CHESTER, Vt. – This September, the Chester Festival on the Green will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with more fun and entertainment for the whole family. This extensive fall market features more than 70 regional artisans selling handmade products, including jewelry, glass, pottery, fine woodwork, fiber art, and photography. There will also be food and refreshment vendors.
Held on Chester’s historic Common, this year’s festival is expanding its Vermont Culture Corner with a new Maker’s Space of artists performing live demonstrations. Festival-goers are invited to watch and learn about everything from glass blowing and ceramics, to chainsaw carving and maple syrup boiling. They will be treated to live music, street performances, historical tours, games, sheep herding, and other animal encounters.
This two-day event will be held Sept. 21, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sept. 22, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is free.
Current information is available at www.chesterfestival.org. The 2024 vendor application period is closed.
To honor the festival’s 50th anniversary, an online vendor profile series, called Meet the Makers, spotlights this long-standing event. Meet the Makers will be published throughout the summer at www.chesterfestival.org/blog.
Nestled in the rolling hills of southern Vermont, the Chester Festival on the Green was established in 1974 by a small group of artists looking to celebrate harvest season and sell their wares. For one weekend every September, they gathered on the Town Common (known colloquially as “the Green”), where locals and leaf peepers converged at shops and restaurants.
Later, various local groups, including the Chester Rotary Club, formalize planning and fundraising initiatives that helped solidify the Chester Festival as a hallmark celebration of Vermont culture. By the mid-2000s, festival grounds stretched far beyond the Green and hosted thousands of people annually. In 2020, planning and operations were absorbed by the Chester Community Events Committee, a nonprofit group of volunteers, who manage everything from marketing, planning and outreach, to set-up, cleanup, and safety.
Historical information about the Chester Festival will be on display at a 50th anniversary booth and inside the Chester Historical Society, which is open to the public during event hours.
The Chester Festival on the Green is sustained by volunteers. Ambassadors provide critical support, by managing information booths, assisting vendors, directing parking, and more. Those in need of community service hours are encouraged to apply. In addition, donations may be mailed to Chester Community Events Committee, P.O. Box 1177, Chester, VT 05143.