Wilmington Works is a nonprofit community organization established in 2013 following the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene, operating at 17 W Main St in downtown Wilmington, Vermont, with contact at wilmingtonworks@gmail.com or (802) 234-1433. Born from crisis recovery efforts, this Vermont community organization now focuses on downtown revitalization through the Vermont Downtown Program's Main Street Four Point Approach, making Wilmington one of only 23 towns in Vermont with this prestigious downtown designation that provides access to state grants and tax credits. With 12 years in operation, Wilmington Works hosts FREE community events year-round including the popular Fairy Village Stroll each August, the Blueberry Block Party featuring live music and pie-eating contests as part of the 17th annual Deerfield Valley Blueberry Festival, and the innovative "Wilmington Wags" dog-friendly downtown initiative with waste stations sponsored by local businesses. The organization maintains an active social media presence with 2,702 Facebook likes and 90% recommendation rating from 3 reviews, plus 1,478 Instagram followers tracking Vermont downtown events and activities. What makes this a unique Vermont experience is the authentic grassroots community engagement where visitors can participate in genuinely local (not tourist-trap) festivals, explore the historic downtown with 270+ years of architectural heritage spanning Colonial to Queen Anne styles, and experience Vermont's volunteer spirit firsthand at events welcoming families, new residents, and anyone seeking things to do in Wilmington Vermont. The organization also administers business development loans up to $20,000, façade grants for historic building restoration, and secured major funding including a $25,000 Downtown Vibrancy Fund grant and $4,000 AARP Winter Placemaking Grant, demonstrating strong institutional support for this Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley community hub located at the junction of Routes 9 and 100, just 2.5 hours from Boston.
Founded in 1951 by European refugees fleeing Nazi persecution—including legendary pianist Rudolf Serkin and violinist Adolf Busch—the Marlboro Music Festival has become America's most prestigious Vermont classical music festival, famously described by The New Yorker as "the classical world's most coveted retreat." This legendary summer music festival in Vermont runs for seven weeks each year on the scenic Potash Hill campus, with weekend public concerts in the intimate Persons Auditorium from mid-July to mid-August (2025 season: July 19–August 17). Tickets for Marlboro Vermont concerts are remarkably accessible at $20, $30, and $40 by section, and visitors can attend free open rehearsals throughout the week to observe world-class chamber music Vermont artists at work. The chamber music Vermont festival has nurtured over 3,000 musicians since its founding, including legendary performers like Pablo Casals, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, and Hillary Hahn, while ensembles like the Guarneri String Quartet formed here in 1964. Under the artistic direction of renowned pianists Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss, approximately 75 international musicians from 14+ countries gather each summer to explore over 250 instrumental and vocal works. What makes this summer music festival Vermont unique is its philosophy: there are no teachers or students—only "senior artists" and "participating artists"—and no performance deadlines, allowing works to mature organically until deemed ready. TripAdvisor reviewers consistently praise the Marlboro Music Festival for "sublime performances" and call it the "finest chamber music anywhere," with The Washington Post noting its "jaw-dropping virtuosity" and "sheer vitality." The festival's influence extends nationwide through Musicians From Marlboro tours, bringing Vermont chamber music excellence to concert venues across America for over 60 years. Located in southeastern Vermont near Brattleboro, this venue is wheelchair accessible, hearing-loop equipped, and offers a relaxed atmosphere where picnics on the lawn and casual dress are welcome—a quintessential Vermont classical music experience.
The Bondville Fair in Winhall, Vermont is the oldest continuously running agricultural fair in the state, having delighted families with traditional country entertainment since 1797—making 2025 its remarkable 228th consecutive year. Known affectionately as "The Biggest Little Fair in Vermont," this beloved Vermont country fair takes place annually in late August (2025 dates: August 22–24) and offers three full days of unlimited amusement rides, live music performances, and authentic agricultural competitions all included with a single admission price. With a strong 4.4-star rating from 30 reviewers, visitors consistently praise it as a "great small town fair" that captures authentic Vermont charm. Admission prices offer exceptional value for families: Seniors and Veterans pay just $5 all weekend, Friday admission is $5 before 5pm ($15 after), Saturday is $15, and Sunday is $10—all including free parking, unlimited rides on the Ferris wheel and merry-go-round, plus access to all entertainment. Run entirely by the volunteer Winhall Industrial Society nonprofit organization, this authentic agricultural fair Vermont experience features classic attractions including horse and ox pulling contests, 4x4 truck pulls, antique tractor displays, and the popular Pee Wee Pedal Power Pull for children under age 9. Visitors can explore the Ailene Capen Floral Hall showcasing garden produce and cooking competitions, plus the Elizabeth Crichton Crafts-Quilt Hall featuring one of the region's largest quilt exhibitions with handcrafted pieces taking decades to complete. The fair's rich history dates to when Winhall received its 1791 state charter authorizing two annual fairs; the event has operated from its current picturesque fairgrounds since the 1920s. Beyond the annual fair weekend, the Bondville Fairgrounds hosts a popular Summer Concert Series and supports the local community through scholarships and donations to Grace Cottage Hospital and local fire departments.
