The Vermont Symphony Orchestra in performance
Vermont Arts Exchange
Masonic Temple, 504 Main St., Bennington
http://www.vtartxchange.org, 802 442-5549
Ongoing (dates TBD): Basement Music Series. From late fall through April each year, the Basement Music Series (BMS) brings in bands from as far away as Virginia, Cuba, and Tuva, and from the music hub of Brooklyn, N.Y. Offering a huge range of music, from Grammy Award-nominated Omar Sosa to BMS favorite Howard Fishman and the Tuvan throat singers ALASH, BMS grew to twice a month. Audiences flock to this intimate setting to take in good music, and this is what the bands say they love the most about presenting their art here.
Brattleboro Music Center
38 Walnut St., Brattleboro
http://www.bmcvt.org, 802 257-4523
Jan 14-15: Brattleboro Concert Choir: Johannes Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem. Both shows at the Latchis Theater, Brattleboro, 7:30-9:30p. May 20: Brattleboro Concert Choir: On the Breath: New Currents. Time and place TBD.
New England Youth Theater
100 Flat St., Brattleboro
http://www.neyt.org, 802 246-6398
Jan 6-7: All’s Well That Ends Well, alumni fundraiser for Angels in the Wings. Jan 20-22: Grimleys, Brimleys, and the Great British Feud of 1826, presented by Town Schools Theatre Winter Play. Will anything ever bring together the two wealthiest families in all of England? Will the arrival of a powerful Baron Earl heal past wounds? Feb 10-19: Campalot: Knights of the Square Table. An imaginative retelling of the famous tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Learn how ancient Druid magic and the quests for the Secret of the Green Knight and the Holy Grail translate today into fun and laughter. April 7-15: The Hotel Baltimore. The Hotel Baltimore used to be the swankiest place in town—now it’s got a date with the wrecking ball. Eviction notices just went out to its residents, who live on the fringes of society and call the once elegant, now tarnished hotel home. May 5-14: Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. Travel down the rabbit hole and join Alice, one of literature’s most beloved heroines, in her madcap adventures. Featuring updated songs from Disney’s thrilling new animated motion picture, this is a fast-paced retelling of a classic tale.
Next Stage Arts
15 Kimball Hill Rd., Putney
Jan 7: Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez’s concert and dance party, 7:30p, promises to be an all-out rock ’n’ soul event. Ongoing: Check website for upcoming concerts throughout the winter. Next Stage Theater is a newly renovated performing arts facility. We celebrate the diversity of artistic expression by fostering a collaborative environment for audiences, performers, and community-based arts and educational organizations, and we are committed to enhancing the village of Putney as a cultural center.
Stone Church Arts
20 Church St., Bellows Falls
http://www.stonechurcharts.org, 802 463-3100
Jan 15: Festival of Mandolin Chamber Music VIII, 5p. Jan 21: The Page Turners, bluegrass and American roots, 7:30p. Feb 3: Songs of Brighid: Goddess and Saint with James Ruff, harp and vocals, 7:30p. Feb 25: Pianist Virginia Eskin and mandolinist August Watters, 7:30p. March 11: Neptune’s Car, award winning folk duo, 7:30p. April 1: Foggy Mountain Consort, performing music from a wide historical range, 7:30p. May 5: Brother Sun, national touring singer/songwriters, 7:30p.
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Various locations in Vermont
http://www.vso.org, 800 876-9293
Jan 18: David M. Wilson Memorial Farmers’ Night at the Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30p. Winds take center stage for the VSO’s annual musical thank-you to Vermont. Music Director Jaime Laredo leads the orchestra in an arrangement of Rachmaninoff’s popular Vocalise for flute and strings; Mozart’s Concert-Rondo, which features the French horn; and an excerpt from Wolf Ferrari’s Idillio Concertino for solo oboe. Jan 22: Sunday Matinee Series featuring Katherine Winterstein at Rutland’s Paramount Theater, 3p. Praised by critics for performances “as exciting as they are beautiful,” and for “live-wire intensity that is both memorably demonic and delightfully effective,” violinist Katherine Winterstein enjoys a wide range of musical endeavors. March 19: Sunday Matinee Series featuring Joseph Kalichestein, Rutland’s Paramount Theater, 3p. Acclaimed for the heartfelt intensity and technical mastery of his playing, pianist Joseph Kalichstein enthralls audiences worldwide, winning praise as an orchestral soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.
Vermont Jazz Center
72 Cotton Mill Hill, Brattleboro
http://www.vtjazz.org, 802 254-9088
Jan 14: Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah presents Stretch Music. Like Chico Freeman and Adam O’Farrill, Christian Scott is another jazz family scion. Under Harrison’s mentorship, Scott learned the skills needed to master his horn and the jazz language. He also learned how to groove, how to shape a solo, how to arrange, how to develop his voice, and how to move his audience. Feb 11: Christian Sands Trio. Epitomizing the phrase “rising star,” Sands is everyone’s go-to pianist in New York. He performs and records with Alicia Olatuja, Ben Williams, Stefon Harris, Warren Wolf, Jaleel Shaw, the Mack Avenue Super Band, Etienne Charles, and many others. He’s also at home playing old-school stride piano like Fats Waller, stretching out in a post-bop setting like McCoy Tyner, or rearranging a hip-hop anthem by Drake.
