Vermont Travel Notes

Three types of festivals here in Vermont this weekend: two winter festivals, a music festival, and a distinctive, old time ice harvesting festival. Imagine all that in this one tiny state!

Not just a winter festival, but a Viking Winter Festival! Saturday and Sunday, January 31 and February 1 in Ludlow VT.

Make a snow sculpture and enter in the sculpture contest, watch the parade on Main Street, play in the kids' obstacle course, view fireworks in the town park and enjoy the bonfire and hot chocolate.

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The Bennington Winterfest is Saturday, January 31.

There will be an ice sculpture contest, Penguin Plunge, house tours, dog sled rides, indoor food featuring a chili tasting, and for the kids, face painting, bouncy house, games, prizes, band and some other nonsense. Be sure you see the pet winter fashion contest and bring your own well dressed dog or cat to enter.

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In nearby Brattleboro, the Northern Roots Festival is celebrating its second annual gathering this Saturday.

The festival brings together about two dozen local and regional musicians who specialize in old musical traditions including Irish, Scottish, English and French Canadian.

It will be held at New England Youth Theater, 100 Flat Street, in downtown Brattleboro.

Performances start at 1:30 and go to about 5:00. There is also a 7:30 evening performance.

Northern Roots has a MySpace page you can visit here and listen to some of the music.

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The 30th Annual Brookfield Ice Harvest on Saturday, January 31, recreates ice harvesting as it was done in the days before refrigeration. Back in the old days, large chunks of ice were carved form lakes and ponds to be stored in buildings with thick walls sometimes insulated with hay, wool, newspaper or whatever else was lying around. It provided an efficient way to store food to keep it from spoiling.

There will be a talk, a demonstration, cutting competition, and hauling competition that adults and kids can try (prizes will be awarded). Also, there will be snowshoeing and ice sculpting. Brookfield is famous for its floating bridge.

Thee will also be food, ice skating, and dog sledding. Brookfield is a wonderful little town full of Vermont charm.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn