CHRISTMAS IN WESTON
DEC . 4 – 5 Old fashioned Christmas festival with host of free , fun events and activities for all ages , including horse drawn wagon rides , a visit from Santa , a magic show , caroling , museum tours , delicious food offerings , and fireworks ! 657 Main St ., Weston . vermontcountrystore . com
HILDENE FOR THE HOLIDAYS DEC . 3 – JAN . 1 Robert and Mary Lincoln ’ s home is decorated for Christmas throughout the month just as they might have done when they stayed at Hildene through the holidays in 1912 . Musicians will play the Lincolns ’ 1908 Aeolian organ and Steinway piano during several weekends . Special “ Our Home for the Holidays ” Celebration on Dec . 4 & 5 . 1005 Hildene Rd ., Manchester . 800-578-1788 or hildene . org
THE JINGLE BELL DEC . 4 A festive evening of fine food , bidding opportunities , and live entertainment by The Refrigerators . Holiday Fundraiser for Southwestern Vermont Health Care . 5:30pm . The Williams Inn , 103 Spring St ., Williamstown , MA . 802-447-5017 or svhealthcare . org
WREATH MAKING WORKSHOPS DEC . 4 Create a holiday wreath from greens sourced at Merck Forest . Ribbons for bows provided , along with a limited amount of natural materials for decorating . Bring along your own decorations to add to your wreath . Merck Forest & Farmland Center . 3270 Rte . 315 , Rupert . 802-394-7836 or merckforest . org
WINTER HOLIDAY CRAFT MARKET DEC . 4 – 5 Artisan craft fair featuring vendor booths throughout the galleries of the Wilson Museum . Original art includes baskets , ceramics , decorative & wearable fiber , furniture , glass , jewelry , leather , metal , paper , and wood . Elizabeth de C . Wilson Museum , Southern Vermont Arts Center , 930 SVAC Dr ., Manchester . 802-362-1405 or svac . org
NEW YEAR ’ S EVE CELEBRATION DEC . 31 From light classical to jazz and folk . Music from around the world with our string band and guest musicians , ending with the traditional Radetzky March . Live and live-streamed . Program details will be available online . Taconic Music . Inn at Manchester , 3967 Main St ., Manchester . 802-362-7162 or taconicmusic . org
Other destinations
BROMLEY MOUNTAIN Vermont ’ s summer adventure with great rides and attractions for the entire family including disc golf , the exciting Aerial Adventure Park , New England ’ s longest four-line ZipRider , the half-mile-long and 50 mph Sun Mountain Flyer , Vermont ’ s longest waterslide ride , famous alpine slide , 18-hole mini golf , a kiddie fun park for the little ones , and much more . During the winter , experience the family-friendly ski resort with diverse terrain , slopeside lodging , and great food . 3984 Vermont Rte . 11 , Peru . 802-824-5522 or bromley . com
DORSET THEATRE FESTIVAL Dorset Theatre Festival ’ s mission is to create bold , innovative , and authentic theatre drawn from the new and classic canon , as well as the development of new plays , new audiences , and new artists for the future . We produce theatre that matters . dorsettheatrefestival . org
EQUINOX SKYLINE DRIVE Experience the unforgettable drive to the summit of Mt . Equinox . The natural beauty of Vermont may be enjoyed at one of many scenic picnic areas . Explore hiking trails at the summit and store up some peace to take back to the world below . Open May – Oct . Skyline Dr ., Sunderland . 802-362-1114 or equinoxmountain . com
FARMERS ’ MARKETS Vermont is one of the best places to find locally sourced food and products . The Manchester Farmers ’ Market occurs on Thursdays 3 – 6pm at Adams Park in Manchester , the Dorset Farmers ’ Market on Sundays 11am – 1pm at H . N . Williams Store in Dorset , the West River Farmers ’ Market on Saturdays 9am – 1pm at the intersection of Rtes . 11 and 100 in Londonderry , and the Arlington Village Farmers ’ Market on Fridays 4 – 7pm at the Arlington Rec Park . Please refer to the websites for up-to-date seasonal information .
GREEN MOUNTAIN GARDENERS Green Mountain Gardeners ( GMG ) serves the communities of Landgrove , Londonderry , Peru and Weston . Through education and community service , the GMG fosters horticulture , beautification and conservation of all natural resources . GMG ’ s monthly and annual events inform and inspire the gardener in all of us . greenmountaingardeners . net
HILDENE , THE LINCOLN FAMILY HOME One of the nation ’ s most important Lincoln sites , Robert Lincoln ’ s 412-acre estate , was home to three generations of the President Lincoln ’ s descendants . Learn what can happen when a historic site with deep roots in the past commits to putting new roots , literally and figuratively , down for the future . Explore the home , the exhibition with Lincoln ’ s iconic stovepipe hat , gardens ; pollinator sanctuary ; 1903 restored Pullman car with black porter story ( site on Vermont African American Heritage Trail ); goat dairy / cheesemaking facility ; sustainable agriculture project , teaching greenhouse , farm animals , 600-foot floating wetland boardwalk ; and The Museum Store / Welcome Center , where the adventure begins . Open daily year-round . Mission : Values into Action . 1005 Hildene Rd ., Manchester . 802-362-1788 or hildene . org
MANCHESTER MUSIC FESTIVAL Celebrating its 47th Season ! Thursday matinee and evening Mainstage Concerts feature world-class chamber music performed by renowned musicians . Gallery Recitals on Saturday evenings feature solo or duo performances by faculty artists , and the rising stars of the Young Artists Program perform matinees and evenings on Sundays . In-person , outdoors , or online . Weekends are free ! Southern Vermont Arts Center , 930 SVAC Dr ., Manchester . 802-362-1956 or mmfvt . org
MUSEUM OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS Guided tours of The Sculptural Trail in the History of Love . Walk through outdoor exhibits and discover creativity as the new paradigm integrating psychology , mythology , morality , science and art . Daily tours , call to reserve . 257 Wilburton Dr ., Manchester . 802-368-1278 or museumofthecreativeprocess . com
OLD MILL ROAD RECORDING Old Mill Road Recording is a state-of-the-art destination recording studio which overlooks a scenic waterfall , tucked away in the Green Mountains of Vermont . The TEC Awardwinning studio features in-house GRAMMY ® Award-winning engineer Benjamin J . Arrindell , a Yamaha C7 Grand Piano , and a 48-Channel SSL Duality . Just three hours from NYC and Boston , Old Mill Road Recording offers a full range of audio , video , and concierge services . oldmillroadrecording . com
SOUTHERN VERMONT ARTS CENTER Southern Vermont Arts Center ( SVAC ) is a multidisciplinary arts organization in Manchester with a mission to promote and nurture the arts . SVAC introduces the wider community to art exhibitions and performances of national relevance , provides opportunities for local and regional artists , and engages diverse audiences through classes , camps , and community programs , all within its campus of more than 100 acres in the heart of the Green Mountains . 930 SVAC Dr ., Manchester . 802-362-1405 or svac . org
WESTON PLAYHOUSE As Vermont ’ s longest-running professional theatre , the company celebrates the classics and nurtures the new with a summer season of rollicking musicals , family-friendly productions , classic plays , and groundbreaking new works . 703 Main St ., Weston . 802-824-5288 or westonplayhouse . org
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