Member Highlight: Kim Bent and Kathleen Keenan at Lost Nation Theater
March 13, 2024
How did Lost Nation Theater get started in Montpelier, and what motivates you to create your annual programs at City Hall? Lost Nation Theater incorporated as a professional non-profit Vermont theater company in Bristol, Vermont, in 1977, when 6th generation Vermonter and Founding Artistic Director Kim Bent came back home for the 5th time and made peace with the idea that if he wanted to make Theater his life’s work, he would have to do it in Vermont because that’s where his heart was! LNT started out as a touring company dedicated to the creation of exclusively original work, so we relocated
Member Highlight - Chris McDonald at Capital Kitchen
March 05, 2024
Tell us a bit about Capital Kitchen and how you came to own the store.
I had known Jess Turner, the former owner, for years when I heard that she was ready to move on. I have to admit I had been eying the shop for quite some time--I love anything food related, so much so that it became a running joke at Bear Pond Books, my previous gig, that food was all I ever talked about. While Bear Pond was a fantastic place to work for my roughly 20 year tenure there, I was ready for a project entirely my own. So I approached Jess about buying Capital Kitchen and she was immediately receptive. We started the process in summer of 2021 and she turned over the keys at the end of the following March. Both she and Northfield Saving Bank, from which we secured the loan, were an absolute dream to deal with.
Celebrate the total eclipse in downtown Montpelier!
March 05, 2024
April isn't the most popular in Vermont...but it's full of hidden surprises. This year, thousands are expected to descend upon Montpelier for the once in a lifetime total eclipse on April 8th. The last time the Green Mountain State was in the path of totality was 1932; it won't happen again until 2106! Downtown businesses are excited to have this boost of visitors. One of Montpelier's biggest assets is its compact, walkable downtown, with a unique mix of locally-owned and truly delicious cafes and restaurants, as well as shops, movie theaters, and the beautiful State Capitol building. Not to mention the
Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience works to create a more resilient community for all
February 08, 2024
Washington County’s July flood impacted much of the Winooski River Watershed (This watershed begins in the town of Cabot and flows 90 miles to Lake Champlain in Colchester.) The watershed drains approximately 1,080 square miles in central Vermont, encompassing all of Washington County, along with other Vermont counties and is the largest tributary watershed to Lake Champlain. It includes almost 10% of the land area of Vermont. In addition, the river has seven major tributaries, most of them, North Branch, Dog River, Stevens Branch, Little River and Mad River are located in Washington county (source from Friends of the Winooski
Montpelier looks ahead to 2024
January 07, 2024
Montpelier Alive is excited to enter 2024 with many hopes and visions for a brighter year, following a challenging year. We look forward to all our downtown businesses reopening and new ones setting up shop in the empty storefronts. One such new opening is Naive Melody Instrument Exchange at 95 State Street. Stay tuned for their grand opening. Other businesses devastated by the floods are reinventing themselves in new locations (stay tuned!). Restaurants Namaste and Filibuster are tentatively opening this month; we’ll announce all these changes in our weekly newsletter and on social media. Our city closed 2023 with a bang, including
Celebrate the season in Downtown Montpelier!
December 02, 2023
No matter how you celebrate the holiday season, downtown Montpelier offers something for everyone throughout December, culminating in a “uniquely Montpelier” New Year’s Eve celebration. During the darkest month of the year, downtown lights up the evening (or afternoon, at 4pm!), with holiday lights, greens, and festive window displays. Local artists display their artwork in storefronts yet to open from the summer floods, as part of the City’s Renewal Project.
Flannel Friday 2023
November 10, 2023
Show a little love to downtown Montpelier, shop local! Flannel Friday starts off the holiday season on Friday, November 24th, the day after Thanksgiving. Montpelier's unique and locally-owned businesses offer a wide variety of unique gifts and they could all use extra love after recovering or still recovering from the July flood. Come downtown in your flannel attire on Flannel Friday because if you're spotted by the Flannel Fairy, you can win prizes and gift cards from downtown businesses! On November 25th, Small Business Saturday, is a day to celebrate and support our downtown businesses and all they do for our community. It's
Celebrate Halloween the Montpelier Way!
