Connect with us

Vermont

Influencers overran a rural Vermont town. Now its locals are fighting back

Published

on

Influencers overran a rural Vermont town. Now its locals are fighting back


Around late September, the leaves on the maple trees in Vermont are turning from a verdant green to near-iridescent orange and red, attracting hordes of tourists to the area each year. 

This year, the locals are hoping for fewer visitors.

For the last five autumns, small Vermont towns have been flooded with influencers keen to make the state’s foliage the backdrop for their latest sponcon or photodump. But rather than celebrate the influx of attention from out-of-towners, the sudden popularity has been a burden for nearby towns, with cars blocking traffic and visitors trodding into residents’ driveways.

The crowding is particularly bad on Cloudland Road, a winding single-lane path running through the town of Pomfret, home to about 900 people. During the peak of autumn, cars snake up and down the road connecting Pomfret to the neighboring towns. Tour buses carry scores of photo-snapping pilgrims. Pomfret has been a tourist destination for almost a century, but since the Covid-era rise of travel influencers, the traffic has been untenable. 

Advertisement

“Having driven up that way during foliage, I’ve seen lines of cars that are pulled over to the side of the road, dozens long, 20, 30, 40, cars per row,” Benjamin Brickner, chair of Pomfret’s select board (its town council equivalent), told Fortune. “This road is not meant for parking along the side of any number, so to have three dozen cars along the side of the road is just eye-popping.”

Last year, Pomfret made the decision to close down Cloudland Road to non-locals. It raised over $22,000 in a Gofundme to contract sheriff patrols and deputies to monitor the road during busy hours, allowing only locals to pass through. The town will close Cloudland Road to outsiders for the second year in a row for three weeks, beginning on Sept. 25. 

The traffic congestion is more than just a nuisance for locals trying to enjoy the autumn leafage; it’s a public safety issue, according to Beth Finlayson, executive director of the chamber of commerce in neighboring Woodstock, the county seat.

“It is a very small, one-lane dirt road,” she told Fortune. “And people from away don’t really understand that if there’s two cars parked on it, then an ambulance couldn’t get through, or a fire truck.”

But influencers aren’t just looking at bucolic Northeastern towns as their next destination. Overtourism has impacted destinations from mom-and-pop cafes to European cathedrals. With the influencer marketing industry expected to reach $24 billion by the end of the year, the role of content creators in fuelling tourism can no longer be dismissed.

Advertisement

“The idea of people going to see new destinations, new tourist attractions has always existed,” Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan, told Fortune. “This is not a novel, new thing. It’s just more prevalent, it’s more prolific, and it’s more rapid because the technologies extend human behavior.”  

With the growing challenge of accommodating new faces comes a reckoning: For locations relying on tourism to keep their economies afloat, the influx of attention could be an instance of too much of a good thing.

“This is a case of good PR turning into an unfortunate situation,” he said.

Tourist traps

Locals can’t just blame iPhone-wielding content creators for the tourism nightmare. Since pandemic lockdowns waned, a strong U.S. dollar has enticed travelers to visit far off European locales. Frugal Gen Zers who prefer travel over luxury goods are taking advantage of cheaper flights.

Despite the headaches, some destinations have no choice but to welcome visitors.

Advertisement

“We don’t have a lot of industry,” Eric Duffy, Woodstock’s municipal manager, told Fortune. “Tourism is a major driver to get people into Vermont and to spend the money in the community, so we can then have money to keep building and have attainable housing for people.”

Vermont has a 1% local option tax to tack onto the food, alcohol, and room sales that shape the local economy. Duffy said the tax alone brings in $300,000 to $400,000 per year into Woodstock, about 2.5% to 3.5% of Woodstock’s $11.26 million annual revenue for 2023.

The real trouble comes with balancing much-needed income with fears of overcrowding. Pomfret and its neighboring towns aren’t anti-tourist, select board chair Brickner said. But welcoming visitors can’t come at the expense of the locals’ quality of life.

“Unfortunately, in this one part of town, there’s that conflict between tourism interest and public safety,” he said.

