2009 Local Vermont Chamber of Commerce Top 10 Events
Top Ten Summer Event -- 8th Annual Strolling of the Heifers Parade & Festival
Brattleboro, Vermont. June 5-7
The light hearted Strolling of the Heifers Parade on Saturday, June 6, is the festival's focal point. The animal and entertainment cavalcade culminates at Brattleboro Retreat Healthcare's ground where the Dairy Fest and Marketplace, which features food, agricultural demos, Vermont farm products and the Family Farm Fun Tent, takes place. This year, a Vermont Farm Aid concert is a new element of the event.
Top Ten Summer Event -- Yellow Barn Music Festival
Putney, Vermont. June 25-August 9
Yellow Barn is a summer training program for world-class young musicians embarking on careers as performers and educators and a vibrant festival of chamber music.
Top Ten Summer Event -- 2nd Annual Deerfield Valley Blueberry Festival
Jacksonville, Whitingham, Wilmington, Dover Vermont. July 31-August 1
For more information, visit www.boydfamilyfarm.com.
Top Ten Summer Event -- 14th Annual Southern Vermont Garlic and Herb Festival
Bennington, Vermont. August 29-30
Join garlic-lovers from throughout New England as they come to sample food and crafts from 50 different vendors all made from -you guessed it- garlic and herbs!
Everything from garlic ice cream to garlic jelly, pickled garlic, roasted garlic, garlic braids 2007 activities included Giant Garlic Slingshot and Garlic Golf, a hay maze, face painting and hair braiding and other great children's activities.
www.lovegarlic.com
Top Ten Fall Event -- The Second Annual Vermont Life Wine & Harvest Festival
Wilmington, Vermont. September 25-27
This is a weekend showcase for Vermont wines, Vermont specialty foods and artisans of all types of celebrating the rich uniqueness, quality and ingenuity of Vermont producers. Set in the backdrop of our world renowned Vermont fall foliage; attendees will discover, savor and enjoy Vermont vintners, small specialty food producers, painters, publishers, cheese makers, potters, jewelers, chefs, photographers and farmers. Visit www.thevermontfestival.com for more information.
Top Ten Fall Event -- Dummerston Apple Pie Festival
Dummerston, Vermont. October 11
For 40+ years, the Dummerston Apple Pie Festival has been held each year on the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, the peak of colorful autumn foliage in Southern Vermont. A full 1500 apple pies are made by many church members and friends and proudly served with Vermont cheese. A farmer's breakfast, grilled lunch, tag sale, and craft fair make the festival a whole day event. Folks from all over the United States travel by motorcycle and automobiles to take part in the festivities.
The Southern Vermont Art and Craft Festival
Hildene Meadowlands Manchester, Vermont. July 31-August 2
The Southern Vermont Art and Craft Festival returns with glorious white Camelot tents housing 175 artists and artisans. The Art and Craft Festival is on the site of Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln's summer estate. All media are included: pottery, glass, fiber, photography, leather, jewelry, metal, graphics, painting, prints, wood, furniture, and more. For more information, visit www.craftproducers.com.
Marlboro Music Festival, Marlboro, VT
Marlboro Music is recognized as today's preeminent center for advanced musical studies. It is credited for its pivotal role in the development of chamber music in the U.S., and for training generations of musical leaders. The 2009 concert schedule is not yet available.
Gilford Fair
Gilford, Vermont. September 4-7
This is a farmer's fair with a horse show, horse pulling, cattle show, live music, crafts, carnival, lots of demonstrations, and children's events.
Keene Pumpkin Festival
Keene, NH - October 17, 10 a.m. to fireworks at ~ 9 p.m.
Towers of pumpkins fill the downtown skies with grinning, funny, and scary faces. The Pumpkin Festival is clearly the most famous of the Center Stage Cheshire County events. The festival has been featured on CNN Headline News, as well as many network stations throughout the U.S. It has also won recognition from the Guiness Book for the largest number of lit jack-o-lanterns in one place at one time in the entire world! Year 2003 was the last World Record breaking year, when 28,952 pumpkins lit up downtown Keene.
