Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comforta   ...

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comfortable while getting messy in any weather
Connect with other families with young children
This program is entirely outside, so be prepared with water, snacks, and clothing for staying comfortable and getting wet!

Visit our Robin’s Nest page for more information

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).

Location: North Branch Nature Center (all fall outings are at NBNC)
Distance: This outing covers between 0.25 and .6 miles.
Terrain and surface: The trails are 6’-wide grass paths over compacted dirt. The trails are flat with no cross-grade. One 20’ section of the trail has a 10% grade over a 100’ distance, and c   ...

Casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).

Location: North Branch Nature Center (all fall outings are at NBNC)
Distance: This outing covers between 0.25 and .6 miles.
Terrain and surface: The trails are 6’-wide grass paths over compacted dirt. The trails are flat with no cross-grade. One 20’ section of the trail has a 10% grade over a 100’ distance, and can be avoided. There are several benches along the route. Please let us know ahead of the program how we can better accommodate your accessibility needs.’

No Registration Required | Cancelled if steady rain is forecasted

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

The Vermont State Curator’s Office presents: Heart of Barre – Building Community After the Floods – a perceptive installation created by artist Dierdra Michelle and poet/community organizer Shawna Trader which honors the strength, compassion, and resilience of Barre residents in the face of back-to-back catastrophic floods.

The touring exhibit will be featured at the Vermont State House in the Card Room on the second floor. An Artist Reception as part of Montpelier’s Art Walk will take place on Friday, October 3 from 4:00 –7:00 pm. Two large, assembled art pieces showcase grids of 16-by-20-inch canvases, titled “Heart of Barre” and “Water Heart”. The e   ...

The Vermont State Curator’s Office presents: Heart of Barre – Building Community After the Floods – a perceptive installation created by artist Dierdra Michelle and poet/community organizer Shawna Trader which honors the strength, compassion, and resilience of Barre residents in the face of back-to-back catastrophic floods.

The touring exhibit will be featured at the Vermont State House in the Card Room on the second floor. An Artist Reception as part of Montpelier’s Art Walk will take place on Friday, October 3 from 4:00 –7:00 pm. Two large, assembled art pieces showcase grids of 16-by-20-inch canvases, titled “Heart of Barre” and “Water Heart”. The exhibit also incorporates poetry inspired by those affected by the flooding, including interviews and audio recordings for the viewing audience to hear experiential stories.

“This project illustrates what strong community looks like, how it behaves, and why it matters– especially during crisis,” said co-creator Shawna Trader. “It’s about recognizing the power of being near one another and participating in caring action.
Exhibition on view from September - December 29, 2025. Free and Open to the public.

The Vermont State Curator’s Office presents: The 2025 Vermont Watercolor Society annual awards exhibition titled: “COURTING THE MUSE”. This group exhibition at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery will showcase a variety of local artists.

The full exhibition dates are October 2 – December 29, 2025.Established in 1995, the Vermont Watercolor Society has grown to 250 members. They are dedicated to promoting the awareness and appreciation of watercolor to their members and the public at large. Some of Vermont’s foremost watercolor artists are included in this display and their entries exemplify the range of discipline it commands. From Winslow Homer to John Singer Sa   ...

The Vermont State Curator’s Office presents: The 2025 Vermont Watercolor Society annual awards exhibition titled: “COURTING THE MUSE”. This group exhibition at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery will showcase a variety of local artists.

The full exhibition dates are October 2 – December 29, 2025.Established in 1995, the Vermont Watercolor Society has grown to 250 members. They are dedicated to promoting the awareness and appreciation of watercolor to their members and the public at large. Some of Vermont’s foremost watercolor artists are included in this display and their entries exemplify the range of discipline it commands. From Winslow Homer to John Singer Sargent, artists throughout history used watercolor to convey varied perspectives of their world. The watercolor medium can range in subtle to bold intensity of hue, with genres including ultra-realism, soft impressionism, and even incisive abstraction. The opening reception is free and open to the public. Food and drink will be served.

   Find Out More   

The next Montpelier Art Walk is coming up on October 3, from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. This event is a fantastic way to get a taste of the local art scene in our sweet city.

During Art Walk, Artisans Hand is featuring our newest exhibitor, Waitsfield photographer Phil Bobrow.

Phil has been taking pictures since childhood but didn’t start working professionally until later in life. It was a job at the Jackson Hole Guide as a photographer that got the ball rolling in 1985.

He loves traveling Vermont’s back roads to uncover the state’s most stunning vistas. While Phil is open to looking someplace new, he has a few favorite locations that he ret   ...

