Vermont Quilt Festival
Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, VT
Friday, June 27, 10:00 a.m.
Members $65, Non-members $75,
Accompanied children under 14, $35
Be overwhelmed by the colors, textures, designs and craftsmanship as you stroll through the rows of more than 200 Contest Quilts. Enjoy a gallery talk and view the eight special exhibits featuring: antique quilts, three retrospectives of individual quilt artists, an exhibit of more than 50 art quilts based on fairy or folk tales and a collection of quilts from the only quilt guild in Southern Vermont. Many of the Contest Quilts are for sale and you will also have time to browse and shop the 80-plus vendors in the Merchants’ Mall. Enjoy lunch on your own at one of the many festival venues. Roundtrip deluxe motor coach transportation, driver gratuities, admission to the festival and the judges’ panel, and an evening snack on the return trip are included; leaving Manchester from MEMS at 8:00 a.m.; returning at 7:45 p.m.

New York City Ballet at Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Thursday, July 17, 2:00 p.m.
Members $100, Non-members $110
The NYCB dances a delightful program they’re calling Four Voices: Prodigal Son (Prokofiev/Balanchine), The Concert (Chopin/Robbins) and two Saratoga premieres, Rococo Variations (Tschaikovsky/Wheeldon) and Grazioso (Glinka/Martins). Roundtrip deluxe motor coach transportation orchestra seats, an elegant buffet lunch at the Hall of Springs and driver gratuities are included; leaving Manchester at 10:15 a.m.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Andre Watts at Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Wednesday, August 6, 8:00 p.m.,
Members $115, Non-members $120
Witness for yourself the magic of an opening night when pianist Andre Watts joins the Philadelphia Orchestra, with Charles Dutoit conducting, for the premier its summer season, Fabulous Firsts: Kodály’s Suite from Háry János, Grieg’s Piano Concerto and, finally, one of the most popular and well-known compositions in all of European classical music, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Roundtrip deluxe motor coach transportation, orchestra seats, an elegant dinner at the Hall of Springs and driver gratuities are included; leaving Manchester at 4:15 p.m.

8th Annual Saratoga Wine and Food Festival - Grand Tasting and Auction
Saturday, September 6
Leaving Manchester at 10:30 a.m.
Members $85, non-members $95
The Saratoga Wine & Food Festival is one of the Northeast's fastest growing Wine & Food Festivals with a focus this year on eating local, farm-fresh, healthy, artisanal food!
 
The Grand Tasting Line-Up includes:
 Vintages from more than 200 fine wineries around the world.
 Palate-pleasers prepared by the region's most popular chef’s as well as promising newcomers on the dining scene.
 Artisanal and farm-fresh foods and tastings.
 A range of interesting lectures and seminars on wine, eating local, and "green eating," farm-to-table ideas, and more, with noted wine and food personalities.
 A silent auction of luxuries, exceptional wines and original art
 A live Auction at 4:00 p.m., hosted by Kevin Zraly

Billy Elliot on Broadway
Saturday, December 6, 2:00 p.m.
Tickets & Transportation $190
Set in the UK’s North East, Billy Elliot is the very funny, heart-warming, feel-good celebration of one young boy’s dream. The film of this original story captured the hearts of people around the world, broke box office records worldwide and was nominated for 3 Golden Globes, 3 Oscars and 13 Bafta awards. On stage, with a score from music legend, Sir Elton John, Billy Elliot has taken, and is still taking, London and Sydney by popular and critical storm. Roundtrip deluxe motor coach transportation, front mezzanine seats, and driver gratuities are included. Leaving Manchester 7:30 a.m., with pick-ups in Arlington and Bennington.

From Siam to the Kingdom of Thailand
An exotic guided excursion from November 6 through November 20, 2008
This amazing journey, hosted by SVAC Executive Director, Christopher Madkour, begins in the modern capital city of Bangkok, ventures north to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces, to the Golden Triangle at the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Burma and wraps up in Cambodia at the magnificent 10th century temple, Angkor Wat. For complete tour details and to make your reservations, please contact Charlene Corris at Custom Travel Concepts at (866) 956-4440 or by email at histours@aol.com.