The Maplefest Craft and Food Fair returns to Maplefest! Now that our public buildings can again be open to the public, the Poultney Area Chamber of Commerce is welcoming quality craft and food vendors to Maplefest once again. on Saturday, March 25th, 2023. Sugarhouse Tours will also be given on Sunday, March 26th.
Check the new Sugarhouse Map and updated Event List, which can be downloaded from PoultneyAreaChamber.com. Poultney’s own Sugar Bear will be out in the morning to help direct you, or stop at the Stonebridge Building or at local businesses for information.
Have lunch at Pelletiers Maple, located near Slate Quarry Park on Main Street, with burgers and hot dogs, and their delicious Fried Dough with maple toppings. Or you can enjoy any of the other Poultney eateries, including Stewarts Shops that offers 50 cents off maple walnut milkshakes and a variety of maple pastries on Saturday.
Before or after you eat, be sure to visit the MapleFest Craft and Food Fair, held again at Poultney High School from 10 AM to 3 PM. The gym will be full of people who make quality crafts, delicious food, and whimsical gifts.
Like Jen’s Jewels featuring natural stones; they also have horseshoe art. Don Barkley’s lighted bottles and jewelry are great for decoration. Crazy Girlz Creations include onesies, tote bags, cutting boards, and blankets among other items.
Ever heard of magnetic jewelry? Magnabilities has it and can tell you how it’s made. Holly Boyce has soft goods like stuffed toys, bibs, place mats, and pillow cases. Be sure to stop at Laura’s Health Harvest for vintage gifts – and Laura’s delicious candy, pickles, and jams.
You can take a little of the Slate Valley home when you visit Crazy Crafty Granny who does pictures on slate tile. For a whimsical gift, choose from Sue Wilder’s button-charm jewelry, gnomes, and spring décor. Tonya Milone’s skill will amaze you, don’t miss her display of home quilted pieces, table runners, purses, bags, ornaments, and wall hangings.
Vermont Fire Rocks uses slate, marble, granite, and field stone to make candle-like lamps. Small but important, Sew Many Choices creates small purses, cell phone bags, totes, table runners, bowl cozies, hot potato bags (what are those?) and more. Just For Run? They feature Creative Gifts 2000 Jewelry.
Stay warm with Lorrie’s Crafts, including flannel blankets, loom knit scarves and dishcloths, they also feature reversible table runners, sachets, and magnets. Maureen LaBate carries delicious honey and beeswax products. Jewelry and leather goods are created by Witch of the Mountain Path. Be good to your body with cosmetics and face and body care from Robin Rowe. And for whimsical handmade jewelry, you can’t beat Aunt Rhea’s Creations.
You’ll see them all at the Maplefest Craft and Food Fair, Saturday, March 25th, 2023 at Poultney High School. Remember to visit the sugarhouses, too. Greens Sugarhouse, Verlaska Farm, Marshall’s Maple, Thrall Road Maple, Mahar Maple, Miller’s Sap House, and Cuttin’ It Sweet. (they will also be open Sunday, March 26th, 2023)
So come to Poultney for all the fun and excitement as you enjoy the activities from the pancake breakfast at the Poultney Methodist Church 8 AM to the Maple Ham Dinner from 4:30 to 7 PM at the Poultney Young At Heart Senior Center, and everything in between. (Remember the events and sugarhouse tours are listed on our Event List and Sugarhouse Map at https://poultneyareachamber.com/ ) See you there!
Maple season is on! And Poultney Maplefest 2023 is the time, the place, and the season to come together and celebrate the return of spring! Activities are scheduled for Saturday, March 25th, with sugarhouse tours continuing on Sunday, March 26th.
At 8 AM there’s the Maplefest Pancake Breakfast at the Poultney United Methodist Church. You can just taste the delicious stack of pancakes with real Vermont maple syrup. The community breakfast is free, donations are accepted, and they’ll be serving until 11 AM.
Take your time with shopping at the Maplefest Bag Sales. Williams Hardware offers 25 percent off all non-sake items you can fit in their recyclable bag (bags are free). The Original Vermont Store will give 20 percent off store-wide on non-sale items. Hermit Hill Books is the place to go for books about maple: how to make syrup and other goodies, recipes, and stories.. And there are more specials and discounts around town all day long.
If you get hungry during the day, you can fuel up with Maple Fried Dough Maple Fried Dough at Pelletier Food Truck by the new Slate Quarry Park. Fifty cents off Maple Walnut Shakes at Stewarts, plus various maple pastries will be available. Also look for something special at Perry’s Main Street Eatery, the Poultney Pub, East Poultney General Store, Full Belly Deli, Toad’s Burgers, Poultney Pizza, Shaws, and Tennybrook Market.
The Official Tree Tapping begins on the lawn at the former Green Mountain College at 10 AM, with a mystery guest squaring off against Poultney’s Citizen of the Year Rebecca Cook to see who can tap the tree first. Immediately afterwards, the Golden and Amber winners of the Poultney 4th Grade Art Contest will be announced and given their prizes.
Take a moment for a free horse-dtawn wagon ride around some of Poultney’s streets. Relax and enjoy the varied architecture; Poultney has many historical building in many different styles. Ask at the library or historical society for more information.
For those of you just raring to get outside, Analog Cycles will hold their fifth annual “Ride and Race” event, with the ride starting at 10 AM, and the race at 11 AM. You can sign up online at bikereg.com/analog-fifth-season-ramble
Kids getting a little antsy by now? Stop at the Poultney Public Library around 11:30 AM for Story Time. The library is a real asset and communications center for the town. If you can’t find the information you need, try the library.
Then you could head to the old East Poultney Schoolhouse on East Main Street, where from 12 PM to 3 PM the historical society will be passing out free maple cookies. You can share maple recipes, chat with friends, check out the maple exhibit, and watch a maple video. It’s the original social network
You have two days to visit sugarhouses, and you’ll find they are all different: Greens’ Sugarhouse, Marshall’s Maples, Verlaska Farm, Mahar Maple, Millers Sap House, Cuttin’ it Sweet are participating. Some are smaller and more like the originals, and some larger and more commercial. But all have that sweet fresh syrup and other maple goodies so be sure to get enough to last until next year. Download the Sap Map at PoultneyAreaChamber.com.
Finally, on Saturday evening from 4:30 PM to 7 PM, dine on maple-glazed ham, maple mashed sweet potatoes, vegetable, dessert, and beverages at the Young At Heart Senior Center on Furnace Street. Adults 8.00, kids 12 and under 5.00.
Poultney Maplefest 2022 is for everyone, so be sure to come. Poultney is growing and changing, and visitors are welcome. For more information, check the Poultney Area Chamber website at PoultneyAreaChamber.com where we will have an updated event list which can be downloaded. You can also check our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/poultneyareachamberofcommerce/
POULTNEY MAPLEFEST 2023 brings Vermonters and visitors together to celebrate the maple seasons and the return of spring! Come to Poultney on Saturday, March 26th, with sugarhouse tours continuing on Sunday March 27th. Poultney is the place to be!