The Newtown Bee is looking for the first child born to Newtown parents in 2026. This will continue a tradition now in its 68th year.

The winning parents will be the ones who submit the earliest birthdate (and time, if necessary, to break a tie) to The Newtown Bee by noon Monday, January 5. Parents must be Newtown residents and will need to share the exact time and date of the child’s birth; their name and address; and the place of birth, gender, weight, and name of the newborn. Friends, family, and neighbors of newborns, you can help too: Make sure the parents of any Newtown newborns know about this honorary title and all the prizes that come with it.

Contact Newtown Bee Managing Editor Shannon Hicks at 203-426-3141 or shannon@thebee.com with this information.

The winners will be notified the evening of January 5 and will hopefully be available for an interview in time for the January 9, 2026 issue of The Newtown Bee.

Madeleine Rayome was the 2025 First Baby of Newtown. The second child of Alison and Michael Rayome, Madeleine was born on January 4, 2025, joining big sister Renee in the Sandy Hook household.

Two dozen local businesses have promised prizes for this year’s First Baby of Newtown. The full list of participating sponsors and their gifts was published in the December 26, 2025 print edition.

We can’t wait to meet them and share the prize package — and honorary title.