Fourth of July in Southern Vermont

Southern Vermont’s cool clear mountains and lakes are the backdrop for a traditional July fourth holiday weekend. The Mount Snow Valley is chock full of events for visitors.

Friday, July 4 - 59th Annual Wardsboro Parade & Street Fair - Vermont's Oldest Continually Held Parade happens again at 10am followed by a street fair. The oldest street fair & parade in the state complete with bands, floats, clowns, antique cars, fire trucks & tractors 9 - 10 a.m., Auction at 1:30. Game booths, lots of homemade strawberry shortcake, baked goods, chicken barbecue, arts and crafts and an antique quilt show 9 - 5 p.m.. FREE Admission Sponsored by the Wardsboro Churches and the Friends of the Wardsboro Library. Rt. 100 North, Wardsboro, VT 802-896-6405.

Friday, July 4, 2008: Pre-Fireworks Wagon Ride and Ice Cream Social
Get in the old-time spirit of Independence Day and take an authentic wagon ride through the gently sloping terrain of the local hillside farm to enjoy the views, the ambiance and indulge yourself with sumptuous homemade Vermont ice cream at the conclusion of the journey. There will be plenty of time to make it to the traditional fireworks display in downtown Wilmington. Rides depart at 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm; reservations required. Adams Farm, Wilmington, Vermont. 802-464-3762 or adamsfamilyfarm.com.

Friday, July 4, 2008 The 31st Annual Independence Day at Baker Field Party and Fireworks, The party starts at 6 p.m. at Baker Field in Wilmington with live entertainment by Jim Flynn, Inflatable Fun, food and vendors. A spectacular fireworks display follows at 9 p.m. Fireworks sponsored by the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce and paid for by the taxpayers of Wilmington and Dover. Rain date Saturday July 5th. 802-464-8092. Free Entry, Free parking at MOOver park and ride locations Deerfield Valley Supply Route 9 West and Howe Field Route 100 North. Busses start at 5 pm for more info and weather updates check www.VisitVermont.com

Saturday, July 5th 2008 “Master Gardeners Share All!”
Master Gardeners Mari-Lou Rich & Christina Clough answer your gardening questions! Join them in the shade garden for an informal chat about your gardens. Bring your plant questions! Bring photos and sketches of existing gardens and gardens yet to be! Let their wisdom of gardening in Vermont guide you! 11-12:00 pm The Boyd Family Farm http://www.boydfamilyfarm.com/ 802-464-5618

Saturday, July 5th 2008 The Historical Society of Wilmington guided walking tour of the village area Saturday July 5th continues every Saturday at 12 pm through Labor Day, September 1. The historical society's tours offer locals and visitors a chance to ask questions of guides who are well-versed in the area's colorful history. Tour groups will meet at the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce, and each tour is slated to last an hour. Tickets for the tours, for a suggested donation of $3 for adults (kids are free), will be available at the chamber of commerce office.

Saturday, July 5th 2008 A TRIBUTE to the ROLLING STONES!
The BLUSHING BRIDES, featuring MAURICE RAYMOND, the original and best Mick Jagger tribute artist, perform in a nostalgic spectacle with all the dynamic energy, vigor and intensity of the originals. 8:00 p.m. A presentation of Memorial Hall Center for the Arts at The Grand Ballroom, The Grand Summit Hotel, Mount Snow, Vermont. www.memhall.org. For ticket reservations and further information please call the box office at 802-464-8411.

Pennsylvania Youth Chorale to perfrom Vermont benefit concernt

Wilmington – The Deerfield Valley Rotary Club in conjunction with the Snow Goose Inn will sponsor a free concert at Memorial Hall in Wilmington, VT on Saturday, June 28 at 8 pm.

Performing will be the Pennsylvania Youth Chorale, a community children’s choir based Pennsylvania for boys and girls ages seven to fifteen. They have performed in 25 states, Europe and even in Carnegie Hall. Founded in 1977 by Artistic director Eileen Finley, the choir is an educational and civic instructional arts program for children emphasizing musicianship training and vocal study for the cultural enrichment of its members and the community.

Donations will be accepted and sent to aid earthquake victims in China through ShelterBox Trust. ShelterBox is a registered UK charity that provides emergency aid for disaster victims all over the world. Each box contains shelter, bedding and water purification for ten people. ShelterBox was set up by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in 2001 and has helped an estimated 500,000 people in more than 40 countries: www.shelterbox.org.

For more information please contact Cyndee at the Snow Goose Inn at 464-3984. The Deerfield Valley Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at the Matterhorn in West Dover at 8 am. Those interested in becoming a member can contact a Deerfield Valley Rotarian or Ken Lady at 464-5108.

