Area events – February 9 – March 12, 2023

Please email your event listings at least three weeks in advance.

Crevice gardening
Thursday, Feb. 9, 2-3 p.m.
The Garden Conservancy presents a Zoom talk about gardening in rocky, dry, exposed areas with native plants. Speaker Paul Spriggs is an accomplished garden planner of crevices and rock or hillside gardens. More info or to register.

Sunken chocolate cake
Thursday, Feb. 9, 5:30-7 p.m.
City Market offers this free virtual class, taught by The Pie Guy, on making a wickedly delicious Valentine (or anytime) treat. Registration required.

Myra Flynn and band
Friday, Feb. 10, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Vermont singer-songwriter Myra Flynn performs two sets of her soulful songs in the loft at Shelburne Vineyard. Doors open at 7 p.m. More info and tickets.

Snowshoe and scavenger hunt
Saturday, Feb. 11, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Try out snowshoes at Chipman Hill in Middlebury and do a scavenger hunt at your own pace. This family event, organized by Middlebury Area Land Trust, has a limited enrollment. Snowshoes are provided for use, or bring your own, including poles if you wish. Participants may drop-in at their convenience; all snowshoes must be returned by 1:30 p.m. No restrooms onsite. Dress for outdoors; event will wrap up with a fire and cocoa. More info or to register.

Hoops competition
Saturday, Feb. 11, 10:15 a.m.-noon
Boys and girls ages 9-14 may register for a basketball free-throw event at Vergennes Union High School gym. For more info the school number is 802-877-2558.

My Brother’s Wedding
Saturday, Feb. 11, 3-5 p.m.
As part of its Black is Beautiful film festival, the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington is screening the film My Brother’s Wedding. Film is free; learn more.

Handmade cards
Saturday, Feb. 11, 5-7 p.m.
This workshop is held at Old School Art Studio in Richmond. Enjoy printing heart-themed cards while enjoying light snacks. All supplies included. 21 and older may BYOB. To register go to the website and scroll down.

Community orchestra
Saturday, Feb. 11, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Vermont’s oldest community orchestra celebrates their 64th season. Enjoy the Vermont Philharmonic at the Elley-Long Music Center on the campus of St. Michael’s College in Colchester. More info and tickets.

Little City Jazz
Saturday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Come to the Vergennes Opera House for a free community concert with the Little City Jazz Orchestra. The winter-thaw event offers great music, a 17-piece band and singers. Bring dancing shoes; doors and cash bar open 6:30 p.m. More info and tickets.

Sunday in the kitchen
Sunday, Feb. 12, 10-11:30 a.m.
Join a virtual cook-along making healthy Valentine’s Day desserts. Recipes are free of gluten and refined sugar. City Market offers this free class via pre-registration.

Revolutionary War author
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2-3 p.m.
Author Claire Bellerjeau speaks, via Zoom, about her book Espionage and Enslavement. The book has a connection to Fort Ticonderoga’s history and is presented by the historic New York site. Learn more and register.

Faculty concert
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2-3 p.m.
The University of Vermont Music Department presents its faculty scholarship concert in the Recital Hall. Admission is by donation and all proceeds benefit student scholarships. Program features jazz and classical works. For more info, call 802-656-3040.

Programs for young musicians
Beginning Sunday, Feb. 12
Individual and group training programs are starting soon, offered by the Vermont Youth Orchestra Organization at the Elley-Long Music Center, St. Michael’s College, Colchester. There is training for strings, percussion instruments, woodwinds and brass instruments. Learn more.

Tree talk, part 2
Tuesday, Feb. 14, noon-12:30 p.m.
Today’s virtual program from the Vermont Land Trust is about identifying beech and red oak trees. Forester David McMath talks about why they are important in Vermont forests and how changes in climate will affect these species. Register for this free program; donations gladly accepted. More info.

Kittens on stage
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m.
The Very Merry Theatre troupe presents its new musical based on Beatrix Potter’s story, The Adventures of Mittens, Moppet and Tom Kitten. The free show is at the Old North End Community Center in Burlington; donations gladly accepted. For more info on upcoming winter and summer performances, see the entire calendar.

Music in the loft
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The duo Cricket Blue entertains at Shelburne Vineyard as part of the Wine & Chocolate celebration. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the free concert; seating is limited. More info.

Kahlo on screen
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m.
Town Hall Theater in Middlebury presents a film about the life of artist Frida Kahlo. More info and to buy tickets.

Where do bats go?
Wednesday, Feb. 15, noon-1 p.m.
Vermont Coverts presents two speakers in this online webinar about the hibernation habits of our local bat species. Learn more and register.

Black Vermonters 1790-1870
Wednesday, Feb. 15, noon-1 p.m.
The Vermont Historical Society hosts historian Jane Williamson in a talk highlighting the contributions of African Americans to Vermont communities during these years. Her free talk is via Zoom; more info and registration.

Yoga with live mandolin
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Enjoy a vinyasa practice for all levels at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne. More info or to register. Class repeats Wednesday, March 15.

Hockney movie
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 6:30-8 p.m.
The Architecture + Design Film Series continues with this film exploring the long and creative life of British artist David Hockney, which continues at the age of 85. Free film screens live at Burlington’s Contois Auditorium as well as virtually at the scheduled time. Doors open at 6 p.m. More info or the virtual link.

Archaeology conference
Thursday, Feb. 16, 1-4 p.m.
Hear researchers share the latest discoveries from their work around the Lake Champlain region. This free virtual conference is presented by Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Read more and register for this free program.

Pooh musical
Thursday, Feb. 16, 5 p.m.
Very Merry Theatre presents their new musical version of A. A. Milne’s classic tale of Winnie the Pooh. Free performance at the Old North End Community Center in Burlington; donations gladly accepted. More info and upcoming schedule.

