Everyone knows it's officially 'craft' season as we head into the Holiday stretch, but look carefully into the shows that offer so much more than mere craft. In Vermont this weekend, there are 2 shows at each end of the state where any shopper will find unique hand-crafted goodies for every person on their Holiday shopping list.

1. Southern Vermont Fiber Festival in Brattleboro - Saturday, Nov. 21
You'll find more than Granny's scarves and quaint knit hats here. A wide variety of vendors will be selling fiber and products from llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits and even from Fido's spun dog hair! There will also be weaving and spinning supplies, needle felted creation and kits, drop spindles, quilts, yarn, cards, photographs and more. Held at the American Legion, the Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 802-896-6218 for details.

2. 57th Annual Craft Vermont will be in South Burlington, Nov. 19-22
Meet Vermont Artisans and their designs of glass, pottery, wood, metal, fiber, paint, photography and more. Beyond home decor you'll find specialty foods, personal care items and wearable art clothing. Admission is just $7 and is good for all 4 days of show. Held at the Sheraton Burlington Conference Center. For info call 800-373-5429.

Photo of Sweater by Jamie Harmon of Yarn & Knit Garments, Jericho, VT - can be found at the 57th Annual Craft Vermont

You could argue that one or two more East Coast ski resorts should have made the cut, but there's no doubt that Jay Peak belongs on Outside Magazine's list of North America's 16 best ski resorts.

The Vermont resort was the only ski area east of the Mississippi to make the magazine's list, featured in this month's edition. In the category, "perfect for off-piste," local expert Chris Young, a principal at Craftsbury School, wrote:

It's not your typical warm, wet East Coast snow. The storms stick around for a few days. We might not get Utah's four-foot dumps, but the glade system maintains the snow longer—there are skiable pockets for days after the storm if you know where to go. People divide the mountain into two sides: Tramside and Stateside. The Tramside runs tend to have longer vertical and get more traffic. Two epic Tramside glade runs are Staircase and Everglade—they go on forever and have steep, tight lines. I ski Stateside; it's easier to get farther out of bounds. Local knowledge comes in handy. I'm going to get killed if I give you any more information.

The other resorts to make the list were Alta/Snowbird, Snowmass, Whistler-Blackcomb, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Jackson Hole, Alyeska Resort, Silverton Mountain, Breckenridge, Park City, Power Mountain, Bridger Bowl, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Taos, and Mammoth Mountain.

Burlington, Vt., shows its diversity once again with the Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater presenting the state's Annual West African Dance and Drum Festival this weekend, Nov. 5-8. Join Jeh Kulu for four days of classes in West African dance and music from Mali, Senegal, and Guinea. If you are a bit intimidated to bang a gong, remember that observers are welcomed too. Founded in 1993, Jeh Kulu brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace the traditions of West Africa. Performances will be at City Hall and Memorial Auditorium. Tickets and admissions vary per performance and class. For more information, visit online or call 802-859-1802.

We can’t tell you what this year’s mystery meat will be, but if you book ahead for the 54th annual Wild Game Supper at the Bradford, Vt., United Church of Christ, you’re certain to taste bear, moose, buffalo, elk, venison, wild boar, rabbit, and pheasant with rice. Calvin Trillin once called this folksy dinner on the Saturday before Thanksgiving (Nov. 21 this year) the “Super Bowl of church suppers.” It’s the perfect diversion for stick season in northern New England, but seats are very limited and the reservation process is very strict. Requests cannot be postmarked BEFORE Oct. 19, but wait much longer and you may not get a seat. Prices are $25 for adults, $12 for children under 10. Send a check made out to Bradford United Church of Christ (or BUCC) along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a note indicating when you’d like to eat. Seatings are at one-hour intervals from 2:30-6:30 p.m. (Be sure to note if you’re willing to eat at any time if your slot is full.) Send check, SASE, and time request to UCC Wild Game Supper, P.O. Box 861, Bradford VT 05033.

