Celebrate Montpelier's Bridges!
On November 16th, Montpelier will light up the town! For the first time in history, seven of Montpelier’s downtown bridges will be illuminated. To mark this historic event, Montpelier Alive will host a community bridge lighting ceremony and lantern parade, with music, refreshments, and a special performance by Cirque de Fuego.
For those wishing to participate in the parade, free, drop-in lantern making workshops will be held at the TW Wood Art gallery on November 2nd and 9th from 10 am - 3:00 pm. All ages and abilities are welcome!
The lighting ceremony will begin on the Langdon Street bridge on November 16th at 4:30 pm. Those wishing to participate in the parade are asked to bring lanterns or lights.
Kevin O’Keefe from Circus Minimus, who will be completing a circus residency in the Montpelier Schools, will be there with his students to entertain the crowd and participate in the parade. Cocoa and cookies will be served. Brass Balagan, a festive street band from Vermont, will provide celebratory music. Participants will form a lantern parade that will process up Main Street, over the Main Street bridge, and along the bike path to the Taylor Street bridge, witnessing the historic moment when each bridge is turned on.
The event will culminate in a special performance at the Taylor Street bridge by Cirque de Fuego, Vermont’s own fire performance troupe. Afterward, participants are invited to a student circus performance at Montpelier High School, and to shop, dine, and enjoy live bands downtown.
Montpelier’s Bridge Illumination Project is the result of almost two years of planning and fundraising. No municipal tax dollars, aside from those designated for the arts, were used to fund the project. It is hoped that the lit Bridges will not only add warmth and beauty to Montpelier during the dark winter months, but also draw visitors from near and far to enjoy the newly illuminated downtown.
The Bridge Illumination Project is supported by in part by the Better Places Program, administered by the DHCD in partnership with the Vermont Community Foundation and Patronicity, VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, the Vermont Arts Council and the National
Endowment for the Arts, Community National Bank, Union Mutual, LaFaso Electric, the City of Montpelier and the generous support of the community.