Special Festivals and Events not to be missed

Any weekend: Book two or more nights for an arts activity
and ask for special Arts Patron Rates and Packages at The Old Homestead.

Possibilities include tickets for the Classical Chamber Music Series,
Opera Live in HD at Catamount, Films at Catamount
First Night Celebration, dessert at Bentleys.

Book NOW for your choice of rooms and limited special tickets.

Music in the North Country!

Special Arts Patron Rates: Book two or more nights and ask us to reserve your tickets!

Metropolitan Opera -- Live in HD from the Met on Saturdays
These live broadcasts include wonderful back stage interviews and tours. You can be part of the party, listen and see in one of two auditoriums seating less than100, enjoy wine and h'ourdourves at intermission, come early to claim your seat, and enjoy the art in the gallery with a new show every month. Also enjoy a covered dish luncheon before the opera (not to worry, I have your table offerring covered!). Yes, this is all at Catamount Arts and for only $23 per person! Dress casually, or wear your diamond tiarra and book an elegant evening dinner. We will make all arrangements for you if you book ahead!

2011 - 2012 Season - 11 operas! The Old Homestead extends special rates for two night stays

All on Saturday afternoons:
Saturday, January 21st, 2012 - The Enchanted Island - New Production (encore Sat. Jan. 28th)
A collection of Baroque arias and ensembles with story line after Shakespere's Midsummer Night's Dream.
Saturday, February 11 - Wagner's Gotterdammerung (3rd of the Ring Cycle and long) begins at noon!
Saturday, February 25 - Verdi's Ernani (an early Verdi opera)
April 7 --- Massenet's Manon
April 14 -- Verdi's La Traviata - Wonderful way to end a great season!

BALLET FROM THE BOLSHOI - NEW THIS YEAR - ALSO HD LIVE - all begin at 7 o'clock

followed by performances in March, April, May, and July -- LeCorsaire, Romeo & Juliet, etc.

Classical Concert Series at South Church - all begin at 7:30
Saturday, February 4, 2012 - Wind Soloists of New York -- Woodwind Quintet
Saturday, March 20, 2012 -- Chrona Piano Trio
Saturday, April 28, 2012 -- Wael Weiss, Pianist
Some free tickets available by The Old Homestead - Ask

Check Catamount Arts web site for special arts events in the area.

Theater in the North Country!

Special Arts Patron Rates: Book two or more nights and ask us to reserve your tickets!

National Theatre of London

Check Catamount Arts web site for special arts events in the area.

Art Galleries in the North Country!

Catamount Arts Gallery: Ric Walter - 'ANew Perception' and The Monday Painters - all of July

Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild -- Railroad St., St.Johnsbury, center of town - Guild Store & Gallery
Gallery:

Restaurants

These are a few of my favorite places. Vermonters have a very special relationship with their foods! Be sure to plan to be in the area a few days to sample several cusines!

• Elements – elegant dinning, in St. Johnsbury. – has closed as of January 1st.
• Dylan's Cafe -- NEW! -- next to Catamount Arts - hip, fresh, delicious!
• Gerardos Italian Restaurant has returned to St. J. -- and right downtown! as good as ever!
• Ramunto's – our newest ‘brick oven’ Pizza place with expanded Italian offerrings – its great!
• Anthony’s – long time local diner, always good and plentiful home cooking.
• Kham’s Thai Cuisine – Choose it hot, mild, or on fire –you’ll never find a cleaner, fresher, or more friendly Thai Restaurant!
• Paddy Cakes - lunch at Green Mountain Mall -- sandwiches & gourmet desserts & espresso
• Pizza and beer on Friday Nights at Trout River Brewery-local micro brew
• Wine Gate -- downtown St. J., lunch always, dinner on sometimes.
• Timbuck Too in Lyndonville - A new fun place with week night specials
• Claire's in Hardwick -- worth the 40 minute drive! fresh, creative, local foods, and excellent! (on the web)
• Perfect Pear in Bradford -- also well worth the 40 minute drive! an elegant and delicious way to celebrate a special occassion! Find them on the web too!
• Colatina, also in Bradford -- Main Street Bradford, forever, and always casual and wonderful! Yummy!
  
• Brown's Market Bistro in Groton -- Limited hours and menu for dinner on weekends only, reservations certainly recommended, but well worth the advanced planning! (BYO Wine or Beer - on the web)
• Happy Hour in downtown Wells River, on Rt. 5, family style - has been enjoyed for years!
  Bentleys Cafe in Danville open for lunch and bakery treats w/coffee (closed Jan.,Feb.,March)

Speaking of gourmet cuisine: Need a special diet? - no wheat, heart smart, celiac, etc. –
tell me when you reserve.  We will serve your breakfast ‘gourmet style, your way!’

