Last Night St. Albans
December 31, 2018, 4:30 PM – 11:55 PM EST
https://lastnightvt.com/

Celebrate the New Year at a one-night-only party featuring seasonal activities and engaging events for kids, teens, families and adults. Most events are free with an event button. Some adult events have an additional cost. Some adult events are 21+ only.

January Mixer & Bovat Award Presentation
January 17, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM EST

Every January, Peoples Trust Company and the Franklin County Regional Chamber
join forces to kick off the New Year with a festive mixer at the bank’s Main Branch.
This year, we’ll be presenting the Timothy Bovat Civic Involvement Award at the mixer. The recipients will be announced soon 🙂

The Civic Involvement Award is presented annually to an individual or group whose investment in the local community goes beyond the norm. The Chamber, in conjunction with the Bovat Family, has been presenting this award to members of our community since 2000.

Special thanks to our hosts, Peoples Trust Company, for their support of our presentation.

Waterbury Winterfest 2019
January 26, 2019 – February 3, 2019 Free for most events. Some require RSVP or have a cost

Waterbury Winterfest is a 10-day festival featuring indoor and outdoor venues, traditional and not-so-traditional events. There’s snowshoeing, skating, and skiing, as you might expect. We also offer warm venues. Think beer trivia at one of Waterbury’s local pubs, a game show at the American Legion, a felting workshop at the library or let the kids heat up outside at the Youth Snow Soccer game.

Get the details on each event (including what Human Bowling, Wassailing, and Drone Racing actually entail) by visiting WaterburyWinterfest.com. You’ll be able to sign up for our premiere events that require tickets and/or registration, and RSVP for other events that are free.

Whether you’re in the mood to learn, to listen to music, to socialize, exercise, or play, we’ve got you covered. With a festival that starts on a Friday night and finishes more than a week later on a Sunday, you’ll have lots of opportunities to join the festivities and discover Waterbury. We look forward to seeing you.

Clement Wellhoff
Sales Manager

Clement has worked at Handy Chevy for one month now but has been in the car business for a total of eight years. He has lived in Vermont for 13 years with his spouse and three daughters. His dream car from our lot would be the new Chevy Silverado Trail Boss. On his time off Clement enjoys the outdoors by boating and jet skiing in the summer. He also enjoys playing video games, his favorite book is Harry Potter, and his favorite T.V. show is the Office. Clement would love to travel more and enjoy that with his family. Clement enjoys working at Handy Chevy because of the customers, co-workers, and the quality product they provide.

4 Unique Roadside attractions in New England

Offbeat venues perfect for photo-ops 

The northeastern states offer a range of experiences and attractions if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary. For those seeking a bit more eccentricity in their lives, these four roadside attractions are sure to satisfy.

Vermontasaurus (Vermont)

Head to Thetford to witness a 122-foot long, 25-foot high dinosaur sculpture comprised of scrap wood. Brian Boland, an experimental balloon pilot, built Vermontasaurus back in 2010 to reuse discarded wood from his balloon manufacturing business. With the help of some volunteers, he nailed each plank together in a haphazard way to construct the spiked body of the dinosaur.

It was almost destroyed due to a zoning issue; however, the structure still remains. A portion of the underbelly collapsed in 2012, but volunteers repaired and slightly modified Vermontasaurus while adding a smaller baby version to keep the original one company.

Ponyhenge (Massachusetts)

Head about 15 miles west of Boston to witness the unique herd of plastic rocking horses and other toy horses that grace Old Sudbury Road in Lincoln. Though it’s a mystery how Ponyhenge got started, it keeps growing every year. As the owner of the property expressed to the Boston Globe in 2015, “There was something lovely about it being anonymous, and now every time we go away, another one appears.” The collection also gets rearranged every now and then — sometimes the horses are in rows, other times they’re in a circle.

Since the location is a bit tricky to locate via GPS, make sure to type in the following address when navigating to this destination: 39 Old Sudbury Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773.

Frog Rock (Connecticut)

Frog Rock is a boulder in Eastford featuring paint designs that resemble a frog. Legend has it that the painting tradition started in the 1880s when Republican state legislature Thomas Thurber passed it on his daily commute from Putnam to Hartford and thought it resembled a frog. Locals have kept up the ritual ever since.

Today, if you visit the special boulder located near the intersection of Highway 198 and Highway 97, you’ll find a food stand, picnic tables, playground and antique shop. Live music and local events — such as the Connecticut Volkswagen Association’s Frog Rock Gathering — are often held here.

International Cryptozoology Museum (Maine)

Portland provides an unusual site claiming to be “the world’s only international cryptozoology museum.” It was founded by Loren Coleman, who accumulated specimens, artifacts and replicas of popular and arcane cryptids over the years. She established a public display to share cryptozoology with Maine inhabitants. As Coleman explained, cryptozoology is “the study of hidden or unknown animals.” Witness the eight-and-a-half-foot tall, 300-pound “Crookston Bigfoot,” a replica of P.T. Barnum’s Feejee Mermaid. You can also browse photos, hair samples and footprint casts of cryptids.

