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NORWALK, Conn. – People in Norwalk have been going to one incarnation or another of St. Paul’s on the Green for 275 years, and to celebrate that milestone, the church is having a festival on Saturday, June 9.
June 9 isn’t a random choice of a day for the celebration. It’s also the day the current stone church building was consecrated in 1930. There have been four previous church buildings on the site, although written records go back only as far as the third church. But if you look hard enough, you can find tombstones from the 1700’s.
For the Rev. Nicholas Lang, who has been the rector at St. Paul’s for the past 20 years, the occasion isn't just a celebration of a historical landmark, it’s a way to celebrate how far the congregation has come.
“I think because so much has happened in the last 10-12 years that we felt there was a need for a big celebration,” Lang said. “There is just a lot of cause for celebration, and 275 is a pretty big number.”
The festival will include tours of the church, “visits” from historic Norwalk residents who are buried in the cemetery, a concert with the almost-4,000-pipe organ, face painting (for children and adults) and food, among many other activities.
“We want this to be a celebration of not just the church, but of the community. And that’s why we’ve created this big festival or party so people can come celebrate with us,” Lang said.
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