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Garden Day

August 22, 2026, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Explore three stunning gardens across Woodstock during this special community celebration. Discover the shared story of Billings Farm & Museum, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, and the Woodstock Inn & Resort’s Kelly Way Gardens- all part of the Woodstock Foundation and united in honoring the legacy of Mary and Laurance S. Rockefeller, whose commitment to conservation, sustainability, and heritage continues to shape Woodstock today.

Enjoy garden tours, tastings, live music, family activities, and inspiring programs across three of Woodstock’s most iconic gardens.

At Billings Farm, marvel at the Sunflower House, stroll through beautiful education gardens, and enjoy Garden Story Time, botanical dying, sensory play, and ice-cream making.

At Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, join ranger-guided tours of the historic estate gardens, create mini bouquets from the cutting garden, and take part in hands-on activities.

At Kelly Way Gardens, explore the beautiful production garden that supplies fresh ingredients to the Inn’s restaurants and don’t miss the tomato tasting!

In tribute to Laurance Rockefeller’s legacy and lasting impact, Billings Farm & Museum will offer free admission to Vermont and New Hampshire residents on August 22, 2026. Please check in at the admissions desk to show a valid id.

Admission and programs at Kelly Way Gardens and the National Park are free of charge.

Thank you for the generous support of our Season Sponsors:

Antique Tractor Day

August 2, 2026, 10:00AM- 5:00PM

Enjoy a day of farm fun as restored antique tractors roar to life. Watch lively tractor parades, hop on a wagon ride, make crafts, play games, and more!

Stroll through the tractor-lined field and learn fascinating facts about each tractor’s history, make, and model from the exhibitors. Wave as the tractors parade around the site, then cheer for your favorite machines during the crowd-favorite Slow Race, where drivers shift into their lowest gear and put their skills to the test.

Young visitors can ride pedal tractors through an obstacle course, explore farm-themed sensory stations, create a tractor craft to take home, and gather for story time about- you guessed it- tractors!

Do you love showing off your antique tractor? Then bring it here! Exhibitors receive a gas allowance, complimentary food and drink, and get to participate in parades and the Slow Race! Register your tractor by July 10. Exhibitor guidelines can be found here.

Click the button below to register your tractor!

Members enjoy free admission to this event and all year long! Not yet a member? Join today! billingsfarm.org/join/

Purchase advance tickets online to expedite the check-in process.

Thank you for the generous support of our Season Sponsors:

Sunflower House

August & September 2026

Get ready to be a-mazed by the 8th annual Sunflower House—a living masterpiece that sprawls across 20,000 feet of vibrant crop fields.

Wander winding pathways through “rooms” and “hallways” formed by sunflower stalks and blooms, with zigzagging trails designed to reveal breathtaking views at every turn.

Curated by Master Gardeners, Ben Pauly and Taylor Hiers of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, this year’s Sunflower House features more than 50 varieties, including 13 “showstoppers.”

From towering giants reaching heights of up to 14 feet to charming petite blooms just a foot high, each sunflower adds its own personality to this living work of art. Favorites like Lemon Cutie, Starburst Panache, Buttercream, Feed the Birds, and Just Crazy are complimented by 50 companion annuals, creating a kaleidoscope of colors that evolve day by day.

As August unfolds, visitors will watch the garden come into full bloom with peak color expected from mid-August to early September, weather permitting.

Members enjoy free admission to this event and all year long! Not yet a member? Join today! billingsfarm.org/join/

Purchase advance tickets online to expedite the check-in process.

Moos & Brews

July 24, 2026, 5:30PM – 8:00PM

Get ready for an unforgettable summer evening of live music, delicous food, local brews, and farm fun!

Cheers to a cow as you kick back for an adults-only evening of craft drinks and good times! Meet the moos, wander the gardens, hop on a horse-drawn wagon ride, and sip brews, cocktails, and mocktails from local producers. With tasty food trucks, sweet treats, spectacular views, and of course, the cows, it’s guaranteed to be a MOO-velous night!

