Calling All Woodchucks!!!
Rivalries are heating up for the 14th Annual Woodchuck Festival happening on Saturday, February 4, from 10 am to 3 pm at Mettawee Community School, 5788 VT Route 153, West Pawlet, VT. Woodchuck Rescue Teams will be competing against the legendary Rupert Volunteer Fire Department. Feared as unbeatable, the Rupert Woodchuck Rescue Champs vow not to lose!!! Woodchuck Rescue Challenge, starting at 1:00 pm, is open to 4 man departmental teams of volunteer firefighters in full gear for a $20 fee. To register your team, call WPVFD Chief Dave Hosley at (802) 645-0158.
Woodchuck Rescue Challenge may be the main event; but, West Pawlet’s Woodchuck Festival brings exciting activities for young and old. The Woodchuck Market Place showcases regional craft vendors. Anne Pivirotto, Material Things Creative Designs, an original vendor, hasn’t missed a festival in 14 years. The crafters always provide a little something new to entice Woodchuck shoppers.
Cow Plop Bingo returns with Blizzard’s great grand-daughters entering the boards at 11 am. There are two boards of 100 squares costing $5 each. Squares must be purchased before the cows arrive. The prize for each board is $250. To purchase squares, call Harley Stearns at (802) 287-0263 or Taylor Gould at (802) 282-8376. Other games of chance include a Silent Auction, Valentine’s Raffle, and Super Bowl Raffle.
There are activities to engage children at the Kid’s Corner, a coloring contest, a visit from W. P. Woodchuck who arrives by the “Big Red” Engine at 1:00 pm and WPVFD against the World, Tug of War. The Woodchuck Chuckwagon offers chuckburgers, chuckdoggies, woodchuck stew, corn chowder, mac & cheese, beverages and donuts at family friendly prices.
Hey, Woodchucks, toss away your cabin fever, join your fellow chuckers at West Pawlet’s Woodchuck Festival. The Woodchuck Festival is a fundraiser, which is sponsored jointly by the West Pawlet Volunteer Fire Department and its Ladies Auxiliary.