Scenes of Vermont Forums

I so missed my foliage festivals in 2020 as they were all cancelled due to the pandemic. So this year, I am planning on driving up for these two fairs for a day trip. I love the Chester Fall Festival and the surrounding area with a stop at the Vermont Country Store in Rockingham of course! We end the day by driving on Popple Dungeon Road which was recommended to me by a forum member bvahjen who has recently moved to Arizona. I like to support the local fireman's food truck for lunch, but there are some other good foodies there as well.

http://chesterfallfestival.org/wp/
Sept. 18 and 19

The Newfane Heritage Festival is outstanding. The juried crafters showcase some beautiful items and the village of Newfane is just picture perfect. One year at the festival I got some adorable lambswool earmuffs that have kept me warm on my winter hikes. It gets crazy packed and parking is not easy so the earlier you arrive there the better.

https://newfaneheritagefestival.org/
Oct. 9 and 10

If we leave northern CT at 8:30 I can be back by 4:30 so a day trip suffices. Unless I get carried away with some new dirt back roads!

Hi:
In your research for foliage festivals, how many did you run across that are holding one this season?

Hi Tim, actually quite a few. The Stowe Foliage Arts Festival, Rutland Art in the Park, Dummerston Apple Pie Festival, Townshend Fall Festival, Danville Autumn on the Green and some of the towns (Peacham, Groton, Cabot) of the NEK Fall Festival are all on. I can't seem to find all of 7 towns on the NEK chamber site. Maybe they are still updating?

The Burke Fall Festival, one of my favorites, is canceled again this year.

Looks like, at this time, most are all on!!!!

We've been to the newfane and burke festivals before and enjoyed them. Thinking of going to the autumn on the green festival as we will be in the nek the first weekend in October. Is it as good as those two? It looks pretty good from what I've read.

Thank you

Hi Pats fan, nice to see you back on the forum. Yes, the Danville Autumn on the Green is excellent. It is about the same size as Newfane's festival but not as big as Burke. It is pretty compact on the town green separated by rows, Newfane is more spread out. It is mostly supported by local vendors to the area, moreso than vendors coming from either further away in Vermont or out of state. That is why it is right up there with my top ten fall festivals. The quality of the crafts is top notch and very affordable. Food is amazing! The entertainment is on the center of the town green. If you are in need of maple syrup, there are a lot of great vendors from around the area, and I've gotten some delicious maple syrup there in the past. If it is a typical, amazing fall day, you just can't beat Danville's Autumn on the Green! The fall vibe at the festival is contagious! I've been 3 times and can't wait for my next return!

https://www.facebook.com/AutumnontheGreen/

If you have time, stop at Burtt's Apple Orchard! A must do visit while in Vermont!

https://burttsappleorchard.com/index.html

Or spend the afternoon at the Danville Corn Maze!

https://www.vermontcornmaze.com/

Sounds good, thank you for all the info..Looking forward to checking out the festival..Also, thank you for the additional recommendations, I will definitely check them out.

Sounds good, thank you for all the info..Looking forward to checking out the festival..Also, thank you for the additional recommendations, I will definitely check them out.

Tim our board owner, just posted the link for all the "on board" fall foliage festivals for 2021 if you are interested in more fall fairs. I might try to get to the Townshend Pumpkin Festival. I've been twice and it's great and very close so I can do a day trip. The back roads around there are amazing! I think 3 festivals in Vermont will do it for me as I have a lot more coming up in CT and MA. Busy time ahead!

Looking forward to the Chester Foliage Fair this weekend and my loop around the reservoir (Reservoir Road to Lover's Lane) and back to town. I may have to skip The Vermont Country Store in Rockingham (heaven help me) to do this in a day.

Ok, thank you. I will check out the link. My wife wants to do a gondola ride. We are staying in burke and the two closest I could find are the jay peak tram and the stowe gondola. Have you done either of these? They both look good. Is one better than the other?

Hi again! I have been on both and I would definitely say one is not better than the other. Rather, they are different. I don't know how many folks they are letting in the lifts this year as compared to last year, but the tram holds A LOT of people vs the more intimate ride on the Stowe Gondola. What they do have in common is amazing views at the summit of the layers upon layers of mountain ranges. A feast for the eyes! My personal opinion is that the feeling at the summit of Jay is like being on top of the world! It is breathtaking! The 360 degree views are like none other I have experienced. Any chance you can do both? I know they are a bit expensive but sooooo worth it!

I have been on all the chair lift, gondola, tram rides in Vermont except Burke Mountain during their annual fall festival which is canceled this year. I think there are 8 in total. I loved all of them but my favorite is the single chair lift at Mad River Glen. I've been on that 3 or more times. That is a different experience in and of itself!

One word of advice if I may. Make sure before you head over to either Jay or Stowe that the summit is clear and not shrouded in clouds, fog, mist, etc. Phil (pwt) and I drove around a bit before we took the Jay tram and waited for the summit to clear out. It was pretty foggy beforehand. Not only are you going for the thrill of the ride up, but the ultimate reward is the long views all around you at the top. You can walk all around the top of Jay for different views.

That said, be prepared for abrupt change in weather at the top. Wear layers! The temperature can change quickly and the wind can be whipping up! One of the lift rides I took a few years ago, I wish I had gloves and earmuffs because it was so cold and we got to the bottom and it was in the 70s!

I hope this helps! Post back here and let us know how it went and which one you chose! CT

Thanks so much for the great advice and your perspective on the differences between the two rides. Those 360 views that you talked about in Jay sound amazing, so I think we will do that one. The one in stowe is pretty expensive in my opinion too. Fingers crossed for clear skies and great colors.

If I could pick your brain a little more, do you have any restaurant recommendations in the nek? So far in my research. Junipers and the burke public house look pretty good. Have you been to either of those?

Hi Pats, I ate at Junipers many years ago and it was great. But I don't know how it is now, assuming it is really the same. I would recommend Miss Lyndonville Diner, Parker Pie in West Glover, Rabbit Hill Inn in Waterford, Positive Pie in Plainfield and there was a family restaurant in Troy that I ate at and it was delicious. I'll find the name for you later. It's casual and local and excellent. I would recommend calling and seeing if you need reservations at any of these places and nail it down. Miss Lyndonville Diner is CROWDED but worth a stop! Maybe others can recommend some dining options for you that are their favorite!

Thank you for all the restaurants recommendations. I will check them out!

Pats, I found the name of the restaurant in Troy. Try to get there if you can after your Jay Peak tram ride. It's very local and has delicious food. I am sure you will enjoy it. I went there with Phil (pwt) and really had a nice lunch. It will fit in great with your itin if you indeed do the tram! Plus, I have been to several restaurants in Waitsfield so if you are around there, do check in for more ideas.

https://www.thejunctionrestaurantvt.com/

Cool, sounds good for lunch after the tram ride. We are staying 1 night in waitsfield, so if you have ideas, I'd love to hear them. We have been to waitsfield before. Our favorite places to eat are American flatbread and mad taco.