Looking for a reason (or excuse!) to get outside this weekend?  Check out Vermont Days, June 13 & 14, 2009.

Vermont Days offer free admission to all State Parks, Forests, and State owned Historic Sites.  This means you can take advantage of some free hiking (not that we mind the normal $4 or so, which just goes to supporting the parks).   In the southern Vermont area, I would highly recommend Molly Stark State Park, which is just minutes from our B&B, Fortry Putney Road.

Molly Stark has several trails to chose from, most are fairly gentle and a few lead to a fire tower you can climb and take advantage of beautiful Vermont views.  Molly Stark is also a great place to have a picnic.

Vermont Days also offer free fishing, with no license required, on Saturday and in addition, all of the State Historic Sites and Museums will be free.  So why not take this as the perfect excuse to go ahead and check out something new around Vermont.

You can find all of the details and a list of locations on the Vermont Vacation website.

The Yellow Barn Music School and Festival, is an internationally known chamber music professional school and concert located in Putney, Vermont. Join them this year, 2009, for their 40th Anniversary season. Yellow Barn provides a supportive, noncompetitive and challenging learning environment. They offer an inspiring five-week study and performance experience for advanced students and young professionals. Enjoy their imaginative programming at the primary five-week festival session, July 5th through August 9th, which attracts some of the best up-and-coming young string, piano, woodwind and percussion players in the nation.They also provide an intensive workshop for younger students from June17th through July 4th. This Young Artist Program welcomes young instrumentalists and composers age 13-19 and culminates into three public performances. Together with a world-renowned faculty group, they explore and perform works from the Baroque to the contemporary. Treat yourself to some or all 30 amazing public concerts, master classes, pre-concert suppers and discussions this season. Be sure to stay with us at Forty Putney Road B&B, we are located in Brattleboro on Route 5, which is a straight shot to Putney only a short 15 minute drive.

2009 YELLOW BARN 40th ANNIVERSARY SEASON: JUNE 25 – AUGUST 8

Yellow Barn Young Artists Program: June 17 to July 4
Yellow Barn Music School and Festival: July 5 to August 9

YELLOW BARN SUMMER SEASON 2009

Young Artists Program and Guest Artist Performances
Sunday June 21, Performance by So Percussion, Putney
Friday June 26 and Saturday June 27, Joint Yellow Barn and Mohawk Trail Concert, Charlemont, MA
Thursday July 2 and Friday July 3, Young Artists Program Concert

Yellow Barn Festival
Friday July 10, Yellow Barn Opening Concert, Putney
Saturday July 11, Yellow Barn Concert, Putney
Thursday July 16-Saturday August 8 (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays), Yellow Barn Concerts, Putney

Master Classes
Saturday, July 11, Master Class with Gilbert Kalish, Putney
Saturday, July 18, Master Class with Donald Weilerstein, Putney
Saturday, July 25, Master Class with Steven Doane, Putney
Monday, July 27, Master Class with Robert Mann, Putney
Saturday, August 1, Master Class with Roger Tapping, Putney

Special Dates
Saturday June 27, Mountaintop Musicale 40th Anniversary Party: Featuring Young Artists Program Participants, Walpole, NH
Saturday July 18, GALA Performance with Peter Frankl, Putney
Saturday July 25, Open House Event at the Greenwood School, Putney
Wednesday July 29 and Wednesday August 5, Yellow Barn Concert, Northampton, MA
Saturday August 8, Yellow Barn Season Finale Concert, Putney

PURCHASE TICKETS

(800) 639-3819 x107
(802) 387-4726 fax
tickets@yellowbarn.org

There are so many great things to do in and around Brattleboro.  If you are like us, we sometimes obsess over trying to figure out a “plan” when we travel.  So for those who want a plan, and for others who may just be wondering what there is to do around Brattleboro, we have now put together a sample itinerary of a great trip to Brattleboro Vermont.

