Norwalk, CT: Town Green to be lit up in blue for "Autism Awareness, Acceptance"

Mar 31, 2025, The Hour, Norwalk, CT: Why Norwalk is lighting up its gazebo blue on the Town Green: Autism Awareness

The gazebo on Norwalk's Town Green will be illuminated in blue light Tuesday evening in recognition of the worldwide celebration of “Autism Awareness and Acceptance” month.

The city’s annual “Light it up Blue” gazebo lighting ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. State and city officials will present the state legislature’s recognition proclamation as well as the city of Norwalk’s proclamation.

Spahr, whose 24-year-old son Jack has autism, has been organizing the annual “Light it up Blue” ceremony in Norwalk for over a decade with support from the city’s  First Taxing District, who own the Town Green. He said he would like to try to get some of the area’s young adults with autism to talk about their successes at the ceremony. 

 “We were lucky early on,” Spahr said about his son, “and we were able to provide him with the support that he needs – that’s one of the things you want to do. You want to provide the people with the building blocks and abilities to be out in the community. … You want them to be independent, you want them to be self-sufficient – that’s what everybody wants. You want to provide them with the tools so they can go out and fashion their own success.”