Outdoor Sports, Arts Highlight February in Vermont

A wide range of outdoor sporting events, musical performances, and art exhibits highlight the February events calendar in Vermont.

Below are some of the top scheduled events:

Penguin Plunge (February 4, Waterfront Park, Burlington): Those brave enough will plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Champlain to help raise money for Vermont’s Special Olympics. The event has become a popular team-building exercise for families, schools, and businesses, as well as a good cause.

14th Annual Collegiate A Cappella Concert (February 4, Latchis Theater, Brattleboro): The annual concert returns to the historic Latchis Theater in downtown Brattleboro, with a lineup that includes the Middlebury Dissipated 8, Tufts Amalgamates, Tufts Beelzebubs, UMaine Renaissance, UVM Cat’s Meow, and the legendary Yale Whiffenpoofs.

Butterflies (February 11 – September 4, ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington): Guests can become immersed in a pavilion of live butterflies and learn about their life cycle and what we, as humans, can do to protect their place in the natural environment.

Smuggler’s Notch Snowshoe Festival (February 11-12, Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville): Families can participate in Smuggler’s Notch Resort’s show shoe festival, which includes an obstacle course, scavenger hunt, games, and more. The event is open to all levels and all ages, with free demos and trials as well as guided tours. 

Fisk Trophy Race at Suicide Six (February 12, Suicide Six Ski Area, South Pomfret): The 80th consecutive running of the event: the race is the oldest alpine trophy race in North America.

Cloud Nine Nuptials (February 14, Mount Snow, Dover): Guests can celebrate Valentine’s Day atop Mount Snow in one of the most romantic ways possible: by getting married or renewing vows or at the top of Cloud Nine, a trail.

Harris Hill Ski Jumping (February 18-19, Harris Hill, Brattleboro): Jumpers from the United States and abroad come to Vermont to compete in the annual Harris Hill Ski Jumping competition. The event comprises two days of jumps, music, tailgating, and a climb to the takeoff for an up-close look at the jumpers. 

USASA Skier/Boarder Cross (February 18-19, Jay Peak Resort, Jay): Skiers and snowboarders handle turns, rollers, jumps and rubbing elbows during this action-packed Jay Peak Resort.

Memphremagog Ice Skating Festival (February 18-20, Newport): The Festival features one-, five-, 21-, and 42-kilometer races on a one-kilometer oval, plus a supported Adventure Skate on a cleared trail north up the lake as far as weather and ice conditions permit (bring your passport, just in case.) 

12th Annual Northeast Kingdom Ice Fishing Derby (February 23-26, All waters in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom): The family-friendly event is designed to promote the ice fishing and outdoor opportunities in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and generate business for sponsors during the derby. $50,000 in prizes will be awarded.

Morgenstern Piano Trio (February 22, Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury): This young trio has been lauded by the Washington Post for “…a unanimity, polished technique, and musical imagination.” In their Vermont debut, the trio will play works by Tailleferre, Ravel, and Vermont native Pierre Jalbert.  

Trick or Treat (Through February 5, Northern Stage, White River Junction): The world premiere of Jack Neary’s Trick or Treat follows a family in crisis on Halloween. A distraught husband, a nosy neighbor, and a dark secret set the wheels in motion for a night of confrontation, mystery, and relentless suspense: This play is a roller-coaster ride starring NYPD Blue’s Gordon Clapp.

From Far Away: Selected Works by Stephen Schaub (Through March 31, Governor’s Gallery, Montpelier): These works feature scenes of a story which, left unfinished, resembles an emotional memory, or the illogic of a dream. Schaub’s artworks often turn the artistic gaze inward, enlarging small moments and focusing on a personal landscape.

Natalie Jeremijenko: A Solo Exhibition (Through April 8, Helen Day Arts Center, Stowe): Natalie Jeremijenko is an international artist, engineer, and inventor with a specialty in environmental and urban issues. Her work will be a blend of new initiatives and past work with a focus on activating the space through environmentally conscious projects.