winter activities in Bellows Falls/Rockingham VT

alaskaberry · 11-05-2009, 02:19 AM

...with a 3 yr old and an 11m old. You see, I'm from BF originally, and usually I have a car when I go down there to visit my parents, but this time I won't. So I was wondering if anyone can recommend activities/playgroups/etc. We will be going to the library a *lot*, of course, since my parents house is very close to it

, and of course I still have friends down there, but usually when I come to the lower 48 I hang out in Brattleboro or Springfield (yeah, not a hometown gal much, lol). So I have no idea what, if anything, is going on in the BF area! Anyone?

**oops, forgot to say I'll be there the week of Thanksgiving**

**rainbowmoon** · 11-05-2009, 02:49 PM

this is where we just moved to so I'll be

for ideas.

**rainbowmoon** · 11-05-2009, 02:55 PM

btw~ there is a bus here if that is an option for you.

http://www.crtransit.org/

ElizaBird · 11-05-2009, 07:09 PM

this saturday 11/7 at 2pm is a free theater-for-kids event at the BF opera house. They're doing "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" i'll be there w my four year olds

as for other winter activities, i'm not so sure. things get pretty sleepy, as you know. good luck!

**rainbowmoon** · 11-06-2009, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElizaBird

this saturday 11/7 at 2pm is a free theater-for-kids event at the BF opera house. They're doing "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" i'll be there w my four year olds

as for other winter activities, i'm not so sure. things get pretty sleepy, as you know. good luck!

this sounds cool. I think I will take my littles!

alaskaberry · 11-06-2009, 01:07 PM

oh yeah. "sleepy" doesn't even begin to describe it.

but I remembered there's Main Street Arts(in Saxtons River, which is about 7 miles on rt 121 out of town)! They have classes, a kids bazaar in dec, foreign language potlucks, and lots of other cool stuff. Plus your kid will never forget their first play at MSA (and all the dead ladybugs in the costume room...mmm memories!

). Oh...Now I wish we were there long enough to be in a play!

http://www.mainstreetarts.org/

**rainbowmoon** · 11-06-2009, 02:46 PM

ohhh thanks for this link. someone had told me about this but I wasn't sure where it was. (something still on my to do list!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaskaberry

oh yeah. "sleepy" doesn't even begin to describe it.

but I remembered there's Main Street Arts(in Saxtons River, which is about 7 miles on rt 121 out of town)! They have classes, a kids bazaar in dec, foreign language potlucks, and lots of other cool stuff. Plus your kid will never forget their first play at MSA (and all the dead ladybugs in the costume room...mmm memories!

). Oh...Now I wish we were there long enough to be in a play!

http://www.mainstreetarts.org/

alaskaberry · 11-10-2009, 08:57 PM

You really have to dig for stuff! I'm glad I won't be trapped in, say, Athens VT!

I guess since I was the one who asked, I could have kept these to myself, but I thought I'd share the

Art stuff to do in-town-Mostly art gallery info and 3rd friday stuff which you probably already know about.

Adams Grist Mill Museum - I don't know if you guys have checked this out yet, but it is really, really cool. It's only open in the summer, unfortunately, but it has some really neat stuff like old treadmills they used in the mill (one for a sheep, one for a dog, etc), a sleigh, old-fashioned clothes, etc. My dad was a member of the hist society and he used to give tours there. I spent a lot of Saturdays there as a kid. It's very informative if your kids like history. There's also a museum upstairs at the library but I think they're only open in the summer too.

Great River Arts-art classes and "open art". I'm going to have to check this out, it looks pretty cool.

ramlita · 11-11-2009, 12:08 PM

Just found this thread!

My daughter is doing the K2K theater program at the Opera House, so she saw the Give a Mouse a Cookie show, even though I didn't make it there with my little guy!

Main Street Arts in Saxton's River also does family contra dances so kids of all ages can participate! We

them!!

ramlita · 11-11-2009, 12:10 PM

Oh, and we have a small MDC-ish playgroup that meets in Springfield on Tuesday mornings at the Parent-Child center,
plus a bigger, more general one that meets on Friday mornings at 9:00 at the town Rec Center for general game-playing and running around

**rainbowmoon** · 11-11-2009, 04:57 PM

Oh I need more details about the contra dances pretty please!

Is it weekly/monthly? Cost? TIA!

**rainbowmoon** · 11-11-2009, 04:58 PM

I may try out the Tuesday playgroup after Thanksgiving w/ my 4yo. Sounds PERFECT!

ramlita · 11-12-2009, 03:15 PM

The contra dances have been tricky- I usually seem to hear about them just a day or two before they happen!
Often they're somewhere on the Main St Arts website, but I don't see one anywhere right now. For a couple of years, they seemed to have about four per year, and one of them was often right around now...

I did just read one of those free weekly newspapers (there are so many right now, I hope they can combine soon and make it easier on the eyes!!)
There will be a contra dance in Reading, Vermont (about as close as they GET around here!) this Saturday.
We're busy that night with a birthday party sleepover (!) so I'm bummed we can't go.

It's from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Town Hall in Reading on the corner of Tyson Road and Route 106. $6/singles $10/couples $15/families. Call 484-5588 for more info.
It looks more traditional (ie, less small-child-oriented) but it might help scratch an itch.

I sure miss living close to Greenfield MA for those dances.

**rainbowmoon** · 11-12-2009, 03:32 PM

we are not free this Saturday either as I have my children's Grandma coming to town from Idaho for the weekend and into next week. But next time for sure! Keep me posted if you hear and I will do the same!

I need to get my fiddle out one of these days soon! ( I used to play lots of contra/Irish fiddle but sadly I have put it aside since having kiddos!) I know there are some jams around here, though I'm not sure about winter time though!

ramlita · 11-12-2009, 03:38 PM

Oh gosh!!

I'm sure the string group at MSA would love to meet you!

I play volleyball on a farm in the summer with a bunch of lovely people,
and among them is a lovely fellow named George who plays fiddle and seems to know a LOT of neat people who are into playing around informally- and sometimes in performances as well. I can hook up you two if you'd like

just call me your hostess for the evening...

**rainbowmoon** · 11-12-2009, 04:08 PM

cool!

alaskaberry · 11-12-2009, 08:04 PM

Oooh, contra dancing! I love those. That would be super fun to do with the kids. Hopefully one of us will find out and post it here.

Also, the Tuesday playgroup sounds doable if I manage to borrow a car.