MESSAGE FROM P&R DIRECTOR

Thank you for coming to our Holiday Celebration and spreading holiday cheer with us while crafting, cookie decorating, and caroling. We could not put on an event like that without the collaboration of many community groups and volunteers. We are also grateful for all those who are lighting up Southbury with house decorations! I hope you’ll find the time to drive through town with the Holiday House Lights map. This year we are taking votes for the fan favorite. Make sure you cast your vote by December 28th!

Our team is gearing up for an exciting month as we introduce our first ever “Free January!” Many of our instructors have offered their time to give residents a taste of their programs. For all January programming, including the FREE offerings, please see our full listing here.

Happy Holidays everyone! Whether your Winter break is restful and relaxing or adventurous, I hope it’s full of all the things that bring you joy! May you have a happy and healthy start to 2026!

Meghan Lennon (she/her)
Parks and Recreation Director
MLennon@southbury-ct.gov  

HOLIDAY CELEBRATION

Thank you for joining us at the Holiday Celebration: Be the Light! More photos on website or Facebook. The doves from the wishing wall by Southbury Arts and Culture Alliance (SACA) will be on display in our lobby through the end of January. 

HOLIDAY GIFT WRAP PROGRAM

Thank you for joining us to wrap presents together! This free program has been filled with joy and light. There is one more chance to come together today at 12:30pm – don’t miss the fun – Registration open until start of program.

HOLIDAY HOUSE LIGHTS CONTEST WINNERS

Congratulations to the winners of our fifth Holiday House Lights Contest! To view all the Holiday House Lights addresses, map, directions, and to vote for your favorite lights, go to www.southbury-ct.org/holidaylights.

Merry & Bright (best use of lights): 130 Homestead Road

The North Pole (best North Pole design): 891 Lakeside Road

Gingerbread Village (Heritage Village entries only): 869 Hilltop Road East

Santa’s Workshop (best use of holiday décor-local business category only): The Bakery of Southbury, 77 Main Street North (Playhouse Corner)

Winter Wonderland (best winter themed decor): 277 Charter Oak Road

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (best use of music, inflatables & technology): 12 Old Highway Road

The Holly Jolly Block (most festive neighborhood): Luna Trail

WINTER GUESSING CONTEST: How Many Pom Poms Are in the Jar? – by February 27, 2026

Come to the Parks & Recreation Office for this season's guessing contest. Fill out a slip of paper with your contact information and your guess of the total number of pompoms in the jar. All ages are welcome to participate in this free contest. Guess deadline: February 27th. The winner will receive one free Parks and Recreation Clubhouse program and an option for a photo to be taken and posted on the Town of Southbury's social media, plus bragging rights!

SNOW SCULPTURE CONTEST – by March 15, 2026 

Once we get a little snow that sticks: go outside and build a snowman, fort, or anything your creativity inspires! Then submit a picture of your snowy creation to the Town of Southbury's online form or drop the picture off at the Parks & Recreation Office on or before Sunday, March 15, 2026. Submissions will be on display at Parks and Recreation starting at the end of January.

LETTERS TO SANTA - North Pole Update!

Thank you for trusting us with your Santa mail! We collected 138 letters addressed to Santa and delivered them via his magical post. Children have reported receiving their responses and are delighted to see their artwork on display at our office. Santa was so happy to see all their creative pictures that he sent them back to us with the request to post them for the whole community to see the hard work of our local Nice List kids! Pictures will be on display through the end of January.

SAFETY AND SELF DEFENSE WORKSHOP - January 3, 2026, 1:00pm-4:00pm

Many people, especially women, fear that they will be victims of violence. Tragically, this fear has its foundation in fact. Statistics show that the average American woman has a 1-in-5 chance experiencing a violent encounter and that every one of us will face one or more confrontational situations in our adult lives. Statistics also show that the appropriate response dramatically increases your chances of surviving in such situations. In this hands-on workshop, run by James De Carli Ph.D. and Crystal Wood, BSN, RN, you will learn approaches for avoiding violent encounters and some basic techniques for defending yourself physically when you need to.

All proceeds will be donated to Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury, a non-profit organization that services Southbury to provide emergency shelter and free comprehensive support to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. This class is for ages 16 years and up. A counsellor will be in attendance to assist with any PTS that comes up during the class. Details and Registration.

This winter, Open Swim will return to Pomperaug High School for those looking to swim laps, or simply splash around on a cold winter day. We will also offer an array of swim lessons.

WINTER OPEN SWIM

Family and Adult/Lap Swimming will be held on Saturdays and Sundays at Pomperaug High School Pool beginning January 10, 2026 and continuing until March 29, 2026. Hours will vary – times are extended this year! Passes are available for family, individual and senior members of the Region 15 community. Buy pool passes. Day passes are available in our online store, show receipt to gain entry at pool.

SWIM LESSONS

We offer an array of swim lessons geared to the youngest water babies up to younger, independent teen swimmers looking to improve their in-water skills. Registration is open until December 31, 2025. Register for swim lessons

Southbury Parks and Recreation would like to share these announcements from the local Youth Sports organizations. Please note that these programs are not run by the Southbury Parks and Recreation Department. All questions and comments should be sent to the organizations.

Pomperaug Youth Lacrosse

Has your kid expressed interest in lacrosse, but you’re not sure if it’s a good fit for them? Pomperaug Lacrosse is offering a free lacrosse clinic for Grades K – 5th for potential new players to try the sport!
Date: Sunday January 11th. Time: 10:30 – 11:30AM. Place: Indoor field, the NYA Sports & Fitness in Newtown. Register here.

You can always find all our programs we offer on our Programs Page!