WELCOME TO THE MUSEUM OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS

The Museum was established by Dr. Albert Levis, author of Conflict Analysis, The Formal Theory of Behavior. It features five permanent art exhibits introducing the creative process as a scientific conflict resolution mechanism reflecting the unconscious.

The exhibits demonstrate The Formal Theory, bridging art and science, gaining insight into the human unconscious as a scientific mechanism, revamping our understanding of psychology and of religions as both founded on science. The scientific unconscious revamps psychology from a medical specialty into a pure psychodynamic science, the Science of Conflict Resolution, The Moral Science.

The Moral Science revamps psychology’s key concepts:

• The analysis of the creative process, the plot of stories, identifies the unconscious as a scientific conflict resolution mechanism, the integrative paradigm reconciling psychology, morality and science.

• Diagnostic categories are revamped from illness DSM 5 diagnoses to the four alternative ways of the unconscious resolving conflicts, as four syndromal relational modalities, a wellness personality typology.

• Therapy is simplified into psycho-education for all by introducing the Conflict Analysis Battery, a self-assessment available online free of charge, using creativity for self-discovery. It is didactic, diagnostic and therapeutic representing a concise program of emotional education.

• Religions are viewed as psychological phenomena sanctifying alternative ways of resolving conflict that have evolved as metaphors of conflict resolution.

History of the Playhouse

During the early spring of 1927, Dr. and Mrs. Edward Goodman, devotees of the performing arts, were able to interest a number of Dorset residents in producing a play.  In April of that year, a three-act play entitled 39 East was presented at the Dorset Town Hall and was received with great enthusiasm. That success led shortly to the formation of an organization called The Dorset Players.  Owing to the physical limitations of the Town Hall, a Playhouse was built, through proceeds from plays, a bank loan, and many generous gifts.  The Dorset Playhouse was officially opened on July 2, 1929.  Throughout the early 1930’s The Dorset Players flourished. World War II put an end to productions until 1946 when Paul Stevenson joined the Players.  In 1949, The Dorset Players began a long and fruitful association with the Caravan Theatre and Fred and Pat Carmichael.  The first of many original plays by Fred Carmichael, The Green Snowman, was produced in 1953.  In June 1976, John Nassivera and Jill Charles rented the Playhouse for the summer and presented a professional season under the name of Harlequin, Ltd.  Now known as the Dorset Theatre Festival, this non-profit Equity Company continues to offer professional summer theatre at the Playhouse.  The Dorset Players, the non-professional theater group that owns the Playhouse, has developed an active Fall-Winter-Spring season.  The Players have expanded far beyond its original nucleus of Dorset residents to all those in the Northshire who loved theater. Three area barns went into the construction of our original Playhouse.  In 1999, The Dorset Players and The Dorset Theatre Festival undertook a 3 million dollar restoration of the historic Dorset Playhouse.  In June 2001, the newly restored playhouse opened with improved sightlines, more comfortable seating, more restroom facilities, and a new rehearsal studio.  The three area barns that went into the construction of the original building have been incorporated into the new design. We are very proud of our new facility and look forward to continued productions that the community can enjoy for years to come.

Girls on the Run Vermont (GOTRVT)
Girls on the Run Vermont is a statewide nonprofit organization for girls in 3rd-8th grade that provides dynamic, research-based lessons facilitated by trained, volunteer coaches. Lessons creatively incorporate physical activity with social and emotional skill development so girls are able to successfully navigate life experiences. Teams meet twice a week for 90 minute sessions for a total of 20 lessons over the course of the season. Lessons cover topics such as positive self-talk, managing emotions, navigating friendship, gratitude and more.

GOTRVT proudly serves 1,800+ participants each spring at more than 120 sites throughout the state of Vermont. Since our council’s inception in 1999, we have served over 37,000 girls and made a lasting impact on our community through participant-led service projects. GOTRVT celebrates 25 years of positivity and empowerment in 2024 and we will continue to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident for years to come!