Bounce Above The Rest Inflatables is Brattleboro, Vermont's go-to bounce house and inflatable rental company, covering the tri-state region of Vermont, New Hampshire (including the Keene area), and Massachusetts for birthdays, community events, and celebrations of all kinds. Owner Mark and his team have been operating since at least 2022 from their Brattleboro base and have quickly become southern Vermont's top source for bounce house rentals Brattleboro VT, with a service area stretching from Bennington to Bellows Falls and into Keene, NH and Greenfield, MA. Pricing is straightforward: bounce houses start at $200, 5-in-1 and 7-in-1 combo units go for $300, 40-foot obstacle courses are $400, and 18-foot double slides run $400. All single-day rentals with overnight and multi-day options available. They also rent dunk tanks ($250), interactive sports games like the Fieldhouse 6 Sports Inflatable ($400), and party essentials including popcorn machines ($65 to $75), snow cone machines ($75), cotton candy machines, 20x20 frame tents ($300), folding chairs ($2 to $2.50 each), and generators ($85). Customer testimonials are genuinely enthusiastic. Parents praise the pristine, like-new equipment and punctual setup/teardown, while summer camp coordinators have said kids absolutely loved the inflatables and called the whole experience phenomenal. All inflatables are rigorously cleaned, sanitized, and inspected before each rental, with professional delivery, setup, and takedown included. The company guarantees satisfaction with a focus on safety. Watched them set up at a neighborhood party once and they had everything inflated and staked down in maybe 20 minutes, no drama at all. Bounce Above The Rest has shown strong community involvement too, providing inflatables for Brattleboro's National Night Out 2024, the New England Street Food Festival 2023, and Super Fun Bike Day April 2025 through the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department. Contact them at (802) 490-4877 or email bounceabovetherest802@gmail.com to book inflatable party rentals, bounce house rentals southern Vermont, or obstacle course rentals for your next Brattleboro, Wilmington, Bennington, or Keene area event.
Founded in 2010, Next Stage Arts lives inside a beautifully restored 1841 historic church (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) in the heart of Putney village, and the acoustics in there are genuinely special for a 200-seat venue. Following a $1.8 million renovation completed in 2016, backed by ArtPlace America and the National Endowment for the Arts, the place earned a Preservation Trust of Vermont Honor Award for keeping 19th-century architectural details while adding proper sound systems and making everything fully accessible. They put on over 100 events annually... an eclectic mix of live music, theater, dance, film, spoken word, comedy, and puppetry drawing audiences from throughout Windham County. The Putney Vermont live music scene pretty much centers here, especially through the Twilight Music series (now in its 22nd season) showcasing folk, bluegrass, Celtic, and acoustic performances by nationally touring artists alongside regional talent. The Bandwagon Summer Series enters its 6th year in 2025, transforming fields, farms, and parks across Southern Vermont into outdoor concert venues with 14-20 performances from May through September. Ticket prices stay reasonable: outdoor Bandwagon shows run $20-25 advance, $25 at the gate, and kids under 12 get in free. Plus they distribute complimentary series passes to area libraries and social service organizations, which honestly more venues should copy. Beyond performances, this Vermont cultural hub hosts monthly community suppers, cooking classes in its commercial-grade kitchen, rotating art gallery exhibitions, storytelling nights, and educational residencies connecting visiting artists with local schools. Notable performers have included Bread & Puppet Theater, Wild Goose Players presenting Sondheim musicals, and acclaimed folk artists. It's the kind of place that actually lives its mission of bringing community together through the arts.
