Dozens of people enjoyed an evening of great food, drinks, and company at Friends of Newtown Seniors’ (FONS) second annual Summer Soirée on August 1.

Held at Aquila’s Nest Vineyard, the event promised to be a moment for Newtown residents to relax and unwind beneath the setting sun.

The warm weather and light breeze made it the perfect day for just that.

Throughout the evening, guests were free to move between the indoor tasting room and the terrace overlooking the vineyards.

FONS members arranged a table inside the tasting room, lining it with charcuterie staples such as cheese, salami, pepperoni, crackers, and strawberries for everyone to enjoy. After filling up their plate, attendees could also treat themselves to a free drink at the bar.

On the patio outside, people soaked up the sun while Solid Gold Times Two, made up of husband and wife duo Bob and Josie Schmidt, played acoustic music. Guests shared laughs with new and familiar faces as they ate their food and sang along to songs like Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”

FONS Board Members Beverly Bennett-Schaedler and Joan Alexander, who helped organize the event and greeted guests upon arrival, said they were happy to see so many people at the soirée.

They said it was as successful as the one held last year, with both selling around 100 tickets. Bennett-Schaedler added that they saw a lot of new faces at this year’s event, which she said was exciting.

To her and Alexander, the soirée is just one step in connecting seniors throughout the Newtown community.

“It’s meant to be a nice night for people to come out, meet new friends, and enjoy themselves,” Bennett-Schaedler said. “So seeing all these people ... we’re very happy.”

To learn more about Friends of Newtown Seniors, call 203-430-0633, email info@FriendsOfNewtownSeniors.org, or visit friendsofnewtownseniors.org.

Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.