Interested in volunteering with GOTRVT? Your gift of time as either a Coach this spring or as a volunteer at our 5K event in Manchester on Saturday, June 8, 2024 will make a meaningful impact on the girls that participate in our programs. Visit https://www.gotrvt.org/ or email info@girlsontherunvermont.org to learn more!

Located on 412 acres in Manchester Village, the historic Lincoln family estate, built by Presidential son Robert Lincoln and his wife Mary, is a favorite destination for locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or a fan of gorgeous architecture, Hildene offers amazing grounds and gardens, trails, Hildene Farm (including goat dairy, cheesemaking facility, and both animals and production gardens in the dene), informative tours, engaging exhibits, and a fabulous museum store. Don’t miss the restored 1903 Pullman railcar “Sunbeam” and the “Many Voices” exhibit (the southernmost stop on Vermont’s African American Heritage Trail). Particularly special times of year to visit include peony season from late-May through mid-June (thousands of flamboyant blooms in the formal garden) and a Victorian Christmas (the home is bedecked in holiday finery, as thought it were Christmas in 1912). Manchester’s most popular visitor destination, Hildene is a favorite of ours in every season. Not to miss!

Nestled between the Taconic and Green Mountains, and enriched by the waters of the famous Batten Kill, The Shires has long been a popular four-season destination for those seeking an authentic Vermont experience. Anchored by the two county seats of Bennington and Manchester, fifteen towns and villages are united by a common sense of place, history, and culture. The Shires of Vermont Byway connects the Southshire with the Northshire and beckons visitors to enjoy scenery, hospitality, recreation, and the region’s rich heritage.

Mohawks and Iroquois traced this path as long ago as 5,000 BC, as evidenced by projectile points, but Vermont was not settled by those of European origin until the 1760s. This Byway, then a crude path marked by occasional slashes on trees, became a principal route of migrating pioneers and their cattle trudging northward from Litchfield and Berkshire counties seeking life in wilderness newly opened to settlement.

Today it offers a quintessential Vermont road trip experience! Visit a farmers’ markets or browse a neighborhood bakery. Pick your own apples and strawberries. Sip craft cocktails at a boutique hotel or pack a picnic to go from one of our mom-and-pop markets. Take in the views, visit galleries, museums, and historic sites. And stop every so often to sample craft brews, hard cider, farmstead cheeses, and fine chocolates — all in a single drive.

Visit Manchester’s one-of-a-kind and inspirational art gallery, studio, and shop on Main Street.

ART + PROVISIONS + GIFTS
@ellenbogengallery

HOURS:
THU | 12:30 to 5:30
FRI | 11:30 to 5:30
SAT | 11:30 to 5:30
SUN | 10:30 to 4:30
MON-WED | CLOSED

ABOUT
Ellenbogen Gallery, located on Main Street in Manchester, VT, is an art gallery, studio, and shop that is owned, designed, and operated by artists Carolina and Michael Ellenbogen. You will find their artworks exhibited alongside artworks from selected artists.

This unique art studio and gallery also features a dedicated area called “Eg. Shop” that features a collection of international gourmet provisions including wine, conservas, artisan chocolate and craft bitters that are, in their own rights, edible works of art. Since their full exterior and interior renovation of the building in January 2021, Ellenbogen Gallery has been a constant source of inspiration to locals and tourists alike who have marveled at the transformation of this site on Main St.

Don’t miss your opportunity to visit and experience this one-of-a-kind and inspirational art gallery on your next trip to Manchester.

ART
Carolina Ellenbogen is a painter who moves back and forth at between abstract and portrait, skilled with both oil and acrylic on canvas. Her abstract light works series at Ellenbogen Gallery includes “When the Light Breaks into Pieces”, “When the Light Folds” and “When the Light Drifts”; her oil-on-canvas portraits are part of a series she calls “People I’ve Never Met”. She is available to do abstract or portrait commissions of any size upon request.

