Summertime and Grange events are jumpin’
Summer is here, and Charlotte Grange has lots of family-friendly events planned both around town and based at our historic Grange Hall at 2858 Spear Street in East Charlotte Village.
The Grange is again offering a series of four free musical concerts called Grange on the Green on the town green at the town hall on Ferry Road in West Charlotte Village.
It’s open seating on the grass with plenty of room to spread out your picnic blanket and set up lawn chairs with a good view of the musicians playing from the library porch.
If you pack in a picnic be prepared to pack out all your trash and recyclables.
Adam’s Berry Farm frozen fruit pops will be for sale by the local 4-H group. Each Thursday concert is 5:30-7 p.m., with the senior center across the street as the rain venue. These concerts are cohosted by the Charlotte Library.
Grange on the Green is possible thanks to series sponsors Shearer Audi-Acura-VW and Otter Creek Awnings. Here’s the line-up:
• June 27 — Will Patton Quartet will perform Manouche jazz and Brazilian styles as well as straight-up bebop and many original compositions. Concert sponsored by Cumbancha.
• July 11 — The Buck Hollers will give us high-energy, up-tempo tunes and heartfelt, soul-stirring ballads. Concert sponsored by Philo Ridge Farm.
• July 18 — Carole Wise shares original compositions and well-known folk music. Concert sponsored by Point Bay Marina.
• July 25 — Forest Station and Friends play lively bluegrass music. Concert sponsored by Lake Champlain Chocolates.
Another warm-weather series is the monthly Charlotte Walks, which offer opportunities to become more familiar with Charlotte’s public trails plus meet and chat with other Charlotters along the way.
Every third Friday Charlotte walkers meet at a different town trailhead at 8:30 a.m. Walks generally last about an hour and are led at an adult walking pace. July 19: Pease Mountain; Aug. 16: Plouffe Lane; Sept. 20: Quinlan Bridge and Garden Tour Part Two.
Visit charlottegrange.org for trail and exact meet-up location each month. Sign up in advance if you’d like to be contacted if weather changes plans by email.
Back by popular demand is the Veggie Share, 5:30-6:30 p.m., on three Tuesdays during the summer. The Veggie Shares will be July 23, Aug. 27 and Sept. 24 at the Grange Hall.
Bring surplus you’ve harvested from your garden to share or swap with neighbors. No money is exchanged and all are welcome to take home bounty from local gardens even if not bringing any.
Each Veggie Share event will include a brief demonstration by a local food producer or homesteader. Any remaining surplus will be distributed through the Charlotte Food Shelf.
No time or space for a vegetable garden? No problem, thanks to the wonderful array of local CSAs (community-supported agriculture) and farmstands selling directly to the public. Watch for the 2024 version of the Grange’s popular map of Charlotte farms with location and profiles of who is offering what around town, coming soon as an insert in The Charlotte News.
And what would summer be without taking time to hang out with family and friends, especially younger ones?
Besides outdoor activities, summer is a great time for reading out loud to little ones or reading quietly alone. Thanks to volunteers Susan Ohanian and Cindi Robinson and support from Charlotte Senior Center and Flying Pig Bookstore, the Grange maintains an active little free library in front of its building, featuring books for children and youth.
You can borrow and return; you can borrow and keep; or you can donate books your family has already enjoyed. Open all day, every day. Check it out!
For more information about the Grange, go to charlottegrange.org. And to stay current on these and other Grange activities, sign up on the website for the monthly e-newsletter.
The Charlotte Grange strives to honor our agrarian roots and help build a resilient future for all. Members meet the third Tuesday of the month for either a business meeting or potluck supper. If you’re curious about becoming a member or helping with any programs, email.