Culture

Culture story sections

Next Stage Hosts Winter Solstice Celebration, Community Sing-Along, and Cookie Swap on December 20

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts invites the community to gather for an afternoon of light, music, and togetherness at its Winter Solstice Celebration on Saturday, December 20. The event features hands-on activities, a festive cookie swap, and a joyful community sing-along, all free and open to all ages.

The celebration begins from 2:00–3:00 pm with luminaria decorating, offering families and individuals a chance to create glowing artworks to brighten the darkest time of year. At the same time, community members are invited to participate in a cookie swap drop-off, bringing a batch of homemade treats to share.

Antje Duvekot and Seth Glier at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY – Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present contemporary folk singer/songwriters Antje Duvekot and Seth Glier on Saturday, December 20 at 7:30 PM at Next Stage. Together, Antje and Seth create an evening of luminous storytelling—songs of heart, conscience, and connection that illuminate both the inner and outer landscapes of our lives.

Antje Duvekot is a German-born, American-raised singer/songwriter whose work has been critically praised for its hard-won wisdom, dark-eyed realism, and street-smart romanticism. Her bicultural upbringing and relative newness to English have shaped a unique poetic voice, giving her songs a startlingly original palette. These qualities underpin the powerful, empathetic perspective that informs everything she writes. Antje has won top songwriting honors, including the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, the Kerrville Folk Festival Best New Folk Award, and the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Folk Act.

Using an AI Assistant for Genealogy & Do You Know About Elephind? The Free Newspaper Search Portal

by wcgig | History

The next hybrid In-Person and Zoom meeting of the Windham County Genealogy Interest Group will focus on  “Using an AI Assistant for Genealogy & Do You Know About Elephind? The Free Newspaper Search Portal,” on  Saturday, December 13, 2025,  from 10:30 AM to 12:30PM, Zoom and at Brooks Memorial Library.   In case of inclement weather, it will be Zoom only, Free and open to all.

Deborah Luskin on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Arts

Check out this show to hear Deborah Luskin talk about her new book “Reviving Artemis – The Making of a Huntress”.  She also talks about her kinship with Vermont, the land, hiking the Long Trail, and life as a locavore. Deborah has led writing workshops, programs for the Vermont Humanities Council, been a commentator on VPR and lectured widely.

Windham Southeast Supervisory Union School Board Meeting Minutes Nov 12, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Superintendent Speno kicked off the start of the board’s budget season. He and the team have been meeting with individual principals and next week will work with the teams at BUHS and the WRCC. Draft budgets are expected to be ready to share by the end of the week.

Business Administrator Frank Rucker shared the calendar of the budget process as well as the Guiding Principles and Background Data for FY27 Budget Planning document. The WSESU is scheduled to meet next Wednesday for our first dedicated budget meeting.

WSESD Meeting Agenda Nov 12, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

The Windham Southeast Supervisory Union Board will meet at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at the Windham Regional Career Center, Cusick Conference Room, 80 Atwood St, Brattleboro VT, and remotely via Zoom.

WSESD Board Meeting Minutes Nov 4, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Summary
● The Board approved a new Universal PreK partner, The Pumpkin Patch.
● The Board committed to a $2,000 donation from their professional development line to support the continued advocacy work of the RSCA.
● The Member Slate for this year’s LCs was approved as is.
● Policy E19, Behavioral Threat Assessment Teams, was adopted, and policies D12, Prevention of Harassment of Employees Policy, F37 District Equity Policy, and G13, Responsible Computer, Network & Internet Use Policy, were re-adopted.

King Wenceslas Returns: Vermont Suitcase Company’s Holiday Adventure

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Back by popular demand, Vermont Suitcase Company returns with The Continuing Adventures of King Wenceslas and His Page Edith at Next Stage Arts in Putney on Friday, December 19 at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:15 PM.

Join King Wenceslas and his loyal page as they embark on snowy new adventures filled with humor, heart, and holiday cheer. The evening opens with festive songs by Heedless of the Gale, setting the perfect mood for laughter and song.

A Night with Broadway Composer David Yazbek Comes to Putney

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents A Night with Broadway Composer David Yazbek on Saturday, December 13 at 7:30 pm (doors at 6:45) at 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT. Tickets are $30 in advance / $35 at the door at nextstagearts.org.

What’s left for the celebrated composer-lyricist behind The Band’s Visit, The Full Monty, Tootsie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Dead Outlaw, and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown—a career that’s earned him multiple Tonys and Grammy nominations?

Celebrate the Season with “An Irish Christmas” at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music invite you to a magical evening of traditional Irish and original holiday music with John Doyle and Cathie Ryan on Friday, December 5 at 7:30 pm. “An Irish Christmas” brings the warmth and joy of the season to life through song, story, and memories of festive Irish traditions.

John Doyle and Cathie Ryan are longtime friends and collaborators, celebrated across the globe for their mastery of Irish music. While they have toured extensively throughout Europe, they rarely perform as a duo in the U.S. They are both members of the acclaimed ensemble The Irish Music Masters and were featured in the PBS special The Soul of Christmas. Together, they blend traditional tunes with original songs that continue to shape the Irish music tradition.

Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Policy and Amendment Committee Meeting Minutes Oct 22, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Summary: The committee reviewed three policies during the meeting (Gender Freedom in Schools, D15 Travel Reimbursement, and C7 Board Relations with Administrators). Gender Freedom and D15 will be sent for a first reading at the next full Board meeting on November 4. C7 remains on hold. Rebecca Olmstead was not able to attend the meeting, so Asthma Friendly Schools and E11 Federal Child Nutrition Act Wellness Policy were not reviewed; these policies will be put on the agenda for November 12.