Bring a poem or a pie to share, or just come to listen. Very informal, always enjoyable. Poems can be original or written by another, shared in a circle “popcorn” style. A pie potluck will follow the poems. All ages welcome!

Make a joyful noise with others! Heidi Wilson will lead us in a series of seasonal songs and accessible harmonies, starting at 3pm. All ages and voices welcome. We may be singing outside, so please dress for the weather. Hearty snacks provided.

This week we will continue with the rag rug braids we started last week, and begin lacing the center of the rug (or trivet, or seat cushion, whatever you’d like your ). Not here last week? Fine to jump in. We will have fabric, lacing cord and braidkins aplenty.

Old-time music, also known as Appalachian string band music, is traditionally played on the fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass. Tunes are learned by ear and are ideal for community participation. The music is the sort that one would naturally hear at a square dance or a contra dance.

Acoustic musicians of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. The session is free and open to the public. Listeners are encouraged to attend as well.

The East Craftsbury old-time jam session is supported by the Allen Hilles Fund. The session occurs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 6 - 8pm.

A community discussion of the Vermont Reads book, Charity & Sylvia by Tillie Walden. Facilitated by Ben Hewitt. This discussion will take place at the Craftsbury Community Care Center, which is ADA accessible.

About Charity & Sylvia:

Weybridge, Vermont in February 1807 is small, cold, lonely, and beautiful. As an unwed woman with few prospects, Sylvia Drake resides with and cares for her sister’s rambunctious family. But today the house is abuzz awaiting a guest—Charity Bryant.

So opens Charity and Sylvia by Tillie Walden, the award-winning, Vermont-based cartoonist and author of Spinning and On a Sunbeam.

Created by Walden from archival materials at the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History in Middlebury, and other primary and secondary sources, Charity and Sylvia is a groundbreaking biography that is also the story of 19th century America.

For 44 years Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake lived together as life partners in small town Vermont. And in Walden’s graphic novel, America grows alongside these women. We see the arrival of railroads, the terms of 14 Presidents, riots, rebellion, and plagues.

About Ben:

Ben Hewitt was born, raised, and currently lives in rural Vermont. He is the author of six books, and a contributing writer to Yankee Magazine, where he authored the popular “Life in the Kingdom” column for over 10 years. He’s taught creative writing at Sterling College in Craftsbury, Vermont, and hosted numerous writing sessions through Writers For Recovery.

When he’s not reading, writing, or cutting firewood, he loves to backcountry ski, ride bicycles and dirt bikes, and cook over an open fire. 

The migration of old songs and tunes across the pond is a fascinating journey. Sara Grey and her son Kieron Means will illustrate through singing and talking about the songs that migrated with folk from Ireland, Scotland, and England as they went into different regions of the States and Canada, and how the songs began to change as they became entrenched and affected by the various cultures they went into. They will show this through a wonderful variety of old songs and ballads and encourage audience participation.

This presentation is free and is made possible in part by a grant from the Pleasants Fund of the Greensboro United Church of Christ, and will take place at the East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church which is ADA accessible.

For beginners and experienced knitters alike, you can learn how to knit, fine tune your skills, or finish that unfinished project. Facilitated by Sharon Moffatt.

A wonderful way to recycle old clothing and fabric scraps! We will share Sophie Blackall’s newest book, Story Rug, and then everyone can try their hand at beginning a rug. Materials provided, but feel free to bring your own fabric if you like. For all ages.

Peter Gould, a great friend of the Simpson Library, and director of "Get Thee to the Funnery" Shakespeare camp, will visit East Craftsbury on Sunday October 11 at 4:00 with his newest novel. This event will take place at the East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church.

Peter says, "Yes, I'm a Shakespearean, and a theater director and actor, but I've always been a writer, all my life."

Peter will read from PART FOR THE HOLE, which is a passionate plea for artists of all kinds to be supported, especially in these years of the National Endowment's diminishment.

Peter says, "my novel was inspired by an unbelievable article in the Brattleboro Reformer, my local paper. A strange story of an artist being kidnapped! I read it and went, wow, there is a novel here! It's taken me 23 years to complete the job."

Peter will have copies of  PART FOR THE HOLE to purchase, and hopes to lead a discussion about how local people can get together to let State and Federal officials know how they feel about the issues the book raises. 

