To my loyal readers: Please check my previous article to see the updated times for fireworks at some of the ski resorts. Some websites simply indicated “ring the New Year”, so I had interpreted this to mean the fireworks were at midnight. But when I checked with the resorts themselves to confirm the times, they actually gave me different times.

Note: This is a 2008 article which we will update in a few days.

Vermont is celebrating New Year’s Eve with First Night events, fireworks and torchlight parades throughout the state. We’ll gather here information on all towns and ski resorts’ celebrations.
First Night events happen throughout the US. They feature a number of artists in a number of venues. In Vermont, Burlington, Montpelier and St. Johnsbury have First Night’s celebrations planned for you. First Night Montpelier has even been voted a Top 10 Winter 2008-2009 Event by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

First Night Burlington – Downtown Burlington – Wednesday December 31, 2008 – Noon to midnight
The complete schedule of the indoor performances is at www.firstnightburlington.com. Outdoors, the annual parade will take place at 6 pm on Church Street. It is a special parade this year for the beginning of a year of celebrations for the 400-year anniversary of Lake Champlain, in commemoration of Samuel de Champlain’s exploration of the lake, to which he gave his name. The parade will be led by the Abenaki Community and will have the theme “400 years together – The Lake, the Land and the People”. Then, the official kick-off of the Quadricentennial Celebrations will take place in front of the City Hall at 7 pm. Fireworks will be 7:30 pm and midnight at Burlington Waterfront.
More information at: www.firstnightburlington.com
Live webcam on Church Street

First Night Montpelier – Montpelier – Wednesday December 31, 2008 – Noon to midnight
Like in Burlington, you can enjoy many artist performances, music, dance, theater, storytelling and magic, plus children’s activities, and more. From noon to 3 pm, you can cross-country ski at Morse Farm or ice skate at the Central Vermont Civic Center. There is a 5K race at 3 pm, and the performances are from 3 pm to 8 pm at various venues. Parade and fireworks are at 8 pm. Finally, starting at 9 pm, the Dance Party and Midnight Countdown is at the City Hall auditorium with The Chrome Cowboys.
For the full schedule, visit: First Night Montpelier

First Night St. Johnsbury – St. Johnsbury – Wednesday December 31, 2008 – 4 pm to midnight
Around 50 performances at various venues, music, dance, magic, children’s activities and more. Outdoors, fireworks are at midnight at the Academy gym, and they will raise a lighted ball!
More information at: First Night St. Johnsbury

And there are more fireworks at your various ski resorts as well.

Bolton Valley – Wednesday December 31, 2008 - 8:30 pm kick-off
There will be a torchlight parade followed by fireworks. New Year’s Eve fireworks will be against the backdrop of Bolton Valley. Both events can be best viewed from the base lodge.
See: New Year’s Eve fireworks

Jay Peak Resort – Wednesday December 31, 2008 – 9 pm
New Year’s Eve fireworks will be shot off on The Interstate Trail, which is on the Tramside of the resort at 9pm.
More information at: Jay Peak Resort Events

Smugglers’ Notch – Wednesday December 31, 2008 - 11:45 pm
Beginning at 11:45 pm, there will be a bonfire on the Village Green near the Gazebo and a fireworks display against the backdrop of Morse Mountain.
See: Smugglers’ Notch winter vacations

Stowe – Wednesday December 31, 2008 – 7 pm
New Year’s Eve fireworks start at 7pm at Spruce Peak. The best place to view them is from the new Spruce Camp base lodge.
See: New Year’s Eve fireworks

Stratton Mountain Resort – Wednesday December 31, 2008 – 8:45 pm
New Year’s Eve fireworks and torchlight parade are starting at 8:45 p.m. in the Main Base Area.
More information at: New Year’s Eve at Stratton

Sugarbush Resort – Wednesday December 31, 2008 – 6:45 pm
There are also fireworks and a torchlight parade at Sugarbush for New Year’s Eve.
See: New Year’s Eve fireworks and torchlight parade

And finally,

There is fireworks and ice skating at midnight at the Hawk Mountain Resort in Plymouth, for New Year’s Eve.
See: Hawk Mountain Resort - Holiday Events 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thanks to all our readers for visiting Travel-Vermont.net and sharing comments with us this year. Enjoy these special times with your friends and family, drive carefully… and come to experience the great snow and skiing here in Vermont. We’ve got tons of snow!!
See you next year!

Photo: Courtesy of Stowe Mountain Resort.

