How are you celebrating this Mother’s Day? This weekend offers ample opportunities for fun. My own plans likely involve homemade crêpes served up with maple syrup and the remainder of last year’s frozen blueberries, followed by our traditional visit to Cate Farm’s seedling sale. This weekend, many farmers markets also unfurl their canopies for the season’s opening day, offering a chance to catch up with neighbors and bring home some early local greens.                            

-Brett Stanciu, calendar writer

To start the weekend in a satisfyingly sweet and savory way, take mom out for a morning meal a day early at the Orchard Valley Waldorf School Pie Breakfast, where homemade pastries are served buffet-style with plenty of coffee and conversation. Afterward, meander through Montpelier Mayfest, where downtown activities include an art walk and a bike swap at Onion River Sports. 

What better way to celebrate motherhood than Kids Day? The morning kicks off with a 9:30 a.m. parade from Edmunds School to the Waterfront Park, followed by a day of family-friendly entertainment and activities, including science with Ms. Vermont, live music, petting animals, Burlington Electric bucket truck rides and much more. 

The Davis Studio celebrates its brand-new Shelburne Road space with a Grand Opening Celebration featuring Mother's Day card crafting, hat making, a photo booth and other family-friendly activities all day Saturday.



If you've got an avian aficionado in your home, check out the Early Birders Morning Walk at the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington. Don’t forget good walking shoes and binoculars. 

As the black flies and mosquitoes haven’t reared their pesky heads yet, wildflower walks are a nice way to unwind in the wild. The Jaquith Library teams up with the Marshfield Conservation Committee for an afternoon amble at the Stranahan Forest in Marshfield to admire blooming ephemerals. The North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier offers their annual spring stroll on Sunday, too. 

ECHO’s XOXO: Expressions of Love devotes Mother's Day to appreciating families across diverse world cultures. Lois Trombley and the dancers of Swan Dojo Dance Studio perform at 12:30 p.m., then invite the audience to join in on the action. At 1:30 p.m., Teresa Davis of Davis Studio helps anyone old enough to hold a pencil with “love portraits” of family members. 

Happy Mother's Day!