Whether you prefer dinosaurs, mermaids, frog rocks or ponies, you’re bound to have a gratifying adventure at one or more of these locations.

Colorado ZR2 is capable of just about anything, with everything you need to be trail-ready from day one. That includes one-touch terrain select for desert, mud or mountains that adjusts the calibration of the engine, transmission and Traction Control to enhance performance. And when the trail day ends, segment-exclusive Multimatic™ shocks offer an exceptional ride when you transition to paved roads.

Two engine choices: an advanced 3.6L V6 with best-in-class horsepower, or the GM-exclusive Duramax^® 2.8L Turbo-Diesel with best-in-class torque

Segment-exclusive Multimatic DSSV™ Damping System

Segment-exclusive front and rear electronic locking differentials

Wider track for more stability

Purpose-built off-road suspension

Sean Lisby
Service Advisor

Sean has worked at Handy Chevy since September and is fitting in well with our team. He has lived in Vermont for 17 to 18 years. On his time off he likes to spend time with his family and friends. Sean participates in a couple dart leagues and has competed in many National dart tournaments. He also likes to shoot pool with his friends. His favorite TV show is Beastie’s and Criminal Minds, and his favorite movie is Step Brothers. His Dream car would be a 2018 Honda Civic Type R. If Sean could have a car from our lot he would choose a blacked out 2019 Suburban.

MISSION:

The basic mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Program is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas.

GOAL:

The primary goal of Marine Toys for Tots is, through the gift of a new toy, help bring the joy of Christmas and send a message of hope to America’s less fortunate children.

OVERVIEW:

In order to better execute the Program, in 1991 the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was created at the behest of the Marine Corps.

The mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to assist the U. S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. This assistance includes providing day-to-day leadership and oversight of the Program, raising funds to provide toys to supplement the collections of local Toys for Tots Campaigns, to provide promotional and support material and defray the costs of conducting annual Toys for Tots Campaigns. Other Foundation support includes providing administrative, advisory, financial, logistic and promotional support to local Toys for Tots Coordinators; managing funds raised and monies donated based on the use of Toys for Tots name or logo; providing other support the Marine Corps, as a federal agency, cannot provide; and conducting public education and information programs about Toys for Tots that call the general public to action in support of this patriotic community action program. The objectives of the Foundation are to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to improving communities in the future.

Collection and Toy Distribution: This is the process of obtaining and delivering toys to local Toys for Tots Coordinators and providing the support and assistance those Coordinators need to conduct effective toy collection and distribution campaigns in their communities. Toy collection includes a combination of locally donated toys, those purchased by the Foundation, and those donated by corporations.

Education: The Foundation conducts an annual public information and education campaign. This activity is designed to give the general public a clear understanding of the benefits that accrue to individuals, communities and the nation from Toys for Tots. It increases visibility and name recognition, and calls the general public support in Toys for Tots. The campaign includes distributing a series of news releases, distributing TV and radio public service announcements, publishing newsletters arranging media events and appearances, arranging for national corporations to incorporate information about Toys for Tots into their paid advertisements, conducting special events, maintaining a website and distributing educational material about Toys for Tots to the general public.

https://www.toysfortots.org/Default.aspx

The 10th Annual Festival of Trees
November 24th – December 1st 2018

Partake in a number of activities, visit with Santa at City Hall, and see the tree showcase. Locations vary, so please check the schedule.

The St. Albans Festival of Trees is a week long event ushering in the Holiday Season with activities, entertainment, dancing, and more all in our historic Downtown. We welcome you to join us in celebrating the Holidays!

The centerpiece of the Festival of Trees, Our gala- A Journey Thru Time – is our Friday night fund raising gala and auction. Costumes are encouraged (but not required!) as we eat wonderful food by the talented students of the BFA Culinary Arts Department, enjoy the music of BFA’s a string ensemble, and then dance the night away. We’ll have a raffle, a brief live auction, and a silent auction throughout the night. The trees and items are all donated by community residents and groups.

This year, we are going to help fight hunger. Our gala will be benefiting Martha’s Kitchen and Franklin/Grand Isle Community Action – CVOEO.

Thank you for your interest in the Festival of Trees, we hope to see you there!

Sounds of the Season: Christmas Oratorio
December 9, 2018, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST
http://www.churchstreetsoundsoftheseason.org

Saint-Saëns Oratorio de Noël sung by the Saint Michael’s College Chorale Erin Grainger, conductor Susan Summerfield, organ and soloists: Victoria Drew, soprano Amy Frostman, mezzo soprano Adam Hall, tenor Zeb McLellan, bass Admission is FREE (donations gratefully accepted). Wheelchair accessible.

Last Night St. Albans
December 31, 2018, 4:30 PM – 11:55 PM EST
https://lastnightvt.com/

Celebrate the New Year at a one-night-only party featuring seasonal activities and engaging events for kids, teens, families and adults. Most events are free with an event button. Some adult events have an additional cost. Some adult events are 21+ only.

Events Include:

Snowman Contest
Permitting there’s going to be snow, children will compete to build the most creative snowman.

