Free admission

The Hardwick Historical Society (HHS) is a small collecting repository and museum dedicated to preserving the history of the the town of Hardwick, its villages, businesses, and people. The HHS has its museum in the restored Hardwick Railroad Depot, where it serves researchers and exhibits materials relating to the granite and railroad industry, local schools, the Civil War, Hardwick’s business community, and its people. In addition to museum exhibits, the HHS holds its archival materials — a large collection of documents and images as well as a complete collection of Hardwick newspapers back to the mid-1890s — at the Depot. Come see us.

The work of processing collections goes on year round, but the space we use in the summer has no heat. When that space becomes too cold to work in, we move our processing into the heated museum space. However, we will gladly make appointments for researchers who want to use our collections. Just send us an email at info@hardwickvthistory.org and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

Free event

Presented by the Hardwick Historical Society

Following a brief business meeting of the Hardwick Historical Society, there will be a film about the local railroads and a question and answer session.

The Craftsbury Chamber Players is a partnership of musicians and community dedicated to making live chamber music an enduring part of our culture.

Founded in 1966, the CCP is a group of world-class musicians who perform both masterworks and lesser known chamber music gems every summer. Concerts feature ever-changing ensemble configurations. The programs offer an engaging musical journey, balancing tradition and innovation with scale and scope. The music ranges from the classical, romantic, 20^th century and contemporary periods. Jim Lowe, music critic for the Times Argus wrote, “The Craftsbury Chamber Players are responsible for some of the best and most interesting chamber music in Vermont.”

Open to All – Pay what you can!

Rocky Horror finally comes back to Hardwick! Come get spooky with Brad! and Janet! and Brad! And Janet! and Rocky!

There will be food. There will be drinks. There will be live interaction in front of the big screen.

Join internationally acclaimed mentalist/humorist, Dr. Steve Taubman for a night of Mind Magic: world-class mentalism and comedy.

Mind Magic combines elements of comedy and mindreading with psychology and theater, drawing on Dr. Steve’s laser-sharp observational skills and refined sense of the absurd. All of these are on display in Mind Magic, which is carefully curated to make audiences laugh, gasp, think… and laugh some more!

Dr. Steve Taubman pulls back the curtain on the psychological mechanics of human behavior, leaving you astonished, entertained, and wanting more.

“You don’t have to be THAT GOOD!!!”

Dick Cavett

“Dr. Steve is hilarious and astonishing.”

John Cleese, Monty Python

“Dr. Steve captivates imagination, casts a shadow of doubt on the limits of reality, and leaves an indelible impression on the soul.”

Naples Press

The Lonely Days Are Gone: Community Square Dance Tour brings free concerts and square dances to historic town halls across Vermont.

Inspired by the state’s long tradition of contra and square dancing, the tour welcomes neighbors of all ages to connect through live music, participatory dancing, and shared meals. The tour is headlined by Dorset fiddler, singer, and educator Ida Mae Specker, alongside Shrewsbury caller Sarah Gibson and The Ida Mae Specker Band.

The Lonely Days Are Gone visits Brandon, Brookfield, Hardwick, Ferrisburgh, and Chester throughout September and October. Participants will learn the basics of square dancing followed by an evening of traditional American string band music and dancing with Ida Mae Specker and her all-star band. No prior dance experience or partner is required.

In addition to dances, tour stops include special events such as concerts for children and old-time music jams. All events are free and open to the public, and families are encouraged to attend.

The tour is part of the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, highlighting the important role that music, dance, and town halls have played in civic life throughout New England.

The Lonely Days Are Gone Tour is supported by Vermont Humanities, the New England Foundation for the Arts and generous individual donors. The tour is fiscally sponsored by The Chandler Music Hall in Randolph, Vermont.

Hardwick Historical Society presents:

Join a fun, fascinating celebration of the St. Johnsbury & Lamoille County (StJ&LC) Railroad which served the region from 1869-1995. Enthusiasts, former employees, and patrons pay homage to this breathtakingly scenic route with museum tours, displays, ephemera, talks, vintage films, and the ceremonial driving of a golden spike and re-dedication of 200 feet of original track.

Enjoy a lively presentation by filmmaker James R. “Jim” Jones, followed by rail tales of workin’ on the railroad from employees. All aboard!

Events start at the tracks behind the Depot Museum and will move into the Town House for the film and discussion.

For Marie, art is a source of pleasure and enlightenment. She experiments with a variety of media but rug hooking is her current passion. In her pieces you’ll see inspiration from the beautiful Vermont landscape, family, and ancient myths.

