ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – Celebrate fall the Vermont way. On Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Oct. 15, from 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., at Rockingham Hill Farm, 34 Meeting House Road, Rockingham, Vt., the Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the fourth annual Southern Vermont Flannel Festival. Surround yourself with pies, cider, craft beer, cocktails, pumpkins, food and craft vendors, a pie contest, and beautiful Vermont foliage, as we celebrate community and welcome autumn surrounded by the vistas of the Vermont countryside.
One thing that sets this festival apart is the location. It is held on the stunning Rockingham Hill Farm. It boasts a massive barn and silo, and a stunning view of the mountains in all their fall glory. A natural hill forms an amphitheater overlooking the outdoor stage. It is just down the road from the Vermont Country Store and the historic Rockingham Meeting House.
The festival is set up on two levels. As you enter, there is a main stage with amazing local talent. This year we are welcoming The Stockwell Brothers, Cold Chocolate, the Rough and Tumble, and the Patrick Ross Band to the main stage. They all have a bluegrass, roots, Americana feel.
From here there is a tier of great local food trucks, craft beer, ciders, and local spirits. We travel to a lower field with a full arts and crafts festival, with over 70 vendors. We have a second stage with more music in the lower field, with toe-tapping music such as the Springfield Stringers.
One of the highlights of the fair are the pies. In the main barn we host a pie-baking contest, with great prizes from King Arthur Flour. We also serve up hundreds of slices of homemade pie topped with Walpole Creamery ice cream, or Cabot cheddar cheese. The Bellows Falls Rotary Club serves local coffee and hot mulled cider.
Our thanks goes out to our generous sponsors, without whom this fun fall festival couldn’t happen. Our Gold Sponsors: Rockingham Arts and Museum Project, Best Septic Services, The Bellows Falls Moose, Halladay’s Harvest Barn, Mascoma Bank, Savings Bank of Walpole, M&T Bank, and The Bellows Falls Opera House. Silver Sponsors: The Walpole Creamery, Greater Falls Connections, The Richards Group, Berkley & Veller Realty, Health Care Rehabilitation Services, Hunter Studios, US Cellular, Bellows Falls Rotary Club, and The Vermont Journal & The Shopper Newspaper. Bronze Sponsors: Allen Brothers Farm Stand, Pete’s Stand, Simone’s Styling Salon, and Joy Wah.
Follow the buffalo red and black plaid road signs to direct you to 34 Meeting House Road in Rockingham, Vt., for a fun fall festival for all ages. Receive an admission discount if you’re rocking flannel. Kids 12 and under are free. For more information, contact the Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce, 17 Depot Street, Bellows Falls, Vt., email info@gfrcc.org, visit www.gfrcc.org, or call 802-463-4280.