PROCTORSVILLE, Vt. – As the world continues to reel with pandemic and economic issues, it’s always great to have some things remain unchanged. Happily, the Vermont Golden Honey Festival is one of those things. The Honey Festival is about to host its ninth annual event Sept. 11 in Proctorsville, Vt. While most public events were canceled last season due to health concerns and social distancing protocols, the Vermont Golden Honey Festival remained open – with face masks and people-counting procedures in place.
The Vermont Golden Honey Festival has become a local tradition. It’s always on the second Saturday of September. This year, that’s Saturday, Sept 11, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., at Golden Stage Inn, 399 Depot St., Proctorsville, Vt.
Two local beekeepers and business owners, Jess Goodman and Julie-Lynn Wood, founded the Vermont Golden Honey Festival. Jess Goodman and her husband Craig own and operate Goodman’s American Pie of Ludlow, and Julie-Lynn Wood and her husband Michael own and operate Golden Stage Inn in Proctorsville, Vt. Jess and Julie attended the Garlic Festival in Bennington one year and decided it would be fun to plan an event around the honeybee, while also giving independent business owners an opportunity to sell their items, and community members an opportunity to have fun and connect with neighbors at a free event.
Each vendor pays a fee to attend the festival, and then all event proceeds are donated to a local nonprofit organization. This year, that organization will be Cavendish Streetscapes, a group of volunteers dedicated to beautifying the villages of Proctorsville and Cavendish.
The Honey Festival is host to 30 artists, beekeepers, and food purveyors, each showcasing at least one item that celebrates the honeybee in some way. The variety of items available at the Honey Festival is wide, truly something for everyone.
Vermont Beekeepers Association and Windham County Beekeeping will both have booths offering honey for sale and beekeeping education. Winterview Farms of Springfield has been at every Honey Festival from the beginning, offering their beeswax candles, lip balms, raw honey, local beef and pork, and more. New England Hot Fudge Company, owned and operated by a local businessman, will be selling their sweet sauces from hot fudge to maple caramel. Stewart Maple will have their pure maple syrup – among other maple treats.
Additionally, there will be honey gin, crochet, pottery, chaga tea, stone oil lanterns, table linens, soap, mead, jewelry, salves, watercolors, pie, and of course, Goodman’s American Pie will be there with their pizza truck selling their signature Honey Apple Pizza, which had its debut at the Honey Festival nine years ago!
For more information, contact 802-226-7744 or check it out on Facebook.