Posted by Patricia Harris and David Lyon, Globe correspondents

Photo of volunteers serving the Bradford Game Supper by David Lyon for the Boston Globe

No boat needed for this water race. Just one hollowed out pumpkin! The second annual Giant Pumpkin Regatta and Festival features local business leaders, students, and others racing in giant hollowed-out gourds on Lake Champlain in a competition of size and speed. Yes, the vessels are hollowed out gourds. The event includes food vendors, pie eating contests, pet costume contests, and entertainment for all ages on the picturesque Burlington, Vt., waterfront. Regatta is Sunday, Oct. 11. For details, visit online.

Photo courtesy State of Vermont

The 27th annual Stowe Foliage Arts Festival is widely known as a festive marketplace. In addition to the over 200 juried fine art and craft exhibitors showcasing pottery, blown glass, fine furniture, clothing, weavings, leather, original art, and photography, the ambience is fueled by food, live entertainment, and an array of kids’ activities. The Vermont cheese, beer ,and sausage tent makes this a unique affair. The event runs all weekend long -- Oct. 9-11. For more information, visit online.

Photo courtesy Stowe Arts

My good pal from Vermont tourism, Erica Housekeeper, has kept me up to date on her state's foliage, and for those planning to seek out the vibrant colors from the Green Mountain State, please read the following.

Best Bets: In northern Vermont, suggested routes include Route 100 from Stowe to Newport, Route 58 from Lowell to Orleans, Route 111 around Seymour Lake in Morgan, Route 5A from West Burke to Lake Willoughby in Westmore, Route 108 from Stowe to Cambridge, Route 14 from Greensboro to Newport, and Route 114 from East Burke to Island Pond.

Take Route 12 from Montpelier to Morrisville and see peak color along the eastern side of Elmore Mountain. Look for shades of gold, orange, and red along Interstate 89 between Richmond and Randolph, Route 302 between Barre and Groton, Route 100 from Warren to Waterbury Center, Route 14 between Sharon and Williamstown, Route 125 from Hancock to Middlebury and Route 12A from Roxbury to Northfield.

Farther south, many higher elevations also have an abundance of bright red foliage, particularly on Route 100 from Hancock to Killington, and Route 4 over Sherburne Pass between Killington and Rutland. Meanwhile, foliage is nearing peak along Route 100 near Ludlow and Route 103 between Mount Holly and Cuttingsville. Foliage is also progressing past mid-stage color on the eastern slopes of the higher elevations of Route 73 between Rochester and Brandon. Also, try Route 12 from Woodstock to Bethel and Route 107 from Stockbridge to Royalton.

This is the perfect weekend for early foliage viewing, especially up at the top of the Toll Road above Equinox Mountain outside Manchester, Vt. This is the highest peak in southern Vermont and the view is unlimited, stretching from New York to Quebec, from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. By Columbus Day Weekend the brilliant foliage here is often gone. All this talk about foliage is just to get you to the 17th Annual Hildene Fall Arts Festival, in Manchester, this weekend. The festival features 200 booths showcasing art, crafts and specialty foods at scenic Hildene’s Meadow. Visitors can enjoy fresh food, live entertainment, and a unique Vermont beer, cheese and sausage tent. For more information, visit online.

Photo courtesy Lee Krohn

Here’s a way to keep cool: Think snow.

Granted, for even for the most avid skiers, it’s tough to think about mid-winter snowstorms in late August, a month that has shifted this summer from one of constant rain to oppressive heat. But Killington is doing its best to get you ready for skiing with the first deal of the preseason. With the K50 ticket, you can ski the Vermont resort for $50 (including tax) up to four times this season. That's a $32 savings per day off the regular ticket window price. Tickets are on sale through Oct. 15 and do come with 17 blackout dates.

Of course, if that doesn’t fix your snow jones, head on over the web site for Loveland, where the Colorado ski area is counting down the days until the season’s first snowmaking (1 month, four days, and counting).

The Burlington City Arts [BCA] program is one of many arts organizations in New England that opens the doors of creative thinking wide open. I love to look at what they have in store each year. This weekend, Aug. 7-9, is the Festival of Fools offering varied street theater celebrating circus arts, music and comedy with family audiences in mind. The streets of Burlington are interesting enough on their own, but the Festival makes them come alive.