Family Sledding
Bring your toboggan, sled, or other sledding tool!

Children’s Carnival
Face painting, bouncy houses, music, games, and so much more fun and exciting Last Night activities for kids of all ages.

Beer, Cheese, & Chocolate Tasting
What’s better than beer, cheese, and chocolate, well it’s obviously all three of these great things together! Join the ulitmate pairing event of all time.

Paint & Sip
Whether you’re an artist or an enjoyer of fine beverages this event has you covered. Join us amateurs as we learn to paint while enjoying our favorite cocktail, beer, or other beverage.

Comedy Hour
Some of us just like just laugh, relax, and enjoy a good time, if you’re one of those people join us for comedy hour at Nelly’s.

Fireworks
Who doesn’t like a light show above Taylor Park?!

Disco Skating
Come join us for some groovy skating at the complex on New Year’s eve.

Gala
Join us in a festive send-off to 2018 with a party at St. Albans City Hall.
Live Music by Cozy O’Donnell. Cash bar. Delicious fare created by the culinary students of Northwest Technical Center.
Champagne toast at midnight!

Sometimes when the sun is covered by clouds and the rain starts coming down, we hunker down inside and watch movies and hope for sunny weather soon. However, there are so many great things to see and explore while it rains in New England! Here is a list of 10 great places to visit the next time it rains and you need something to do. Great for the kids and for you!

Connecticut

Mystic Seaport Museum

Be among the first in the world to see a new collection of Viking helmets, weapons, shields, and other artifacts — some dating to the seventh century — on display in the Collins Gallery. The exhibition of Swedish relics makes its international debut on May 19 in Mystic and runs through September 30. If horned helmets don’t pique your interest, check out the museum’s other exhibits, including a collection of ship carvings and figureheads.

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, 860-572-0711, mysticseaport.org

Yale University Art Gallery

The museum holds more than 4,000 pieces, from ancient art to contemporary works. Art buffs will appreciate the work of Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, and Edgar Degas. And that’s just the permanent collection. Starting June 29, works from Leonardo da Vinci’s early career will be on display. If the rain subsides, take a stroll through a sculpture garden or explore the rooftop terrace. Plus, it’s free and open to the public.

Open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1111 Chapel Street, New Haven, 203-432-0601, artgallery.yale.edu

RHODE ISLAND

International Tennis Hall of Fame

Are you a tennis fan? If not, a day at the sport’s Hall of Fame, in the Newport Casino — where the first national men’s singles championship was played in 1881 — might convert you. Three galleries serve up history, starting with the sport’s invention in medieval monasteries. Two other galleries are dedicated to Hall of Fame players. Interactive exhibits include a 5-foot touch screen where you can engage in a match of tennis trivia.

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until 6 p.m. July through Labor Day. 194 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, 401-849-3990, tennisfame.com

Roger Williams Park

Head to the Botanical Center to stroll through New England’s largest public indoor display garden, where more than 150 plant species flourish in five greenhouses. Then explore the park’s Museum of Natural History, which opened in 1896. Fossils, minerals, and rocks are just some of the artifacts here. Or tour the universe at a Planetarium show. Bring an umbrella and wander the 40-acre zoo, too.

Botanical Center open Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Museum of Natural History open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Zoo open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, 401-785-3510, rwpconservancy.org

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Seacoast Science Center

Learn about ocean creatures by exploring the educational exhibits at this center. If you’re brave enough, head over to the touch tanks, where you can hold a starfish or pet a chain catshark. Soak up the story of Tofu, a humpback whale who lived in the Gulf of Maine. The H20 Today exhibit, which opens June 10, details the challenges of global water conservation.

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 570 Ocean Boulevard, Rye, 603-436-8043, seacoastsciencecenter.org

Hampton Beach Boardwalk

Make it a family game day at the boardwalk, where you can test your skills at an arcade. Funarama is in the strip across from the public restrooms, and Playland Arcade, which boasts a wide selection of pinball machines, is just down the road. Pick up a few “I [heart] New Hampshire” shirts at a gift shop along the way. For those with a sweet tooth, fill up a bag of goodies at a candy store, such as The Candy Corner.

Ocean Boulevard, Hampton, 603-926-8717, hamptonbeach.org

MAINE

Maine Indoor Karting

After one lap around the track in a gas-powered go-kart, you’ll forget about the gloomy weather outside. The 42,000-square-foot facility offers both adult and youth racing, on go-karts that can reach up to 40 miles per hour. The Kids Zone features safer cars that operate at 5 miles per hour. Afterward, enjoy a round of indoor mini golf or some time at the arcade.

Open Wednesday-Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 23 Washington Avenue, Scarborough, 888-246-5278, maineindoorkarting.com

Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine

Trick the kids into learning while they play at this museum, where they can become masters of physics by running balls down ramps they construct themselves, drive a play fire engine and slide down a fire pole, and nurse teddy bears back to health. There’s even a replica lobster boat where kids can pretend to haul in traps from Portland Harbor.

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 142 Free Street, Portland, 207-828-1234, kitetails.org