Activities
Special Activities
Simsbury Newcomers & Neighbors activities are listed alphabetically below – click the plus sign next to the Activity Title to read the description. If you are interested in trying out an activity before you join, please contact the activity coordinator to let them know you’d like to attend.
If you’re interested in starting a new activity group, or coordinating an inactive group such as Pop Ups, Pickleball, Bunko-Evening, Pinochle- Evening, please contact Barbara Huggins. She’d be happy to help you bring your ideas to fruition.
Afternoon Aperitifs
Meet monthly on the second Tuesday from 3 PM – 5 PM for casual conversations and socialization at local venues. Open to all members.
Come when you can… Stay for the entire time or just a portion.
Contact Judy Gessford, Carrie Houghton or Barbara Huggins if you want to be aware of future gatherings.
Book Discussions
There are both Day and Evening discussion groups. Books are chosen at the beginning of each year, and everyone who is involved in these groups have a say in what is planned. This is a great group to join if you love to read – there’s a new book every month! – or just love to talk about books. Day group usually meets the 3rd Friday of the month. Evening group usually meets the 1st Tuesday of the month.
Days, Jane FoxÂ
 | 2024-2025 Book Selections |  |
Date | Title | Author |
Sept 20 | The Outside Boy | Jeannine Cummins |
Oct 18 | Hour of the Witch | Chris Bohjalian |
Nov 15 | Lady Tan’s Circle of Women: A Novel |
Lisa See |
Dec 13 | Midnight Library | Matt Haig |
Jan 17 | Coal River | Ellen Marie Wiseman |
Feb 21 | Sisters-in-Law | Linda Hirshman |
Mar 21 | Fifty Words for Rain | Ashma Lemmie |
Apr 11 | The Sweetness of Forgetting |
Kristen Harmel |
May 16 | Last Bus to Wisdom: AÂ Novel | Ivan Doig |
June 20 | The Family Upstairs | Lisa Jewel |
Sept 19 | Frozen River | Ariel Lawton |
Evenings, Alice Sawyer
 | 2024-2025 Book Selections |  |
Date | Title | Author |
Oct 1 | The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek | Kim Michele Richardson |
Nov 5 | King of the Mississippi | Mike Freedman |
Dec 3 | The Henna Artist | Alka Joshua |
Jan 6 | Convenience Store Woman | Sayaka Murata |
Feb 4 | Proof of Heaven | E Alexander |
Mar 4 | The Blue Bistro | Elin Hilderbrand |
Apr 1 | Cutting for Stone | Abraham Verghese |
May 6 | The House Is On Fire | Rachel Beanland |
June 3 | The Paris Daughter | Kristin Harmel |
July 1 | The Goddess of Warsaw | Lisa Barr |
Aug 5 | Dearest of Geniuses | Sandra L Katz |
Sept 2 | Look on the Bright Side | Kristen Higgins |
Bridge
Love to play Bridge, but you can’t ever find enough people to play with you? This is the group for you. Feel free to get in on the action by contacting Patty Howland for the couple’s group. The couple’s group usually meets the 3rd Saturday at 7pm.Â
Bunko
Bunko is a very old dice game that’s really easy to learn. And a lot of fun to play. It’s so easy that while you’re rolling the dice, your mind can be on your discussion, and you can have a fun social morning out with friends. This group plays one morning a month – so if you’re interested, contact Arlene Zappile.Â
Cookbook Club
The Cookbook Club will all “read” the same cookbook and then each participant will prepare a dish to bring to a potluck held at members’ homes. Members will take turns choosing a cookbook. The library will gather multiple copies from the area consortium for us to check out. The Activity Coordinators will coordinate with the library once a title is submitted.
If interested, please contact  Judy Gessford [email protected] or Charmaine Glew [email protected]
Dining Out
Dine out at some of the areas finest restaurants with this group.  Reserve the 2nd Saturday of the month for great company, conversation and tasty meals.  Contact Theresa Awad Roe or Katherine Estell to get on the email list. This group usually meets the 2nd Saturday at 7pm.
Discover New England
New England is filled with many scenic, historical and cultural attractions. Join fellow Newcomers as we explore our surrounding area. Events and places to visit will be suggested by those who sign up for the group. Some ideas include: tours of local landmarks, ethnic food shopping trips, home and garden tours, art exhibits, daytrips to the CT Shore or the Berkshires. Â
Contact Sandee Fleet, Sally Hyman, Isabelle Brienza, or Genie Wilmarth  if you are interested in joining this fun group.
Ladies' Lunch Bunch
This is a fun group, where the ladies get together once a month to enjoy each others’ companionship and some good food. The leaders of the group, Toni Robinson and Sue Burnet, make reservations at different venues in the area so you can not only enjoy the atmosphere and lively conversation, but also try out a restaurant or two you may have never had the chance to go to before. This group usually meets once a month on Thursday.
Mah Jongg
We have two groups that get together to play this fun tile game. The day time group meets every Wednesday and Alice Sawyer organizes the hostess. An evening group meets the 2nd Tuesday and 4th Thursday. Contact Jennifer Halbert or Nancy Malley to join this group.
Paddle Tennis
Would you like to hang out and socialize over a fun and competitive sport? Paddle Tennis is held at the raised wood courts located at Simsbury Farms. The Couples’ group meets every Sun, Nov-Mar 4:30-6. The Ladies’ group meets Mon & Thurs, 9:30-11, Nov-Mar.
Contact Camilla Thompson for the Couples’ games or Carolyn Brand for the Ladies’ edition.
Pinochle
Pinochle is a card game that is easier than bridge, but still challenging enough to be interesting. Our members range from experienced to just beginning. The daytime group meets the 1st and 3rd Mondays, 1-3pm. If interested, contact Jane Fox.Â
Single Active Women
This is a new activity group just for single ladies. We can meet for coffee, see a movie, go to lunch or dinner, take a day trip, attend a Newcomers event together as a group or just spend time together talking. It’s not always easy being single by divorce, by choice or as a widow. We get it! Join us for conversations, laughs and probably food. Contact Toni Robinson or Sue Burnet to join this group.
Sit and Sew
Did you know that the Simsbury Library has several sewing machines? If you would like to learn how to use one of these machines all that is required in one 3-hour class.Â
Once you have completed the required class for this, you can request one of their machines to be used at our all day Sit & Sew sessions. At these sessions you can bring your own machine if you desire. We will be working on our own projects or a shared project when available.
If interested, please contact Erica Wahl at [email protected] or Joanne Burke at [email protected]
Walking Group
The Walking Group meets two days a week. We will meet at 10 AM on Wednesday and Friday mornings, starting at and returning to the bus stop on Iron Horse Blvd (behind Fitzgerald’s). The group walk will cover the two-mile length of Iron Horse Blvd. This will take approximately 45 minutes. There are options for shorter loops so that beginners can work up to two miles.
We will meet every week, rain or shine, but not if ice covers the path. Sometimes we’ll do excursions to other trails in the valley chosen by the group, such as the Reservoir in West Hartford or the path in Collinsville. You don’t have to commit to a date, just show up when convenient.
Contact  Holly Beum if you are interested in joining this fun group.
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Wine and Women
Wine & Women is a fun and casual group that meets once a month, at a member’s home, usually on the third Thursday night of the month. Everyone brings a bottle of wine or other beverage of choice and an appetizer or dessert to share. It’s fun to meet new members and reconnect with friends. We welcome members to join the group at any time during the year.  And, of course, you don’t have to drink wine to enjoy an evening out with this lively crowd! Contact Kim Wescott to participate