The next Montpelier Art Walk is coming up on October 3, from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. This event is a fantastic way to get a taste of the local art scene in our sweet city.

During Art Walk, Artisans Hand is featuring our newest exhibitor, Waitsfield photographer Phil Bobrow.

Phil has been taking pictures since childhood but didn’t start working professionally until later in life. It was a job at the Jackson Hole Guide as a photographer that got the ball rolling in 1985.

He loves traveling Vermont’s back roads to uncover the state’s most stunning vistas. While Phil is open to looking someplace new, he has a few favorite locations that he returns to. His hope is that he can capture something that brings you to the moment and place in the photograph.

Stop by the gallery and grab your guidebook!

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Flowers, Faces and Familiar Places is a colorful and poignant collection of artworks produced by Vermont artist Regis Cummings.
Cummings paintings provides the audience a chance to reflect on challenges of our time as seen through the eyes of a visionary painter. This exhibition is vibrant and captivating for all to experience.

“Regis’s work has gained a reputation for revealing stories through the symbolism and mystical vocabulary of a Chagall—or even a Matisse—but are rendered wholly in a style that is all the artist’s own”. “We encourage Vermonters to visit their State House this fall, to enjoy this visionary art. These are extraordinary pieces.�   ...

Flowers, Faces and Familiar Places is a colorful and poignant collection of artworks produced by Vermont artist Regis Cummings.
Cummings paintings provides the audience a chance to reflect on challenges of our time as seen through the eyes of a visionary painter. This exhibition is vibrant and captivating for all to experience.

“Regis’s work has gained a reputation for revealing stories through the symbolism and mystical vocabulary of a Chagall—or even a Matisse—but are rendered wholly in a style that is all the artist’s own”. “We encourage Vermonters to visit their State House this fall, to enjoy this visionary art. These are extraordinary pieces.” – Vermont State Curator David Schutz

The exhibition is located on the second floor of the Vermont State House and is free and open to the public. Food and Drink Served
On view now until December 29, 2025

Group Show 69, The Salon Style Show
The Front Gallery 6 Barre St. Montpelier Vt.
Opening Friday October 3rd 4-8pm during Art Walk Gallery Hours: Fridays 4 to 7, Sat. and Sunday 11 to 5

   To hang an art show Salon Style means to hang the art very close together, tier after tier, even frame touching frame as was done in  the large Paris state sponsored art exhibit or Salon of the mid-19th. Century. The Salon was big - as many as one thousand works of art, paintings, sculpture and drawings with an attendance of as many as one million viewers. The Salon was sponsored by the state from the beginning and tried to show art the state thought proper. 
 Fo   ...

Group Show 69, The Salon Style Show
The Front Gallery 6 Barre St. Montpelier Vt.
Opening Friday October 3rd 4-8pm during Art Walk Gallery Hours: Fridays 4 to 7, Sat. and Sunday 11 to 5

   To hang an art show Salon Style means to hang the art very close together, tier after tier, even frame touching frame as was done in  the large Paris state sponsored art exhibit or Salon of the mid-19th. Century. The Salon was big - as many as one thousand works of art, paintings, sculpture and drawings with an attendance of as many as one million viewers. The Salon was sponsored by the state from the beginning and tried to show art the state thought proper. 
 For many years acceptance to the Salon was all important to an artist’s career. But by the end of the 19th century, however, the Salon had lost much of its punch as more independent art venues and voices were being heard.
  The Front  Gallery is a varied group of artists and we thought hanging this group show Salon Style would show off our diversity well.

   Find Out More   

A two-part, panel-led field tour and conversation around Montpelier tributaries that caused significant damage during the 2023 and 2024 flood events. In this outing, we’ll explore water’s path through Montpelier’s Terrace Street neighborhoods, where very small drainages became very big problems as culverts and ditches failed to direct the huge volume of stormwater away from homes. In this walk, we’ll examine soil permeability, stormwater management, culvert sizing, channelization, watershed context, and the challenge of living with infrastructure built for a different climate. Panelists: Paul Marangelo (Montpelier Conservation Commission), Sam Puddicombe (Friends of the Winooski    ...

A two-part, panel-led field tour and conversation around Montpelier tributaries that caused significant damage during the 2023 and 2024 flood events. In this outing, we’ll explore water’s path through Montpelier’s Terrace Street neighborhoods, where very small drainages became very big problems as culverts and ditches failed to direct the huge volume of stormwater away from homes. In this walk, we’ll examine soil permeability, stormwater management, culvert sizing, channelization, watershed context, and the challenge of living with infrastructure built for a different climate. Panelists: Paul Marangelo (Montpelier Conservation Commission), Sam Puddicombe (Friends of the Winooski River), Alison Spasyk (Lake Champlain Sea Grant), Sean Beckett (North Branch Nature Center).
Join us again for Part Two (When Large Streams Flood) on October 11. Part of our Resilient Rivers Series.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comforta   ...

