Local Lowdown

Spring garden talk
March 27, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
The Henry Sheldon Museum, located on 1 Park St. , will host Mary Cliver for an interesting talk, “Designing the Mixed Border. Cliver, a landscape designer, garden writer and educator, will speak about ways to re-invigorate your garden for the entire year and will give advice on planting in all types of conditions. The talk is the second in a series of four held by the museum. Space is limited, so be sure to register in advance by calling (820) 388-2117 or visiting http://henrysheldonmuseum.org. The fee is $10 — money that is sure to go a long way!

UVM music festival
April 1 – 3
Make the trip to Burlington, Vt. for the ultimate weekend of musical madness: the University of Vermont’s old time music festival. The three day event includes swing dances on Friday, fiddle and banjo workshops on Saturday afternoon and a Bruce Molsky concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night and a dance session from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Sunday. Most events will be held in Billings North at UVM. Contact Mark Sustic (mrksustc@together.net) for more information on the festival, put on by the UVM Old Time Music club and Young Tradition Vermont. No advance tickets are available.

Jazz trio at Town Hall Theater
April 1, 7 p.m.
The Hot Club of Cowtown, a high-octane trio that combines western swing, ragtime and jazz, is coming to the Town Hall Theater (THT) for a night of excitiment. With Elana James on the fiddle, Whit Smith on the guitar and Jake Erwin on the slap-bass, the night is sure to be entertaining. The performance is part of the THT’s “After Dark Series.” Tickets, available at Main Street Stationary and at the Middlebury Inn, cost $20 when purchased in advance and $20 at the door. Visit http://afterdarkmusicseries.com for more information.

Ripton community coffee house
April 2, 7:30 p.m.
Be a part of this musical community event, held at the Ripton Community House located on Rte. 125. Seth Bernard and May Erlewine, a country-folk-soul duo, will perform for the lucky audience. Attendees can also participate in an open mic session. Call Andrea Chesman or Richard Ruana at (802) 388-9782 to reserve a spot for open mic. The Vergennes Lions Club will offer a variety of delicious refreshments, as well. Tickets are $9, $6 for seniors and teens and $3 for children.

Stone soup summit
April 5, 4 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Join the Addison County Relocalization Network (ACoRN) at Middlebury Union High School for the organization’s Stone Soup Summit: Growing Farm to School in Addison County.  Workshops offered will respond to the findings of ACoRN’s Stone Soup survey, in which every Addison County public school and the Hannaford Career Center participated. Enjoy a fresh, local meal with community members after an evening of discussions about gardening, composting and buying locally for the school’s cafeteria. Admission is free, and all are invited. There is a $5 donation for dinner.