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Here's an idea for spending a great evening in Stowe if you happen to be there during the Stoweflake weekend (July 8th and 9th).
Get yourself a picnic hamper, some deck chairs, a bottle of wine and some hors d'ouvers and drive out on the Cape Cod Road (it's off the Mountain Road at the Stowe Flake Resort and Conference Center). Drive off the pavment onto the dirt road and park near a golf course. You should be there around 6:30 in the evening. You'll be overlooking the balloon field and will be able to see the balloons inflating around 7:00 pm. Not only that, the wind usually takes the balloons right over your position, providing some excellent picture taking opportunities. The photograph you see here was taken from the very spot mentioned.
Of course, if you are an early riser, you can do the same thing around 6:30 in the morning. I found this location far better than paying the $6.00 entrance fee to the balloon festival grounds. There is little to do until the balloons go up.
Stowe also holds a crafts fair on the Mountain Road on the same weekend. It's well organized with about 200 small retailers housed in a large tent (just in case it rains). Each retailer must pay $460.00 to be in the tent. Those outside pay $350.00 and must erect their own tent or awning. I mention these prices because what is sold here is not inexpensive.
You can shop for specialty foods, like the rich chocolate sold by the Chocolate Cow of Woodstock, or purchase paintings and photographs of Vermont scenes. You can even get an ``on the spot massage." Like the balloon festival, you have to pay to enter (about $6.00). You can also come across some unusual sights such as this one man band and ``on the spot" massages!
Timothy Palmer-Benson - Scenes of Vermont July 2000
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