VERGENNES — The Little City kicks off its annual Vergennes Day festivities on Friday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. with a street dance on Main Street and in City Park. Snacks and Mexican food will be available and children can play in the Bouncy House. Admission is free but donations are accepted.
Vergennes Day activities start off Saturday morning, Aug. 24, with a pancake breakfast from 7-10:30 a.m. at the fire department. The family fun runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout Vergennes with the Little City 5K Walk and 10 K Race, 75-plus crafters and vendors, horse-drawn wagon rides, bandstand music, a chicken barbecue, children’s activities, face painting, games, car and tractor displays, the ever-popular Rubber Duckie Race, radio-controlled airplanes, Comfort Hill Kennel dog demonstrations and more.
Bet-Cha transit will provide free transportation to six Vergennes venues.
This event is sponsored by the city of Vergennes and organized by the Addison County Chamber of Commerce. For a more information or to participate in the car show, call 388-7951, ext. 1, or visit the ACCOC website, www.addisoncounty.com, or go to www.vergennesday.com.
Vergennes Day Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, AUG. 23
7-10 p.m.Street Dance, Vergennes Day Eve, featuring “The Hitmen”(behind the bandstand in City Park). Admission by donation. Snacks, Mexican food, Bouncy House.
Saturday, Aug. 24
7-10:30 a.m., Fire Department, Pancake Breakfast. Adults $8, children under 12 $6, under 6 free.
9 a.m., City Park, Little City 5K Walk & 10K Race (start in front of City Hall). Pre-registration at www.RunVermont.org. Click on Other Upcoming Races & Events tab. Race day registration 8-8:45 a.m. at the Stevens House, corner of Main and North Green streets.
10-11 a.m., Bandstand, Vergennes City Band.
10 a.m.-noon, VUHS JV Soccer Field, Champlain Valley Flyers (radio-controlled airplanes), soccer field left of VUHS building as you face it.
10 a.m.-noon, 90 Comfort Hill Road, Dog Performance Demos at Comfort Hill Kennel. Mingle with fellow animal lovers, meet adoptable dogs, pet baby goats, meet the Comfort Hill dogs, and watch some local dog sport stars working and connecting with their dogs. Free nail trims from noon-12:30 p.m.
9 a.m.-2 p.m., Bixby Library, Used Book Sale. Books from $0.25 to $2; fill a bag for $5. To benefit Bixby Library.
10 a.m.-1 p.m., Bixby Library, Open House. Come see the newly completed building projects. Friends of Bixby Raffle Drawing. Check out the beautiful handmade items donated by the Friends of Bixby!
10 a.m.-3 p.m., Vergennes Opera House, Open House. Explore the historic 1897 theater on the second floor of city hall in a relaxed atmosphere while local musicians entertain. Sit and create a work of art about Vergennes and add it to the “Gallery of City Life” on the walls of the Opera House for all to see, or take your creation home to remind yourself why you love the Little City of Vergennes. Light refreshments. More info at www.vergennesoperahouse.orgor 877-6737.
10 a.m.-4 p.m., VUHS Let’s Go Fishing! Catch some backyard bass, practice your knot-tying skills. Hands-on aquatic resource education for people of all ages. Vehicle Display: Cars, tractors, vote for your favorite. Awards at 3 p.m. Green Mountain Fly-Wheelers Antique Gas and Steam Engine Club. Cranky Yankee Twyne: Rope Making with Art Blair. Water Pumps: Hands on pumping water. Stump the Expert, with Armand Benoit: Bring unusual old tools, machinery, etc. Win a prize if Armand is stumped as to its usage. Commodore Booster Canteen: hot dogs, chips, candy, soda, water, megaphones, stickers.
10 a.m-4 p.m., City Park, 75-plus crafters/vendors.
10 a.m.-5 p.m., Creative Space Gallery, 229 Main St., “Small is Beautiful: Small Artwork Inspired by the Small City,” small works by gallery and guest artists and community members. On exhibit through Sept. 30.
11 a.m.-2 p.m., City Park, Horse and Wagon Rides by Larry Newcombe. Free.
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Bandstand, The Benoits, acoustic duo doing pop rock.
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Fire Department, Open House & Bubble Pit. Safe Kids Addison Countywill be fitting and giving away a limited supply of bike helmets as well as doing Child ID Cards in conjunction with the fire department and police department. Vergennes Area Rescue Squadwill serve hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and a drink. Donations accepted. They will also be handing out First-aid kits for kids.
12:30-1 p.m., Bandstand, “Books for Bikes” drawing sponsored by Bixby Library and Vergennes Rotary.
1 p.m. until gone, City Park, Lions Chicken BBQ. Cost: $13 half chicken, $9 quarter chicken.
1:15-2:15 p.m., Bandstand, Simply Acoustic.
2:30-3 p.m., VUHS, Canine in action! Chief George Merkel will demonstrate his dog Akido’s abilities.
2:30-4 p.m., Bandstand, LC Jazz.
3:30 p.m., Falls Park at the Basin, Rubber Duckie Race by Rotary. Tickets available at Rotary booth in City Park.
All day, Merchants’ special sales, shuttle by Bet-cha Transit to all venues and VUHS Parking Lot from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free.
Dusk (9-11:45 p.m.), Otter Creek Falls, Lighting of the Falls through Labor Day. View from Macdonough Drive or from Mechanic Street, which is off Canal Street. Ten-minute color changes.