On May 26th, 2025, we commemorate Memorial Day throughout the United States, to honor all who have given the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.

After reviewing nearly 70 submissions, we are proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Black Joy Poetry Contest!

Starting next spring, several town parks and facilities will undergo vast renovations to better meet the evolving needs of the local community. Facility and park improvements for the 2025 construction season include, but are not limited to, the Nathan Hale Pocket Park & grounds improvements, Charter Oak Park West, trails wayfinding stations and much more.

The shorter days & chill in the air can mean only one thing – fall has officially arrived! What better way to take in the new season than by joining the Department of Leisure, Family and Recreation at their diverse slate of fall programs, community projects and special events.

This August, join the Manchester community at the International Overdose Awareness Week, a community event dedicated to celebrating recovery and remembering lives lost to drug overdose.

This August, join the Manchester community at the International Overdose Awareness Week, a community event dedicated to celebrating recovery and remembering lives lost to drug overdose.

Celebrate the Fourth of July holiday at the Town of Manchester’s annual James “Dutch” Fogarty Independence Day Celebration this Saturday, July 6th. Enjoy a slate of live music, food vendors, artisan market, a kid’s zone and – of course – a live fireworks display.

Mark your calendars for the Town of Manchester’s annual Juneteenth Community Celebration on Saturday, June 22 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at Market Field, 153 & 163 Spruce Street. Come commemorate the Juneteenth holiday alongside the local community and celebrate all that Manchester has to offer.

The Town of Manchester is home to dozens of robust public parks, greenspaces, and multi-use trails. As use of these greenspaces increases and connections between parks becomes ever more important, many Town offices and community organizations have shifted planning to better foster a more bike-friendly Manchester.

After reviewing dozens of submissions, we are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Black Joy Youth Poetry Contest!

Looking for something new to do this spring? Maybe you wanted to get into yoga, art, or even pickleball? Well, the Town of Manchester’s Department of Leisure, Family and Recreation has you covered with their spring programming slate, which includes registration-based classes, drop-in activities, special events and much more.

The New Year has become synonymous with resolutions. Eat healthier, read more books, less screen time – January represents a time of (hopeful) betterment & excitement for a fresh start. However, to many, there is a looming goal, one that is on the top of countless 2024 New Year’s resolution lists – to get, and stay, active.

In just a few days, the Town of Manchester’s Department of Leisure, Family and Recreation’s 2024 Winter/Spring programming season will officially kick off. With a robust slate of programs, projects and special events on the horizon, be sure to mark your calendars and join in with all that the Department has to offer.

Adorned with murals of civil rights legends, filled with a renovated gymnasium, art room and tech labs, walls lined with exhibits honoring the rich history of Manchester – this is the Leisure Labs at Mahoney Center.

From leagues and tournaments, an afternoon at the driving range or a Sunday morning round of golf, the Manchester Country Club has offerings for those of all ages and abilities.

Throughout Manchester and dozens of other New England towns, you might have seen pint-sized libraries installed in front of schools, public greenspaces and community centers.

These past few weeks have been brutal. First, we were dealt near-daily flash flood warnings, jeopardizing summer plans on a nightly basis.

How does one use their creative voice? For some, it is in the way they dress, how they style their hair, maybe even their profession or field. It can be a form of expression, leisure or, for many, escapism.

The Town of Manchester’s 2023 Bicentennial Celebration is already in full bloom, but there is so much more to celebrate right around the corner!

The Town of Manchester’s Department of Leisure, Family and Recreation will host their 3rd annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Commemoration on Saturday, June 17th from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Leisure Labs at Mahoney Center, 110 Cedar Street.

The Town of Manchester’s annual Spruce Street Farmers Market will return on Wednesdays, June 7 through August 30, 2023, from 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM at Market Field, 163 Spruce Street.

Registration for summer programs is fast approaching! Starting on May 3rd for Manchester residents (May 5th for non-residents), registration will open for the Department of Leisure, Family and Recreation’s slate of summer programming.

Who and what comes to mind when you hear “gaming?”

No, we aren’t talking about sports betting (which has seen a monstrous rise over the past few years, particularly in New England). We are talking about the other gaming.

After reviewing dozens of submissions, we are proud to announce the winners of the 2023 Black Joy Youth Poetry Contest!

If you’ve spent any time in Manchester over the past few months, you may have noticed some celebratory rumblings spreading throughout town.

A public draft of Manchester Next, the Town of Manchester’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), is now available for review.

The Town of Manchester will host the International Mother Language Day (IMLD) celebration on Saturday, February 25th & Sunday, February 26th.

Manchester kicked-off the commemoration of its’ 200th Bicentennial year on Wednesday, January 25h at Town Hall where community stakeholders and leaders gathered to learn more about the year to come.

Each of us, no matter how small our footprint on the world may seem, has a unique story to tell. Our actions each day, the decisions we make, the relationships we keep all have a way of echoing throughout the ages, our time spent in one place lingering on like fingerprints on a clean window, reminders that the streets and neighborhoods we occupy now were occupied once before.

The Red Hawks put an exclamation point on the end of a terrific season with an invitation to the Pop-Warner Super Bowl played in Orlando Florida earlier this month.

December 14 marks the 10-year anniversary of the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the deadliest elementary school shooting in American history. The impact of this fateful day will live with the local & national community for eternity, and the spirit of Newton will forever be in our hearts.

The opening day of registration for the Town of Manchester’s Department of Leisure, Family and Recreation’s programs and special events is quickly approaching. From community events to youth athletics, educational opportunities to drop-in children’s activities, all are welcome to join in the department’s slate of winter/spring programs and special events.

November marks the federal recognition of Native American Heritage month across the United States.

It’s that time of year again. From the ads clogging Sunday Night Football’s commercials to the yard signs filling your neighbor’s lawn, it is most certainly election season.