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comfortable while getting messy in any weather
Connect with other families with young children
This program is entirely outside, so be prepared with water, snacks, and clothing for staying comfortable and getting wet!

Visit our Robin’s Nest page for more information

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a co   ...

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a concerned neighbor, or simply curious about how stories can shape our understanding of water and place, this series offers a chance to connect, reflect, and imagine a more flood-resilient future — together.

All are welcome. No expertise required — just a love of reading and a willingness to wade in.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

A two-part, panel-led tour and conversation of Montpelier tributaries that caused significant damage during the 2023 and 2024 flood events. In this outing, we’ll explore several large streams that flow into the North Branch of the Winooski River. We’ll start at Elm Street, where these streams overtopped and damaged the roadway after overwhelming their box culverts, then walk upstream to understand how these streams behave as they flow downhill through the forested foothills of the Worcester Range. We’ll explore the impacts on waterways of beaver ponds, log jams, landslides, invasive species, and glacial geology. Panelists: Paul Marangelo (Montpelier Conservation Commission), Sam Pu   ...

A two-part, panel-led tour and conversation of Montpelier tributaries that caused significant damage during the 2023 and 2024 flood events. In this outing, we’ll explore several large streams that flow into the North Branch of the Winooski River. We’ll start at Elm Street, where these streams overtopped and damaged the roadway after overwhelming their box culverts, then walk upstream to understand how these streams behave as they flow downhill through the forested foothills of the Worcester Range. We’ll explore the impacts on waterways of beaver ponds, log jams, landslides, invasive species, and glacial geology. Panelists: Paul Marangelo (Montpelier Conservation Commission), Sam Puddicombe (Friends of the Winooski River), Alison Spasyk (Lake Champlain Sea Grant), Sean Beckett (North Branch Nature Center)
Part One (When Small Streams Flood) is on October 4. Part of our Resilient Rivers Series.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

October 12, 2025 | 9 am – 1 pm
North Branch Nature Center
For ages 16+ (or 13-15 with parent)
Register Here

Fungi inhabit some of the most unique and critical roles on earth, from the mycorrhizae that inhabit root systems allowing plants and forests to flourish, to the cordyceps fungi that control the minds of insects! Join NBNC naturalist and educator Dave Muska for a morning mushroom outing to learn about local fungi and mushrooms, what they’re up to, and how you can contribute to the Fungi of Vermont Community Science program.

Dave is a naturalist and educator with NBNC and serves as a leadership member of the Vermont Fungal Scie   ...

October 12, 2025 | 9 am – 1 pm
North Branch Nature Center
For ages 16+ (or 13-15 with parent)
Register Here

Fungi inhabit some of the most unique and critical roles on earth, from the mycorrhizae that inhabit root systems allowing plants and forests to flourish, to the cordyceps fungi that control the minds of insects! Join NBNC naturalist and educator Dave Muska for a morning mushroom outing to learn about local fungi and mushrooms, what they’re up to, and how you can contribute to the Fungi of Vermont Community Science program.

Dave is a naturalist and educator with NBNC and serves as a leadership member of the Vermont Fungal Scientific Advisory Group, whose mission is to increase the state’s understanding of fungal diversity for ecological research and conservation. Dave coordinates the Fungi of Vermont Program, a NBNC initiative to help community members collect important data on fungi distribution in the state. When he’s not teaching with NBNC, Dave also runs the wilderness skills and naturalist study organization Ondatra Adventures.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

A two-day immersion in beaver ecology and river science, with a focus on the relationship between beavers, watershed health, and flood resilience. A combination of field trips, discussions, and classroom instruction, this retreat is for those who want to understand the complex role that beavers play in creating ecosystems, managing water, and sometimes causing headaches for humans along the way. Two full days of learning and exploring why beavers are important partners in towns dealing with floods. Instructed by Patti Smith of Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, Skip Lisle of Beaver Deceivers International, engineer and river scientist Dr. Denise Burchsted, and NBNC naturalist Sean   ...

A two-day immersion in beaver ecology and river science, with a focus on the relationship between beavers, watershed health, and flood resilience. A combination of field trips, discussions, and classroom instruction, this retreat is for those who want to understand the complex role that beavers play in creating ecosystems, managing water, and sometimes causing headaches for humans along the way. Two full days of learning and exploring why beavers are important partners in towns dealing with floods. Instructed by Patti Smith of Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, Skip Lisle of Beaver Deceivers International, engineer and river scientist Dr. Denise Burchsted, and NBNC naturalist Sean Beckett.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comforta   ...

