Springfield Steampunk Festival
Brattleboro Bacon Fest
Fairgrounds in Guilford
http://www.facebook.com/brattleborobaconfest
Sept 17: Enjoy all things bacon! There will be bacon beer, samples from many different vendors, Brattleboro Baconfest, “Bacon, Blues, and Brews,” and brought to you by Classic Hits 92.7 WKVT and the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce. 11a.
River Valley Kids Fair
Brattleboro Common
http://www.windhamchildcare.org
Sept 17: Family-fun events, entertainers, games, bouncy houses, face painting, and more. The professional children’s entertainment slate is set; one of the acts for this year’s circus-themed kids fair is “On Her Majesty’s Secret Circus.” It’s a circus act and comedy show—and altogether one of the hottest acts in the region. 11a-4p.
Vermont Wine & Harvest Festival
West Dover and Wilmington
http://www.thevermontfestival.com
Sept 17: With the event set against Vermont’s world-renowned fall foliage, festival-goers will discover, savor, and enjoy the wares of Vermont vintners, small specialty-food producers, chefs, painters, publishers, cheese makers, potters, jewelers, photographers, and farmers. 10a-5p.
Chester Vermont Fall Festival on the Green
Chester, on the Green
http://www.chesterfallfestival.org
Sept 17-18: At the peak of Vermont’s preeminent fall foliage, the charm and elegance of the Chester Village Green comes to life as it hosts the 40th Annual Fall Craft Festival. The Chester Annual Craft Fair celebrates Vermont’s gifted artisans, Chester’s unique history, Vermont’s matchless beauty and timeless, rural traditions. More than 70 artisans, craftspeople, and tantalizing food purveyors from across New England grace the Green with stories, skills, and exquisite wares. 10a-4p.
Brattleboro Literary Festival
Various locations in Brattleboro
http://www.brattleboroliteraryfestival.org
Oct 13-16: The Brattleboro Literary Festival takes over downtown Brattleboro with more than 70 authors in a series of provocative readings, panel discussions, and special events. Featured authors include Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon Reed; Arun Ghandi, grandson of Mahatma Ghandi; Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Yusef Komunyaaka and Jorie Graham; National Book Award fiction finalists David Means, Bonnie Jo Campbell and Dana Spiotta; NPR “Only a Game” host Bill Littlefield; National Book Critics Circle Award winner Charlotte Gordon; memoirist and fiction author Dani Shapiro; and “Sisters in Crime” author Hank Phillipi Ryan. Gordon Hayward will launch his new book about the Latchis Family on Sat at 10a. He’ll be signing books before and after his one-hour talk in the main theater of the Latchis. Enjoy Greek delicacies and coffee beginning at 9a.
New England Center for Circus Arts Trapezium Celebration
10 Town Crier Dr., Brattleboro
Sept 29: NECCA invites you to the groundbreaking celebration of its new Circus Arts Trapezium. Stop by for lively entertainment for the family, including flying, juggling, music, and food. Bring a shovel and help break ground with others in the community. 5p.
11th Annual ITV Fest
Mount Snow, Dover
Oct 5-9: ITVFest (the Independent Television and Film Festival) is the original public festival and network of the world’s best independent television pilots, web series, and short films. Every year we bring together more than 1,000 filmmakers, actors, writers, directors, producers, financiers, Hollywood executives, and fans to relax and connect in the Vermont mountains. Unlike at big-city festivals, where it can be difficult to interact with the right people, ITVFest in Vermont offers a unique opportunity to meet fellow professionals and make lasting connections toward prosperous careers. ITVFest broke its previous submission record with 466 independently produced television pilots, web series, short films, and documentary films submitted for consideration to the 2016 festival. The previous record was 298 submissions in 2015. Projects were submitted from 35 states and from 23 countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay. Official selections will be announced Aug 1 with 40-50 shows and films expected to be selected.
Fallapalooza
Downtown Bennington
http://www.betterbennington.com
Oct 29: Perfect for kids and families: store-to-store trick-or-treating for gifts and games, 11a-3p. Bennington Farmers’ Market, wagon rides, gift vendors, children’s activities, and live entertainment 11a-4p.
Brattleboro Film Festival
Various locations, Brattleboro
http://www.brattleborofilmfestival.org
Nov 4-13: Brattleboro Film Festival presents films from the United States and around the world that inform, challenge, entertain, and inspire, emphasizing viewpoints and characters often unseen in mainstream media. Partnering with local organizations, BFF produces and promotes special events, spotlighting issues to raise awareness, facilitate dialog, and increase audience diversity through community participation.