For ages 21+, tickets are $25/person, $20/member.

Quilt Exhibition Birthday Party

July 15, 2026, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

It’s a birthday party 40 years in the making! Celebrate the 40^th anniversary of A Vermont Quilt Sampler Exhibition with a day of quilting, creativity, community, and of course, cake. Meet fiber artists, enjoy special quilting activities and demonstrations, explore the exhibition and a social Curator’s tour, and join fellow quilt lovers in honoring the tradition. Whether you’re a lifelong quilter, an admirer of the craft, or simply quilt-curious, help us celebrate four decades of stitching, storytelling, and connection.

Included with admission.

4th on the Farm

July 4, 2026, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Gather your friends and family for a fun-filled July 4th on the Farm!

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with horse-drawn wagon rides, ice cream-making, live music, lemonade tastings, and historic “base ball.”

Step back in time for a lively game of historic “base ball,” played by 1860 rules, complete with wood shaving baselines, straw-stuffed canvas bases, ash bat reproductions, and barehanded play. Join a team or cheer from the bleachers for this classic American pastime!

Stroll the Farmstead Gardens, including the Victory Garden inspired by WWII-era efforts to encourage home gardening so food processing plants could support the war efforts.

Be sure to stop by the Farmhouse Scoop Shop for Vermont-made ice cream and snacks, the perfect summer treat!

Members enjoy free admission to this event and all year long! Not yet a member? Join today! billingsfarm.org/join/

Purchase advance tickets online to expedite the check-in process.

Thank you for the generous support of our Season Sponsors:

A Vermont Quilt Sampler

June 27, 2026 – September 7, 2026, Open Daily 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Celebrate our 40th Annual Quilt Exhibition, a vibrant showcase of creativity and craftsmanship from quilters across Vermont!

This year’s exhibition features an inspiring collection of quilts, from timeless traditional patterns and classic techniques to bold, contemporary designs, all reflecting the rich artistry of Vermont’s quilting community.

The gallery features works by individual textile artists, members of quilting guilds, and even first-time quilters! Interpretive panels and gallery labels share the stories, inspiration, and meaning behind each piece, inviting visitors to connect more deeply with the art and its makers.

Your experience will be enhanced with interactive displays that explore the quilting process, enjoy a themed scavenger hunt for all ages, and be sure to vote for your favorite quilt during your visit!

Members enjoy free admission to this event and all year long! Not yet a member? Join today! billingsfarm.org/join/

Purchase advance tickets online to expedite the check-in process.

This exhibition is presented with the generous support of our sponsor:

Dairy Celebration

June 27, 2026, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Join us for a joyful day of cows, culture, and culinary delights!

Celebrate Dairy Month with a deliciously fun day on the farm- perfect for families, food, cheese lovers, and curious kids alike! Taste Vermont dairy favorites, meet the cows, discover how milk travels from field to fridge.

Take a pasture walk with a farmer to explore dairy tools, regenerative agriculture, and rotational grazing. Get hands-on with butter and ice cream making, play the “From-a-cow, Not-from-a-cow” game, and learn how soil, plants, and cows all work together to bring dairy to your plate.

History fans will enjoy a Creamery Tour, explore artifacts and historic photos from the Billings-Starlake Dairy operation, and chat with our archivist about Vermont’s dairy heritage.

Members enjoy free admission to this event and all year long! Not yet a member? Join today! billingsfarm.org/join/

Purchase advance tickets online to expedite the check-in process.

Thank you for the generous support of our Season Sponsors:

Sleigh Bells Ring: Are You Listening?

Come, let us travel back 130 years or so, to the time before automobiles. Now, imagine walking down a snowy street. The walkways are tramped down by previous passer-by. The road is turned and churned by horse hooves and sleigh runners. The air is crisp and cool, holding the promise of more snow fall. The shops are lit from within, scattered bits of conversation leaking out when doors are opened. And tinkling chimes are heard all around; the chimes of sleigh bells. Bells heralding the coming of a magnificent sleigh, carrying joyous folk and proud horses tacked with the ringing bells.

