Join us to celebrate one of Bethel's oldest community institutions (the Bethel Public Library) and one of our newest (the trout mural)!

This fun and FREE community event will celebrate and recognize the strong community that has come together for centuries to make Bethel a vibrant place to live. We especially hope you'll join us if you helped to paint or create the mural!

The mural dedication will include:

• brief remarks 
• a community "fish parade" from the Library to the wall 
• a community photo on top of the wall
• snacks and social time

Join the fish parade! Pick up a plywood fish cutout at the Sandwich Shop and decorate it, then bring it with you for the parade. Or bring your own creative fish! RAIN OR SHINE.

free ice cream...arts bus...games...music

Bethel’s giant retaining wall will soon be home to a giant mural of our native rainbow trout. Join us for a painting party and bring these fish to life.

Vermont mural artist Mary Lacy designed the fish, which will be painted on plywood and mounted on the wall. We need lots of hands to help paint the pieces – no artistic experience necessary! Put on some old clothes and join your neighbors to make some art and celebrate summer in Bethel. We’ll have Bethel Cornhole & lawn games, free ice cream and free t-shirt making with the Arts Bus (2:30-4:30). Stay as long as you want and pack a picnic if you like. We’ll also have a sneak preview of the other art projects.

RAIN OR SHINE... but we'll likely move location if rain is predicted. Check this site by 10 AM on Saturday July 15 for updates. 

What did you think of Better Block? What worked, and what didn't? What permanent changes should we make to improve our Main Street? (Take our quick survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5WHZ8N7)

Join us to celebrate our successful Better Block event, talk about the feedback, and make plans to move forward. Potluck dinner starting at 6 PM (bring a dish to share!). Short presentation on the event and survey results at 6:30, followed by discussion groups. Hosted by the Bethel Revitalization Initiative and Bethel Town Meeting Committee.

Location: Bethel Town Hall

This meeting will focus on honing in on a concept and plan for Bethel's Better Block project. We'll be identifying opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, sketching out specific projects, and reviewing feedback from the community forum the night before. The meeting is geared primarily toward community leaders (representatives of local organizations, boards and commissions), state and regional partners, and volunteers who want to play a major role in the project. Anyone is welcome!

• 9:30 AM - Downtown walk
• 10:15 AM - Brainstorming and planning meeting

Join us for a community potluck dinner, presentation about the Better Block Project, and "world cafe" discussion about what we want for downtown and how we can use the Better Block project to test out our ideas. All are welcome! 

• 5:30 PM - Downtown walk (check out the site and start thinking about projects)
• 6:00 PM - Potluck dinner (bring a dish to share!)
• 6:15 PM - Presentation by Andrew Howard of Team Better Block, with the BRI and AARP of Vermont
• 7:00 PM - World Cafe Discussion (small group discussions and brainstorming about what we want for many aspects of downtown - businesses, bike & pedestrian safety, arts and culture, public spaces, and more)
• 8:00 - Downtown walk (for those who can't make it at 5:30) and 1st Better Block Mission!

RSVP is appreciated, but not required. This event is part of the Town Topics Discussion Series, hosted by the Bethel Town Meeting Committee and the Bethel Revitalization Initiative.