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comfortable while getting messy in any weather
Connect with other families with young children
This program is entirely outside, so be prepared with water, snacks, and clothing for staying comfortable and getting wet!

Visit our Robin’s Nest page for more information

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a co   ...

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a concerned neighbor, or simply curious about how stories can shape our understanding of water and place, this series offers a chance to connect, reflect, and imagine a more flood-resilient future — together.

All are welcome. No expertise required — just a love of reading and a willingness to wade in.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Come celebrate the centennial for Rupert Julian's silent film adaptation of Gaston Leroux's classic book, The Phantom of the Opera. Experience this iconic horror film with modern music inspired by Leroux's words and characters, featuring a new LIVE soundtrack by the Dylan Jack Quartet.

About the film:
The classic novel, The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l'Opéra), was written by French author Gaston Leroux in 1910. The film, directed by Rupert Julian in 1925 features Lon Chaney as Erik The Phantom and Mary Philbin as singer Christine Daae, is the closest adaptation of Leroux's novel. Certain scenes caused quite a stir among moviegoers, and we're excited to pr   ...

Come celebrate the centennial for Rupert Julian's silent film adaptation of Gaston Leroux's classic book, The Phantom of the Opera. Experience this iconic horror film with modern music inspired by Leroux's words and characters, featuring a new LIVE soundtrack by the Dylan Jack Quartet.

About the film:
The classic novel, The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l'Opéra), was written by French author Gaston Leroux in 1910. The film, directed by Rupert Julian in 1925 features Lon Chaney as Erik The Phantom and Mary Philbin as singer Christine Daae, is the closest adaptation of Leroux's novel. Certain scenes caused quite a stir among moviegoers, and we're excited to present this film with new music created in the moment, 100 years later!

The Dylan Jack Quartet is:
Dylan Jack: drums and vibraphone
Jerry Sabatini: brass and percussion
Eric Hofbauer: guitar and electronics
Tony Leva: bass

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comforta   ...

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comfortable while getting messy in any weather
Connect with other families with young children
This program is entirely outside, so be prepared with water, snacks, and clothing for staying comfortable and getting wet!

Visit our Robin’s Nest page for more information

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Food Drive for the Montpelier Food Pantry
With large cuts in SNAP benefits happening in October, more of our neighbors are going to be relying on the Just Basics Montpelier Food Pantry more than ever. Many of our local new Americans will be particularly hard hit as their SNAP benefits are taken away entirely. With that in mind, we working with Just Basics to hold a Fill the Window Food Drive. Bring us your non-perishable food or health and hygiene products and let's show our neighbors what a supportive community we are! We'll fill our front window so you can watch our progress!

Items of particular need:

White flour

White rice
   ...

Food Drive for the Montpelier Food Pantry
With large cuts in SNAP benefits happening in October, more of our neighbors are going to be relying on the Just Basics Montpelier Food Pantry more than ever. Many of our local new Americans will be particularly hard hit as their SNAP benefits are taken away entirely. With that in mind, we working with Just Basics to hold a Fill the Window Food Drive. Bring us your non-perishable food or health and hygiene products and let's show our neighbors what a supportive community we are! We'll fill our front window so you can watch our progress!

Items of particular need:

White flour

White rice

Canned beans

Canned tomatoes

Diapers & diaper wipes

Sanitary pads & tampons

Toothpaste & toothbrushes

Bandaids

Soap

   Find Out More   

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a co   ...

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a concerned neighbor, or simply curious about how stories can shape our understanding of water and place, this series offers a chance to connect, reflect, and imagine a more flood-resilient future — together.

All are welcome. No expertise required — just a love of reading and a willingness to wade in.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

Join us to celebrate our fall art exhibit, Nature for All. Browse the gallery, meet the artists, and enjoy some light refreshments. Nature for All includes work by Sunniva Dutcher, Amy Hook-Therrien, Dominique Gustin, Katama Murray, and NBNC’s own Chelsea Clarke Sawyer. Come browse watercolor paintings, prints, illustrations, encaustics, and fiber art, all priced under $300, perfect for holiday gifting. Discover a bestiary of celestial creatures, see what birds are thinking about, and appreciate the local flora from lichens to ferns to flowers as depicted by Vermont artists. This exhibit also includes unframed prints, cards, stickers, and other small goods, at even more gift-friendly p   ...

