Spring is Springing Up in Vermont!

CHESTER VT -- When winter's heavy snowfall first began to recede and a small area of one of the Chester House's many flower gardens was revealed, folks were delighted to see the tulips poking their way up through the ground, a sign that Vermont's beautiful Spring and Summer days aren't far away.

While skiers and boarders are still enjoying the best Spring downhill in decades, Mother Nature is getting ready to transform this Winter Wonderland into a glorious vacationland for those who enjoy the clean and fresh mountains and valleys of the Green Mountain State.

Birds are returning from their trips south and the brooks are gurgling loudly with the melting snow.  Soon it will again be time for hiking and bicycling, fly-fishing and canoeing, golf and tennis, picnicking and summer stock theater, horseback riding and motorcycling.

New and repeat guests aren't taking any chances and are already planning their Spring and Summer trips to Vermont and booking their rooms at the Chester House.  

And so it looks as if many visitors from other states and countries will be coming to Vermont to enjoy it's New England charm and relaxation.

Covered Bridges Uncovered

CHESTER VT -- Innkeepers Bill and Paul have this year found that more and more Chester House guests are interested in visiting the covered bridges while touring southern Vermont.  

 beauty.  "They are so delicate, yet so strong and durable, she said.  "I've never seen such a marvelous collection.  Every bridge I've seen rivals the previous one.  I've taken some great pictures at each covered bridge I visited."

Vermont has the greatest collection of covered bridges in the US, many of which are still in use. A century ago, there were over 600 covered bridges, but the flood of 1927 left only about 200, many of which have since been lost to fire or development. The remaining bridges in Vermont are among the nation's finest.

With 22 of Vermont's 114 covered bridges located within 35 miles, it's no wonder that the Chester House is a popular hub for visitors interested in visiting these historic architectural marvels.

Open Studio Weekend May 24, 25

MONTPELIER VT -- The Vermont Crafts Council has scheduled the annual "Open Studio Weekend" for May 24th and 25th, Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, when hundreds of Vermont artists and crafters will open their studio doors to the public, allowing visitors the opportunity to see the artistry behind the art.

Visitors will get a fascinating glimpse of how such artists and crafters work, a rare opportunity to visit with people who have chosen art or craft as a profession and have been practicing it for a long time.  The artisans, in turn, will have the opportunity to showcase their work as well as the context within which it was created. 

Participating artists include furniture makers, glass blowers, ironworkers, jewelers, painters, potters, printmakers, quilt makers, sculptors, weavers, and wood carvers, many of whom have their studios in the area around the Chester House.

More than 265 studios in Vermont will be open to the public this year, and the Chester House will have a supply of the state Studio Tour Guide and Map for those guests who have chosen to make the Chester House their home base for the weekend Studio Tour.

The studios are located in diverse settings: local downtown areas, small villages, at the ends of dirt roads, up on mountains or by rivers, but all are in the natural beauty of the Vermont landscape.

Most visitors that weekend will cover many miles by car, visiting the artisans and craftpersons in their studios and then returning to the Inn each night.  In search of hand-crafted furniture, unique jewelry, sculpture, quilts, etc., visitors have a wonderful weekend meeting the people who have made their precious finds.

No Lack of Fine Dinners

CHESTER VT -- When visitors to the Chester House preview the Restaurant Menu Book at the Chester House, they often marvel at the number of fine restaurants in the Chester area.  

"Not only does the area around Chester have so many, many interesting places to see and things to do," said Ben Jackson of Somerville, NJ.  "But the number of really fine restaurants is astounding!  

We stayed at the Chester House for four nights and enjoyed four magnificent meals in four fabulous restaurants during our stay."

Chester House innkeepers Paul and Bill have built some fine relationships with the local restaurants and always try to steer their inn guests to the restaurant that's just right for their culinary tastes and interests.

Summer Music Series

CHESTER VT -- The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce is putting the final touches on its summer music series.  Each summer this local business organization sponsors free concerts in Chester and other neighboring communities for local residents and visitors.

As soon as we get the schedule of performers, we will publish it here on this News Page.

Music Festival Series

CHESTER VT -- The Green Mountain Festival Series has announced its performances for the upcoming season, which promises to be a memorable one.

This year's guest performers will be Grammy-winning guitarist Will Ackerman and Friends (Nov.30th); singer/songwriter Tom Rush who will present both folk and blues (Jan. 19th); the living legend of New York modern dance: Taylor 2 Dance Troupe (Feb. 16th); and the No Strings Marionette Company who will treat you to the mysterious and magical world of marionettes and  traditional puppet theatre (Mar. 29th).

Visit the Festival Series' web site for more details: www.greenmountainfestivalseries.com.

Snow, Snow, and More Snow!

The Farmers' Almanac, the annual North American periodical famous for its long-range weather predictions, had predicted a long, cold, snowy 2007-2008 winter for the Chester, VT area and they were more than accurate!

Old Man Winter’s brought great news for snow and ski enthusiasts in our area and Chester was the place to be this past winter. We received more than 106" of the white stuff between December 1st and March 28th.

And that brought a smile to lovers of winter sports and outdoor activities! 

This year, many Chester House guests found a romantic sleigh ride a nice addition to their winter visit to Vermont.  

The Chester House was ready with its Stay and Ski / Board packages, with substantial discounts both on the room and on the Okemo lift tickets. Even on six of the "peak weekends" Chester House guests saved big time on their snow getaways!

Chester Winter Carnival Returned

Thanks to the owners and staff of the Chester Hardware store, on Feb. 16th and 17th, Chesterites and those visiting the town reveled in some good old fashioned winter fun.  The list of activities included inner-tube races, snow-shoe races, a rail jam competition, a snowmobile poker run, a snow sculpture competition, horse-drawn sleigh rides, a broom hockey tournament, a bonfire and more.  

With Mother Nature's help, it was a great winter festival for all ages, one we all look forward to again next winter!