guitar, cello, cajon, percussion, accordion, Irish flute, autoharp, melodica, piano, bass, ukulele, and mandolin. The actor-musicians also effortlessly become characters in the story. And you'll fall in love with the Oscar winning music.

  Prior to the start of the show, the audience will be treated to an Irish pub-like setting, sponsored by O'Neill's Irish Pub and Restaurant in Norwalk, to entice the audience to join in the experience.

  With hauntingly memorable music, convincing romantic chemistry, and dozens of laugh-out-loud moments, ONCE truly is a delight.

  Produced by: Carin Zakes

  You are welcome to bring one guest

  For Cancellation or Questions, please contact Liz Orteig 

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• Encore Summer Party!

  • When
    14 Jun 2026
  •  
    5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Arezzo Ristorante, 5 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT
  • Spaces left
    72

  Register

  

  Register: by June 7 (no refunds after that date)

  Please contact Laura Edmonds if you have any questions.

  
  

  Show details
• A Magical Firefly Walk

  • When
    29 Jun 2026
  •  
    6:30 PM
  • Location
    Meet at Cava restaurant, 2 Forest St, New Canaan at 6:30pm or Colhoun Preserve (194-234 Davenport Ridge) at 8:30pm
  • Spaces left
    28

  Register

   A Magical Firefly Walk 
  Colhoun Preserve, New Canaan Land Trust
  June 29 (Monday)

  

  Step into a summer evening filled with wonder as we experience one of nature’s most mesmerizing light shows—fireflies dancing at dusk.

  We’ll begin with an optional group dinner at Cava (2 Forest St, New Canaan) at 6:30 PM. The prix fixe menu is $35, payable at the restaurant. This is a relaxed opportunity to connect before the adventure begins.

  After dinner, we’ll head to the beautiful Colhoun Preserve to kick off the night.  A guide from the New Canaan Nature Center will share a brief presentation about the center’s work and the fascinating biology of fireflies. Then, we’ll walk into the meadows to witness their magic firsthand.

  Firefly Walk Details: Location, Parking & Access

  • Location: Colhoun Preserve, 194–234 Davenport Ridge Road, New Canaan.  Please arrive by 8:30 PM
  • What to Bring: Flashlight and bug spray
  • What to Wear: Comfortable walking shoes, boots or sneakers (terrain is mostly easy, with some uneven areas)

  Parking Options:

  • Preserve Entrance: Limited parking (~ 5–6 cars) in the gravel lot directly across from 203 Davenport Ridge Road
  • Additional Parking: Available on Skyview Lane, a short walk from the preserve

  Walking Details:

  • Distance to viewing area: Approximately 0.5 miles
  • Total walking distance: About 1 to 1.5 miles
  • Terrain: Generally easy, with some uneven sections

  Safety:

  Staff from the New Canaan Nature Center will be on-site with flashlights to assist with safely crossing the road to the wooden gate entrance.

   Cost: $6 per person, non refundable

  Come for the camaraderie, stay for the magic !

  Questions or cancellation? Contact Lauren McCusker

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• Healthy Nuts Supper Club

  • When
    1 Aug 2026
  • Location
    Member's home
  • Spaces left
    37

  Register

  Welcome to the Healthy Nuts Supper Club!
  

  

  The Healthy Nuts Supper Club is all about bringing couples together for a fun, engaging evening filled with great food, laughter, conversation, games, dancing—or whatever makes the night memorable.

  The only “nutty” twist? The food must be healthy!

  Couples will be grouped into sets of four or five (8 to 10 people total). Each group will take turns hosting supper at one couple’s home. The host will coordinate the evening and each couple will contribute a dish. Rotating hosts means everyone gets a chance to shine! We plan to kick off the second year in August/September 2026. Each group can decide when to hold their first gathering and how often they'd like to meet.

  Existing members don't need to register for year 2026-2027.

  Each dish should be made with health in mind—whether it’s nutritious ingredients, smart substitutions, or lighter cooking techniques. Each couple will also briefly share the health benefits of their dish.

  If you’re interested in joining, please sign up! On the sign-up sheet, you can note:

  • If you're a snowbird

  • Any Dietary Restrictions

  • If you'd like to lead a group and host the first dinner

  We’ll match couples with similar interests and aim to kick things off in August!

  It’s all about enjoying great company while exploring the delicious side of healthy eating. That’s why we’re called the Healthy Nuts!

  *A "couple" simply means an Encore member and their spouse.

  Any questions or cancellations, please contact Meera Kapur

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