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, Bunco-Evening, Pinochle- Evening, please contact Carrie Houghton. She’d be happy to help you bring your ideas to fruition.
Afternoon Aperitifs
Meet monthly on the second Tuesday from 4 PM – 6 PM for casual conversations and socialization at local venues. Open to all members. Coordinators are Nancy Malley and Beverly Moore.
Come when you can… Stay for the entire time or just a portion.
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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
| Â | 2026-2027 Book Selections | Â |
| Date | Title | Author |
| Sept 18 |  How to Read a Book | Monica Wood |
| Oct 16 | The Wedding People | Alison Espach |
| Nov 13 | Travels With Charley | John Steinback |
| Dec 11 | Small Things Like These | Alison Keegan |
| Jan 15 | James | Percival Eliott |
| Feb 19 | The Day The World Came to Town | Jim DeFede |
| Mar 19 | When We Were Orphans | Kazuo Ishiguro |
| Apr 16 | The Lions of Fifth Avenue | Fiona Davis |
| May 21 | The World Below | Sue Miller |
| June 18 | The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife | Ana Johnston |
| Sept 17 | TBD | Â |
Evenings, Alice Sawyer
| Â | 2026-2027 Book Selections | Â |
| Date | Title | Author |
| Sept 1 | Mother Daughter Murder Night | Nina Simon |
| Oct 6 | The Guest List | Lucy Foley |
| Nov 3 | Good Night Irene | Luis Alberto Urrea |
| Dec 1 | Little Fires Everywhere | Celeste Ng |
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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
Bunco
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 Mary Lindsey.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.
Coordinators Needed!!
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.Â
Coordinators Needed!
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.
Cordinators Needed!!
Helping Hands
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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, Ginny Lawry and Jeannie Stiller, 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 Quilt4all@aol.com or Joanne Burke at Joanne.Burke47@hotmail.com
Walking Group

There is currently no one coordinating this group.Â
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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!
