16th Annual Hildene Fall Arts Festival October 3, 2008

This is the perfect weekend for early foliage viewing, especially up at the top of the Toll Road above Equinox Mountain outside Manchester. This is the highest peak in southern Vermont and the view is unlimited, stretching from New York to Quebec, from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. By Columbus Day Weekend the brilliant foliage here is often gone.

We mention this and the Route 4 road between Rutland and Quechee as a splendid drive before or after visiting our famous foliage Art and Craft Festival at Hildene. Nestled in a magnificent valley along the Battenkill River (the birthplace of fly fishing), the site is a scenic complement to the scintillating selection of original Art and contemporary craft.

200 artists and artisans display and sell their very own creations. As usual, at a Craftproducers Festival, there are no imports and no buy/sell products—just honest creative artists and artisans under the glorious, heated Camelot tents. In a sense it’s like experiencing 200 different boutiques except that there are no bar codes!

All kidding aside, the thousands of attendees, locals and leaf peepers alike, flock to this show to begin (and in some cases end) their holiday gift shopping. While many of the products make wonderful gifts, most customers buy for their own pleasure: home furnishings, clothing, jewelry, furniture, original Art and photography, and more. Truly, our colossal Camelot tents are veritable cathedrals of creativity.

More than shopping, this Festival offers delicious fresh food and live entertainment. This Fall we will introduce the VERMONT BEER CHEESE AND SAUSAGE TENT. Yummy! A festival within a festival. More than a dozen micro brews will be available for sampling and drinking along with several different cheese made in Vermont. Just to spice it up a little Vermont made sausages will be available. For those wine aficionados we will also serve a variety of wines that will compliment the cheese and sausages.

The VERMONT BEER CHEESE AND SAUSAGE TENT will be open Saturday and Sunday 11-4. You may select a sampler special or order a la carte. Full menus will be posted closer to the show dates.

Official Website: http://www.craftproducers.com