Michael D Ellenbogen was introduced to black and white photography and had access to his father’s darkroom from a very early age. He photographs people, the landscape and architecture with a street photographer’s sensibility and abstract images inspired by the school of color field painting. He calls his color abstracts “Color Field Photography”.

ART SERVICES
Ellenbogen Gallery is available to provide art-related services including Art Installation, Art Rental, Artwork Photography for archival, reproduction or insurance purposes, Hi-Resolution Flatbed Scanning (up to 8.5” x 11.7”), Artwork Commissions, Art Consultation (for home or office) and Art Handling (boxing or crating) and Shipping (domestic or international).

PROVISIONS (Wine, Chocolate, Bitters and Conservas)
All selections are created by producers who focus on craft, quality, sustainability, and fair market practices. They go to great lengths to source the best ingredients available on the open market, often directly from farmers or fishermen. Many of the provisions are small batch and often numbered upon bottling or packaging.

EVENTS: Our Gallery can be Your Gallery
Ellenbogen Gallery hosts ticketed events, and private events providing guests with a casual learning and tasting experience to share with others in an intimate setting. Contact the Ellenbogens (in person, over email or on the phone) to discuss hosting your next private tasting event at the gallery for 8-12 people.

CONNECT
Connect with Ellenbogen Gallery on social media (@ellenbogengallery) or sign up for our email newsletter at the bottom of our website to always be introduced to new artworks available or to learn about upcoming events, the latest provisions, special promotions or good ideas.

Presenting a summer season of blockbuster musicals, classic plays, family-friendly shows, and ground-breaking new works. Expanding the imaginative, cultural, and social landscape in the community by connecting Weston to the world and the world to Weston.

An outdoor enthusiast’s dream, Dorset is home to thousands of acres of public and conserved lands that allow for hiking, biking, skiing, horseback riding, the list goes on. In 2016, the Town of Dorset acquired 260 acres to expand Owls Head Town Forest. The Town has partnered with Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, the Vermont Land Trust, and the Dorset Historical Society to develop a trail network that illustrates the historic, cultural, ecological and recreational values of the Town Forest.  The main trail follows an old road up to Gettysburg Quarry and beyond to Owls Head and Gilbert Lookout.

Rachel Batz: Outdoor Recreation Director
​ 
Dorset is fortunate to have recently hired Rachel Batz as our Outdoor Recreation Director. Rachel will be in charge of the various recreational properties and opportunities in Dorset, from trail maintenance to guiding users.

Rachel has a degree in Outdoor Recreation & Resource Management from Indiana University and also works as an forester/ arborist. She has experience working for the US Forest Service at Hoosier National Forest, the State of Maine at Baxter State Park in Maine,  and has spent time abroad working in the fields of land management and horticulture. Rachel lives on a farm in Salem, NY with her two dogs.

To send Rachel comments or input email: hikedorset@gmail.com

Bringing new meaning to community and education, Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning is an important resource in the Northshire region for all adults (young and old!) to continue learning via their accessible, diversified, and high-quality educational programs.

Open to all inquisitive minds, most classes are interactive, providing hands on learning through programs and workshops in history, religion, sciences, the arts, bridge, and culinary.

Held at various locations in and around Manchester, Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning offers a firm hand in enriching the intellectual and cultural life of our community.

Opened in 1997, Northshire Civic Center sits on 35 acres in the foothills of Vermont’s bucolic Green Mountain National Forest on Route 7A in Manchester Center, Vermont.  With 22,000 square feet of open floor space and an Olympic-sized indoor ice rink, it is Southern Vermont’s premier civic center for sports, events, and exhibitions.

During mid-October thru early March, we have pubic skating, learn to skate program, youth and adult hockey leagues, and it is home to the Northshire Skating Academy, Northshire Hockey Association and Burr and Burton High School Hockey.