According to Ski Magazine readers, Vermont has some of the best ski resorts in the US and even in North-America, whether you are looking for downhill skiing or cross-country ski or simply want to enjoy great après-ski and dining. In each of these categories, Vermont ski resorts are making Ski Magazine’s list of the “Top 10 Ski Resorts”. And others have also recognized Vermont ski resorts as… some of the best! (See where they are all located on this map of Vermont ski resorts).

Top 10 ski resorts for après-ski (Ski Magazine)
For the best après-ski, Ski Magazine readers selected 2 Vermont ski resorts in the top 10.
Here is their “top 10” list:
1. Aspen Mountain, Colorado
2. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
3. Heavenly, California
4. Killington, Vermont
Killington truly has a number of fun places to enjoy after a long day of skiing: the Mahogany Ridge bar at the K-1 Lodge, the Long Trail Pub at the Snowshed Lodge, and the Bear Mountain Lounge at the Bear Mountain Lodge, the Wobbly Barn or the Lookout Tavern. Lots to choose from. And for the very best BBQ, our personal choice is The Back Behind Saloon on route 4 and 100 S.
5. Tremblant, Quebec
7. Park City, Utah
8. Breckenridge, Colorado
9. Whiteface, New York
10. Stowe, Vermont
There is definitely an established tradition of bar hopping after a day of skiing at the Stowe Mountain Resort. There is even a name for it: it’s the “Mountain Road Crawl”! You start by warming up and having a drink at the Fireside Tavern right at the mountain, then drive down the road a little and stop at the Matterhorn Bar. Pool tables, music and great food (appetizers, pizza, etc.) are all there for you. The bar also has a dance floor. Then, The Shed and the Rusty Nail are further down the road. The Rusty Nail also has a great space and pool tables upstairs. Lots of places for lots of fun! And to make sure to stay safe, take advantage of the shuttle which will take you from one bar to another, yep, no kidding!

Top 10 ski resorts for dining (Ski Magazine)
For dining, Stowe is ranking number 10. A very respectable score. Indeed, the whole road from the Mountain to Stowe village and to Waterbury has restaurants of all kinds and all budgets, as well of course B&B and little inns. Some are fun and relaxed, some are fancy and gastronomic in quaint historic homes. We’ll just name a few: the Whip Bar & Grill, located in the Green Mountain Inn, the Blue Moon Café, the Swisspot (in town), the Cliff House Restaurant (at Mt. Mansfield), and Mr Pickwick’s at the Ye Olde England Inne. Waterbury is close as well and hosts some award-winning restaurants, such as Michael’s on the Hill, and Hen of the Wood (our previous article).

For your curiosity, here are Ski Magazine’s “top 10 ski resorts” for dining:
1. Aspen, Colorado
2. Deer Valley, Utah
3. Tremblant, Quebec
4. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
5. Sun Valley, Idaho
6. Vail, Colorado
7. Park City, Utah
8. Beaver Creek, Colorado
9. Telluride, Colorado
10. Stowe, Vermont

Top 10 ski resorts for off-hill activities (Ski Magazine)
And when it comes to off-hill activities, it’s Smugglers’ Notch which is the favorite station in Vermont. Smugglers’ Notch has the FunZone for kids, video arcades, snow tubing, ice-skating at SmuggsCentral, massages, and more…

Ski Magazine’s top 10 list includes:
1. Whiteface Mountain, New York
2. Aspen Mountain, Colorado
3. Heavenly, California
4. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
5. Smugglers’ Notch, Vermont
6. Park City, Utah
7. Tremblant, Quebec
8. Vail, Colorado
9. Breckenridge, Colorado
10. Deer Valley, Utah

Top 10 ski resorts for romantic cross-country skiers (that’s a niche!) (MSNBC – February 2006)
MSNBC has selected the Mountain Top Inn. The photos on its website seem fabulous… with the view on Chittenden Reservoir. We will have to check it out!

MSNBC’s top 10 list includes:
• Callaghan Country at Whistler, British Columbia
• Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, in Alberta
• Garland Resort in Lewiston, Michigan
• Lone Mountain Ranch at Big Sky, Montana
• Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York
• Mt. Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods, in New Hampshire
• Mountain Top Inn in the town of Chittenden, Rutland County, Vermont
• Royal Gorge in Soda Springs, California
• Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop, Washington
• Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

And last but not least:
Top 10 ski resorts for family in New England (Family Ski Trips)
The Family Ski Trips website listed 6 Vermont ski resorts as the best ski resorts for family.
Wow, well done Vermont! And it’s nice to know that many of these ski resorts have timeshare rentals available through their owners which are spacious enough to fit the whole family comfortably. 

