PUTNEY, Vt—From gourd art to custom-made bicycles, farm art, and hand-knitted mittens from old sweaters, you can’t go wrong venturing “over the river and through the woods” to find the 25 working studios on Putney Vermont’s artisan trail in search of fine art and craft – and yes, the quirky and unusual, too.
The 40th Annual Putney Craft Tour, the oldest continuing craft tour in the country and a Top Ten Vermont Winter event, timed to coincide with Thanksgiving and holiday shopping, (Nov 23, 24, 25, 10-5) offers visitors a chance to meet the artists in the setting where it all happens. This year the state of Vermont is honoring the tour by proclaiming Thanksgiving weekend Putney Craft Tour Weekend.
Part of the fun is meandering through the beautiful Vermont countryside, following the map to find these prominent craftspeople and view the works where they are conceived and created. Most studios do demos. The weekend is promoted as the “Putney Craft Tour’s Craft, Culinary and Performance Weekend” with wine and cheese tastings and performances at night at Next Stage and Sandglass Theatre. Location: Putney and Saxtons River, VT. Visitors may start at The Gleanery Restaurant, 133 Main Street, Putney for info, maps, and a preview exhibition of the artisans’ works. www.putneycrafts.com
###
