From craft fairs and light shows to merry concerts and classic performances, here are some of our favorite holiday things to do in Vermont this year!
Woodstock Winter Wassail Weekend in Woodstock, Vermont.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of the Woodstock Chamber of CommerceNovember 20 – 21Vermont Hand Crafters Fine Craft & Art Show Online
The state’s oldest and largest juried craft organization takes its holiday-season spectacular online again this year, letting you shop for handwoven shawls and scarves, nature-inspired art quilts, terrariums, and more directly from the artists and crafters. Plus: studio demonstrations, live video chats, and a chance to win prizes.
November 26 – 28Putney Craft TourPutney
Now well into its fifth decade, the event renowned as the nation’s oldest continuous craft tour invites the public into the studios of southern Vermont artisans practicing everything from glassblowing to woodworking to oil painting. A portion of tour sales is designated to support the Putney Foodshelf.
November 26 – January 1 (select dates)Winter Lights at Shelburne MuseumShelburneA highlight of one of New England’s newest holiday displays: seeing the historic steamboat Ticonderoga fully aglow, along with the buildings and campus of this family-favorite museum.December 4Boston Brass for the HolidaysPeacham For more than three decades, the members of Boston Brass have been bringing the fun to often-formal musical genres. Expect their top-notch showmanship to lend extra sparkle to yuletide standards. For details on other New England shows, go to bostonbrass.comDecember 4 – 5Southern Vermont Arts Center Holiday MarketManchester
On the hunt for handmade local gifts this season? Check out the SVAC’s special shopping event spotlighting artisans and vendors from around the region.
December Christmas at HildeneManchester
Though the famed American political family who built this Georgian Revival beauty used it mainly as their summer home (and twice hosted President Taft there), two coal-burning furnaces in the basement ensured that any holiday stays would be cozy. On hand to provide seasonal tunes: the family’s 1908 electric pneumatic Aeolian pipe organ and original Steinway piano, which are still used to greet visitors at Christmastime. December 8Squirrel Nut Zippers Holiday Caravan TourSpruce Peak Performing Arts Center | Stowe Love rocking around the Christmas tree? Check out the Squirrel Nut Zippers as they bring their “Holiday Caravan” show to Midcoast Maine, mixing jazz chords, folk music, and punk rock as they belt out holiday favorites alongside their own hits. For details on other New England shows, go to snzippers.comDecember 10 – 12 Wassail WeekendWoodstock
This favorite fall-foliage town transforms into a Christmas-card scene on the second weekend of December, when Wassail Weekend gets underway. Expect the downtown to be filled with the sights and sounds of the season, from twinkling light displays to the jingling bells of horses pulling wagons or—if nature has provided enough of the white stuff—sleighs.
December 14Mannheim SteamrollerThe Flynn | Burlington This year marks the reunion of the No. 1 Christmas music artist in history with its fans, live and in person, as Mannheim Steamroller builds on a 35-year tradition of touring. Even if you think you don’t know their songs, you’ve heard them before—and we bet you’ll find yourself humming along. For details on other New England shows, go to mannheimsteamroller.comDecember 18 – 19 Green Mountain Nutcracker Barre Opera House | Barre Can you picture Tchaikovsky in flannel? Then you’ll love the bluegrass rearrangements of Tchaikovsky’s party dances, the appearance of the Maple Sugar Fairy, and the twirling apples and autumn leaves that make Moving Light Dance’s Green Mountain Nutcracker a delectably local confection. What would you add to the list of the best holiday events in Vermont? Let us know in the comments below! And see more festive things to do in Vermont (and beyond) in “The New England Holiday Bucket List.” Don’t miss our top 10 holiday events in all six New England states! Check out Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.