Vermont's Governor signs new wine festival bill

Wilmington, VT – Vermont wineries and organizers of the Vermont Life Wine & Harvest Festival were in a celebratory mood last week when Vermont’s Governor Jim Douglas signed into law new legislation beneficial to Vermont wineries and the festival. Vermont Life publisher Tom Kelly, Commissioner Bruce Hyde from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing and area legislators joined businesses and residents from the Mount Snow area at the historic White House of Wilmington for the signing.

“It’s a real pleasure to be here today in support of both Vermont agriculture and Vermont wine makers,” Douglas said prior to the signing.

The bill, H.700, was sponsored by Representatives John Moran and Ann Manwaring during the 2008 Vermont legislative session and allows Vermont wineries the ability to sell bottles of wine at festivals Previous Vermont liquor legislation allowed only for sales of glasses of wine, and festival organizer Laura Sibilia of the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce says the new law will be a boon both for Vermont wineries and for visitors to this falls Vermont Life Wine & Harvest Festival.

“This is really an exciting opportunity for Vermont’s burgeoning wine makers,” she said, adding “the one stop shopping at the festival will give visitors an opportunity to sample, purchase, and learn about the majority of Vermont’s growing wineries.”

The Vermont Life Wine & Harvest Festival will take place in Southern Vermont’s Mount Snow Valley September 26-28 in 2008, and in addition to showcasing Vermont wines, will highlight the large number of quality small specialty food producers in the state. Vermont artisans of all types will round out this uniquely Vermont festival, which will include headline entertainment from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s brass trio Fanfare, and an education segment from the Vermont Grape and Wine Council

"The passage of the wine bill only makes it better. Expectations for the first annual Vermont Life Wine & Harvest Festival are even higher. For us, the event is a natural, Vermont Life readers are self described foodies”noted Tom Kelly, Vermont Life Publisher. “Working together with the talented and energetic folks at the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce is a pleasure. Because of their efforts, the event planning is well in hand. We feel we can add a lot to the event. Vermont Life magazine has credibility and media reach in Vermont and the region. Culinary topics and enjoying the good life are a major interest of Vermont Life readers. Our readership is passionate about Vermont.”

Vermont Agriculture officials say wine is another example of how Vermont farmers are diversifying to find new markets. Vermont wineries have focused on using cold-hardy French hybrid grapes, but have also been experimenting with some other varieties. Honey, apples, pears, blueberries, and maple are also increasingly being used in Vermont wines.

For more information on The Vermont Grape and Wine Council contact President Dave Boyden of Boyden Valley Winery & Farm 70 Vermont Route 104 Cambridge, Vermont 05444 Email: info@boydenvalley.com Telephone: (802) 644-8151 Fax: (802) 644-8212

For more information on The Vermont Wine & Harvest Festival or visiting Vermont this fall contact: The Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce PO Box 3 Wilmington, VT 05363 Email: info@VisitVermont.com Telephone (802)464-8092 Fax: (802) 464-0287

Vermonsters Appear Around the Valley

The Vermonsters of the Deerfield Valley are now on display around the valley waiting to be discovered by locals and tourists. The sculptures are made of diverse materials from wood to metals and of subjects including animals, people and mythical figures.
Deerfield Treebeard, a whimsical tree being with a long Spanish moss beard created by Jesse Morgan, is located at the Grand Summit Resort at Mount Snow.
Driving by Chittenden bank in Wilmington you may notice a giant black fly made of copper, brass and steels titled ‘Ms. Vermont Black Fly’ created by Ron Karpius.
Locations of all twenty five unique Vermonsters as well as over forty Baby Vermonsters, can be found on the Vermonster Locator Map which can be picked up at the Chamber of Commerce and at many businesses around the valley.
Information on the Vermonster project can be found at www.Vermonsters.org.

Fireworks and Festivities in the Deerfield Valley

Wilmington, VT - Baker Field at Twin Valley High School is the site of the 31st annual July Fourth Fireworks, entertainment and festivities, happening Friday July 4th 2008. Beginning at dusk, spectators and residents make their way to Bakers Field to enjoy live music, children’s inflatable fun, and a wide array of local food offerings, delectable desserts, ice cold concoctions and a carefree summer night picnic atmosphere. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and grab your friends and family for a night of good old fashioned fun!
Attendees are strongly encouraged to use the Deerfield Valley Transit Authority’s free MOOver busses to avoid the traffic to and from the event. Park and ride spots are at Howe Farm on route 100 North and Deerfield Valley Supply on route 9 west; the MOOver busses begin pickup at 5:00 pm and return to park and ride locations immediately following the fireworks.
The Deerfield Valley fireworks are sponsored by the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce and funded by the taxpayers of Wilmington and Dover. Rain date is Saturday July 5th; current info and vendor information can be found at http://www.visitvermont.com/ or by calling 1-802-464-8092.