Performers this year include Amanda Crockett on a high trapeze or twisting like a pretzel; Mr. Spin juggling eight balls and more; Modern Times Theater with puppet theater for the streets; A Loft Aerial Dance with Shayna Swanson - aerial artists who have chosen to express themselves though vertical space; Elec Simon from the hit show “STOMP” pounding on buckets and tapping in the streets of Burlington; Unicycle Lady - a one-woman wheelie, witty, wacky, silly suitcase circus; Gazzo with his world-renowned magic show; Masaji Terasawa practicing Amesaiku -"candymaker" – a Japanese art form believed to be over 2000 years old; and many more unique acts for the street.

Festivities kick off Friday, Aug. 7, on Lower Church Street and continue through the weekend in four locations all day long. Please call 802-865-7166 of visit online for more details.

Photo of Amanda Crockett; courtesy of Bruce Rohr

Before even getting off the ground, JetAmerica, which promised fares as low as $9, said that is suspending operations and plans to refund passengers who have bought tickets.

This is the explanation offered on the company website by CEO John Weikle, who was the founder of now-defunct discount airline Skybus:

"We are reluctantly suspending our public charter operations effective today," said John Weikle, CEO, who has been with the company since April. "Finalizing the slots required to support our charter program at Newark has taken longer than expected and we have decided to suspend our operations in order to refocus on different markets. We still strongly believe that there is an unmet need for affordable air service to secondary markets and we look forward to offering this option again in the near future.

JetAmerica, which had delayed its launch to Aug. 14, planned to initially serve five other cities beside Newark: Toledo, Ohio, Lansing, Mich., South Bend, Ind., Melbourne, Fla., and Minneapolis.

I wrote in May that JetAmerica officials had suggested that they wanted eventually to go to Hartford and that folks at the Portsmouth International Airport were in talks to bring the carrier there.

JetAmerica's business plan mirrored that of Skybus, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in April of last year after a 10-month run. It called for discounted seats, flights out of lower-cost secondary cities, and abundant fees for a variety of extras.

I always cover this event, because it is so classic Vermont. Who else would adorn their beloved heifers with flower garlands and parade them through the streets? This Saturday, June 6th, is the annual Strolling of the Heifers Parade starting at 10 a.m. down Main Street, in Brattleboro, Vt. Featuring the world-famous heifer calves [A heifer is a young cow who has not yet had a calf of her own.] led by future farmers and followed by tractors, clowns, floats, bands and much more. Visitors can follow the parade to the budding Green Expo and Dairy Fest for a full day of fun, food, music, square dancing, and education. Look out for the book sale, arts and crafts sale and show, Farmer's Market and great Mooing contest for kids.

If one day is not enough, consider booking some lodging and head over for the weekend to take full advantage of events surrounding the Heifer Stroll. Friday night features the famous Great Vermont Grilled Cheese cook-off, a gallery walk appreciating local art, and a celebration of youth involved in agriculture. And Sunday wraps up the weekend with a Farmer's Feast dinner emphasizing local grown foods, and a farm tour. For more information, visit online for details, including browsing through the one and only Heifer Store.

Photo credit VT Chamber of Commerce

It's clear that most folks who are planning summer travel are looking at more modest options.
Most, I'm guessing are planning trips of a few days to a week by car. Interestingly enough Bloomberg News is just reporting that The Air Transport Association is forecasting that US summer airline travel will fall 7 percent from last year.
Anyway, I just did a spot this morning on NECN offering tips on how to save on trips this summer. You can watch but if you want the shorter summary here it is:

FIRST, do some research on prospective destinations for the availability of cheap or free things to do. Check out AAA guides and family-travel websites to get a feel for the lay of the land: Are there attractions, parks, beaches, places to hike and bike at or near where you plan to be? Also take a look at websites of newspapers in the area along with those of state travel and tourism agencies for calendar listings of events that may be happening while you're in the area.

