The “Back to the River: Scenes from an Angler’s Paradise” art show kicks off with a cocktail party fundraiser on April 28th
ARLINGTON, VERMONT -- The Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival, in partnership with The Arlington Common, will host a cocktail party at the Arlington Common’s Watkins House to celebrate the opening of the Back to the River: Scenes from an Angler’s Paradise art show from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Home Rivers Intiative’s effort to continue improving habitat for the Battenkill’s native and wild trout.
The art show spotlights 14 artists, including Galen Mercer, John Swan, CD Clarke, Adriano Manocchia, Peter Corbin and George Van Hook. The show features fly fishing and river scenes and showcases the history between Arlington and the Battenkill from a variety of acclaimed international sporting artists. The show will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m from April 28 through June 12 and all pieces are available for purchase, and a majority of the artists will be available to answer questions. The opening night event will include an open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres. Tickets to the cocktail party are $100 and proceeds from the event will work to reconnect fragmented streams, protect and enhance critical habitat, restore unstable areas, and sustain good stewardship through education and outreach through the Battenkill Home Rivers Initiative.
The event will be held at The Arlington Common’s Watkins House, located less than half a mile from the Battenkill. It will kick off the first annual Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival, a three day event celebrating the sport of fly fishing in the heart of Vermont’s fly fishing community. The festival includes nine films from the International Fly Fishing Film Festival, guided tours of habitat restoration of the Battenkill, fisheries and habitat talks from local environmental partners, fly fishing workshops and seminars, an art exhibit featuring internationally acclaimed sporting artists, free casting instruction and demos, and a keynote presentation from Tom Rosenbauer, acclaimed fly fisherman, author and host of The Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast and Orvis’ chief enthusiast.
“We are thrilled to welcome this sporting art exhibit to the Arlington Common and are honored to showcase some of the nation’s premier artists in their field. The community is looking forward to kicking off the first annual Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival with a celebration of the environment that makes our community so special,” said Ned Reade, a board member of the Arlington Common.
“Trout Unlimited is grateful for all of the community support that has and will continue to enable us to improve coldwater habitat for native and wild trout within the Battenkill watershed. Since beginning in 2020, the Home Rivers Initiative (HRI) has built off the great work of USForest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, NYState Department of Environmental Conservation, Battenkill Watershed Alliance, Washington and Bennington County Conservation Districts, and numerous other watershed partners. In 2022, TU has plans to restore an additional 1.7 miles of coldwater habitat and advance other reconnection and restoration projects in 2023 and beyond,” said Jacob Fetterman, Project Coordinator at the Battenkill Home Rivers Initiative.
You can purchase tickets to the event here: https://www.vtflyfest.com/event-details/battenkill-fly-fishing-festival
The Arlington Common
The Arlington Common is a community non-profit campus that strengthens the Arlington area community through wellness, culture, creativity, and education. The Arlington Common launched in early 2021 and currently offers more than a dozen fitness and wellness classes, co-working, and regular community programming. The two-acre property is in the midst of a capital campaign, and once complete, will feature a state of the art community space, a music and performing arts hall, and a fitness and wellness center for the greater Arlington area.
The Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival
The Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival's mission is to support anglers in their love of the sport, create opportunities to expand fly fishing for all, and showcase the beautiful town of Arlington, one of the United States’ premier fly fishing destinations.
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