Marie’s artwork has been shown extensively throughout New England and New York. She received a B.A. in Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art, and a Masters in Drawing and Painting from Goddard College.

Michele is a self-taught artist living in the NEK of Vermont. She has been creating art using various mediums including painting, clay and metal sculpture, jewelry design, eco-printing, mixed media, and textiles and enjoyed all of them. On display at the Town House will be pieces from her fiber art series.

A couple years ago I began creating landscape paintings and abstract fiber art using wool and natural fibers. Wet felting is a meditative process for me. I love working with the beautiful colors and blending them together giving my artwork more depth and texture. My art is mainly made using the wet felting process and needle felted details.

Michele Sulham 2025

Hosted by Vermont Democrats

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Rally at Hardwick Town House: We’ll kick off with a rally featuring Secretary of State Sarah Copeland-Hanzas, David Roth for Vermont State Senate, Audrey Grant for Vermont State House, and other Democratic candidates. Hear directly from the leaders who are fighting for our state, and get the latest updates on what’s at stake this year.

4:30 PM – 7:00 PM Day-of-Action Canvass: Following the rally, we’ll take our message directly to the doors. Canvassing is our most powerful tool for engaging neighbors, identifying voters, and building the “people power” needed to secure our future.

The Civic Standard Presents

When you see the Ragtime Shepherd Kings you’ll witness: fancy fiddling, dueling hawaiian guitars, ukelele wizardry, a menagerie of toy instruments, vocal harmonies that sound as if they were polished by hand, a musical pig “porkestra,” and whatever else the gang has up their sleeves. The Roochie Toochies are Joel Jackson, Lindsay McCaw, Timmy Findlen, Matt Bell and Joy Patterson. These musical pals joined forces because of their love of novelty music from the wax cylinder era and have brought to life music from 90-100 years ago in a way that delights people from 7-97. They live in New Orleans, Nashville and Detroit, but they get together each year to tour out-of-the-way and in-the-way places. They have appeared at festivals all over the US including the Black Pot Festival in Louisiana, Kauai Old Time Gathering, Kauai, HI; Knoxville Stomp, Knoxville, TN; The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association Festival; Indiana Fiddler’s Gathering, Battle Ground, IN; Old Tone Roots Music Festival, Hillsdale, NY and the Wheatland Traditional Arts Festival in Remus, MI. They were first place winners of the Neotraditional Band Contest at the Appalachian String Band Festival in West Virginia in 2015.

Annie Houston & Hardwick Town House Present

Back by popular demand, Blackfly Story Hour is an open-mic storytelling event where storytellers have five minutes to tell a tale on a theme and story listeners get a whole evening of listening in.

Theme: BUSTED

How it works: Storytellers craft a five-minute story based on the night’s specific theme, and sign up when they arrive at the event. 12 names will be drawn at random, and those 12 individuals will share their tales with the audience. Stories can be real or made up – it’s entirely up to the teller.

Vermont Climate Action Office

Don’t miss your chance – weigh in on the update to Vermont’s Climate Action Plan!

https://climatechange.vermont.gov/climate-action-plan-2025-update

Voice your climate priorities through diverse engagement activities. Choose from in-person options around the state or virtual events. Climate Councilors will listen, and then consider public input when revising the Plan (due July 1, 2025). Background materials will be emailed to you a few days in advance of the meeting. Refreshments provided! Kids’ activity sheets available for families.

Presented by Vermont Community Development Association

Celebrate the power of municipalities in shaping vibrant communities and driving economic development at the Vermont Community Development Association Annual Spring Conference. This event will highlight the pivotal role municipalities play in fostering vibrancy and resilience across Vermont. Join us in Hardwick to:

• Hear firsthand accounts of impactful municipally-led projects driving positive change in towns across the state.
• Share practical tools and strategies to empower municipalities in their development efforts.
• Learn effective techniques for rallying support and engagement from municipal leaders.
• Showcase stories of collaboration and unity, where communities and municipalities join forces to achieve shared goals.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow community champions, gain valuable insights, and contribute to the collective work of building a brighter future for Vermont. 

Presented by Galaxy Bookshop

Come one, come all to the Hardwick Town House for an evening with the legendary Rob Mermin, founder of Circus Smirkus. Rob is publishing a memoir of his life as a circus performer – Circle of Sawdust, which details the precarious life of a creative artist, the ups and downs of taking risks, and the idealistic struggle to hold onto a dream.