Friday Oct. 9-Monday, Oct. 12—WINDSOR—Join in for Harpoon’s Vermont OctoberFEAST: a German-inspired feast to celebrate Octoberfest. They will have the space decorated (inside and out), Oompah music playing on the speakers, German specials on the menu, and Octoberfest mug and beer specials! Food specials include: Pork schnitzel sandwich- Breaded and fried pork cutlet, Swiss…

By Brooke Geery High in the hills above Ludlow, after the paved road turns to dirt, sits Barker Farm, a massive 155-acre property dotted with giant maple trees and buildings in various states of disrepair. On the right  side of the street is a reminder that it’s 2020—the Coolidge Solar Project, with rows of massive…

By Bonnie Kirn Donahue Do your future self a favor, and plant spring-blooming bulbs this fall. Depending on where you live, there can be a month or more after the snow recedes in spring until we see flowers. Planting spring-flowering bulbs shortens this window and packs a ton of color, contrast and liveliness against a…

WOODSTOCK—Capture the brilliant colors of a Vermont autumn with a visit to Billings Farm & Museum in October.  See their farm animals in the pastures with the colorful foliage as a backdrop, enjoy a walk along the Ottauquechee River Trail, visit the apple orchard and see the many different apple varieties, and learn about 19th century harvest activities on the farm.…

Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 —BRANDON—This year’s annual Brandon fall family HarvestFest will be held just north of town in Estabrook Park. Participants can make Harvest People (a.k.a stick figures, scarecrows, leaf people) for  $50 each. (Please note: due to significant lumber and materials price increases they have had to start charging for leaf people…

The Friends of the Fair Haven Free Library would like to thank the community for taking part in their grab-and-go bookcase project over the course of the past five months. During that time 7,321 books were wrapped and given away. The project could not have taken place without the generosity of so many. They want…

Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.— RUTLAND—Join for a virtual toast as Phoenix Books Rutland celebrates its 5th anniversary. The celebration includes a discussion of “Distilled in Vermont” with author Chris Maggiolo and Erin Bell, head distiller at SILO Distillery. Bring your drink of choice, or for those who would like to mix along during the event, Chris will…

Oct.3-4— The Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival celebrates small farms and natural fiber. The  2020 “in-person” festival is canceled due to Covid-19, so they  will be hosting a virtual Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival instead, featuring over 70 vendors offering fleece and yarn; fiber animals, fiber crafting equipment and supplies; handcrafted items including wool garments…

MANCHESTER—A horse-themed 60-inch square quilt, handmade by Ann M. Ashcroft of Bellows Falls, is being raffled off in support of the 2020 Komen Vermont Virtual Ride for the Cure® and the winner will be drawn, “live” online, on Monday, Oct. 12. Ashcroft has donated her quilt-making skills to the Ride for the Cure in Vermont. Over…

Fair Haven’s park is looking lovely with the addition of some new visitors. The creative talents of the citizens are really on display with this project to decorate the park for the fall season. Local artists, businesses, and organizations are taking part in this project designed to celebrate autumn, leaf peeping season, and to put…

DORSET—Though the Dorset Players 17th annual One Act Festival was cancelled in April of 2020, the Players are presenting two of the original One Acts along with a third for a virtual staged reading. Exploring the prevalent theme of connection, familiar faces and new came together to create this onscreen event. Actors include: Mary Jo Grego, Leslie Bremner,…

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION— At the start of September, JAG Productions, write-director Stevie Walker-Webb, 11 actors, two documentarians, a producer, and a chef set out on a month-long retreat to explore the question, “Can a play be created outside the power structures and without reference to whiteness, in a pure expression of Black Joy?” Or as…

Pico Ski Club Oct. 2-5 —KILLINGTON—The 2020 Pico Ski Club’s annual ski & snowboard swap and sale will be held virtually this year, from Oct. 2-5. To receive an email notification when the online swap andsale goes live and to shop Oct 2-5, visit picoskiclub.myshopify.com. The decision was made to shift from in-person to online,…

Knowing how to code can build a kid’s confidence, enhance problem-solving skills and expand future career opportunities. To introduce middle and high school students to coding, Vermont 4-H, in collaboration with the University of Vermont (UVM) College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and Ohio 4-H, is offering a free six-session course, beginning Oct. 15. Sessions…

Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.—RUTLAND—Join Phoenix Books as they welcome Vermont author Archer Mayor to the Phoenix Zoom Channel for a talk on his latest novel, “The Orphan’s Guilt.” In the book, a straightforward traffic stop snowballs into a homicide investigation after Joe Gunther and his fellow investigators peel back layer upon layer of history…