Blackfly Festival

Why a Blackfly Festival? I mean, what’s the point??? After a long, cold winter here in Adamant, we need something to celebrate, and everyone knows we have plenty of blackflies. 

The Adamant Blackfly Festival is our annual free, family-friendly, bug-centric celebration at the Co-op. Save the date: Saturday June 1, 2024!

Event schedule:
10:00 Nature walk. Meet local naturalist John José in front of the Co-op for a chance to get up close and personal with our local flora and fauna. Don’t forget the bug juice, to hold the blackflies at bay, and if you have a pair of binoculars, bring them along

10:00 Craft workshop: Build-a-Bug with Sandal Cate, using egg cartons and colorful bug body parts (ages 5-12)

10:45 Live Music:  Tim Jennings, Bob Sassaman and David Gaillard play traditional Irish and Americana tunes and songs

11:00 Build-a Bug ends, General mayhem begins

• Grill opens - jumbo hot dogs, chicken sausage, salmon burgers, hamburgers, black bean burgers, delectable salads and delicious baked goods for sale

• Michael Sabourin, president of the Vermont Entomological Society answers questions and shares an awesome bug collection

• Items sold at the BFF Silent Auction are available for pickup in the store until 3:00.

11:45 Live Music:  Over the Waterfall: Traditional dance tunes from many countries played by Susan Reid and Franklin Heyburn (Fiddles), Pam Boackes (guitar) and Rick Winston (accordion)

12:45 Live Music: The Lingonberries play waltzes, polskas, hambos and other staples of haunting and harmonious Swedish music

2:00  Blackfly Parade. Create your own costume, grab your bug zapper and walk with local tractors, and fabulous floats. Not to toot our own kazoo, but past parades have been described as “the Macy’s Day Parade of the Insect World!” 

3:00 Grill closes. Festival ends. Blackflies all die.