Forest of Lights Tickets Open Tuesday Morning

Hartford, VT · November 8, 2026

An illustration for this edition's lead story: Forest of Lights Tickets Open Tuesday Morning

A damp mist is hanging over the riverbanks this morning, making it easy to linger over a warm mug before heading out to an afternoon workshop or local gallery.


The Lead

Quechee’s favorite winter tradition is about to test Upper Valley keyboards. General public tickets for the annual Forest of Lights at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science go live Tuesday, November 10, at 9:00 AM, following a week of member-only reservations.

The display illuminates the quarter-mile Forest Canopy Walk and woodland trails with thousands of handcrafted lights, leading past glowing arctic wildlife sculptures, a walk-in Snowflake Dome, and the illuminated Twinkling Tower. While the event runs on select evenings from late November into early January with trailside campfires and hot cider, prime weekend and holiday time slots routinely vanish within hours of opening. Anyone planning to visit with family or out-of-town guests should set an alarm for Tuesday breakfast to lock in preferred dates before the calendar fills up.


Local Pulse

  • Selectboard Weighs New Retail Cannabis Proposal City Hall Board members consider a retail cannabis license on Woodstock Road and store permits during Tuesday’s evening meeting.

  • Veterans Appreciation Week Begins at Aquatic Center Community Upper Valley Aquatic Center opens complimentary facility access and fitness programs for local military veterans through Saturday.


Today's Outlook

  • High 52°F · Low 40°F — Drizzle (51% chance of precipitation)
    • Grab a waterproof shell and an umbrella before heading out into the steady drizzle.

What's On Around Town

Today

  • ProntoPlate Printmaking Workshop Two Rivers Printmaking Studio (85 N Main St), 10:00 AM–4:00 PM · Paid Hands-on polyester plate lithography techniques led by Liz Bannish.

  • Bal Folk Dance and Music Workshop First Congregational Church of Lebanon (10 S Park St), Lebanon, 3:00–7:00 PM · $15–35 Traditional French folk music and partner dancing for all levels.

Tomorrow

  • Media Maker Monday Junction Arts & Media (5 S Main St), 6:00–7:30 PM · Free

  • Adult Drop-In Basketball Lebanon Recreation & Parks, Lebanon, 8:00 PM

Tuesday

  • Intro to Documentary Filmmaking Junction Arts & Media (5 S Main St), 5:45–7:45 PM · Paid

  • Hartford Selectboard Regular Meeting Hartford Town Hall (171 Bridge St), 6:00 PM · Free


Spotlight & Story

  • National Bank of White River Junction Building
    • Look up at the roofline at the corner of North Main and Gates Street: carved into the 1892 Richardsonian Romanesque brickwork sits a row of recessed circular bull’s-eyes. Built for railroad financiers, the stone details still watch over downtown walkers below.

Hartford Daily Digest — compiled from local sources every morning. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.

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