Photos of the Week: Oct. 9, 2025

STUDENTS AT BRISTOL Elementary School made signs to encourage school administrators as they completed a “Kiss the Cow” challenge last week.Photo by Nicole Heffernan MANY NOTICED THIS huge wooden sculpture that went up in Middlebury’s Riverfront Park just south of the Marble Works last week. The big message of optimism — 7 feet tall and 25 feet long — is the work of Jericho Center artist Chris Cleary. This sculpture, and others like it that say “LOVE,” “JOY” and “BE KIND,” are making stops around Vermont. It … (read more)

WHILE EAGLE FIELD hockey players dodged puddles and Raiders (that’s the U-32 mascot) during this past Thursday’s game in Bristol, those on the pitch didn’t enjoy the luxury of an umbrella during the rainy afternoon.Independent photo/John S. McCright THE H … (read more)

A LONE RUNNER makes his way along the Trail Around Middlebury (TAM) just west of the college off Route 125 on Sunday during the Middlebury Area Land Trust’s annual TAM Trek. Several hundred other runners took part in the day’s activities. MALT photo by Ca … (read more)

TWO GIRAFFE PUPPETS bring their heads together for a private conference during their performance at Middlebury Union Middle School last week. They were among four 26-foot-tall giraffes operated by a dozen members of the French performance troupe Compagnie … (read more)

Turning Point Center of Addison County officials and builders mark the start of their renovation and expansion of their newly acquired headquarters with a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 5. Pictured at the groundbreaking are, from left, TPC Peer Support … (read more)

THE BANDS ON these two butterfly chrysalises found in Weybridge late last month glitter just like gold. The caterpillars inside are going through their metamorphosis and after a few weeks will suddenly emerge from these cases as incredible monarchs. Peggy … (read more)

NEW YORK COMEDY star Tina Friml took a break from a national tour last Thursday to appear in her hometown on a Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival panel called “Lies, Truth & Laughs: Comedy as Social Commentary.” She also performed a hilarious comedy s … (read more)

There was plenty of action on Monday, Aug. 11 at a camp for young soccer enthusiasts at the Middlebury Recreation Park. Independent photo/Steve James The first-ever Monkton Day this past Sunday featured activities at locations around town aimed at celebra … (read more)

Brennan Officer, of Orwell, shows off her moves at basketball camp at the Middlebury Rec Center. Photo: Steve James Elijah Brown of Ferrisburgh at basketball camp at the Middlebury Rec Center. Photo: Steve James Weston Crossman, of Vergennes, at basketbal … (read more)

ROWDY POPE, 12, of Iroquois Acres Farm in Bridport is tickled to show his award-winning Holstein, Gypsy, at Addison County Fair & Field Days this week. We’re not so sure what Gypsy thinks of the honor.Independent photo/Steve James At Addison County Fa … (read more)

MAGICIAN TOM VERNER and his mime partner “Miss La Fleur” (aka his spouse, noted artist Janet Fredericks), regale the crowd during the Thursday, July 17, Brown Bag Lunch at Middlebury’s Festival on the Green. Verner and Fredericks, who live in Lincoln, are … (read more)

Ray Vega tooting his horn and sharing his singing voice during Monday’s performance of his namesake Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble.Independent photos/Steve James Cellist Cleo Flemming, guitarist Hannah Hausman and bass player Logan Beck play harmonious ball … (read more)