The Manchester Music Festival (MMF) is a distinguished 51-year-old chamber music festival founded in 1974 by violinist Carroll Glenn and pianist Eugene List, celebrating its golden anniversary in 2024 and operating from 42 Dillingham Avenue in Manchester, VT 05254, with performances at the intimate 400-seat Arkell Pavilion at Southern Vermont Arts Center. Under the artistic direction of Philip Setzer (founding member of the nine-time Grammy Award-winning Emerson String Quartet since 2024), this Vermont music festival presents world-class chamber music concerts throughout July and August each summer, with single ticket prices ranging from $25-75 and youth tickets available for just $15 (ages 18 and younger), making it an affordable Vermont summer cultural attraction. The festival operates year-round as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, featuring five distinct series including Thursday Nights mainstage concerts, Young Artists performances, Discovery educational programs, Family concerts, and Special Events with masterclasses and open rehearsals for classical music education Vermont. MMF's crown jewel is the fully-funded Young Artists Program, offering 10 exceptional musicians (ages 18-26) a five-week intensive chamber music immersion with full scholarships, free accommodations, $100 weekly stipends, and mentorship from established artists like Metropolitan Opera soprano Christine Goerke and New York Philharmonic Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill. The 2025 season (July 10 - August 7) explores the theme "Music & Storytelling" with featured works including Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata, Schubert's "Trout" Quintet, and a fully staged production of Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Tale" at this Manchester VT concert venue. Reviews consistently praise MMF as a "beacon for classical music enthusiasts for half a century" and "cultural cornerstone of Southern Vermont," with the Rutland Herald highlighting "excellent performances" and "particularly lyrical and expressive playing" at recent concerts. Contact the festival at (802) 362-1956 or office@mmfvt.org for tickets to this beloved Vermont chamber music festival that successfully combines artistic excellence with Vermont hospitality in the scenic Green Mountains, drawing music lovers seeking Vermont classical music events, Manchester Vermont attractions, and summer festivals Vermont has to offer.
The Southern Vermont Art & Craft Festival, held annually in Manchester Center since 1978, is one of Vermont's longest-running juried art shows featuring over 125 talented artists and artisans selling handmade creations in a stunning outdoor setting between the Taconic and Green Mountain ranges. This premier Manchester Vermont art festival takes place at the scenic Riley Rink Events Field at Hunter Park—a 35-acre venue with manicured lawns providing a picturesque backdrop for Vermont craft fair shopping. Produced by Craftproducers—a company with over 40 years of experience organizing juried art shows across the Northeast—this three-day event typically runs Friday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm. As a celebrated Vermont artisan market, the festival showcases diverse handmade crafts Vermont visitors love, including pottery, fine jewelry, leather goods, glass work, metal art, original paintings, clothing, and unique Vermont specialty foods and spirits. Admission is affordably priced at $10 per day or $12 for a weekend pass, with children 14 and under admitted free and parking included. The festival enhances the experience with live music performances throughout all three days in a heated dining tent, complemented by diverse culinary offerings including brick-oven pizza, artisan falafel, fresh-cut fries, and Vermont craft beers on tap. Visitors to this Southern Vermont artisan market can watch live craft demonstrations featuring master artisans working with glass, clay, wood, and jewelry design—offering an educational glimpse into traditional and contemporary handmade crafts. Exhibitors travel from throughout New England and the broader Northeast, with artisans from Maine to Pennsylvania displaying their work in individual pop-up tent boutiques. Note for 2025: The traditional September show has been cancelled; however, a replacement "Labor Day Weekend Craft Fair" is scheduled for August 30–31, 2025 at the Northshire Civic Center—check the website for updates.
Northshire Civic Center – Riley Rink at Hunter Park18 mi
Opened in 1997 as a gift from community members with some serious foresight, the Northshire Civic Center (Riley Rink at Hunter Park) is Southern Vermont's largest civic facility and home to the region's only Olympic-sized indoor ice skating rink, sitting on 35 scenic acres in Manchester Center's Green Mountain foothills. The main building covers 22,000 square feet (35,000 sq ft total), and public skating sessions run from mid-October through early March with skate rentals available and the cozy Paul Schimpt Warming Room overlooking the ice surface. I'll admit the hot chocolate in there hits different after an hour of wobbly skating. Families visiting this Manchester Vermont ice skating spot can grab Dollar Skate events for just $1 for kids 13 and under, and private ice rental goes for $99/hour. The Northshire Skating Academy offers figure skating lessons in Vermont and learn-to-skate programs for beginners ages 3 through adult, with sessions on Wednesday afternoons and Sunday mornings throughout winter. Hockey folks will appreciate that Riley Rink is home to the Northshire Hockey Association's NHA Bulldogs, Burr and Burton Academy High School hockey teams, and adult recreational leagues including stick and puck sessions and drop-in hockey games. That said, it's not just an ice facility. Each spring it transforms into an indoor turf arena for youth lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, and baseball leagues, making it genuinely year-round. Theatre-style seating holds over 1,800 people for major events including Vermont Symphony Orchestra concerts, the Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival, and the Dead of Summer Music Festival (which draws 3,000+ attendees with camping available). The nonprofit center also features a Trackman Golf Simulator, disc golf course, outdoor roller rink, and 14 acres of manicured gardens perfect for weddings ($2k-$5k including 12 hours). Annual memberships offer unlimited public skating and stick & puck access, so contact the facility for current rates and schedules.
