Winter – Old East End – Burlington Vermont

Winterlude 2023

Old East End Winterlude Postponed to February 10-11

Winter is roaring in with dangerous wind chills this weekend, so we are postponing our Winterlude festival one week. We hope you’ll update calendars and join us as temperatures move back into the 20s and 30s.

Our free festival has something for everyone, so let’s smash the winter doldrums and celebrate together! Come meet your neighbors and enjoy outdoor activities, a cozy fire, tasty refreshments, local music, and fun crafts. And, if you bring your own drinking vessel, we’ll give you a free Old East End souvenir (while supplies last)!

Winterlude 2022

Old East End Schmanska Barn Detail in Snow

Burlington’s Old East End Neighborhood Coalition is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Winterlude Festival to help you chase away those winter blues! Break the isolation of winter and visit Schmanska Park in a COVID-safe way. Enjoy outdoor activities throughout February including snowshoeing, sledding, cross-country skiing, nature walks, and a kid’s Story Walk®. We encourage everyone toContinue reading “Winterlude 2022”

Vellum Lanterns are Back!

Glowing handmade lanterns hang in a shrub in Schmanska Park

Everybody loved last year’s lanterns so much that we are bringing back this beloved community craft project for Winterlude 2022! Help us light up Schmanska Park! Free supplies at the barn If you want to make a lantern or two, pick up free supplies right now at the Schmanska Park barn on Grove Street. LookContinue reading “Vellum Lanterns are Back!”

Lantern Crafts

UPDATE: Due to recent wind and rain, we’ve moved all the lanterns to the small trees around the Schmanska Park barn. Please feel free to take your lantern to enjoy at home. Any left in the park on March 9 will be removed and stored in the barn. If you want to be reunited withContinue reading “Lantern Crafts”

Live. Local.

WPTZ NBC5 covers the Old East End's community building efforts

The Old East End hit the big time when WPTZ NBC5 rep’d our community building efforts on the February 25th 6pm newscast. Check out what new friend-of-the-‘hood and NBC anchor extraordinaire Liz Strzepa has to say right here! We’re all anxiously awaiting the arrival of our SAG cards… what if they’re lost in the mail?!Continue reading “Live. Local.”

Barn Illumination

Schmanska Barn at dusk, illuminated with warm glowing lights

We wanted to bring some after-dark pop to the park, so we draped our favorite barn in warm cozy lights. Gone is the Schmanska black hole, replaced by an inviting glow to be enjoyed from sundown to midnight every night. Just in time for a romantic stroll or a poop patrol with the pooch, getContinue reading “Barn Illumination”

Woods Ramble

Let’s get ready to ramble! Make your way behind the the Tennis Court (section C7 on the Winterlude Activity Map) and follow the orange trail markers as you wind your way up the hill to Greenmount Cemetery. Don’t forget to explore the side trails that split off along the way, there’s a lot to seeContinue reading “Woods Ramble”

Activity Map

Schmanska Park map with Winterlude activities

We’ve created a handy-dandy Schmanska Park map to guide you directly to your favorite Winterlude activity. For the full experience, click here or on the Activity Map button conveniently located at the top of this section under the Current Activities heading. View the map online or download a .pdf, we’re all about choice here atContinue reading “Activity Map”

Story Walk®

The snowflakes were resting after their twisting twirling dance through the crisp night air. Every twig in the forest wore a new coat of glimmering white. Daybreak came softly moving through the woods and yawning as its rays slowly stretched across the snowy meadows. The birds were the first to notice… Enjoy a New YorkContinue reading “Story Walk®”

Sledding

Do you know Schmanska Park is home to one of the most epic sledding hills in Burlington? Well, now you know. So what’s stopping you?! Grab a sled, garbage can lid, cafeteria tray, or unicorn and send it! Make us proud. How do I get there? Find the big hill in section B4 and theContinue reading “Sledding”