Vermont Travel Notes

Ben & Jerry's Homemade has a winter festival every year but this year is a little special because the company is celebrating its 30th birthday.

On Saturday, March 1, from 11:00 to 4:00, there will be free tours at the Waterbury VT manufacturing plant, plus games, snow sculpting, cake, music, food, snowshoeing, and other fun stuff - there may be a small fee for some of those.

When you are there, they will give you a small pin to put on your shirt or jacket. Show that pin to some of the many businesses in Waterbury to get a discount. Some restaurants, gift stores, an antique store, and even the local pharmacy are participating.

Who knows, maybe Ben and/or Jerry will show up. They both still live in the area and stop by from time to time even though they are retired from full time work now.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Jay Peak's Mardis Gras is taking place this week with ski races, Louisiana style dinners, and music performances. I guess this is as far north from New Orleans as you can get in the USA to celebrate Maris Gras.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor

Photo by Robert Eddy FirstLightStudios.net

Green Mountain Hooked Rugs in Montpelier offers classes several times a year but they have one big school event that takes place every summer. The school was founded in 1981 by the mother of the current owner and classes have been offered every year since then.

This year's 27th Annual Hooked Rug School will be held June 6–15, 2008. There will be one five-day and two weekend sessions with a total of 23 classes. Class size is limited to about a dozen students so now is the time to look over the course outline and decide whether to attend.

From the Green Mountain Hooked Rugs web site: "Classes range from beginning hooking, dyeing, fine hooking tapestry to primitives and wide-cuts, pictorials, folk art, punch needle, penny rugs, braiding and more. Students select one class per session.

"Teachers hail from all over the United States and Canada. Rug exhibits and a well-stocked rug shop are open daily. "

Green Mountain Hooked Rugs has a shop that is open year around at 2838 County Road, Montpelier VT.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

The highlight of the Burlington VT Mardis Gras weekend is the big parade with dozens of floats tossing over thousands of beads, Louisiana Moon Pies, and Lake Champlain Chocolates. The parade attracts a large but fun and easy going crowd.

Get into place about 2:00 to 2:45 in the afternoon. The parade runs on Burlington's Main Street and Church Street.

Magic Hat Brewery is the sponsor of the event. On their website, they offer this advice for where to watch the parade:

"2:45 pm- Line up on Main Street between South Winooski and Church Street and Church Street between Main and Cherry and spread out!!!

"3:00 pm- Catch beads, Moon Pies, Lake Champlain Chocolates, and more as the event parades down Church Street

"Families with children 7 and under can watch from the Little Jambalaya Zone on the courthouse side of Main Street"

The Magic Hat Block Party takes place after the parade featuring bands and a comedy show performing at several venues around town.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

The Today Show will be broadcasting from the Timbers restaurant at Sugarbush Ski Resort on Thursday, February 21. This is the first time that all the on-air team from the Today Show has traveled to a location for a live broadcast. The very next day, the same team will broadcast live from Miami FL.

Coincidentally, on the same day The Learning Channel will be in Waitsfield and other Mad River Valley locations to film a thirty minute segment of their Destination Weddings & Honeymoons program. This special is scheduled to be broadcast nationally in April on both The Learning Channel and Women's Entertainment network. After the initial April airing, cable affiliates can broadcast it in their markets.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

The 2008 edition of the Stowe Winter Carnival will be held Jan 18 - 26. This is one of the biggest winter events in Vermont and New England with ten major activities including ice carving, movies, children's carnival, and a large village block party.

Tourists are invited to join the locals in fun events like the snow volleyball tournament, Super G ski race, snow golf tournament, costume contest, music and dancing, church supper, and general merriment at the local bars, nightclubs, and restaurants. Click here for the events calendar. Better descriptions are available on the Stowe Area Association calendar.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn