[giselle]

Someone had posted that people are pretty much holed in for 5 months during the year. PLEASE tell me this is an exaggeration. Right now, I like to get out, even if it's to take my kids to a school play somewhere (yea, we do get desparate for fun!), or to a concert. I know I'm going to need to drive more in VT, but I am willing to, if the roads are passable. I'm a joiner, so I will definitely look for some organizations to hook up with, so we can contribute and enjoy others' company. Any suggestions for newcomers? There are times here when we barely see our neighbors b/c of the cold weather, but we prepare for those cozy times and make it fun. Also, we sometimes just have dinner at friends' houses and hang out when it's cold. WHAT do people do up there? I wonder if we will become less outgoing for lack of frequent human contact....

[skytrekker]

From southern Vermont- which is relatively 'mild' for the state- feel like in 'hibernation' from mid/late November to mid /late March 4 months- 5 months is a stretch even from the Canadian border.

[harry chickpea]

The common phrases are "holed up," or "snowed in," but it really is true unless you are into winter sports. If you aren't outgoing by nature, it can be terribly lonely in Vermont. Couples often find the enforced togetherness just too much to stand.

Living close to a city with a mall would help, but the concept of large indoor malls kinda fizzled in the state. Going out to eat can get expensive quick, and there are a limited number of restaurants in many areas.

There is a statewide school play competition, and some of those plays can be quite good. The school concert bands can range from poor to exceptional, so you just have to search out the concerts by the good ones. There is an allstate competion in this as well. UVM often has decent plays.

High school basketball used to be the sport of choice for spectators who didn't want to freeze. The games can be pretty entertaining, and they occur regularly.

The hardest thing for many people to adjust to in Vermont is the concept of the streets rolling up in small towns at 5 PM, and in cities at 9 PM. You either learn to love the late night diner and tv, or learn to get up with the cows to enjoy every scrap of winter daylight.

[vter]

Harry put it right - if you don't like winter sports or aren't social by nature, winter can be isolating here.
We downhill ski and are also season ticket holders for UVM hockey & basketball, as well as spending time with our family & friends. This keeps us busy in the winter.
As mentioned above, school plays, concerts, sports, etc are a good excuse to get out.
If you want to meet people, join the local church or other local organizations - in my small town we have a quilters club, historical society etc.

[chaz longue]

Giselle -

There's Vermont and then there's Vermont.

This thread doesn't mention what part of VT you're looking at, but in Burlington I'd have to work pretty hard to be bored in the Winter.

There's so much happening in Burlington that I can't get to a tenth of it:
In addition to the things people have mentioned above - (and sports are big here too) there's a restored 1400 seat art deco movie palace 3 blocks away from me which is now used for the performing arts. I'm a volunteer usher there so I get to see 2 or 3 shows of every possible kind every month. Rock, dance performance, jazz, indescribable multi-media spectacles, country, classical music, film, etc etc etc. Then there are the varous winter festivals (the Mardi Gras parade was postponed a week because the snow took up some of the parking needed for the event - it's been fun watching the ice sculptures appear right in the middle of the main street which has no cars on it anymore), races, events, derbys, charity events, Special Olympics, etc etc etc. The business and downtown community work hard to keep things happening in Downtown Burlington. Family Friendly events like First Night, The First Friday Art Walk, various music and childrens performances and the like keep us pretty busy.

In addition, Burlington actually has 2 city departments which provide many dozens of activities which make the city vibrant and keep us busy: The Parks And Recreation Department, and Burlington City Arts. Burlington City Arts recently took responsibility for a historic firehouse and has begun programming performances and curating visual arts shows.

There's a pretty big underground Mall right in downtown as well, which makes a convenient way to walk to the lake from the main shopping thoroughfare during the Winter months.

There's a lot of programming at The Echo Center, our new world-class hands-on children's science museum right on the lake, down at the Waterfront Park area.

This is just the tip of the iceburg, and is all within walking distance of Downtown Burlington. If you include things within a 10 minute ride in the car you've got enough to keep you pretty dazzled. And most of it's free or at nominal cost.

So yes, absolutely - if I lived in a small town I'd have to work harder to find things to do. But in and around Burlington it's more a matter of making choices...

Please feel free to let me know of specific interests you have. I may be able to give you a hand learning what's on offer for you!

[giselle]

We are driving up in April to look around at communities. Scoping out Swanton, St. Albans down to Greater Burlington's small towns. We like watching sports (except football), going to concerts, plays, museums, hiking, playgrounds, a pick-up game of soccer, DANCE, cultural activities, etc. Local stuff's good too, i.e. school activities, town historical events, fairs, etc. My husband and I are really into cooking/baking, so some different food stores would be nice, too. Just want options for stuff to do besides shopping and going out to eat, which is all people seem to want to do a great deal of the time in the area where we now live. Hey, nowhere is perfect, but we are looking for a chance to make a change that could be refreshing and a better fit for us.

[carolinajack]

its kind of lonely in the summer too if you are up there all alone and dont know many people. they are not the sort to just come over if you are new to bring a pie and say welcome=---not that they are not nice people just really reserved.
Or maybe it is because I am colored and they were afraid, not having many colored people up there and only seeing bad things about us on the news. but they are friendly in the country stores and places.

[carolinajack]

i drank alot in the winter, read alot, listened to alot of radio, when you could get it in, drank coffee, and cried aloooooot

[giselle]

carolinajack,
where we live, folks aren't the sort to bring over a pie when you are new either. what area of Vt do you live in?

[Julie*]

I think it can be isolating in Vermont but only if you let it! I live with my family right outside of Colchester and grew up in the very small town of Jeffersonville. Here in Colchester and the surrounding areas there is tons to do even if you don't do winter sports. For example, last night my husband and I went to see Hairspray (the national broadway tour) at the Flynn Theatre.
I would say that you would find a great community in St. Albans and you're so close to Montreal, Quebec. It would be more isolating in a town like Swanton though.

good luck with your move,
Julie