Discover downtown Bennington, a beautiful and serene getaway from busy everyday life. Visit historic sites and take scenic walking tours through a National Register Historic District. Bennington offers visitors recreation and entertainment, Vermont products and crafts, a home for arts and culture and an experience in history.

While in Bennington visitors may visit many shops that feature products only found in Vermont. They include Bennington Potters, and museum shops at Bennington Museum, and the Vermont Covered Bridge Museum.

Local restaurants offer a wide array of delicious foods that appeal to every palate. Carmody's Tavern offers family dining in a friendly atmosphere. The Bennington Station Restaurant has great food in a setting that showcases its railroad history and downtown location. Four Chimneys Inn and Restaurant, next to the white Congregational Church, offers fine dining and excellent lodging on a beautiful 11 acre estate at the edge of downtown.

Downtown offers wonderful weekend activities throughout year:

• Historic Downtown Bennington's Rite of Spring on the Molly Stark Trail, Mayfest Arts Festival occurs each Memorial Day Weekend on Main Street. More than 100 juried artists and crafts persons, great food, and live street entertainers, make this an event not to miss.
• Weekends in June discover fine art, photography and eleven galleries during The Best of Art in Bennington. Enjoy opening exhibits, receptions, lectures, and meet the artist at the Bennington Downtown Welcome Center. A downtown gallery stroll includes 11 other galleries and shops.
• Throughout summer and fall, the Saturday Walloomsac Farmer's Market, along the River Walkway, provides locally grown fresh fruit and produce as well as baked goods.
• There are special events almost every summer weekend, including concerts, art exhibits and festivals. Live music and local performers heat up the summer months with the Summer in the Park music series, July 11th - August 15th, Wed. - Sat., 7 p.m. - 9 p.m., at Merchants Park. Wednesday performances are typically geared to younger listener; Thursdays highlight the local drumming circle; Friday and Saturday evenings feature family, local and eclectic performers.
• July 17th, Downtown Bennington is presents Midnight Madness, a town-wide sale with live street entertainment, from 6 p.m. - midnight, during which Main Street is closed to traffic.
• August 16, Bennington Battle Day, commemorates the battle that is famous for the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The weekend is jammed with fun and entertainment including the Bennington Battle Day Parade on Sunday the 17th and the Downtown Block Party Saturday evening. The Bennington Battle Monument, a 306 ft. stone monolith, is a key focal point in town.

Located conveniently in Southwest Vermont, Bennington is only three hours from New York City and Boston. For more information contact:
The Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-229-0252, chamber@bennington.com, or
Better Bennington Corporation, 802-442-5758, betterbc@sover.net
www.Bennington.com.