For beginners and experienced knitters alike, you can learn how to knit, fine tune your skills, or finish that unfinished project. Facilitated by Sharon Moffatt.

Old-time music, also known as Appalachian string band music, is traditionally played on the fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass. Tunes are learned by ear and are ideal for community participation. The music is the sort that one would naturally hear at a square dance or a contra dance.

Acoustic musicians of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. The session is free and open to the public. Listeners are encouraged to attend as well.

The East Craftsbury old-time jam session is supported by the Allen Hilles Fund. The session occurs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 6 - 8pm.

For beginners and experienced knitters alike, you can learn how to knit, fine tune your skills, or finish that unfinished project. Facilitated by Sharon Moffatt.

Did you know that there was a time when letters were the only means of communicating with someone who did not leave nearby? The Simpson Library has over 1,000 letters in it’s collection, some written in the 1800’s to relatives in Scotland, some sent from Hardwick to East Craftsbury. We will share a few letters and postcards from the Simpson Library archives, and then try our hand at writing. We will have plenty of materials, including stationary, postcards and stamps. Don’t know who to write to? Perhaps a favorite author, or someone on the volunteer fire department, or the staff at the Genny! For all ages.

Stop by for some fun at the library this afternoon, where we will explore the whole shebang of silliness. We will have silly activities & silly snacks to try, silly games and probably some silly competitions. Free, all ages welcome!

For beginners and experienced knitters alike, you can learn how to knit, fine tune your skills, or finish that unfinished project. Facilitated by Sharon Moffatt.

For beginners and experienced knitters alike, you can learn how to knit, fine tune your skills, or finish that unfinished project. Facilitated by Sharon Moffatt.

How do you imagine time? If you could map a dream, what would it look like? During this workshop, we will explore creating maps of all kinds: maps of places, temporal maps, maps of ideas, or something else! We’ll have lots of art supplies available, including collage. Free and all ages welcome. Facilitated by Lalee Bond and Kristin Urie.

Old-time music, also known as Appalachian string band music, is traditionally played on the fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass. Tunes are learned by ear and are ideal for community participation. The music is the sort that one would naturally hear at a square dance or a contra dance.

Acoustic musicians of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. The session is free and open to the public. Listeners are encouraged to attend as well.

The East Craftsbury old-time jam session is supported by the Allen Hilles Fund. The session occurs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 6 - 8pm.

Over 25 years ago, Peter Harrigan and Stan Baker were one of the three plaintiff couples in Vermont’s Freedom to Marry lawsuit. The Vermont Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Baker v. State in 1999, which led to Vermont’s Civil Union law the following year.

Sadly, Stan Baker passed away on June 24, 2025. Harrigan reflects on the tumultuous days leading to the Civil Union law, enacted on July 1, 2000; the path toward Marriage Equality achieved in Vermont in 2009; the US Supreme Court decisions that came in 2013 and 2015; new threats to LGBTQIA rights based on the current composition of the US Supreme Court; and his husband Stan’s enduring legacy. Look back and ahead with this timely presentation.

This talk is supported by Vermont Humanities, and will take place at the Craftsbury Community Care Center, 1784 East Craftsbury Road, Craftsbury, VT. The Care Center is ADA accessible.

When was the last time, if ever, that you read through this document, fundamental to our governmental and political organization as a nation? 

This is not a political discussion, everyone is welcome.  This is an opportunity to read together (everyone will be invited to be a reader, but no one is obligated to be a reader - just come as a listener).  

 As we read we will be invited to think about the problems the writers were addressing.   We will also ask ourselves IF  and how our personal lives have ever been directly impacted by the articles of the constitution.

Facilitated by Abigail Stockman

Saturday knitting is back! For beginners and experienced knitters alike, you can learn how to knit, fine tune your skills, or finish that unfinished project with certified knitting instructor, Lise Roussell.

Old-time music, also known as Appalachian string band music, is traditionally played on the fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass. Tunes are learned by ear and are ideal for community participation. The music is the sort that one would naturally hear at a square dance or a contra dance.

Acoustic musicians of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. The session is free and open to the public. Listeners are encouraged to attend as well.

The East Craftsbury old-time jam session is supported by the Allen Hilles Fund. The session occurs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 6 - 8pm.

