you’ re seeing the collaboration of a whole community.” The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, a longtime anchor of the town’ s creative life, will host a model train display that will wind through the building’ s front hall. The Mad Hatter Miniature Tea Party, presented in partnership with the newly opened Humble Mug tea house, will serve tea in child-sized tea sets and pastries at tiny tables borrowed from local Montessori classrooms, with a train chugging around to deliver treats. The event is expected to sell out within days.“ It’ s pure, immersive magic,” says producer Nancy Vitale, who has spent months orchestrating logistics for the festival.“ Every event adds another layer to the story, and each one highlights a different part of what makes Brattleboro remarkable.” Over at the Latchis Theatre, a historic cinema, the staff is planning miniature movie-themed windows featuring a
doll-sized popcorn machine. At Retreat Farm, families will participate in the Gingerbread Barn Contest— a nod to their own barns and agricultural roots— while children compete in a Miniature Cookie Contest judged by Tom Bodett.
The culmination of the season will be the Spirit Houses Project, created by Mary McLoughlin in collaboration with HatchSpace and twelve local schools, from Putney Central and Dummerston to Brattleboro Union High School and Hilltop Montessori. Each school has received an identical unfinished wooden dollhouse and been invited to transform it using any materials they choose. The results— twelve entirely distinct creations— will be exhibited at the Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro in a special showcase that runs from December 19-21st.”“ Each house will reflect the soul of the school that made it,” Kahn says.“ It’ s about imagination, teamwork, and letting young people see themselves as artists and builders. It’ s my favorite part of the whole thing.”
Throughout the month, visitors will also stumble upon surprises tucked into unexpected corners: a“ Museum of Tiny and Found Things”, curated by local artist Doran Hamm, will pop up at the Latchis Theatre Gallery, filled with whimsical collections of miniatures, toys, and curiosities; pop-up markets will showcase local artisans selling small works perfect for holiday gifting; and street performers, musicians, and puppeteers will fill the air with laughter and song. Even Brattleboro’ s restaurants will join the theme, serving specialty menus of small bites— mini pancakes, petite croissants, and sin-
RYAN BENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Fine Homebuilding + Construction Management
802.655.0009 RedHouseBuilding. com
VTMAG. COM HOLIDAY 2025 / WINTER 2026 57