Taste Of Newtown Coming September 5—

Where Will You Be After The Parade?

By Shannon Hicks

The popularity of Newtown’s Labor Day Parade has grown with each year. Most years, it seems like everyone in town is involved with the big event in some fashion. Among residents, one of the town’s unofficial catchphrases is, “If you’re not in the parade, you’re watching the parade.”

This year Trinity Episcopal Church is hoping to piggyback on the popularity of the parade — and the thousands of people who are already in the center of town for the big event — by offering another happening for people of all ages to enjoy on Monday, September 5: The Taste of Newtown. The event will feature new and established restaurants across Newtown, offering a showcase for longtime residents and those who visit town annually for the parade.

The event will offer samples of foods from many of Newtown’s restaurants, delicatessens, and caterers. A few restaurants outside of town have already expressed interest; three have already joined the Newtown businesses that are already committed.

It may be the middle of February now, but for organizers of an event that is expected to draw at least 2,000 to 3,000 attendees, the upcoming months will quickly dissolve into late winter, spring, and then summer. If parade organizers were beginning to plan the 2005 Labor Day Parade hours after the 2004 event crossed the end of the parade route, then Taste of Newtown organizers knew they also needed to get working, pronto.

Taste of Newtown organizers began contacting local restaurants late last October to pitch the idea. They have contacted or attempted to contact every one of the nearly 60 restaurants in town. To date, more than 15 restaurants have committed to the event.

The Taste of Newtown is going to be a major fundraiser for Trinity’s Youth Outreach. Rick Haylon, who is the new co-chairman of the outreach program, said the idea came out of necessity and a desire to do more for the community.

“The cornerstone of our youth program is work camp,” Mr Haylon said recently. “The group spends a week rehabilitating homes for nonprofit groups, and it becomes a major part of their lives.

“My daughter still talks about work camp, and she participated in it ten years ago,” said Mr Dent. “The kids come back from these trips asking ‘How can I do more?’”

There are more than 100 members of Trinity’s youth group, and it costs quite a bit of money to send each child off to work camp. Mr Haylon says right now there is a $55,000 budget for the youth group. They need more if they are going to be able to send everyone who wants to go to work camp and still keep a comfortable cushion in their bank account.

“The kids are great,” said Mr Haylon. “They want to do more and we want to help them do more. Our fear is that the burden may become heavier on some parents, which might mean more children who want to might not be able to participate.

“We want to avoid having the youth group do eight or ten weekends of car washes and other events.”

The group also works with Habitat for Humanity, Danbury’s Harmony House, AmeriCares, and Newtown Youth Services (Trinity Church was one of the original founders of NYS); Light & Peace, a New Haven inner city youth group; and Bishops’ Walk, out of New Haven.

“They’re very active with the planning of this,” Mr Haylon said of the youth group. “These kids have been joining us for the meetings with restaurant owners and sponsors. They’re very excited about this.”

“They’re actively involved and committed to the before, during, and after for this event,” said Mr Dent.

Taste of Newtown will be set up in the large field behind Trinity Episcopal Church, which is, as Mr Haylon and Mr Dent pointed out, not much more than a quarter of a mile from any point on the parade route. Parking should not be an issue, they say, because most people will be able to walk from their parade locations to The Taste of Newtown without having to move their cars.

The event will encompass 90,000 square feet. There will be two food tents set up, each measuring 40 by 120 feet. Adjacent to the food tents will be one huge seating tent.

The Taste of Newtown will also offer live entertainment, face painting, and a Moon Bounce. Attendees can opt to spread a blanket on the incline near Trinity’s lower driveway and sit in the open air.

“The parade is this town’s signature event, we know that, but we’re hoping people will stick around for this event instead of immediately dispersing after the parade,” said Taste of Newtown committee member Erin Lutz.

“We’re hoping for a friendly, neighborly atmosphere. There are a lot of positive areas for this event,” she added.

“Here is another way to extend the party that begins at 10 am with the parade,” Mr Dent said. “Shake hands, meet people, sit down, and just enjoy more time on Labor Day.”