Join us to celebrate our fall art exhibit, Nature for All. Browse the gallery, meet the artists, and enjoy some light refreshments. Nature for All includes work by Sunniva Dutcher, Amy Hook-Therrien, Dominique Gustin, Katama Murray, and NBNC’s own Chelsea Clarke Sawyer. Come browse watercolor paintings, prints, illustrations, encaustics, and fiber art, all priced under $300, perfect for holiday gifting. Discover a bestiary of celestial creatures, see what birds are thinking about, and appreciate the local flora from lichens to ferns to flowers as depicted by Vermont artists. This exhibit also includes unframed prints, cards, stickers, and other small goods, at even more gift-friendly prices. A portion of artwork sales will support NBNC.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

What is Ecstatic Dance? Step into an intimate deep dive of movement and music designed to awaken the body and quiet the mind. Ecstatic dance is a free-form practice where rhythm becomes the guide and every gesture is an invitation to presence. There are no steps to learn and no right way to move, only a safe, loving container where you can explore dance as a spiritual practice, release what no longer serves you, and open to the mystery that lives in your own body.

Whether you’re a seasoned mover or simply curious, Potential for Trance invites you to surrender to the beat, trust your body’s wisdom, and discover the transformative power of dance as meditation. Come as yo   ...

What is Ecstatic Dance? Step into an intimate deep dive of movement and music designed to awaken the body and quiet the mind. Ecstatic dance is a free-form practice where rhythm becomes the guide and every gesture is an invitation to presence. There are no steps to learn and no right way to move, only a safe, loving container where you can explore dance as a spiritual practice, release what no longer serves you, and open to the mystery that lives in your own body.

Whether you’re a seasoned mover or simply curious, Potential for Trance invites you to surrender to the beat, trust your body’s wisdom, and discover the transformative power of dance as meditation. Come as you are, and let the music carry you into a deeper experience.

   Find Out More   

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comforta   ...

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

Engaging with nature’s seasonal offerings stimulates curiosity and a sense of wonder while fostering self-confidence and empathy for all living things. Join us for 2 hours of spontaneous play, exploration, discovery, song, nature inspired crafts, and oral storytelling.

Play, dig, build and grow alongside your child
Learn how to stay comfortable while getting messy in any weather
Connect with other families with young children
This program is entirely outside, so be prepared with water, snacks, and clothing for staying comfortable and getting wet!

Visit our Robin’s Nest page for more information

   Find Out More      Email the organizer   

A year ago, Champlain Valley Union High School social studies teacher Tyler Alexander finished a book that focused on the letters of a Vermont Civil War soldier, and his online search for a suitable image for his cover revealed a long-ago painting of the Vermont Brigade at Chancellorsville, painted in 1872 by famous Civil War artist Julian Scott.

Artist Julian Scott served as a drummer and fifer during the war, and went on to a heralded career, painting Civil War scenes like this that reside in major museums throughout the country. This painting was unknown until Alexander discovered it, and Orton intends to loan it to the State House over the course of the next year. I   ...

A year ago, Champlain Valley Union High School social studies teacher Tyler Alexander finished a book that focused on the letters of a Vermont Civil War soldier, and his online search for a suitable image for his cover revealed a long-ago painting of the Vermont Brigade at Chancellorsville, painted in 1872 by famous Civil War artist Julian Scott.

Artist Julian Scott served as a drummer and fifer during the war, and went on to a heralded career, painting Civil War scenes like this that reside in major museums throughout the country. This painting was unknown until Alexander discovered it, and Orton intends to loan it to the State House over the course of the next year. It will hang adjacent to Scott’s other masterpiece, the massive 10-foot by 20-foot “First Vermont Brigade at the Battle of Cedar Creek” which hangs in the ornate Cedar Creek Room in the heart of the State House.

The reception will include a brief ceremony at 4:30 pm when the painting will be revealed, and noted Civil War historian Howard Coffin will offer remarks as to the painting’s significance.

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a co   ...

Join Vermont River Conservancy for Reading the River, a three-part book group exploring life with rivers that flood:

WHEN: Wednesdays in October (10/8, 10/15, 10/22) at 8:00am

WHERE: Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Three Wednesdays in October, begin your day at the library discussing Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis. Read, connect with others, learn from history, and swap ideas for the future of our communities. Then cap things off by hearing from author Tim Palmer via a Zoom presentation and discussion on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6-7pm. 

Whether you’re a river enthusiast, a concerned neighbor, or simply curious about how stories can shape our understanding of water and place, this series offers a chance to connect, reflect, and imagine a more flood-resilient future — together.

All are welcome. No expertise required — just a love of reading and a willingness to wade in.

   Find Out More      Email the organizer