In mid-March thru early May, the ice rink transforms to an indoor Turf arena, where we have youth lacrosse, high school field hockey, youth baseball, youth soccer and men & women soccer league. 

In May thru early October, events & exhibitions begin, including Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Art & Craft Festival, Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival, Komen New England,  Barn Sale, Super Bingo, Shakespeare in the Woods and much more.

Special Events link: https://www.rileyrink.com/page/show/2495223-special-events

Squirrel is an art gallery, and so much more. Located in the recently renovated fire house building at Adams Park, it is a destination space with a stunning collection of inspired original art and an array of gift items, fine home goods and some unexpected things to discover. Come by and find something to need.

Bromley is your family-friendly Vermont year-round resort. To kids, the mountain is huge. To parents, it’s just the right size with slopes that funnel the whole family to our centralized base area. Everyone loves our warm southern exposure, slope-side lodging, diverse terrain, and friendly staff!

Summer Fun

Winter Fun

Trails & Slopes

• 47 trails cover 178 of Bromley’s 300 acres.
• There is a variety of skiing terrain for all levels of ability: 32% easiest, 37% more difficult, and 31% most difficult.
• Bromley is the only major ski area in New England with a southern exposure, giving our guests sun-drenched smiles!

Terrain Parks

• Bonanza – This progression park typically offers 3-5 XS/S features so you can get the hang of park riding. It is located on Lower Thruway.
• The Garden – Our main terrain park typically has 7-15 M/L features once you’ve worked your way up from Bonanza.

Summer Hours:

10:30am-5:00pm
Memorial Day – Mid-June; Labor Day – Mid-October: Weekends Only
Mid-June – Labor Day: Open Daily

The Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) is a multidisciplinary arts organization in Manchester, VT with a mission to promote and nurture the arts. SVAC strives to provide opportunities for local and regional artists, to introduce the wider community to artwork and performances of national relevance, and to engage diverse audiences. To do this, SVAC creates a community space for the arts through exhibitions, events, performances, classes in a variety of media for children and adults, and an opportunity to explore the 100+ acre campus and sculpture park. Enjoy lunch, brunch and dinner at SVAC’s curATE café!

BIKE MANCHESTER VT

Looking around town this past year, it is clear that many have rediscovered their bicycles, families, and local hidden treasures.  Umbrellas and outdoor seating popped up everywhere, making it easy to spend the day biking, eating, and breathing outdoors in Manchester.

If you are slow to the movement and need a place to start – bike the River Road on a foggy morning to Hill Farm Road or the Chiselville covered bridge; meander on the Dorset West Road after lunch; or fly down Union Street in the early evening.   Better yet, start with the newest edition in town . . .

Manchester Rec Path & Historic Marble Rail Trail

Downtown Manchester Center to North Road

There is a continuous path from Manchester Center’s Historic Business District to rural North Road. The wide crushed stone path starts to the right of the basketball court at Manchester Elementary & Middle School (MEMS) on Memorial Ave and ends at the North Road parking lot across from Squires Road. It is 5.5 miles roundtrip. Visit Bike Manchester VT for the map and more details.

For a complete visual tour of the path including historical railroad photos: visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6phOlI3oLY&feature=youtu.be

MISSION

Dorset Theatre Festival’s mission is to create bold, innovative, and authentic theatre that engages a diverse, multi-generational community, and economically diverse region: enlightening, entertaining, and inspiring our audience through the celebration of great plays. We aim to redefine the landscape of theatre by presenting thought-provoking productions drawn from the new and classic canon, as well as through the development of new plays, new audiences, and new artists for the future of American theater. We produce theatre that matters.

ABOUT

In the 2018 season we presented the third production of the award-winning play Cry It Out by Molly Smith Metzler. Dorset’s production was highlighted in American Theatre magazine for being one of the first theatres to present this groundbreaking new play that has become one of the most-produced plays in the country. The 2019 season included two world premieres: Mrs. Christie by Heidi Armbruster and Dig, written and directed by Theresa Rebeck.