- Okemo, Vermont
For its lesson programs…
- Smugglers’ Notch, Vermont
For the “most innovative instruction in snow country”, its beginners’ slopes on Morse Mountain, its kids’ ski camp and day care, and all the activities in the Village from the Fun Zone to snow tubing.
- Stowe, Vermont
When the kids grow older: “your kids can night-ski while you dine at the European-style Cliff House” restaurant.
- Killington/Pico, Vermont
For Bear Mountain which is dedicated to freeskiers and riders, with parks and pipes; for its Winter Adventure Center with snowshoeing, tubing and dog sledding; and for the less intimidating Pico resort. Killington also has several video arcades.
- Suicide Six, Vermont
- Ascutney, Vermont
Ascutney has a lot for kids of all ages: Young Olympians ski and ride camps for ages 4-12, and a Bumps Center for teens. Note that the Duckling Daycare will not be open this winter.

Other ski resorts in New England which made the list:
- Bretton Woods, NH
- Sunday River, ME
- Jiminy Peak, MA and
- Sugarloaf, ME

On that note, I hope we’ll see you this winter in Vermont… on our mountains or off the slopes. The snow is already here waiting for you.
Related article: 2009 Best Ski Resorts and Ski Hotels

Note: This is the 2008 article. Check our 2009 article on Handel’s Messiah concerts.

Christmas is not quite Christmas without the joy of listening to Handel’s most famous creation, the Messiah, written in 1741 and still played every Christmas all around the world.
For the Vermont Philharmonic, it will be the 50th anniversary of performing the Messiah but there are several other groups playing this beautiful music throughout the state of Vermont this Christmas.
- Montpelier – Friday December 5th, 2008 at 7:30 pm – Saint Augustine Church – and in Barre – Sunday December 7th, 2008 at 3:30 pm - Barre Opera House - Vermont Philharmonic performs the Messiah with guest conductor Brian Webb.
More information at: Vermont Philharmonic
- Brattleboro – Saturday December 6th, 2008 at 1 pm - 38th Annual Community Messiah Sing - Centre Congregational Church. Conductor Patty Meyer, organist Bill McKim, and trumpeter Charlie Schneeweis will perform with 4 soloists and more than 300 singers will join in the choruses. It is a fund raising event for the homeless.
More information at: Friends of music at Guilford
- Wells River – Saturday December 6th, 2008 at 7:30 pm - 61st Annual Christmas Concert - Congregational Church - Soloists, orchestra and chorus of the North Country Chorus, all under the direction of Alan Rowe will perform the Messiah.
More information at: North Country Chorus
- Peacham - Sunday December 7th, 2008 at 3:00 pm - Congregational Church – The North Country Chorus will perform there.
More information at: North Country Chorus
- Rutland – Sunday December 7th, 2008 at 3:30 pm and 7:00 pm - Grace Congregational Church – The annual performance of Handel’s Messiah will take place in the beautifully decorated sanctuary.
More information at: (802) 775-4301.
- Burlington – Ira Allen Chapel at the University of Vermont - Tuesday December 9th, 2008 at 7:30 pm – It is the annual Handel’s Messiah Sing-along lead by David Neiweem with a chorus of students and enthusiasts. For the first time this year, they will be accompanied by the University Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michael Hopkins. Free admission.
More information at: University of Vermont
- Middlebury - Sunday December 21st, 2008 at 2 pm - Middlebury Congregational Church - A sing-along led by Jeff Rehbach, conductor of the Middlebury College Community Chorus.
More information at: Middlebury College - Annual Messiah Sing
- Stowe – Monday December 22nd, 2008 at 7:30 pm - 17th Annual Handel’s Messiah Community Sing – Stowe Community Church – It’s also a sing-along with the soloists and the 20-piece orchestra.
More information at: Go Stowe
And finally,
- Arlington - Sundary December 28th, 2008 at 3 pm - 6th Annual Messiah Sing-along - St. James Episcopal Church - See comment below the article for more information.
Also visit their website: St. James Episcopal Church

Enjoy the music!

November is truly a time of transition here in Vermont… from foliage to the upcoming ski season! This month, our Samuel de Champlain’s articles remain popular (we have a link on Wikipedia) but our latest articles definitely made the top 6. So, here were our most popular articles in November. Take a look if you’ve missed them:

1- Samuel de Champlain’s Voyages
2 - Burlington – Prettiest town and Great Food
3 - Celebrating Champlain
4 - Lake Champlain… New France
5 - Pre-season Deals on Ski Season Passes
6 - Award-winning Vermont Cheeses

Thanks for reading us!