Gamers Grotto is a beloved Bennington Vermont gaming store and community hub located at 457 Main St, Bennington, VT 05201 (contact@gamersgrotto.com, 802-447-0091), founded in 2006 by lifelong Bennington resident Keith Carey, bringing 19 years of dedicated service as a Vermont board game shop, tabletop gaming sanctuary, and retro video game store serving a 30-mile tri-state radius. This Bennington game store maintains an exceptional 4.5-star rating from 215 Chamber of Commerce reviewers and 90% recommend rating from 212 Facebook reviews, with customers consistently praising Keith's "integrity, kindness, and dedication," the "patient and friendly staff who remember regular customers," and the store's role as a "fantastic community for gamers and nerds of all kinds" where families feel genuinely welcomed. The comprehensive Vermont gaming inventory includes Magic: The Gathering (cornerstone product with TCGplayer Direct Gold Star certification and 10,000+ sales), Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, specialty board games (Settlers of Catan, Pandemic, Zombicide, Munchkin), Warhammer 40K miniatures with painting supplies, Dungeons & Dragons books, retro and current video games (new and used), and $3 DVD rentals. Gaming at this Bennington tabletop gaming venue costs just $1 per person for all-afternoon play, with first-time players trying demo games at NO COST, TV/console rental available by the hour, birthday party space rental, and $20 Magic: The Gathering tournament entry with prize structures offering 6-24 booster packs and invitations to Regional Pro Tour Qualifiers for top finishers. Regular Vermont gaming events include Friday Night Magic drafts, Commander sessions, D&D leagues for beginners, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! tournaments, Warhammer 40K competitions, board game nights (2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 6pm-close), summer gaming camps teaching miniatures building and painting, youth leagues for under-17 gamers, and special midnight releases for popular titles. Open seven days a week with extended weekend hours (Monday-Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday 11am-8pm, Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11am-7pm), this downtown Bennington VT attraction offers street and rear parking, bike parking, free WiFi, comfortable gaming space with networked TV screens, trade-ins on video games, and maintains a safe, actively-monitored environment where Keith personally ensures youth feel welcomed and families build lasting gaming traditions. As one customer eloquently shared: "I was going to buy D&D books on Amazon, but there's no way I'll get them anywhere other than the Grotto now" after experiencing the staff's patience helping his kids pick out 50¢ Magic cards, perfectly capturing why this Vermont game store rivals online retailers while supporting Bennington's local gaming community.
Green Mountain Firearms Training LLC is a Vermont firearms training business located at 7323 US-7, Pownal, VT 05261 (Gmft802@gmail.com) in Vermont's southwesternmost town, established in March 2023 and operated by lead instructor Christopher J. Majka, who holds triple certification as a firearms instructor through the Vermont Secretary of State Office of Professional Regulation, Sig Sauer Academy, and the NRA (National Rifle Association). This Pownal shooting instruction facility offers a comprehensive progressive training system from absolute beginner to professional qualification, including One Basic, Two Basic, and Three Basic courses for newcomers and skill refreshers (low-stress, slow-moving, covering firearm safety, use, cleaning, and storage with 200-300 rounds required), an Advanced Course with moderate stress and faster pacing for increasing accuracy and decreasing shot split times, and specialized Vermont 16-Hour Initial PI/Security Qualification and 8-Hour PI/Security Re-qualification courses for professionals seeking Vermont armed security licensing (requiring 250 frangible rounds, duty pistol, 3 magazines, holster, and duty belt). Course pricing is clearly structured with basic courses listed at $150 per day, advanced courses at $200 per day, and PI/security qualification days at $250, plus military discounts, NRA member discounts, and youth discounts for ages 12-17 when accompanied by guardians taking the same Vermont gun safety course. The Vermont CCW permit training philosophy emphasizes "supporting 2A by providing necessary knowledge and verifying necessary ability to demonstrate safe firearm practices at all levels," with equipment requirements including mandatory hearing protection (electronic noise-canceling earmuffs preferred), eye protection, hydration sources, pistol cleaning kits, and pen/notepad for classroom portions. This Vermont concealed carry training provider welcomes all experience levels from those who have "never shot a firearm before" or "just bought a new firearm with little to no experience" to licensed professionals needing Vermont firearms instructor certification for career advancement, with flexible scheduling allowing students to request custom training dates via online registration forms when scheduled dates don't work. Green Mountain Firearms Training represents a unique Vermont experience by connecting visitors to Vermont's constitutional carry heritage and Second Amendment culture through family-friendly instruction (minors 12-17 welcome with guardians), small-class personalized attention on historic US Route 7 near the Massachusetts border, and the opportunity to learn Vermont shooting lessons and marksmanship fundamentals from a state-licensed, multi-certified instructor in rural southwestern Vermont's Bennington County. The courses progress from foundational basic firearms safety Vermont training through high-stress scenario training for professionals, with frangible ammunition preferred for all Vermont firearms courses and auto-loaders recommended for practical skill development in this Southern Vermont shooting instruction facility serving the broader region including Bennington area firearms training needs.