More, and more!! Fun in the Kingdom!!

• Would you like a massage or an acupuncture.  It may be arranged with experts right here at the Barnet Wellness Center!  Let me arrange an appointment for you when you make your reservation
• Farmers Market – Saturdays in St. Johnsbury all summer and fall and indoors during the winter! Fresh seasonal produce, bakery goodies, maple products, crafts, locally roasted coffee, locally made speciality soaps, music, lunch. This is truely 'buy local'! A piece of rural Vermont! Vermonters have a special relationship with good healthy foods.
  Winter markets are held at the Welcome Center -- Historic Rail Road Station!
• Film: www.CatamountArts.com Great film series at Catamount every night at 7 o'clock. Two films nightly, each in an intimate small theater and now 9 o’clock Sat. showing. 2 free tickets - ask
• Enjoy Nature and the Great Out of doors: Hike, bike or Boat
• Rent a Kayak with or without a guitde, 1/2 day or the whole week-end or an evening guided wild life tour on the River-- check it out at www.PaddleProVt.com
• Road Biking? Let me help you plan your route(s) four days here would not do it all! Return every afternoon to the same secure bed and shower and plenty of snacks. Been there, done it on a bike!
• Mountain Biking! Kingdom trails is 20 minutes away! The BEST in the WEST - & the EAST!
  

A reason for a winter get away: we are central to all of these locations, only minutes away!

• Catamount Arts - HD LIVE Opera, Ballet, Theater - 2 film theaters - art gallery - music
• Concerts at Peacham Church, South Church, and North Church
  
• Planetarium at the Fairbanks Museum - closed until March for new electronic equipment
  
• Readings and Special Events at the Athenaeum,. - check DiscoverStJvt web site below
  

Web sites to check for special dates: 
         www.CatamountArts.com
         www.DiscoverStJvt.com
         www.NEKChamber.org

Always and Anytime: The first four are a must before leaving St. J. area!

St. Johnsbury is a Victorian Town, established and built at the turn of the 20th Century largely by the Fairbanks Family. A walk, or slow drive, on Main Street with self-guided tour in hand will give you a glimpse of the life, archetechture and worship of colonial northeast Vermont.

Visit the Athenaeum:  St. Johnsbury’s greatest treasure! Eclectic Art Collection and library in a wonderfully restored Victorian Building!

The Artistians Guild -- the best of Vermont’s artisans – Downtown St. Johnsbury, the building with the purple awning! Glass, pottery, ceramics, weaving, prints, painting, jewelry, rug hooking, etc. etc. etc., gallery and store – worth your trip for the gallery alone! And there are several more galleries in the area. Save a day for an 'art tour'!

Catamount Arts -- You may by now realize the arts abound in this area! Catamount Arts has a gallery, two film theaters showing nightly arts and foriegn films and documentarys, a performance space, video rental, comfy lounge, and much more! It occupies newly and beautifully renovated space in the Masonic Temple Building on Eastern Ave.

Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium:  also stunning architecture! The Planetarium celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Check out www.FairbanksMuseum.org  Planetarium Shows, Eye on The Sky Weather Reporting, and Special Shows along with exhibits of local history and cultural, natural science, a fantastic collection of birds, etc

Antiquing?  I’ve shopped at all of them!  Let me help plan your day! (Did Vermont at one time have a huge population to create all these antiques?) And Carmen's is back on Eastern Ave!

Make a Family Visit to checkout St. Johnsbury Academy for your next year's high school? Prestigious, well established, high academic standing, many arts offerrings, and new dorms for boarding students next year! Check it out! I'm 12 minutes away.

Fall Foliage Festival 2012 – Dates: October 1st through 6th. It is NOT too early to plan! Eight Towns in the southern NEKingdom each plan their special day. Good Fall color usually peaks during the 1st and 2nd weeks of October, and often contiues to be brilliant through all of October. In 2010 color began early with peaks in our area in September and continued with good color through the end of October - a bit unusual but it was good of Mother Nature to share her color with so many visitors! Plan to stay at one Inn several nights to receive multiple night rates and take advantage of your Innkeepers expertise in guiding you to the best color and attractions.

The Festival begins with activities inWalden and procedes to Cabot, Plainfield, Peacham, Barnet, Groton, and Danville on the Green on Sunday, Thursday is Peacham’s Day, complete with Ghost Walk. Friday the fun is in Barnet, European Coffee, Crafts, Ben's Mill, History. Saturday in Groton begins with a parade and ends with a traditional Chicken Pie Supper and Hymn Sing. Each town plans special Church Suppers and a full day of activities and color tours.