Saturday – Sunday, Sept. 27-28 — WOODSTOCK — In today’s world, the connection made to the farmer when eating local fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meats is clearly made, but what about the connection to the wood dining table your family gathers around each night? There are hundreds of products we use every day in our own homes that are crafted from Vermont’s prized northern hardwoods. The quality wood cabinetry storing your favorite tableware set in your kitchen, the wide plank flooring throughout your home, the large hutch displaying your family’s china, the fine furniture that is handed down from generation to generation; these products create warmth and life in your home and there is a unique story behind each piece of wood.
The story starts with the dedicated landowners that manage the forests covering 78% of our state. Quality hardwood logs do not grow overnight from a sapling, but stand for many decades under the careful stewardship of woodland owners. The people behind the trees are Vermont’s woodland stewards, foresters, loggers, or sawmill operators who put the raw materials in the hands of woodworkers. This story is shown full circle from tree to table at Vermont’s premiere Forest to Table event, the 11th Annual Vermont Fine Furniture, Woodworking & Forest Festival.
On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 27 and 28, Union Arena on Route 4 in Woodstock, hosts the Festival, with partner event, the Forest Festival weekend right down the road at the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park on Elm Street. As stated by Vermont’s only National park you can “Walk through one of Vermont’s most beautiful landscapes, under the shade of sugar maples and 400-year-old hemlocks, across covered bridges and alongside rambling stone walls. This is a landscape of loss, recovery, and conservation. This is a story of stewardship, of people taking care of places – sharing an enduring connection to land and a sense of hope for the future.”
Take advantage of the opportunity to visit directly with the craftsmen and hear their unique stories while purchasing from more than 40 companies on exhibit. The products available include not only fine furniture but exquisite bird carvings, hand turned bowls, unique cutting boards, solar wooden lights, inlaid jewelry, and fun toys & games.
The woodworking demonstration space provides entertainment: tasty food, hands-on activities, live music, and more for all ages. The national park will host additional woodworking and sawmill demos, horse drawn wagon rides, forest walks, educational workshops, and other events for the whole family. A short, complimentary shuttle ride is available to transport attendees between locations with free parking.
The festival runs from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10 for age 18 and over; under age 18 are free and welcome. All Forest Festival Park activities are free.
For more info, visit www.vermontwoodfestival.org and www.nps.gov/mabi, email info@vermontwood.com or call 802-747-7900.
