Friday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m.—GRAFTON— Join a local community of parents and budding scientists with The Nature Museum’s Mighty Acorns Club. The Mighty Acorns Club provides creative, exploratory preschool programs which celebrate curiosity and encourage a love and respect for the natural world. On Dec. 6, the club presents Fantastical Feathered Birds. Children will…

Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.—KILLINGTON—The Vermont Holiday Festival kicks off on Dec. 6 and runs thru Dec. 7. It features close to 100 beautifully decorated Christmas trees for visitors to enjoy, plus activities for the entire family and chances to win great prizes. Children can create a holiday keepsake in Santa’s Workshop and meet Santa…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m.—CASTLETON— The Castleton Woman’s Club will once again sponsor the Tree of Remembrance in Castleton. The event will be a little different than in years past. Many holiday events will be held in town on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 from 4-8 p.m.  The lighting of the Tree of Remembrance will…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m.—WOODSTOCK—The Woodstock Vermont Film Series at Billings Farm & Museum presents John Chester’s “Biggest Little Farm.” The film follows two West Coast dreamers and their dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to both their lives and the land they choose to farm, on 200 acres in the foothills of…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.—MANCHESTER—The town of Manchester’s annual Manchester Merriment celebration kicked off this year on Saturday, Nov. 30 with the Community Tree Lighting Celebration and continues all month. On Saturday, Dec. 7, Manchester’s annual Lighted Tractor Parade presented by Dorr Oil & Propane begins at 5:30pm. All are invited to watch tractors…

Saturday, Dec 7 at 10 a.m.—RUTLAND—One day only, the Santa Train will be departing the downtown Rutland Amtrak station for a 45-minute ride that will take you through a magical Santa’s Village. Our beautifully decorated Santa Train will include refreshments, stories, songs and more. No matter the age, this will be the most enjoyable and…

Theatre’s biggest fundraiser has 100s of items up for bid Saturday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.—RUTLAND—Special guest auctioneer Rusty “The Logger” Dewees leads Rutland’s premier benefit auction, the 17th annual Festival of Trees, at the Paramount Theatre. Hundreds of live and silent auction items are up for bid —dining packages, unique gifts, sport tickets, there…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m.—PLYMOUTH NOTCH—Step back in time and celebrate the traditions of the season when the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site hosts the Coolidge Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  The open house has been selected as a 2019-2020 “Top 10 Winter Event” by…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 9 a.m.—WEST WINDSOR—For decades folks have started their Christmas shopping at the famous Brownsville Christmas Bazaar which runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the West Windsor Town Hall, 275 Broad St. in West Windsor. The ladies of the United Methodist Women’s group have once again, pulled together a fine gathering of artisans and…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 12:30 p.m.—RANDOLPH— Do the littlest elves in your life need some help crafting holiday gifts? Looking for something fun for the kids to do inside while the weather is cold outside? Bring them to the Elf Market kid makerspace. Children will be able to shop and create gifts for their family and…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.—RUTLAND—Rutland Youth Theater presents your chance to skate with “Frozen” characters and Santa at Giorgetti Ice Arena. Free skate rentals are included with entry fee (while they last) as well as a festival of MINI Trees Raffle, “Frozen”-themed crafts, photo booth, face painting and a concession stand serving delicious dinner…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 12 p.m.—RUTLAND—Interested bakers, schools, organizations, businesses, families, individuals and young people are invited to submit their imaginative gingerbread creations to the Chaffee’s annual gingerbread contest. This year’s theme is “Season of Giving.” Pre-registration appreciated, but entries do not have to pre-register.  The delivery deadline for entries is Dec. 4 or 5…

Sunday, Dec. 8 at 3:30 and 7 p.m.—RUTLAND—The Grace Congregational Church presents Alastair Stout conducting the Rutland Area Chorus, soloists and Festival Orchestra in Handel’s “Messiah” Part 1 (Christmas) and “Hallelujah Chorus.” Soloists are soprano Allison Steinmetz, mezzo-sorpano Amy Frostman, tenor Cameron Steinmetz and bass Zebulun McLellan. “‘Messiah’ tells the story of the birth of…

Saturday, Dec. 7 at 11 a.m.—WESTON— Now in its 35th year, “Christmas in Weston” is a day-long event celebrating traditional holiday nostalgia taking place on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors will be treated to a host of free, fun events and activities for all ages at galleries, shops, museums and…

By Tony Crespi Ski tests are somewhat akin to seeing into a looking glass to the future offering a window able to glimpse new and refined models and technologies. A few years ago manufacturers began incorporating “rocker” into skis as camber technologies evolved. Soon virtually every ski used rocker. Today, manufacturers often blend traditional camber…