October 23, 2023
Celebrate Halloween the Montpelier Way! This year downtown celebrates Halloween with something for everyone, from trick or treating to karaoke. Trick or treating from 4:00 - 5:00 pm starts off the evening for the youngest crowd, followed by a Halloween costume parade and jamboree (including costumed pets) with a special guest! Parade meets up at 5:00 pm, at the corner of State and Elm (Filibuster Cafe corner), and goes around the block, ending on Langdon Street Bridge. The bridge will be lined with carved pumpkins - vote for your favorite one at Bent Nails Bistro. After the Parade, Zombies take over Langdon
Moonlight Magic Returns to Downtown Montpelier to Support Flood-Impacted Businesses
October 16, 2023
Montpelier, VT - Local shoppers can get started on their holiday shopping while supporting downtown Montpelier’s recovery at Moonlight Magic, powered by VSECU, on Friday, October 20 from 5-9pm. Nearly a dozen recently reopened businesses will offer deals and festivities and stay open late that evening to welcome shoppers and thank the community for their support after the July flooding, and shoppers will enjoy fun performances downtown. Participating businesses include Althea's Attic Boutique, Artisan’s Hand Craft Gallery, Bailey Road, Capital Kitchen, Capitol Stationers, The Cheshire Cat, The Getup Vintage, Grian Herbs Apothecary, Notion Fabric & Craft, Splash Naturals, and Zutano Outlet. Events
The Taste of Montpelier Food Festival Returns to the Capital City October 7th
September 27, 2023
The Taste of Montpelier Food Festival, presented by Hunger Mountain Co-op, returns for its third year. This year it’s the main event of Montpelier’s Reopening Celebration! Taste features food trucks, vendors and artisans, chef demos, beer and cocktail gardens and street performers - this year’s Taste of Montpelier has it all! The main attraction, The Great Taste runs from 1-5pm on Saturday, October 7th on Langdon Street and State Street from Main to Elm. It features over 20 food trucks and artisan foods. The demo tent features four different presentations ranging from a high school student teaching how to make tamales,
Visiting Montpelier after the July 2023 Flood
September 14, 2023
On July 10th, devastating rains resulted in the North Branch of the Winooski River cresting more than 20 feet, filling business basements and retail spaces with floodwaters. More than 4,000 volunteers came to town to help businesses clean up and recover, with the goal of enabling our restaurants and retail stores to reopen as quickly as they can. The community came together to organize benefit concerts, festivals and other fundraisers to support our downtown to bring back a more resilient Montpelier! As our City recovers and businesses reopen, there are plenty of reasons to visit Montpelier this fall, and parking is
Guitar Sam reminisces after 42 years in Montpelier
June 23, 2023
Guitar Sam, a business that opened in 1981, closed this year, after 42 years in business! Carolyn Grodinsky met with Kevin Crossett recently and learned about how the store and how the downtown has changed over these years. Kevin opened Guitar Sam when he was 25. He had previously worked in retail but wanted to work for himself. He said people thought he was crazy, and he got lots of pushback, as well as folks telling him that they hope it goes okay. “I’d say after 42 years, I guess it was okay.” Over those years, Kevin moved the business four times
What's Make Music Day all About?
June 16, 2023
We interviewed Jolynda Burton, Music Education Director at the Monteverdi Music School about the first upcoming coordinated Make Music Day in Montpelier. What is Make Music Day and how did it get started: Make Music Day began back in 1982. The first World Music Day was organized by the French Minister of Culture as a celebration of the joy of music. The story goes that a cultural study showed that roughly half of French citizens played a musical instrument. This inspired Monsieur Lang to create an event where people would share their music with the world. Thus, Fêtes de la Musique (“Festival
Wrightsville Beach Offers More Than Just Swimming
June 08, 2023
From Kayaking to Disc Golf: Wrightsville Beach Offers More than Just Swimming Wrightsville Recreation District is known for its easy access and sandy beach, but it’s not just about swimming. Located in Middlesex just five miles from downtown Montpelier, the reservoir and recreation area offers a breadth of outdoor activities from kayaking to disc golf, bird watching, picnicking, or just lying on the beach. Last year, 17,000 people used the park during its main season. Wrightsville’s 88 acres includes the beach; picnic areas; 18-hole disc golf course (which draws disc golf tourists from the Northeast, other states, and Canada); a recreation field;
Montpelier Alive announces its Grant Awards for Downtown Events Program!
May 23, 2023
Montpelier Alive’s mission is to create a vibrant and livable Montpelier, including hosting downtown events, such as July’s Independence Day celebration and September’s Taste of Montpelier food festival. Other organizations also enhance our downtown in holding creative and diverse events. Montpelier Alive supports a number of them through its Downtown Events Grant Program. These funds come in part from the DID (Downtown Improvement District) and the City of Montpelier. This year’s grant program offered a total of $10,000, with a maximum award of $2,000 for any single event that promotes and enhances the vibrancy of downtown Montpelier. Montpelier