Hi there A.T. Hikers! Please join our Bennington Appalachian Trail Community at @Bennington Trailfest on Saturday, July 29th from 12pm to 2:30pm at the Bennington Community Recreation Center located at 655 Gage Street, Bennington, VT. Activities will be geared to both trail hikers and the greater Bennington community with the help of local groups and our partners. The event is free, but we will be taking donations for VT communities impacted by recent flooding.
➡️Full details and hiker resource info:bit.ly/BennTrailfest23
- Free lunch & safe storage space for backpacks.
- When you arrive at the site, visit the check-in to get a ticket for food and they will direct you to our backpack storage area.
- Free showers for long-distance hikers during event. Check-in at Rec Center desk. Towels and soap/shampoo will be provided.
- 🏕️Tenting (also free) available nearby on Friday and Saturday. For those tenting, free breakfast on Sunday. Tenting location is available ONLY for the event-thank you to our local business partners!
- Shuttles Saturday 7/29 - Route 9 trailhead to Trailfest starting at 11am (approx every 20 min/as needed). From Trailfest at 3 pm to camping, grocery stores, or back to the trailhead.
- Shuttles- Sunday 7/30: Rides to the trailhead after the free breakfast for those at camping. 🛌 If a hotel is your jam, there are hiker-friendly hotels and several diner/breakfast options in downtown Bennington.
🍔🍻Bennington has great brew pubs, restaurants, distillery, cidery and unique shops. We can't wait to welcome you to our hometown!
We will go ahead with Trailfest unless weather is really dire. A decision will be made the morning of the 29th by 9 am if the public event will be canceled. EVEN IF THE EVENT is canceled, we will still provide free camping for thru hikers who come and we’ll feed them lunch on the 29th and breakfast on the 30th.
**Please note that many Vermont communities are going through difficult times due to recent flooding. Organizers of Trailfest are planning to collect donations to support communities impacted by recent floods.**