Upcoming Events

Friends of the Mad River is committed to bringing our community opportunities to learn, deepen our understanding of our watershed, and cultivate connection with others. Check out the events and opportunities we have coming up!​

Wild Clay
Forage Your Own Pottery

Saturday, July 26
​9:00 am - 12:00 pm
​Lareau Swimhole
Join us for an immersive experience where you learn to forage wild clay from the beautiful landscape of the Mad River Valley. Learn where to find, how to sustainably harvest, and how to test local clay sources. Then, you’ll be guided through a step-by-step process to temper and prepare your clay for making pottery.

Once our clay is ready, we’ll make a wide assortment of pottery, using both ancestral techniques and more modern approaches. Because of the workshop time frame, most people will make several smaller pieces as opposed to one larger ceramic piece. We will have examples and suggestions on hand so you can try your hand at a range of fun projects!

Due to the drying time for clay, we will not be firing our art pieces on the day of the workshop. However, there are a few options for you to consider. We will be hosting a fire at the Valley Arts on Sunday, August 3rd, where we intend to fire all of the pottery produced in the workshop. Stop by to see the firing in process and take home your work at the end of the day. Alternatively, you are always welcome to take your clay with you with directions for how you can fire at home. 
This is an immersive workshop and an exercise in making art from the natural world. 

*Participants are welcome to bring samples of clay that they've dug, whether processed or not. We will give it a shot and see if it has what it takes to make ceramics.

This course offers a sliding scale to help cover the cost of materials and the time for the instructors.  Pay what you can | Real Cost = $20 | Pay it forward (which helps cover the cost of the class for anybody who can’t afford the price).
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Birding Walk with Mad Birders

Saturday, August 9
​8:00 - 10:00 am
​Bigger Picture Boardwalk
Come spend your morning with Friends of the Mad River and the Mad Birders as Jeannie Elias (she/her) of the Mad Birders leads us in a birding walk. No experience birding required; please bring binoculars if you have them. We will search for a wide variety of species as we wander along a beautiful wetland ecosystem on this short, flat walk. All are welcome! 

We will meet under the covered parking off Carroll Road in the Bigger Picture parking lot (48 Carroll Rd, Waitsfield, VT 05673). The walk will happen rain or shine, so come dressed for the elements. Please register for the walk ahead of time.
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