This is the third in a three-part series of printmaking classes with local artist Jenn Detweiler, class descriptions below. Space is limited for these classes, please sign up in advance by emailing jwsimpsonmemorial@gmail.com. This free class is made possible in part by a grant from the Allen Hilles Fund.

8/16: Making a Block for Printing: Learn how to design and carve a block for printing.  We'll focus specifically on block designs that will work well on fabric.

8/23: Introduction to Natural Dyeing: Learn all about scouring, mordants, natural dye materials, and how to use them to get beautiful colors on fabric.  Fabric provided. 

8/30: Block Printing on Fabric: Create your own art textiles using block prints, ink, and fabric.  This class is the third in the series and is meant to combine the skills and materials from the earlier block printing and dye classes, but new students are welcome to bring their own blocks and a small fabric sample, tank top, or tshirt.

Join us for this informal ASL practice session! We meet every Thursday at 2pm, and use a Lifeprint video lesson with Bill Vicars as a jumping off point.

This is the second in a three-part series of printmaking classes with local artist Jenn Detweiler, class descriptions below. Space is limited for these classes, please sign up in advance by emailing jwsimpsonmemorial@gmail.com. This free class is made possible in part by a grant from the Allen Hilles Fund.

8/16: Making a Block for Printing: Learn how to design and carve a block for printing.  We'll focus specifically on block designs that will work well on fabric.

8/23: Introduction to Natural Dyeing: Learn all about scouring, mordants, natural dye materials, and how to use them to get beautiful colors on fabric.  Fabric provided. 

8/30: Block Printing on Fabric: Create your own art textiles using block prints, ink, and fabric.  This class is the third in the series and is meant to combine the skills and materials from the earlier block printing and dye classes, but new students are welcome to bring their own blocks and a small fabric sample, tank top, or tshirt.

Join us for an evening of learning about the historic Brassknocker Farm Conservation Easement.  Jared Nunery (Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation) will facilitate a panel discussion on the history and evolution of the Brassknocker Farm Conservation Easement, one of the first conservation easements coordinated by the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) in 1987.  Cheryl Fisher (former VLT staff and Greensboro landowner) and Clarice Cutler (VLT staff) will provide an overview of the origins of this monumental conservation project.  This will be followed by a presentation from Patrick Hurley (Memphremagog Watershed Association) who will share information on an active restoration project on Whetstone Brook.

To be held at the East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church, which is ADA accessible.

This event will be live streamed and recorded- click here!

Old-time music, also known as Appalachian string band music, is traditionally played on the fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass. Tunes are learned by ear and are ideal for community participation. The music is the sort that one would naturally hear at a square dance or a contra dance.

Acoustic musicians of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. The session is free and open to the public. Listeners are encouraged to attend as well.

The East Craftsbury old-time jam session is supported by the Allen Hilles Fund. The session occurs every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 6 - 8pm.

This is the first in a three-part series of printmaking classes with local artist Jenn Detweiler, class descriptions below. Space is limited for these classes, please sign up in advance by emailing jwsimpsonmemorial@gmail.com. This free class is made possible in part by a grant from the Allen Hilles Fund.

8/16: Making a Block for Printing: Learn how to design and carve a block for printing.  We'll focus specifically on block designs that will work well on fabric.

8/23: Introduction to Natural Dyeing: Learn all about scouring, mordants, natural dye materials, and how to use them to get beautiful colors on fabric.  Fabric provided. 

8/30: Block Printing on Fabric: Create your own art textiles using block prints, ink, and fabric.  This class is the third in the series and is meant to combine the skills and materials from the earlier block printing and dye classes, but new students are welcome to bring their own blocks and a small fabric sample, tank top, or tshirt.

Over 25 years ago, Peter Harrigan and Stan Baker were one of the three plaintiff couples in Vermont’s Freedom to Marry lawsuit. The Vermont Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Baker v. State in 1999, which led to Vermont’s Civil Union law the following year.

Sadly, Stan Baker passed away on June 24, 2025. Harrigan reflects on the tumultuous days leading to the Civil Union law, enacted on July 1, 2000; the path toward Marriage Equality achieved in Vermont in 2009; the US Supreme Court decisions that came in 2013 and 2015; new threats to LGBTQIA rights based on the current composition of the US Supreme Court; and his husband Stan’s enduring legacy. Look back and ahead with this timely presentation.