The Festival’s 2017 World Premiere of Rebeck’s Downstairs starring Tim and Tyne Daly transferred to New York City the following fall, produced by Primary Stages, and has more regional productions to follow. The shift in our programming towards new plays over the last decade has allowed us to increase our capacity to support new work. This past season showcased a lineup of almost entirely new work, half of which Dorset Theatre Festival had a hand in creating and will be moving on to New York City and productions around the country.

The Pipeline Series of New Plays offers burgeoning playwrights a week-long retreat in Dorset during the summer season. With a director and a cast of professional actors, the playwrights prepare one-night-only staged readings of their new plays, offering our audience a glimpse at the play-development process and our artistic staff an opportunity to gauge a play’s potential for success in future seasons. In 2016, playwright Martyna Majok presented 30 pages of her play that would become the 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winner, Cost of Living.

Our track record of providing industry-recognized support and development opportunities to artists, as well as the world-class theater we produce at the historic Dorset Playhouse each summer, makes Dorset Theatre Festival a national resource and a cherished local treasure for the people who live, work, and vacation here.

Over the past decade the Dorset Theatre Festival has become a national incubator for new play development, committed to nurturing new plays and playwrights who are innovative, authentic and celebrate our common humanity. The Festival has taken huge steps forward in living our mission to create bold, innovative, and authentic theatre, and in any given year, the Festival is developing more than a dozen new plays. As the Festival grows, we build our internal capacity for robustly supporting the production of World Premieres, as well as Regional Premieres and second and third productions of new works.

OUR HISTORY

The Festival’s summer home is an intimate theatre built from 2 pre-revolutionary barns. Opening its doors to local thespians in 1929, the Dorset Playhouse became host to the professional Equity Summer Festival in 1977. Today, Dorset Theatre Festival is a rich cultural resource and integral part of the community. Whether we’re staging dramatic classics, producing great plays from the contemporary canon, or providing a platform for fresh new theatrical voices, the Festival is always pursuing its single mission: to create an environment in which our audiences can experience thought‐provoking, inspiring, and entertaining live theatre.

Through our Giving Back program and educational outreach, we also even the playing field for under-served populations and families and bring them into the theatre experience. We partner with other nonprofit organizations to support creativity, build community engagement, and enrich the cultural landscape. Our goal is to make excellent theatre a shared community experience and inspire our audiences to think, laugh, and feel long after the curtain falls.

Dorset Theatre Festival is a nonprofit organization supported by individuals like you who believe that live theatre enriches our experiences as a community and connects us to what makes us human.

Established in 1971, Tilting at Windmills Gallery has grown from a small poster and framing shop to one of New England’s largest fine art galleries. Featuring a broad selection of works by important national, regional and international artists, a world of fine art is housed in their spacious, comfortable, conveniently located gallery in Historic Depot.

While quality and visual appeal are paramount in our choice of inventory, Tilting at Windmills also selects with an eye towards investment and potential appreciation for collectors. Original oil and egg tempera paintings are beautifully presented in framing designed especially for each individual artwork. Visitors will also appreciate their large selection of stone sculpture from Zimbabwe, Africa and original semi-precious gem sculptures from Canada. The work represented by Tilting at Windmills Gallery is a rich tapestry of color, creativity, and imagination, with a depth and diversity that is truly outstanding.

Gallery Hours: Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat: 10am – 5pm
Sun: 11am – 4pm
Wednesday & Thursday by appointment only.

The Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park, also known as the Rec. Park by local residents, was named in honor of Police Chief Dana L. Thompson, who was killed in the line of duty in 1972. The Park encompasses more than 88 acres, the newly erected Park House, 6 lane swimming pool, diving board and kiddie pool, three baseball diamonds, multipurpose athletic fields, three playgrounds for kids of all ages, one-mile walking path, a dog park that is owned and operated by the Manchester Dog Park (a not-for-profit organization), skateboard park, outdoor basketball courts and three tennis courts. A trail in the northeast corner of the Park leads to Riley Rink and a trail in the southeast corner leads to Manchester Elementary-Middle School (MEMS) and downtown Manchester. Limited public WiFi is available near the Park House, including Applejack Field, Eckhardt Field and McClellan Field. Restrooms are available at the Park House, on the south side of the building. The Park is open daily until 10:00 PM and is located off of Bonnet Street (Route 30) on Recreation Park Road in Manchester Center. Click her to view a Visitors’ Map of the Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park.

Discover Manchester Vermont!

Stop in and let us help guide you on your journey.  Learn about the numerous places to stay, eat, taste, shop and experience while exploring Manchester, VT and the surrounding area.

Find FREE brochures, magazines, maps, and information

74 Depot Street, Manchester, VT 05255

EARY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW 1/7/2025!

Join us for 6th Dead of Summer Music Festival. presented by Whirlygig Music & WEQX. Happening July 11-13, 2025, the festival will return to Hunter Park, nestled on 25 acres in the Green Mountains in Manchester Vermont. Festival goers will enjoy a 3 Days of Live Music on 2 stages, RV Camping and Tent Camping. Over 20 Vendors, including 21 + Cash Bar, Food Trucks, Clothing, Art, Jewelry and Crafts. This Family/Kid Friendly festival also offers Yoga, Kids Activities including, Tie Dying and Puppet Making, and an 18 Hole Disc Golf course on-site.

This year’s lineup also includes:
Melvin Seals & JGB / The Wailers / Prince/Bowie / Dangermuffin / Steely Dead / Bearly Dead / Dead Man’s Waltz / Talking Dreads/ Deadgrass / The Wheel- Performing Reckoning / Organ Fairchild-Plays Dead / The Rev Tor Band- Performing Graceland / Jatoba / The Marks Brothers / Bar Maids / Misty Blues Roadhouse Revival / Hilltop / Terrafunk / Krishna Guthrie and Bow Thayer / Heavy Nettles / Andy the Music Man-Kid’s Set / One World Puppetry.

For full lineup, complete schedule, single day and early bird 3-day tickets, and all other info click HERE!

Updated 01/7/2025

Who We Are:

We are dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of fly fishing. The American Museum of Fly Fishing was established in 1968 in Manchester, Vermont, by a group of passionate and enthusiastic anglers who believed that the history of angling was an important part of American culture and tradition. The Museum was created to serve as an institution to research, preserve, and interpret the treasures of angling history.

Today, the Museum serves as a repository for and conservator to the world’s largest collection of angling and angling-related items, numbering in the thousands. Our collections and exhibits thoroughly document the evolution of fly fishing as a sport, art form, craft, and industry in the United States and abroad, dating as far back as the sixteenth century. Rods, reels, flies, tackle, art, photographs, manuscripts, and books form the Museum’s permanent collection.

Our Mission:

The American Museum of Fly Fishing is the steward of the history, traditions, and practices of the sport of fly fishing and promotes the conservation of its waters. The Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, studies, and interprets the artifacts, art, and literature of the sport and, through a variety of outreach platforms, uses these resources to engage, educate, and benefit all.

The Museum fulfills this mission through our public programs (including exhibitions, gallery programs, lectures, special events, and presentations), our publications, and our quarterly journal, the American Fly Fisher.

