August 15, 2026

Summer isn't over yet!

Sure, the days are getting a little shorter, the mornings are starting to feel a little cooler, and the back-to-school signs are everywhere. But around Candlewood Lake, there's still plenty of summer left to enjoy.

From one of Danbury's biggest summer festivals to live music in Sherman, a free community celebration in New Milford and a huge Brazilian Festival over Labor Day weekend, the next few weeks are packed.

So before we put away the beach chairs and start thinking about pumpkin spice, let's make the most of the final days of summer!

The next week looks like classic late-summer Candlewood weather—with plenty of sunshine mixed in with a few clouds and a couple of chances for showers or thunderstorms.

Saturday looks especially nice, while Wednesday could be the warmest day of the week. By Friday and Saturday, temperatures ease back into the upper 70s.

Bottom line: There's still plenty of good lake weather ahead. Keep the boat keys handy! 🌊

August 19–23 | CityCenter Green

One of Danbury's biggest summer traditions is back—and it's bigger than ever.

The 5th Annual Danbury San Gennaro Festival takes over CityCenter Green for five days of Italian food, live music, games and entertainment.

📍 CityCenter Green, 1 Ives Street, Danbury
🎟️ FREE admission

Wednesday–Friday: 5–11 PM
Saturday: 1–11 PM
Sunday: 1–10 PM

If you've never been, this is a great excuse to spend an evening downtown. And if you've been before, you already know the food alone is worth the trip!

Saturday, August 22 | 7:30 PM

The 7th Annual Steve Bennett Memorial Comedy Show returns to the JCC in Sherman.

The lineup includes Ted Barton, Jeff Greenspan, Espi Rivadeneira and Tayler Yarish. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Steve Bennett Memorial Scholarship Fund.

It's a great example of what makes Sherman special—small-town community spirit mixed with some very good entertainment.

Saturday, August 29 | 7:30 PM

If classic singer-songwriter music is more your speed, head back to Sherman the following weekend.

Unbroken Glass & Friends will celebrate the music of James Taylor and Carole King with an evening of acoustic favorites and classic songs.

That's a pretty good way to spend one of the last Saturday nights of summer. 🎶

Saturday, August 29

This is much more than a race.

The Sgt. Scoular's Overdose Awareness & Recovery 5K begins at Young's Field at 8 AM, followed by a full day of free activities on the New Milford Town Green.

The Recovery Festival runs approximately 10 AM–8 PM and includes live music, kids' games, magic shows, face painting, food trucks, a recovering artists exhibit and recovery resources.

It's a meaningful community event—and it's free to participate in the 5K.

If you're looking for something different to do over Labor Day weekend, this one should be on your list.

Danbury's Brazilian Festival returns to CityCenter Green for a two-day celebration of Brazilian culture, food, music and entertainment.

And here's the best part: it's FREE.

It's a terrific way to squeeze one more big celebration out of summer before everyone heads back into the fall routine.

📍 CityCenter Green, 1 Ives Street, Danbury
📅 Saturday, September 5 & Sunday, September 6

Labor Day weekend is traditionally the unofficial end of summer—and around Candlewood Lake, it really does feel like the season's finale.

New Fairfield's Town Park beach remains open through Labor Day weekend, making the holiday a perfect excuse for one final swim, picnic or afternoon by the water.

New Milford's Lynn Deming Park also closes for the season on Labor Day, so if you've been putting off that final lake day, this is your reminder!

Our advice: Don't overthink it. Grab the beach chairs, pack some sandwiches and go enjoy the lake.

If you're looking for a local pizza spot to add to your rotation, check out IL CAPO in Brookfield.

Located at 14 Candlewood Lake Road, Il Capo specializes in thin, Italian-style pizza, with ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala. The menu also includes homemade pasta, Italian small plates, salads and sandwiches.

One menu item that caught our eye is the Hot Honey pizza, topped with pepperoni, mozzarella, burrata, basil and hot honey.

That sounds like a pretty good way to celebrate the end of summer. 🍕

📍 14 Candlewood Lake Road, Brookfield

Visit Il Capo

Candlewood Lake stretches approximately 11 miles and has about 65 miles of shoreline, touching all five communities that make up our Candlewood Current coverage area: Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford and Sherman.

One quick reminder as we head into the final weeks of boating season:

On Candlewood Lake, the speed limit is 45 MPH during the day and 25 MPH from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise, with additional slow-no-wake areas around Lattins Cove and Squantz Cove.

And as always—watch your surroundings, keep an eye on the weather and enjoy the lake responsibly.

The town's September calendar is already filling up, with community activities including library programs, the Candlewood Lake Authority meeting and several community education events.

Sherman continues its summer programming into late August, including the James Taylor & Carole King tribute on August 29. The town also has a First Friday Hike scheduled for September 4.

The August 29 Recovery Festival is one of the month's biggest community events, but New Milford's Town Green remains one of the best places in the area to simply wander around, grab something to eat and enjoy the last bit of summer.

Brookfield remains a great place for a late-summer day trip, especially if you combine some time around Candlewood Lake with dinner or pizza afterward.

Danbury is where the action really ramps up as summer winds down, with the San Gennaro Festival August 19–23 followed by the Brazilian Festival over Labor Day weekend.

There's something about a late-August evening on Candlewood Lake.

The crowds start to thin out. The sun sets a little earlier. The air gets a little cooler. And suddenly you realize that another summer is slipping away.

So here's your reminder from The Candlewood Current:

Take the sunset boat ride.
Have dinner outside.
Go for one more swim.
Listen to some live music.
Grab an ice cream.
And make a few more summer memories.

Because around Candlewood Lake, summer isn't over until we say it is. ❤️

Thanks for reading The Candlewood Current—your local source for what's happening around Danbury, New Fairfield, Sherman, New Milford and Brookfield.

Have a local event, restaurant, business or community story you'd like us to feature?

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See you around the lake! 🌊