Vermont Travel Notes

Photo courtesy of Champlain Valley Fair and Exposition

The 85th Annual Champlain Valley Fair & Exposition is underway and continues through September 3 in Essex Junction, a suburb of Burlington in northern VT. "This is Vermont's largest fair and biggest annual event, with an outstanding variety of free entertainment, agricultural and educational exhibits and competitions, Vermont's largest fair craft show, a 35-ride midway, 200+ commercial exhibits, major grandstand shows, antique tractor pulls, ox and horse pulling . . ." On site camping available.

The Vermont State Fair will be held in the central VT town of Rutland August 31 through September 9. "Midway rides, food booths, demo derby, farm museum, carnival, ethnic foods, maple sugar house, commercial exhibits, agricultural exhibits, antique tractor pulls, kiddie rides, crafts, live entertainment, ox and horse pulling, and music."

The Philadelphia II Replica 1776 Gunboat

During the American Revolutionary War, Lake Champlain was the scene of much activity with the British moving soldiers and supplies southward from Canada to the fight in the Colonies. The Colonists thought it would be a good idea to stop them there and, as a result, there were some sea battles on Champlain as well as land battles at the British fort at Ticonderoga near the lake shore.

On the water, the rebels and the British used a variety of watercraft. The colonists employed the gunboat whose sole function was to be a platform for a cannon or two. These gunboats were simple affairs, just a bit more than a large raft and often built on the spot. A large, well armed ship could easily defeat one but when the gunboats were used in numbers and spread out, they could inflict serious damage on a larger and more powerful enemy ship.

Archaeologists and re-enactors from the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum will launch this weekend a full-sized replica 1776 gunboat at the Falls Basin in Vergennes. The ceremony begins at 11:00 Saturday the 25th and the public will be invited aboard until mid afternoon. At that time the gunboat will proceed along Otter Creek to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Burlington. There will be viewing opportunities along Otter Creek.

The gunboat, named the Philadelphia II, will take part in Sunday's Rabble in Arms event, a reenactment of American Revolutionary War times. The museum's gunboat will take part in naval maneuvers and gunnery exercises.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor except the photo which is courtesy of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

Note for all the classes: class size is limited; advance registration is required. Directions will be provided upon registration. To register, call (802) 496-5690

Salsa Making Social, Thursday, August 23, 2007 1pm to 3pm. Make and preserving by canning salsa using local tomatoes, onions, and peppers. "This salsa is far superior to anything found on the supermarket shelf." There is a $10 material fee (to cover jars and ingredients) payable at the class and each participant will take home 2 jars of salsa.

Elderberry Jelly Social Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5pm to 8pm How to make Elderberry Jelly from picking the berries to cooking to water bath canning. The $5 fee includes a jar of homemade Elderberry Jelly. The social will be held at the Yestermorrow Design/Build school on Route 100 south of Waitsfield and north of Warren.

Gathering and Gardening for Your Immune System, Wednesday, September 5, 2007 1pm to 3pm See how the immune system works and learn how to prepare herbal items such as vinegars, honey, alcohol and drying.

Preserving Tomatoes for the Winter Workshop Wednesday, September 5, 2007 5pm to 7pm Learn about a variety of ways to preserve tomatoes for the winter including canning (water bath), roasting, freezing, and drying. $10 material charge a quart of tomato sauce to take home.

Applesauce and End of the Season Vegetable Pickles Workshop Sunday, September 16, 2007 3pm to 6pm. $10 material charge includes a jar of applesauce and a jar of pickles for each participant to take home.

Sauerkraut and Kimchi Social Wednesday, September 19, 2007 1pm to 3pm. Participation is free and attendees should bring cabbage, carrots, and radishes as well as quart-sized jars. Each participant will receive a quart of Kimchi and a quart of Sauerkraut made from the ingredients brought to the class.

Grass-Fed Lamb: What it is, how to grown your own Monday, September 24 4pm to 6pm Why is grass-fed meat healthier for the land and for you?

These classes are geared toward local residents of the Mad River Valley but they will no doubt welcome a few non-residents if there is room. See the Localvore website for more information.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

AP photo

Three major country music concerts are scheduled at the Champlain Expo Center in the Burlington suburb of Essex Junction VT:

Aug. 25, 7 pm, Trace Adkins

Aug. 31, 7:45 pm Brad Paisley

Sept. 2, 7 pm, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ray Price

Tickets are available online.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor (except the AP photo) Grunberg Haus

The Killington Film Festival starts Fri Aug 24 and runs through Sunday the 26, featuring documentaries, short films, discussions. There is a different theme each day: Friday, August 24 "Social Awareness Night;" Saturday, August 25, "Vermont Indie Filmmaker Day;" Sunday, August 26 "New England Indie Filmmaker Day." All films will be screened at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

The Catamount Pipe Band at the Quechee Scottish Festival [photo copyright by the St. Andrews Society of Vermont]

The 35th annual Quechee Scottish Festival will be held Saturday, August 25, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Quechee Polo Field.

There will be Scottish music and dancing, arts and crafts, highland athletic competitions, pipe bands, sheepdog herding trials, and Scottish and American food.

The directions on the website show (poorly) how to find Quechee but not the Polo Field for some inexplicable reason. Just drive west on Route 4 from Exit 1 from Interstate 89 and you will probably see it but if not, just ask around. Or stop in and ask at Scotland By The Yard, an interesting store specializing in Scottish goods. It is located on Route 4 in Quechee.

Part of the proceeds benefits a scholarship program by the St. Andrews Society of Vermont.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor except the photo above