Rochester, Vermont

July 31st – August 10th
A Summer Festival of Poetry and Music in BigTown Gallery’s Intimate Outdoor Amphitheater at BigTown Gallery, 99 North Main St,

Friday July 31 Amapola Latin Jazz Rhythms
Saturday August 1 Sensible Shoes VT’s Favorite Dance Band
Monday August 3 Poetry Reading Paul Muldoon, Poetry Editor for The New Yorker
Tuesday August 4 Exploring the Negro Spirituals Cynthia Huard & Francois Clemmons
Wednesday August 5 Piano Stories Ethan Bowen & Larry Hamberlin
Thursday August 6 BigTown BigTent BigTalent Variety Show Hosted by Joe Schenkman
Friday August 7 Luminescent Orchestrii Bohemia Dance Party
Saturday August 8 Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade Rated Boston’s #1 Folk/Jazz Band
Monday August 10 Poetry Reading Mark Strand US Poet Laureate ‘96/97

Contact: Anni Mackay, Gallery owner and event coordinator, 802.767.9670.
See more at the BigTown Gallery web site

June 20, 2009
A great time was had by all on Saturday morning at the Rochester Kids’ Fishing Derby at Harvey’s Pond. Hot dogs and a plethora of prizes were handed out to everyone. Even Smokey the Bear made an appearance.
photos ©2009 Martha Slater

Sundays, 6:30 to 8:30 PM

June 28 Steel Rail Bluegrass
July 5 Mark LeGrand and the Lovesick Band
July 12 Starline Rhythm Boys
July 19 Rick Redington and the Luv
July 26 They Might Be Gypsies
August 2 Wise K Rokobili Acoustic Groove
August 9 Dana and Susan Robinson

Second Annual Pierce Hall Community Center Independence Day Dash
Saturday July 4, 2009 – Right before the Parade!
5-Kilometer (3.1 Mile) Running Race and Walking Event
Registration begins at 7:45 AM at Rochester School.
BOTH Events begin at 8:30 AM.
Awards at 10:00 AM. Enjoy the Parade at 11 AM.
REGISTRATION
All proceeds will benefit the Pierce Hall Community Center restoration project.
Walkers and Runners: $ 10 to participate. Please Pre-Register if possible!
Walkers and Runners and wishing to receive a commemorative PHCC Race T –Shirt: $ 15 (T-shirts NOT guaranteed for race – day entrants)
Download pdf race registration form at Pierce Hall’s Website.

Memorial Day Parade, Rochester Park, May 25, 2009

photos ©2009 Jeffrey Mather

Signs of spring

photos ©2009 Jeffrey Mather

Volunteers for Pierce Hall held their annual Calendar Dinner and raffle at RHS to raise funds for the Pierce Hall restoration. Each table had a different theme from the calendar. RHS students waited the tables.

Among the folks who worked to clean up Rochester roadsides during last Saturday’s Green Up Day were Cub Scouts and leaders from Pack #234, members of the Center for Valley Youth, and adult volunteers, who filled up a town dump truck with all the debris they collected. Everyone got a coupon for a free creemie, donated by Peter and Penny Parrish at the Skip Mart, and elementary school student Sarah Chase organized a drawing for prizes donated by Boysenberry, Green Mountain Bikes, Terry Paquette, Seasoned Books & Bakery, Rochester Hardware, Rochester Café and Country Store, and the Judy Jensen Clay Studio. The town Green Up coordinators were Joanne McDonnell and Martha Slater. (Herald / Martha Slater)

Preview photos from the musical “Oliver!”
photos ©2009 Jeffrey Mather

May 30th, 10am
The Rochester Historical Society is sponsoring a hike from West Hill over Jones Mt, down thru Fassett Basin and on out to Bingo. The hike will take place on May 30th, with June 6th as the rain date. Along the way we will pass by at least 9 home sites, and hopefully the 10th - the old log cabin site if it can be found before then. We have some pictures of the area taken in the 1890’s, as well as quite a bit of the history of the families that lived in the area.

As far as specifics of the hike, we will gather at 10:00 AM at the end of the town road maintenance on the Jones Mt. road, which is the third right off West Hill road. You can park in the large meadow on the right side of the road. That is Green Mountain National Forest land and you’re welcome to park there anytime. The hike takes about 4-5 hours, depending on how interested folks on learning about the area. We will stop at one of the home sites for lunch, then continue on out to the Bingo road. We’ll spot a shuttle vehicle there to get us back to West Hill.

I recommend the following: Lunch, water, insect repellant, sturdy shoes or boots, and a camera. The last time we did this, we walked right by (within 10′) of a fawn! A small pocket first-aid kit is always a good idea. I rate the hike as “moderate”. Most of it is on old town roads, but they haven’t been used for about 40 years. One of the roads was discontinued in 1899! For more information contact trip leader Bruce Flewelling at 767-3263