SECOND, if you’re planning to get away for just a couple of days and you’re looking to cut lodging costs, consider using one of the “opaque’’ travel sites, like Priceline or Hotwire, which let you bid on rooms. The downside is that these sites are “opaque,’’ not transparent. You don’t bid on a room at a specific hotel. Instead you make an offer on a room at a class of hotel -- 2-, 3-, or 4 stars -- in a specific city and you don’t know exactly where you’ll be staying until your bid is accepted. But by using these sites you can score savings of up to 40%-50%, particularly at higher-end properties this year.

THIRD, if you're looking for a more extended vacation, a like a week or more, consider renting a house. This often gets you a lot more space at the same or lower per-night cost of a hotel room and will save you all kinds of money in things like food. There are a number of websites like VRBO, which stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner, and craigslist with vacation home listings.

AND FINALLY, AND THIS IS A GREAT TIP: If you can be flexible about where you go and are willing to wait till the last minute, say, the week before your vacation you can get great deals on unrented vacation houses -- and I expect there to be a fair number of these available this year. In years past I have saved as much as 50% on rentals this way. When you spot last-minute openings, they’ll probably be discounted already but don’t be afraid to make an offer. By taking the last-minute route you may not be able to get a place in that town on the Cape that you usually go to, but it can also be an opportunity to explore another place or perhaps even another state.

Hope this helps. If you have other ideas, please share.

In the market for a ski resort?

No real surprise, as it was bound to happen sooner or later, but embattled American International Group is finally putting Stowe up for sale, according to the Burlington Free Press.

AIG spokesman Peter Tulupman confirmed that the company is indeed looking for a buyer for the Vermont resort.

There is no estimate on when the sale will occur, but the Free Press estimates the resort is worth at least as much at Killington, which sold for $85 million in 2007.

AIG has owned Stowe since 1988.

President Obama may be a big college basketball fan — although the president’s tournament bracket is just as busted as most hoops fans — but it’s college hockey that will take center stage in the nation’s capital on April 9-11. The Frozen Four — college hockey’s answer to basketball’s Final Four — will be played in the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, and it will have a distinctly New England feel.
Boston University and the University of Vermont will square off in one semifinal on Thursday, April 9, and one of those Hockey East powers will play the winner of the other semifinal between Miami (Ohio) University and Bemidji State University on Saturday April 11. Boston University has partnered with Anthony Travel to provide packages with hotel accommodations, transportation, and airline reservations. Call 877-284-2254 or visit the Anthony Travel website for more information. Game tickets are not included in packages.
If you want to put together your own travel plans, non-stop airfares between Boston and either Dulles, Reagan Washington National, or Baltimore-Washington airports can be found for less than $200. Tickets to games are available on StubHub and other online ticket sites, and they are being distributed to students and season-ticket holders at the four participating schools. The only tickets being sold on Ticketmaster at the present time are for the Frozen Four Skills Challenge on Friday, April 10. Practices will be open to the public on Wednesday, April 8 and Friday, April 10. For more information on Frozen Four events, click here .

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Globe travel correspondent Christopher Klein writes his own blog, HubTrotter, and is the author of the forthcoming book, "The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston."

Josh Gibney/Associated Press photo

For those who are dreaming of more snow next winter, Vermont’s Pico Mountain is offering an adult (ages 19-64) My Pico Pass for 2009-10 for $299 if bought by April 30. Pay in advance, instead of on a payment plan, and ski the rest of the current season for free. The price reflects a 28 percent cut in the current season’s prices. My Pico Pass Youth (6-18) and Senior (65+) passes are $199, a 42 percent reduction off current prices.
Visit www.picomountain.com, call 800-887-3257, or stop in at the ticket office.

Posted by Richard P. Carpenter, Globe correspondent

While some companies are reaching out to help those who have been laid off, one bed-and-breakfast in Lower Waterford, Vt., is offering a chance to boost the spirits of unemployed people who could just use a break. If you or your spouse has been unemployed for more than six months, Rabbit Hill Inn wants to hear from you . Calling it the Pink Slip Getaway Giveaway, the inn will award one deserving couple each month from April to July and November and December with a two-night getaway (Sunday-Thursday only). Send a lettter or e-mail by June 1 explaining your story in one page or less. One letter per couple is allowed. The getaway includes two nights' lodging for two, a gourmet dinner for two on one evening, breakfast each morning, and all gratuities, service charges, and taxes (sorry, pub charges aren't included and blackout dates may apply). And a rabbits' foot key chain is thrown in -- for luck.

