Sport of Kings Day
Saturday, September 21 / 10 AM – 5 PM
Included with admission to the VINS Nature Center

Lords, Ladies and Lieges, all are invited to celebrate the Sport of Kings — falconry! Experience trained raptors up close, chat with real modern-day falconers, and learn the 3000-year old practice has evolved and adapted to the modern day. Hear some tall-tales from the forest with a pair of fantastical stilt-walkers, listen to music from local musicians as you eat lunch, and follow the surprising stories surrounding the history of taxidermy. Try your hand at historical weaponry with the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) at the archery range and see what it takes to recreate artifacts from long ago. Everyone is welcome to dress the part for their visit to VINS on this adventurous day!

Schedule of Events:
10 AM – 5 PM
Medicinal Plants of the Meadow – Self Guided Signs
Wildflowers are not only beautiful – they’re useful, too! Learn about the ways plants were used throughout history with this self-guided tour through the meadow.

10 AM – 4 PM
Crafts Fit for a King
What is a lord without a crown? Take a seat and craft your very own crown inspired by nature.

10 AM – 4 PM
Medieval History with the SCA
Meet the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) as they demonstrate historical weaponry, combat, textiles, and more. Join them for a live combat demonstration (time to be determined), and even try your hand at some common throwing weapons in the archery field!

10 AM – 3 PM
Meet The Longshanks
Mhera Telsinger and Mistdam Kalisto, are a duo of stilt-walkers and storytellers, who are sure to delight as they stroll the grounds, spreading magic from lofty heights. Snag a photo, stop and chat, and be sure to catch one of their story times (10:30am & 1:30pm), as they share Tall Tales of adventure, mishap, and mirth from the northern woods.

10 AM – 2 PM
Meet a Falconer
Learn about falconry as practiced in our modern age! Meet Zooey Zullo, a licensed Vermont falconer, and the birds of New England Falconry.

10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM
Live Trebuchet Demonstrations
Take part in a medieval siege and watch our 7-foot tall trebuchet in action.

10:30 AM – 11 AM
Tall Tales with The Longshanks
Join Mhera Telsinger and Mistdam Kalisto, a duo of stilt-walkers and storytellers, as they share Tall Tales of adventure, mishap, and mirth from the northern woods.

11 AM – 11:30 AM
The Sport of Kings – Falconry
Meet these most-renowned hunters from the sky in our program featuring birds of prey in flight!

12 PM – 1 PM
Troubadour Hour
Grab a table and have your lunch as local band, As The Crow Flies, provides musical entertainment.

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
History of Taxidermy
Learn a little about the history of the world, the United States conservation, and some of the most important and eccentric historical figures responsible for the conservation movement in America. There’s a crazy story for every slide!

1:30 PM – 2 PM
Tall Tales with The Longshanks
Join Mhera Telsinger and Mistdam Kalisto, a duo of stilt-walkers and storytellers, as they share Tall Tales of adventure, mishap, and mirth from the northern woods.

2 PM – 2:30 PM
Scales and Serpents
Come wonder at the scaly creatures that live around us, and learn about their habits.

3 PM – 3:30 PM
The Sport of Kings – Falconry
Meet these most-renowned hunters from the sky in our program featuring birds of prey in flight!

4 PM – 4:15 PM
Hawk on the Walk
Join VINS educators and our Harris’s Hawk as he flies among the trees of the Forest Canopy Walk.

For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.