Calendar

Looking for a fun way to nurture your child’s appreciation for the natural world?  Check out our self-guided Into the Woods exploration backpack which contains all the essential tools and activity cards for discovery. Through a series of stops along a Hildene trail, children will engage in hands-on forest activities. Suggested for ages 5 to 10, the adventure is intended to take between 1- 2 hours. FREE with admission. 

The pack is designed for 1 to 3 children, but more could participate if they are willing to share tools. While packs may be checked out from The Museum Store, it is recommended that you reserve one in advance by contacting Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email. 
 

Saturday, 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Join artist Corry Buckwalter for a nature journaling workshop along Hildene’s beautiful, wooded trails to learn how to study and draw plants, small animals, birds, fungi and more. Students will use graphite pencils and watercolors. Beginners welcome. Suggested for ages 16 and up.  

Space limited; registration required by Wednesday, July 30: $25 for members, $30 for non-members. Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email.

Saturday, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

Enjoy a morning stroll through the flower gardens of Hildene with a horticulturist. Learn a little bit about the history of the Formal Garden and beyond, along with current ecological gardening techniques. Ask your gardening questions while exploring the formal garden, pollinator gardens, and cutting & kitchen gardens. Free with admission. All guests must check in at the Welcome Center to pay admission or pick up their member stickers. (Pre-registration not required.) Meet under the awning at the back of the Lincoln family’s home. Rain or shine. 
 
Note: Note: Note: This event will be held on the 2nd Saturday of each month, through September 13.

Saturday, 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM, At Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home. Free 

These large, black birds have featherless heads which only a parent could love! Why no feathers? It’s all about cleanliness. They eat by thrusting their heads inside rotting, dead animals, ‘cleaning up’ carrion before it rots and causes disease. Their sense of smell is highly developed, but they do not have the ability to rip and tear open a fresh carcass. 

The red-headed Turkey Vultures soar with their wings in a slight V shape, barely flapping. The dark forward underwing linings contrast with the gray trailing flight feathers. They roost together at night and fly and hunt together during the day. 

Their cousin, the Black Vulture, is smaller with a black, featherless head. From underneath, white patches at the wing tips of black wings are diagnostic. Turkey Vultures are relatively new arrivals in VT, within the last 15 years. Black Vultures are even more recent.

Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot. Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. No registration required. Questions? Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or  click to email.

Thursday, 3:00 - 4:00 PM

Gather with friends in the garden in the dene at the height of the summer season to learn how to cut and arrange glorious flowers, while sipping refreshing herbal teas made from garden plants. Take a bouquet home to enjoy.

Registration required by August 12: $20 members/$25 non-members. Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email. 

Friday, 9:00 AM

Meet in front of the Welcome Center for a wonderful walk through the trails and over to the goat dairy to say hello to the kids. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, plan for some mud, bring water, and wear sunscreen. No need to RSVP. 

Sunday, 1:00 - 4:00 PM

Join Chef Nic Brunina of Pangaea and Hildene Farm’s Gardens Manager & Educator Ann Ogden Hausslein for a hands-on workshop celebrating the best of Hildene’s August harvest. Using a curated “mystery box” of fresh-picked produce, participants will cook in small groups to create a seasonal meal guided by Chef Nic and his team. The session will conclude with a shared meal, paired wine, and good conversation in Hildene’s new Lincoln Hall. Each participant will leave with a produce box and tips for using its contents at home, as well as some inspiration on what to do with all the wonderful fresh produce they find at local farmers' markets. 

Registration is required, as space is limited. $100/person (includes all ingredients and take-home produce box). Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email.

Saturday, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

Join us for our final Formal Garden gathering of the season! Enjoy a morning stroll through the flower gardens of Hildene with a horticulturist. Learn a little bit about the history of the Formal Garden and beyond, along with current ecological gardening techniques. Ask your gardening questions while exploring the formal garden, pollinator gardens, and cutting & kitchen gardens. Free with admission. All guests must check in at the Welcome Center to pay admission or pick up their member stickers. (Pre-registration not required.) Meet under the awning at the back of the Lincoln family’s home. Rain or shine. 
 

Friday, 4:00 PM - Dusk

Please join us for a fun, family-friendly celebration at Hildene Farm in the dene! This community gathering features local food, live music, drinks, flower picking, barnyard animals, crafts, children’s games, pumpkin picking, an apple pie contest, and more! Questions? Click to email Christine Furman

Admission tickets are available online only, August 1 through September 12th. Tickets will not be available for sale at the event. Your support helps sustain all that is Hildene—from its historic home and gardens to its farms and educational programs. Thank you!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Saturday, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (rain or shine)

Have your peony plants outgrown their space in your garden? Do you want to share the beauty with others? Learn the best methods and tools for dividing peonies from Hildene’s horticulturists in this hands-on workshop. Participants will practice on some of Hildene’s historic peonies and take home one of the divisions. Discussion will include the history of the estate’s historic peony collection and best management practices for planting and growing healthy plants.

Program fee:  $25 for members/ $30 for non-members. Space is limited. Registration required by Thursday, September 25. Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7967 click to email.

Saturday, 9:00 AM 

Fall Foliage!

Join us an hour before we open to walk our trails to enjoy the fall foliage! Beat the crowds and bring your camera to take in the gorgeous colors in the morning light. First, check in at the Welcome Center with your membership card, then walk the trails and the Formal  Garden. Please note, the house will not be open until 10:00 AM when we open to the public. 

For more information, contact Christine at 802-367-7964 or christine@hildene.org.

Sunday, 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM

The Hildene farm staff will host autumn wagon ride tours of the dene. Stops along the route include the greenhouse, pastures, orchard, wetland/floating boardwalk, apiary, animal barn (including alpaca, Randall cattle, pigs, sheep, rabbits and chickens), and vegetable and flower gardens. Come meet our animals and learn about Hildene’s diverse natural and cultivated ecosystems and sustainable farming practices. The tractor-drawn wagon rides will be making a continuous loop of the dene between 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. You may get on and off at any stop, as room permits.

Free with admission. All parking is at the Welcome Center; participants may walk or take the tram to the dene. For more information, please contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email.

Friday, 9:00 am

Dellwood Cemetery Stroll with Shawn Harrington!

Park on Hildene Road next to Dellwood where we will meet Shawn Harrington and explore the interesting history of the cemetery.  Shawn is always amazing with his historical knowledge of Manchester, Hildene, and the cemetery. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, plan for some mud, bring water, and wear sunscreen/bug spray. No need to RSVP. 

For more information, contact Christine at 802-367-7964 or christine@hildene.org.