Activities

festival ACTIVITIES

Concerts

Faculty concerts are each Friday, and the Wednesdays of weeks 1, 2, and 3. Student concerts are each Tuesday and Thursday. Student attendance is required at all concerts.

Master Classes

Each faculty member has a weekly master class which is normally open to all festival students. Guest master classes are attended by all festival participants.

 

On-campus recreation and fitness

Information regarding fitness facilities at St. Michael's College will be posted soon.

Festival students often organize informal running groups, soccer and Frisbee games. If you have an interest in sharing your activity with others, please let the resident staff know; some equipment can be provided.

 

off-campus recreational trips

Green Mountain students will be busy throughout each week with scheduled musical activities, but the time from Saturday noon through Sunday is left free so they can relax and enjoy a change of pace—and see beautiful Vermont! Activities are posted below and links to register and pay online will be made active a few days in advance of each activity. Note: once students have registered, no refunds will be given even if they do not go on the trip.

 

Saturday, July 3, 2021

In late June, strawberries are in season at Vermont's berry farms. We will take you to pick your own, in fields with gorgeous views. Students will pay the farm directly for the berries they pick. We will leave at 1:00 PM and return by 4:00 PM. ($5) 

Saturday, July 3, 2021

Head to the waterfront area to enjoy Burlington's celebration of Independence Day with fireworks over Lake Champlain.  Resident staff will accompany younger students to the waterfront and back. (No fee)

 

Sunday, July 4, 2021

GMCMF resident staff will offer a day of hiking in the Green Mountains; specific details are pending. We will leave at 10 AM with a bag lunch and return to campus in time for dinner. Sneakers or hiking boots are required: NO open-toed shoes or flip-flops. Sunblock, a hat, a jacket and water are also recommended. ($10) 

 

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Shelburne Museum, just a few miles south of Burlington, is one of the world's finest, most diverse, and unconventional museums of art and architechture. Its astonishing diversity of exhibits are on display in a village-like setting of 38 exhibition buildings, many of which are historic structures from New York and New England relocated to Shelburne, including houses, barns, a meeting house, a one-room schoolhouse, a lighthouse, a jail, a general store, a covered bridge, and the 220-foot steamboat Ticonderoga. Leave at 1 PM and return in time for dinner. ($25)  

 

Sunday, July 11, 2021

Across Lake Champlain in upstate New York is Ausable Chasm, which features a two-mile walk through a river-carved canyon surrounded by woodlands. An optional ride on a river raft deposits you at the end of the hiking trail. We leave at 9 AM, travel across Lake Champlain by ferry, and return in time for dinner. ($70)

 

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Burlington's North Beach on Lake Champlain offers a fine sandy beach with lifeguard, snack bar, and grassy areas with picnic facilities. Shuttles will start running between the lake and the dorms at 1:00 p.m. Shuttles will start bringing students back to SMC around 4:30.  ($5)

 

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Enjoy a trip to the Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom (a Six Flags amusement park) in Lake George, NY. There are rides for all levels of thrillseekers, and the water park includes everything from a giant wave pool and lazy river ride to exciting speed slides. Getting there provides a scenic trip through the Vermont and New York countrysides. We will leave at 10 AM and return by 10 PM. No discounts or refunds are available for those holding season passes. ($65)

 

Other activities in Burlington

In addition to these planned trips, the area of Burlington accessible by bus from SMC campus offers a rich variety of activities.

 

Downtown Burlington and Church Street Marketplace      

Students can visit the historic Church Street Marketplace, eight pedestrian-only blocks where locals and tourists gather to shop, dine, and enjoy street entertainers and people-watching in general. Festival students can obtain a free street entertainer license and do some busking on Church Street; see Resident Director Rose Baker once the festival begins.

On the Waterfront

The Burlington Waterfront is a great place to walk, watch boaters and kayakers, or eat ice cream while sitting with friends on a swinging bench. You can rent bikes or kayaks, or visit the Echo Lake Aquarium and Science Center.

Biking

Enjoy the Burlington Bike Path, a 7.5 mile paved trail alongside Burlington's downtown lakeshore, linking six major waterfront parks. The path extends through Colchester, then as a causeway into Lake Champlain for a beautiful, nearly-level ride. At the end of the causeway, a small ferry takes bikers the rest of the way across the lake to Grand Island, VT. Bike rentals by the hour and day are available from Local Motion VT (802-656-2525) and Skirack (800-882-4530).

Religious Services     

Various services are offered on SMC's campus and in Burlington; transportation is provided upon request.