No matter where you are in Vermont's Mad River Valley, you are never far from the creative energy of the community. The rich culture of artistic excellence and collaboration permeates the landscape, as you can see from any look out over the valley. Just as Warren contains the geographic population center of Vermont (you’ll know when you get there), the valley is “a hub for creative activity” and participation of all kinds.
High on the ridges that surround Warren, Waitsfield, and Fayston, you can get a first impression of aesthetic quirks that make any travel around the Mad River Valley like a scavenger hunt. Whether from above with our friends at Sugarbush Soaring, or on many of our favorite walks, bike routes (dirt and pavement) or drives, everyone can enjoy the playful and distinctive architecture of homes here. For the past half-century, the Prickly Mountain “school of architecture” has stood just above the southern entrance to the valley in Warren Village. These delightfully off-kilter homes are balanced by historic schoolhouses and farms on the northern ridge of the valley in Fayston, that have taken on brightly colored character through their history.
Further exploration down the valley brings you an even more direct connection to the creative energy here. On Harris Hill (a pleasant jog or hike from premiere vacation rental Wilder Farm Inn on the Mountain), Noel Bailey Ceramics occasionally sets up a curbside stand for passersby to sample beautifully organic stoneware (and sometimes sourdough starter). Just a few weeks ago, local maker Troy Kingsbury installed a menagerie of whimsical metal sculptures along Old County Road, a mellow minute from Wilder Farm Inn on the River, which you can still see and purchase at All Things Bright and Beautiful on Bridge Street in Waitsfield Village. Periodically through the seasons, banners, posters, and hearts appear in the early morning adorning every building along the valley floor. You never know what you might find!
To really feel the artistic expression of the Mad River Valley, you can visit any number of the thirty-plus studios and galleries in Waitsfield, Warren, and Fayston, or take home some beautiful pieces, skills, and memories from a class with a local artisan. In particular, longtime Mad River Valley resident and recreator Luke Iannuzzi combines wheelthrowing with outdoor adventure inspiration. The valley is also home to myriad other local art forms, including wool you can watch get spun into yarn at the Mad River Fiber Mill (which speaks as much to coziness in northern Vermont as it does to historic industries that shaped our landscape). Creative community participation also extends to an active music scene (even when distanced through COVID-19) and high-quality, high-fun community theatre with the Valley Players.
Ask us about itineraries to get to know the artistic experience in Vermont's Mad River Valley, and keep your eyes and ears open when you visit. There are little treasures everywhere!