Out of sight, out of mind

Like Pomfret’s restriction on the use of Cloudland Road, other popular destinations have unconventional solutions to the overtourism problem. Dae, a Brooklyn cafe known for its chic home goods on sale, dealt with influencers holding multi-hour photoshoots in the shop and snapping pictures of food and drinks without purchasing anything themselves. The shop banned patrons from taking pictures inside, aside from a quick pic of one’s own table.

Advertisement

“I regret we didn’t do it from the beginning. But I did not know it was going to get to this level,” co-owner Carol Song told Curbed.

Italy is considering a nightly tax of 25 Euros, about $28, in its expensive hotels, which can already cost Venice tourists 750 Euros, or $837, per night. In Barcelona, where influencers and tourists have run amok, locals have responded in turn by squirting them with water guns.

Thousands of protestors in Mallorca, capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands, took to the streets asking for greater regulation of rental properties available to the islands’ 14.4 million annual visitors. Ibiza announced last week it would limit the number of cruise ship arrivals to two at a time to stagger the arrival of mostly British tourists.

Marketing professor Collins isn’t convinced added restrictions will taper off tourists, at least for well-known European destinations. When it comes to viral locations or products, exclusivity is part of the appeal. People want what they can’t have—especially if attaining that exclusive thing grants them social clout.

“Scarcity creates more social currency,” he said.

Advertisement

Brickner isn’t too worried about his home of rural Vermont suffering this fate. After closing Cloudland Road, Pomfret and Woodstock don’t intend to take further action, even if it means tourists continue to stomp through lawns or hold photoshoots in driveways.

Last year’s trial of the road closure was successful enough to inspire confidence that it will work this year. With fewer influencers snapping pictures and posting them online, maybe the viral town of Pomfret will return to being a pastoral respite for locals and tech-weary travelers alike.

“The hope is in the longer term, that the road closure is not a permanent feature of our foliage season,” Brickner said. “And that as interest dies down organically…we can begin to taper off the intervention that’s required each year.”



Source link

Advertisement

Vermont

46 anti-Trump No Kings protests planned in Vermont. How to go

Published

on

46 anti-Trump No Kings protests planned in Vermont. How to go


Vermonters protest against deportations, stand in solidarity with LA

Vermonters marched up Church Street in solidarity of Los Angeles protestors and against the federal government’s immigration policies June 10.

Large scale anti-Trump protests are coming to Vermont for a third time, with at least 46 No Kings protests planned across the state for March 28.

This round of No Kings protests might be the biggest so far: organizers anticipate it’ll be “one of the largest single-day nonviolent nationwide protests in U.S. history,” with more than 3,000 events already planned across the country on March 28.

Advertisement

“As President Trump escalates his attempts to control us, it is on us, the people, to show that we will fight to protect one another and our country,” the “No Kings” website says. “If he believes we will roll over and allow him to take our freedoms, he is mistaken. We are coming together again on March 28 because we know we can overcome this repression when we unite.”

In Vermont, protests are being held in all corners of the state, from Bennington to Newport. There are about six protests listed in Burlington, including a march to City Hall, a New North End Honk and Wave and a rally at the intersection of Shelburne Rd and Hannaford Drive.

Here’s what to know ahead of the protests.

What are ‘No Kings’ protests and what does it mean?

In June 2025, large crowds of Vermont residents took part in the first round of “No Kings Day” protests, planned the same day as the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary celebration and the president’s birthday.

Advertisement

Another wave of nationwide “No Kings” protests came several months later in October, in which over seven million Americans joined events in all 50 states, according to the organization. In Burlington, thousands of protesters brought homemade signs protesting Trump, dressed in colorful inflatable costumes, played music and chanted.

Organizers behind the No Kings protests say that it is a “peaceful movement” to push back on President Donald Trump’s policies, including on immigration, foreign policy and the economy.

“With every ICE raid, every escalation abroad, and every abuse of power at home, Americans are rising up in opposition to Trump’s attempt to rule through fear and force. Each day Trump crosses a new red line, and more people are deciding they’ve had enough,” said Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible, one of the many organizations backing the mass protests.

Others include American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, MoveOn and 50501.

Advertisement

No Kings protests near me: See events, rallies in Vermont

As of 2 p.m. on March 26, there were 46 No Kings events planned in Rhode Island for March 28. Some towns and cities are holding multiple events.

