PLLLLLLLLLLLEase, won't someone make summer slow down! How did we get to the July 4 weekend so darned fast? No matter...can't stop the clock or the calendar from rolling on, so do as we do here in Stowe. Embrace the summer! (Carpe summer?) Our summer season is so short, we revel in it intensely. Concerts in the Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow (Presenters are Stowe Performing Arts and Vermont Mozart Festival) are a must. This weekend marks the first, and there is an opportunity to experience great music throughout the summer in this incomparable performance venue. Just don't forget your picnic...and your wine. Great opportunity for kids' first concert-going experience, too. Here is the key: plunk your blanket on the periphery of the seating area, and when you're kids get ansty take them away from eye and earshot and let them run around. But risk the glare of your neighbors if you make a ruckus while they're trying to enjoy their Beethoven al fresco.
July 4 in Stowe is a hoot--check it out: The World's Shortest Parade in Moscow, VT, which is actually a part of the town of Stowe. The main street is so short that the parade has to turn around and come back the same way! Here are a few fun facts that make this parade NOT your ordinary tramp down the asphalt:
- Particpants aren't allowed to begin creating their presentations until the morning of the parade. The trampers often interpret both local and national political themes--hmmm....Clinton/Obama/McCain anyone? Think oil prices and the economy with make a show?
- Music is provided by boomboxes strategically placed in the villagers windows--local AM station WDEV plays the Sousa marches, etc.
- Last residents who move to Moscow clean up after...well, whatever makes a mess.
Parade is on Friday, July 4 at 10am.
July 4 sales are a tradition in Stowe, too. This is the time, believe it or not, to stock up on skis and skiwear! (Last year I got a great deal on ski boots) And not just cold weather goods, but arts & crafts, clothing, and many other items. This Independence Day will mark the first “7 Miles of Sales Independence Day Sidewalk & Tent Sale” on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5. Shop owners have joined together to deliver an ideal experience for shoppers, who can feel good about declaring their independence from chains. Stores in Stowe are unique and independent and sized to become part of their neighborhoods, staffed by locals who are enthusiastic about the goods they sell. Shops will be decked out in Red White and Blue, beckoning you and your debit card with some eye-popping bargains! Look for the balloons, tents, and sidewalk displays on Route 108 and Route 100.
And did you think a grand ole' historic town like Stowe (214 years and counting...) would forget Fireworks? We've got 'em; festivities start at 5:30pm. Fireworks at dusk. All at the Stowe Events Field. On the 4th, of course. All of Stowe's events for the summer, in case you want to plan ahead before it's GONE:
http://www.gostowe.com/thingstodo/calendar/
