Snow’s arrival is inevitable here in Vermont and ECHO has found a way to embrace the inevitable!Thanks to a special partnership between Burton Snowboards, Smugglers’ Notch Ski Resort, with additional support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, ECHO will be presenting atwo-week long Burton Riglet Park Program,Saturday, November 1 through Sunday, November 16, including actual SNOW outside ECHO onSaturday, November 15!This program is specifically designed to accommodate children between 3 and 8 years old.
What is a Burton Riglet Park?It is a series of small obstacles, slides and interactive stations that safely introduce the physical principles of snowboarding to kids as young as age three, up to age eight. The park, which can be created inside as well as outside, is designed to offer a fun and comfortable environment for young children to learn snowboarding through “play” and guided discovery.
The two-week program has several components:
1) School Program for k-2ndGrade:Several area schools have enrolled their students from grades K - 2 in the“Stoked About Science”program where students utilize the indoor riglet park as part of their P.E. requirements. Students will be guided through three activity stations beginning as early as10:30 a.m.This is free for studentsbut the schools must sign up in advance (many already have) for these limited slots.
2) Daytime interior interactives for the public:ECHO guests will be invited to explore the Burton Riglet Park each weekday after2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m.and 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. on weekends. Interior interactives include boards and balance, design and build crafts, building a min-terrain park, snowboard puzzles and much more. This is free with paid admission to ECHO.
3) Evening ECHO AfterDark Event:As a way to engage the adult audience (21+),on Thursdayevening,November 13, Burton Snowboards will be screening six of their “Burton Presents” snowboarding movie shorts in succession. The films will screen on ECHO large HD screen in the Revision Lakeside Pavilion space with Dolby 5.1surround sound. Guests are invited to enjoy the cash bar, light snacks and beautiful imagery the Burton films are known for. There will also be gear and lift ticket give-aways and other fun “schwag”.Tickets are $20 for ECHO members and $25 for non-members.
4) FREE Outdoor Riglet Park with Snow:OnSaturday, November 15, from10 a.m. to 2 p.m., children between the ages of 3 and 8 are invited to enjoy the outdoor riglet park that will be set up outside of ECHO complete WITH SNOW supplied by Smugglers’ Notch Ski Resort.The outdoor riglet park is free. There will be Burton and Smugglers’ Notch staff on hand to champion the children through the obstacles and fun challenges in the park. Participants will learn to maneuver, balance and navigate with a small snowboard called a Riglet Board. Certificates of completion will be given to each participant.
“We are so excited to have this partnership with Burton at ECHO. I started snowboarding with my son last winter and we have been having an absolute blast! What fun to have this available for families to experience inside ECHO,” said Steve Perkins, ECHO’s Director of Development and Community Relations.
“We are so excited to have this partnership with Burton at ECHO. I started snowboarding with my son last winter and we have been having an absolute blast! What fun to have this experience available for families to experience it inside ECHO!”
Watch an outdoor Riglet Park in action!
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center is located at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, on Vermont’s Burlington Waterfront. ECHO features 70 live species, more than 100 interactive experiences, changing and permanent exhibits and seasonal events—all exploring theEcology,Culture,History, andOpportunity for stewardship of the Lake Champlain Basin. The 2.2 acre Leahy Center environmental campus is also highlighted by the Lake Champlain Basin Program Resource Room, UVM’s Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, Lake Champlain Navy Memorial, ECHO’s Gift Shop, and café featuring food prepared by Sugarsnap. Open year-round,10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day. For more information visitechovermont.org, call (toll-free)1.877.324.6386, or write to ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, One College Street, Burlington, VT 05401.