By Zara Johnson
Bordering Canada to the north and New Hampshire to the east, the Northeast Kingdom is home to a wealth of creative and musical opportunities for those lucky enough to visit this lush corner of the state. The Northeast Kingdom comprises three counties: Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans. The Kingdom is more remote and less populated than other zones, but there is no shortage of arts adventures to undertake.
Of the zone’s 52 towns, St. Johnsbury is the largest and functions as the arts and culture hub. Catamount Arts runs a series of performing arts events, including concerts, plays, and dance shows. It also screens films and runs two art galleries with rotating exhibits.
Catamount Arts also operates the JayLyn Art Tour. This self-guided outdoor art tour encompasses over 25 public artworks in St. Johnsbury and the nearby town of Lyndon. Walk between features in one town before taking a drive to explore the next.
Also not to be missed in St. Johnsbury is the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, home to a small, ornate art gallery and library, The Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, and Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild, which is both a gallery displaying the work of local artists and a retail space with handmade goods.
Thirty minutes north, the town of Glover is home to two attractions with statewide reputations for being wacky and wonderful. The Museum of Everyday Life, self-described as an “ongoing revolutionary museum experiment,” explores the connection people have to everyday objects and presents these objects in a self-guided museum setting. Bread and Puppet Theater, originally of New York City’s Lower East Side, is a political puppet theater. The company runs outdoor shows every Saturday and Sunday during the summer. Check out their museum displaying an assortment of puppets and masks before or after the show or any day of the week.
Like Bread and Puppet, the Old Stone House Museum and Historic Village in Brownington also makes a good outing for the whole family. Book a tour ahead of time to explore the historic buildings tied to Alexander Twilight, the first Black college graduate in the U.S. Drop-in Friday programming offers kids activities throughout the summer.
Those seeking evening entertainment in the Northeast Kingdom have many choices to pick from: Summer Music from Greensboro, musical ensembles and clubs hosted by the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, the Craftsbury Chamber Players summer season, and the free Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series hosted by Catamount Arts.
In Newport, Wednesdays on the Waterfront enlivens the town with weekly concerts during July. While you’re in town, be sure to stop by the MAC Center for the Arts, home to a gallery and storefront offering the work of local artists.
While the Northeast Kingdom is the most rural and sparsely populated area of Vermont, there’s no shortage of arts and culture opportunities for residents and visitors alike. Whether you’re exploring galleries in St. Johnsbury or venturing further afield to Bread & Puppet or a summer concert, this sweet corner of Vermont is not to be missed.
This story is brought to you in partnership with the Vermont Arts Council, working for a creative state. Explore Vermont’s arts sector and discover opportunities to engage with the arts, including classes and workshops, through this series of spotlights. The Vermont Creative Network is working to advance Vermont’s creative sector in communities throughout the state.
