Dozens enjoyed an afternoon of games at C.H. Booth Library’s Mahjong & Mimosas social on Sunday, August 24.

Held at Newtown Community Center, the event saw 64 people — a full slate, with a waiting list started after registration quickly filled to capacity — mingle over casual games of American mahjong.

Attendees enjoyed a light brunch before they played any rounds. Organizers arranged a table toward the front of the room filled with baby swedish pancakes, macarons, bagels, pastries, egg salad, and other tasty offerings. Just a few feet away from it was a table with water, lemonade, and, of course, mimosas.

The dozens of attendees smiled and talked with one another as they ate, knowing it was a matter of time before they played the game they all loved.

It was a big moment for friends Sue Kretz and Juli Pankow, who helped organize the event. The two had learned how to play mahjong after the pandemic and Kretz, a primary staff member within Booth Library’s circulation department, eventually approached Library Director Jenn Nash about hosting games at the library.

After Nash gave her approval, Kretz and Pankow ran their first mahjong class in February 2024. In the year and a half of classes and open play sessions since then, Kretz said they developed a kind and passionate community of mahjong players.

For the library’s weekly Thursday open play events, 30-40 people regularly show up and participate.

“The community ... has just grown so much,” Kretz said on Sunday. “We figured that this would be a great opportunity to bring that whole community together.”

It has gotten to the point where word about the library’s mahjong community has spread beyond Newtown. People from nearby towns such as Brookfield and New Milford will join the sessions. Kretz said around a third of their regularly players are from out of town.

In that sense, Mahjong & Mimosas is the culmination of that growing community and the mutual love of mahjong.

Kretz emphasized that the event is “social play,” a chance for the community to join together and enjoy an afternoon of casual games.

Organizers did not keep score, and there was no penalty for not finishing a game. Instead, attendees played as many games as they could fit into each round, with a chance to earn prizes along the way.

Attendees also put their name into a basket to be included in random drawings for one of several door prizes.

Whether it was by quickly winning a game or having their name drawn, attendees could win gift cards to local businesses such as Blue Nail Salon and Cosmic + Smoothie Bar, gift baskets from UK Gourmet in Bethel, and a “Probably Playing Mahjong” doormat.

The Jeniam Foundation sponsored the event, and local residents and businesses donated prizes. Newtown Community Center became the host of the event after an HVAC project at C.H. Booth Library forced the relocation of the special event. Kretz and Pankow offered their thanks to the community center for hosting on relatively short notice.

Before everyone started playing, Kretz and Pankow went over the rules and thanked them for their support.

“This is a testament to how mahjong is a wonderful game and is as great for your mind as it is to meet new people,” Pankow told the crowd. “We’re so glad people we know and even people we don’t know came to support us. We really appreciate it.”

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