Springfield Steampunk Festival
Hartness House Inn, Springfield
http://www.springfieldvtsteampumkfest.com
Sept 23-25: The Springfield Vermont Steampunk Festival started as a Facebook group of like-minded Steampunk fans sharing photos and thoughts. Steampunk takes its inspiration from visionary writers of the Victorian age Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. The fantasy worlds created by these authors, combined with our knowledge of science and technology, drives Steampunk imagination. A futuristic Victorian Age where high technology is powered by steam and gears, not electricity.
32nd Townshend Pumpkin Festival
Townshend, on the Common
http://www.townshenvermont.org
Oct 15: The Pumpkin Festival is a country fair with a craft show, pumpkin decorating contest, Halloween costume parade, best pumpkin pie contest, food vendors, and free pony rides for kids during Vermont’s foliage season. Buy pumpkin pie whole or by the piece.
Manchester Pumpkin Festival
Equinox Valley Nursery, Manchester
http://www.visitmanchestervt.com
Oct 15: This year’s festival includes perennial favorites wagon rides, crazy corn maze, bouncy house, kids’ crafts, pumpkin painting, scarecrow stuffing, cider donut eating contest, and other fun-filled activities. Highlights of the day include the costume parade and contest at 1p and the Witches of the Northshire, who will gather for a photo around the bubbling cauldron at 1:30p. Come in costume to join the fun.
Gilfeather Turnip Festival
Town Hall and The Big Tent, Main Street, Wardsboro
http://www.friendsofwardsborolibrary.org
Oct 22: America’s best turnip culinary event! Join the town for Gilfeather turnip soup and turnip recipe tastings at the Turnip Café, an outdoor soup kiosk, the farmers’ market, many new craft and specialty artisan food vendors, 1,000-plus pounds of turnips, turnip seeds, turnip cookbooks, festival T-shirts, turnip-themed gifts, live music, and other entertainment. 10a-3p.
Newfane Heritage Festival
Newfane, on the Common
http://www.newfaneheritagefestival.blogspot.com
Oct 8-9: Tents will blossom on the Newfane Common as Historic Newfane Village hosts another Heritage Festival, celebrating community, crafts, food and entertainment. Visitors return each year for this signature event in southeastern Vermont. Hundreds of people from all over New England and beyond will gather for a quintessential Vermont experience during the beautiful fall foliage season. More than 90 juried craftspeople will display their work in the tents set up in front of the Windham County Courthouse in the center of Newfane Village, a National Historic Landmark. Amid the autumn leaves, people will display and sell quilts, ironwork, pottery, furniture, photographs, jewelry, clothing, and specialty foods. Along the side of Union Hall, non-profit organizations will sponsor activities for children, such as beanbag tosses and face painting. Proceeds from the Festival go to the Newfane Congregational Church, the Festival sponsor and an integral part of the Newfane community. 10a-4p.
Honora Winery Grape Stomp
Honora Winery, Jacksonville
http://www.honoragrapestomp.com
Oct 8: Bring the kids and enjoy the harvest feeling. Demonstrations and sales from local farmers, craft makers, artisans, and food vendors; banjo and washboard music; crisp fall air and amazing views of southern Vermont from the vineyards of Honora Winery. Sip wine created at our boutique right on the property. Live music both days. 12-5p.
Stratton Columbus Day Weekend
Stratton Resort
Oct 8-10: It’s the time of year when our beautiful Green Mountains transform into a symphony of fiery reds and vibrant orange and yellows. Take in the beauty from southern Vermont’s highest peak. Fill your Columbus Day weekend with games, live music, food, and friends at Stratton, which will be buzzing with plenty to do and see.
Oktoberfest
Mount Snow, West Dover
Oct 8-9: Like most German-themed Oktoberfest events, the 18th Annual Mount Snow Oktoberfest will have plenty of beer, schnitzel and Oom-pah music, but throw in kids’ games, pumpkin painting, an apple slingshot and our famous schnitzel toss and you’ve got two days of fun for the whole family.
Heirloom Apple Tasting Day
Scott Farm, Dummerston
http://www.scottfarmvermont.com
Oct 9: Each October during Columbus Day weekend we open our packing barn at Scott Farm for an heirloom apple tasting celebration. Orchard manager Ezekiel Goodband offers all a taste of a select group of apples while sharing apple lore: What was Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple? Who was Mr. Greening and what was his claim to fame? Visit us on Apple Tasting Day and buy mixed bags of heirloom apples or many of a single kind for eating out of hand, sauces, pies, or tarte Tatin. 10a, 12p, 2p.
Dummerston Apple Pie Fest
Dummerston Center Congregational Church
Oct 9: For 40-plus 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 1,500 apple pies are made by many church members and friends and proudly served with Vermont cheese and hand-churned ice cream. A farmer’s breakfast, grilled lunch, tag sale, and craft fair make the festival a whole day event. Folks from all over the Northeast travel by motorcycle and automobile to take part in the festivities.