Bells have various uses and purposes and are as old as time; or at least as old as bronze. An early bell shape is similar to that of cow bells you may have seen around. They were shaped like a four-sided pyramid, or quadrangular. They were made of two plates of iron that were bent to form a corner each and then pieced together with iron rivets and coated in bronze (Hatch 13). There is an example of one such bell held at the National Museum of Ireland, known as the Clog-an-eadhacta Phatraic or “The Bell of the Will of St. Patrick.” The legend of the bell is that the sound was so frightful that no snake would have remained in Ireland to listen to the racket St. Patrick would have been making with his Clog-an-eadhacta; especially if they were akin to snakes of oriental origin that were addicted to sweet sounding flute music (Hatch 14).

Alas, we have digressed from the topic of this post; sleigh bells. Sleigh bells have a different origin, and little has changed from the first. What we call a sleigh bell was first known as a Crotal. Spherical in shape with small holes and a ball inside. The ball was once made of stone but is more commonly metal today (Hatch 15). Eric Hatch, in his book The Little Book of Bells, notes the longevity and purity of the Crotal bell:

“The Crotal is a true bell form and is the most ancient of all forms. The marked resemblance between the ancient and modern Crotal is extraordinary. I cannot think of any other object that was created thousands of years ago in a form so perfect that no one since has been able to find a way of improving it.” (15)

Sleigh bells have had many uses in the past and in modern times. They became a symbol of status and wealth; decorations on horse harnesses ad tack to display the wealth of the owner. They were also viewed as good luck charms and wards against evil, disease, and injury. They also served as a warning to pedestrians and other travelers. The bells gave an obvious and early warning that there was an oncoming sleigh, giving time for people to get out of the sleigh’s path. This was important because sleighs were not able to stop quickly, so listening for the bells was a matter of safety. Vendors using horse drawn conveyances also used bells to signal they were in the area, much like a modern ice cream truck.

Songs such as Jingle Bells and Sleigh Ride use sleigh bells for lyrics as well as instruments for the song. James Lord Pierpont compose One Horse Open Sleigh, more commonly known as Jingle Bells, in 1857. The chorus of the song an example of onomatopoeia, “Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,” is one show case of sleigh bells and their sound. Jingle Bells is making use of the bell sounds to demonstrate the joy and cheer that the sound brings in the wintertime. Sleigh Ride also uses sleigh bell sounds in the lyrics, “Ring tingle tingling too.” Sleigh Ride is using the sound of the bells to keep a couple ensconced on their sleigh ride, alone but for each other. Another classic winter song with sleigh bells is, Winter Wonderland. Here the lyrics prompt for walkers to listen for the sound of the bells. This first line, “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?” sets the scene and mood for the walkers, prompting happiness; but it is also a nod to listen for the warning of an oncoming sleigh.

In the year 2020, 36 cultural institutions from every corner of Vermont will collaborate on a suite of exhibitions and events on the theme 2020 Vision: Seeing the World Through Technology. Billings Farm & Museum will be participating through an installment of Windows to the Past and a Machine of the Month blog posting. Check in regularly for updates and details on what we have to offer!

Works Cited

Hatch, Eric. The Little Book of Bells. First ed., Duell, Sloan, & Pearce, 1964.

Boston.com: The best places in New England to visit around Thanksgiving

Check out a traditional 1800s Thanksgiving in Woodstock, Vermont

You can explore the “charming” downtown of Woodstock and visit the historic Billings Farm and Museum, established in 1871, where guests can view displays of a traditional 1800s Thanksgiving celebration, according to the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing. Before you go, read the museum’s COVID-19 safety guidelines and Vermont’s COVID-19 travel restrictions.