Washington wilderness hiking
Thursday, Feb. 16, 7-8 p.m.
The Green Mountain Club presents Adam and Ruthie LaRoche, Vermonters who spent 10 days backpacking in the North Cascades. Free to register for this Zoom event; donations gladly accepted. More info.

Ice in the bay
Friday, Feb. 17- Sunday, Feb. 19
North Hero’s City Bay holds its Great Ice Festival with numerous family events over three days and evenings. Food, skating, snowshoeing and fireworks are among the activities, weather permitting. More info and ice updates.

Organic farming conference
Saturday, Feb. 18, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) will hold its annual event in person in Burlington (some live-streamed options). Intensive workshops are held on Sunday, Feb. 19. More info and to register.

Discover engineering
Saturday, Feb. 18, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences presents a free event for any youth in grades 5-12. Learn about the field of engineering, meet students and talk to professionals in the field. Discover different kinds of engineering and career pathways through workshops, exhibits and presentations. Lunch included. Learn more and register or call Lauren at 802-888-4972, ext. 402, even if it’s past the registration deadline.

Hand art workshop
Saturday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m.-noon
Working with flat slabs of clay, participants trace their hands and use the clay shapes to form useful items, such as trinket dishes. Program is held in Richmond at Old School Art Studio and includes light snacks. More info and to register.

Stained glass workshop
Saturday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Learn the basics of stained-glass construction and create a colorful jewelry or treasure box. Register for this class.

Living history
Saturday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
At Fort Ticonderoga in New York, experience life on the eve of the Revolutionary War. Discover what everyday life was like for the British soldiers and their families, living at the fort in 1774. Learn more and get tickets.

Audubon Vermont hike
Saturday, Feb. 18, 1-3 p.m.
A pride hike happens in Burlington at the Ethan Allen Homestead for all ages, allies and families. Register in advance for this easy, accessible, free event.

Duo M
Saturday, Feb. 18, 3-4:30 p.m.
The Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival presents a violin and piano duo at the College Street Congregational Church in Burlington. Tickets and more info.

Jazz orchestra
Saturday, Feb. 18, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
The Brian McCarthy Jazz Orchestra plays at the University of Vermont Recital Hall in Burlington. The 17-piece band features faculty member and trumpeter Ray Vega in a program of classic standards and Latin jazz originals. Free and open to all. See complete schedule of music department performances.

Music and spirituality
Saturday, Feb. 18, 7-8 p.m.
The music director at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne, Ronnie Romano, presents a free concert featuring pieces on piano and organ. Obtain free tickets. Donations gladly accepted at the door.

Horse-drawn rides
Saturday, Feb. 18- Mon., Feb. 20
Shelburne Farms offers its popular rides by wagon, or sleigh if there is adequate snow and frozen ground. Several time slots each day, each for about one-half hour. Click to register.

Vermont film screening
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m.
The Vergennes Opera House shows the movie, The Summer of Walter Hacks, in a rare screening. The 50s-era drama was filmed almost entirely in Vermont, and the director, producer and co-writers will be in attendance. It’s a movie with no fancy effects, but good storytelling. Tickets and more info.

Spotted lanternfly
Tuesday, Feb. 21, noon-1 p.m.
The spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam, has spread to the U.S. and is impacting the viticulture, stone fruit and timber industries in the Northeast and elsewhere. Join a free webinar and learn about what can be done to prevent its damage. More info and free registration.

Online book discussion
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m.
The book For One Day of Freedom will be the topic of a Zoom discussion organized by Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh. Free event requires pre-registration. The next book talk will be on March 14.

Ice fishing clinics
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
This free event is for anglers in grades 5-8 to learn and practice ice-fishing techniques and safety. Head out on the ice at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes and learn from Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department instructors. All gear is supplied; dress warmly and wear winter boots. Add ice cleats if you have them. Pre-registration required. There will be another clinic on Fri., Feb. 24.

Hidden hands talk
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7-8 p.m.
Fort Ticonderoga staff explore the role of men of African descent in the military experience of the 18th century by researching military artifacts in their collection. More info for this Zoom presentation, including registration.

Quilting retreat
Wednesday, Feb. 22- Sunday, Feb. 26
The Strong House Inn in Vergennes holds a relaxed quilting retreat with easy-going schedule. Participants can work on their projects, make new connections and have a mini sewing getaway. More info and to register or call the Inn at 802-877-3337.

Creating diverse landscapes
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2-3 p.m.
Landscape designer Darrel Morrison talks about the beauty of the wild landscape in this Zoom talk through The Garden Conservancy. Morrison is known for his use of native plantings to replicate certain environments, such as prairie grasslands, coastal meadows and woodland settings. More info or to register.

BX23
Saturday, Feb. 25, 5-9 p.m.
Performing artists and speakers gather at Burlington’s Flynn Theater for an evening celebration of Black culture, community and education in Vermont. The Black Experience 2023 is a free event and open to all. Dr. Angela Davis is a keynote presenter.

Fish art contest
Final deadline Tuesday, Feb. 28
Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s fish art contest deadline for submissions is near. The contest, open to youth ages 5-18, involves writing about a Vermont fish species and illustrating it (essay not required for grades K-3). Details on submissions and contest rules.

Lovingkindness course
Wednesdays, March 1-April 5
Shelburne’s Vermont Zen Center offers a six-week course on practicing loving kindness. Class is 7-8 p.m., in person or via Zoom. Appropriate for anyone of any belief, beginners or experienced practitioners. More info or to register or call 802-985-9746.

Local art exhibit through Sunday, March 12
Charlotte artist JC Wayne has a solo exhibit, Oracle of Future Beauty, at Shelburne’s Pierson Library. Find out about more of JC’s poetry projects, art exhibits and art instruction workshops.