December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 28

LAW REVIEW
In the case of Knights of Columbus
Council 2616 v. Town of Fairfield,
Plaintiff alleged the Defendant Town
had violated their First Amendment
rights to freedom of speech, the free
exercise of religion, and to peaceably
assemble for a special event in
a particular public park of their
choosing.
Park Christmas Vigil Permit
Application Reversal
By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.
n the case of Knights of Columbus Council 2616 v. Town of Fairfield, 2024
U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150374 (Conn. 8/24/2024), Plaintiff alleged the
Defendant Town had violated their First Amendment rights to freedom
of speech, the free exercise of religion, and to peaceably assemble
for a special event in a particular public park of their choosing.
Plaintiff Knights of Columbus
Council 2616 (the Knights 2616), is
a local council of a national Catholic
fraternal service organization,
the
Knights
of Columbus. The
Knights 2616 is located in Fairfield,
Connecticut. Since 1983, the
Knights 2616 has conducted an annual
Christmas Vigil accompanied
by a Nativity scene at one of the
Town of Fairfield's public parks.
The purpose of the Christmas Vigil
" is to advance the Keeping Christ
in Christmas program, " which is
an annual program led by the national
organization of the Knights
of Columbus to " encourage local
councils and members to prompt
their neighbors to shift from a preoccupation
with materialism to the
light of Christ and the spirit of giving
through whatever efforts best
suit the parish and community of
the particular council. "
The Christmas Vigil begins on
December 23 and ends on Christmas
morning,
December 25.
During the Christmas Vigil, " one
28 Parks & Recreation | DECEMBER 2 0 2 4 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
I
or more members of the Knights
is present with the Nativity scene
at all times. " The Nativity scene is
composed of a " 3-sided box, with
small figurines of the Holy Family,
angels, the magi (three kings),
shepherds and livestock. " In addition,
within the Nativity scene, the
Knights post a 4' x 8' sign with sixinch
letters stating, " the Nativity
scene is not endorsed by the Town
of Fairfield and is sponsored by the
Knights of Columbus. "
Fairfield's public parks are under
the exclusive authority and control
of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
The Commission promulgated
its own regulations concerning
the use of public parks, which
were administered through the

December 2024 – Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2024 – Parks & Recreation

December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - Intro
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - Cover1
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - Cover2
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 1
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 2
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 3
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 4
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 5
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 6
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 7
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 8
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 9
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 10
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 11
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 12
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 13
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 14
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 15
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 16
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 17
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 18
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 19
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 20
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 21
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 22
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 23
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 24
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 25
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 26
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 27
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 28
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 29
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 30
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 31
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 32
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 33
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 34
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 35
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 36
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 37
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 38
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 39
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 40
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 41
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 42
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 43
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 44
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 45
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 46
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 47
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 48
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 49
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 50
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 51
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 52
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 53
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 54
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 55
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 56
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - Cover3
December 2024 – Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com