Community Corner
What's Open, What's Closed Thanksgiving Day Weekend
Here's what's open and here's what's closed on Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday and the weekend.
Happy Thanksgiving! Here's what's open and what's closed, what closes early on Wednesday and what bus or train schedules are the same or different on various days.
If you have closing or opening information for a business, organization or institution, and you want Patch readers to know about it, tell us in the comments!
And here's a link to the National Weather Service's Darien-specific weather forecast.
Wednesday — Closing Early
- Darien Public Schools are on an early dismissal schedule
- Darien Library closes at 6 p.m.
- Rowayton Library closes at 3 p.m.
- New Canaan Library closes at 5 p.m.
- The Darien Community Association will will have no scheduled activities.
- Connecticut Lottery headquarters will close at 2:30 p.m. "While the headquarters will not be open for business, the web site and automated phone system will be available to obtain information. Regularly scheduled lottery drawings will occur," according to a news release from the lottery.
- Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
- Metro-North changes in service: "to help you "take flight" we offer early getaway trains beginning at 12 noon. See a November 17 timetable for details or visit our Schedules page. Because of reduced ridership, some evening trains will be cancelled or combined."
Thanksgiving Day
OPEN- "Darien YMCA [...] will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 5am to 12pm with limited fitness classes offered (see schedule)." (On the Home page of the Darien YMCA, the schedules are at the bottom of the blue box on the left.)
- Some retail stores, convenience stores and gas stations
- Darien North and Darien South rest stops on Interstate 95 and all other rest stops on the highway -- and they have electricity generators just in case the power goes out
METRO NORTH:
- "A Special Thanksgiving Holiday Timetable is in effect for the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend (Thursday, November 28 through Sunday, December 1). Be sure to pick up a copy in Grand Central or at outlying stations if you are traveling during the holiday. Or visit our Schedules page."
- "On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28, we will operate a special holiday schedule with additional inbound trains for those of you heading to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and additional outbound service to get you home (or to whoever’s house you will be dining at) after the parade ends."
- "[Y]ou must have your ticket before boarding at Grand Central and Harlem-125th St."
CLOSED
- All schools, public and private
- Government offices at the local, state and federal level
- Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles offices
- U.S. post offices
- Libraries -- all of them
- Most retail stores
- Banks have the option of staying open or closed in Connecticut — in practice, all or nearly all are closed on Thanksgiving Day (and this is one of the five holidays this year that even TD Bank is closed)
- Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk
- CT Transit (Stamford buses)
- Norwalk Transit District offices are closed, as is regular Wheels bus service. For other service, see its schedule on the website.
- "All Connecticut Department of Labor offices, including the TeleBenefits Call Centers for Unemployment Insurance claims, will be closed Thursday, November 28 for the Thanksgiving Day observance. Those needing to file a weekly or continued UI claim or wishing to perform an account inquiry can use our automated TeleBenefits phone system or WebBenefits online system."
Friday, Nov. 29
OPEN
- U.S. Postal Service, including post offices
- Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicle offices (starting at 7:45 a.m.)
- Connecticut AAA "will be open to process driver’s license renewals during their normal business hours on Friday."
- Connecticut Lottery headquarters
- Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Ferguson Library in Stamford
- New Canaan Library (opens at 9 a.m.)
METRO-NORTH:
"On the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 29, we will operate a Saturday schedule with additional inbound trains in the traditional AM Peak and from 10 a.m. – noon." (see schedule)
CLOSING EARLY
- The New York Stock Exchange closes at 1 p.m. (details)
CLOSED
Saturday, Nov. 30
OPEN
- Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicle offices are open for normal business hours: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Connecticut AAA "will be open to process driver’s license renewals during their normal business hours on [...] Saturday."
- Ferguson Library in Stamford
METRO-NORTH:
"[O]n Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 30 - Dec. 1, we will provide regular weekend schedules with Shoppers’ Specials trains. [...] Off-peak fares are in effect for the entire four-day holiday, and you can take advantage of free parking at many of our stations. (Check signs at station lots, or call 511 for details. Outside of New York call 877-690-5114.)
Transportation
This section largely repeats information and links given above, but it's here to make it even easier to go through
- CT Transit (Stamford buses)
- Norwalk Transit District offices, and its citywide, regular Wheels bus service. For other service, see its schedule on the website.
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