The city, spanning 36.3 square miles – approximately 37 percent of which is water – is home to Norwalk Harbor, a major site for recreation boating and commercial shell fishing. Once dubbed the “Oyster Town,” Norwalk hosts an annual Oyster Festival that draws thousands of visitors to this Fairfield County city of about 85,600 residents each September. Several dozen marinas and private clubs with boating facilities are found here, and opportunities for participation in myriad water sports are numerous.

Over the years, the city has grown into a major regional cultural center. It is home to the largest collection of WPA (Works Program Administration) murals in the country including 31 works of art in total, all located at Norwalk City Hall. In addition, a number of arts centers and museums are found here, and an annual SoNo Arts Festival has earned a reputation as a regional attraction. Norwalk is home to the Maritime Aquarium as well as dozens of corporate headquarters including Stew Leonard’s flagship site, Xerox, Pepperidge Farm, Priceline.com, GE Capitol, Diageo and Dooney & Bourke.