Here’s a list of events in Burlington:

  • Burlington New North End Honk and Wave: 11a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 1127 North Ave, Burlington
    • “Invite your friends and neighbors and meet up at 11 a.m. at 1127 North Avenue along the sidewalks at the entrances of the Ethan Allen Shopping Plaza (home to Hannaford Supermarket and many other shops). Bring your signs, banners, noise makers, and American flags,” the listing reads. “This joyous, non-violent honk and wave action will wrap up at 12:30 p.m. Following the Honk and Wave, participants are welcome to proceed to City Hall Park to join the conclusion of the North End and South End marches.”
  • Patchen Road Overpass: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Patchen Road & Landfill Road, South Burlington
    • “We’ll be unfurling our huge NO KINGS banners on the overpass as 4,000 – 5,000 vehicles per hours pass below on Interstate 89. Bring a sign, bring an American flag, and bring a friend,” reads the listing. It says to register and to follow the guidance of safety marshals, and encourages attendees to carpool as “parking is tight.”
  • Burlington South End March: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Calahan Park, 45 Locust St, Burlington
    • “We’ll be marching from Calahan Park to City Hall Park,” says the event description. “If you don’t want to march or are unable please join us at City Hall park at 12:30 p.m. for singing, chanting and more.”
  • South Burlington: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Intersection of Shelburne Rd and Hannaford Dr in South Burlington, 1001 Shelburne Rd, South Burlington, VT
    • “Join Champlain Valley Indivisible at the intersection of Shelburne Rd and Hannaford Drive in South Burlington to stand up and speak out against this administration’s unjust and cruel acts of violence,” the event listing says, adding that those interested should register.
  • Burlington March to City Hall: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 1 S Prospect St., Burlington
  • Burlington Old North End March: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Roosevelt Park, 57 Oak St., Burlington
    • “We’ll be marching from Roosevelt park to City Hall Park,” the listing says. “If you don’t want to march or are unable please join us at City Hall park at 12:30 p.m. for singing, chanting and more.”

Here’s a list of all the towns in Vermont holding protests so far, plus when, where and other helpful information listed on the event pages or provided in press releases:

  • Bellow Falls
  • Bennington
  • Bradford
  • Brandon
  • Brattleboro
  • Burlington
  • Charlotte
  • Chester
  • Essex Junction
  • Fair Haven
  • Fairfax
  • Hardwick
  • Hartford
  • Huntington
  • Jericho
  • Manchester
  • Middlebury
  • Milton
  • Milton
  • Montpelier
  • Morrisville
  • Newbury
  • Newport
  • Northfield
  • Randolph
  • Randolph
  • Richmond
  • Rutland
  • Saint Johnsbury
  • Shelburne
  • South Burlington
  • South Burlington
  • St. Albans
  • Wallingford
  • Waterbury
  • Westfield
  • Williston
  • Wilmington
  • Windsor
  • Winooski
  • Wolcott
  • Woodstock

More events may be planned. You can check the map on the No Kings website to see if your town is holding a protest.

What time are No Kings events?

“No Kings” protests in Vermont start at various times on March 28, with some events planned at 10 a.m. and others planned throughout the afternoon, according to the online map of events.

Contributing: Paris Barraza

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Vermont

Vermont Sports Hall of Fame adds two members to 2026 induction class

Published

on

Vermont Sports Hall of Fame adds two members to 2026 induction class


An international ambassador for tennis from South Burlington and a three-sport captain at Burlington High School and the University of Vermont more than 100 years ago are the final members for the 2026 Vermont Sports Hall of Fame banquet, the organization announced in a news release on Thursday, March 26.

Jake Agna, the former legendary tennis coach at South Burlington High School, is the 2026 David Hakins inductee, which honors an individual or a group or organization for exceptional promotion of sports, athletics and recreation in the state. Fenwick Watkins, a pioneer and exceptional athlete and coach who helped break color barriers in sports in the early 1900s, has been named the hall’s historic inductee.

Agna and Watkins join 10 other members previously announced this year who will officially be enshrined during a celebration banquet at the Delta Marriott Burlington Hotel on 1117 Williston Road in South Burlington on Saturday, April 25.