Spring Fling Weekend at Bromley Mountain
Base Lodge, Bromley Mountain, Winhall
March 25: A Bromley family’s favorite sun-soaked (or just plain soaked) event is back for another year. Featuring pond skimming, a duct tape derby, live music, and rides from our summer adventure park. Registration for pond skimming and the duct tape derby begin at 9a at base lodge info desk.
Mount Snow Reggaefest
Main Base Area, Mount Snow, West Dover
March 24-26: Bud Light Reggaefest returns to Mount Snow for a weekend of fantastic live music. Featuring great performances at the Snow Barn and a party out in the Base Area. Check out the annual Sink or Skim pond skimming competition on Saturday and the Duct Tape Derby on Sunday.
Vermont Maple Open House Weekend
Various locations throughout Vermont
March 25-26: Visit Vermont sugarhouses and restaurants across the state and watch as maple syrup is made. Join our family tradition and be a part of all the fun. Each sugarhouse offers guests a unique experience. Some hold pancake breakfasts, others offer wagon or sleigh rides, some invite guests to ski or snowshoe through their woods, and others offer authentic, delicious, sugar-on-snow. Check back online for complete information.
Whitingham Maple Festival
Various locations around Whitingham
http://www.Whitingham-maplefest.us
April 2-3: The Maple Festival celebrates an important aspect of Whitingham’s economic and cultural heritage. Eight of our 18 Whitingham sugar makers graciously open their doors and give their time so that residents, visitors, and guests will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the art and science of maple syrup and sugar making—and the historical importance of sugaring to our town. Also, Whitingham, known as the birthplace of Brigham Young, boasts two monuments in town noting Young’s achievements. The town is located between Bennington and Brattleboro, some 25 miles north of Greenfield, Mass.
This self-guided tour allows visitors to tour several sugarhouses throughout the area. Meet the sugarers, see how they run their operations, and sample their syrup hot from the boiler—and let us tell you, nothing tastes better than freshly boiled Vermont maple syrup. The sugarhouses you’ll visit are old and new, so you’ll also get to see a wonderful cross section of sugaring techniques and traditions.
Brattleboro Winter Carnival
Various locations throughout Brattleboro
http://www.brattleborowintercarnival.org
Feb 18-26: Every year, Brattleboro comes together for Winter Carnival. Enjoy music, karaoke, ice fishing derby, a queen’s pageant, pancake breakfast, ice skating show, sleigh rides, petting zoo, and a country-western jamboree. This always makes for a fun party in downtown Brattleboro.
Stowe Winter Carnival
Various locations throughout Stowe
http://www.stowewintercarnival.com
Jan 14-28: Stowe shines with more than 20 major activities for young and old, from zany sports events, ice carving competitions, ski movies, Kids’ Carnival Kaos, a broomball tournament and beer garden event, and the infamous snow golf and snow volleyball tournaments. Tour the town while watching professional ice carvers work elegant and masterful forms throughout the village on demonstration day. Tourists and locals participate in such zany events such as our infamous snow volleyball tournament, snowgolf competition, and our Las Vegas Night Gala.
Bennington Winter Carnival
Various locations in North Bennington
January: The Village of North Bennington is thrilled to invite you to its annual Winterfest and Penguin Plunge. Start your day with a quick dip in the frigid waters of Lake Paran at the Penguin Plunge. (You can opt out of the swim by cheering on the brave souls raising money for the Special Olympics at the Lake Paran Boat Launch.) The Vermont Arts Exchange once again hosts the After Plunge Party at the Sage Street Mill around the corner from Lake Paran. Walk or take a hay ride up to the North Bennington Train Station to cheer on local novices at the annual Ice Sculpture Competition as they work blocks of ice into works of art. Sculpture judging and prizes awarded at 3p. Also at the station, create your own hot chocolate masterpiece benefitting Bennington Dollars for Scholars and enjoy fun and games led by area Girl Scouts.
Grafton Winter Carnival
Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center, Grafton
http://www.graftoninnvermont.com
Feb. 25: Come to the the Fifth Annual Winter Carnival to enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, and ice skating. Last year’s Ice Bar Event was such a success that we’re extending it for 2017. Join us for local libations from 2-7p.
Chester Winter Carnival
Various locations in Chester
February (day TBD): Come to Chester to celebrate winter—snow, rain, or shine—with free family fun. Look for ice carving, a chili cook-off, a tractor parade, beads and balloons, face painting and masks, street performers, restaurants, shops, and gallery specials. Dress warm, dress up, or dress any way you like. It’s a time to wear a silly hat, mask, or costume.
Mardi Gras at Mount Snow
Main Base Area, Mount Snow, West Dover
Feb. 25: Join us as Mount Snow transforms into Bourbon Street. There will be fun Bud Light sponsored après-ski parties going on inside Cuzzins from 11a until close with live music in the afternoon, plus family friendly entertainment at Snow Barn. And what would Mardi Gras be without beads? We will have more than 12,000 to give away in lift lines, lodges, parties and other locations all day. Get out your purple, green, and gold and join Mount Snow and Bud Light for this epic party.