Spring might be just around the corner (7:44 a.m. EDT on March 20, for those who can’t wait), but there’s still time to get in some cross-country skiing.
The Carl Johnson Memorial 5K at Great Glen Trails on Saturday March 14 will let you glide and give a hand to a good cause at the same time. The $8 race fee benefits the ALS Association, which helps the search for a cure for the progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, that claimed Carl Johnson in 2006.
Johnson volunteered frequently as a timer for competitions at Great Glen, and the event celebrates his irrepressible sense of good fun. Besides vying for fastest times (men’s and women’s) in both classic and skate skiing, participants also guess their finishing times. The closest guess wins the ‘‘Mystery Time’’ prize. (The 2008 winner was off by only 11 seconds.)
Johnson was a great fan of flamboyant outfits, so the race includes a prize for loudest racing tights. ‘‘This doesn’t look like your usual field of racers,’’ says Mary Power, Great Glen event coordinator. With times that typically range from 20 minutes to more than an hour, participants need not be top athletes.
To get to the race head to Pinkham Notch, Route 16 at Mt. Washington Auto Road in Gorham, N.H. For info, call 603-466-2333 or go to www.greatglentrails.com. Registration begins at noon on March 14, with the racers sliding out of the blocks at 1:30.

Posted by David Lyon, Globe correspondent

If you've always wanted to be one of those dysfunctional travelers who navigate the globe on "The Amazing Race,'' here's your chance. The CBS reality TV show is holding open casting calls in Holyoke on March 14 and in Burlington, Vt., on March 19. Two-person teams will be videotaped in two-to-three-minute auditions on a first-come, first-served basis. The tapes will be sent to CBS for screening (no network officials will be at the auditions so don't get too excited). Team members must be at least 21, have valid driver's licenses or photo ID cards, fill out application forms, bring passports, and meet a host of eligibility requirements. The Massachusetts casting call, held by Springfield affiliate CBS 3, is from 1-4 p.m. at the Bernie's store at 250 Whiting Farms Road in Holyoke. The Vermont casting call, held by WCAX-TV, is from 3-6 p.m. at University Mall at 155 Dorset St. in South Burlington. Bon voyage!

A number of New England ski resorts are running $17 lift ticket specials on Tuesday for St. Patrick's Day, including Sugarbush's Mt. Ellen, Waterville Valley (including the option to stay overnight at the Golden Eagle Lodge for another $17), and Mad River Glen (if you were your green, of course). Not bad. But here's the deal of the season if you act quickly.

Liftopia.com is offering $1 lift tickets to Jay Peak on Monday. Quantities, however, are limited to the first 50 customers. Alas, the 57-cent child passes have already sold out.

Add it up. One dollar for Jay Peak, Tuesday for $17, and $9 Friday at Wildcat Mountain (also tomorrow), and it's by far the most inexpensive week of skiing this season.

The 34th annual North American Telemark Festival is the oldest and largest gathering of telemark skiers and it’s been taking place at Vermont’s Mad River Glen resort for more than three decades.

The event, which runs March 7-8, draws hundreds of practitioners of the Norwegian free-heel skiing technique and is sponsored by the North American Telemark Organization and Mad River Glen.

Among the main attractions are the World Championship Berserkebeiner Race (the NATO website describes it as ‘‘a real all-mountain ski race; climbing skins required’’) and the World Championship Bump Buffet (‘‘a radical terrain, free-heel, free fall contest’’).

Besides the competitions, there will be clinics for various skill levels from beginners to veterans. Equipment makers will be there to give skiers a chance to try all the latest equipment and ask questions.