Advertisement

The dinner begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by the induction ceremony. To purchase tickets to the 2026 event, visit the VSHOF website at vermontsportshall.com. The cost is $95 per plate with part of the proceeds going to Prevent Child Abuse Vermont, the longtime designated charity for VSHOF.  

Over 38 years coaching girls tennis at South Burlington, Agana compiled a 489-95 record with eight perfect seasons, 16 Division I titles and 13 runner-up trophies before stepping down prior to the 2023 season.

Agna is also founded Kids on the Ball in 2000, which is designed to teach children life lessons such as relationships and respect by learning the game of tennis. He has led 31 trips to Cuba to help expand the sport. His tennis programs reach out to over 200 kids each day in school and after school programs.

Advertisement

Agna’s work to help resurface 10 courts and renovation of the National Tennis Center in Cuba in 2017 was recognized by the Tennis Channel.

Watkins was a three-sport star in football, basketball, baseball at Burlington before graduating in 1905. At UVM, he is believed to be the first Black captain of a non-historical Black college or university sport and was captain for all three sports at both BHS and UVM, according to VSHOF.

After UVM, Watkins went on to become a high school and college head coach in North Dakota at Concordia College (football) and what is now known as North Dakota State (baseball and football). He died in 1943.

The previous winners for the Hakins award are: Barry Stone (2024); Thomas Dunkley (2023); Ted Ryan (2022); Cochran’s Ski Area, Mickey & Ginny Cochran (2020); Mal Boright (2019); Helmut Lenes (2017); Ernie Farrar (2015); Tom Curley (2014) and Ray Pecor (2013).

Advertisement

The previous historic winners include: Leo Papineau, St. Michael’s College, athlete, coach and official (2025); Clarence Demar, South Hero, distance running, (2017); Fred Harris, Brattleboro, outdoors/ski jumping, (2015); James Taylor, Windsor, outdoors, (2014); and Charles Adams, Newport, National Hockey League, (2013).

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.





Source link

Continue Reading

Vermont

See the Brattleboro student who won the Poetry Out Loud state finals

Published

on

See the Brattleboro student who won the Poetry Out Loud state finals


Eason DeMarsico-Thorne, a student at Brattleboro Union High School, won the 2026 Poetry Out Loud State Finals, held the Flynn on March 5, according to a community announcement.

DeMarsico-Thorne will represent Vermont at the national competition at the end of April in the nation’s capital. Gretchen Wertlieb of South Burlington High School was the runner-up, and Aiva Reed of Windsor High School placed third.

The state finals featured 10 students who recited poems over three rounds. The top three, with the highest cumulative scores after the first two rounds, advanced to the final round.

Advertisement

DeMarsico-Thorne recited “Fruit of the Flower” by Countee Cullen, “I Shall Return” by Claude Mckay and “A Southern Road” by Helene Johnson.

Wertlieb recited “To a Young Dancing Girl” by Elsa Gidlow, “Thoughts in Jail” by Katharine Rolston Fisher and “I shall forget you presently, my dear” (Sonnet IV), by Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Reed recited “Why We Oppose Women Travelling in Railway Trains” by Alice Duer Miller, “Militants to Certain Other Women” by Katharine Rolston Fisher and “If I Had Known” by Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson.

The other finalists were Phoebe Gresham from Mount Mansfield Union High School, Ranee Hall from Thetford Academy, Marcus Burns from St. Johnsbury Academy, Taylor Daleb from Peoples Academy, Moya Thayer from Burlington High School, Theo Novak from Champlain Valley Union High School and Patrick Tester from Lyndon Institute.

Advertisement

Eighteen schools across Vermont registered to bring the national Poetry Out Loud program to their classrooms for the 2025-26 school year, reaching 2,000 students with about 60 teachers participating, according to the announcement. Fifteen students were selected by their teachers as school champions and participated in the statewide semifinals, held on Feb. 12 at the Barre Opera House.

DeMarsico-Thorne received $200 and advances to the national finals, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends are distributed. The state champion’s school receives $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. Wertlieb received $100, with $200 for her school.

Poetry Out Loud is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Vermont Arts Council. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4 million students across the country have participated. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers the monetary prizes.

For more information about Vermont Poetry Out Loud, visit flynnvt.org/Education/poetry-out-loud.

This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending