Friends of Irwin Park will host a community pickleball fundraiser on April 24 at the Country Club of New Canaan, with proceeds directed toward the Irwin Park Restoration Project.
The event, titled “Dink for Daffodils,” is organized as a daylong fundraiser featuring multiple play sessions, refreshments, and spectator access. According to the event announcement, the initiative is intended to support ongoing efforts to restore and preserve Irwin Park, a public landscape in New Canaan.
Participants may register for one of three two-hour sessions scheduled throughout the day: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Event organizers describe the program as a social and recreational gathering centered on pickleball, with light food and beverages provided during play.
Registration is priced at $100 per player for a two-hour session. Spectator tickets are available for $50. All attendees will receive a commemorative event cap.
The event will take place at the Country Club of New Canaan.
Organizers state that the fundraiser will proceed without a rain date. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled, and refunds will not be issued due to its fundraising nature.
The Irwin Park Restoration Project is described as a community-driven initiative under the New Canaan Garden Club. The project focuses on restoring and preserving Irwin Park, which organizers identify as one of the town’s established public spaces. Funds raised through the pickleball event will support continued efforts to replant and improve the park. Event organizers are directing interested participants and supporters to an online registration page hosted by the New Canaan Garden Club.
The event represents a coordinated effort by local volunteers and organizations to raise funds through recreational programming. By combining a structured schedule of play sessions with ticketed access for both participants and spectators, the event is positioned as both a community gathering and a fundraising mechanism.
Friends of Irwin Park has not previously held this specific event, which is described in the announcement as a first-time fundraiser.
The structure of the day allows for staggered participation, accommodating multiple groups of players while maintaining a consistent format across sessions.
The New Canaan Garden Club, which is supporting the restoration initiative, has framed the project as an effort to maintain and improve a public landscape for long-term community use. The fundraising component is intended to provide financial support for planting and broader restoration work within the park.
Media inquiries regarding the event are directed to Suzy Lavieri, whose contact information is included in the announcement.
The April 24 event is expected to draw local participants and spectators interested in both pickleball and community-based conservation efforts. Organizers have emphasized the connection between recreational engagement and funding for public space improvements.