Please note Summer and Winter hours below:

Summer
June – October
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am to 4pm

Winter
November – May
Thursday – Saturday, 10am to 4pm

Located on 412 acres in Manchester Village, the historic Lincoln family estate, built by Presidential son Robert Lincoln and his wife Mary, is a favorite destination for locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or a fan of gorgeous architecture, Hildene offers amazing grounds and gardens, trails, Hildene Farm (including goat dairy, cheesemaking facility, and both animals and production gardens in the dene), informative tours, engaging exhibits, and a fabulous museum store. Don’t miss the restored 1903 Pullman railcar “Sunbeam” and the “Many Voices” exhibit (the southernmost stop on Vermont’s African American Heritage Trail). Particularly special times of year to visit include peony season from late-May through mid-June (thousands of flamboyant blooms in the formal garden) and a Victorian Christmas (the home is bedecked in holiday finery, as thought it were Christmas in 1912). Manchester’s most popular visitor destination, Hildene is a favorite of ours in every season. Not to miss!

Land Rover Experience Centers will resume operations and safely offer a range of physically distanced drive experiences from August 1, 2020.

We want to assure you that every precaution is being taken to protect the health and safety of our guests and local staff. In prioritizing health, safety, while still creating a day to remember, Land Rover Experience has implemented the following actions:

• All guests will be required to undergo a temperature check and wear a face mask upon arrival and when outside their vehicle. Additional PPE equipment (gloves and hand sanitizer) will be provided complementary – or feel free to bring your own.
• All vehicles will be sanitized before every experience.
• Guests and staff will be physically distanced in separate vehicles. Instructors will coach guests and marshall the course via two-way radios.
• Food and beverages will be boxed or pre-packaged and served in an open area while respecting social distancing.

We know that it has been a while and you are looking forward to your off-road experience. Please know that safety is our top priority while creating a memorable and exciting day. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your local Center.

If learning how to drive a really nice Land Rover through rough Vermont terrain sounds fun to you (and it should!), take a lesson or two from the new Land Rover Experience Driving School on their 80-acre, purpose-built course. Open year-round and offering off-road driving instruction in all conditions, drivers face numerous challenges and learn techniques on ascents, descents, side tilts, and rocky terrain. Course terrain and technique difficulty are matched to each driver’s skill, and more advanced drivers are invited to explore the school’s expansive trails through the Green Mountains.

Established in 1974, Manchester Music Festival (MMF) has been a beacon for classical music enthusiasts for half a century, showcasing both established artists and young talents. Nestled in the beautiful Green Mountains of Southern Vermont, MMF plays a pivotal role in the cultural enrichment of our community and beyond.

The Festival celebrates its Golden Anniversary in 2024 with a curated season of more than 30 events, including performances, masterclasses, open rehearsals, talks, and outreach programs. Under the leadership of our Artistic Director, Philip Setzer, founder and violinist of the Emerson String Quartet, Season 50 celebrates “The Romantic Journey,” a theme that cuts to the heart of how art reflects our humanity.

Seven Springs Garden and Sculpture Park is located in Manchester, Vermont between the Green Mountains to the east and the Taconic Range to the west. The name “Seven Springs” refers to the seven springs that run on the surrounding property and figured prominently in its history. The land was first settled before the Revolutionary War and farmed for generations.

In the 1920s the Doubleday publishing family purchased the property as a summer getaway. In 1931, the Doubleday family sold the property to Lowrie and Hortense Childs. It remained in the Childs family for three generations.

Hortense was an avid gardener who designed and built the formal rose garden next to the main house as well as the border gardens around the house and the fountain garden in the front yard. Hortense’s grandson Pete and his wife Jane, the last of the Childs family owners, cared for and added to the gardens from 1976-1997.

The property was purchased by Stan and Sylvia Stroup in 1997. Over the years following their purchase, the Stroups converted the pasture behind the main house into gardens and added a Japanese and woodland garden. Their interest in sculpture led to the addition of a sculpture collection set in complementary garden rooms.

Seven Springs Garden and Sculpture Park is a labor of love that has been built and cared for by four generations of dedicated gardeners and art lovers. We hope that you love it too.

Book Your Visit

Seven Springs is open to the public on Thursdays and Saturdays from July 10 to September 25.  Book your visit here.

For groups larger than eight people, or if you’d like a guided tour, contact us.