Our sample covers a 5 night stay (we could have gone on even longer!) but combines a fun mix of outdoors, arts, entertainment, dining and of course some relaxing too.  You can check out what we have put together on our Inn website under the “Our Area” tab.

If you are from Vermont, or have any suggestions for the itinerary, we would love to hear your thoughts!  Leave us a comment or send us an email.  Let’s make it easy and fun for people to choose Brattleboro as their summer getaway!

Of course, we hope you’ll stay with us at Forty Putney Road Bed and Breakfast when you do take the trip to Vermont!

It is that time of year once again, that’s right, the Strolling of the Heifers here in Brattleboro. You may be thinking why or who would possibly want to see a bunch of cows walk down Main Street? It is pretty clear by last year’s photos as to who would attend such an event, everyone! So here are my top 3 reasons this is the biggest event in Brattleboro, and a must attend.

#3 Cows are cute!

Who can resist the cute face of a cow. Not only will you see their cute faces you will see them all dressed up for the event. We are not just talking about live cows either. We are talking about paper machete cows on floats, stuffed cows on the side of the road, cow aprons, cow T-shirts, balloon cows, people dressed up like cows and finally cow scarecrows (with a political message of course…this is Brattleboro, VT after all).

#2 Not just cows?

That is correct this parade is not all about cows it is about a community joining together to celebrate and do what we love to do here in Brattleboro… that is to parade down Main Street. According to local historians the town of Brattleboro has been parading down Main Street since the 1800’s. You will find more than just cows parading down Main Street, you will also see the kind of parade you may remember as a child. That’s right this parade has marching bands, unicyclists, stilt walkers, clubs, local businesses, men and women driving historic tractors and little cars. That’s not all…don’t forget about the circus. The local circus school will be in the parade and performing afterward.

#1 Free Ice Cream and Cheese!

After the parade we stroll just a few blocks to the Brattleboro Retreat where tent after tent is set up. Each tent is serving locally made dairy products including milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. The best part is it is all free…that’s right free!

Clear your schedule on June 5th and 6th (2009), book a room at Forty Putney Road Bed and Breakfast and join the festivities. This is sure to be worth the trip!

Gallery Walk in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont is the perfect evening for the art lovers out there.  Gallery Walk is held on the first Friday of every month and includes art exhibits in over 50 locations around town.  Gallery Walk is one of the reasons that Brattleboro was named a top 10 small art town by acclaimed author John Villani in his book “The 100 Best Art Towns in America”.  No surprise as our quaint town is home to many artist and art lovers alike.

So how does Gallery Walk work?  You should start by getting a copy of the Gallery Walk booklet, if you are staying with us at Forty Putney Road B&B we will have one here waiting for you, if not they can be found at many locations downtown.  The booklet contains a map with over 50 locations including restaurants, galleries, etc that will be displaying artists work and will be open to the public the first Friday of the month.  Each of the businesses downtown showing an artist has a large bright colored number in the window.  This number corresponds to a number in the Gallery Walk book which provides descriptions of the artists and the work that they are showing.

Gallery Walk makes for a great night out and downtown is often bustling with activity on the Friday of the Walk.  Turn it into an evening.  Make a reservation at one of the great restaurants downtown for dinner and before or after you can stroll through downtown Brattleboro wandering into the various exhibiting locations.  Chances are good that even the restaurant you eat at will be showing someones work.  Some locations will be playing live music and others will have refreshments set up.  In most cases you will even have the opportunity to speak to the artist themselves.  Of course the art is exhibited all month long, but with the artists on hand and the energy of the First Friday – Gallery Walk is the ideal time to see whats new.

Gallery Walk is just one more reason we love Brattleboro.  If you plan to go, check out the Gallery Walk website for more information.  Of course, be sure to also check out our beautiful Brattleboro Inn just a short walk to downtown and all of the Gallery Walk activity.  We look forward to seeing you!