
Fall Weekend is September 24-26. Come spend some time in your student's new home and share the Bennington experience together. Please see below for a schedule of events.
Please note all brunch and dinner tickets are closed, as we are at guest capacity.
COVID protocol
As a reminder:
- All people who are eligible to be vaccinated must be vaccinated, in order to attend.
- Anyone who is not eligible to be vaccinated (such as children under 12) may attend outdoor events, but are required to have a negative COVID test result within 72-hours of arrival on campus. They cannot go inside buildings.
- Everyone must have filled out the visitor form before arrival.
- Everyone must be masked at all times, except when they are eating (and guests will walk through the line at the Dining Hall but must eat outdoors).
Changes/Updates:
- Everyone must upload proof of their vaccination card. Negative test results will only be accepted for those who are not eligible to be vaccinated.
- The visitor form has been updated to allow vaccination cards and negative results to be uploaded, please resubmit the form if you filled it out prior to receiving this message.
- If you do not adhere to COVID protocol, including sharing proof of vaccination, you will be turned away.***
Questions?
Contact fallweekend@bennington.edu or call 802-440-4330.



Schedule of Events
Friday
- 2:00-5:00 pm | Got questions? The College will be offering open office hours
- Dinner on your own—try these options!
- 7:00-8:30 pm | Robert Frost and the Road to Poetry with David Orr
Location: Ada Paresky Education Center at the Bennington Museum
Saturday
- 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Brunch
Commons Dining Hall
- 1:00-2:15 pm
Conversation with President Walker and College Leadership (*livestreamed)
Commons Tent, rain location: VAPA Greenwall
- 2:00-5:00 pm
Lawn Games
Commons Lawn
- 2:00-5:00 pm
Crafts
Upper Student Center
- 2:30-3:30 pm
Elizabeth Coleman Visionary Leadership Award Ceremony
CAPA
- 2:30-4:00 pm
FacultyWorks
Commons Tent, rain location: VAPA Greenwall
Drama Improv Workshop
Dina Janis | 2:30 pm
Drama Faculty member Dina Janis- welcomes Bennington's own Improv Tutorial members for improv and sketch comedy open rehearsal followed by a Q & A.
Research Talk: Why do they eat like that?
Katie Montovan | 3 pm
Faculty member Katie Montovan will talk about her research which uses mathematical modeling to understand insect behavior (no mathematical skills required to attend!). We will specifically be thinking about how prey might adjust their foraging activity as they grow to avoid predators.
Reading and Q&A
Jenny Boully and Paul LaFarge | 3:30 pm
Faculty member Jenny Boully will read her personal essay "On the Voyager Golden Records" and discuss how research infuses and intersects with the personal. Faculty member Paul La Farge will read from his novel The Night Ocean,. Q&A to follow.
- 3:30-4:30 pm
Open Studios, Campus Tours, and Bird Walks
Faculty member Blake Jones will lead a leisurely stroll around campus to find some of our favorite feathered friends and talk about studying biology at Bennington. Binoculars will be provided.
- 3:30-6:30 pm
Purple Carrot Farm workday
Purple Carrot Farm
- 5:00-7:00 pm
Harvest Dinner
Commons Dining Hall
Sunday
Enjoy Vermont:
- Visit the Bennington Battle Monument
15 Monument Circle, Old Bennington, VT 05201
Open Friday-Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Take a swim at Lake Paran (weather permitting)
Houghton Street
North Bennington, VT 05257
- Grab lunch (or your morning coffee!) at Powers Market
9 Main St, North Bennington, VT
Monday-Friday, 7:00 am-3:00 pm, Weekends 8:00 am-3:00 pm
- Go Apple Picking at Terry`s Orchard
55 Houghton Lane, Bennington, VT 05201
Open Monday-Friday 12-5pm and Sundays 9-5pm. Closed Saturdays.
Contact via (802) 733-4761 or see Facebook group
Peep Some Leaves
Fall is the ideal time to visit Vermont. Check out these classic Leaf Peeping Routes!
- The Route 7A-Route 100 Loop
- Kelly Stand Road to Grout Pond
- Bennington, North Bennington, and Shaftsbury Fall Foliage Loop
Go Hiking!
- Mile-Around Woods, 1.3 miles
Located within walking distance from campus, the trailhead is at the Park McCullough House. Be sure to check out the museum while you’re there! - Lye Brook Falls, 4.6 miles
Approximately thirty minutes from campus, Lye Brook Falls features a moderate out-and-back hike with a beautiful waterfall at the end. - Stratton Mountain Hikes, various lengths
A fifty minute drive from campus, Stratton offers breathtaking views and hikes of different complexity. A mountain lift is available for those who don’t want to hike!
Explore a museum
The Clark Art Institute
225 South Street Williamstown, MA 01267
Galleries open 10:00 am–5:00 pm
MASS MoCA
1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
Open 10:00 am–6:00 pm
(please note that MASS MoCA is hosting their Fresh Grass Festival this weekend, which could affect the visiting experience and parking availability)
Robert Frost Stone House Museum
121 Historic Route 7A
Shaftsbury, Vermont 05262
Thursdays-Mondays, 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Digital Packet
All the resources you'll need to enjoy your time on campus to the fullest. Paper copies will be handed out when you check in.
- Campus Map
- Downtown Guide | Bennington has a lot to offer! Check out the downtown guide for great ideas.
- What Happens Here | A self-guided tour of campus spaces which shows the wide variety of classes that take place in spaces across campus. Use the QR codes posted in each space to get the full experience!
- Schedule of Events
- Self-Guided Tour of Campus
- A Big Thank You!