VINS Annual Online Auction
OCTOBER 17 – NOVEMBER 9 – The VINS annual auction will raise funds to support our work across the entire organization: our environmental education programs, research, and wildlife rehabilitation efforts. Our goal is $18,000. Your participation in the auction helps us reach thousands of children, educators, adult learners and bird patients each year. Whether you’re looking for something special for yourself or a loved one, this is a wonderful way to support VINS and local businesses this holiday season.
Coffee on the Canopy
OCTOBER 21 – Greet the day high among the treetops on the VINS Canopy Walk at this free, adults-only cultivation series. Before our opening hours, sip coffee and savor fresh pastries as the morning sun lights up the Ottauquechee River and the first colors of autumn. Enjoy conversation with our Executive Director and staff in a peaceful forest setting.
Halloween at VINS
OCTOBER 25 – Join us for a full day of Halloween fun. A campus decorated with jack-o-lanterns and activities all day will be sure to delight guests of all ages. Costumes encouraged!
Hoots & Howls
OCTOBER 25 – Hoots & Howls is a family friendly event – designed to be educational, nature-based, non-frightening, and fun! Together we will conduct science experiments, rediscover the magic of storytelling, and get up close to snakes, owls, skulls and bones.
Lens on the Wild: Photography Workshop
OCTOBER 26 – Join VINS and local photojournalist Rob Strong for an exclusive photo shoot with several of our resident raptors that will leave you with stunning pictures and great memories. This workshop will focus on capturing portraits of VINS’ feathered team members.
Robert Frost Through the Seasons: Fall
OCTOBER 30 – Join VINS Executive Director Alden Smith to explore the poetry of Robert Frost. Each session will be dedicated to reading and interpreting poems relevant to the season. These workshops will involve gentle trail walking through the woods and meadow of the VINS Nature Center, visiting natural spaces reminiscent of locations Frost wrote about. Poems will be sent to participants in advance of each session for those who want to read the poems ahead of time. The workshops will include walking, presentation, and discussion.
The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne Book Talk and Signing
NOVEMBER 2 – The Feather Detective takes readers deep within the vaunted backrooms of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History to tell the fascinating story of the world’s first forensic ornithologist – Roxie Laybourne. Using nothing more than her microscope and bits of feathers, Roxie helped prosecute murderers, investigate deadly airplane crashes, and break up poaching rings.
A Forest of Lights
NOVEMBER – JANUARY – Experience the enchantment this winter as thousands of lights illuminate the VINS Nature Center. Stroll through a magical landscape filled with stunning light displays, including exciting new features like the Snow Shower Tower, Snow Globe, Whimsical Woodland, and Mandala Trees. Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in this seasonal wonder!