Wassail Weekend returning to Woodstock
Mike Johnson (left) and Rob Tracy lead a team of horses in a prior Wassail Parade in Woodstock, Vt. Click here for the 2021 Wassail Weekend schedule. (Photo Provided)
Woodstock’s Wassail Weekend is back this year, including its famous Wassail Parade in the village this coming Saturday.
A host of festivities will take place Friday through Sunday, Dec. 10-12, with the parade starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday as usual. The parade includes 35 entries and starts at the East End, heads downtown, and circles The Green with the crowds looking on. For another transportation option, a free shuttle bus will be offered from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, going from Woodstock Union High School to the Welcome Center in the village.
Wassail Weekend didn’t happen last year due to the pandemic, and a virtual parade was held online. People can’t wait to see the real thing again and take part in a festive weekend of holiday fun, said Beth Finlayson, executive director of the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce. And, visitors have been planning on this for some time.
“Everyone’s so excited,” Finlayson said. “People have had their reservations for months.”
She also received multiple calls from people wanting to make sure the traditional parade was back on.
“The people in the parade do such a great job, dressing up both themselves and their horses,” Finlayson said.
On Friday to start things off, Billings Farm & Museum is holding its annual “Christmas at the Farm” activities throughout the day and weekend. Pentangle Arts gets the season’s music going on Friday night, with a concert by “Irish Christmas in America” starting at 7:30 p.m.
There are several new things in the festivities this year. Phil Warren will be giving horse-drawn carriage rides around Woodstock Village, starting at People’s United Bank, on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additionally, the Chamber is holding its first-ever Gingerbread contest, with winners being announced Saturday. Also on Saturday, Artistree will offer Drop-In Ornament Making from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will also be a craft fair at the Masonic Lodge in Woodstock Village on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Some refreshments will be available on The Green as well. Vicki Ferentinos and Shannon Lee will offer some festive treats, with their set-up adorned by a six-foot tall Nutcracker they built. Also, the Chamber will be serving Wassail punch and the WUHS Hockey Team will offer hot chocolate and coffee.
On Saturday at 4 p.m., Woodstock Rotary continues its cherished tradition of brightening The Green with 400 luminaries for the evening.
For some, this will be their first Wassail Weekend in Woodstock, and that includes Alex Beram and his family. He and his wife, Christy, purchased The Village Butcher earlier this year. He’ll be part of what’s historically been a bustling downtown during the second weekend in December, with shoppers and diners heading around to various businesses.
“Being new to the community, I’ve been so impressed with the events and the organization, just the way that the town and the whole community come together,” Alex said, saying of Wassail: “It should be a great couple of days, and we’re excited to be part of it.”
For the full schedule of Wassail Weekend events, click here for details. To reach the Chamber of Commerce, call 802-457-3555 or send an email to info@woodstockvt.com.
— Gareth Henderson