Sponsoring The Event

Organizers expect it to cost approximately $25,000 to put on the event.

“Just the tents are pretty expensive,” said Mr Dent. There are also sanitary and electrical costs to consider, prepublicity printing and signage, the children’s activities, landscaping, and other expenses to cover for.

The official sponsors will be making the largest donation toward the event, and will be announced in the future.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors are also being collected.

Each restaurant is also putting up money in order to participate. Each space in the food tent is going for $250, which will help toward the presentation of The Taste of Newtown.

Proceeds of The Taste of Newtown will come from the sale of vouchers, which will then be traded in for soft drinks and food items. All of the profit from the event will directly support Trinity’s outreach ministries.

Sponsors are still being sought. Business owners and individuals interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities can contact The Taste of Newtown at 426-5893 or TasteOfNewtown.org.

The Restaurants

First onboard was Coach’s Deli, owned by Rob Frangione.

“He was the first to get back to us with a positive response,” said Mr Dent. “He’s very enthusiastic about his community. He also knows that not everyone is going to think of downtown Sandy Hook for their breakfast or lunch, but by participating in an event such as this he may bring his area to the minds of future customers. This event is going to benefit the restaurants that participate as well as our church.”

Mr Frangione has lived in Newtown for 12 years. He and his family live in Sandy Hook; Coach’s Deli is at 102 Church Hill Road. Mr Frangione attends the parade regularly, but still did not hesitate to participate in the First Annual Taste of Newtown.

“There’s a lot of good food in Newtown, and a lot of people just don’t realize what’s available,” he said last week. “Sandy Hook residents may not know what is set up in the Botsford area, just like people from over there may not realize what we have here.”

A former mailman, Mr Frangione had the opportunity to visit delis and restaurants all over town when he worked for the US Post Office in Newtown.

“There’s a lot of good food here in town and I’ve tried a lot of it over the years,” he laughed.

For September 5, Mr Frangione plans to prepare items that customers can expect every day at his deli along with special items. Following some family recipes (“There’s no better teacher than mom and dad,” says the man who was allowed to try cooking at home by the time he was 6 years old), Mr Frangione will have samples of sausage marsala and Coach’s Fried Chicken. The latter will be introduced at the deli in late March or April.

He will also be offering at least two soups, Asian slaw (his wife’s specialty), and baked goods. He and Jill Passaro do a lot of the baking for Coach’s Deli.

“I have a lot of ideas,” he said. “It’s going to be a great event. The restaurants and delis, we’re going to do well.”

Also onboard for September 5 is Compass Restaurant, The Cook & The Baker Catering, El Coyote Restaurant, Fireside Inn, Franco’s Pizza & Café, Hot Shots Sports Club & Café, Kolam Restaurant, My Place Restaurant, South Main Deli, and Starbucks, all of Newtown.

Also participating will be Pepsi, providing the majority of soft drinks for the event, and La Strada and Marmalade’s Café & Country Market, both of Monroe.

“This event’s focus is on Newtown, but there are a few restaurants in the immediate area who want people to think about traveling a little for good food, too, so they’ve asked to participate,” said Mr Dent.

The Taste of Newtown will start around 10:30 so that the first people coming off the parade route will have something available immediately, and will continue until midafternoon.

Parade watchers will also be welcome to stop by the Trinity field any time during the run of the parade, in addition to joining the party after the parade ends.

“This will be an annual event,” predicts Mr Haylon. “We want this to be interactive with the community. It should be right up there with the parade and the St Rose Carnival — big events that people think of when they think of Newtown.”

“This will be very much in line with what Labor Day is all about,” promises Mr Dent, “visiting with neighbors and friends.”

Anyone interested in volunteering time to The Taste of Newtown is invited to call the Taste of Newtown committee’s voicemail at 426-5983 (which is checked a few times daily), send email to TasteOfYahoo.com or visit its website, www.TasteOfNewtown.org.