Friday 5/2/25
9 am- 8 pm
Art Exhibit
An art show titled “Celebrating the Wilderness of the Last 250 Years," featuring images related to fly fishing and rural landscapes, will occupy the galleries on the first floor of the 1900 Watkins House. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bennington in the Revolutionary War, and we aim to showcase the natural wilderness as it existed in 1775 and 2025. The art exhibit will remain on display through June 9 and will be open five days a week.
Watkins House, Arlington Common Campus
10 am
Coffee with the Artists
Come hear the artists talk about their work in the “Celebrating the Wilderness of the Last 250 Years” Art Exhibit
Watkins House, Arlington Common Campus
10 am - 11:30 am
Exclusive Orvis Rod Shop Tour with Don Swanson, Director of Rod Shop Manufacturing, (included with festival wristband)
Orvis Manchester Rod Shop, Historic Route 7A
2 pm - 4 pm
Vermont Green Up Day, Arlington (festival wristband not required)
Green Up Day is an annual event in Vermont to help keep The Green Mountain State beautiful. People from far and wide take time to help pick up litter along our country roads. Road assignments, gloves, and special bags are available at the Watkins House information table. Keep Vermont Beautiful!
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Raptors Up Close, Vermont Institute of Natural Science (festival wristband not required)
Live falcons, hawks, and owls provide the lens through which we examine food webs, predator-prey relationships, and the interdependence of the systems that support life. This firsthand encounter enables participants to understand the defining characteristics that make a bird a raptor and its adaptations for life as a predator on the wing.
4pm - 9pm
Lawson’s Microbrew Tent (festival wristband is not required for tent)
Often regarded as Vermont's finest brewery, Lawson’s will be the exclusive beer provider for the BFFF4. Chat with the brewers, taste their award-winning beers, and enjoy a fantastic weekend in southwestern Vermont.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase. We recommend purchasing dinner tickets by April 27th.
FESTIVAL WRISTBANDS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL PROGRAMMING ON THE CAMPUS
4pm - 7pm
Used outdoor book sale, Arlington Community House (off-site)
5pm - 6:30pm
Come meet Rob Heal, co-host of The New Flyfisher television show. He’ll screen a retrospective of fly fishing for Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland, from the high profile rivers, to the lesser known, hidden gems.
Screening, followed by Q and A.
Performing Arts Center, Arlington Common Campus
5pm - 7:30pm
BBQ Chicken Dinner with Sauced BBQ
Local grillers, Sauced BBQ, will provide delicious BBQ chicken, coleslaw, baked potato, and a roll. A vegetarian option is available. Tickets must be purchased by 9 am, April 29th. $22 per dinner.
Friday, 5/2/25
Live Music featuring
Kind Bud
7:00 pm-9:30 pm
With a repertoire of 1,000 songs, Kind Bud live loops his acoustic guitar, weaving layers of dynamic rhythms and improvisations to complement his voice that is soft and strong, sweet and true.
Venues and festivals Kind Bud has played include: Grateful Dead Night at Fenway Park; Sweetwaters; Ashkenaz; Fare Thee Well Pre-shows at the Hyatt Regency Chicago; Jam In The Sand; Island Exodus; Back To The Island; Gathering of the Vibes; Killington Sunshine Daydream; Nateva; Oregon Country Fair; Unbroken Chain Symposium at U-Mass Amherst; Fairfield FTC; Iron Horse Music Hall; August West Fest; Rock & Roll Resort; Bears Picnic; Yasgur’s Road Reunion; Vermont Ski Resorts.
TICKETS $15
CONCERT NOT INCLUDED IN FESTIVAL WRITSBAND EXCEPT IN All-Access and VIP ALL-ACCESS PASSES