Denton Publications

The Lake Champlain Bridge Community is looking forward to hosting the Grand Celebration on May 19-20, 2012. The events schedule is getting firmed up and you can see a tentative outline of it on LCBC’s website at www.champlainbridgecommunity.org/events.html. 

We draw inspiration from the 1929 opening and are hoping to create an event just as grand. Over the course of two days, the celebration will include a grand parade, fireworks, boat flotilla, Sunday morning ecumenical service, and street concert/dance. In between these marquee events, there will be family-friendly activities and performances that will only enhance the celebration.

Showcasing the products and services of our region is an important element to the event’s success and also provides an incredible marketing opportunity. We anticipate attendance in the thousands and envision this as a chance for local businesses and organizations to capture new customers, generate additional revenue, and most importantly, encourage visitors to return to our area.

The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing is supporting the event with press releases, Tweets, Facebook posts and more.  

There are many opportunities for your business to get involved:

Hotels: Create a package or offer a special rate to attract overnight guests. (Send me the information and I’ll post it on AddisonCounty.com and VermontVacation.com.)

Food Vendors: Area businesses that have the capability and wish to be a food vendor for the celebration should contact us at info@champlainbridgecommunity.org for more info.

Artisans/Craftspeople: There will be nearly 100 booths between the two tented locations on either side of the bridge. Space is limited and vendors local to Lake Champlain will be given priority to participate. Each state’s vendors will be sited in their home state at either the Crown Point State Historic Site or Chimney Point State Historic Site/adjoining private property. If you are interested in learning more and submitting an application, please contact us.

Parade Participants: Any business, organization, town, school, and committee is invited to have a float in the parade. The theme of the parade will be “80 Years of History and Counting,” so pick a decade and decorate your float, dress your participants appropriately. For more information on parade participation, please email info@champlainbridgecommunity.org.

Volunteers: We’ll need many! If you’re interested in volunteering for all or part of the weekend, please e-mail info@champlainbridgecommunity.org.

Sue Hoxie

Addison County Chamber of Commerce