And if you don’t grab a magnifying glass, you might miss it!
If you want to begin to understand Brattleboro, Vermont as a city, look no further than its storefront windows this holiday season. Nestled in southern Vermont, Brattleboro has long been celebrated for its vibrant arts scene and eclectic community. This holiday season, the town unveiled a unique celebration that captures the imagination of visitors and locals alike – the Brattleboro Miniature Festival.
Spanning from December 1st – December 31st, the event promises and delivers an enchanting experience that highlights creativity, craftsmanship, and community spirit. Outside of Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg, Germany, we’ve never seen anything quite like this.
An Unprecedented Celebration of Tiny Artistry
The Brattleboro Miniature Festival is a pioneering event, featuring displays across 87 storefronts throughout the greater downtown area. Most scenes were meticulously crafted by store owners, many of whom had never engaged in miniature art before. Others were brought to life by volunteers and organizations who wanted in on the fun. The result? A captivating mosaic of tiny worlds that invite exploration and wonder.
There’s something about tiny things that appear to universally pull us in. Perhaps it’s the infantile nature of the size, or the nostalgia of our youth that makes it feel like our inner child is peering in. That’s where I think downtown Brattleboro is onto something special. Individually, these are all small scenes of miniatures. As a collective, they represent a larger community that banded together to offer their skills and talents to create an unforgettable magic for others.
Highlights That Capture the Imagination
Among the many captivating miniature scenes, several displays stand out for their creativity and attention to detail.
First, Mouse Metro at M & S Development. A whimsical underground transit system that is a cheesy nod to urban life. Mice ride working escalators. Signs read, “If you see a cat…say something”. A working digital subway ticker updates the transit times at “Seed Central”. At night, you can see an overhead screen displaying cats and hawks lurking above ground. This scene really resonated with us Jersey girls who’ve spent plenty of time riding NJ Transit and the MTA. Apparently it resonated with the judges too!
Second, Wonderland Yarns at Wonderland Yarns Dyehouse and Mercantile. Picture a miniature replica of the full size yarn and dye shop but run by hand tufted mice. Everything in the store is scaled down right down to the colorful skeins of yarn, drying racks, and the paintings on the walls. Funnily enough, it earned a Grand Champion ribbon bigger than the entire scene.
Next, The Brambles at The Shoe Tree. Hand knit woodland creatures occupy an expansive apartment complex of shoebox burrows. It’s the only place you can find Birkenstock and Blundstone Attorneys at Law or a bunny listening to records inside an UGG-box-turned-bedroom. What tales do you think they are broadcasting from the “Ear-to-the-Ground” podcast studio?
Lastly, the Painted Lady at the Mitchell Giddings Fine Arts Gallery. Brainchild of local creative Melany Kahn, this refurbished Victorian dollhouse started it all. 110 local artists contributed to this piece, taking their crafts and scaling them down to size. A look inside will reward you with miniature paintings, ceramics, textiles, woodworking – even a tiny glass blown chandelier and lit Christmas tree. This is not the dollhouse of your youth – it is artisanal.
More Than Just Visual Delight
Beyond their visual appeal, these miniature scenes evoke something deeper. These scenes might be tiny but the feels remain big and long lasting. A little extra warmth and joy fill he streets of Downtown Brattleboro, encouraging you to slow your stroll even in the cold winter weather. Children’s smiling faces pushed up against window panes. Adults snapping photos to share with family and friends. Folks venturing on a scavenger hunt after overhearing conversations about certain scenes.
Truly, we have been blown away by the ingenuity of the designs marketing. From concept to creation, you can tell how much thought, time, and effort went into each storefront. The detailed storytelling behind each small world. And how it pays off because each miniature display outside encourages visitors to also take a peek inside the stores as well.
Without a doubt, the Brattleboro Miniature Festival solidifies Brattleboro as being a creative, eclectic, whimsical stop in Vermont. We can all only hope they decide to make the festival a yearly tradition and inspire surrounding cities to start new community traditions of their own. If not, it means you have two weeks left to see these little worlds before they’re gone forever!
Other Small Things Not to Be Missed
Finally, while you are town, don’t miss the Museum of Things Tiny and Found created by local drama teacher Doran Hamm. This space is temporarily located at the Latchis Gallery dedicated to large personal collections of tiny treasures as well as the creepiest dollhouse on display. Here you can undertake a scavenger hunt, create a miniature portrait, and brainstorm what small-scale collection you might want to curate yourself.
Additionally, the first three weekends in December feature a holiday pop-up, Market on Main. Pop in for a small food court, Brattleboro merch, and rotating artists and makers selling their goods. Who knows what tiny gift you might find for yourself or special someone!
Explore More Vermont Charm
Lastly, Vermont has no shortage of charm or unique festivals during the holidays or rest of the calendar year. Looking for other quaint Vermont small towns to visit? Check out our other Vermont articles for inspiration on where to travel next!
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