Newtown Arts Officials Weigh Winter Festival Partnership

NEWTOWN, CT — The Newtown Cultural Arts Commission unanimously reelected its chair and vice chair and began exploring a potential partnership to expand the town’s annual tree lighting celebration during its Feb. 5 meeting.

Commission members voted unanimously to reelect Laura Lerman as chair and Andrea Spencer as vice chair for 2026. The commission also unanimously approved the minutes from its Jan. 8 meeting.

The commission’s most substantive discussion centered on a proposal from Newtown Parks and Recreation Director Amy Mangold to partner on an expanded winter celebration connected to the long-running Rams Pasture tree lighting. Mangold suggested creating a follow-up winter event inspired by European holiday traditions, potentially held at nearby Liberty Field, with features such as luminarias, twinkle lights, ice sculptures, traditional entertainment, warming fire pits, and hot beverages.

Mangold said the goal would be to preserve the traditional, noncommercial feel of the tree lighting—started 42 years ago by the late Diana Johnson—while offering an additional community-focused winter gathering. She said the event could start small and expand over time, with sponsors and artisan vendors supporting costs.

Commission members raised questions about logistics and the event’s tone. Laurie Veillette cautioned against shifting the tree lighting toward a revenue-driven model and asked whether the focus should remain on community celebration. Mangold responded that the intent was not commercialization but to build on the event’s existing character. Assistant Director of Recreation Connor Negri said keeping the tree lighting at Rams Pasture and a separate winter festival at Liberty Field would help preserve the original event’s identity.

After Mangold and Negri left the meeting, commissioners discussed concerns including vendor setup, lighting, crowd and traffic control, cold weather, and the distance between venues. Robyn Lynch said she would follow up with Parks and Recreation to obtain cost estimates for proposed elements.

In other business, Lerman and Spencer reported on their participation in the town’s Community Events Council and discussed potential arts programming tied to Connecticut’s upcoming 250th anniversary, including themed showcases, cemetery tours, and student involvement. Lerman also said the commission is researching Fairfield Hills signage regulations after receiving complaints from event organizers and may seek zoning changes.

The commission noted that member Roger Connor has resigned. The meeting adjourned at 7:57 p.m.