While it might sound as if the event is all telemark and no play that would be wrong. On Saturday night, Magic Hat Brewery will host an après-ski Tele-Dance Party, and the weekend wraps up Sunday with the annual world record attempt for group telemark skiing.

Festival passes are $54 one day, $104 for weekend pass. Price includes lift ticket, demo equipment use, clinics, contests, and the Telemark Dance Party.

For more information call Mad River Glen at 802-496-3551, North American Telemark Festival Organization at 800-835-3404, or online at www.telemarknato.com.

Posted by Kimberly Sherman, Globe correspondent

As we pointed out in a recent Sunday Travel piece (“Murals endure with messages to remember”), we New Englanders have a penchant for memorializing ourselves on walls. Come March 14, you can see an ambitious series of murals at a museum dedicated to one of the sweet spots of late winter: maple sugaring. The set of eight folksy panels were originally painted by Paul Vinal Winters in the 1950s for the Vermont building at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. For the last 30 years, they’ve been a feature at the New England Maple Museum in Pittsford, Vt. (just north of Rutland) — where the March 14 opening dovetails nicely with the 2009 sugaring season. For more information on visiting, see www.maplemuseum.com

Posted by Patricia Harris and David Lyon, Globe Correspondents

One of maple sugaring murals by Paul Winters, displayed at the New England Maple Museum in Pittsford, Vt.

Photo by Tom Olson for The Boston Globe

Too broke to pay for a lift ticket? Want to win a season's pass to one of Maine's best secrets? Try Randonnee. Saturday, that's tomorrow, folks, Saddleback is hosting the Mountain Challenge. The route traces the Rangeley, Maine, ski area's boundaries. It covers more than seven miles and rises 18,000 feet, taking in terrain ranging from beginner blues to Saddleback's gnarliest black. Competitors will race up the mountain on Hudson's Highway to America using ski mountaineering equipment (metal edges required), then jockey for position as they traverse the area's summit ridge before descending double-black Muleskinner.
First prize is a season's pass for the 2009-2010; second prize is pair of Black Diamond adjustable poles; third prize is SmartWool accessories. No lift ticket is required, but the entry fee is $25, which icludes a tee shirt and spaghetti dinner. Advance registration isn't required, but more information and online registration is available at www.SaddlebackMaine.com.

Posted by Hilary Nangle, Globe correspondent

Remember what your mom used to say: It's all fun and games until someone puts an eye out? Well, the folks at Peak Races in Pittsfield, Vt., (near Killington ski area) have upped the ante. The third annual Death Race will be held June 13 -- here's some advance notice since you will need some time to prepare -- physically and mentally. The course consists of 10 miles of obstacles that must be tackled in order to continue the race. The tasks might include splitting wood, digging tunnels, hiking through a river, chiseling marble, or mucking out sheep stalls. There's a good chance that barbed wire is involved. This is the third year of the race. Last year, only eight of 50 contestants completed the whole course. A prize of $1,000 goes to the first five people who finish in less than 24 hours. To prepare, Peak Races is offering a cheery-sounding Death Camp from May 1-3. This is for serious athletes and includes 30 hours of "extremely painful and grueling" training. Previous winners of the Death Race will speak and give advice. (Yes, they lived to tell about it!) Death Camp, which costs $200, includes lodging, a Saturday-night dinner, plus events and lectures. Are you tough enough?

Thirty-five appears to be the magic number if you’re looking to get in some mid-week skiing.

Tomorrow, $35 will net you a day on the slopes of Attitash in Bartlett, N.H. That’s a $27 savings off the regular $62 weekday cost.

On Wednesday, head up to Stowe, where the Vermont resort is hosting “Woodchuck Wednesday,” to celebrate the “beginning of the rest of winter.” Stowe is slashing its normally $89 lift ticket down to $35, and offering up free Stowe Points Cards (normally $75), which allow you to buy discounted passes for the rest of the season.

If that’s not enough, find a pair of Golden Goggles somewhere on the mountain Wednesday, and you’ll be entered in a contest to win a new pair of skis or snowboard.

There’s a chance of snow Tuesday in Bartlett, and another chance of it in Stowe on Wednesday.